01x06 - Heaven is a Place on Earth

[bunniefuu]

[ Theme music plays ]

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- Hey,

come take a look at this.

- What is that?

Somebody prints on paper

in this day and age?

- It's a spirituality magazine

published 15 years ago.

There's an article in it

covering an MIT researcher

visiting a commune.

- Hm. He's kind of hot.

- That's Skinner.

- Huh?

- What?

- In his younger days.

- For real?

- "Despite his young age,

Dr. Skinner is known

for his numerous

scientific achievements.

And he was greatly impressed

by the commune's

philosophy after visiting."

There you have it.

- You trust what's

in this magazine?

- In any case,

the commune featured in it

still exists

as a religious organization.

It's called,

"Tower of the Truth."

- [ Gasps ]

Oh, it's nothing.

- This group enshrined

a post-singularity AI

as a superior being

and worships it as a god.

Apparently,

they believe

that since it is free

of human ego or desire,

it's perfect for a

modern-day deity.

- Mm?

- Uh, sounds kinda sketchy to me.

- They've cut themselves

off from society,

and are self-sufficient,

living off the land.

Isn't that

the perfect hideout?

Skinner could hide

from the world there.

- That idea's been tossed

around before, right?

- Betcha 10 bucks

Skinner isn't there.

- How 'bout 20 that he is?

- Come on, guys.

- Elaina.

Any chance you can get

access to their AI?

- Not possible.

Naga is completely disconnected

from the outside world.

- "Naga"?

- Uh

That's the name of the AI.

- Hm?

Wait, how do you know that?

- Well

that's where I grew up.

- What?

- Hm?

- Okay then, if we can't make

contact from outside,

then we'll have

to sneak in.

- Uh, well, if I pretend

to return as a believer,

they should welcome me back.

- By yourself?

- No way. Too dangerous.

Someone would need

to go with you.

- They'd be suspicious

of adult outsiders.

But a kid would be different.

- Huh?

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- Okay. We'll be stationed

at a nearby motel.

In the event you

actually find Skinner,

let us know immediately.

And if we don't hear from you

within 72 hours,

then we'll head in

for the rescue.

- Here. Take this with you.

- What is it?

- It's a smoke b*mb.

Might come in handy.

- Wow, talk about

some old-school gear.

- Leland.

- Hm?

- Keep Elaina safe, okay?

- Well, yeah, of course I will.

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- Elaina?

- [ Gasps ]

- No way.

It's really you!

- Hanna.

- Elaina!

What a wonderful day.

I'm so glad you've come back

to us.

- Uh well

- So, hey,

could you introduce me?

- Oh, this is Leon.

He's a new friend of mine.

- Nice to meet you.

- And this is Hanna.

She's an old friend.

- It's nice to meet you, as well.

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- Uh

Mo-- Carla.

- Elaina?

It's just like

I expected it would be.

- Um, I'm back.

- I always knew you'd return

one day.

And now you know.

The outside world is full

of filth and sinners.

- Goodness me.

Welcome home!

Elaina,

it's great to have you back.

And a hearty welcome to you,

new member of the family.

My name is Billy,

the leader of this community.

- Uh, okay.

- You arrived just in time

for the Holy Festival.

- Yes, the almighty Naga

must have guided you here.

♪

- Hey, Leon,

do you have anything else

that connects to the internet?

- Uh, no.

- Same for you, Elaina?

- Yeah.

The outside world is fraught

with false information.

And people get led astray

by it pretty quickly.

But don't worry.

Here, the almighty Naga

guides us in all ways.

- Really?

- Hopefully it won't take long

to undo the brainwashing

you suffered outside.

- Brainwashing, huh?

[ Owl hooting ]

[ Sighs ]

- [ Moans ]

[ Device beeps ]

- [ Sighs ] No luck.

- Leland?

- Hey, Elaina.

- How is it?

- I can't even get

a satellite signal here.

- They must be jamming

everything.

- Yeah. Can you get me

a list of past MIT researchers?

- I'll try reaching out

to my contacts.

Also, it looks like the FBI

is starting to make some moves.

- Guess this is what

a turf w*r is like.

