Chase makes a data log on June 14, 2020 talking about the powerful invisible forces of love and time. He's preparing to harness one in service of the other, and the log is for someone viewing if he doesn't come back. Chase says that he's trying to make up for his mistakes in the past by making things better, including what happened to Gert. He records that it was always her and only her, and then disappears through a time portal.
In 2022, Karolina tells her lover Julie that nothing is wrong. Julie asks if Karolina is sad because it's the three-year anniversary, and Karolina says that they pledged to move on. When Julie warns that it doesn't sound healthy, Karolina grabs her bag and leaves for college.
At Atlas, Molly is leading the pep squad. Afterward, Brianna comes over and tells Molly that they're going to miss her when she graduates. She hugs Molly and leaves.
At the Hostel, Old Lace is sleeping in her den. When she hears Molly come in, she runs to the girl, who asks the dinosaur if she's seen him. Molly goes upstairs to Chase's workshop but discovers that she's been locked out. He finally asks over the intercom screen what she wants, and he finally opens the door a crack and asks Molly what she needs. Molly suggests that they celebrate the anniversary that Gert died, and Chase tells her that his mind is on quantum entanglement. Dale and Stacey are on an expedition to Honduras, and Chase says that he's at an important stage and can't come out. He asks if Molly has seen a package Victor was going to drop off, and she hasn't and says that she'd really appreciate it if Chase was around as her friend. He says that he can't and closes the door.
Alex is at a Wilder Innovators shop and a reporter Brayden says that he's taken the Wilder name in new directions. Brayden asks Alex if he's prepared for the investigations into Geoffrey's criminal past, and Alex invites Brayden to talk to Geoffrey in his office there. Chase calls Alex, who excuses himself, and Chase says that he needs some specs. Alex goes to his office, opens the Abstract, and sends the specs.
Nico is meditating, then goes to her phone. There's a knock at her door, and Nico finds Alex there. Alex tells her that he's been there before, then takes out an energy gun and shoots her. Nico freezes the bolt in mid-air and tells Alex that she's leveled up since she doesn't need the Staff. Chase arrives, knocks Alex down, goes inside, closes the door, and tells Nico to get down. He tells Nico that he's from the future and so is the Alex that shot her. Future-Chase explains that Alex is there to kill all of them in 2022, and looks outside to confirm that Future-Alex is gone. Nico explains that she was away studying with a master, and notices a scar on Future-Chase's neck. Future-Chase says that Victor gave it to him, but not his dad and insists that it's not relevant to their current situation. He says that they need to gather the others, and Nico tells him she was about to do that.
The 2022 Runaways gather, including Alex, and Nico says that she was going to reach out to them when Future-Alex showed up to try and kill her. Future-Chase says that it's who 2022 Alex becomes, and explains that he can't interact with his 2022 self who is still in his workshop just like 2022 Alex can't interact with Future-Alex. He says that one of them tried to kill the 2022 Alex but he survived the bomb, and explains that some of them followed in PRIDE's footsteps. Future-Chase refuses to say who and reveal too much information about their future, and explains that Future-Alex doesn't know who planted the bomb so he's coming after all of them on the day that Nico brought them all back together in memory of Gert.
Nico suggests that she put Alex in a spell and quarantine him until they're sure he's safe, but Molly refuses to imprison Alex for something he hasn't done. Future-Chase warns that if Future-Alex can't get to them, he'll go after someone they care about. Karolina wonders if he'll go after Julie, and Nico asks who Julie is.
Julie is returning to her house and finds Future-Alex outside. She recognizes him from a party they attended together and he says that he wanted to leave something personal for Karolina. Julie tells him that Karolina will be home in an hour, and Future-Alex asks if he can wait for her because it's important. When Julie offers to text Karolina, Future-Alex says that he'll give it to Julie and takes out the energy gun.
A short time later, Karolina returns home and finds Julie on the floor. Future-Alex steps out and starts to shoot, but Nico wraps his neck in a strangling spell and comes in with Molly and Future-Chase. Future-Chase asks where it is, and Future-Alex feigns ignorance and then uses a remote to time-jump. Julie is still alive and overhears them as she wakes up, and realizes that they got together for Gert. Nico introduces herself and Karolina leads Julie off. Molly stares at Nico, who says that Julie seems great.
