All language subtitles for Watchmen.Chapter.I.2024.hoetinkhof79

[female announcer] Oh, how the ghost
of you clings... Nostalgia...

[male tv show announcer]
Coming up on the Benny Anger show,

crime and punishment in America

since the Keene Act
banned masked vigilantes.

But first, we ask the average citizen,

“Is our society now safer
without those so-called superheroes?”

[average citizen 1]
I don't miss the masks.

They stirred up more trouble
than they were worth.

[average citizen 2] The only good ones
were the Minutemen back in the '40s.

[average citizen 3] The blue guy,
Manhattan, he scares me,

but... but then he scares the Reds, too,
so I ain't complainin'.

[average citizen 4] Meh, America
never really took to superheroes.

[echoing] Took to superheroes,
took to superheroes.

- [page flipping]
- [writing]

[Rorschach] Rorschach's Journal.

October 12th, 1985.

Dog carcass in alley this morning,

tire tread on burst stomach.

This city is afraid of me.
I have seen its true face.

The streets are extended gutters,

and the gutters are full of blood,

and when the drains finally scab over,

all the vermin will drown.

[restaurant cook]
Hey! What are ya, blind?

You're walkin' through blood here!

[Rorschach] The accumulated filth
of all their sex and murder

will foam up about their waists

and all the whores and politicians
will look up and shout,

"Save us!”

And I'll look down and whisper, "No."

They had a choice.

They could have followed
in the footsteps of good men.

Decent men who believed in
a day's work for a day's pay.

Instead, they followed the droppings
of lechers and communists.

Now the whole world stands on the brink,

staring down into bloody hell,

all those intellectuals
and smooth talkers...

And all of a sudden nobody can
think of anything to say.

[Detective Joe] Hmm,
that's quite a drop.

So what do you think happened here?

[Fine] Door chain was fastened
on the inside.

Busting it down would take two guys.

Or one guy on serious drugs.

[Detective Joe] I saw the body.

This Blake guy looked beefy enough
to protect himself.

Muscles like a weight lifter.

He would've put up some kind of fight.

[Fine sighs]

Maybe it was a couple of Knot-Tops
and they just overpowered him.

[both grunting]

Background report says he's been doing
overseas diplomatic work for years.

Lotta classy expense account living.

Maybe he just got soft.

[both grunting]

[Detective Joe] He don't look
too soft in this photo.

Wonder how he got that scar.

Oh, he's shaking hands
with Vice President Ford here.

I think we can rule him out
as a suspect.

Oh, ha-ha.

That'd be funny if we had
any better leads to go on.

I mean, what is this?

A little money stolen,

but no way is this a straight burglary.

Ah, somebody really
had it in for this guy.

How else did he go outta the window?

Maybe he tripped against it.

[both grunting]

That's strong glass, man.

You'd have to be thrown.

[sighs]

Ground floor comin' up.

[screams]

You know, this could be
just a simple burglary.

Crazy things happen in a city this size.

They don't all need motives.

So you're saying...

Let's not raise too much dust
over this one.

We don't need any
masked avengers cutting in.

Oy! Here we go!

You take this vigilante stuff
too seriously.

Ever since the Keene Act passed in '77,

only the government sponsored weirdos
are active.

They don't interfere.

Rorschach never retired!

Even after him and his buddies
fell outta grace.

He's still out there somewhere.

He's crazier than a snake's armpit

and wanted on two counts murder one.

We've got a cozy little homicide here.

If Rorschach gets involved,

we'll be up to our butts in corpses.

- [vehicle revs]
- [footsteps approach]

[Rorschach] Hmm.

[grunting]

Hmm.

Huh.

[gasps]

Hmm.

[Dan laughing]

[Hollis] So there I was
in the supermarket,

buying dog food for old Phantom here...

I turn the corner and wham!

I bump into the Screaming Skull.
[laughing]

You remember him?

I've heard you mention him...

Put him away a dozen times.

He'd reformed, turned to Jesus.

Married, two kids.

We traded addresses. Nice guy.

Oh, Hollis, almost midnight.
I ought to go.

Oh, sure, Dan,
lost track of the time there,

talking about all that old stuff.

- You must be bored as hell.
- [laughing]

[Dan] You know better than that.

These Saturday night beer sessions
are what keep me going.

[dog whimpers]

You know, it was a cryin' shame

they put you youngsters out
to grass in '77.

You were a better Nite Owl
than I ever was.

Hollis, we both know that's bullshit.
But thank you anyway.

[Hollis] Hey, watch the language!

This is the left hook
that floored Captain Axis, remember?

Good night! Don't forget to lock up,
and take care of yourself.

You, too, Danny. God bless.

Hmm.

[siren chirps, wails]

Where you goin', pig?

- The party's right here!
- [laughs] Oh, yeah!

[woman] Hit us with more
of those Katie's, Derfl

[man] Yeah, I'm comin' down
already, man.

[woman] You never
could keep it up. [laughing]

Hey, let's go break some shit, huh?

[man laughing]

- [lwoman] I wanna get crazy!
- [man] Aw, yeah!

[woman] Call up your boys, Derf!

- [man] Fire it up!
- [laughing]

[distant clattering]

[munching]

Hello, Daniel.

- Rorschach?
- Got hungry waiting.

Helped myself to some beans.

Hope you don't mind.

No, no, of course I don't mind.

You want me to heat those up for you?

No need. Fine like this.

So... long time no see.

How've you been keeping?

Out of prison, so far.
Take a look at this.

This stain... is that bean juice or--

Yeah... human bean juice.

Badge belonged to the Comedian.

Blood, too. He's dead.

Wait. The Comedian?

Investigated a routine homicide.

Victim named Edward Blake.

Found the costume in Blake's wardrobe.

Seems he was the Comedian.

Somebody threw him out of a window.

Um, maybe we should talk about this
down in my workshop.

Right down this way.

You haven't been down here in a while.

Neither have you. Lots of dust.

[switches clicking]

[machines powering up]

- Oh! [gasps] Um... [chuckles]
- Hmm.

Listen... about the Comedian,

might it have just been
an ordinary burglary or something?

Maybe the killer didn't
even know who Blake was.

An ordinary burglar? Kill the Comedian?

Ridiculous.

Well, I hear he'd been working
for the government since '77,

knocking over Marxist republics
in South America.

- Maybe this was a political killing.
- Maybe.

Or maybe someone's
picking off costumed heroes.

Don't you think that's
maybe a little paranoid?

That what they're saying about me now?
That I'm paranoid?

The Comedian was active for 40 years.

Men make a lot of enemies in that time.

How's your friend Hollis Mason
these days?

Hollis? What does he--

They were both Minutemen,
when Blake was 16,

and Hollis was the first Nite Owl.