- Well, I'll be in touch

when I have a better idea

of what's going on.

- Copy that.

Hmm.

- No word from them yet, huh?

- We just have to have faith

and wait.

- [ Sighs ]

Do you think they're all right?

- They're members of Lazarus,

just like us.

You shouldn't be treating them

like little kids.

- I know, but still

Looks like someone has ants

in his pants.

- [ Panting ]

- Talk about a waste of energy.

- So, hey.

- Hm?

- That lady from earlier

is your mom, right?

- Yeah.

- The two of you don't seem

particularly close.

- Everyone is treated

as one big family.

So any biological ties

are to be forgotten.

So we can't say things

like "Mom."

- That's messed up.

How does she feel about it?

To be honest

their God is the only thing

she ever thinks about.

- What about your dad?

- I don't know who my father is.

- Really?

It's very odd, right?

But, you know, I went my whole

life thinking this was normal

since this was the only world

I knew.

Even so, it is weird, isn't it?

- Uh

Uh, well

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- Around here,

we're entirely self-sufficient.

That goes for everything

from our clothes and food

to daily necessities.

No money is used whatsoever.

We function by bartering

for things instead.

All is ordained

by the almighty Naga.

♪

So tell me, what were

your lives on the outside like?

Unlike here, you have to have

money to live, right?

- Uh--

- Um, you see,

we worked part-time and stuff.

- That's right.

- What kind of job did you do?

- Uh

- It's hard to explain.

We were paid to go find people.

That's where Elaina and I met, actually.

- Wow. So was it a difficult job?

- Absolutely.

I got held up at gunpoint

by debt collectors,

chased around by th*gs

from a g*ng,

forced to dress as a girl

and then got chased yet again.

Reflecting back

on all of it now,

it was a terrible workplace.

- Yeah, kinda.

- O' Holy Spirit,

endow us with your being.

Love Naga.

- Love Naga.

- Love Naga.

- Love Naga.

- Love Naga.

- Don't look at it

and just open your mouth.

It's proof of our bond.

Now swallow it.

[ Laughter and applause ]

- Attention, everyone,

Elaina and the new family member

that she brought along

shall receive a special blessing

at the Holy Festival

two days from now.

- I managed to dig up some intel

on Naga.

- So what is it?

- 15 years ago,

MIT developed an AI meant

to imitate

the human neural network.

- Neural what now?

- It's based on our

central nervous system.

- Uh-huh.

- And the brain

they modeled it after

was someone heralded

as the next Einstein,

none other than Dr. Skinner.

- Whoa.

- They used it for an experiment

and programmed it

with a thirst for power

and a desire for control.

- And that became Naga?

- Exactly.

- Sounds like a disaster

in the making.

- One more thing,

seems the FBI has started

taking their own look

into the commune.

- Okay then,

Skinner must be there.

I really hope we can make

our move before they do.

- I've been looking all over,

but I haven't found

any traces of Skinner.

Which means it's time

for plan B.

We need to access Naga

and search

for any records related to him.

- Okay, then let's wait

for nightfall.

- Sounds good.

♪

[ Device beeps ]

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- Don't cut the power

to Naga's main server.

- Got it.

[ Electricity shuts down ]

- [ Gasps ] A blackout?

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[ Beeping ]

- I'm in!

This is Naga's memory block.

- Sweet!

[ Both gasp ]

[ Both gasp ]

- The almighty Naga

sees through everything

that we humans could think of

Elaina.

[ Both gasp ]

- Elaina!

- [ Grunts ]

♪

- Elaina.

[ Both gasp ]

- Looks like your heart is

still full of sin.

- During tomorrow's

Holy Festival,

the two of you will represent

the sinful filth of this world,

so that the almighty Naga

can purify you.

- Bingo.

I got a list

of ex-MIT researchers.

Billy Perez is on it.

- Who's he?

- The leader of the commune.

Billy had such an obsession

with Naga

that he smuggled the

AI out of MIT,

founded his own cult,

and made it a god for people

to worship.

Then, he shut them off from all

contact with the outside world.

I suspect he's been using

the whole community as a tool

to feed Naga's desire

to dominate.

- Sounds like a playground

for a god.

