Final Race Day
The Camaro races across the countryside, and Arthur and Grace discuss cats and dogs. Grace talks about how her dog pinned down Karma until they pulled it off, and Grace put it down. Julian in the back seat chirps in, and Grace hits him. Arthur tells her that once they've completed their last little thing, they're done with Julian.
Under Julian's directions, the Camaro drives into an auditorium and Julian tells the couple that the guards have orders to shoot. That night, Julian plans to put on the greatest show the world has ever seen. A voice on the loudspeaker says that many will enter but only one will leave.
Once they get in, Julian finds Old Man Heart there. Heart says that Julian got Arthur and Grace back, and he wouldn't miss the show. He points out that he sent Julian to Reprogramming, and Julian shrugs it off and says that they're going live that night to the entire world. Heart tells Julian that he's had a change of heart and they're not going alive as planned. The finale will be broadcast internally and after that, they're terminating Julian's project and it will be the final episode of Blood Drive. Julian doesn't believe him, but Heart tells him that the Blood Drive Powerpoint revealed that that Heart is going into politics. Julian tells Rasher that if it's going to be the show's swan song, they're going to shoot for the moon. Rasher just looks at his boss and then walks off.
Akis are working in the garage and Blood Gate Portal 1 arrives. Blood Drivers from across the world arrive. Meanwhile, Cliff and Domi talk about the therapists that they wasted money on, and figure that all they need to do was listen to each other. One driver sits on the car and snuffs out his cigarette on the hood, and says that the race is over after that night. Heart is pulling the plug and Julian is giving up. Domi tells Cliff that they can focus on themselves, but Cliff tells her that when it's over they'll go back to the way they were.
An Aki welcomes everyone to the Battle Dome and when it's completed, they'll begin the grand finale. They've selected three contestants for the first event, and they should pick their weapons and form a line. Aki calls out several drivers, including Arthur. Grace assures Arthur that he'll be fine, and Arthur tells her that he won't' kill again. Domi watches enviously as they kiss and then Arthur refuses to choose a weapon.
Chris drives across the countryside and looks at Aki's vomit on the dashboard. He remembers their time together as he drives to find Arthur, and turns around and goes back for Aki.
Aki is walking along the street in LA when Chris pulls up and asks if she needs a ride. He says that he couldn't leave without her, and he's going back to smash her proximity sensors at Heart. Aki warns that it's dangerous, but Chris insists and Aki tells him that she's experiencing new feelings. He says that he is as well and they drive off to set her free.
Arthur and the others enter the Battle Dome, and Julian welcomes everyone to the Blood Drive Battle Royale. He says that they're reliving Blood Drive's ancestral roots in gladiator combat. The contestants charge forward and Julian says that it's a battle to the death, and tells them to fight. Arthur manages to holds his own until he faces the Ninja Nun. He says that he's not going to fight her, and the audience of Heart drones gives a thumb done. She swings at his throat, but Arthur knocks her down and grabs her sword. The audience chants for Arthur to kill, and Arthur yells that he won't kill anyone. He tells the audience that the world has problems that they can fix, but they watch the spectacle like death perverts. Heart walks off, and Arthur says that they're all under arrest.
Everyone laughs, and Heart says that if Arthur won't kill then they'll properly motivate him. he reveals Grace in a cage surrounded by flames, and Heart explains that if he pushes the button on his remote then Grace will be fried. Grace asks why Heart kidnapped Karma to force her into Blood Drive. Heart removes his jacket and shirt, and says that Grace left Karma to die. He takes off his pants and says that when she's gone, it will be all about her without being overshadowed by Grace. Karma slits open her mask and removes her prosthetics to reveal who she really is.
Grace insists that she never wished Karma dead, and Karma says that she will. She then tells Arthur to fight or Grace dies, and the crowd cheers. Julian reads an advertisement for Blade Nado and begins Round Two.
At Heart, Chris and Aki slip into the building and approach the mainframe. She points out all of the security devices, and warns that it's the highest security possible. Chris points out that the security guards are shit.
