Original subtitles

Wake up, Ruby.

Wake up.

You lost, ma'am?

I'm Ruby Baptiste.

I'm...

Stop staring at me!

Ma'am, you okay?

What did you do to her, boy?

I was just trying to help.

It's okay, ma'am.

He can't hurt you anymore.

- You're safe now. - Get over there.

Did you molest her? Huh?

Answer me, boy!

- What did you do to her? - Wait, officer!

He didn't hurt me.

I just... I got lost.

There's no need to protect this animal, ma'am.

If he did something to you...

I swear he didn't.

He was just trying to help me.

Let's get you somewhere safe, ma'am.

Okay?

You're all right.

What's happening over there?

You see that woman?

Right in here. Mm-hmm.

Your husband's been real worried about you, ma'am.

Mm-mm.

No.

You can't take me back there.

- It's okay, ma'am. - You don't understand.

He's not my husband. He did something to me.

And he told the operator all about your condition.

You just need your pills.

Let me out of here.

Holy shit.

I think these are the fits her husband mentioned.

Oh.

Stop fighting it.

You're only slowing the process.

Pickets and non-strikers...

Wouldn't want to disturb the neighbors.

Cermak Road and Cicero Avenue.

Cicero...

I don't want...

I don't want to die.

He would say that metamorphosis isn't death.

American-born Greek soprano Maria Callas

christened the stage in Italian opera Norma.

Breaking news, a swarm of 16 billion Kenyan locusts

are moving across North Africa,

with Great Britain in their crosshairs.

Scientists say locust nymphs hatch from eggs,

and they will go through five molting stages

where they will shed their skin

and develop their wings.

After seven days, they will reach

full sexual maturity as adult locusts,

destined to devour everything in their path.

I'll go by the library and get some children's books.

See if you can teach her enough English

to write up a protection spell.

Good idea.

Right? Think so.

Hey, Pop. What you doing here?

Where's Yahima?

Gone.

What?

You just let her walk out of here?

How long ago? Maybe we can find her.

Titus's pages?

Atticus!

Atticus!

Atticus, stop!

Somebody, help!

Somebody! He's gonna kill him!

Whoa, whoa, hey, hey, hey!

Get the fuck off me!

Montrose!

Montrose. Montrose, come on.

Go get some ice!

Did you take photos of 'em?

- Of what? - Titus's pages!

Tic, I need you to calm down.

God damn it, Leti!

If you took photos of 'em, give 'em to me!

A butterfly lives a full life before it dies.

And a caterpillar emerges from the same cells,

the essence of the butterfly,

yet different.

It's more.

I wanted to apply this process

of metamorphosis to humans.

But my research was all theoretical.

It was laughed at by the academic community.

Until, by chance,

I met a disgraced professor

named Hiram Epstein.

He wanted nothing more

than to understand the universe,

but it was beyond his reach.

So he created doorways.

Not scientific, mind you,

but magical.

Though one could argue they're one and the same.

I know that you're awake, Ruby.

Did I die

to turn into that white woman?

No.

The potion just mimics metamorphosis.

Wears off after a time.

Magic exists?

Does that scare you?

Scared the shit outta me to wake up white.

Then...

when I was stumbling down the street,

crazed and disheveled

and screaming at everybody around me,

they weren't scared of me.

They were scared for me.

They all treated me like...

A human being.

I know your transformation was painful.

That wasn't pain.

That was something else.

Like being unmade.

I promise, it'll be easier next time.

No, there won't be a next time.

I have some business to attend to.

Am I free to go?

You are free to do whatever you please.

Somebody, anybody,

sing a Black girl's song.

Bring her out to know herself, to know you,

but sing her rhythms

of caring and struggle

and hard times.

Sing her song of life.

She's been dead so long,

clothed in silence so long,

she doesn't know the sound of her own voice,

her infinite beauty.

She's half notes, scattered without rhythm,

no tune.

Sing her sighs.

Sing the song of her possibilities.

