Audrey is sleeping and remembers Duke telling her that he's now taking orders from the person he was always meant to. She wakes up and goes to the bedroom door, and discovers that it's locked. Audrey calls for help but gets no response, and Croatoan comes in. He greets her as Dove and offers her some food, and explains that he nicknamed her Dove because he saw that she could soar. Audrey addresses him as Croatoan, much to his disappointment, and he closes the door with a glance and says that they have a lot of catching up to do.
At the school, Dwight and McHugh meet with Nathan after confirming that Duke killed another Troubled man who could help them find Audrey. When Dwight wonders if Nathan is calling in Troubled Guardsmen to act as bait, Nathan says that they've agreed to help capture Duke when he comes for them. Dwight says that he's good with them finding Audrey because she's the only one who can cure the Troubles... and duke comes in with a knife.
One Guardsman attacks Duke, and Duke cuts him across the chest and absorbs his Trouble. Nathan tells the others to stay back, and Duke casually grabs hold of him by the throat. As he chokes him, Nathan begs him to stop and Duke hesitates long enough for Dwight to knock him out with a chair. Before he can recover, Nathan chloroforms duke unconscious and they chain him up with chains created by a prison guard with a Trouble who wanted to stop the Hallie prisoner from escaping.
At the farmhouse, Croatoan ignores Audrey's demands for information and talks about how adorable she was when she was a little girl. She tells him to shut up, and Croatoan insists that they have everything on their world that is on Earth. He says that he's going home and taking Audrey with him because she'll be happier there. Croatoan explains that the room she's in is just like the room she grew up in, and Audrey says that it's Mara's room. She wonders if he wants Mara back. Croatoan knows that Mara is dead, but insists that Audrey is also his daughter and he wants her back.
At the Herald, Vince tells the Agent Howard program that he wants to make sure Dave's death counted for something. Howard says that the new Barn will stop Croatoan, pulling out everything from the Void and send it back. The program explains that he's the captain of the "ship," but he can't operate the Barn anymore. It was compromised by the attempt to create the Barn earlier using the damaged aether core.
At the station, Nathan and Dwight put the chained-up Duke in an interrogation room. Nathan figures that Duke is in there sometime, and points out that Duke spared his life earlier. Dwight isn't convinced, but Nathan says that he's going to give Duke the same chance that Duke gave Audrey when Mara took her body. Dwight watches as Nathan goes in and sits down across from his friend.
At the farmhouse, Audrey tells Croatoan that she'll never be his daughter, and reminds him that he killed Charlotte. Croatoan insists that Charlotte was contaminated by weak minds, and he had no choice but to kill her rather than let her find a cure to the Troubles. He says that he killed James because if he hadn't then Lucy would have, and all of Mara's work would have been undone and the Barn would have sent Audrey home. Croatoan says that he isn't making excuses because he doesn't regret what he's done, and needs her to understand that. Audrey asks for coffee and Croatoan goes to get it. Once he's gone, Audrey breaks a post off of the headboard to use as a weapon.
At the station, Nathan asks Duke which Duke he's talking about. He figures that whatever Croatoan did to him is wearing off, and Duke's eyes briefly turn black as he says that's what he is. Nathan points out that Duke didn't kill him when he had the chance, and asks if he remembers Audrey. Duke says that he does and tells Nathan to worry about how Audrey feels about him. He suggests that they're going to go all the way now, and Nathan tells him to remember what happened between him and Audrey in Colorado. When Nathan says that Duke has to remember how much Audrey likes him, Duke laughs and says that Nathan is pathetic. He warns that Nathan can't break Croatoan's influence with the power of love, and says that Audrey is already gone. Duke reminds Nathan of Dave and how he knew every hidden corner of haven.
Vince complains that Howard has messed up everything, and Howard says that its mission was to make sure that the Barn performed as it was supposed to. It warns that it's not a program that they can rewrite and reboot, and explains that it was a man several centuries ago. The real Howard lived in the same world as Mara and the others, and he captured Mara and brought her to justice. The prison required a dedicated warden who deeply felt the need for Mara to be punished. Howard tracked Mara to Earth and saw what she did to a boy, and had to end his suffering. Vince realizes that the original Howard sacrificed himself to save his family and his home. The program explains that it can't remember Howard's loved ones, and without the personal connection it can't operate the new Barn.
Nathan goes back to Dwight and says that it was worth it. He wants someone to talk to Vince and find out any likely hiding places, while he continues working on Dwight. Dwight offers to go, and figures that Nathan is the best chance to break Duke free of Croatoan's control. Nathan goes back in and McHugh arrives to back up Nathan. Dwight tells him to leave Duke alive and help Nathan any way that he can.