Hollis said some bad things
about the Comedian

in that book he wrote.

I don't like what you're implying.

Hollis is an old man,
and he's my friend.

If you're thinking of going
over there and scaring him--

Implying nothing, only an observation.

I just wanted to let you know,

in case someone's gunning for masks.

[sighs]

Better go now.

Things to do.

The tunnel will bring you out
to a warehouse two blocks north--

I remember.

Used to come here often
back when we were partners.

Those were great times, Rorschach.

- Whatever happened to them?
- You quit.

[groans softly]

[crowd chanting]
We want cops! No more costumes!

Listen, you little punks!
You better get back in your rat holes!

I got riot gas, I got rubber bullets--

- There's no need for this!
- [rioter] Fuck you, Owl!

The police strike is being
negotiated right now!

You vigilantes belong in jail!

My son's a police officer, you freaks!

Call yourself a Comedian?

More like pig and rapist!

Okay, that does it!

[rioter] Oh, my God, he just shot him!

God, look, I'm sorry.
You haven't left us any choice.

This stuff is dangerous.
Please clear the streets!

Look at 'em!

Run, you suckers!

This is a nightmare!

The whole country's erupting like this.

How long can we keep this up?

My contacts say Senator Keene's act
is gonna shut us all down.

Until then, we're society's
only protection.

[rioter yelps, groans]

Protection? From who?

From themselves.

What... What happened
to the American dream?

It came true. You're looking at it.

Now let's really put these jokers
through some changes.

- [gas grenade gun fires]
- [woman screaming]

[people coughing]

[sighs]

[Rorschach] Rorschach's Journal.
October 13th, 1985.

Slept all day. Awakened by landlady
complaining about the smell.

She has five children
by five different fathers.

I'm sure she cheats on welfare.

[thunder rumbling]

Soon it will be dark.

On Friday night,
a Comedian died in New York.

Somebody knows why. Somebody knows.

Get lost, you creep!

[Rorschach]
I believe I shall take my exercise.

- [indistinct chatter]
- [door opens]

[chatter stops]

Huh, Rorschach!
Hey, how you doin', fella?

I'm fine, Happy Harry. Yourself?

I'm fine! I'm fine!
Just fine, and... uh...

Oh, God, please don't kill anybody.

Guy went sidewalk diving Friday night.

I don't think he was alone
when it happened.

His name was Edward Blake.
Friend of mine.

[man 1 laughs] You hear that?

He's got friends.

Must've changed his deodorant!

[laughs]

[exhales, laughs]

l... I didn't mean anything, I--

[screaming]

I've just broken
this gentleman's little finger.

Who killed Edward Blake?

[man 1 groaning]

Who killed Edward Blake?

[man 1 screaming]

And his index finger.

- Who killed Edward Blake?
- [man 2] We don't know.

Please, God, leave him alone!
We don't know!

No. No, no, no, no, no, no!

[man 1 screams]

[Rorschach] Nobody knew anything.
Feeling slightly depressed.

I leave the human cockroaches to discuss
their heroin and child pornography.

I have business
with a better class of person.

The Comedian is dead? Why?

You're supposed to be
the world's smartest man, Veidt.

You tell me.

I never claimed to be
anybody special, Rorschach.

I just have some
over-enthusiastic PR men.

Perhaps it was a political killing.

- Maybe the Soviets--
- Dreiberg said the same.

America has Dr. Manhattan.

Reds would never dare antagonize us.

I think we've got a mask-killer.

The Comedian had
plenty of other political enemies,

even discounting the Russians.

The man was practically a Nazi.

He stood up for his country.
Never let anyone retire him.

Never cashed in on his reputation.

Never set up a company
selling posters and diet books,

and toy soldiers based on himself.

Never became a prostitute.

If that makes him a Nazi,
you might as well call me a Nazi, too.

Rorschach...

I know we were never friends,

but even so, you're being unfair.

Nobody retired me.

I chose to quit adventuring
and go public

two years before the police strike made
the Keene Act necessary.

Yes. Good timing.

I came here to warn you
about the mask-killer,

so you don't end up the smartest man
in the morgue.

But I guess there's
worse things to end up as.

Be seeing you.

Sure.

Have a nice day.

[chatter, laughter]

Now, I want to thank everyone

for coming to the first meeting
of the Crimebusters.

For those who know me
only as Captain Metropolis,

the name's Nelson Gardner.

- Call me Nelson.
- [burps]

As you know, this country
hasn't had an organization

of masked adventurers in over 20 years,

since the Minutemen were disbanded.

Specialized law enforcement
is standing still.

Crime isn't.

New social evils emerge every day:

promiscuity, drugs,
campus subversion, you name it.

But, by banding together
as the Crimebusters,

- we can make a--
- [The Comedian] Bullshit.

We're all livin' in 1966

while you're still stuck in '49.

This is all about you getting old

but still wanting to play
cowboys and Indians.

Th--That's-- That is not true.

Uh, no reason to just
throw the idea away.

Me and Rorschach have made great headway
into the gang problem

by pooling our efforts.

But a group this size seems
more like a publicity exercise.

Too big and unwieldy.

That's just an organizational problem.

With the right person
coordinating the group--

Oh, and who would that be?
Any ideas, Ozzy?

I mean, you are the smartest man
in the world, right?

It doesn't take a genius to see
that America has problems

that need tackling.

And it takes a moron to think
they're small enough

for clowns like you guys to handle.

None of the world's problems
are insurmountable.

What's going down
in this world, you got no idea!

[blows]

Believe me.

You people hear Moloch's back
in town and you think,

"Oh, boy! Let's gang up and bust him!"

Like that matters.

It doesn't mean squat!

In 30 years, the nukes are
gonna be flying like maybugs...

[Captain Metropolis] My map!

And Ozzy here is gonna be
the smartest man on the cinder.

[laughs]

[Janey] Jon, I'd like to go home now.

- Please.
- [Nite Owl 11] Listen, Nelson,

maybe this isn't the best idea...

No, wait, don't leave.

Somebody has to do it...

Somebody has to save the world!

[thunder rumbling]

[lightning crashes]

[Rorschach] Meeting with Veidt
left bad taste in mouth.

- He is pampered and decadent...
- [stone clanks]

...betraying even his own shallow,
liberal affectations.

Dreiberg just as bad.

A flabby failure whimpering
in his basement.

Why are there so few
of the Minutemen left active,

healthy and without
personality disorders?

The first Nite Owl runs
an auto repair shop.

Captain Metropolis was decapitated
in a car crash.

The first Silk Specter
is a bloated, aging whore...

Dying in a California rest resort.

Mothman's in an asylum up in Maine.

