Fantastic S5 Episode 134(7/10/24)

On the helicopter launch pad, Dylan rushes over to Lawrence, who is lying motionless in a large pool of his own blood. Dylan checks Lawrence's pulse and then looks up at the helicopter, which is on a downward spiral towards the ocean. “Come on, Rebecca. You can't let this old bastard win…” Dylan mutters.

In the helicopter, Rebecca moves the dead pilot out of the seat and then sits down. “Just because you worked for Lawrence doesn't mean you deserved to end up like this, all so he could try and take me down with him. But I'm not going to let that happen, I won't let him win. Andy showed me how to fly one of these a long time ago, let's hope I can remember how to land it. If I land here, I'm going to end up in the water. I need to fly backwards…I think I need to use something called a cyclic control for that?” Rebecca mutters. Rebecca grabs a lever. “This looks like what I remember.” Rebecca says, before pulling the lever back. The helicopter begins to move in reverse, heading back towards land. Rebecca smiles. “That's good, now I just have to remember how to land it. I think Andy had said I needed to use something called a collective lever to land the helicopter, which looks a lot like…” Rebecca begins to say. To Rebecca's left, she spots the collective lever. “This!” Rebecca exclaims. Rebecca grabs the collective lever and pulls it back, causing the helicopter to begin descending. “Okay, I'm going in way too fast. If I don't adjust the speed, this is going to end very badly. I-I think I just need to adjust the position of the collective lever…” Rebecca says. Rebecca adjusts the collective lever once again and the helicopter begins to slow down. “Perfect!” Rebecca exclaims. Finally, Rebecca is able to carefully land the helicopter back onto the launch pad. Rebecca breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Andy. I knew you'd come through for me.” Rebecca says. Rebecca stands up and exits the helicopter, finding Dylan kneeling down next to Lawrence. “Nice job! Almost looked like you had done it before.” Dylan says. “Thanks. Andy taught me a long time ago how to operate a helicopter, luckily the lessons stuck with me.” Rebecca says. “How did you even end up in a position where you would need to fly it? Don't tell me Lawrence was piloting the helicopter.” Dylan says. “No, but he did shoot the pilot. I'm guessing after I got on the helicopter, Lawrence realized it was over and decided he would try and take us both down.” Rebecca says. “That crazy son of a bitch…” Dylan says. “All that matters is that I was able to land the helicopter and Lawrence is dead.” Rebecca says. “Except he isn't.” Dylan tells her. “What?!” Rebecca questions. “Lawrence is alive. I checked his pulse. It's weak, but it's there.” Dylan reveals. “How?! Not only did I shoot him in the chest, he fell out of a helicopter!” Rebecca points out. “You know from all those years of dealing with Andre that some people are too evil to die.” Dylan notes. “Well Andre eventually did.” Rebecca points out. “And his uncle needs to follow his lead.” Dylan adds. Suddenly, Lawrence begins coughing and opens his eyes. “What-what happened?” Lawrence questions. “You took a bullet and then took a header out of a helicopter. Next question?” Dylan asks. Lawrence screams out in pain. “That's not a question.” Dylan points out. “Please, dear boy…you…you have to get me medical attention…” Lawrence mutters. “Or what? You'll die? Cue the small violin playing.” Dylan says. “Even if we were to try and get you medical attention, we're on a remote island! There's no way they would make it in time.” Rebecca says. “You…you did this to me! Son, that wretched woman…she shot me!” Lawrence says. “I know she did. Personally, I would've gone for the head. It would've saved us from having to listen to your degrading cries for help.” Dylan says. “I don't know, I'm enjoying seeing him in this position after thinking he was on top of the world for so long. How the mighty have fallen.” Rebecca says. Lawrence smirks. “I shot your husband…he still may die.” Lawrence points out. “And you ARE going to die, so I'd say Andy has a bit of an edge over you.” Rebecca says. “How does it feel, Dad? Knowing that you've been plotting world domination for years, putting all kinds of work into careful planning, all for it to amount to nothing in the end, for you to amount for nothing.” Dylan says. “You don't mean that…I'm…I'm your father!” Lawrence argues. “I don't have a father! The man who raised me, your brother, he kidnapped me and tried to brainwash me! Then we've got you, my biological father, who left me to die! The closest thing I've ever had to parents were King Beast and Queen Goo and I didn't even meet them until I was an adult! But they still treated me with love and with respect, the way parents should treat their child. I'll tell you what they didn't do, they didn't try to control me or mold me into a miniature version of themselves! I am the man I am today because of myself, not because of anything you did or because of the cursed Stanpatos bloodline.” Dylan says. “You…ingrate! Having Stanpatos blood in your veins…it should be considered a badge of honor! You should feel proud!” Lawrence snaps. “And yet I feel embarrassed. But don't worry, I plan on keeping the Stanpatos name. Do