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Everything's impossible. Til it ain't.
Directed by: Rodrigo Garcia
Written by: William Schmidt
Summary
Clutching his throat, Justin runs fearfully through a cornfield, when he looks up and sees a spider's web. The center of the web glows in the shape of a five-pointed star, and then turns into a Ferris wheel...and Justin jerks awake in his chair.
Later, Iris hears him talking to Balthus about his dreams, which, he says, are like those he had as a child. "The carnival hides my enemy, even as he draws closer," he tells his onetime mentor. "He means to destroy us."
Arriving in Wyoming, the Carnivale begins setting up camp for the night. Jones, scrounging among the wreckage of the Colossus, finds a clue: a wooden dowel where a metal pin should be. Someone has made a tragic error in judgment.
Ben wants to know why the caravan has stopped, and Samson tells him that the troupe needs rest, at least until morning. "I know you got the eagers," he says. "And I ain't gonna lose that bet."
Jones confronts Burly about the offending dowel, and the two end up in a fistfight, punctuated by Burly's slurring of Libby's reputation. Jonesy himself is finding that life with an adult entertainer has its conflicts and argues with Libby about her state of dress. It is while watching him snore away that Libby sees someone outside their tent.
Suddenly, a group of men are on them, grabbing and handcuffing Jones. Soon they are miles from the camp. "You don't know me, do you, carnie trash," one man says as he beats Jones. "You're the man that killed my wife with that goddamned Ferris Wheel." Brandishing a tar brush, he brutally slaps boiling tar over Jones and shoves the burning brush in his mouth. He demands that Libby watch: "I want her to see this so she can go back and tell those freaks what happens when you come in an wreck decent folk."
Back at camp, Ben has a dream: In the Cheyenne Motor Courts , Varlyn Stroud pumps morphine into a shaking and disoriented Scudder. Seeing an image of Ben in a mirror, he pulls his gun, but Ben is not there. Waking up from the dream, Ben is sweaty and has a bloody nose-and is disturbed to see his blood is now blue. Finding Cheyenne on a map, he sees that the town is only a couple of hours away, and he determines to try to get the jump on Stroud.
Ruthie, too, has been active in the night. Walking in a trancelike state, with Lodz's milky white eyes, she picks up a lipstick and writes on a mirror. In the morning, Lila, who seems curiously drawn to Ruthie, brings her Lodz's favorite breakfast. Ruthie pushes her out before seeing the message written on her mirror: "Sofie is in the Omega," it says. The note is signed "L."
In Mintern, Justin discusses the bible with Norman. "Once you get past the striking repetition, it’s really quite banal," he tells him. He can't control his laughter. "Blessed are the meek. Can you imagine?"
Sofie has gotten a lesson on Justin's Spartan nature from Iris. "You serve at my brother's pleasure," she says. But Justin is captivated by his new maid. Holding her hand after she pours the coffee, he seems quite lost. After Sofie has gone, Balthus, in his semi-paralyzed state, snorts in derision, and when Justin turns to him, his eyes are black. Norman struggles, groans and spits out a bloody molar.
In the valley of the Temple of Jericho, Justin's faithful have lined up to register to vote. "You vote Democrat now," a volunteer says, slipping a registrant a campaign button and a dime. "You vote for Val."
Iris, who has been looking for Eleanor, finally finds her in her tent, shivering and terrified. "I saw the devil," she says. "Brother Justin's eyes were as black as pitch." Declaring her exhausted, Iris takes the old woman on a picnic and convinces her that she is mistaken. Slowly, Eleanor comes around, "What I saw was like a bad dream," she says. But later, when Eleanor laughingly says she looks forward to joking with Brother Justin about her mistake, Iris can take no more chances. She bashes Eleanor with the oar from their boat.
By the side of the road in Wyoming, Clayton Jones is more dead than alive. Blackened and burnt, he is hog tied to a post, and when a devastated Libby tries to remove a speck, she takes off more flesh than tar. Vultures circle the pair as Libby cries. "I'll stop dancing...just don't die."
Driving for Cheyenne, Ben sees the vultures and soon spots Libby. "Jonesy’' dying!" she shrieks and begs to get him to a hospital. It's quickly clear, however, that he won't make it to Cheyenne.
Glancing at the carrion birds, Ben drives far off of the road and instructs Libby to shut all the windows, drive like hell and wait for him back at the road. "Something's going to happen here," he tells a stunned Libby. "I don't got time to explain it. But I can't risk you getting hurt. It's the only chance he's got."
Ben squats beside the near dead Jones and puts his head down. Jonesy, barely awake, looks out and sees a vision of himself in all of his splendor from his days in the Major Leagues. "One strike away, Bill" he tells his manager. "I'm bringing it home..." Ben places his hands on Jones charred body.
In Mintern, the faithful have gathered, and Val Templeton offers political brimstone, assailing the President as an "agent of international shylocks." Justin follows with his own vitriol: "blessed are the migrants, the okies, the road-ites, for they are the true Americans!" he says. Norman, watching from the front row, sees an opportunity. Grabbing a revolver from a policeman's holster, he fires a shot at Justin.
The bullet misses, and Balthus is beset by angry parishioners. They swarm and beat him until Justin bellows for them to stop. "Do not touch this man," he says, holding Balthus in his arms. After a long silence, a "praise the lord" is heard, and the crowd erupts. Sofie, watching, is clearly moved, and finds herself applauding as well.
Standing on a Wyoming plain, Jonesy is whole again. "Hawkins?" he asks, confused, and looks down at the tar peeling off his body. Pulling off pieces, he looks around at a ring of dead birds. "You did this...it's impossible...Who are you?"
Soon, Jones realizes that not only is he alive, his knee is completely healed. Whooping and jumping, he joins Ben to find Libby.
Iris visits a recuperating Balthus in his room. "I was proud of what you did today," she tells him. "Such courage. Only you and I know...We will choose our time, Norman, and we will expose him."
Downstairs, Justin is reading in his robe when Sofie enters. "You took him in your arms. How could you forgive him?" she asks. Soothingly telling her that it is "grace that make us great," Justin asks her to sit beside him. "Sofie, I want you to forgive everyone that's ever harmed you in the past."
When Sofie says she can't, Justin offers to help. He kneels and as Sofie kneels, he takes her hands in his. Faces just inches apart, he begins, "Let us pray..."
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FATE Game UPDATED!
New upgrades make the game faster and your character even more powerful. Download now.
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Carnival Fact
America's first native-born burlesque star was Mabel Saintley. Starting in the 1880's, she had the lead in "Mme. Rintz's Female Minstrels". Previous to her success, all acts were imported from Europe.
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