Croatoan brings Audrey coffee and explains that the Troubles were Mara's work. He offers her the coffee and insists that he doesn't want to poison her, and takes a sip to demonstrate that it's harmless. Audrey wonders how he can call the Troubles "work," and Croatoan says that she isn't seeing the Troubles' full potential. He insists that it doesn't have to be that way, and Audrey stabs him in the neck with the post. He grabs her hand and pulls the post out, then tosses it away. The wound heals in seconds and Croatoan snaps her arm. He then takes her arm and heals the injury with a touch. Croatoan explains that he used the Troubles, and Duke is harvesting the Troubles he needs for his protection. When he was exiled in the Void, he learned how to master the Troubles. In his hands they can accomplish anything, and he used aether on a young Mara to save her life. When Audrey wonders what he means, Croatoan says that it's time that she hear his side of the story.
Nathan leaves Duke and joins McHugh, and admits that it's slow going. McHugh suggests that they use another old Trouble to torture Duke into talking. Nathan suggests that they use an old Trouble to bring Duke back, and McHugh figures that if it works then they'll have a double agent. While McHugh gets the Troubled census, Nathan will try to bring out the real Duke.
Dwight goes to the Herald to consult with Vince, and Vince figures that it's an abandoned farmhouse on the outskirts of Haven. He and Dave planned to hide out there if things fell apart. Once Dwight leaves, Vince looks at a photo of Dave, and the Howard program figures that Vince would have also given his life for the town. Vince asks it if it can turn him into the new Barn's controller.
Croatoan explains that others on his world were envious of his success and grey afraid of his progress. Audrey doesn't believe him, and Croatoan says that he was explaining with aether because Mara was very sick. There was no chance of survival, and Croatoan introduced aether into Mara's immune system, saving her life. Giggling, Croatoan insists that he created Audrey... twice.
Nathan continues working at Duke, telling him to force Croatoan out of his head. Duke spits in Nathan's face and says that he's finally who he was meant to be. His face clears momentarily and he begs Nathan to help him, and Nathan tells his friend that he can beat Croatoan.
Audrey tells Croatoan that what he did for Mara was courageous, but it doesn't excuse what he's done to the people of Haven. She suggests that his time in the Void corrupted him, but Croatoan insists that it made him stronger and the thought of Mara was the only thing that let him survive. Audrey says that the man who would do anything would hate the man who Croatoan has become, and Croatoan insists that he's the same man. When Audrey says that Mara is dead, Croatoan insists that she's his daughter and is special. She asks how the aether made her special and why, and realizes that Croatoan needs her for something.
Howard explains that everything necessary to operate the Barn is contained in the control crystal. It warns that it's not sure that Vince is fit to serve as the controller, and Vince insists that he has to try. Howard warns that the process could kill Vince, and Vince says that it's his purpose.
Audrey wonders why Croatoan needs her, and he finally says that what he did to Mara gave her a special bond with the aether. He can't create Troubles as powerful as Mara's, and now Audrey has her gift. Audrey refuses to create Troubles for Croatoan, and she only did it before with Duke to keep people from dying. Croatoan says that she only did what she had to, just like he did, and he needs her to make Troubles because he wants to take Audrey home. Once she embraces who she is, she can realize her full potential and they can reclaim their home from those who banished him. Croatoan says that he's going to create a tear in the Void and flood the world with aether, and use Earth as a laboratory. He tells Audrey that she can't save Haven, and what he has planned has already begun.
Nathan joins McHugh, and they notice Duke looking at them through the one-way mirror. He says that he can hear them, and thanks McHugh for bringing the census. Duke breaks free of the chains and phases through the wall, knocking the gun out of Nathan's hand. He knocks McHugh to the floor and tells Nathan to hand over the census.
Croatoan says that Duke is playing Nathan so that Nathan will keep him close… and it will cost Nathan.
Duke asks Nathan if he'll defend the census with his life. The lights flicker as Laverne monitors the room, and Duke tells her to stay out of it. He then tells Nathan that it was easy to fool him, and Nathan realizes that Croatoan planned the entire thing to get the census. Duke punches Nathan and grabs the census, and explains that now he can pick the Troubles Croatoan needs and take them. Angry, Duke tells Nathan that he wanted a Crocker to kill for him, and now Nathan has one.
Audrey begs Croatoan to spare Nathan, calling him "Dad" for the first time.
Nathan tells Duke to remember that it isn't him fulfilling Croatoan's will. Duke's eyes clear momentarily and then he walks out as Nathan passes out.
Croatoan tells Audrey that he'll let Nathan live, because that's what she wants. Audrey says that she still won't help him, but Croatoan says that the whole thing was about finding out how much she cares about Nathan. He figures that she'll do anything to save Nathan, and insists that he wants to help them. He's going to make the townspeople happy, just like he made Duke happy by giving him his identity. The door opens and Croatoan says that Audrey is free to go. He explains that he wants her to be with her friends and see the gifts that he can give them ... and what Audrey will take from them if she refuses to join him.
Dwight drives up to the farmhouse and breaks in. He enters the bedroom and finds his daughter Lizzie sitting on the bed. She calls Dwight "Daddy" and hugs him, and after a moment he hugs her back.
Nathan goes to the Herald and finds the control crystal. Vince materializes and says that he did what he had to... and he knows what he has to do to send Croatoan back to the Void.
Written by Gadfly on Dec 11, 2015