Chpt10 Ep11: "Book of the Damned"

Chpt10 Ep11: "Book of the Damned" is an episode in the series Power Rangers: Omniverse

Plot
The episode opens with a hooded figure hastening through an alley at night. The hooded figure suddenly hides behind a dumpster, and we see that two men are also in the alley and appear to be following the other person. The hooded figure then reveals to be Charlie Bradbury. She hastily looks around her for an escape route. Meanwhile, one of the men removes an antique compass from his pocket. The compass spins rapidly at first, but seems to eventually point in one direction. The man closes the compass, removes a handgun from his jacket, and proceeds in the direction the compass was pointing. His associate pulls his gun and the two head down the alley in the direction of the dumpsters where Charlie is hiding. The men suspect Charlie is hiding inside one of the dumpsters, so they begin opening the lids to search them. When one of them gets to Charlie’s dumpster, she jumps out with a knife and stabs him through the throat. The other man is standing close by, so Charlie cuts his hand with the knife, which causes him to drop his gun. She holds him at knife point and demands to know who he is and why he is following her. The man says he isn’t following Charlie, but he is following what she has in her bag. He says that what she has doesn’t belong to her, and that it belongs to his family and is beyond her understanding. Charlie refuses to give him the object and threatens him with the knife. The man tells Charlie that she can cut him down, but that “his people” will never stop chasing her. He tells Charlie that they will eventually find her and kill her. As he is talking, Charlie notices a tattoo on his wrist. She is temporarily distracted by it enough for him to knock the knife out of her hand and pick up his gun. Charlie gets up and makes a run for it, but he shoots her on her side. Injured, Charlie escapes through a hole in a fence and runs off.

Elsewhere, Castiel and Metatron are on the road. Cas is driving, but refusing to talk to Metatron or make eye contact. Cas is clearly irritated by Metatron’s presence and constant talking, but Metatron seems to be enjoying his new experience of “being human”, enjoying music, experiencing feelings, etc., and is behaving like he wants to be Cas’ friend. As Metatron drones on and on, Cas calls Hunter to ask if he can kill Metatron. Hunter tells Cas that until they find his grace, they still need Metatron. Hunter tells Cas that he still hasn’t found anything about a cure for the Mark from all his research on the table. When Metatron suggests that Kurt is more interesting now and maybe they shouldn’t cure him, Cas punches him in the face. As Cas and Hunter are talking, Kurt enters the room. Hunter quickly hangs up before Kurt sees him speaking with Cas. Kurt sees Hunter researching the Mark and tells him what he learned from Crowley about the Mark – that it is an actual curse. Kurt finally comes clean and tells him about what happened to him (from the previous episode) and also tells Hunter that Rowena is Crowley’s mother, and that she tried unsuccessfully to kill him, but the Mark protected him from her.

Kurt

So, anyway, I’m sorry. I probably should’ve told you that earlier.

Hunter

[knowing he too is doing things behind Kurt's back, so he just let it slide] Yeah. Yeah, man. No worries.

As they are talking, Charlie calls the duo from a phone booth about her current predicament. Kurt answers and puts her on speaker phone, and she tells them that she’s been shot, but she stitched herself up with dental floss. Hunter tells Charlie to go to a hospital, but she tells him that she needs to get somewhere safe because some men are chasing her. She refers to them as “Southern-fried d-bags” who have been after from the time she unearthed an artifact she took...the Book of the Damned. She tells them it may be the solution to getting rid of the Mark from Kurt. The duo are surprised to learn that she found a way to save Kurt. Charlie tells them that she found the Book at an abandoned monastery in Spain. When the boys ask her what the Book says about the Mark, Charlie says she can’t read the language the Book is written in, and she’s never seen anything like it. She tells them that she found research notes at the monastery that say the Book is "a spell book for creating or undoing any kind of damnation". Charlie thinks if they can translate the entire Book, they can remove the Mark of Cain. Unfortunately, she also tells the duo that the men chasing her are well trained and relentless. She tells them what the man in the alley said about his family, and she also tells them about the tattoo she saw on the man. Because Charlie was chased from the moment she found the Book, she surmises that the men are tracking the Book somehow. Charlie tells the duo that she’s near DesMoines, Iowa. Kurt tells her about a cabin/safe house nearby; she then agrees to meet her there and to come as soon as possible.

