Glottage and its commercial faiths celebrate a great military victory with a great parade. Shrue, Hayward and Carpenter attempt to get the message of the Woundtree out to the people of the Peninsula. Faulkner finds himself at the mercy of his own fanatical audience. Everything comes to a head.[2]
| ATTENTION: SPOILERS AHEAD! Beyond this point, major plot spoilers are expected. Continue at your own risk. |
Description[]
Cliffside Watchtower[]
Private Tainsley paces back and forth. He’s waiting for the Lingers to begin their land invasion. His sergeant peeks out of the watchtower and tells Tainsley that the war is over. Tainsley remembers what Val told him and is patiently waiting for it to unfold. The sergeant invites him inside to celebrate. Tainsley declines and goes back to his patrol.
The High Prophet Addresses His People[]
Greve gives a speech to the Parish on the radio. She paints the legalisation as a victory. Faulkner turns the radio off. In the distance there is the faint chanting of a massive crowd. He is dressed in the cassock that is too big for him, a gold and green cope, rings that he has been gifted, and a wreath of kelp. He staggers to the chamber door and towards his waiting disciples.
He acknowledges that this is his chance for escape. But between his guards, or captors, and his disciples, he can’t act on it. He wonders where else there’d be to run to. He wants to tell them he is not the man they think he is, but he’s unable to.
Inside the hall of the Grand Aquifer, the crowd claps and cheers. Gongs ring out and the hall falls silent. Rane addresses the crowd, announcing Faulkner. The crowd roars. The doors open and Faulkner walks in. Music begins playing. The crowd calls out to Faulkner as he walks across the hall. Faulkner shudders as a particularly passionate disciple speaks to him. Faulkner addresses the crowd. He sounds uncertain. Rane tells him to sit down before continuing. They speak about Greve and Adjudicator Shrue. They talk about Brother Philly and his team, and their task to assassinate Shrue. The crowd cheers. Rane speaks to Faulkner and asks if he’s ready to speak to Brother Philly. Faulkner is unsure about speaking to him in front of everyone, but Rane pressures him to do so. Sister Cull tunes the radio.
Brother Philly addresses the Grand Aquifer, he is outside of Greater Glottage Radio. He tells Faulkner that he believes he can make a much bigger statement than originally planned. Faulkner asks what he means by this. Brother Philly suggests splitting into two parties, half focusing on the assassination and the other half going to the parade to set off the Wither Mark. Rane openly approves of this idea, causing the crowd to cheer. Faulkner is less certain, attempting to create an effective lie that will prevent this from occurring. Sister Cull asks what the lawful authorities can possibly do that they haven’t already done. Faulkner says he didn’t approve it, that it’s unwise to make last minute changes to strategic decisions. He calls Brother Philly to remain focused on Adjudicator Shrue. Brother Philly asks how this is different from Bellwethers. The crowd disapproves of Faulkner’s decision. As his crowd begins to call out to him, Faulkner begins to panic. Rane takes control and lies on Faulkner’s behalf. The crowd cheers in response to Rane. Rane asks if Faulkner remembers the Wither Mark. He does but refuses to kill a city for them. Rane asks who it goes too far for: The Parish, or him? Rane tells Faulkner to speak, reminding him of his position. The crowd boos and angrily calls out to Faulkner until he reluctantly agrees and asks Brother Philly how long they need. Faulkner reminds him that the priority is that Adjudicator Shrue dies on air. Faulkner shares the Wither Mark.
The Parade[]
In Glottage, the parade is in full swing. Greve watches it from her car. She exits the vehicle with her entourage and is greeted by Press Secretary Carson. Greve mistakes him for Adjudicator Shrue. Carson shows them to their seats. Carson offers Greve some advice, telling her to tone her speech down a bit. He gives her a warning about the role he gave the Parish in ending the war. Hilariously, Carson offers Greve a creative partnership with the Grindinglord.
Carson gives his speech. He cues in Greve, who gives her own speech. She seems to take Carson’s advice, toning her speech down for the general audience. She does not enjoy it.
The Greater Glottage Radio Incident[]
Carpenter goes over the plan and wonders about the lack of security. Shrue says they’ve been bleeding staff, that everyone has. Hayward has insight on what the movements of the authorities will be. Cross says he will wait in the car. Cross asks Shrue if they’re really going through with this. Shrue tells him there’s still time to back out, and at his request tells him they’re not backing out. They tell him to be ready to drive. He asks what he can do if things go wrong. Shrue tells him to pull the fire alarm, that he’ll think of something.
Brother Philly watches Shrue enter GGR, and notices Carpenter is with them.
