Laurie Blake calls Mars and tells Dr. Manhattan a joke about a bricklayer teaching his daughter how to lay bricks, and coming up one brick extra. His daughter throws it into the air, and Laurie says that she messed up the punchline.
The next day, Laurie goes to a bank and robs it. Other shooters among the customers fire shots, and Mr. Shadow drops into the lobby and takes out the shooters. Laurie takes a hostage, and tells him that they're FBI and they tipped him over to trap him because vigilantism is illegal. All of the agents reveal their badges, and Mr. Shadow runs. Laurie shoots him and he falls through the glass door. The FBI secure the crime scene and take Mr. Shadow away. Laurie cuffs him, and protestors ask why she's arresting a hero. She says that the vigilante is a joke, not a hero, and walks away.
At home, Laurie puts a white mouse in a covered cage, then opens a case with something glowing blue inside. There's a knock at the door. After a moment she opens it and finds Senator Keene there. He congratulates her on capturing Mr. Shadow and invites himself in. He looks at the owl inside of the covered cage and asks Laurie to go to Tulsa to take lead on an investigation. Keene wants Laurie to investigate Judd's murder and figures the 7K isn't responsible because they didn't take credit. He suggests that it's a vigilante, and notes that other cities are masking their policemen. Keene suggests that if he becomes President, he could pardon anyone.
Laurie tells Manhattan a joke about three heroes trying to get into Heaven. Owlman never killed anyone and God sends him to Hell for not being tough enough.
The next day, Laurie goes to FBI HQ and attends a briefing on the 7K. Agent Petey inserts a slide of Rorschach's Journal to provide "psychological context", but Deputy Director Farragut says no one cares about Rorschach. Farragut continues with the briefing, talking about how Judd was one of the few survivors of White Night. The cops donned masks and peace returned to Tulsa until Judd was hung. Farragut tells the other agents that Laurie is running point, and Laurie says that she's the only one going there because Tulsa PD won't cooperate with FBI agents. She finally agrees to take Petey.
On the jet to Tulsa, Petey says that he brought a mask to wear. Laurie tells him that he's a Federal agent and Petey hastily puts away the mask. The pilot directs their attention to the Millennium Clock on the ground below. Petey notes that Lady Trieu had the clock built after she built out Adrian's company, and they've declared him dead. The FBI agent notes that Laurie knew Adrian when he was Ozymandias, and Laurie asks Petey if he wants her autograph. Petey says that he knows Laurie was Silk Spectre and points out that he had a PhD in history. He tells Laurie not to treat him like he's a fan, and Laurie says that she knew Adrian.
Laurie continues the joke with the second hero, Ozymandias. Ozymandias says that he saved humanity by dropping a giant alien squid on New York City, killing three million people God declares that he's a monster and sends him to Hell.
Laurie and Petey examine the scene where Judd was hung, Laurie then meets with Jane. Later, Laurie and Petey drive to a warehouse and when a prison transport van pulls up, Laurie goes in on her own. Red Scare and Pirate Jenny toss a prisoner out on the tarmac, and Laurie flashes her badge and asks who they are. They identify themselves, and Laurie asks if Looking Glass is inside. The detectives go in, taking Laurie and the prisoner with them. Police are in the warehouse, processing 7K prisoners.
Looking Glass emerges from the pod with a prisoner, and Looking Glass reports that the prisoner is cleared of Judd's murder. Laurie goes into the pod with him and he explains how it works. She knows Looking Glass's secret identity of Wade Tillman, and he removes his mask and asks how he can help her. Laurie asks about Judd's autopsy, and Wade confirms that there was no tox screen because the cause of death was there. He wasn't at the raid on the cattle ranch, and Wade says that Sister Night got the location out of the prisoner during secondary interrogation. Laurie confirms that Sister Night is Angela, and Wade says that she took a personal day to work on the eulogy for Judd's funeral in a couple of hours.
Laurie continues the joke, saying that the third hero was Dr. Manhattan. God asks him how many people he killed, and Manhattan says that it doesn't matter and he knows God is sending him to Hell no matter what he says. He knows what God will do because he's seen it, and God sends Manhattan to Hell.