The Silhouette retired in disgrace.

Murdered six weeks later
by a minor adversary seeking revenge.

Dollar Bill got shot.

Hooded Justice went missing.

The Comedian is dead.

And now I must tell
the indestructible man

that someone plans to murder him.

[electricity crackling]

Good evening, Rorschach.

Good evening, Dr. Manhattan.

[Laurie] What are you doing here,
Rorschach?

Aren't you still wanted by the police?

Good evening, Miss Jupiter.

That's Juspeczyk.

Jupiter was my mother's publicity name.

Apologies.

Came to warn you both
and bring bad news.

The Comedian is dead.

Yes. He and I are the only
two extranormal operatives

employed by the government,
so I was informed at once.

You don't seem too concerned
about Blake's death.

A live body and a dead body
contain the same number of particles.

Structurally, there's
no discernible difference.

Life and death
are unquantifiable abstracts.

Why should I be concerned?

Besides, Blake was a monster.

You know he tried to rape my mother
when they were both Minutemen?

I'm not here to speculate
on the moral lapses

of men who died
in their country's service.

- l came to warn--
- Moral lapses? He broke her ribs! He--

[sighs]

Jon, get this creep out of here.

You seem to be upsetting Laurie.

I think you ought to go.

With respect, Dr. Manhattan,

I believe someone is eliminating masks.

I warned Veidt and Dreiberg,
and I intend--

I said I think you ought to go.

Not before I've had my--

Say.

Hmm.

[sighs]

He's gone. Are you still upset?

Jon?

Hey, I was thinking,

I must be really on edge

to let a maggot like Rorschach
get to me like that.

Maybe we--

Maybe I could use a night out.

Rorschach mentioned Dan Dreiberg.

Haven't seen him in years.

Maybe I'll call him up,
ask him to dinner.

If you don't mind, that is.

Of course not.

[Dr. Manhattan] It is October, 1985.

I am close to locating a gluino,

which would completely validate
super symmetrical theory.

It is May, 1971.

Having been asked to intervene
in Vietnam by President Nixon,

I am deployed alongside
Edward Blake, the Comedian.

[roaring]

I have never met anyone
so deliberately amoral.

[man screaming]

What Vietnam implies
about the human condition,

few humans will permit themselves
to understand.

But Blake is different.

He understands perfectly.

And he doesn't care.

[The Comedian] The average Vietnamese
doesn't give a damn who won this war.

But it means plenty to the US of A.

If we'd lost, I think it might've
driven the country a little crazy.

Thanks to you, we didn't.

Yet you sound so bitter.

You have some strange attitudes
toward life and war.

Strange?

Once you figure out everything's a joke,

being a comedian is the only thing
that makes sense.

The charred villages,

the boys with necklaces of human ears...

these are part of the joke?

Never said it was a good joke.

I'm just playing along with the gag.
Same as him.

First press helicopter into Saigon
since the cease fire.

Oh, he's got the next election
in the bag.

Me, I'm taking the first chopper out.

I hate this place.

The temperature, the smell,
this rotten, cheap bourbon--

- [woman] Mr. Eddie?
- Oh, God.

Now war is over, I must talk to you.

Nothing to talk about. I'm leaving.

And... and what of me?

I cannot just walk away
from what grow in my belly.

- I cannot forget!
- Too bad,

because that's what I intend to do.

Forget you,

your cruddy little country, all of it.

I do not think so.

I think you remember me and my country.

You remember as long as you live.

[roars in pain]

[The Comedian] My face!

Filthy, stinking,

- worthless...
- Blake, don't--

[woman grunts]

Medic. Gotta find a goddamn medic.

She was pregnant.

- You gunned her down.
- That's right.

And you know what?

You watched me.

You could've turned the gun into steam,

the bullets into mercury
or the bottle into snowflakes!

You could've teleported her
to goddamn Australia,

but you didn't lift a finger.

You let it happen.

I've watched you.

You don't really give a damn
about human beings.

You never cared about Janey Slater,

even before you ditched her.

Soon you won't be interested
in Sally Jupiter's little gal, either.

You're drifting outta touch, Doc.

God help us all.

[clinking, crackling]

[sighs]
- [line ringing]

[telephone ringing]

- Hello?
- Hello?

- Dan? Uh, this is--
- Laurie?

Laurie Juspeczyk!

Hey, it's been awhile.
How... How are you?

[Rorschach]
Rorschach's Journal. 11:30 p.m.

Yesterday a comedian died in New York.

Nobody cares but me.

Are they right? Is it futile?

Soon there will be war.

Millions will perish and burn
in sickness and misery.

Why does one death matter
against so many?

[spray can whooshing]

Because there is good,
and there is evil,

and evil must be punished.

Even in the face of Armageddon,
I shall not compromise on this.

But there are so many
deserving of retribution,

and so little time.

[man grunting]

- [chuckling]
- [chuckles] Ah...

Oh wow, look at the time.
It's getting pretty late.

[chuckles] Oh, I'm in no hurry
to get back.

The government only keeps me around

so Jon stays relaxed and happy.

Is, uh, everything okay with you two?

Fine. Couldn't be better.

[sighs] It's just, I'm 35, Dan,

and all I can think is...
what have I done with my life?

I've spent eight years semi-retired,

preceded by ten years
running around in a stupid costume

because my stupid mother wanted me to.

Short skirt, neckline going
all the way down to my naval...

- so dreadful.
- Oh, yeah... dreadful.

The Keene Act was the best thing
that ever happened to us.

Yeah, you're probably right.

Hey, remember that guy

who used to pretend to be
a super-villain

so he could get beaten up?

Oh, um... [laughs] Captain Carnage!

[laughing] Yes!

You know, I caught him
running out of a jewelers.

I didn't know what his racket was,

so I start hitting him,
and I'm thinking,

"Jeez, he's breathing awfully hard.

- Maybe he has asthma."
- [both laughing]

[Dan] He tried that with me, too,

but I'd heard about him,
so I walked away.

He followed me down the street
saying "Punish me!"

I'm saying, "No, get lost!"

- [both laughing]
- [Laurie] What ever happened to him?

[Dan] He... he pulled that on Rorschach,

and Rorschach dropped him
down an elevator shaft.

[both laughing]

[Laurie] Oh, God, that's not funny.

- [Dan] No, no, I guess not...
- [laughing]

[Laurie sighs] That felt good.

Not a lot of laughs around these days.

[Dan] Well, what do you expect?

The Comedian is dead.

[old-timey music playing]

Oh, look at her,

pretty as a picture,
and still keeping her figure.

So, what brings you
to the city of the dead?

Being lazy isn't
a terminal condition, Mother,

so spare me the city of the dead crap.

Brought you some flowers.