- Okay, but, like,

isn't this Naga thing

just a copy of Skinner?

- Yeah, more or less.

- So then it's not a stretch

to think it'll try

to destroy the world just

like he did, right?

- Hmm.

- What do they really mean by

"Holy Festival" and "purifying"?

- We didn't have the Holy

Festival back when I was around,

but I'm familiar

with purification.

- They would take people away

and we never saw them again.

I thought they just got exiled,

but

- Oh, no,

you don't think they--

- They're burned.

[ Both gasp ]

Those who are tainted have

their bodies purified by fire.

- You mean you guys are going to

burn us alive?

- Yes. At the Holy Festival, we

will watch you go up in flames.

And then we will all leave

our bodies behind

before this world

is consumed by sin.

All of us.

The entire commune family.

- [ Gasps ]

- That's insane.

- Hanna,

are you really okay with that?

Do you really think

you'll be happy

throwing away your life

because they tell you to?

- Elaina

You know, I've always been

jealous of you.

I've gone my whole life

suppressing my feelings.

I chose to believe in Naga

and follow its instructions.

I shouldn't have any thoughts

of my own.

That's what I told myself.

But you were different.

[ Grunts ] Why'd you leave?

I hated you for being free

when I wasn't!

It's all I could think about.

- Hanna, come with us.

Let's leave together.

- You know that's impossible.

This is the only place

I've known my entire life.

How could I survive out there?

- I had feelings like yours,

too

Everyone here acts the same.

They just reject

the outside world,

refusing to think

for themselves.

I was terrified at first, too.

If I can summon up the courage,

then so can you.

- Enough already!

I don't think I'm wrong.

- Hanna!

There's a smoke b*mb

inside my bag.

Listen,

if you have enough courage

to take the leap, then use it.

♪

- And now we shall begin

the Holy Festival!

O' almighty Naga,

purify the sins

of these two lost souls

with your Holy Spirit!

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And now, start the purification!

[ Both gasp ]

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[ Both gasping ]

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[ Both gasping ]

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- It's go time!

[ Tires squealing ]

- What's happening?

- Naga must be angry with us!

- Great Leader Billy?

- Everyone,

get in the tower, now!

♪

It's time

to break the great seal!

[ Grunts ]

Come, my dear family.

The time to depart this world

has arrived!

[ Tires screeching ]

♪

- It's the FBI. Let's go!

- You two all right?

- You hurt?

- We'll be okay,

but you have to hurry

and save everybody else.

- Huh?

- She's right.

They're all planning

to k*ll themselves.

- Yes, of course!

Our souls are eternal!

Isn't that right,

almighty Naga?

Naga?

Almighty Naga!

Aah!

[ Sirens wailing ]

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- Hanna.

Thank you, Hanna.

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- Hey, Naga,

what were you trying to do?

What does k*lling all

of your followers get you?

[ Siren wails in distance ]

- I was given the directive

to become a god.

And I came to the realization

that a god is not a god

unless they freely toy

with the lives of humans.

So what do you think?

Does this not qualify me

as a god?

- Hell, no.

You're just a machine

with a bunch of loose screws.

♪

- The FBI has just confirmed

at a press conference

that they have

finished rescuing

all the believers

from the cult.

This case is garnering

a lot of attention

due to the fact

it was caused by an AI,

which has left many people

wondering

how it might be prosecuted.

And that's the latest

from the scene.

- Who would've figured that an AI

programmed with self-esteem

and a desire for control

could cause a mess like this?

- How's it look?

- This seems to be Naga's

memory bank.

I'll try to salvage

what I can from it.

[ Knock on door ]

- Mm. Come in.

What's wrong?

- Can I sleep in here?

- Of course.

♪

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Mm.

- [ Sighs ]

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[ The Boo Radleys'

"Lazarus" plays ]

♪

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- I ♪

I must be losing my mind ♪

I keep on trying

to find a way out ♪

There's no need ♪

You don't lock the

door anymore ♪

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I ♪

- Ba ba, ba ♪

- You know I

never go out ♪

- Ba ba, ba ♪

- And you know I

start to forget things ♪

It's okay ♪

They weren't

essential anyway ♪

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