The Unwavering Protector (transcript)
From Gibraltar's perspective —
>Long as I can remember, I called everybody who crossed my path "bruddah."
>To me, we're all part of the brotherhood of humankind. "Bruddah" is family. And if there's one thing you always do for your family...
> ...it's protect them. Gibraltar will put this family back together. But first...
>Gibraltar: Hey, bruddah. Why don't you come back inside for a drink?
>Caustic: I don't think so. The balance has been restored. And its variables revealed. She is protected now from the hacker's distraction. That's what matters.
>Gibraltar: I just feel bad, y'know. I remember being their age. 21... 22... not a care in the world. Doin' whatever I want. You remember those days, Doc?
>Caustic: I assure you, we had very different life experiences.
>Gibraltar: I'm just sayin', these kids? The Legends? They face death all the time. They got more on their plate than we did at their age.
>Gibraltar: I hate seeing them have to deal with even more piled on, y'know? Y'know what I mean, Doc?
>Caustic: I don't concern myself with the childish affairs of adolescence.
>Gibraltar: Then you might wanna concern yourself with this: I look out for the little guy. Always have, always will.
>Gibraltar: You might think I'm just carefee, jolly ol' Gibraltar. Heh. But when it comes to bullies, I stand up. Ain't nothing gonna move me.
>Gibraltar: You hear me, bruddah?
>I stare him down. Don't even blink. Don't have to. He holds the stare.
>Caustic: What an insipid display of machismo. Perhaps you should consider if what you protect is worth the energy.
>Gibraltar: Can't say I take your meaning, bruddah.
>Caustic: Consider Ms. Paquette. She has a mind of pure, natural genius. Anything that distracts from her work does a disservice to us all.
>Caustic: It is within my power to protect her time and energy for the greater good. So I take the necessary steps.
>Gibraltar: She didn't ask for your help.
>Caustic: But she asked for yours?
>Gibraltar: Protection is one thing. Manipulation is another. What you're offering is the last thing she needs.
>Caustic: Interesting, coming from you. A sworn protector of the innocent, competing in a bloodsport.
>Gibraltar: This isn't about me. It's about you pulling strings that don't need pullin'.
>Caustic: I am nothing more than an observer. A man of science - and THAT is what I wish to preserve.
>Caustic: Crypto's influence on her had to be stopped, so that she may continue on her path to greatness. A loss of her life would be a loss for science itself.
>Gibraltar: You told Revenant what we were doing, just to keep Crypto away from Wattson?!
>Caustic: I told Revenant everything because Loba Andrade was digging into our pasts and unearthing skeletons best kept buried.
>Caustic: When I saw the bond forming between Crypto and Ms. Paquette, I took action to cement my innocence and ensure she stays the course. Multiple birds. One stone.
>Caustic: You require confession? Here it is: I did it. I'm the mole. Are you satisfied now?
>Gibraltar: How do you sleep at night?
>Caustic: Soundly, I assure you. She stays focused on her work, and technology continues to progress. I'm sure you can appreciate that. A temporarily broken heart is a small price to pay.
>Gibraltar: You're hurting innocent folks.
>Caustic: Those who contribute less. Who ARE less. You can try to protect them, but in the end, they will fall, and you will be left with nothing.
>Gibraltar: We're all worth something - even you, bruddah. I know we're stronger together.
>Caustic: Do you? Perhaps you should look at the evidence laid before you, rather than ascribe blindly to your own banal fantasies.
>The doc gets himself a bit too close for even my comfort.
>Caustic: They're all gone, Gibraltar. Off on their own separate ways. Alone with no one to protect them. And I hate being the bearer of tragedy, but they don't give a damn about each other. They never will.
>I won't step back. I won't back down.
>He doesn't win this.
>Gibraltar: I ain't gonna stop lookin' for the sunshine - no matter what cloud gets in the way. Gibraltar will bring them back. They'll come.
>Caustic: Faith? Hm. Fascinating.
>He chuckles as he leaves. The doc's got a way with gettin' in your head - I'll give him that much, but he's wrong. He has to be wrong... And I have to prove it.
>So, I put the call out. Every member of the team, meet back at the bar. I know they'll come. We're better together - they know that.
>I hope.
>This bar is pretty empty. Quiet. Hard to ignore the minutes ticking by.
>I'm no stranger to dark times, but I know there's always some crack of light that makes its way through. All you gotta do is find it.
>And that's when the door opens...
>Bangalore: Good. Someone with a brain. I need you to look at this. Bloodhound came back with another piece. The Parietal Shell.
>Bangalore: Is it me, or are we just building one of Revenant's heads?
>Gibraltar: Maybe it belongs to that Shadow Revenant that rules the other Canyon? Sounded like he was losing his head.
>Bangalore: All this for a damn duplicate. What a joke.
>Gibraltar: I dunno. I think that head's got one more surprise up its sleeve. We'll figure it out after the others get here.
>Bangalore: Don't expect that. They're all scattered off to get the last piece on their own. Finish this nightmare for good.
>Gibraltar: They're not coming? And what about you?
>Bangalore: No one's coming, G. And I got somewhere else to be. You got this?
>Gibraltar: Yeah... I guess.
>Where else could she be going, armed like that? Unless...
>Gibraltar: You're going to her, aren't you?
>Bangalore: I don't speak in riddles, G.
>Gibraltar: You're going to help Loba.
>Bangalore: Look, she's still trouble, and I want her gone. But no one goes down on my watch. It's my fault she's in this mess. Either I bring Loba back alive... or the Sim back dead.
>Bangalore: Either way... this ends tonight.
>And there it is. Ever so small: the crack of light. Better together...
> ...it'll shine bright another day.