Last time onNaomi...
They were hunting you.
They work for a man named Brutus.
He resented the 29.
All of us are on the run because of you.
Your powers are acting like a magnet. Brutus will send others.
You really think there is an alien here at this party?
You never do know people as well as you think.
You were breaking into my locker.
Is the disk in there?
And you think I stole it?
Is this what this is all about?
Aliens are a danger to our way of life.
I know who you are.
Sometimes the people you think you know the best
are the ones you don't really know at all.
Naomi, please. Please let us explain.
Pumpkin, just talk to us.
I can't.
Your parents are aliens?
I know.
Is this what it feels like to go through an existential crisis?
I thought I wouldn't have one till my 20s.
I just can't believe they've been lying to me this whole time.
Did they try to explain themselves?
They wanted to talk, but...
I can't even look at them.
My entire life is a lie.
We don't know that for sure.
Yes, this is some Succession level type family dysfunction.
But they're still your parents.
I don't know who they are.
Is my mom even a linguist?
Is my dad actually in the military?
I'm pretty sure you can't fake being in the army.
Linguistics?
Maybe.
Every time my mom cried when I asked about my adoption,
I felt horrible.
But I guess it was just all an act.
I know that this doesn't make it any better...
but your parents love you.
You can't fake love like that.
Annabelle, please don't tell me I should talk to them.
Hell, no. I'm furious with them.
They could have told me the truth.
When I found out I had powers,
they could have made it easier for me.
Instead, they let me feel alone.
I'm so sorry, babe.
Thank you for letting me crash here.
Of course.
You're going to be okay, babe.
You know that...
right?
All I know is I spent my entire life
believing what everyone told me about myself.
It's time I find my own truth.
How are you feeling?
Angry.
Confused, really sad.
I thought your wings could sense people
who weren't from this earth.
Only if they have powers.
So, that means what?
My parents are normal?
When it comes to the multi-verse,
normal is relative.
Why would their eyes glow blue
if they didn't have powers?
There are differences on the molecular level.
They're not human.
Right.
Because my parents are actual aliens.
Who are they?
How did they adopt me?
Where are they really from?
They're from Earth-29.
I met them on our home planet.
You lied to me?
I thought I could trust you.
I thought you were on my team!
I am, Naomi.
And so are your parents.
I didn't know Greg and Jennifer well,
but I knew them to be good.
So when I arrived on Earth and I saw that you were with them,
I knew you'd be safe.
Loved.
You should've told me.
I wanted you to have a normal life for as long as you could.
But maybe I miscalculated.
Is that your idea of an apology?
How did I get to this Earth,
really?
There are only two people who know the answer to that question.
I'm not talking to my parents.
Dee...
when you came over for dinner, you asked about this light.
You said that it might be above my birth rock.
An energy source.
Usually present at arrival events.
Your parents claimed they did not see one.
Except now they're officially unreliable.
Why would they lie about that?
Why would they lie about any of it?
There's no need for that, Akira.
Mac.
It's not exactly a warm welcome.
It wasn't meant to be.
No offense, but this place is seriously lacking in...
everything.
But then again, so is this planet.
Makes our world look like paradise.
What do you want, Mac?
Brutus sends his regards.
And he'd like to request your help on a new project,
respectfully.
I'm not interested.
Well, you haven't even heard his offer.
We found the girl, Akira.
She's on this earth.
Her powers have started to manifest.
I have no interest in her.
Maybe not.
But Brutus does.
You're going to help us defeat her.
Tell Brutus that I decline.
Respectfully.
It's not really a request.
But I think you know that.
Besides, you've worked with him once.
Why not again?
I didn't work with Brutus.
We had an agreement.
I turned Zumbado over to Brutus
and he agreed to let the rest of us leave.
That deal is over now.
Is anything ever really over?
Think about it.
War is coming, Akira.
I suggest you choose the winning side.
If I would've known finding your truth
was going to involve a possible snake encounter,
I might not have been so supportive.
We're almost there.