In the bunker, as the duo gathers every book and documents they can bring to help decode the Book of the Damned, Kurt finds a warded lead-lined curse box to keep the book in so it can’t be tracked by the men chasing Charlie. Later, on the road to meet Charlie. Kurt seems very upbeat because they finally have a shot at removing the Mark. Hunter is cautious, because they still are dealing with a spell from a Book that they can’t read, and that is being tracked. Kurt tells him that if they are actually able to remove the Mark, the two of them will take a vacation – neither of them can remember ever having a real time off as Rangers.

Meanwhile, Cas and Metatron are at a diner, and Metatron is hungrily eating a stack of waffles with berries and whipped cream, still droning on about how wonderful it is to be human – including experiencing the process of digestion. Metatron tries to convince Cas that they have a lot in common, because he has also been human. Cas rejects that, and Metatron’s attempts to behave like Cas’ friend. Cas angrily reminds Metatron that he killed Kurt and he will never forget about that, but Metatron insists that Kurt is fine. Cas also reminds Metatron that they have been to three locations where his grace was supposedly hidden, but they still haven’t found it. Cas accuses Metatron of stalling, or suggests that he has lost his grace. Metatron admits that the minute he hands over Cas’ grace, he’ll be killed, but Cas tells him that his “bed is made” and nothing will help him escape the consequences. As they are talking, Metatron’s stomach starts to gurgle loudly and other strange noises come from Metatron’s body. Because he is handcuffed, Metatron asks Cas to help him in the bathroom. Cas reluctantly agrees, and rushes Metatron to the mens’ room before he has an accident. As they walk past the counter at the diner, a man in a trucker cap notices them. And slides out what reveals to be an angel blade. Moments later as they leave the diner, the trucker driver turns out to be a cupid and attacks them. Blaming them both for all that has gone wrong with the angels and Heaven. In the fight, as he assaults on Castiel, Metatron stabs the angel with his own blade, saving Castiel. Metatron then surrenders his weapon, and Cas takes it as he gets up, saying “this changes nothing”.

Later that day, the duo arrives at the safe house cabin where they Charlie inside by the table who has fallen asleep while researching on the Book.

Charlie

[bolts up as she hears them entering the cabin] Merry Christmas!

Kurt

Whoa, hey, Charlie. [hugs her]

Charlie

Were you guys followed?

Kurt

No, no. We made sure of it.

Hunter

[hugs her as well] How are you feeling?

Charlie

Um, I may have just passed out, but better.

Kurt

That's good. So, uh, what's this book you found?

Charlie

Okay, here’s what I’ve learned so far. About centuries years ago, a nun locked herself away after having these "visions of darkness". After a few decades, squirreled away by herself, she emerged with this. [Charlie pulls the book out of her pack.] Each page is made out of slices of her own skin written in her blood. I told you, it’s [shivers] eekish. [She hands the book to Hunter. He begins flipping the pages and Kurt seems to be strangely affected by it just by looking at the book.] According to the notes I found, it’s been owned and used by many cults, covens, and even the Vatican had it for a while. There’s a spell inside that thing for everything. Talking some black mass, dark magic, end-of-times nastiness. As far as what language it’s written in, I’m thinking it’s some kind of…uh…

For a moment, Kurt starts to zone out as he continuously look through the horrific images drawn from each page of the book.

Hunter

Kurt? Kurt!

Kurt

What? [He’s now across the room and looks up from the book which is suddenly in his hands.] [Hunter and Charlie exchange concerned looks.] I don’t think it’s a good idea that I touch this. [Kurt closes the book and hands it back to Charlie.] I’ll go get the rest of our stuff in the car.

Hunter

Right.

Kurt exits the cabin.

Charlie

What the hell was that?

Hunter

He’s not getting better. He’s trying to cover it, but… We need to find that cure, fast.

Elsewhere,the man from the alley along with another henchman, have pulled into a gas station and stop to check the compass again; it doesn’t seem to be working. They realize that the Book is being cloaked somehow so they can’t track it directly. They choose instead to check along the highway to see if anyone remembers seeing Charlie.

