In the cave in the Void, Nathan tries to remove the boulder blocking the entrance. He weakens further from the effect of the Void, and the trapped William notices. William suggests that Nathan free him so that he can help, warning that when Mara takes control of her body she'll slaughter Nathan and everyone he loves. Nathan says that Mara isn't coming back, and William insists that they need a truce for the moment and can kill each other later. When Nathan refuses, William continues until Nathan finally tells him that Mara is dead.
Audrey and Duke look for Hallie, and Duke notes that the downside of Hallie's phasing Trouble is that it's dangerous to her. They hear Hallie yelling and go to investigate, and find her embedded inside of a gate.
Vince and Dwight call in Maddie to hypnotize the captive Dave, but she reminds them that the last time she did, all of their memories were wiped. They explain that Dave needs to kill Croatoan before Croatoan finds a way to stop them, and Maddie tells Dave that they need to create a "mind palace" where he can feel safe and confront Croatoan. Once Croatoan appears there, Dave will have to find out if he has any weaknesses and what his plans are for Haven. Dave agrees to kill Croatoan if he can.
Hallie explains that she was exhausted after opening the thinny and she rematerialized too soon. Audrey explains that the bars running through Hallie's body are keeping her from bleeding out, and if they try to move her then she'll die. Hallie doesn't believe them and starts to panic, and Duke tells her to stay calm. Audrey talks to him privately and says that Hallie is going to die no matter what. However, might be able to stay alive long enough to reopen the thinny and bring Nathan back. Duke agrees to try and convince her.
Maddie hypnotized Dave and has him visualize a battlefield where he's strongest. He finds himself in the Herald office and calls out to Croatoan. In the real world, Vince and Dwight realize that Maddie is dead like Croatoan's other victims. Dave's chains are on the floor, and Vince and Dwight realize that they've lost ten minutes of memory.
In the cave, William doesn't believe that Mara is dead because they don't have a way to bring Audrey alive since the Barn was destroyed. Nathan explains that Charlotte brought Audrey back. He tries to remove the boulder without success and collapses, coughing, and finds the controller on the cave floor. Meanwhile, William spots the cave wall bleeding aether and gets an idea.
In Haven, Duke tells Hallie that she doesn't feel the pain because of shock. He asks her to open the thinny and save Nathan, and Hallie points out that Duke is the one who get her into the mess. Duke insists that it's their destiny to save Haven, but Hallie doesn't care.
Dave finds a sarcophagus and opens it, but Croatoan isn't inside. A file cabinet door creaks open, and when Dave yanks it open, all of his porn magazines fall out. Smoke pours from the sarcophagus and Dave backs up against a tree with "Croatoan" carved into it. Dozens of clocks appear on the wall and the typewriter types out "Hello Dave" from Croatoan.
Vince and Dwight are grapping, Dwight insisting that they can't take the chance, and realize that they've lost time again. There's a gun on the floor that wasn't there before, and Dwight realizes that Dave found out something that Croatoan doesn't want them to know.
Nathan realizes that William is holding something back and notices the aether on the wall. William admits that he has to get some on his hands to control it, and says that he can use it to give Nathan a new Trouble to move the boulder. Nathan refuses, but William points out that if he doesn't then they'll both die.
Duke tells Audrey about Hallie's refusal, and Audrey warns that they're running out of time. She reluctantly suggests that Duke kill Hallie and use the Crocker curse to take her Trouble and use it to open the thinny. Duke refuses, explaining that Croatoan created the Crocker curse, and insists that he'll get Hallie to help them.
William asks Nathan how far he's willing to go for Audrey. He insists that Mara would have done anything for him, but Nathan says that Mara only wanted William back to get his stash of aether. Undeterred, William insists that he has to give Nathan a new Trouble.
Dave prepares to destroy the typewriter, and Croatoan speaks over the radio, warning him not to do it. Croatoan asks why he shouldn't kill him then and there rather than take the chance of Dave killing him, and Dave demands an explanation. The entity says that since Dave is a Halfling, he's the only viable host. Through Dave, Croatoan has been absorbing Troubles to gain enough power to soon leave the Void through Dave's body. Dave insists that he can destroy Croatoan, and Croatoan offers to spare him if he leaves the mind palace.