Oh, big spender!

So where's Jon?

He had to go to some official funeral.

Made him put on pants and everything.

I didn't feel like going,
So he transported me here to California.

[sighs] Teleporting
always makes me feel sick.

It's Eddie Blake's funeral, isn't it?

I saw in the paper. He got murdered.

Oh... [sighs] Poor Eddie.

How can you say "Poor Eddie"
after he almost--

What happened was 40 years ago.

It's history.

Gettin' old, you get
a different perspective.

The big stuff looks smaller somehow.

Ya know, that makes just
three of us Minutemen left now.

Me, Hollis, and poor Byron
at the asylum in Maine.

Eddie was the youngest.

The Comedian. [chuckling]

Always jokin' that he'd bury us all.

Always thought he'd get the last...

laugh. [clears throat]

You and Jon oughta
move out here for the weather.

Lots of sunshine!

What the hell is this?

What are you doing
with this creepy pervert art?

Oh, just some old memorabilia.

Being reminded
that people used to slobber over me

- is kind of flattering.
- Flattering?

Laurie, I'm 65.

Every day, the future
looks a little bit darker.

But the past...

even the grimy parts of it,

keep getting brighter all the time.

[camera shutter clicking]

[photographer] Okay, that's it!
Nice picture, folks!

[groans] Finally,
I can scratch my armpit.

Got spots in my eyes.

Here, let me take a look,

maybe I can fish ‘em out for you.

[laughs] Oh, Eddie, give me a break.

[Nite Owl] Okay everybody, we're good.

Let's meet in the lobby in five.

We'll go back to the Owl's Nest
for a beer.

You go on ahead, I gotta change.

[gasps]

- Hi.
- Eddie,

what are you doing here?

You knew I was changing!

Sure did. You announced it loud enough.

Come on, baby. I know what you need...

know why you wear an outfit like that.

Eddie, no!

Spelled Y-E-S.

- Spelled N-O!
- [grunts]

[laughs]

[groans]

- Eddie...
- [grunts]

[gasping]

[Sally breathing painfully]

[Comedian breathing heavily]

What... what's happening?

Eddie, what are you doing?

[Hooded Justice]
You sick little bastard!

- I'm going to break your neck!
- [laughing]

[The Comedian grunting]

[spits, laughs]

This is what you like, isn't it?

This is what gets you hot.

Get out.

Oh, sure. Sure, I'm going.

But I got your number...

And one of these days,

the joke's gonna be on you.

[thunder rumbling]

[minister] Thou hast set
our misdeeds before thee,

and our secret sins
in the light of thy countenance.

As much as it hath pleased
Almighty God of his great mercy

to take unto himself the soul
of our dear brother here departed,

we therefore commit his body
to the ground,

earth to earth, ashes to ashes,
dust to dust.

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on Earth as itis in heaven.

Give us this day, our daily bread...

...and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those
that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

[gasps]

Edgar William Jacobi.
Also known as Moloch.

I don't know what you're talking about,

you've got the wrong person,

I'm a retired businessman. [yelps]

Lying. Do it again, broken arm.

Oh, God, I spent the '70s in jail.

I'm not Moloch anymore.

I just want to be left alone.

You attended funeral today. Why?

l... just felt I should.

I've been thinking
about the Comedian a lot--

How do you know Edward Blake
was the Comedian?

He broke in to see me two weeks ago!

His mask was off!

Enemies for 40 years!
Why should he visit you?

I don't know!

I just woke up and he was there!

I thought he was going to kill me.

He was drunk, not making sense...

[crying] It's a joke.

It's all a joke.

I thought I knew how the world was,

but then I found out about this gag,

this joke...

You're part of it, Moloch,
old pal, you know that?

I saw your name on the list,
you and Janey Slater.

If I thought you were in on this,
I'd kill you, you understand?

I mean, you fought that big blue geek.

You know what his head's like.

Who knows which way he'll jump
if anyone messes with him?

[qulps, exhales]

I never should've looked
out that airship window.

Never seen that island.

Never got involved.

See, on that island,

they got writers and artists
and scientists,

and what they're doing is just...

[panting]

I've done some bad things.

Did bad things to women.

Shot kids in ‘Nam...

but I never did anything like... like...

[crying] Oh, Mother.

Forgive me.

Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me...

[laughs] It's a joke.

But I don't get it!

What's so goddamned funny?

Somebody explain it to me!

Somebody please explain it to me!

And then he left.

I don't know what the hell it was about.

[Rorschach] Hmm.

Funny story.

Sounds unbelievable.

Probably true.

So, that's it?

- I'm clean?
- No.

Searched house before you got back.

Found phony medication.

Outlawed years ago.

[sighs]

Well, when you're desperate,
you'll try anything.

I... I have cancer.

Cancer? What kind?

You know the kind of cancer
you eventually get better from?

[breathes heavily]

This ain't it.

Wrote down name of company.
Will report them later.

You're off the hook, for now.

Stay out of trouble.

Rorschach's Journal. October 16th, 1985.

Thought about Moloch's story
on the way to cemetery.

Could be all lies,
part of a revenge scheme.

But if true, then what?

References to an island,
to Dr. Manhattan...

might he be at risk?

Edward Morgan Blake.
45 years, a comedian.

Buried in the rain.

Is this what happens to us?

A life of conflict with
no time for friends,

so that when it's done,
only our enemies leave roses?

Blake saw the cracks in society,

saw the little men in masks
trying to hold it together,

and treated it like a joke.

Saw the true face of the 20th century

and became a reflection of it, a parody.

No one else saw the joke.

- That's why he was lonely.
- [screaming]

[screaming]

Heard joke once.

Man goes to doctor, says he's depressed.

Life seems harsh and cruel.

Says he feels all alone
in a threatening world.

Doctor says, "Treatment is simple.

Great clown Pagliacci
is in town. Go see him.

That will pick you up.”

Man bursts into tears.

Says, "But doctor...

I am Pagliacci.”

Hmm.

Good joke.

[thunder rumbling]

[comic book narrator] Delirious,

I saw that hell-bound ship's black sails

against the yellow Indies sky,

and knew again the stench of powder,

and men's brains, and war.

The severed heads nailed
to its prow, liplessly mouthed,

“No use! All's lost!"

[Bernard] We ought to nuke Russia
and let God sort it out.

[comic book narrator]
The freighter's hideous crew called out,

“More blood! More blood!"

Nuke 'em till they glow.

That's my opinion,
for what it's worth, ya know?

In a final analysis.

Man, I'm tryin' to read here.

[comic book narrator]
Its tar-streaked hull rolled over me.

In despair, I sank beneath the waves,

offering up my wretched soul to God,

his mercy and his judgment.