Last time I was here, my parents told me they found me on a rock.
I hated that they didn't tell me the truth,
but I loved them for adopting me.
I thought they were like Ma and Pa Kent.
I should have known that wasn't the only thing they were lying about.
Here we are.
This is your space rock?
Kind of thought it would look more...
Space-y?
Kind of like that.
What else does it do?
I don't know.
I just know that it's connected to me.
I think I missed something last time.
There's something in there. Stand back.
So...
What is that thing?
I have no idea.
This is going to be a long two days.
I can't believe my parents went out of town,
and left me in charge of a tiny human.
Naomi, are you listening?
Babe, if you stare at that phone any longer,
it's going to melt.
Still nothing from Nathan?
No.
I tried texting him, calling him.
I just tried calling him on a landline,
which apparently is attached to the wall in the house.
I thought those only existed in old movies, like, from the '90s.
Listen, I get why he's mad.
I was wrong to accuse him.
But he's fully ghosting me.
He'll come around.
Annabelle, what is this?
Your lunch.
It's supposed to be cream cheese, lettuce, pickles, banana slices,
grape jelly on the side with no crusts.
If I sent you to school with that atrocity,
I'd get arrested for child abuse.
That is a nice turkey Swiss with mayo.
Mayo is disgusting.
Mayo is disgusting?
Naomi?
I think it's just ahead of its time.
Don't encourage her.
Finish getting ready before I swap out your chips for kale.
Sorry, I think we were talking about a certain ghosting soccer player.
Shouldn't even be thinking about Nathan.
I need to figure out what this is.
How are you going to do that?
I'm assuming that "Alien mystery cube" isn't a top Google search.
I need to talk to someone who isn't from this earth.
Dee told me about this place that Adam Blake took him to.
A bar where people like me hang out.
Why not talk to Dee or Zumbado or one of the other many aliens that we know.
Because I'm tired of just believing what everyone else tells me.
Okay, well, how are you going to get there?
I recall the family credit card being referred to as blood money.
I have a plan for that.
I'll see you when I get back tonight.
You mean you'll see me at school.
I'm not going.
Wait, you're serious?
You're skipping school? You've never skipped school.
You've never even taken a sick day.
There's a first time for everything.
I always thought used cars was a strange choice for you.
What can I do for you, Greg?
Naomi found out who we really are.
Was that a question?
I didn't tell her.
You set her down the path.
You come here blaming me,
but you and Jennifer had 16 years to tell Naomi the truth.
And you told her everything there is to know about you?
I didn't lie to her.
I'm not here to argue.
We have bigger problems.
Naomi's still in danger from the military.
I thought that you took care of Steel.
That doesn't mean the military is going to stand down.
The task force is still active.
It's only a matter of time before they replace Steel.
We have to get ahead of this.
You're asking for my help.
I'm asking for my daughter.
Keeping Naomi safe is all that matters.
Even if she hates me.
What do we need to do?
Damage control.
I found out R&D developed a prototype that tracks alien energy.
That's how Steel found Naomi.
There was an incident at STAR Labs,
and it gave them the final piece.
You don't seem surprised.
The incident that occurred at Star Labs was a result of Naomi's powers.
She didn't tell you?
No.
That means her energy is all over that site.
We'll have to erase it.
How do you propose we do that?
You are still one of the 29,
aren't you?
Thank you for the ride.
Are you kidding?
Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to embrace your inner rebel?
If only our rebel soundtrack was a little bit more exciting.
We won't be defeated by AM radio, okay?
No way. I haven't heard this song in so long.
It's a road trip miracle. You need to show me your moves.
Oh, you mean like this?
Oh!
Amateur.
-Look.
Okay.
Twenty bucks and I'll teach you
how to turn off Netflix's parental controls.
My silence is worth at least $50.
Fifty buck? You're ten.
What could you possibly need to buy?
BTS is coming to Portland and I'm not about that mezzanine life.
Annabelle?
Mrs. M. You're home.
In the middle of the day.
I left work early. I... I couldn't concentrate.