Vince holds a gun to Dave's head and says that it's the only way, and he and Dwight realize that they've lost time again. As Vince locks the gun away, Dwight discovers that he's sent a recorded message for himself. It's rom Dave, saying that Vince has to shoot him while Dwight objects. Croatoan erases their memories each time that they catch on, but eventually they'll kill Dave... or each other. Dave wakes up and says that it's him, and tells Vince "Oprah Winfrey" to convince him. They compare notes on what they've been going through, and Dave figures that Croatoan convinced him to leave his mind palace because he's afraid Dave can do something to him there. He describes how he saw the clocks reset twice, and figures that it's the two times that Croatoan took Vince and Dwight's memories. If Dave destroys the clocks then he'll destroy Croatoan's ability to cause lost time.
Duke goes back to Hallie and asks her to use her remaining time to do something good. She remembers Duke warning her that her Trouble would have a dark side and she didn't listen, and how her mother died the same way. The girl figures that she can't escape her destiny and breaks into tears, and Duke hugs her. As Audrey watches, Duke says that he has to get Hallie out of her situation and kills her. His eyes turn black for a moment and he tells Audrey that she was right. Duke admits that he was always going to have to kill Hallie because it's his destiny.
William warns Nathan that when he passes out, that's it. Nathan finally collects some of the aether but first asks William to give the controller to Audrey if he dies. William agrees and Nathan pours the aether into his hand. The aether transforms into the heavy that William used before, and the heavy easily frees William. He then picks up Nathan and asks William what he wants him to do. Nathan says that William was just a mindless pawn to Mara, and she took Duke when William was no longer of use to her. When Nathan describes what Mara did, William admits that it sounds like something Mara would have done.
Duke and Audrey return to the thinny and Audrey gives him the ring. Before he does, Duke makes Audrey promise that she won't go through after Nathan, and Audrey points out that she can't. She insists that Nathan will come back through the thinny, and Duke cuts his hand and unleashes Hallie's Trouble.
The thinny opens on the other side of the boulder, and William tells the heavy to release Nathan and move the boulder. He does so, and William tells Nathan to go through and not tell anyone what happened. William admits that he always knew he loved Mara more than she loved him, and he won't kill Nathan because that's what Mara would have wanted. Before he goes, Nathan gives William one of the rings and tells him to go back to his world because he no longer belongs in the Void. William warns Nathan that Croatoan will kill everyone in Haven and Nathan shouldn't go back, but Nathan walks through the thinny.
When Nathan comes through the thinny, Audrey hugs him as the thinny closes. He realizes that Hallie died and Duke used her Trouble to reopen the thinny.
Dave tells Dwight and Vince that he has to go back into the mind palace before Croatoan leaves his body, Vince warns that it's too dangerous, and Dave asks Dwight to give him a moment alone with his brother. Once Dwight leaves, Dave warns that if Croatoan has his lost time power than he can do anything. If he can take away that power then it will give the others a fighting chance. Dave insists that he has to do it and tells Vince to put him back under. Before he does so, Vince orders him to come back and Dave agrees.
Dave finds himself back in his mind palace, and complains that Croatoan took his body without his permission as he smashes the clock. Croatoan speaks through the radio, telling him that he's wrong. He tells Dave to tell his friends that he's coming for Audrey, and tells Dave to get out while he can. Dave refuses and finishes smashing the clocks as Croatoan yells at him to stop, and the mind palace collapses.
In the real world, Vince tries to get Dave to wake up. Nothing happens, and Vince breaks into tears.
As they walk back, Audrey assures Duke that he did what he had to. Duke warns that his curse is stronger than it has been, and it came from Croatoan. Nathan shows them the controller, but they realize they have no idea what to do with it. Audrey says that what's important is that the three of them are back and they'll figure it out.
Vince apologizes to Dave, and Croatoan speaks through Dave's body. He admits that Dave was braver than he thought, and he succeeded. However, Croatoan says that he doesn't need to erase memories anymore and emerges from Dave's body. Once Croatoan leaves, Dwight and Vince realize that there's a message written on Dave's arm. It's from Dave, warning that Croatoan wants Audrey.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 27, 2015