And that is Hera.
Incredible. I am blown away.
-Thanks. Thank you. -Thank you.
If your game is half as exciting as that pitch, we'd love to invest.
-What? -This is just a vertical slice.
So the full game will be much more impressive.
Amazing. You two have built the--
Model prisoner.
You have a spotless record. You volunteered in the library.
You even taught classes in finance to prepare other inmates for their parole.
-Yeah. -Honestly, Mr. Bakshi,
it's a shame to lose you.
No, I don't think you're gonna lose me.
No, but seriously, I sit before you a changed man.
We see that.
You are proof that reform is possible, because prisons only work when--
Costs are down, numbers are up.
Excellent work, David.
Thank you, Jacques and Jean-Luc.
Yeah, I can't take all the credit.
As we know, it takes a village,
and I think these prof reports will show you
just how well this village was run.
Streamlined, responsible. It is--
The most complex game engine ever conceived.
This is our masterpiece.
Yes, and we are solely focused on the now.
So forget about our past--
Indiscretions.
If you give me another chance, I swear I will never--
Toot my own horn. I'll let the numbers do that for me.
But the truth is--
I am--
Way better off--
-Without them. -Damn straight.
-Jo. -Sorry.
Now, let's talk about our future.
How long do we wait?
How long are we supposed to wait?
Ian!
-Are you talking to me? -Who else would I be talking to?
You're the only other person that works in this office.
Can you get off the stupid VR game?
I'm not playing a stupid VR game, Poppy.
I am navigating,
and quite possibly building, a very small subsection of the Metaverse.
No, no. No more speeches about the Web3 frontier
-and "non-fungal tokens." -Non-fungible. Non-fungible.
Which means "unable to be replaced by an identical item."
Much like your kidneys, but keep drinking that green soda.
I saw you injecting yourself with horse hormones this morning.
Okay. First of all, those were amino acids, and secondly--
Shut up, shut up. Their offer's come in.
-They've emailed their offer. Yeah. -Really? That was fast.
That's a good sign.
Okay, before we open this, I think we should make a pact.
-Okay. -We don't take less than 25.
Twenty-five is what we asked for, and that's what they have to pay.
I like this Poppy.
Go big or don't go. Twenty-five it is.
-Okay. Okay. -Okay.
"Ian and Poppy, everyone is buzzing over your presentation…"
Blah, blah, blah.
"…excited to move forward with an offer of 50 million."
Fifty million?
Is this real?
Yeah.
-This is my dream. -Yes!
-This is the greatest day of my life! -Yes.
-And we did it! We really did it! -Yes!
We just made $50 million!
No.
What?
We didn't make $50 million because we're not gonna take the money.
What? What?
-But we asked for 25… -Right.
-…and they offered us 50. -Correct.
But we're not gonna take it?
No.
No, no, no.
Yes.
Look, Pop, there are reasons to take the money.
There are reasons not to.
It just doesn't feel right in my gut.
Your gut?
Your g--
We spent all our seed money on this game,
in this stupid spaceship office.
I've been struggling to pay my rent,
but we're not gonna take double what we asked for because of your gut?
Did you want me to say "yes" again, or can you infer based on the conversation?
Your gut is always making these decisions.
You said that we would make GrimPop Studios to develop my game!
So this is not for your gut to decide. My gut is making this call.
You're right. You're totally right.
This is your game, and you should make the call.
So what do you wanna do?
I think that we should take the money.
You think we should take it?
I wanna take the money!
Take the money? Okay. That's a lot of money.
-Yes! -All right. Let's take it.
-Yes! -All right. Good call.
-Congrats, Pop. -Okay.
Take the money. It's a big win.
That's a big win, Poppy.
And I do
Don't know this part
And pretend it was you
And lose control
There'll be some lovemaking Heartbreaking
-Soul-shaking -Soul-shaking love
Lovemaking Heartbreaking
-So-- -Ugh.
Jo.
She's just gonna keep calling.
-Hi, Jo. -Where are you?
Good to hear your voice too.
We're on the 5.
We just left San Francisco, and we are en route.
You just left? You're gonna be late for C.W.'s party.
He's flying in from Europe for this.
If he can make it here on time, so can you.
Sorry. Rach got hungry, so we stopped to get a muffin.
I don't wanna hear what you put your muff in.
-Why? -Ew, Jo. Ugh!
Why you-- are so gross all the time?
I promised C.W. I would get everybody here by seven o'clock sharp.
As in if you aren't here on time,
I will cut you with something sharp. Goodbye.
Carol's got issues.
Don't get me wrong, things are good.