Back at the cabin, Kurt researches the tattoo Charlie saw (based on Charlie’s drawing) and looks through the Men of Letters’ files on occult families, while Charlie and Hunter work on the translation. They discover that not only is the Book written in a strange language, but...it’s written in code. So now they have to decode the written code before reading the actual language that they can’t read. As Kurt looks on uncomfortably, it’s clear that he’s drawn to the Book now. Hunter notices it and puts the Book into the curse box, using his notes instead to work on the translation to keep the book out of Kurt's sight.

Next, we see that Metatron has brought Cas to a closed library to locate his grace. Cas is suspicious at first, but when he enters the room he says he can feel it somewhere inside, now knowing it's nearby. Metatron tells Cas that one of his angels hid some clues inside some of his favorite books. Castiel removes Metatron’s cuffs so he can search for the clues. They find the first clue, but it’s a riddle. Metatron tells Cas that the answer to the riddle will lead to another book, and his grace is inside the second book. They read the riddle, but can’t figure it out. However, it’s a trick – as Metatron and Cas look through different shelves for the right book, Metatron uses the blood from his leg wound to paint a series of sigils onto books on the shelf. When Cas isn’t looking, he activates the sigils, and Cas collapses onto the floor in pain.

Metatron

Poor Castiel. Swam so far just to drown in shallow waters. Isn’t it ironic? Don’t ya think? [grins]

Back at the cabin, Kurt has learned that the people following Charlie are a group called the "Styne family". The Men of Letters have files on them that date back to the 1800s. The family has a history of doing evil – using spells to create disease, destabilizing markets, and helping the Nazis, as examples. They profited financially from their evil deeds. And all the spells they used came from “a book of unspeakable evil” that the family lost about 100 years ago. Kurt also tells Hunter and Charlie that when the Book is used, there is a negative reaction – a price to pay for using such dark magic. He also tells them that the Book has been calling out to him – and the Mark -- since he first saw it in the cabin with them. He tells them that the Book wants him to use it, but not for good. He tries to discourage them from continuing to pursue translating the Book. He suggests that they burn the book or bury it, to stop it from falling into the wrong hands – including his. He also says they have to find some other way to remove the Mark that doesn’t involve the Book. In the meantime, he will keep fighting the effects of the Mark. But Hunter counters, saying there isn’t another solution and that this is their only closest shot at getting rid of the Mark. He also says he will not allow Kurt to become a demon again. Hunter insists that they translate the Book, find the cure, and deal with the consequences later. Hunter says “I can’t lose you again”. Refusing to discuss things further, Kurt leaves to go get provisions and have some time for himself to think it over.

As Metatron keeps looking through book shelves, he reveals that he's hidden the demon tablet as well as Cas’ grace in the library. Metatron finds the demon tablet, but before he can find Cas’ grace, Cas figures out the riddle and finds it himself. Cas opens the small jar and swallows his grace as books explode from the library shelves and bright light fills the room. When Metatron realizes this is happening, he takes the demon tablet and runs away. Cas then rises up, his eyes are fiery blue and the shadow of his tattered wings extends on the wall behind him as his grace fully regains his angelic powers back.

Elsewhere, the Stynes are checking gas stations and other shops along the highway looking for Charlie. Just so happens, Kurt enters one convenience store just after one of the Stynes has finished killing a store clerk. Styne is standing behind the counter, so when Kurt walks in, he thinks the Styne member is the clerk. Kurt grabs some food and brings them to the register. As Kurt hands over some cash to pay, he notices the tattoo on Styne's wrist the same one that Charlie described. As Kurt makes small talk and stealthily looks over the counter, he notices the dead clerk on the floor. Suddenly, Kurt pulls a gun on Styne and tells him to raise his hands. But then Styne throws the money back into Kurt’s face, distracting him long enough for Styne’s goon to disarm Kurt and get him in a head lock. As Kurt is being held down, Styne notices the Mark of Cain on Kurt’s arm. Styne recognizes the significance of the Mark and surmises that Kurt is connected to the woman they are looking for; he presumes that they hid the Book and plan to use it to remove the Mark. Kurt denies everything. Styne continues and tells Kurt that the Book CAN remove the Mark, but messing with its power will do "more harm than good". He demands that Kurt tell him where the Book is.

Kurt

[mumbles] Yeah, sure, I’ll tell you.

