- In the year 2020, events finally come full-circle as Echo and the few surviving Dollhouse staff struggle to restore mankind after the devastating events seen in the first season episode, "Epitaph" that has turned 90% of Earth's population into mindless, kill-crazy zombies out to kill those not infected (called 'actuals') by the Rossum's remote mind-wipe system. In the meantime, fellow "actuals", Mag, Zone, and the mind-restored Caroline set out to find "Safe Haven" that can save man-kind from total extinction.—matt-282
- A short montage of highly edited bits from unaired episodes starts us off with exposition for tonight's episode. A back up copy of Caroline is placed in the body of a child doll.
Welcome to 2020. Chaos reigns after the zombie-like apocalypse. Several months after their encounter in the L.A. Dollhouse complex (see episode 'Epitaph One'), the little Caroline, along with 'actuals' Mag and Zone are lost along a rural road. While, Mag and Caroline/Iris get water for their overheated jeep, Zone sleeps in the driver's seat when they are attacked by "butchers." They narrowly escape and jump back in the jeep to drive toward Safe Haven. "We are lost," Caroline/Iris says. "We are not gone." The makeshift family eventually arrives in the city of Neuropolis, formerly known as Tucson, where they are promptly taken prisoner by a group of mysterious men. "What are they going to do with us?" a terrified Mag asks Caroline. Before anyone can answer, we cut to the new incarnations of Mr. Harding, who indulges in food, drink and cigar. He is quite casual about having "stretched out" his current body from the overeating. Clive (Nate Dushku) ushers in a group of chained mind-wiped men -- potential new bodies for the obese Mr. Harding. One of them is Paul! Recognizing Paul, Mr. Harding runs from the room. Good idea, as Paul grins at Clive -- and then knocks the man to the ground. It's a rescue attempt!
Sure enough, Echo BURSTS into the room where Caroline/Iris, Mag and Zone are being kept. She quickly dispatches the mercenaries. Suddenly, Mr. Harding runs into the room. He doesn't seem at all surprised to find that Echo is responsible for the beatings. "Did you ever think that if you hadn't cut Rossum off at the head, the tech might have never gotten out of control?" he asks. Echo aims at him and replys "Ask me again sometime." Echo then SHOOTS the man in the head. Paul then enters and notices Topher, who appears to have lost his mind after creating the tech that destroyed the world. "He's pretty far gone," he tell Echo, who explains that Iris/Caroline "is me." Topher then explains that he is frantically working to "put minds back the way they were." "I can bring back the world," he says. We'll see about that.
Later, the entire gang arrives at a bucolic farmhouse called 'Safe Haven' where Adelle, Priya (formerly Sierra) and her nine-year-old son 'T' live. They are very happy to see Echo and Paul and make the rescued trio welcome. Adelle DeWitt is appalled by Topher's scruffy condition. "We got him," says Echo, who explains that everyday Topher didn't do what he supposed to for Rossum, the leaders would execute an innocent human in front of him. No wonder the guy is so far gone. Adelle has become more open with her kindness, and spoon-feeds a malnourished Topher.
But what if Topher can reverse the process? "Anyone with active architecture would be reset too," Echo continues. Meaning: they might all revert back to their original personalities and lose all memories of the past few years in the process. And it gets even better: the technology Topher needs is located at the Dollhouse. "There really is no place like home," Adelle quips. Suddenly, trucks are heard outside. A group of Mad Max looking warriors step out of the vehicles... led by Tony (formerly Victor)! "How can we help?" he asks.
Echo explains that she summoned Tony and his group of mind-programed soldiers called "tech heads", which upsets Priya. Priya tells Echo that she has been trying to keep her son T away from these "tech heads" for years now. Nevertheless, the entire gang, Echo, Topher, Priya, Tony, Adelle, Mag, Zone, and Iris/Caroline, plus several of the tech head soldiers, hops in the back of the rolling fortress-like semi 18-wheel truck and set out for the Dollhouse. Topher, in the meantime, continues to pour over a pile of electronics while Priya and Tony have a heart-to-heart talk. We learn that they've been apart for three years since the mind-wiped Apocylapse happened. "I wanted him brought up away from the crap in the back of this truck," Priya says. "We chose to keep him away from the tech. You chose to stay steeped in it!" Tony swears he would do anything to protect her and T, who is apparently Tony's son (though the boy doesn't know it). They're not the only couple having problems. Paul tries to convince Echo to "let him in," but even though they are obviously lovers now, she can't. Or won't.