you know why I'm going to do that? Because I plan on making this family something my children, my grandchildren can be proud of. I'm not going to let the blood that you’ve spilt tarnish this family's future. In fact, when I'm finished, it'll be as if you never even existed. If Harper asks about her grandfather, I'm going to tell her that he wasn't anyone important, because the truth is that you aren't.” Dylan says. Lawrence smiles and begins laughing. “What's so funny?” Dylan questions. “I couldn't care less what that little…bastard…thinks about me.” Lawrence tells him. “Don't talk that way about my daughter!” Dylan snaps. “She isn't yours…” Lawrence mutters. Dylan's eyes widen. “What did you just say?” Dylan wonders. “Harper is not your daughter.” Lawrence reveals. Dylan shakes his head. “You're pathetic, you know that? Here you are, lying here dying, and you still can't help but lie! Well I hope you burn in hell for the rest of eternity! I cannot wait to dance on your grave, assuming I even decide to bury you and don't just cremate you and flush your ashes down the toilet!” Dylan snaps, before standing up and turning his back to Lawrence. Lawrence turns his head towards Rebecca. “You know I'm telling the truth, don't you?” Lawrence asks. “Here's what I know. I know that you are finally going to pay for all of the pain you've caused. The fate that awaits you, it's not something that you can slip your way out of. You're finished, and it brings me a great sense of joy to know that you're going to die having accomplished absolutely NOTHING. You're a loser, and that is an indisputable fact.” Rebecca says. Lawrence turns his head towards Dylan. “Please, son. There…there is still so much…left for us to accomplish! I…I need your help! Please!” Lawrence begs. Lawrence holds his hand out to Dylan, but Dylan doesn't even look in his direction. With tears in his eyes, Lawrence's hand begins to tremble as he continues to hold it out. “Please…don't let the Stanpatos dynasty die…” Lawrence begs. “The Stanpatos dynasty is on life support, and I'll be damned if I do anything to save it. The same goes for you, old man.” Dylan tells Lawrence, without even looking at him. Finally, Lawrence's hand drops to his side and the life leaves his eyes. Rebecca kneels down next to Lawrence and checks his pulse. “He's gone.” Rebecca reveals. Dylan turns towards Rebecca. “You absolutely sure?” Dylan asks. “Definitely. Lawrence won't be cheating death this time.” Rebecca says. Rebecca stands up and places her hand on Dylan's back. “Are you okay? I know Lawrence has caused you a lot of pain, but he was still your father.” Rebecca notes. “Did you feel any kind of pain when Bob died?” Dylan wonders. Rebecca pauses for a moment. “No…” Rebecca answers. “I’ll tell you what I feel. I feel free. In one way or another, I have been under that man's influence for the past two years. To know that he is finally dead and that he can't touch my life anymore…the feeling is liberating.” Dylan says. “I felt that way when Bob died too. Come on, we should head back to the beach.” Rebecca says. “Not yet. Is anyone going to come to collect the body?” Dylan wonders. “I'm not sure who would. The WPA doesn't have the authority to operate in Russia, it's why the agency wasn't a part of the plan to take down Lawrence.” Rebecca says. “Then I guess I better give him a proper burial.” Dylan says. Dylan picks up Lawrence's body and walks over to the edge of the helicopter pad. Dylan then drops Lawrence's body onto the ground and kicks him off the edge, into the water below. “There…the kind of burial he deserves. I hope his soul never finds peace.” Dylan says. “Come on, let's head back to the beach.” Rebecca urges. Dylan nods. Rebecca puts her arm around Dylan and the two head back towards the woods.

Daisy, Harper, Kaylie, and Ciara are standing on the beach. “So V.J took Ava hostage?” Kaylie asks. “Mmhm, and I'm guessing he did it because he's still under Madeline Masters’ control.” Ciara says. “I don't understand. Isn't the whole reason V.J left town was because he was trying to overcome Madeline's conditioning?” Daisy questions. “He left the facility early because he wanted to help out with taking down Lawrence.” Ciara reveals. “Well that was REAL smart of him!” Daisy sarcastically says. “I'm sure V.J just wanted to help out.” Kaylie says. “And look what that accomplished! Now V.J has Ava AND two of the three diamond jewels!” Daisy points out. “But he doesn't have the third. Those jewels are pretty much useless unless you have all three of them, right?” Kaylie asks. “He does have all three of them, it just so happens that the third is in Ava's stomach! Not nearly as much of a fool proof plan as she probably thought it would be!” Daisy notes. “I better go after him.” Ciara says. “I'll come to.” Kaylie says. “No, you should stay with Daisy in case Lawrence comes back. I can handle this.” Ciara says. “Are you sure?” Kaylie questions. “I'll be fine.” Ciara says, before running off into the woods. “I hope she knows what she's doing.” Daisy says. “V.J is Ciara's brother, I don't think he’d hurt her or Ava.” Kaylie says. Daisy turns towards Kaylie. “Except that isn't V.J! Whoever that guy is is a cold blooded assassin who Madeline Masters created! We don't know what that guy is capable of.” Daisy notes.