Sing a righteous gospel,

the making of a melody,

and let her be born.

Let her be born

and handled warmly.

I'm outside Chicago,

and this is for colored girls who have considered suicide,

but are moving to the ends of their own rainbows.

I did take pictures of the pages.

I just didn't have a chance to develop them yet.

Thank you.

For stopping me.

If I wasn't there, would you have killed him?

I've imagined it enough.

When I was younger.

Mostly after he beat me.

That violence that's in him, I thought wasn't...

could never be in me.

I found it in the war.

Seeing that side of you scares me.

Please don't be scared of me.

You got me in between

the devil and the deep blue sea

Let's stop with the bullshit.

I don't believe for a second that I am special enough

for you to share your conjuring powers with.

There are a thousand colored girls

on the South Side.

Why share magic with me?

Why not you?

The first time I laid eyes on you

was the first time in a while that I had felt magic

where there was none.

And I will need a favor when the time comes.

What kind of favor?

There's a friend that I owe.

A woman friend.

Is that a problem?

Might be when I find out what kind of favor it is.

It's small, really.

Inconsequential.

But until then, you do as you please.

Go as you please, in whatever skin you like.

I am curious.

I saw the money I left still on the nightstand.

Why didn't you use any of it?

Didn't have to.

I enjoyed my entire day

using the only currency that I needed,

whiteness.

I don't know what is more difficult,

being colored or being a woman.

Most days, I'm happy to be both,

but the world keeps interrupting,

and I am sick

of being interrupted.

So what's next for Ruby,

uninterrupted?

Come in, Miss Davenport.

Six typing seminars.

Five numbers courses.

Maybe I should be worried about you taking my job.

Uh, your... your résumé, it speaks for itself.

But...

Tell me what's not on there.

Who is Hillary Davenport?

I'm... an imported good.

I grew up in a small town in Maine and...

Really? What town?

I'm from Waterville.

Oh, it's a tiny town.

You've probably never heard of it.

Try me.

Well, we moved to Chicago after my father died,

and my mother was...

an unlucky fool for love.

After every breakup, she would drag me and Leti...

she would drive my sister and I to Carson's

and march us up and down the aisles,

where the salesclerk would greet us with smiles.

That was all my mother needed to make her feel whole again.

And I always dreamed of being

on the other side of the counter,

to pass on that feeling

to a tired, overworked mother.

How do you feel about coloreds?

You know, working with them.

Oh.

You're talking about the colored gal out front?

Well, if she's qualified and hardworking,

I don't see a problem with...

offering her the same opportunities

us white folks take advantage of.

A number of my employees quit

when corporate headquarters ended our whites-only policy.

Oh, but they're... they're no race crusaders.

They're just chasing that mighty dollar.

Uh, how does...

assistant manager sound to you?

Yes. Yes!

Fourteen times over, yes.

Thank you so much,

but I don't wanna take up any more of your time.

Oh, don't be silly.

It's my job to make sure everyone feels right at home.

Welcome to the Marshall Field's family.

Uh, shall we take a tour of the store?

But first, the ladies' room.

Uh, Miss Davenport,

you dropped your, uh...

perfume?

Was it the ofays or the niggers this time?

Miss Davenport, you look beautiful.

My lips may not be the Blarney Stone,

but here's hoping good luck rubs off on you

your first day.

And where is she?

Made me wait.

Twelve minutes now, I've been standing here.

Where's the perfume girl?

The service here is...

- It's awful. - I'm finished with her.

You can't uplift the lives of our customers

if you're not at your counter, Tamara.

So sorry, Miss Davenport.

Was only supposed to be gone a couple of minutes.

Madge needed some shoes re-shelved,

but then Barb needed her dressing rooms wiped down.

- And Cathy... - Tamara?

Yes, ma'am.

Exhale.

You're not in any trouble.

I just... like to get to know all of my employees.

I remember you saying you applied on a whim.

I'm sorry. Did I say that to you?

