Supergirl (TV Series)

Rather the Fallen Angel (2018)

Michael Johnston: Adam, Subject 0331

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Quotes 

• Adam : The ad for this gig made a pretty big deal of secrecy of the whole thing. But, uh, seeing as how I'm putting my life on the line, well, I'd love to know what it's for. Well, you must know the scientist pretty well, right? Can you tell me what he's up to?

  Lena Luthor : It's the advancement of science.

  Adam : You're tough. But under all that ice, there's a heart. I can tell.

  [she turns to leave] 

  Adam : So, will I ever get to meet the man behind all this?

  Lena Luthor : You have met him. I'm the scientist.

• Lena Luthor : Out of over a hundred applicants, all but twelve were acceptably risk-tolerant.

  Adam : Okay. But why did you pick me?

  Lena Luthor : I have my reasons.

  Adam : Oh, come on. Dr. K, I have never been picked for anything. So you have to tell me.

  Lena Luthor : Nagel's spider in the shower conundrum.

  Adam : The spider thing? That was a multiple choice question.

  Lena Luthor : There's a spider in a shower, and it's been there for days, trapped. And every time you turn the water on, it tries to run for its life to escape, but it can't get out. So what do you do? Do you move it to safety, do you kill it?

  Adam : Nothing. You don't know what the spider wants. You leave it the hell alone.

  Lena Luthor : Yeah.

  Adam : Was I the only one who picked C?

  Lena Luthor : Other than me.

• Lena Luthor : You're also not responsible for your brother's death. There are hundreds of things that could've caused what happened on that operating table. We know one thing that wasn't responsible, and that's you. You didn't cause it, you couldn't have stopped it. It was just... bad luck. Bad luck doesn't make you a bad person. Bad choices do. And I would know, because I am a much worse person than you.

  Adam : Is this about the person you lost? Who was she?

  Lena Luthor : My mother. My real one, not my adoptive, who is very much alive and kicking.

  Adam : How old were you?

  Lena Luthor : Four.

  Adam : You don't have to tell me what happened.

  Lena Luthor : No, I know. It's fine. I want to. We were visiting family, she said. Somewhere by the water; a lake, I think. It was... it was so green. You know, it wasn't a very bright day; it was overcast, but my mom said that's where the magic was. It was the rain that made the green. So, of course, she went swimming. She didn't come back.

  Adam : I'm sorry.

  Lena Luthor : No. See, I was there. I was with her on the shore, when she went in, and when she went under and I did nothing. I didn't run, I didn't cry. I just stood there.

  Adam : You were four.

  Lena Luthor : What kind of child doesn't run to their mother or doesn't scream for help? I... I knew. I knew something was wrong, but I did nothing. I just watched her die. And afterward, I was brought to this... terrible family. And I have spent my life fighting their legacy, and their crimes and their evil deeds, but... I've always known that... that deep down inside, that I belonged with them.

• Adam : I assume you've read and considered the conditions of the experiment before you signed the contract.

  [handing him a tablet] 

  Lena Luthor : Feel free to look it over, but I will need your thumbprint to make it binding.

  Adam : Yeah, wait, by "conditions", you mean this part, right? "I, the subject, understand and acknowledge the full range of risks including, but not limited to, a 15% chance of expiration." "Experiation" as in death, right, lab tech? That makes me sound like a carton of milk.

  Lena Luthor : If you're uncomfortable with the terms, you can just get dressed and leave.

  Adam : No, no, no. I'm just messing with you. I... of course I understand the terms. It's just... why the soft pedaling? I mean, it's kind of like when everyone would say "I'm so sorry your brother passed." Passed what, gas? Passed his driver's test? No, he didn't pass, lady. He freaking died. Dead, as in a doornail. Anyways, I digress. It's a thing I do. I'm totally in.

• Adam : I've gotta say, I'm surprised you haven't kicked me out yet.

  Lena Luthor : For what?

  Adam : Assuming the scientist was a man. I was raised better than that. Sorry.

  Lena Luthor : Apology accepted.

  Adam : Can you at least tell me your name? Doctor...

  Lena Luthor : Kieran. Dr. Kieran.

• Adam : I'll bet your other lab rats haven't offended you this much, Dr. Kieran.

  Lena Luthor : I don't offend easily. And there are no other subjects.

