Change of Plans
Past: Project Freelancer shuts down AI production, but Tex and York decide they want to save the Alpha.
Present: Carolina and Epsilon reveal they know where the Director is to the Reds and Blues, but an argument ensues between them when the Reds and Blues refuse to help them with their revenge anymore.
This episode has examples of
- Bad Boss: A rare hero variant. Carolina and Epsilon are at their worst here. After finding out where the Director is, they make a plan on how to get to him. This "plan" just consists of using the Reds and Blues as Cannon Fodder to hold off the defenses while they make their way to the Director with Wash. When they refuse to go on this Suicide Mission, Epsilon tells them to stop whining and "do something useful for once", and Carolina just yells at them all to be quiet and follow orders, until she eventually tries to force them to go along with the plan by holding them at gunpoint, only backing down when Wash points a gun at her head in response.
- Cannon Fodder: This is essentially what Carolina and Epsilon plan to use the Reds and Blues as in their infiltration. They don't know how many defenses the Director has in his facility, so they just need the Reds and Blues to "hold them off" while they make their way to the Director and take Washington with them for lock duty.
- Downer Ending: One of the biggest examples of the series yet. After Epsilon explodes at all of the Reds and Blues for refusing to help him and Carolina anymore, shouting each and everyone of them is just a problem he's had to deal with on a daily basis, every single one of them silently and angrily walk out of the room, hurt and disgusted by him. Epsilon's attempts to apologize are ignored, and even his self-proclaimed best friend Caboose abandons him. Despite Carolina's assurance they don't need them, Washington gives her one final warning to figure out the difference between her enemies and her friends before he leaves too. Then Epsilon's hologram deactivates, leaving Carolina alone and demoralized in the empty chamber.
- Ironic Echo:
- When Washington suggests that he should stay with the Reds and Blues on the mission, Carolina snaps at him "Leave personnel decisions to me, Agent Washington!" the same way the Director previously snapped at her "Leave personnel decisions to me, Agent Carolina!"
- Washington tells Carolina at the end of the episode "I don't know what's gotten into you Carolina, but you better figure out the difference between your enemies and your friends." The same thing that Carolina previously said to Tex.
- It's All About Me: Carolina and Epsilon are both enraged that the Reds and Blues refuse to go on a Suicide Mission so the two of them can have revenge on the Director. Epsilon takes it a step further, arguing that they all owe him for everything they put him (and technically Alpha) through the entire time he has known them.
- List of Transgressions: When Epsilon says after all the shit the Reds and Blues have put him through he expected them to have his back, Grif asks what the hell did they do to him. Epsilon begin listing several things they did to him (technically to the Alpha, but it makes no difference to him since he has all the memories regardless) as he grows in anger.Epsilon: You shot me through the head! You put a bomb in my gut! You killed me with my own damn tank, and that's just how we met!
- Meaningful Echo: Wash calls the Reds and Blues his "friends", clearly having taken Caboose's words about how they were friends to heart.
- My God, What Have I Done?: After Epsilon's angry rant at the Reds and Blues, where he says each and everyone of them is "just a problem [he has] to deal with on a daily basis", they all silently and angrily walk out of the room, hurt and disgusted by his words. Epsilon realizes he went too far and tries to apologize, only for them to ignore him, and even Caboose abandons him.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Epislon's rant causes the Blood Gulch Crew to walk out. But it's Caboose, the one who saw Church as his friend, who walks away in shame that really sells how bad it is.
- Rage Breaking Point: The Reds and Blues refusing to help kill the Director, and Washington siding with them, pushes Epsilon over the edge, with him going on a Motive Rant and angrily blaming the Reds and Blues for all of his problems, with his hologram growing giant and Red as he yells at them all.
- Screw the Rules, I Make Them!: Played for Laughs. When the Reds and Blues begin bickering over which team has the highest kill count, Sarge argues to Caboose that team kills don't count, with Caboose retorting Sarge doesn't make the rules. Washington chips in, saying that technically Project Freelancher makes the rules, so therefore he declares that Blue team gets to add his kill count to theirs.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: All of the Reds and Blues refuse to follow anymore of Carolina's orders, tired of her and Epsilon mistreating them and planning to get them all killed for their own personal vendetta, and walk out on the two of them at the end of the episode. Yes, even Caboose marches off.
- Shipper on Deck: Caboose is apparently one for Wash and Carolina. When he thinks Carolina is going to announce she and Wash are "taking their relationship to the next level" he comments that he "knew it" because "the writing was all over the wall".
- Ungrateful Bastard: When Epsilon tells the Reds and Blues to stop complaining and do something useful for once, Sarge and Simmons point out that they already risked their lives saving him from the military, when they got him out of the memory unit. Epsilon continues to be ungrateful for this, telling them to "come back when you're on your second or third life". This is the last straw for Grif, who tells Epsilon to fuck off.