Soon enough, the caravan arrives in L.A. -- and are met by a large group of "super butchers." The gang and the tech dudes suit up and head outside. A HUGE battle ensues -- some of it in super-cool slow motion! Butchers carrying axes are mowed down in frequent hails of gunfire. Echo makes excellent use of a shotgun as everyone else advances toward the Dollhouse. Just when all is beginning to look peachy, though, Mag is shot in both legs by a butcher. Paul moves to rescue her -- and is shot in the back of the head by another butcher. Echo is SHOCKED, but quickly recovers her wits and has Zone carry the wounded Mag inside while Echo shoots and kills at the butchers responsible. It's all business now. "That's all of us," she screams. "Seal the door behind us!" Once inside the Dollhouse, Echo discovers the place is full of ... Dolls! And it gets even weirder. Turns out Alpha is running the place -- and he's a nice guy now, even getting heartfelt hugs from Echo and Tony. In fact, he is somewhat saddened by Paul's death even when Echo apparently isn't. Later, as Topher begins to work on the tech, the tech dudes turn their guns on Echo and Adelle! "We came here for some juicy new prints -- not to let you take our world today," a female tech-addict sneers.
The attempted coup doesn't last long, though. Alpha enters the room and decides enough is enough, sending a flurry of fists and feet toward the tech-junkies. Echo lends a series of helping blows and the turncoats are quickly subdued. Later, as Topher continues to work, Priya is throwing a temper tantrum -- and badmouthing Tony the entire time. This sends Echo WAY over the edge. She starts throwing a tantrum of her own, chastising for Priya for not recognizing how much Tony lovers her. "Never tell him that you love him!" Echo screams. "Never tell him that you're grateful for him!" It's clear that Echo is actually yelling at herself for not speaking to Paul before his death. She breaks down and weeps.
Topher, meanwhile, watches videos of Bennett lecturing about the mysterious of the mind. "Thank you," a suddenly inspired Topher tells the screen. A few moments later, Topher completes the tech. The world might just have a chance to be normal, after all -- but it will require sacrifice. The tech must be set off manually, which will kill the person in close proximinty who does it. Topher volunteers for the job. "Small price to pay," he says. "I didn't want to cause any more pain." Adelle hugs her former whipping boy. It's a tender moment. Later, Priya brings T to Tony. "I'd like you to meet your father," she tells the boy. The two bond over a makeshift fire. Zone, in the meantime, says goodbye to Mag (now in a wheelchair with her shot-off and useless legs) -- and he promises to take of Caroline/Iris, who will soon just be a little girl again.
It turns out that the only Actives who will escape the mind wipe will have to stay underground at the Dollhouse for at least a year. Once the year is up, Echo will hunt down and destroy any remaining back ups of Mr. Harding and his gang. Adelle tells Echo that Alpha left her a message at the Chair, but she doesn't tell her what is in the message.
Adelle reports to Echo that it's time. She says that Alpha has left, to be alone when the mind wipe occurs, but Echo thinks he has evolved too much for the wipe to work on him. Priya, Tony and T will be staying below with Echo, as will Mag and the Asian/Techhead girl that she has feelings for. Adelle then announces that she will lead the remaining Dolls outside, so that they will be in a proper position to have their personalities restored when Topher activates the tech. "Funny that the last fantasy the Dollhouse will fulfill will be yours," she tells Echo. The two hug goodbye. Upstairs in Adelle's old office, Topher activates the tech -- and incinerates himself in the process. But from death comes new life -- and the ensuing blast sends a mind-cleansing wave out across the globe.
Later, Echo finds an envelope containing a final wedge. She lowers herself into the chair and suddenly finds herself imprinted with Paul! Paul grins at her and says, "Are you sure there's room in here for me? I have a lot of baggage." Echo tells him that they have plenty of time to talk, now that she has "let him in".
Echo walks through the Dollhouse, looking very peaceful and content. Priya, Tony and T are together looking at a book; the family happily back together. Mag and A/Tec Girl are in the infirmary, and implying that they just might get together. Echo goes to her old "bedroom" and climbs in a sleep pod. She smiles at the ceiling and goes to sleep dreaming memories about Paul... fade to black.
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