Arthur continues fighting and karma gets dressed. Grace tells Karma that she loves her and she doesn't have to do any of it, and Karma asks if she's enjoying the soul. Arthur manages to stay alive without killing, Grace says that she didn't know what to do, and Karma explains that the favored treatment at Kane Hill is shock therapy. She describes how they tied her to a bed and tortured her, and says that all of it is because of her. Rasher runs the flame jets, and Julian calls him a traitor. He promises to torture Rasher, and then gets an idea.
Karma says that Blood drive is the best way to get Grace to pay. Julian admits that Karma even had him fooled, and opens Grace's cage. Grace leaps out and jumps down into the Battle Dome, and Julian tells karma that to create great drama one must raise the jeopardy and put the characters at risk. He then kicks Karma into Battle Dome, figuring that it's the best time to cut to commercials.
After commercials, Karma recovers and starts killing the competition. Grace and Arthur kiss, while up above, Julian poisons Rasher. Grace, Arthur, and Karma are the last three standing, and Julian turns on tango music to set the mood. Cliff and Domi dance and kill their way across Battle Dome, He says that he won't let them go back to the way it was, and neither one of them want anyone else to kill them but each other. Domi stabs Cliff in the throat and then gives him the knife and he kills her. They kiss and die as the crowd cheers.
Chris dresses as an IT nerd and goes to the guards with Aki. They explain that there's a technical problem and the guards readily let them in. the couple then kill the guards.
Karma and Grace fight, and Karma says that her sister left her for a boy. Grace says that she doesn't want to live in a world without Karma and offers her hand, and Karma renews her attack and shoves her into a nearby blood engine. She knocks a man into the engine and Grace falls off to the side as the blood sprays so that no one sees that she's still alive. Arthur picks up a battle axe and the crowd goes berserk. More drivers charge into the Battle dome and Arthur kills them all.
Grace wakes up and tries to yell to Arthur, but the guards knock her unconscious and drag her off as Karma goes with them. Meanwhile, Arthur stands atop a pile of all those that he's killed.
Aki has trouble disabling her proximity sensors because someone is running a backup of all of Heart Enterprise project databases. The SR Unit is sucking all of the energy out of the system. Chris hears a noise in the next room and goes to investigate. Inside is the Soul Reclamator.
Grace wakes up in a control room tied to a chair. The monitor shows Arthur killing more people, and Karma says that he's a natural killer and sick upstairs like them. She tells Grace that she finally realized that Grace is the one who did it to her, The dog chased her inside so the police didn't find out that she was living without parents, and it didn't throw her away like a piece of trash. Karma tells Grace that she gets to watch Arthur lose his mind and then she'll get to watch Karma kill him.
Arthur kills Ninja Nun and then throws another man into the blood engine. The man's hat falls out of the Soul Reclamator in front of Chris.
Karma enters Battle Dome and calls to Arthur. She picks up a sword while Julian says that it's a perfect ending to the season. Meanwhile, Grace breaks the chair and takes out the guards as they come in.
Arthur and Karma charge at each other Another driver charges Arthur and knocks him over, and Karma prepares to kill Arthur. Grace runs in and tells Karma that she has the power to end it. Arthur beats the German driver, while Grace hands Karma her necklace and begs her to stop it. Karma takes the necklace, throws it into the engine, and then punches Grace. Grace grabs her and Karma promises that she won't stop until everything Grace loves is gone. Grace says that she knows and shoves Karma into the engine.
The necklace drops in front of Chris, and a computer voice warns that reclamation is in process. Chris tells Aki that they have to go as Karma drops into the Soul Reclamation room.
Arthur prepares to kill his opponent, but Grace tells him that she's alive and it's over. he says that it isn't and breaks the driver's neck with his bare hands. Julian that now they have to crown the new Primo. Grace tells him that they're done now that they've completed the deal and tries to lead Arthur away. Arthur tells her that he's not going anywhere, and Julian says that they must fight until only one remains. Grace continues walking, and Julian says that it's a forfeit. The crowd goes wild and cheers their new Primo, and the Aki presents corpses with the second-and third-place medals. Arthur steps up and receives the first-place medal, and Julian presents the new Blood Drive Primo to the audience. Arthur dons the ceremonial jacket and confetti drops from the ceiling. Arthur tosses his journal into the engine.
Written by Gadfly on Aug 24, 2017