In the control room of the facility, Ava backs away from V.J as he approaches her holding a switch blade. “Come on V.J, think about this. This-this isn't you!” Ava tells him. Madeline appears behind Ava. “Oh but it is, V.J. The man you were prior to your death is no longer relevant. What is relevant is the man you became after your rebirth, my pawn!” Madeline says. “Your pawn…” V.J mumbles. “What? Who-who are you talking to?” Ava asks. “No one, just hold still.” V.J demands. “NO! I am not going to let you do this!” Ava snaps. “Don't fight me on this! Don't make this any harder than it has to be!” V.J shouts. “You plan on cutting me open for a piece of jewelry, how could it GET any harder?” Ava wonders. “I can make it as painless as possible.” V.J says. “Oh really? Is that for my benefit or for yours? Because I don't think you really wanna do this.” Ava says. “You don't know what you're talking about.” V.J says. “Yes I do! I've been where you've been, V.J! Maybe not the same circumstances, but I know what it's like to be a prisoner in your own body, to feel like you're on auto pilot and there’s nothing you can do but just go along with it!” Ava tells him. “You don't have a CLUE what I'm going through!” V.J snaps. “Yes I do! From when I was possessed. I was just a kid and I only remember bits and pieces of what happened, but those memories are vivid enough to stick with me even after all this time. Having to stand there and watch yourself do these awful things is one of the worst feelings in the world…I know that, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone! Especially not someone as kind and loving as you! I've heard so many wonderful stories about you since I was a kid, and I know that this isn't who you really are!” Ava says. Madeline rolls her eyes. “Oh please, do NOT listen to this insipid little girl! She has no idea what she is talking about, let me assure you! You need to be listening to me, my darling! I know what is best for you, what is best for the entire world!” Madeline says. Ava notices V.J looking past her. “Is Madeline here with you right now?” Ava wonders. “Don't worry about it.” V.J says. “V.J, Madeline Masters is dead! She can't hurt you or anyone else anymore, not as long as you don't let her.” Ava says. Suddenly, Ciara breaks down the door and V.J grabs Ava and shoves his knife up against her throat! “Drop it, V.J!” Ciara shouts. “Or what? You're not gonna kill me.” V.J notes. “No, I'll just hurt you really badly. Put down the knife.” Ciara demands. “Ciara, he can see and hear Madeline Masters! He thinks she's here with us right now!” Ava tells her. “SHUT UP!” V.J demands. “Is that true? Do you see Madeline?” Ciara wonders. “Doesn't matter.” V.J answers. “It does matter. Madeline Masters is dead!” Ciara points out. Madeline appears behind Ciara. “And so what if I am? I would never allow a pesky setback like death to put a stop to my plans. Think about how long I have been planning to use those three diamond jewels, V.J! Well over a decade! Don't I deserve some sort of reward for my patience? Now enough stalling! Eliminate Ava, extract the jewel from her stomach, and then use that satellite dish to obliterate Fantastic City!” Madeline orders. “Fantastic City?” V.J questions. “Of course! The people of that city have been getting in my way for far too long, it's time for them to suffer the consequences.” Madeline says. “But-but Serena is there right now…” V.J mutters. Madeline shrugs. “Serena shot me. As far as I am concerned, she deserves to be dealt with just as much as all those other mediocre peasants that populate that grim city.” Madeline says. “V.J, look at me!” Ciara shouts. V.J turns towards Ciara. “I know that this isn’t easy. During my time with the WPA, I’ve dealt with a lot of situations similar to yours so I know how difficult it is to overcome the conditioning. But, it is doable. Here’s what you need to do, you need to try and push Madeline’s voice out of your head and you need to think about the voices in your head that MATTER. Think about me, about Colin, think about Serena, the woman you love! No matter what Madeline’s done to you, she can’t erase your feelings for Serena. Do you think Serena would recognize you right now as the man she loves? No, because this isn’t you!” Ciara shouts. “That is complete and utter nonsense!” Madeline says. V.J turns and looks towards Madeline. “The man whom my daughter used to love died seven years ago! The man you are today is the man who I created! Now do as I tell you, NOW!” Madeline demands. “I-I-I don’t know who to listen to…” V.J cries. “Listen