I got a new job title, and a raise,
and they backed that ol' dump truck up against Carol's house,
but I don't do anything.
Then again, I've been underpaid my whole life,
so if these dumbass French Canadians wanna give me beaucoup bucks
for doing nothing,
then I should just take it, right?
I don't know. What do you think?
I think you jump from the first to third person too often.
It's hard to follow.
Mr. Brittlesbee is very busy.
If you're mentally ill, I'd be more than happy
-to drive you to a nearby asylum. -Jo, please.
Carol, look, you're more valuable to this company than ever.
Montreal made you Head of Diversity and Inclusion.
I don't even know what that means.
I'm just trying to justify a job where I'm overpaid but do nothing.
How do you do it, David?
Me? I do a lot.
I-- Carol, I manage the crazy creatives.
I'm producing significant content for a massive video game.
The crazy creatives are gone.
We aren't really producing any more significant content.
Still. I do a lot.
My days are filled with endless meetings.
And you have C.W.'s event tonight.
Yes. Thank you, Jo.
C.W., who's returning from his yearlong, whirlwind book tour,
is hosting an event tonight. Everyone's gonna be there.
And guess who has to manage it all?
Me. I had to organize the entire event.
Yes, but I manage you.
-Jo, can you get me some tea, please? -Of course.
You see, Carol,
this corporation is a complex system of operations that--
Okay, she's gone. Yes. My job is basically nonexistent.
All I do is tread water, and just hope that nobody notices.
See? I knew it. I'm getting a peek behind the white curtain.
Thank you, David.
It's not a white or Black thing.
It's a red tape thing, and I've been navigating it for years.
I can help you, but I'm gonna need a little bit more information.
Did they give you any actual responsibilities?
-No. -And who do you report to?
No one.
-And what's your budget? -Nothing.
Yeah. That's right on track.
David, what is happening?
You're a figurehead. Yeah.
You're given just enough resources and power to make zero impact.
Your job is to provide cover. Maintain the status quo.
It feels empty,
but they give you that salary, and it fills that hole in your soul.
Carol has always wanted golden handcuffs.
It is a conundrum. David wrestles with it every day.
-It don't work when you do it. -I thought I had it.
-No, you do not. -Yeah? All right.
Either way, if you wanna keep that gold,
you gotta move those papers around,
fill your calendar with meetings.
I like to call it the "hokey-pokey," right?
You put your right foot in. You put your right foot out.
You turn it all about.
You do the hokey-pokey,
but you always stay in the exact same place.
-You do not move, right? -Okay.
I do feel like we've talked about everything we need to.
So, why don't you get back to me with your progress?
-Sounds good. -Productive talk.
Why don't we put a weekly meeting in the calendar?
In the calendar. All right. I'm gonna get back to work.
Back to work.
-Here's your tea, boss. -Thank you, Jo.
You have a meeting in five minutes, boss.
I sure do.
Poppy?
Where are you?
We're gonna have to leave soon if we wanna make C.W.'s thing tonight.
Jo won't stop texting me just to confirm that we're actually coming.
These losers are so desperate to see us. It's pathetic.
Poppy, where are you?
I'm in here.
-Where's here? -The bathroom.
Where is the bathroom? I can never find this damn thing.
You're the one that didn't want lines anywhere in the office.
Poppy, lines are so Web1. You don't wanna be in Web1, do you?
I have no idea. What web are we in right now?
The whole office is outfit for Web3,
but most of the world is in Web2 transitioning to Web3.
If I have to be honest, I'd say I'm actually Web4.
-Metaphorically speaking, of course. -Wow, okay.
The toilet's clogged so call the Imagineers to come flush my shit.
Hey, are you okay? You were in there for a really long time.
Yeah. My gut is not good.
I really thought that taking the money was the right call,
but then I thought, "This morning I thought
that taking 25 was the right call, and that would've been the wrong call.
So maybe we should hold out for more money,"
but then I thought, "What if I was right about the 25?
And holding out is only gonna give them more time
to realize that they made a mistake."
And so we should just take it, right?
But then I thought, "It's not even really about the money.
It's about finding the right partner to work with."
And I don't wanna work with someone that offered 50
but only thinks that we're worth 25.
And that's when I had to run to the bathroom and have explosive diarrhea.
Wow. Okay.
So anyway,
I think it's good because now our guts agree.
We should not take the money.
Yeah, sorry. Now my gut's telling me to take it.
-What? -Yeah.
My gut is telling me we should definitely take the money.
But just yesterday you said that we shouldn't.
But that was yesterday.
A whole day has passed since then.