Mr. Hughes must have mentioned it.

He also told me that your hiring caused...

quite a stir.

I hope you're still feeling

a part of the Marshall Field's family.

I am, ma'am.

And just remember, no matter what anybody says,

they can't take your educational achievements

away from you.

I wouldn't call a seventh grade education

much of an achievement.

You didn't graduate from high school?

So you took some accounting courses

down at the Frederick Douglass Center?

I didn't even know they had those there.

Hmm.

Your hands are a bit ashy.

For how hard we work,

they should give all this to us for free.

Madge, you look like Marilyn Monroe

in How to Marry a Millionaire.

Barb, which way is the wind blowing?

That coat would close

if you stopped stuffing your face with bonbons.

All right, it's been 30 minutes.

We really should get back on the floor.

Well, Hillary, you're the boss.

So we can either head back out there

to the salt mines, or...

You can try on these naughty stilettos

and live a fuckin' little.

Come on.

Oh, speaking of... of bosses, has...

has Paul ever... gotten fresh with any of you?

Paul, "I live in a Norman Rockwell painting

with my wife and two kids," getting fresh?

No way.

Like my father always says,

"Boy, is paranoia the price

of being a working girl in America."

Hillary, let's see you strut!

Oh, cut a rug!

You should sign up for Herb Mintz's show.

With the rhythm in those hips,

she's ready for the colored version.

Okay, can I just say what we've all been thinking?

I hope we don't see any more Tamaras

coming through the front door.

Well, if there are,

let's hope they're more qualified than her.

Course she's unqualified. She's a Negro.

Barb!

What?

I was polite enough not to use the less civilized word.

Hillary, you were with Tamara earlier.

You seem comfortable with her.

I was giving her work advice.

You think you can convince her

to take us to a bar on the South Side?

It'll be like a safari.

And we need a guide.

Why would you want to go there?

There's nothing special about the South Side,

trust me, I know.

- Oh, my God. - You've been there?

Were you scared being around all of those...

People?

We're going.

- Ooh. - Oh, yes!

What a hunk of man.

He's with you?

Only when he behaves.

Night-night, ladies.

He's so...

Can't just be showing up here.

It doesn't look like I embarrassed you.

How was the first day

of your dream job, Miss Davenport?

Well, it's better than being someone's damn charwoman.

Hmm.

You don't want me to kiss you as Hillary.

Do you want to kiss Hillary?

I wanna kiss...

whatever you want me to kiss.

Hmm.

Hold off on that.

I'm gonna need that favor.

Tonight.

Finally,

the devil tells me what deal I've made with him.

I need you to attend a party.

Miss Braithwhite

will give you the rest of the details when you arrive.

There's a box in the back seat.

It's got your name all over.

Mm.

They were up north, is that correct?

Oh, right, right, right.

You could view the captain's accomplishments

as a way to immortality.

We suffered a major loss in the Ardham incident,

but initiation must remain exclusive.

Perhaps he's recovered Horatio's stolen pages.

It was a unanimous decision by the members

that I take the reins of our social club.

What of the rumors of defection

following Hiram's death?

Mr. Lowe was certainly unexpected.

There were some that abandoned us,

but look around.

It's only made our brotherhood stronger.

The fuck is that bitch?

You were supposed to be here an hour ago.

William does like a demanding woman.

What you need me to do here?

Simple, really.

Just, uh, hide this in the police captain's office.

Captain?

William didn't say anything about no cops.

You trying to get me killed.

Ruby.

Do you care for him at all?

Beyond the opportunity he's providing you?

William is the rightful heir to this lodge.

The captain tried to kill him to take his seat.

Shot him in the back

and dumped his body in the river

like he was a piece of trash.

Lancaster believes that he succeeded.

But William survived with my help...

And with yours, he'll have his revenge.

What?

You okay?

How long was I out?

Not long.

I let you sleep.

You've been going nonstop.

This looks like the Little Orphan Annie radio puzzles

I used to play with when I was younger.