to your memories! I get you’re confused, but think about this for a second! Think about all the memories you’ve got with me, with Dad, with Serena, all of the GOOD memories we’ve made together, the bonds you’ve built with us over the years. Do you have that sort of connection with Madeline? No, you don’t. The woman faked your death, she kept you from your family for years, she BRAINWASHED you!” Ciara points out. “That couldn’t be further from the truth! I did not fake your death, I saved you from the brink of death when no one else could! And as for supposedly brainwashing you, I perfected you! You had a remarkable skill set at your disposal, but you needed the proper training in order to perfect those skills. I arranged that for you, I created the finely tuned killing machine that you have become. I created you, V.J, and it would break my heart if I were forced to destroy you.” Madeline says. “Destroy me?” V.J asks. “Destroy you? Did Madeline say that? V.J, no! Madeline can’t hurt you anymore because she’s dead! Everything that you’re seeing, hearing from her, they’re all suggestions she planted in your head while she was turning you into her pawn! None of it is real! I am real, so isn’t Ava, and we love you very much. Madeline never knew a damn thing about love, if she did she never would’ve faked the death of her daughter’s fiance! Please, put down the knife and you will be taking the first step in stopping Madeline once and for all! If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for Serena.” Ciara says. “Do not listen to her, V.J! Serena is of no importance to you or to anyone for that matter! Now enough stalling! I want you to slit Ava Goo’s throat, claim the diamond jewels from her and then shoot your insufferable sister! Do it!” Madeline shouts. V.J’s head begins to tremor and he slowly removes the knife from Ava’s throat. “NO!” Madeline screams, before fading away. The first chance she gets, Ava breaks away from V.J and runs into Ciara’s arms. “It’s okay, sweetie. It’s okay.” Ciara tells her. Ciara looks up at V.J. “Are you okay?” Ciara wonders. “I’m the one who put everyone in danger.” V.J notes. “It’s not your fault.” Ciara tells him. “It IS my fault. My doctor knew I wasn’t ready to leave the clinic yet but I ignored her advice like an idiot. My god Ava, I’m so sorry. I could’ve killed you!” V.J notes. “It’s okay. I meant what I said earlier, about understanding what it’s like not to be in control of yourself. It’s scary.” Ava says. “Yeah, it is.” V.J says. “But it’s over now, so let’s head back to the beach.” Ciara says. V.J nods. Ciara leads Ava out of the room and V.J follows.

Down at the beach, Daisy, still holding Harper, is pacing as Kaylie looks on. “You pacing back and forth isn’t going to make Ciara come back any faster.” Kaylie points out. “I’m not worried about Ciara, or Ava for that matter! Dylan is the one that I’m worried about. It’s been a while since you told him where Lawrence went and he hasn’t come back yet.” Daisy notes. “Yeah, but I’m sure he’s fine. He knows what he’s doing, and so doesn’t the commissioner.” Kaylie says. Daisy scoffs. “Please, the commissioner has never been able to catch a criminal before. Why start now?” Daisy asks. Kaylie rolls her eyes, but her eyes widen when she sees Dylan and Rebecca coming out of the woods. “You’re okay!” Kaylie exclaims. Daisy turns towards them. “Dylan!” Daisy exclaims. Dylan comes over to her and wraps his arms around both her and Harper. “There are my two beautiful girls. You have no idea how happy I am to see you both!” Dylan says. “I have a pretty good idea! I was so worried about you! The last I had heard, Kaylie mentioned you and Rebecca had gone after Lawrence. Did you find him?” Daisy questions. “Lawrence is dead.” Rebecca reveals. “Are you sure?” Daisy wonders. “Yes, I’m sure. I know how to check a pulse.” Rebecca says. “It’s just that the last time Lawrence supposedly died, you were the one who shot him. Apparently you didn’t realize he wasn’t dead back then.” Daisy points out. “Well I made sure this time. Lawrence Stanpatos won’t be coming back from the dead this time.” Rebecca tells her. “Thank god.” Kaylie says. “So what happened?” Daisy wonders. “A bit of a long story, but Lawrence got shot and then fell out of a helicopter. Even after all that, he was still alive for a bit, spouting nonsense. He even tried to tell me that Harper wasn’t my daughter, can you believe that?” Dylan asks. Daisy nervously smiles. “That’s ludicrous!” Daisy claims. “I know, right? Obviously I didn’t believe him.” Dylan says. “Wait, where are