Penguin One, Us Zero
The Leftovers | Season 1 | Episode 2

Penguin One, Us Zero

TV-MA | 56 MIN

Written by Damon Lindelof & Kath Lingenfelter

Directed by Peter Berg

Federal agents examine a file on Wayne Henry Gilchrist, Jr., aka "Holy Wayne," who "hugs the pain out of people." When it becomes known Wayne has Congressional connections, the agents declare him a threat and authorize a raid. Under assault, the ranch explodes into chaos but Tom saves Christine from the agent threatening her. "She's important," he says to the dying man. The two flee the ranch.

Kevin Garvey wakes in his bedroom in Mapleton but is confused by the presence of his daughter's friend Aimee. Scantily dressed, Aimee leads Kevin to the woods, where the mystery man is hunting a Remnant. Kevin wakes to discover his bedroom filling with smoke: His neighbor is torching things his departed brother left behind.

"Hit it as hard as you want. It always comes back for more." - Anthony

Kevin visits Anthony, a therapist with an inflatable penguin in his office. Curious, Kevin learns it helps kids with their aggression. Anthony probes him about the mysterious man in the truck; no one else has seen him.

Still wearing her own clothes, Meg tries to adjust to her new surroundings in the guest house of the Remnant compound. Laurie arrives to take Meg to the woods and hands her an axe for chopping. Frustrated by the seemingly meaningless activity, Meg throws a tantrum when Laurie refuses to give her answers or a cigarette. Laurie agrees it's time to stop.

A passerby hurls a drink at Gladys as she and another watcher cover windows with white paint. Spotting Reverend Jamison handing out his accusatory fliers, Jill and Aimee mock his tenacity on their way to a local coffee shop. Nora Durst is also there, and Jill is startled to see a handgun in her purse. She and Aimee watch as Nora draws attention to herself by intentionally pushing a mug off the table. Intrigued, the two convince the Frost twins to follow Nora to her next stop.

"U R 2 easy on her." - Patti

Tom and Christine pull into a gas station in search of Wayne. Instead, Tom finds the body of their friend Pete. An uncertain Tom begins to call his father, but abandons the call when Wayne arrives, hidden in the trunk of a car. Christine jumps into Wayne's arms at the sight of him.

Noticing the missed call, Kevin leaves another message for Tom and gets impatient with his deputy Dennis for failing to locate the mystery man's truck. The two go to the Remnant guest house armed with a warrant. Patti fumes, unable to stop Kevin as he informs Ron, another recruit, that the police are closing the missing person's file on him. Spying Meg cooling her blistered fingers, Kevin checks to see if she is there by her own free will. Meg declines his help but takes his business card. Patti instructs Laurie to work faster on Meg or let her go.

The teenagers watch from a distance as Nora goes into a house. Inside the home, Nora runs through a series of personal questions about a local Departed, to the obvious discomfort of his parents. Nora learns that the boy had Down's syndrome, but insists all her questions need to be answered if she's to release their Departure benefit. Goaded on by Jill, Aimee goes to Nora's car and rifles through her things until the others begin honking the car horn. The foursome speed off just as Nora comes to the door to investigate.

"It's going to burn and burn until you're hollow." - Wayne

Mayor Warburton visits Kevin to discuss his recent run-ins with the Remnant and instructs him to tell the shrink he's going to stop shooting dogs. Before she leaves, she lets him know she'll be visiting that night. Kevin responds, "Tell him I said hi." He stares intently at the toaster after their talk; his bagel has gone missing.

Kevin briefs Darren, Meg's fiancé, about her situation at the G.R. house and tells him there's a chance he can get her to come home. Having already waited three years for a wedding, Darren tells Kevin he's not interested. Dennis calls to report that the mystery man's truck is parked in the Garvey driveway.

Wayne praises Tom for the way he protected Christine and offers to take his pain away, but Tom refuses. "All suffering, and no salvation," Wayne says with admiration, and then surprises Tom by telling him he's still responsible for Christine. The healer breaks Tom's cellphone, and hands him another along with some cash before driving off. The junker Tom is driving fails to start and Tom lets out a primal scream. Christine calmly assures him she knows from Wayne it will all be OK.

As part of their evening ritual, Meg is required to surrender a personal item to Laurie. Because Meg protests - "Don't you even remember what it was like to care about anything?" - Laurie reveals Kevin is her husband, and, yes, she remembers. Impressed by her sacrifice, Meg offers up the sweater she had been saving for last.

Adventure over, Aimee and Jill debate why Nora needs a gun. Jill credits Nora for staying even though she lost everyone. The two return back to the Garvey house, arriving at the same time as the mystery man. Kevin is relieved that the girls can see the man but is unable to draw out more from him besides a desire to shoot more dogs.

"You believe your shit may be getting lost." - Kevin Garvey, Sr.

Kevin checks in at an institution bearing a jar of peanut butter and finds Lucy with his dad, Kevin, Sr. When Kevin asks, Lucy says she has no idea where his bagel is. Kevin tries to find out about the onset of his father's mental break, but their conversation is interrupted by a voice only Kevin, Sr. can hear.

Back at the station, Kevin dismantles the toaster and pulls out the charred remains of his bagel.

Patti hurries to Laurie's mattress: Meg is gone. Out in the woods, the newest recruit swings her axe with conviction.

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