Waking from nightmare,

I found myself upon a dismal beachhead,

amongst dead men,
and... the pieces of dead men.

[Bernard] I'm informed on these things.

I see every paper in the world.

See, everything's connected.

[comic book narrator] I begged
that the gulls should take my eyes...

A news vendor understands that reality.

...thus sparing me the horrors.

[Bernard] The weight o' the world's
on him, but he can take it.

[comic book narrator]
But at least I was alive.

[Bernard] He's a survivor.

[comic book narrator] And I knew that
life had no worse news to offer me.

[man] Good afternoon.

Is it here yet?

Oh! Your copy of today's
New Frontiersman, coming up.

I keep it for ya every day,
don't 1? Ah...

Hey, how's the end of the world coming?

Today for certain.

You won't forget to keep
my paper for me tomorrow?

[Bernard] Sure will!

[comic book narrator]
I had a sudden memory

of clinging fast to someone
through the tempest.

Our fateful ship's figurehead,

now lying at my feet,

blindfolded by seaweed, smiling.

I thought better of removing the kelp
from her eyes,

not wishing her to suffer
the terrible distractions

of that grim tideline.

She had borne me through seas of blood,

had nourished me
in the heart of the storm.

This small comfort
was all I could offer,

for I could not love her
as she had loved me.

[giggles, groans]

Mm... Jon...

don't you have to do
a TV interview soon?

No. We have plenty of time.

- [screams]
- Laurie?

Oh, God! Jon, just be one person again!

Don't be upset. I'm sorry.
I thought you'd enjoy it.

I was just trying to please you.

I... I... I know.

I know. I'm sorry I overreacted.

You... you just startled me is all.

I'm fine. It doesn't--

Laurie?

- Are you okay?
- Am I okay?

This whole time
you've been working out here

while we were in bed?

My work's at an important stage.

- It didn't seem necessary to--
- To what?

Give me your full attention?

For once?

If there's a problem with my attitude,

I'm prepared to discuss it.

I hate you.

Laurie?

[couple giggling]

[knock on door]

[Laurie sighs]

I left Jon.

Oh, I'm... I'm sorry, I--

And I'm sorry to dump this on you,

but you don't know what it's like,
living with him.

For him...

the real world is like
walking through mist,

and all the people are just shadows.

I mean, the way he looks at things,

like he can't remember what they are,

and he doesn't particularly care.

Sometimes I look at myself
and I don't understand

how things got so tangled up.

[sighs]

- Hey, can we go out?
- Oh! Well...

- Get some air?
- l...

[chuckles] I'll get my coat.

[chuckles]

[Dan] Let's go.

[both laughing]

- Oh! Dr. Manhattan!
- Dr. Osterman...

We need to get you into make-up.

That blue is... is
far too light for broadcast.

- Is this dark enough?
- That's perfect!

Here's a list of no-go talking points
compiled by army intelligence.

Afghanistan will come up,
but play it cool...

And try not to get into
any tight corners.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have something
really special for you tonight.

In his first live interview,

let's have a hand
for Doctor Manhattan himself,

Dr. Jon Osterman! [laughs]

- So, uh... what's up, Doc?
- [audience laughs]

Well, you'll forgive the levity, Doctor,

but the news overseas
has everyone a little tense.

[laughs] So, before I throw you
to our hungry reporters here tonight,

let me kick things off with this...

If the Reds act up in Afghanistan,

are you prepared to enter hostilities?

There is no situation in Afghanistan
currently requiring my attention.

Ahem. If I can jump in.

Doug Roth. Nova Express.

Dr. Osterman...
Do you remember Wally Weaver?

The newspapers called him
Dr. Manhattan's buddy.

- He died of cancer in '71...
- [Dr. Manhattan] / remember.

I attended Wally's funeral.

How about Edgar W. Jacobi, aka Moloch?

You and he battled it out
many times over the years.

Did you know he's
also battling terminal cancer?

No. I did not know that.
I would rather not--

And are you aware that Janey Slater,

with whom you were romantically linked
for several years,

- is suffering from lung cancer?
- [audience murmuring]

[thugs grunting]

No, I... I wasn't told. I--

Or that she has six months to live?

I recently interviewed Ms. Slater.

Her story's hitting
the streets right now.

- What are you suggesting?
- Jon,

Doug has reports of over two dozen
of your former associates

- who have been similarly afflicted.
- [audience gasping]

No, I--

Do you have any response
to these allegations?

[Laurie grunting]

- Are we gonna get cancer?
- [man] Is this guy radioactive?

Leave me alone.

Do you think you gave Ms. Slater cancer

by sleeping with her?

- [groans]
- [thug grunts]

I said--

How does it feel knowing
you may have doomed hundreds of people?

Leave me alone!

[energy pulsing]

[all groaning]

[both breathing heavily]

[breathing heavily]

Um...

- You okay?
- Yeah. Fine.

Um... I...

We just need to get our breath back.

- We should--
- I'm just gonna go grab a hotel.

Think my relationship over.

Oh. Of course.

Thanks for listening, Dan. Take care.

[hesitates] Sure.

Wa--

[sighs]

You, too, Laurie.

Bye.

[comic book narrator] The freighter's
murderous onslaught had surprised us.

- [cannon fire]
- [people shouting]

We'd been blasted to fragments

before we could warn Davidstown
of the hell-ship's approach.

I thought of my family there,

vulnerable, unsuspecting...

...unaware of the damnation
that bore down upon them.

Crazed with helplessness,
I cursed God and wept,

wondering if he wept also.

But then, what use are his tears
if he also denied me help?

That night, I slept badly
beneath cold, distant stars

pondering the cold, distant god

in whose hands the fate
of Davidstown rested.

Was he really there?

Had he been there once...

but now departed?

Hey, this base is off limits.
You don't belong... here.

I believe you are correct.

Please tell your superiors
and Laurie Juspeczyk

that I am leaving.

Leaving for Mars.

Gone? What do you mean he's gone?

Ma'am, your meal ticket flew the coop
after last night's broadcast.

Dr. Manhattan, the linchpin
of America's security, has left Earth.

[General] Mr. President...

The Russians are invading
Afghanistan and Pakistan.

If this keeps up, they'll try taking
Western Europe next.

[groans] If Dr. Manhattan
wanted to live on a red planet,

he should've stayed home.

Keep running the numbers
for our losses in a nuclear exchange.

And be ready for a first strike
in seven days.

[Rorschach] Good morning, Daniel.
Brought you your paper.

The Comedian murdered,
Dr. Manhattan exiled...

Two of us gone. All within a week.

Who next? Veidt? Juspeczyk? Me? You?

These days, nobody's safe.

[Dr. Manhattan]
The photograph is in my hand.