-Hi, Sophie. -Hi, Mrs. McDuffie.
I think I'm supposed to be mad at you.
Uh, what are you girls doing here?
Not breaking in.
Naomi just wanted us to grab a couple of things.
Clothes, electric toothbrush.
You know how much she cares about dental hygiene.
Right.
How is she?
Mrs. M.
You know I'm your number one fan,
but this is kind of a best friend solidarity issue.
Even though it physically pains me to have to draw this boundary.
I understand. It's just that we're both so worried about her.
Is she okay?
Is she angry?
Anger's a relative term.
She never wants to see you again.
Not helping. Headphones, please.
Fine. 50 bucks.
You can't blame her for being mad at you.
I don't. She has every right.
I just wish she'd let us explain.
She just needs time.
We made a mistake.
We know that.
Maybe you could talk to her.
She'll listen to you.
I really don't want to get in the middle of this.
Annabelle, please. You've always been like a second daughter to us.
Just please tell her that we are so sorry.
And that we love her more than anything.
And we will do whatever it takes to make it right.
I'm sorry, Mrs. M, but we we have to go.
Sophie. I'm sorry. We just, we just have to go.
Bye.
Are you sure you don't want me to come inside with you?
It's kind of personal.
I won't be long though, I promise.
Fine, but if you're not back in ten minutes,
I'm coming to your rescue.
Okay.
I need to get inside.
We don't serve Shirley Temples.
I'm looking for information.
What kind of information?
I have an artifact, and I need someone to look at it.
You have to be more specific.
Where did you get that?
I found it.
What's that you got there?
Um, it's nothing.
It's not nothing. I just want to take a look at it.
Please let go of my hand. I need to go.
Akira?
We need to go.
Now.
I'll do some work in the back.
The people of this planet
cannot get enough of our stories.
In print, they worship us as heroes.
But, think of the consequences
were we ever to reveal our powers.
Humanity is a constant paradox.
I found this at the place where I landed.
Do you know what this is?
I warned you to stay away.
The people I love the most have been lying to me.
My parents have been lying to me.
They're from Earth-29.
So they finally told you.
You knew my parents too?
Not well.
My interactions with Greg and Jennifer were brief.
I don't really know you,
but lately it feels like everyone in my life is not actually for me.
I'm supposed to have this big destiny,
but everyone keeps treating me like I'm a child.
I deserve the truth.
Some truths are very painful.
I already know that.
This is a trans-matter cube.
It is what allows for travel between worlds and dimensions.
How do you know that?
Because I'm the one who made it.
Naomi's energy signature.
It's like a fingerprint. We need to erase it.
Naomi did all this?
It's done.
I've erased all traces of Naomi's energy.
Naomi's never expressed powers on this scale.
You really have no idea.
You know about her powers.
About all this and you didn't say anything?
You should have told us.
So you could put another gun in my face?
You made it clear that you didn't want to hear anything that I had to say.
Is that why you told us to leave town?
No, she was in danger
the second that her powers started to manifest.
What's happened here is just a glimpse into her potential.
She can save our planet.
How many times do we have to tell you?
We don't want that for Naomi.
She can still have a normal life.
You can't honestly believe that.
You've always wanted me and Jennifer out of the picture.
So you could use Naomi for your own deluded purposes against Brutus.
Reuniting the 29 and saving our planet from Brutus is not deluded.
She is the only one that can defeat him, Greg.
It's her destiny.
It's the destiny you want for her, not us.
We're the ones that love her.
You're not the only ones.
The only way to protect Naomi from Brutus
is to keep her hidden.
Her "destiny" will destroy her.
You asked me not to tell Naomi the truth
and I respected that.
But keeping it from her, lying to her
has only put her in greater danger.
I accept my role in that.
But it's time you and Jennifer do the same.
Before it's too late.
Annabelle?
And child.
You're friends with the tattoo shop guy?
You just got 200% cooler.
Not that I need your stamp of approval, but yes.
Dee and I go way back.