I'm guessing it's a little more complicated.

Well, I figured I'd start with what's in my arsenal.

These are my initials in the Language of Adam.

Hmm?

A and...

S. For Sampson.

Grandfather on my mother's side.

And with the letters in the word "protection"...

Eleven out of 26? Not bad.

That's if the Language of Adam is analogous to English.

Mm.

This looks like some kinda symbol.

Mm-hmm.

It shows up in the...

body of the text as well, which might suggest

it's similar to the Chinese hieroglyphics.

This would've been a lot easier with Yahima's help.

But honestly,

I understand why your father let her go.

Keeping her against her will would've made us

no better than Titus.

Yeah.

I'll make us some coffee.

Leti?

Hmm?

My pop didn't let Yahima go.

What?

Titus's pages isn't the only thing he got rid of.

Oh.

Leti.

Oh, okay. He...

Leti. Leti.

He... look, he probably thought he was protecting me

by destroying everybody's access to more magic.

Oh, no, no, no, it's this.

This is evil. It's the devil's tools.

- It is corrupting all of us. - No, no.

Leti, Leti, it's not. Look, it...

No.

It's not inherently evil, all right?

It's what we do with it that matters.

What we wanna do?

Protect ours.

How can that be bad?

Look at what your father did to protect you.

No.

I'm gonna go back there. Get the door.

I'm out there dancing like a fucking monkey.

For what? A goddamn ring.

Get me a shirt from the closet.

I'm sweating like a stuck pig.

I can't smell it, but here you go, boss.

Dusty old farts would be lucky

to have someone who has their wits about 'em

the way you do.

It's gonna take Horatio's pages to get me in.

Where are we on Kentucky?

I convinced the county sheriff

that it'd be in their best interest

to protect the Winthrop Observatory

from possible vandals.

Good.

Bleeding cunt Christina wants the orrery,

we'll let her bring it right to us.

Has Zenone dropped a dime

on the location of the loot he stole?

Not yet.

But he'll talk soon enough.

The dead always do.

Tamara, what?

No.

No, it's... it's wrong.

You have to put the white heels with the monochromatic dresses.

It's the way to appeal to our upmarket clientele.

Don't mean to be disrespectful,

but I'm doing my best here, ma'am.

Oh, your best isn't good enough.

You wanna be a credit to your race,

you have to be better than mediocre,

and do you wanna know why?

Because white folks are even more fucked up

than you think they are.

They have got shit you can't even imagine.

That's why you gotta be exponentially better than them,

so you don't end up in some closet,

half-dead, with your tongue cut out.

Miss Davenport.

Is everything okay over here?

We're fine.

In fact, Tamara was just promising

to take us all out to the South Side tonight,

where we can let our hair down.

Right, Tamara?

Y'all need to stop.

Girl, you are crazy.

Sammy, girl, does your man speak?

He don't have to.

See, a quiet man will tell you everything you need to know

with just his eyes.

Not just with his eyes, but with something else too.

Ooh.

Uh, y'all two finally together or what?

Together?

Girl, they haven't even smacked lips yet.

Shut the hell up.

Y'all hens wouldn't have nothing to cluck about

if you had some cock-a-doodle-doo's pecker

in your own coops.

Oh, mother beckons, you bitches.

Mm.

Sassy Sarah Vaughn has something in store for the masses.

Hopefully something good.

Good?

It's ripped from the headlines. Gravitas.

Ooh.

Fresh from ravaging the shores of Great Britain,

a savage... African-eyed cicada

is poised to take over the world.

Leading a drag swam

to lay waste to Chicago's most lavish of balls,

tonight.

Featuring...

a never-before-seen dance called...

Locusta Migratoria.

Child.

Hey!

What's up, y'all?

Whoo!

Yeah, baby!

The band is just so groovy.

Yep.

Groovy.

Come on, Tam.

Show us how to do the Bunny Hop Mambo.

Easy, tiger.