It is the photograph of a man
and a woman.

They are at an amusement park in 1959.

In exactly 38 seconds,

I drop the photograph
to the sand and walk away.

It is already there,
31 seconds into the future.

The photograph is in my hands.

I found it in a derelict bar
27 hours ago.

[Dr. Manhattan] Twenty-five seconds.

It is still there,
27 hours into the past.

[Dr. Manhattan] Twenty-one seconds.

I am still there, looking at it.

[Dr. Manhattan] Eighteen seconds.

It is October, 1985.

- I'm on Mars.
- Fourteen seconds.

- It is July, 1959.
- Eleven seconds.

I am at the Palisades Amusement Park.

Eight. Seven. Six.

I am tired of looking at the photograph.

- Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
- I open my fingers.

It falls to the sand.

I am going to look at the stars.

They are so far away,

and their light takes
So long to reach us.

All we ever see of the stars
are their old photographs.

I am watching the stars,

admiring their complex trajectories

through space,

through time.

My father admired the sky
for its precision.

He repaired watches.

It is August, 1945.

I sit in a Brooklyn kitchen,

fascinated by an arrangement
of cogs on black velvet.

I am 16 years old.

Jon? Jon? What are you doing?

Practicing on your old pocket-watch
before I leave for school--

Forget watches. Have you seen the news?

They dropped an atomic bomb on Japan!
A whole city, gone!

- This changes everything!
- Father, what are you--

- I'm doing what is best for you.
- Wait!

This atomic science
is what the world will need,

not pocket watches!

Professor Einstein says
that time differs from place to place.

If time is not true,
what purpose have watchmakers?

Wait! No!

[Dr. Manhattan] Forty years ago,
cogs rain on Brooklyn.

One hundred and fifteen minutes
into the future,

meteorites penetrate
the rarefied Martian atmosphere.

Itis 1958.

I am graduating
with a PhD in atomic physics.

It is May 12th, 1959,

my first day
at the Gila Flats Test Base.

Wally Weaver shows me around.

What's this place?

[Wally] This is where
the intrinsic field experiments happen.

They're, uh, trying to prove
there's some field

holdin' stuff together besides gravity.

This is our time-lock test vault,

for when they're tryin'
to separate objects

from their intrinsic fields.

It makes sure no radiation gets out.

[indistinct chatter]

[Dr. Manhattan] Wally steers me
to a crowded bar.

There is a sudden sense of déja vu.

[upbeat music playing over speakers]

So, you must be the new guy.

Pretty young for a research scientist.

Well, my dad sort of pushed me into it.

Happens to me a lot.

Other people seem to make
all my moves for me.

[chuckles] I'm Janey Slater.

Can I buy you a drink?

[photographer] Hey, young lovers!

[laughter]

There! That's a beautiful picture!

[Dr. Manhattan]
The photograph lies in the sand.

It is July, 1959.

By the shooting gallery,
Janey's watch falls off

- and a man steps on it.
- [glass crunches]

- I tell her I can fix it.
- l can fix it.

Itis 1963.

We're making love after an argument,

our tenderness in direct proportion
to its violence.

[Janey crying]

It is 1966, and she's
packing a suitcase, crying.

[old-timey music playing over speakers]

It is August, 1959.

We have only been together for a month.

- So Jon...
- The accident is waiting for me.

...did you fix my watch yet?

Sure did, it's right-- Oh.

[both laugh]

I must've left it in my lab coat

when we were resetting
the intrinsic chamber.

Be right back.

The accident is almost upon me now.

[door shuts, locks]

[machine powering up]

- Janey! Janey!
- Jon?

- Open the door!
- I can't!

Open the door!

It's on a time lock
for the next experiment! I--

- I can't override it!
- No.

Oh, God, it's starting!

Oh, my God! Janey!

- It's my fault!
- No!

No! Janey!

- Please!
- l can't stay and watch...

Please, I... I just can't.

- Don't go!
- I'm so sorry.

No! No! No! No! No! No!

Janey!

[alarm goes Off]

No... [breathing heavily]

[Dr. Manhattan] The shields slide back
from the particle cannons.

The atoms in the test chamber
begin screaming.

I look at the watch in my hand.

Good as new.

And the light...

the light is taking me to pieces.

[screaming]

It is September.

A token funeral service is held.

There is nothing to bury.

It is October.

Janey places the only photo
anyone has of me in the bar.

[Janey sobbing]

It is November.

[energy crackling]

A human nervous system
briefly materializes.

It is November 10th now.

A circulatory system is seen
walking through the kitchen.

Wha... What?

November 14th.

A partially muscled skeleton appears
outside the perimeter fence.

It screams for 30 seconds
before vanishing.

[screaming]

Really, it is just a question

of reassembling the components
in the correct sequence.

- [crackling]
- [gasps]

[energy crackling]

[Janey gasps]

Jon?

Jon?

[Dr. Manhattan] It is Christmas, 1959.

So, do you like it?

I mean, is a ring the sort
of thing that you like

now that you're, uh...

[photographer] Like that symbol
on your helmet?

Marketing boys say you need a symbol.

It is February, 1960.

Your symbol is meaningless.

If I am to have a symbol,

a hydrogen atom
would be more appropriate.

A symbol I respect.

It's atomic structure is a perfect grid.

I like it very much.

[Janey exhales]

Janey? What's wrong?

I'm scared, Jon.

Of me?

They assign me the name Dr. Manhattan

for the ominous associations
it will raise in American enemies.

They're shaping me into
something gaudy and lethal.

I'm just scared because
everything feels... weird.

[Dr. Manhattan] March, 1960.

We repeat: the superman exists

and he's American.

[British newscaster]
Pentagon sources say

this Dr. Manhattan can control
atomic structure itself.

[speaking Spanish]

[in English]
It's as if everything's changed.

[Dr. Manhattan] November, 1960.

- [man screaming]
- The newspapers call me a crime-fighter,

so the Pentagon says I must fight crime.

The morality of my activities
escapes me.

Not just you. Everything.

[Dr. Manhattan] May, 1962.

A masked man retires to open
an auto-repair business.

With someone like you around,
the whole situation changes.

You can do anything.

All I got to offer is a good left hook.

And some mean wrenching skills
under the hood.

Well, the new electric cars
I've designed should be simpler.

Electric?

They say you can do anything, Jon.

They say you're like a...
[inhales deeply]

like a god now.

[Dr. Manhattan] September, 1961.

John Kennedy is asking
what it's like to be a superhero.

[Kennedy] So, what's it like
to be a superhero?

- I tell him he should know.
- You should know.

- He nods, laughing.
- [Kennedy laughs]

I don't think there is a god, Janey.