This is my little sister, Sophie.
Nice to meet you, Sophie.
This isn't really a place for children.
Ten is the new 16. You won't even know she's here.
I need your help.
Is someone in danger?
Yes, me.
Of being a terrible best friend.
I told Naomi that I would get some things from her house and I failed.
And that is a problem why?
Because Naomi's going through a lot right now
and I told her that I would do this one thing for her.
I'm not sure how I can help.
Do they not have best friends on your planet?
I just need you to go to her house and get her things for me.
Why don't you just go back and try again?
Because Mrs. M, she started crying.
I love the McDuffies,
they're like a second family to me.
You can't fix this for her.
I don't know how else I can help her.
You are helping her
by being there,
like you always are.
You're very wise.
Hm.
He really is.
What's transmatter?
It kind of sounds made up.
The short answer is that it has to do with theoretical physics.
This cube is very valuable, very rare.
That's why everyone reacted the way they did.
Why was it inside a rock?
I hid it there,
in case you ever wanted to go back.
Back?
To our home planet?
Why would I need to go back?
I hope it doesn't come to that.
I created the transmatter cube
so that the 29 could escape our planet.
This cube, when used properly, opens a portal.
A portal?
I always thought I got to Earth in a spaceship.
Well, you don't need a spaceship if you have one of these.
So does this mean I can use this to go back
to Earth-29?
You do not want to do that.
-Trust me.
Excuse me,
I'm looking for a birthday gift for my nephew.
Principal Brooks?
Miss McDuffie.
Aren't you supposed to be in fifth period right now?
Thank you.
Slow down, pumpkin.
I really don't want to talk right now.
Naomi, we haven't seen you in days.
We want to know if you're okay.
You can't ignore us forever.
We love you, baby, please give us a chance to apologize, to explain.
You don't think I want that?
To hear you say something that'll just explain all of this away.
Were you ever going to tell me?
Yes.
We just didn't know how.
I've always told you everything.
I know we hurt you.
But this has to stop.
Are you seriously trying to parent me right now?
Yes, because we're your parents, no matter what.
Skipping school?
That's not like you.
It's time for you to come home.
No more Annabelle's.
That's not going to happen.
You can be mad all you want,
but you're a 16-year-old girl.
You're our daughter and you're coming home.
Good luck trying to enforce that.
Unless you're hiding your powers, too.
Naomi!
Your rhythm is off. Watch your footwork.
You're unfocused tonight.
I'm fine. Let's go again.
It's late, much later than our usual training time.
Your parents must be expecting you home.
I don't care what they expect.
Dee, no, please, I need to go again.
Your mind is elsewhere.
Have you talked to your parents?
Earlier at school, but we didn't...
exactly talk, talk.
I'm sorry, Naomi.
I know this is incredibly painful.
Most kids fight with their parents.
I never did.
My entire life my parents have been my one constant.
The thing I could always count on.
Our relationship means everything to me.
Who am I without that, without them?
Hey.
You're still you.
Nothing will change that.
That's not true.
I don't even feel like myself anymore.
I've watched you grow.
You're stronger and more resilient than you were even a few months ago.
No matter what happens with your parents,
you're more than capable of standing on your own two feet.
Don't ever forget that.
Used cars?
It's not much of an upgrade from the factory, is it?
You dress differently here.
Let's not do this tonight.
I liked the way you dressed before.
What do you want, Akira?
I had a conversation with Naomi.
She found the transmatter cube.
Why are you even talking to her?
She was flashing it at an outpost
that was full of beings like us.
Is this girl really the one you have your hopes pinned on?
She needs more time.
She doesn't have it.
Then why are you here?
Mac is here.
-In Port Oswego? -Not yet.
But you know she has the technology to find Naomi.
It's just a matter of time.
And how do you know this?
Mac wants you to help Brutus.
Same way you did last time when you sold me out.
You brought that on yourself when you betrayed us.
It doesn't matter what I say.
You'll always believe the worst in me.
You still believe the worst in me.
