Sarkov's Children is the first episode of Netflix's 2022 series The Imperfects.
Three test subjects of an elaborate experiment start experiencing strange symptoms and turn to geneticist Dr. Alex Sarkov for help.
This episode provides example of:
- Backing Away Slowly: After seeing Juan eating Doug, Abbi and Tilda decide to slowly back out of the room in order to not get killed, themselves.
- Big Damn Heroes:
- Juan transforms into his chupacabra form just in time to save Abbi and Tilda from being attacked by Doug.
- A few minutes after this, Burke manages to sedate Juan (who is still in his chupacabra form at the time) before he can attack Abbi and Tilda.
- Camera Abuse: An in-universe example: in the video Juan is watching which shows him killing a raccoon while in his chupacabra form, blood is shown splattering onto the camera lens.
- Chekhov's Gunman: During Alex's introductory scene, we see him arguing with a woman over the ethics of his experiments. In the next episode, we find out that her name is Isabel Finch, and she becomes a major character in the series.
- Eaten Alive: How Doug is (seemingly) killed, courtesy of Juan (in chupacabra form).
- History Repeats: One of Juan's first scenes has him waking up in a field with blood on his face. Later on in the same episode, he wakes up in another field with blood on his face (only this time the camera zooms out on a half-eaten dog).
- I Am Not Weasel: When Juan tells Abbi and Tilda about his side effects, Abbi at first assumes Juan is a werewolf. Juan quickly corrects her, and says that he's a chupacabras.
- Instant Sedation: In one scene, Burke manages to inject Juan (who was in chupacabra form at the time) with a substance that instantly knocks him out in order to save Abbi and Tilda.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Juan has this reaction twice in this episode:
- First when he wakes up in a field and sees a half eaten dog a few meters away from him, prompting him to run away in horror.
- The second time is when he wakes up at Burke's lab and is told that he killed Doug, going as far as to declare himself a murderer.
"I'm a killer. I'll never be Juan Ruiz, Eisner winner graphic novelist. I'll be Juan Ruiz, murderer". - Never Heard That One Before: After an angry woman leaves Sarkov's clinic, she names him "Dr. Fukov". Sarkov jokes that he hasn't heard that one, before, and suggests she call him "Suckov", nect time.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Juan when he finds out he's the "Terror of Tacoma" via watching an online video.
- Juan has another when he wakes up in a field along with a half-eaten dog.
- All three of the main characters have one when Doug enters Sarkov's clinic, and get a bigger one when he starts attacking them.
- Doug has a brief one when he sees Jaun (in chupacabra form) lunging at him.
- Abbi and Tilda a visibly shaking and decide to back away very slowly when they see Juan, in chupacabra form, eating Doug before deciding the follow them.
- Rewind, Replay, Repeat: Juan finds out he's a chupacabra by watching an online video of a recent "Terror of Tacoma" attack in Seattle, rewinding said video and pausing when his chupacabra form is (mostly) visible.
- Stunned Silence: Burke has a brief moment of this after saving Abbi and Tilda from Chupacabra!Juan.
- That Man Is Dead: Juan tells Abbi and Tilda that it doesn't matter what he was before he became the "Terror of Tacoma".
- Totally Not a Werewolf: When the trio are discussing their powers, Abbi asks Juan if he's a werewolf. Juan quickly corrects her, saying he's actually a chupacabras.
- What Have I Become?: Juan, upon realising that he killed Doug, starts seeing himself as a murderer rather than a graphic novellist.
- You Wake Up in a Room: After being knocked unconscious by Burke in Sarkov's lab, Juan wake's up and finds he is now in a lab in Burke's house, Strapped to an Operating Table with handcuffs.