If there is, I'm not him.

November, 1963.

In Dallas, his head snaps forward
and then back. Two shots.

I can't believe this.
So you knew he'd get shot?

Then why didn't you do something?

I cannot prevent the future.

To me, it is already happening.

I'm still the same person.

Nothing's changed.

Itis 1966.

A young woman sits to my right.

She looks at me and smiles.

Stop staring at that girl!
Pay attention!

I'll always want you.

As I lie, I hear her sobbing in 1966.

[Janey sobbing]

It is May, 1966.

My name's Laurie.

Do you have another name,
apart from Dr. Manhattan?

[crying] You pig.

My name's Jon.

[crying] I knew you were seeing her!

It's nice of you to come out
on patrol with me.

Your, um, girlfriend
won't mind, will she?

[Dr. Manhattan] As / lie...

- I hate you.
- ...I see her walking out on me in 1985.

She is beautiful.

After each kiss, she plants a smaller,
gentler one on my face,

like a signature.

I pull her closer,
never wanting to lose her.

Knowing that I shall.

I am tired of their world...

- of these people.
- [imperceptible]

Alone!

I am tired of being caught
in the tangle of their lives.

In Arizona, I am taking the photo...

and I am gone.

Gone to Mars.

And I have decided to create something.

[ground rumbling]

A world grows up around me.

Am I shaping it,

or do its predetermined contours
guide my hand?

The world changed because of me.

But what if I hadn't left the watch
in the test chamber?

What if I had not gone back?

Or waited, just a moment?

Am I to blame, then?

Or Janey?

Or my father?

Which of us is responsible?

Who makes the world?

Perhaps the world is not made.

Perhaps nothing is made.

Perhaps it simply is,

has been, and will always be there.

A clock, without a craftsman.

I am standing on a balcony,

as I once stood on a fire escape,

trying to catch
the falling cogs and wheels.

But it is too late.

Always has been.

Always will be.

Above the Nodous Gordii mountains,

like jewels in a maker-less mechanism,

the first meteorites begin to fall.

[wind blowing]

[Edgar] Oh, God,
not again. [gasping, shuddering]

[objects crashing, thudding]

[muffled] What do you want from me?

[Rorschach] Nothing. Old and alone.

Thought you might appreciate company.

Can I come out, then?

No.

- Deep breath.
- [inhales]

You said Comedian visited here.
Mentioned a list.

You and Janey Slater were on it.

Talked about someone
messing with Dr. Manhattan.

- [pounding]
- Days later,

Manhattan publicly disgraced.

Forced into exile.

- Allegations he'd given people cancer.
- [Edgar gasping]

Janey Slater. You.

- Tough break.
- [gasping]

I think Blake's list was cancer list.

Somebody wrote it.
Somebody put your name on it.

Somebody gave it to the media.

Comedian and Dr. Manhattan
were always your biggest enemies.

Now they're both gone.

Very convenient. Who is it, Moloch?

- Who's behind this?
- [inhales] I don't know!

- Not convincing.
- l don't know!

I don't know!

I swear to God,
I don't know who it was! [crying]

- [sobbing]
- Hmm. Better.

If anything should refresh memory,

contact me by leaving note,

trash can opposite Gunga Diner,
at 40th and 7th.

Rorschach's journal.
October 21st, 1985. 2:35 AM.

Jacobi visit useless. Knows nothing.

Has simply been used. But by who?

Russians?

Comedian mentioned an island,

artists and writers living on it.

Doesn't fit.

Waiting for a flash of enlightenment

in all this blood and thunder.

[comic book narrator]
Everything I loved,

everything I lived for,

depended on my reaching Davidstown
in advance of that terrible freighter.

It was then, I conceived
of building a raft.

But the island's trees did not look
buoyant enough to reach Davidstown,

not unaided.

Suddenly, I found myself
considering a repulsive notion...

Birthed from the gas-bloated
stomachs of the buried men.

I shuddered at my loathsome scheme.

But I had no choice.

I pulled men up from underground,

sand trickling from their sockets.

I tore their clothes to ribbons
to bind them together.

I fixed their bodies
to the bottom of the raft.

As the ebb tide rose,

I embarked, heading east.

East, across the night seas.

Borne on the naked backs
of murdered men.

Lent speed by my hunger,

I ripped a seagull from the air.

- [man yells]
- [seagull screeches]

I had not eaten since the shipwreck.

[seagull screeches]

Chewing on raw meat,
I drifted on toward Davidstown.

My home was there.

And nothing would take it from me.

[Laurie sighs] So the government said

I can't live on the base
now that Jon's gone.

And they canceled my credit cards.

Now, all I have left is my savings.

What? Where... where will you stay?

Did you call your mother?

I'd rather sleep on a street grate.

It just burns my ass to be so damn...

disposable.

- Well, I, um--
- Anyway,

I appreciate you buying me lunch, Dan.

Don't worry about me,

I'll find someplace cheap to stay.

- Laurie!
- Yeah?

You could always stay at my place.

There's plenty of room.

Oh, I... I don't want to impose.

Hey... you're not.

Truly.

I mean, we're both friends.

We're both in the same line of work.

And we're both... [inhales deeply]

We're both leftovers?

[both chuckle]

[Dan] Yeah.

[comic book narrator]
I'd swallowed too much bird flesh,

too much horror.

I grew faint and dozed fitfully.

The Black Freighter's hideous banner
flapped dismally in my dreams.

Its death's-head banner
flies above us all.

And the heads nailed
to the ship's black prow are our heads.

Truly, whoever we are,
wherever we reside,

we exist on the whim of murderers.

[Yvonne] Your four o'clock
is here, Mr. Veidt.

[comic book narrator]
Beneath my raft, something moved.

It's the meeting
with the toy company, isn't it?

Yes. They want some new characters
in their Ozymandias line.

They said maybe
some of your major villains.

The major villains are all dead.

[comic book narrator] /rrationally,
my first thought was of the corpses,

bursting their bonds,

attempting to clamber up
into the air and dryness.

Did you see the news?

Some guy went crazy and killed his kid

because he was afraid
there's gonna be a nuclear war.

I'm sorry, but that's just dumb.

Nobody's so crazy
that they'll start a war.

I don't understand why
everyone's so down and scared.

Well, perhaps they lack
your youth and enthusiasm.

Well, I have to be upbeat
to work in this place.

All this Egyptian decor is very morbid.

[comic book narrator] In the darkening
water, I heard a splash.

[Yvonne] Very obsessed with death.

[comic book narrator]
Shadowy forms approached.

Were they boats come to rescue me?

Actually, death wasn't morbid
to the ancient Egyptians.

They saw death as an inevitable step

in beginning a voyage
of spiritual discovery.