Yes, Mac came to see me.
No, I am not helping her.
Or Brutus.
You really expect me to believe that you're here to help Naomi?
It's the truth.
I came here to warn you.
I don't believe you.
Well, you're just gonna have to trust me.
Naomi.
-You made it. -Didn't you hear? I'm a rebel now.
Oh, yeah, girl.
Whose party is this?
Uh, no idea. They just, kind of, happen.
Uh, how long does it run till?
Until the sun comes up or the cops show up.
Come on, let's dance.
Annabelle, you came!
This is the party?
Isn't it the best?
Feels like loud music in an old warehouse with sweaty teenagers.
You're going to love it. Trust me.
I hope so. I had to use all my birthday money to pay for a babysitter.
Come on.
-Annabelle! Hey! -Hey.
I was so wrong. This is so fun!
I love this song.
Uh...
What?
Uh...
Hm.
Sorry, we...
We were just vibing all night.
I have a boyfriend.
Okay, so where is he?
Lourdes, that doesn't matter.
So...
What has all this been about?
Were you just using me for a ride and to hang out
-with that weird lady at the comic shop? -No...
It's not like that.
We're friends. I thought we were having a fun time.
I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.
I don't just want to be your ride or your friend, and you know that.
And you know I'm with Nathan.
If you want to deny how you feel, fine,
but I know what I want.
And I'm not settling for being the girl you use in selfies
to make your boyfriend jealous.
Maybe it's time you start facing things on your own.
I've never really been a fan of parties like this.
It seems you aren't either.
I'm Mac, short for MacMurph.
Brutus sends his regards.
Brutus?
You're going to follow me outside.
Otherwise, your friends over there...
Well, they might not like how this party ends.
Whenever you're ready.
I'm glad you've decided to be sensible.
Shows promise.
I don't want my friends to get hurt.
I'm not here for them.
I have a message from Brutus.
The bad guy from my home planet?
He wants you to join him.
You don't belong here, Naomi.
This planet doesn't deserve you.
If you join us, you can come home.
This is my home.
It's not really optional.
Ah. Not bad.
There's only one way this ends.
You're going to regret this, Akira.
You all right?
Yeah, I am.
I can't believe I missed an epic super-fight
because I was trying to get the DJ to play Olivia Rodrigo.
That is a whole new category of FOMO.
I can't believe I was in a fight.
And I won.
Kind of, I guess it was technically a tie.
I really hope my utter failure to secure your fresh fit
is not the reason that you're checking out of casa deAnnabelle.
I love it here.
But I need to face my parents.
I'm gonna be okay.
Yeah, you are.
Look at you putting on your "big girl" cape.
The helicopter is not a good look on Greg and Jen.
It's Nathan.
I knew that he would come to his senses.
Bet it was those fire road trip selfies you took with Lourdes.
Too soon.
-Yeah. -Too soon, yeah.
Thank you for letting me crash here.
And thank you for being such a good friend.
Not just tonight, but always.
Ride or ride.
Naomi?
You're still up.
Do... do you want to talk?
We'll tell you anything you want to know, we promise.
I'm not ready to talk.
Not yet.
I just want to go to sleep.
Of course.
We're... we're just glad you're home.
I need you to understand
that this doesn't mean that everything's okay.
We understand.
We're here, always.
Good night.
Any sign of Mac?
No, she'll be back.
She'll return with others.
It's been a very long time since you and I had a drink together.
Let's hope it ends better than last time.
You were right.
Naomi is special.
I understand that now.
-But that doesn't mean she's ready. -Is anyone truly ever ready?
Does she know what's coming?
Some.
But not all.
The fate of an entire planet would be too much for anyone to bear,
but especially for a 16-year-old girl.
She's stronger than you think, Akira.
It's not a question of strength.
Brutus believes her to be a threat to his very existence.
He will not stop until he's killed her.
We won't let that happen.
Everyone Naomi knows.
Everyone she loves.
They are all in danger now.
So we protect them.
And her.
No matter the cost.