Alex comes in and Nico realizes that Julie is Karolina's girlfriend. Molly points out that Nico was gone for three years and no one knew where she was.
In the bedroom, Karolina assures Julie that she's committed to her. However, she says that she has to do something with her friends. She goes out and tells the others that after it's all over, she and Julie are going to take a Disney cruise. Future-Chase confirms that Future-Alex has gone back to the day before they discovered what PRIDE was doing, and he hands out personal time-jumpers to the others.
The Runaways materialize at Atlas in 2016 and Future-Chase says that the devices have enough power for four jumps each and he's made two. Future-Alex has the same number, which means that he can only make one more jump and still have enough energy to return to his original time. They split up to find their past selves, lay low, and guard them.
Past-Chase is with his lacrosse team and Future-Chase watches. Past-Karolina goes past and says that she can't be at the post-game celebration because she has Church stuff. Past-Chase insists that he doesn't like Past-Karolina.
Karolina watches Past-Karolina go to her locker and opens it, and light bulbs fall out. Past-Gert comes up and suggests that the other students are prosecuting Past-Karolina for her religious beliefs, and Past-Gert invites Past-Karolina to join her patriarchy-undermining club. Past-Molly approaches Past-Gert and asks her adopted sister to put in a good word with her classmate to become a dance squad member. When Past-Gert refuses and Past-Molly is disappointed, Past-Gert agrees to help her. They go their separate ways as Molly watches. As she leaves, Future-Alex walks past, holding a glowing knife.
Past-Alex is setting up for AV Club while Past-Nico sits on a bench nearby, reading. Alex and Nico watch as Past-Alex makes a mess of it, and they see Future-Alex down the hall. He ducks into the building, and Alex and Nico go in to cut him off.
Future-Chase follows Past-Chase to class, and overhears two of the lacrosse players picking on Past-Gert. When they say that she looks sad, Future-Chase steps out and says that Past-Gert is beautiful. He asks Past-Gert if he can give her a hug, and Past-Gert tells him no because she figures that it's a prank. When she jokingly insults him, Future-Chase says that he misses that, confusing her because she thinks that he's Past-Chase. She wonders why he's aged, and Future-Chase claims that he's in costume for a school play. Past-Gert admires Future-Chase's scare, and Future-Chase tells the two players to get lost. They all wonder why he's defending Past-Gert, and Future-Chase says that she suffers from anxiety. Past-Gert wonders how he knows that, and Future-Chase sees Future-Alex and hastily goes after him.
Future-Alex runs out of the building, and Mr. Kwan sees him and mistakes him for Past-Alex and gets him on the bus for the field trip. Future-Chase tells Alex to stay behind while he and the others stop the bus and get on to find Future-Alex. Future-Alex is in the back, and Past-Alex gets on the bus and sees his future self. His future self takes out the energy knife, grabs a student, and uses him as a human shield. Future-Alex asks Future-Chase if he's told the others the truth about who they all are in the future. He insists that Future-Chase is the villain, not him, and Nico puts all of the past individuals and Future-Alex to sleep with a spell.
Nico mind-wipes all of them to forget what happened, and they take Future-Alex to the gym. Alex asks Future-Alex why he "turned evil", and Future-Alex says that they both know that Alex killed the Dark Dimension version of Catherine. He says that he embraced his true nature as someone who will do what no one else will. The others come in and Future-Chase says that they're going to take Future-Alex back and bring him to justice. Future-Alex points out that he didn't kill anyone, and the others will all turn out rotten. Nico prepares to exile Alex, but Molly balks.
Future-Chase figures that he needs to stop it and talks to Alex in private. Meanwhile, Nico pockets Future-Alex's time jumper and Future-Alex tells her that she loves being in control and that's why she left. Meanwhile, Alex tells Future-Chase that he's going to do everything in his power not to become Future-Alex. He hopes that he and Future-Chase are friends when they meet in the future for good. Future-Chase sets Alex's time jumper and they hug, and Alex departs.