  Adam : What? I'm the only one?

  Lena Luthor : That's right.

  Adam : What, was I the only one crazy enough to risk my life for something unknown?

• Adam : Okay. So you picked me because I don't care whether a spider lives or dies.

  Lena Luthor : If this thing works, the last thing I want is a hero.

  Adam : Then you have nothing to worry about. My brother, the one who passed, he was a hero. He was so perfect, it could be nauseating. Believe me, I've never been a hero.

  Lena Luthor : Neither have I.

  Adam : You ever lost someone, Dr. K?

  Lena Luthor : Yeah. She was the only hero I ever had.

• Adam : So, are you ever actually gonna tell me what it is we're doing here?

  Lena Luthor : In success, which I'm counting on, you'll need to know. We're attempting to cure everything.

  Adam : Like, cancer?

  Lena Luthor : Everything that makes men weak.

  Adam : Are you telling me if this had happened a year ago, that my brother might still be here?

  Lena Luthor : Not only that, but if this works, we'll cure not only all human ailments, but you'll get... abilities.

  Adam : What, like superpowers?

  Lena Luthor : Something like that.

  Adam : But you didn't want a hero.

  Lena Luthor : I wanted someone responsible. Somebody who wouldn't think that they knew what was best just because they had powers.

• Adam : I don't think this is a good idea. I'm not a good person. You know I lied to you about my scar?

  Lena Luthor : Yeah, it's not from a hockey stick. Looks like a surgical incision. Maybe from a kidney transplant?

  Adam : That kidney is the reason my perfect, selfless brother is dead. I needed a kidney and he volunteered. And the whole thing was supposed to be routine, but he died on the operating table to save me. You know what the worst part is? If the roles had been reversed, I wouldn't have given him my freaking kidney! No way! I was too selfish. I was the one dying, I am the one who's supposed to be dead!

  Lena Luthor : Is that why you signed up? Because you don't care if you're gonna live or die?

• Adam : Um, look, Dr. K, you're obviously doing something great here, and I don't wanna mess this up for you. I mean, you said that this could save, what, millions?

  Lena Luthor : Hundreds. Hundreds of millions.

  Adam : Yeah, well, everything I touch is cursed.

  Lena Luthor : If you've had a change of heart and wanna drop back, that's... that's okay.

  Adam : That's not it at all. You deserve someone way better than me to help you achieve this.

  Lena Luthor : Out of a hundred applicants, I chose you.

  Adam : What if you chose wrong?

  Lena Luthor : Well, I'm a very smart woman. I stand by my choice.

• Lena Luthor : Left arm.

  Adam : Back to treating me like a number. I guess you've finally seen the error of your ways. I don't deserve to be here.

  Lena Luthor : You're not a bad person, Adam.

• Adam : What's this?

  Lena Luthor : It's your payment. We're shutting down the experiment. You're free to go.

  Adam : Wait, why? W-Was it something I did?

  Lena Luthor : No. No, we're just... not moving forward, okay? I changed my mind. It's not worth the risk.

  Adam : Well, of course there's risk. There's no progress without risk.

  Lena Luthor : I just can't have another death on my hands, okay? It's not worth it.

  Adam : I've never done anything meaningful in my life, and what you're doing here is... is miraculous. If I can be a part of this, my life will finally make sense.

  Lena Luthor : Good people don't let other people take this kind of risk.

  Adam : I have a 15% chance of my kidney transplant not working. I live with risk every day. I-I mean, people risk their lives for the things they believe in all the time; they enlist and go to war to protect their country, they become firefighters to save other people. The risk I'd be taking is worth it to me. And you are a good person. You said it yourself, you could save hundreds of millions of people. How many people can say they have the ability to do that? So you made one very human mistake when you were practically a baby; that was not your fault. And look at all the good you're doing now. Please don't take this gift away from me. Please let me do something good.

  Lena Luthor : [considering; into her recorder]  Subject 0331, trial one commencement.

  Adam : Thank you.

• Adam : Well, you must be the lab tech. I'm your rat. Name's...

  Lena Luthor : [into her tape recorder]  Subject 0331, male, brown hair, green eyes, approximately 5'9".

  [walking around the table] 

  Lena Luthor : Three-inch scar on the left rear flank.

  Adam : Hocky injury. Buffalo boys. Can't trust us on the ice.