Styne

[mocks Kurt] What was that? One more time, I didn’t hear you. [He leans in closer]

Kurt

I said…

Kurt then quickly headbutts him and knocks the other goon holding him off. He rolls over and morphs in his White Dino Ranger form. He fights the two Styne members with the main man fleeing as his henchman holds off Kurt from getting to him and throws Kurt to ground. Kurt then takes out his Drago Sword to summon laser arrows and shoots them at the henchman looming over him. He shoots out a few arrows but shows to have no affect on him as he continues making his way towards Kurt. Kurt then unloads over a dozen more arrows and blasts towards the Styne henchman, to which eventually falls over, dead. After the fight, he rushes to the Impala and heads straight back for the cabin.

As Kurt arrives back at the cabin and tells Charlie and Hunter that the Stynes found him. As they're talking, Kurt throws oil on in the fireplace and ignites it. He then tells Hunter and Charlie that there is a cure for the Mark in the Book, but it will come at a price. He says the Book is calling to him and to the Mark to take it and run away with it. He orders Hunter to burn the Book at once. Before Hunter can protest, an SUV pulls up outside the cabin and three men, including the Styne that got away from Kurt, step out and approaches the cabin. Inside, Kurt morphs in his Ranger form and prepares for a fight. By the fireplace, Hunter is hesitant to throw the book in to destroy it.

Kurt

Hunter, burn it now!

A Styne goon then crashes through the window tackling Kurt down while another crashes through the other window and attacks Hunter. Charlie tries to get the goon off Hunter while Kurt fights with the other and eventually decapitates him with his Drago Sword. Kurt then tosses his dagger to Charlie and stabs the 2nd goon through the throat that was struggling with Hunter. The main Styne member then comes breaking in the front door and approaches the book that's by the fireplace. Hunter rushes over and takes a hold of the wrapped book to protect it. Charlie then tosses Kurt's weapon back to him to summon a few laser arrows to hold off the Styne member. But he still continues his way towards Hunter by the fireplace. Without any other choice, Hunter throws the wrapped book into the fire.

Styne member

You silly boy.

Kurt continues shooting arrows at him but to no affect. He then grabs Hunter by the throat and starts choking him. As Hunter struggles to get off his grip, he sticks out one of the arrows that Kurt shot him with and drives it straight to his heart. For a moment he tries to withstand it but Hunter twists the arrow deeper eventually making the Styne member collapse, dead.

Hunter, Kurt and Charlie stair into the fireplace in disappointment as the Book of Damned gets burnt away.

Later, back at the bunker, Hunter and Cas are sitting at the table in the main hall talking. Cas is disappointed in himself for allowing Metatron to escape with the demon tablet. But Hunter reminds him that it’s more important that he got his grace back. Hunter insists that Cas did the right thing. Cas also tells Hunter that destroying the Book was the right thing to do, and they will find another way to save Kurt. As they are talking, Kurt and Charlie arrive with pizzas and beer. Charlie greets Castiel with a hug – having to meet for the very first time. Her knowing he's an angel, she asks Cas if he could heal her carpal tunnel syndrome, which he does (as well as healing her bullet wound). She also asks if he can heal Kurt, but Cas says he can’t heal things as such of an ancient curse. Though Kurt is thrilled that Cas has his grace back and doesn't have to worry about dying. He asks how he got it back. Cas and Hunter exchange glances (Kurt doesn’t know about how they broke Metatron out of jail). Cas lies telling Kurt that Anna managed to get the location of his grace from Metatron eventually. Kurt accepts that explanation and the four of them sit down to dinner.

As a montage plays, Cas, Kurt and Charlie are eating and joking during dinner, but Hunter is clearly troubled (but faking a smile with them). A flashback is shown to what really happened at the cabin, and realize that Hunter switched the books at the last second, so the book he burned in the fireplace was not the Book of the Damned but a decoy. He stored the real book back in the lockbox as Styne was calling Hunter a “silly Boy” for switching out the books. And to the moment Hunter stabbed Styne through the heart, he whispers to Hunter that his family will never stop looking for the Book, before dying.

The following day, Hunter is at a diner talking to someone. He’s telling this someone that he doesn’t trust them, but he believes they can decode the Book and find the spell that will remove the Mark from Kurt. A view over Hunter's shoulders, it reveals that Hunter is speaking with none other than...RITA REPULSA, and mentions “Shall we discuss terms?”.