Nico tells Future-Alex that leaving was the only way she could survive after Amy, Gert, and Robert died. She had the power to save everyone but didn't know how to use it, and she didn't say goodbye to Karolina because she didn't want Karolina to stop her or stop herself. When Karolina asks why she didn't stay so they could figure it out together, Nico says that she did figure it out and that's why she came back with the power to do whatever it takes to keep them safe.
Future-Chase comes back over and tells Future-Alex that Alex went back to his own time. The others' mission is over, but Future-Chase still has something to do. He's going to save Gert, despite the fact he might get killed saving her from Morgan. Molly wants to help save her sister, and Future-Alex notes that if they save Gert then they'll all be committing suicide. Their current lives will all be erased, and Future-Chase suggests that they all make the same choices... with Gert with them. Karolina and Nico figure they'll feel the same and they'll be stronger for it, and the five of them jump to 2019.
The group appear in the Hostel in 2019 and Future-Chase says that they need to pull Gert out so she doesn't get killed. He'll close the salt circle, and they argue over who should do it. Future-Alex runs off, and Future-Chase sends Nico and Karolina upstairs while he goes with Molly.
Karolina and Nico get upstairs and get an eyeline on Morgan's position, avoiding their 2019 selves. They overhear 2019-Nico telling 2019-Karolina that 2019-Karolina has never given up on her, and 2019-Karolina says that she'll never give up on her. They kiss, and then 2019-Karolina goes up to help with Geoffrey. Nico goes before Karolina can stop her.
2019-Chase finds the case with the phone and it mesmerizes him.
Future-Nico follows 2019-Nico to her bedroom and asks if she really believed 2019-Karolina. She says that it's time travel, and 2019-Nico accepts the explanation. Nico tells 2019-Nico that she knows what's going through her mind: that she can't have it all. She assures her past self that she doesn't have to leave the people she loves, and tells her to stay and believe with her whole heart like Karolina does. Knowing what she does now, Nico insists that love is more powerful than magic. She then casts a spell and merges with her 2019 self, who doesn't remember what just happened.
Molly and Gert stopped the mesmerized Chase and give him the serum. Morgan arrives, and Nico throws the light dagger into her stomach. The fight goes as before, while the time travelers watch from hiding. Future-Chase goes to get the Fistigons when his past self is knocked out, punching 2019-Chase unconscious.
The others see Future-Alex moving toward the battle and Molly goes after him.
Gert goes to get the salt, and Future-Chase steps out, puts the salt in his pocket, and says that he's there to save her life. He explains that they all had to live without Gert and it's not a life worth living. Future-Chase begs Gert to stay there. Morgan blasts 2019-Karolina back, and Future-Chase tells Gert that they win because of her.
Morgan blasts Molly back, and Future-Chase steps out. He keeps Morgan's attention while circling her, releasing the salt from a boot container. Morgan blasts him back before he can complete the circle, but Nico shields Future-Chase. Molly knocks Future-Alex out as he steps out of the shadows, and then runs off when Morgan sees her. Karolina shields Nico from Morgan's blasts, but Morgan quickly overwhelms her.
Gert steps out and tells Morgan that Future-Chase doesn't need a shield but a partner. Morgan says that they're going to die together, and magically slams Gert into a pillar. The sorceress magically throws shards of glass through Future-Chase's chest, and he drops to his knees, says that the children win, and closes the salt circle. Morgan is trapped, and Tina sends her back to the Dark Dimension for good.
Old Lace breaks free and runs to Gert, who wakes up. She goes to the dying Future-Chase, who says that they did it. As the parents come down, the 2019-Chase comes out and asks if they won. Future-Alex and Future-Chase disappear as the timeline rewrites itself, and up above Karolina, Nico, and Molly look on. Molly is relieved that she has her sister back, and Karolina makes Nico promise to find her wherever they are. The three of them hug and disappear.
The next day, the Runaways prepare to go to breakfast. Alex goes to get his wallet and finds a note beneath it. It's Future-Alex's written plan, saying to kill Nico, and Alex says that he didn't write it and then leaves with the others.
Written by Gadfly on Dec 23, 2019