Shrue is greeted by Travis, the radio executive. He tells them that they called in their temp contracts due to the power cuts. Shrue introduces Hayward and Carpenter as Katabasian Oates and Katabasian Wren. Travis sounds incredibly stressed. Shrue says they will set up in the booth. Travis tells Carpenter and Hayward that they are welcome to sit with him, but they must be quiet. He makes small talk with them. Hayward enjoys playing his role. Carpenter is anxious. She sees the Cairn Maiden standing over Hayward’s shoulder. She has passed the doorway now. Hayward accepts this.
Cull asks Rane why Faulkner is sitting there, dejectedly. Rane says that he has a heavy burden to carry. That Faulkner worries about all the people in the field. Rane says they will speak to him, that things will be different when its written. Rane approaches Faulkner, and Faulkner asks how many lights there are in Glottage. He is referencing his conversation with Carpenter from Chapter 15. Rane does not know, they offer Faulkner a drink. Faulkner tells Rane that they should have let him drown. He wishes he was free of them.
Brother Philly cuts their conversation off by using the radio. He tells them Shrue has entered GGR and that he and Sibling Dawn are there as well. Brother Sawney and Sister Ribchester are downtown preparing to set off the Wither Mark. He tells them that Anathema Carpenter is with the Adjudicator. Faulkner is shocked. Rane calls this a miracle. Faulkner is inconsolable. He grabs the mic and orders Brother Philly to stop. He tells them to kill them all but to let her live. Rane announces that Faulkner is unwell. Rane gives the order to Brother Philly to proceed. The river rises.
Shrue’s broadcast begins. They say that nothing they have ever said has ever helped anyone. Travis is confused, Hayward tells him that Shrue is ramping up to something. Shrue goes through all of the lies of the society that they live in. Val is listening. She approves of Shrue’s speech, with amusement. Travis tries to cut them off, but Carpenter whacks him with her revolver. So Shrue continues with the truth. They tell the truth about the Legislatures. They tell the truth about the world. People are complicated, but greed and hunger are simple truths. If they turn away now, life will be harder. Shrue says the Children of the Woundtree doesn’t go far enough. Shrue tells their listeners to kill their gods. They begin to tell their listeners the marks of the Woundtree. Their speech can’t be heard over the noise of the carnival.
Hayward tapes up the radio exec. Carpenter is relieved that they're still on air. Brother Philly and Sibling Dawn enter. Sibling Dawn tells them to stay down. Carpenter tells Hayward they’re from the Parish. Brother Philly lists Carpenter’s crimes. Carpenter tells him that if he knows who she is, why isn’t he running. Shrue calls their attention away from Hayward and Carpenter. They say that they have a family they want to return to. Brother Philly speaks to Shrue, explaining who they are. Philly tells Shrue to say on air who will kill them. Shrue realises they are out of time and gives the marks of the Woundtree again. Philly grows angry. Shrue says they are the marks of the Many Below and tells their listeners to use them.
Philly shoots Shrue through the booth window. Shrue wheezes in pain. Philly enters the booth and cruelly shoots Shrue again. He turns. The fire alarm goes off. Carpenter barrels into Philly and she assaults him. Hayward wrestles the gun from Sibling Dawn, but not before the gun goes off. He shoots her. Hayward turns and yells to Carpenter. In the booth, Carpenter tells Philly that she told the Trawler-man she wouldn’t take another life in his name. Yet, here she is. She kills Philly. Carpenter calls to Hayward asking if he’s alright. He says he is. Shrue is dead. They turn to leave. Hayward collapses. He’s been shot in the gut. Hayward tells Carpenter to leave before the tree comes. She refuses. Cross enters and sees Shrue dead. Cross and Carpenter help carry Hayward out of GGR.
The Wither Mark Goes Off In Glottage[]
Sister Ribchester and Brother Sawney draw the Wither Mark. They wait impatiently. The Wither Mark goes off.
At the parade, the crowd listens to Shrue’s pre-record of the Promised Bride story. Carson gestures for the photographers, before speaking into his earpiece. Carson tells the crowd to give him five minutes, that he is just double checking something. It appears he has been told about the Wither Mark. He walks off stage and towards a car that has just pulled up for him. Greve follows him, asking what’s going on. Carson explains quickly to Greve. Greve says they should evacuate the parade, and Carson tells her she should organise it. Greve attempts to, but the tsunami of the Wither Tide arrives too soon. It submerges the crowd to horrible screams.
Greve re-emerges, groaning in pain. She gazes out over the flooded city. She muses that all of this occurred because one brat decided he was special. She refuses to be a Saint or die like Roemont. She takes a gun from the body of a police officer and holds it to her head. The river rises. She pulls the trigger.
Trivia[]
- Adjudicator Shrue's last words are "Kill your gods!"
- After Carpenter shoots Brother Philly she says, "There's your fucking miracle."
- Katabasian Greve's last words are "The river rises."
- The phrase "the river rises" is said 13 times in this episode.