I find that very comforting.

[comic book narrator] No, not boats.

Fins.

Well, I think it's--
Oh, God, he's got a gun!

[screaming]

[comic book narrator]
Teeth shredded my raft.

Tiny, prehistoric eyes
glistened with rage.

- [grunts]
- [people screaming]

[comic book narrator]
It became tangled in my ropes.

Terrified, I took up a splinter of mast.

The shark's stained marble eye
looked up at me...

And in that instant...

We knew each other!

What have you got in your mouth? No!

Don't you bite down.
Don't bite down, you scum!

[comic book narrator]
The leviathan attempted to swim away...

Dragging my raft in its bloody wake.

I want to know who's behind this!

[comic book narrator]
I hung on desperately,

cursing in the bitter stinging spray.

- [gurgles]
- [sighs]

Damn... cyanide capsule.

[comic book narrator]
Eventually, the shark died.

And shortly thereafter,
stopped swimming.

[Rorschach] Good evening, Jacobi.

Was wondering why you wanted to see me.

Then someone tried to shoot
the world's smartest man.

Comedian, Dr. Manhattan, Ozymandias...

someone's killing masks, Jacobi.

Someone wants us dead.

Maybe you can enlighten me.

Hmm...

[Fine over megaphone] Rorschach!

- No.
- This is the police!

No, no, no, no!

We know you're in there, it's all over!

If there's anyone in there with you,

- send them out unharmed!
- Framed. Set-up.

Walked right into it.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.

And then come out and surrender
with your hands clearly visible.

Never. Never surrender. Need weapons.

You have 30 seconds!

There's no escape, Rorschach.

- It's the end of the line.
- Yes.

Time's up!

Ready when you are.

[officers screaming]

[screams, grunts]

[gasps]

[Rorschach] Get up, get up! [grunts] No!

- [officer 1] Get the cuff!
- [Detective Joe] Don't let him get away!

- It was a setup.
- [officer 2] Cuff him!

Somebody framed me, somebody--

No! No! No! My face!

- Give me back my face!
- [cuffs clicking]

Give me back my face!

Give me back my face!

[comic book narrator]
After eating their fill,

the sharks departed.

For the moment, I was safe.

That night, eating shark,

I would have chuckled
at the inversions of natural roles,

had not my parched laughter
seemed so hateful.

My raft grew increasingly grotesque,

reflecting my own
gradual transformation.

[thunder crashing]

With such thoughts to comfort me,

I drifted on, mast-less into the dawn.

- [radio tuning]
- [static crackles]

[radio announcer] Hey, kids,
tune in to the animated adventures

of Ozymandias.

This Saturday morning,
sponsored by Mmeltdowns!

- [radio tuning]
- [static crackles]

[Hollis] In the May of this year, 1962,

that's exactly what I opted to do.

I retired.

To mend cars.

Probably for the rest of my life.

As I see it,
part of the art of being a hero

is knowing when you don't
need to be one anymore,

realizing that the game has changed,
and that the stakes are different...

...and that there isn't
necessarily a place for you

in this strange new pantheon
of extraordinary people.

The world has moved on,

and I'm content to watch it
from my armchair

with a beer by my side

and the smell of fresh oil
still on my fingers.

Part of my contentment
comes from knowing

that there have maybe been
some overall consequence

of my 23 years behind the mask.

This knowledge came to me
in the shape of a letter

from a young man whose name
I'm not at liberty to reveal.

He told me of his great admiration
for my efforts as Nite Owl

and proposed that,

since I'd retired and would
no longer be using the name,

perhaps he could borrow it,

since he intended to follow my example

and become a crime-fighter.

I've visited his home since then

and seen some of the fabulous technology

he intends to bring to bear
on the war against crime.

I was certainly far too impressed

to refuse him the use
of what I'd always thought

was a dumb name to begin with.

So by the time this sees print,

there may well be a new Nite Owl

patrolling the streets of New York.

Also, Sally Jupiter tells me

that as soon as
Little Laurie's old enough,

she wants to be a superheroine
just like her mom.

So who knows? It seems as if,

from being a novelty nine-day wonder,

the superhero has become
part of American life.

It's here to stay.

For better, or for worse.

- [radio tuning]
- [static crackles]

[female announcer] Oh, how the ghost
of you clings... Nostalgia...

- [radio tuning]
- [static crackles]

[Janey Slater coughs] We argued.

And I said, "Jon,

you know how every
damn thing in this world

fits together except people.”

[Doug] It's okay, Ms. Slater.

We can stop here if you need to.

[Janey] No. No, I want the world to know
all the details. [coughs]

I'm glad you contacted me.

It's a relief to finally tell the truth
about him. [coughs]

[Doug] Well, after helping Nova Express
with our investigations,

and sharing your story with the world,
how do you feel?

[Janey] Heh, bitter as hell. [coughs]

Oh, and I don't need anyone's sympathy.

That won't cure my cancer.

[Doug] After learning of your condition,

and the others, Dr. Osterman
teleported to Mars,

sending shockwaves across the globe.

Any comment about that?

[Janey scoffs] It figures.

He dumped me for some 16-year-old

who ran around in her underwear.

Now everyone's shocked
that he dumped Earth for Mars?

[chuckles]

Ah, they're all just worried

because he's not here to stop us
from nuking each other. [coughs]

Worried they're all going to die
in a radioactive wasteland.

[laughs, coughs]

Well, Mr. Roth, here's your comment...

welcome to my world.

[Hollis] So, seen the news lately?

[Dan] Can't miss the headlines
about this war they say is coming.

There was a smaller story yesterday...

about a tenement fire?

[people yelling]

If I can figure out who made the rescue,

so can the police.

You're not taking Rorschach's
mask-killer nonsense seriously?

[Dan] We worked together.

Rorschach was always
a brilliant investigator and tactician,

so I wonder if he found any evidence
that links all these events.

The four of us, taken down.

War looming on the horizon?

I'm terrified it's all connected
and the worst is yet to come

and I can't do anything to stop it.

No! [echoing]

Rorschach again...
They finally caught him.

There's a riot at the prison.

[all grunting]

We got a jail full of guys out here
who hates your guts!

What do you got?

Your arms.

[screaming in pain]

Come and get me.

[Dan] If we don't crack this case,

there may be no going back
for any of us.

[Bernard] Everybody's scared.

You can feel it.

[Laurie] We'll get murdered
in the chaos.

Just waitin' for the nukes
to start droppin'.

You are going to try to convince me
to save this world.

[Laurie] Humanity might be
on the brink of extinction.

Doesn't that bother you?

[Rorschach] This face is all I need.

Never compromise.

Do it!!

[Ozymandias] This all says war.

I will invest accordingly.