In Arthur's bathroom, the lobster babies playfully snap at the bubbles Arthur is blowing them. Tick admires the bubbles, and the phone rings. Tick gets it and has Arthur takes it because it's urgent, and AEGIS tells him that they've made the Flag-5.
Later at AEGIS, Arthur and Tick enter the Flag-5 ready room, and Sage and Bronze Star greet them. Lint comes in as Joan of Arc and suggests that they propose a truce and not ruin Arthur's day. Rathbone, Hobbes, and the AEGIS agents come in and have the five heroes take it a chair. He calls the first assembly of the New Flag-5 to order and tells them about the privileges as the agents hang out the manual and Hobbes explains what the Flag-5 HQ contains. There are some concept photos in manuals, and the agents hand out wrist communicators. Another agent presents cake and champagne, and Rathbone invites them to raise a glass to the New Flag-5.
The team do a hero walk, and Edgelord arrives to fill out his paperwork. Flexon calls Arthur and Tick off to talk in private, and says that Lobstercules won't cooperate and asks them to talk to her.
Hobbes gets a piece of cake and goes to a secret lab where Overkill is strapped in.
Flexon, Arthur, and Tick visit Lobstercules, who refuses to cooperate with their legal strategy. She doesn't trust AEGIS but Arthur insists that it's the rule of law. Tick can only think of the babies and says that they miss their mother, and Lobstercules agree to let Flexon continue with the coercion defense. Dot calls Arthur and asks him to meet her and Walter on Dangerboat.
Lint returns to her motel room and says that she's done with petty crime. She tells Frank that superheroism pays more than crime and shows him all the benefits. Lint suggests that Frank go with her, but Frank doesn't know. Edgelord arrives and says that he's Lint's sidekick. Frank says that he doesn't want to be where she's going and leaves.
When Tick and Arthur arrive on Dangerboat, Walter tells them that he's really John Wu. Dot and Dangerboat insist that they have to focus on Overkill, and Dangerboat confirms that the extraction pod that left the Duke's HQ is AEGIS gear. Walter figures that the Duke is working with someone within the agency. Arthur wonders how Dot got out alive, and Dangerboat says that she used her ability. Dot glosses over the comment and says that they have proof that there is a mole in AEGIS. Walter wants to meet Rathbone somewhere safe and give them the evidence, and figures that Arthur and Tick can contact Rathbone on his secure line to arrange a meeting. Arthur worries that it will ruin his dream, and Dot admits that she helped get Overkill into trouble. Tick points out that Overkill is in trouble, and Arthur agrees to make the call.
Hobbes brings Overkill back online and reactivates his eyes. He explains that the Duke was a fiction and the man that Overkill decapitated was a hired mercenary. Hobbes insists that he is what AEGIS should be, and explains that the human furniture implants were just a beta test. He dismisses Rathbone as a fool and explains that he rebuilt Overkill. Then Rathbone went too far by recruiting Overkill as an agent and bringing the chaos of genetic Categories into AEGIS. Overkill insists that Categories are humans, and Hobbes prepares to inject Overkill with an implant. The prisoner says that he's going to kill Hobbes when he escapes, and Hobbes tells him that he's not the one Overkill is going to kill. Hobbes puts the implant into Overkill's brain and has him recite how he found the Duke.
Arthur goes out on the dock and calls Rathbone on the Flag-5 alarm. He demands the caution code, and Arthur doesn't know them. Arthur tries to explain but gets a call from Joan. Rathbone orders him to take the call, and when Arthur does so Joan asks if he's heard from Dot or Walter. Arthur says that he'll call back later.
Tick pokes at Dangerboat's internal camera, and then notes that Walter and Dot are all living lies. He's shocked that he's lying himself and wonders what Destiny is trying to teach them. Walter suggests that the truth is precious. Arthur comes in and tells them that Rathbone wants to meet them at an abandoned AEGIS research facility. He informs Walter that once they're done, Walter is going to tell Joan the truth. Dot agrees and Walter promises that he will.
As Lint cleans her helmet, her reflection congratulates her. She reminds Lint that she always loved the story of Joan of Arc, and the reflection says that Joan was a hero just like Lint.
Arthur, Tick, Dot, and Walter go to the rendezvous and find Rathbone. The masked Dot says that she's not a big fan of AEGIS but will take a chance, and gives Rathbone the implant. He says that it was the first stage of an AEGIS mind control program that was proposed and rejected years ago. He says that he'll take it from there and he'll handle it himself rather than have the Flag-5 give AEGIS a black eye. Dot points out that Overkill could be hurt or dying, and Rathbone promises that he'll get Overkill back once he has the mole in custody.
The group walks out and Walter says that he'll contact them later. Dot isn't happy that they involved AEGIS, but Arthur figures that Rathbone can take care of himself.
Walter goes to Arthur's apartment and tells Joan that they need to talk.
That night at AEGIS, Rathbone calls Hobbes into his office. He shows him the implant and says that Hobbes was told to discontinue his research. Hobbes insists that his work is vital and Rathbone disgraced AEGIS. He steps back and outside, Overkill shoots Rathbone dead. Hobbes goes to the window and tells Overkill over the radio that he can go.
Written by Gadfly on Apr 14, 2019