Upsy-daisy.

Are you coming, Hillary?

I'll be right behind.

Let's dance!

Tamara, wait.

It's late, Mr. Hughes.

I really should get home.

The party's just started.

Mr. Hughes.

Please, sir!

I don't wanna do this!

Just let me smell it.

I heard you girls smell sweet down there.

You nigger bitch!

You're not William.

That's the only door in this house that locks?

What's in the basement?

Guess Ruby got interrupted again.

He told you about that?

I've been where you are.

Disillusioned and pissed.

Disgusted by a world not built...

Please shut the fuck up.

You can't relate to who I am.

And I've spent enough time on your side of the color line

to know that the only thing

that you white women are disillusioned with

is yourselves.

You're right.

We want to be you and you... you wanna be us.

But you misunderstood William's invitation.

It wasn't just to be white.

It was an invitation

to do whatever the fuck you want.

That's the currency of magic.

Unmitigated freedom.

Who are you really, uninterrupted?

I'm...

giving you my notice.

You're quitting?

Why?

Look, if this is about money...

It's about you, Mr. Hughes.

Me?

From the moment we've met, I've been...

attracted to you.

And as your subordinate, I would never

allow my licentious ways to jeopardize your reputation

with the company.

So...

quitting is the only option,

so I can finally fuck your brains out.

Mm.

Oh, mm-mm-mm-mm.

Huh?

Always in control, aren't you, Mr. Manager?

You don't mind if I take control

for a little while?

Earlier, you mentioned

you also wanted to chat.

What about?

Important, um... it wasn't.

I, uh... oh.

I just thought it might be a...

a good time to, uh, fire Tamara.

- She's... - Mm-hmm.

Not carrying her weight around here...

On your knees, Mr. Manager.

Suck it.

Oh.

Hillary, your eyes.

You like them?

Little piggy.

That hurts... oh.

Sweet enough for you?

I wanted you to know

that a nigger bitch did this to you.

Hmm?

You okay?

I've been trying to say a prayer for Yahima.

My mama's faith was real.

That's why she dragged me and Ruby to church every Sunday.

But it never made me a true believer.

I just became...

someone who could perform the part.

Hell, I don't even know what it is I'm searching for,

coming back to this.

Guess I just seen so much bad...

And I'm just trying to find something good.

I know I brought a lot of that bad.

I've been trying to bring some good too.

What does that mean?

Listen.

Last time I thought we were going somewhere,

you were planning to go back to Florida.

There was a girl

when I was over in Korea.

It ended...

in a strange way.

Did you love her?

I don't know if what I had with Ji-ah was love.

I never had any good examples of it growing up.

My parents' love was...

enduring, but unknowable.

Growing up, I...

Felt love wasn't special.

My mama fell into it every two seconds.

And Ruby was just like her.

I didn't wanna be with a man if I...

if it didn't mean something.

This is special.

And I'm not at all confused about that anymore.

What's in the basement?

Ruby.

Just give me a moment.

You and your lady friend go in and out of there

at all hours of the day,

and I wanna know why.

William, what's wrong?

God, what...

You've been William this whole fucking time?

"Suffer."

Operator. How may I direct your call?

555-438-521...

3093-2915.

How'd you know?

- You believe me now? - How'd you know that, damn it?

You should've listened to me.

What are you?

Oh, Sinnerman

Where you gonna run to?

Sinnerman

Where you gonna run to?

Sinnerman

Where you gonna run to?

All on that day

Well, I run to the rock

Please hide me

I run to the rock

Please hide me

I run to the rock

Please hide me

All on that day

But the rock cried out

"I can't hide you"

The rock cried out

"I can't hide you"

The rock cried out

"I ain't gonna hide you"

All on that day

I said, "Rock

"What's the matter with you, Rock?

Can't you see I need you, Rock?"

Devil was waiting

All on that day

Power

Power

I cried, "Power"

I cried, "Power"

I cried, "Power"

I cried, "Power"