Yes, I know how days work.
What I don't understand is how you can be so sure of something
when you believed the exact opposite the day before.
Yesterday I was right too.
It's only now that I realize yesterday I was wrong, but I'm right today.
That's insane.
Maybe, but I've always led by my gut.
But what if you make the wrong call?
It can't be the wrong call.
It might not be the call that yields the best result,
but that doesn't make it wrong.
Look, take these people for example:
Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, Nelson Mandela, Henry Ford.
These are leaders who listened to their inner voice and made a call.
Then they let the chips fall where they may.
If your gut is right 51% of the time, that's a good gut.
You gotta be kidding me.
I cannot believe I am listening to a man
who thinks he belongs on the same wall as Mother Teresa.
You don't like Mother Teresa? What's wrong with you?
No, I'm saying that you-- shouldn't be--
Look, Poppy, it doesn't matter what I believe about myself.
What matters is what you believe about yourself.
And my gut tells me that you belong on that wall.
What does yours say?
-Hi, Jo. -Where are you?
We're close.
We got hung up in Central California.
C.W.'s currently over the South Pacific Ocean and closing in fast.
-How do you know that? -I'm tracking him.
He set up an app--
I don't have to explain myself. Explain yourselves!
We got pulled over.
You're getting a speeding ticket?
We were. But then Rachel got into it with the cop.
I was ju-- I spoke a little truth to power.
And now he's running our plates.
Give me to him.
-I'm sorry? -Hand him the phone.
Officer? Excuse me.
Yeah.
Our friend wants to talk to you for a second.
Hello?
Seems weird.
-Sorry. I-- -He has a gun.
I know he has a gun.
And I just thought I was being helpful, 'cause he was being a little rude.
And now I'm realizing that was very ill-advised.
I'm just very sorry.
Here.
You're free to go.
That's some Illuminati shit.
Let's go.
Let's go and never talk about this again.
Hey, David, you got a minute?
Several, yeah.
I'm just walking the halls at a brisk pace to give the appearance I'm busy.
-Pro tip. -Thanks.
So, I was thinking about what you were saying.
-About treading water? -Ripples, not waves, baby.
Yeah, but the thing is, I really do wanna make a difference.
Yeah, we all do. And hopefully, someday we will,
but until then just hokey-pokey, Carol.
Actually, I had an idea.
Or should I say, one came into my office, and I hired him.
-That's kind of a big move. -No. No. Small salary.
And I'm giving an opportunity to someone from a traditionally marginalized group.
Yeah. Okay, great.
Yeah, you managed to pokey while still effecting change. Bravo.
Thank you.
Now I'd like to introduce you to our newest employee.
Hello, David.
Brad? What are you doing here?
Carol hired me.
No, no. No.
I'm sorry, but we cannot rehire an employee
who's been convicted for insider trading to be our Head of Monetization.
He's not. He's our new janitor.
I'm excited to get cleaning.
Okay.
What? What's your angle?
There's no angles. I've gone straight.
Please. Look at your body. You're all angles.
David, look, I've paid my dues. I've recognized the error of my ways,
and I'm just trying to enter back into society honestly as a reformed man.
And as a brown felon, which is two for the price of one.
Or really, two for the price of half, because we get a subsidy for hiring him.
-So, doing good, saving cash. -Love a good coupon.
Look, David, I know you don't trust me.
It's gonna be a process, but I just hope to earn your trust
one clean urinal at a time.
C.W.'s getting here any minute.
-Hello. -Hello.
I'm reformed now.
So am I.
-I'm working a menial job at Mythic Quest. -So am I.
Menial? She's my assistant, to be clear.
-Good. -Good.
To that I say, "Great." I'ma put this on the website.
'Cause that's what it's all about
Wow.
It's really strange to be back after all this time, isn't it?
Yeah.
Yeah, it's kinda like when you go visit a childhood home
and you're different but it's the same? And it just kinda feels smaller.
-Yeah, it feels smaller, doesn't it? -Yeah.
Well, well, well.
David, it is nice to see you.
Is it?
MQ's doing well and probably stings a little bit.
I know you guys didn't think I could do it.
No-- No, no, we--
We literally haven't said your name in a year.
Yeah. In fact, when I think about you,
-all I feel is-- -Jealousy?
-No. -Rage?
-No. -Sad?
-No. -Wistful?
-Apathy? Yeah. -I'm-- Yeah, apathy.
So, I guess you can't really feel apathy.
-It's sort of a lack of feeling. -Ditto.
I don't feel that way-- Or not feel that way… either.
And frankly, you guys would just drag us down.