Ava, Ciara, and V.J?” Rebecca wonders. “About that. It looks like Madeline’s conditioning of V.J got triggered somehow. He grabbed Ava and he took off, Ciara went after him.” Kaylie says. “What?! Why on earth would he take Ava?!” Rebecca questions. “Probably because Ava has the diamond jewels.” Kaylie says. “I have to go find them!” Rebecca states. Rebecca goes towards the woods but bumps right into V.J. “Where’s my daughter?” Rebecca questions. “Mom?” A familiar voice asks. Rebecca looks past V.J and sees both Ava and Ciara! “Ava?” Rebecca asks. Ava smiles. “It’s me, I’m okay.” Ava says, before running into Rebecca’s arms. Rebecca holds Ava close to her. “Oh my goodness, you have no idea how terrified I was for you! I was so worried that something was going to happen to you!” Rebecca says. “It’s fine, I’m okay!” Ava says. Rebecca smiles. “You’re better than okay! I heard that you were quite the hero.” Rebecca says. Ava shrugs. “It’s nothing.” Ava says. “It’s not nothing, you saved the world.” Rebecca says. “Okay, well when you put it like THAT, I guess it was kinda badass of me.” Ava says. “Yeah, kinda.” Rebecca says. “Where’s Lawrence? Did you find him?” Ciara wonders. “Lawrence is dead.” Dylan reveals. “Finally some good news. Who got the privilege of finishing him off?” Ciara questions. “I shot him, and then he fell out of the helicopter that we were in together.” Rebecca reveals. “Why were the two of you in a helicopter together?” Ava wonders. “It’s a long story. I don’t want to talk about any of that right now though, I’d much rather make sure that you’re okay.” Rebecca says. “I’m fine. Definitely glad Lawrence is dead.” Ava says. “Are you? I know you cared about him.” Rebecca recalls. “That was before he kidnapped me and almost killed me over those stupid jewels.” Ava says. “Speaking of the jewels, do you have them?” Ciara wonders. “I’ve got two of them. Can’t say for sure what’s gonna happen with that third one I swallowed. Am I gonna have to have surgery or something?” Ava wonders. “You’re going to be fine.” Rebecca says. “I don’t know. I don’t think any of us will be fine until we’re off this damn island. Let’s get a move on, yeah?” Dylan asks. “Not just yet. I need to go back into the facility and find Lysandros’ body. I need to make sure he makes it back home and gets a proper burial.” Rebecca says. “What about Lawrence’s rotting corpse?” Ciara wonders. “I dumped him in the sea.” Dylan reveals. “If you all want to get back to the mainland, I’d completely understand. Someone could always come back for me later.” Rebecca says. “Sounds good to me…” Daisy mumbles. “We’ll wait for you, Commissioner.” Kaylie says. Rebecca smiles. “Thank you.” Rebecca says. Dylan places his hand on Rebecca’s back. “I’ll come back in with you and give you a hand, sound good?” Dylan asks. “That’d be great, thank you.” Rebecca says. Dylan and Rebecca then head into the woods. “It’s so crazy to think that this nightmare is finally over. Lawrence Stanpatos has been wreaking havoc for years, and the fact that he’s finally dead and gone…I’m excited to move past this time in my life.” Ciara says. “I think we’re all looking forward to putting Lawrence in our rearview mirrors.” Ava says. “I’m looking forward to putting the diamond jewels in general in my rearview mirror.” V.J says. Ciara places her hand on V.J shoulder. “And you will. For the first time in I can’t even remember how long, we are all finally going to have some peace. This is finally and truly over.” Ciara says. “Hey look, the sun is setting!” Daisy notes. Everyone turns to face the sun setting over the water. “To think that there were so many people who never thought they’d see the sunset again because of Lawrence and his plans.” Kaylie says. “It’s because of us that they can see the sunset again. We’re all kinda bad asses.” Ava notes. “No arguing with that.” Ciara says. “I still can’t help but think of all the blood that got spilt during all this though. The people who died, the people who almost died. So many people got hurt and in the end it was all for nothing.” V.J notes. “It kills me thinking about all the senseless violence, but in the end, Lawrence got exactly what he deserved. I’m not that religious, but maybe now that he’s dead, the souls of the people he killed can find some peace.” Ciara says. Ciara turns around and sees Dylan and Rebecca carrying out Lysandros’ body. “Mom, I’m sorry.” Ava says. “Yeah, so am I. We’re ready to go now.” Rebecca says. Ciara nods. “Great, let’s put this whole mess behind us, once and for all.” Ciara says. Everyone then begins boarding the boat…