After going to their motel rooms to change, Laurie and Petey attend Judd's funeral. They hand over their guns to the policemen at the gate, and Laurie approaches Angela as the Abars arrive at the gravesite. She says that she's there to hope and talks with Angela over coffee later. Angela says that she's retired, and Frankie gives Angela her card.
At the service, Jane thanks everyone for being there and invites Angela up to give the eulogy. Angela talks about how she and Judd made a pact after White Night about what each of them would say at the other's funeral.
A 7K bomber crawls through a tunnel.
Angela sings the song Judd wanted sung.
The bomber comes up in a nearby crypt.
Laurie claps to the music, and after a moment the other attendees clap with her to the song. The bomber puts on an explosive vest, steps out of the crypt, and approaches the gravesite. He explains that the bomb is connected to his heart and will go off if he dies. The bomber tells Keene that he's a race traitor and tells him to surrender himself or everyone dies. Keene goes to the bomber, and Laurie shoots the 7K man in the head. The bomb starts counting down, and Angela yells at everyone to run. She then drags the corpse into the grave and drops Judd's coffin on top of it. She runs away and the bomb explodes, knocking everyone to the ground. Angela glares at Laurie.
At the castle, Adrian works on a protective suit and then puts it on one of the Phillips clones. After moving to a safe distance, Adrian conducts his experiment and checks on Phillips. Phillips is frozen solid despite the suit, and Adrian kicks the body and curses in frustration. Another Phillips comes over and asks what went wrong, and Adrian says that he'll need a thicker skin.
Adrian rides off across the countryside to a herd of buffalo, takes out a bow and arrow, and kills one buffalo with a single shot into the eye. As he goes over to skin it, a man on horseback fires a warning shot at him. Adrian puts up his hands and returns to his castle, shoves past Phillips and Crookshanks when they try to present him with a cake, and goes to his study to meditate. Crookshanks comes in and says that he has a letter from the Game Warden. Adrian has her read it, and it says that they agree on the terms of Adrian's captivity. It appears that he's trying to free himself, and if so he will face grave consequences. Adrian dictates a response to Crookshanks, saying that his activities are purely recreational. He would never transgress the terms of their agreement, and is available if the Game Warden wishes to repeat his accusations in person. Satisfied, Adrian says that he hunts again at midnight.
That night, Adrian puts on his old Ozymandias costume and checks himself in the mirror.
At the cemetery, Keene tells the reporters that law enforcement are the heroes who kept him safe. Laurie watches as Keene says that the 7K is his problem and he won't leave until the war is won. Petey asks for Laurie's autograph, and she takes his coffee and goes to the crypt. Angela emerges from the tunnel wearing her night-vision goggles, and tells Laurie that it goes just outside the fence. Laurie offers her Petey's coffee, and admits that she thought the bomber was bluffing.
Laurie thanks Angela for saving them, and points out that there's nothing left for them to exhume. When Angela asks why, Laurie says that the 7K murdered Judd but they still have to consider the possibilities. She points out that there were wheelchair tire tracks at the tree where Judd was hung. Laurie says that she found a secret compartment in Judd's closet, Angela asks what was in it, and Laurie asks her what was in it since Jane told her Angela was the last person there. When Angela doesn't say, Laurie figures that there was a naked bust and something on it. She calls Angela "Sister Night" and says that she eats good guys for breakfast. Angela feigns shock, pours the coffee into the tunnel, and leaves.
Finishing her joke, Laurie says that God notices someone waiting: a woman. God says that he doesn't know who she is, and the woman says that she's the bricklayer's daughter from the first joke. The brick hits God in the head, killing him and sending him to Hell.
Petey and Laurie return to the motel, and Laurie takes a glowing blue vibrator out of her case/. She then goes to Petey's room, and they end up in bed together with Petey wearing his mask.
With 55 seconds left until her time ends, Laurie tells Manhattan that she doesn't know why she keeps telling him jokes because he never had a sense of humor. She says that sometimes it's nice to pretend he is listening to her, and humanity isn't worth Manhattan--or anyone--caring about.
The call ends and Laurie leaves the booth. A car slams down from space, and Laurie looks up to see a flare in the night sky where Mars is. She bursts into laughter, looking up at the sky.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 4, 2019