The way we are running right now you wouldn't recognize the place.
We got a new staff. We got a whole new culture.
It's completely different.
-Hey, guys. Nice to see you again. -Hey, Brad. You out of prison?
Yeah. Working here again.
-Looks the same to me. -Okay, yeah.
You guys have it all figured out, don't you?
You're the cool, sexy mavericks who are changing the world.
Kind of. I'll have you know that we just took a $50 million investment.
And shoved it up their asses.
Now that's a little confusing.
We took a $25 million offer that we had and we shoved that up their asses,
-but $50 million is what we actually took. -No. I turned the 50 million down.
-You turned down $50 million? -Actually, I turned down $60 million,
which is what they countered with after I passed.
You would've loved it.
I told them to "suck my duck," which obviously isn't what I meant,
but autocorrect boned me.
-Are you serious? -Yeah.
-Even after we discussed-- -We said we weren't gonna take it.
No. We said we were gonna take it, because--
-My gut said "turn it down". My gut… -But your gut fucking sucks.
Seems like you two have it all figured out.
-I said tomorrow, my gut… -All right, look.
There are no lines in the office, David.
-We're here! -We made it! We're here.
Hooray. Why don't you sit down? He's almost here.
Hi, everybody. Long time no see.
-Who are you? -That's funny.
Are you serious?
-Hey, I'm Ian Grimm. -I know.
-This is my girlfriend, Rachel. -Hey, Dana.
-Hey. How's it going? -You've gotta be kidding me.
Everyone, shut up. Shut up.
I have strict instructions from C.W. that at exactly 8:15,
I am to deliver this letter to David.
Me?
Okay.
In 20 more seconds.
Seriously?
-He was very precise. -Okay.
-David, I have a question. -You don't have to raise your hand.
-Where's C.W.? -I don't know where he is.
-He's not showing up for his own party? -I don't know.
Does he think we're just gonna sit here and wait for him?
She called my name, I came up. That's all I know.
We don't have time for this. We should just go, right?
-Yeah. Let's just go. -I'm gonna go too.
-We didn't wanna come in the first place. -Three, two, one. Read.
He's not even showing up to his own party? This is bizarre.
"If you're hearing these words, I am already dead."
Wait, what?
"That's right. Dead as Dillinger, daddy-o."
Come on.
I don't know. I'm just reading it.
Keep going.
"Some time ago I was given a rather unfortunate prognosis,
and I decided to script the conclusion of my own story.
In a moment, I shall climb into a Ford Thunderbird
and drive off into the Grand Canyon,
knowing I ended my story like no other. A true original."
That's the end of Thelma and Louise.
"My remains will be retrieved,
placed into a satellite, and launched into space.
Josephine has unwittingly been tracking my celestial path across the globe,
and soon I will be directly above you in the night sky."
Wait. Wait, wait a second. This is bullshit.
He's in a satellite, David?
Again, I am just reading the piece of paper that was just handed to me.
-But this is fucking nuts. -This is crazy.
-He didn't actually do this, right? -It's C.W. Who knows?
-Is he actually dead? -Yeah, David, is he really dead?
I don't know.
I am experiencing this with you at the same time.
-Is there more? -Let's find out together, shall we?
"I do apologize for keeping you in the dark,
but like any great story,
mine had to be unexpected and inevitable at the same time.
I stole that line from a writer I once knew.
I stole a lot of things.
But worse than that, I let my hubris convince me that I didn't need friends.
That success was the only thing that mattered.
That I was better off alone.
I was wrong.
And if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing.
Because that mistake led me to you, my MQ family.
You gave me a second chance,
and the friendship I had with you has been the greatest success of my life.
Do not weep for me, for I go to my rest as so few men do.
Content.
So, if I may, one final word of advice.
Hold onto each other for as long as you can…
'cause that's all there is."
It's time. We're supposed to look up now.
There!
You know what that old bitch said?
He actually had the temerity to say that leaving copies of Swank
all over his desk was his First Amendment right.
Gross.
And weird.
What does C.W. call this drink again?
It's called a Rutger Hauer.
It's all about getting the right coffee-to-cough-syrup ratio.
Cough syrup?
Maybe that's why he was always drunk, wired, and never sick.
Crazy old bitch.
Anybody want some more?
No.
It's getting kinda late.
Yeah. We should probably head back to our place.
-You're calling it? -Yeah.
Yeah.
All right.
Weird day.
Goodbye, again.
It was actually kinda nice seeing you again.
Yeah, it was.
Maybe we do it more often?
Yeah, yeah. Maybe we will.
Bye.