Knuckles (2024) s01e05 Episode Script

["Damn It Feels Good To Be
A Gangsta" by Geto Boys playing]
[motorcycle rumbling]
Whoa
[shimmering]
- Damn, it feels good
to be a gangsta ♪
- [Wade laughs]
- A real gangster-type player
plays his cards right ♪
- We made it!
A real gangster-type player
never runs his mouth ♪
'Cause real gangsterized
players don't start fights ♪
[Knuckles] What is this
wondrous metropolis?
- Showing all his boys ♪
- Reno, baby. Reno.
Gangster-type players
don't flex that ♪
'Cause real gangster-like
players know they go ♪
This is where it's
all gonna go down.
'Cause
gangsterized playas ♪
The Taj Mahal of Ten-pins.
- The Belle of the Balls.
- 'Cause real gangsta-type
players don't ♪
The National
Bowling Stadium.
♪
Your battleground.
- You're damn right.
- [song ends]
["The Warrior"
by Scandal playing]
Oh
Oh-oh-oh
Who's the hunter?
Who's the game? ♪
I feel the beat
call your name ♪
I hold you close
in victory ♪
I don't wanna tame
your animal style ♪
You won't be caged
from the call of the wild ♪
Shooting at the walls
of heartache ♪
Bang bang
I am the warrior
Well, I am the warrior
And heart to heart,
you'll win ♪
If you survive
The warrior
The warrior
Shooting at the walls
of heartache ♪
Bang bang
I am the warrior
Well, I am the warrior
And heart to heart,
you'll win ♪
If you survive
The warrior
The warrior
[song ends]
- [casino chatter]
- [slot machines beeping]
Wow. This is
some fancy place.
Did you see the sign?
[sighs]
Kevin James is
headlining here!
The mall cop?
That means you know
it's top-notch.
Well, well, well.
Look who it is.
We literally planned to meet
here at this exact time.
It's not at all surprising.
Wow.
This place is nice.
And apparently,
the spa is to die for.
So what do you say, Knuchles?
Wanna get a massage later?
Yes! My body is
literally one giant muscle!
You know what,
I'm gonna hit up a bar, dude.
Get myself a Wandarita.
Hey, Knucks.
That's what I call a margarita.
- That sounds fun.
I want a Wandarita!
- [Wade] No.
No. There will
be no Wandaritas.
There will be
no massages.
We're on the run.
We need to keep a low profile.
Hey, Wade. That's fine
if you and Knuckles
wanna just slip into
this sea of dorks.
We're gonna go
have some fun.
- [Wade] We're not dorks.
- [Wendy] Let's go.
- We're cool!
- Yeah, we're mad cool!
- [Wendy] Come on,
let's go drink.
- [Wanda] Later, dorks!
Unbelievable.
Isn't it crazy
that we're related?
- [excited crowd chatter]
- ["Let Me Entertain You"
by Robbie Williams playing]
- [whooshing]
- It's him.
I'm a burning effigy
of everything I used to be ♪
- Be cool.
- You're my rock of empathy,
my dear ♪
- So, come on,
let me entertain you ♪
- [crowd cheering]
- [clang]
- [coins rattling]
- Let me ♪
- The confidence
Entertain you
- [coins clattering]
- [amazed chatter]
Life's too short
for you to die ♪
So grab yourself an alibi
- Heaven knows
your mother lied ♪
- The swagger
Separate your right
from wrongs ♪
Come and sing
a different song ♪
The kettle's on,
so don't be long, mon cher! ♪
So, come on, let me
- Entertain you
- [laughing]
- [croupier]
Well played! Big winner!
- [chuckling]
Let me entertain you,
let me entertain you! ♪
- So, come on, let me
- Let my fans have them.
- Entertain you
- [chips fluttering]
Let me entertain you
- [song fades out]
- Whoa.
It's like
It's like
we could be twins.
I mean, he's so--
No, no. [laughs]
Can't talk to him.
What is wrong?
Look at him.
My dad is so cool.
I wouldn't even know
what to say to him.
Well, I do.
Come, Wade Whipple.
I have an idea.
[whoosh]
- [slot machines beeping]
- You sure this is gonna work?
[Knuckles] [on phone]
I will not let you down,
my friend.
It was known far and wide
by all Echidna
that Knuckles has
a way with the words.
Now, confidently approach
the one they call Pistol Pete
- and say
- Father Whipple.
Hello there. So,
what are we signing today?
Balls, pins, body parts?
If you want a signed photo,
I'm afraid
it'll run extra.
[stiffly]
It is I, Wade Whipple,
your long-abandoned
progeny.
[sighs]
Wade?
[sighs] My God.
It is you.
- I know what you must be
- Thinking.
That I'm here to slay you
and take my rightful place
on the throne.
But
no.
I come here today
to make peace.
To repair
the paternal bond
that you so callously
tore apart many decades ago.
I see. [chuckles]
Are you feeling alright,
dear boy? You
You seem a little
- different.
- [stiffly] Yes!
I have grown into
a powerful adult man
with many great skills
and accomplishments to my name.
Have you now?
Many human women have taken
notice of my feats of strength.
Yes. Yes, I get that.
But, tell me, wh
why are you talking like this?
[stiffly]
This is extraordinary.
It's like looking at
a mirror image of myself.
Of course, I am more
muscular and mighty,
and you are
frail and sickly.
- But
- The resemblance is uncanny!
You truly are
a stunning creature!
[mascot]
Oh, sick costume, bro!
Are you here for
the mascot convention, too?
What team are you with?
My tribe? The Echidnas!
[mascot]
Oh, right. They play in
Albuquerque, right?
Go, 'Chidnas!
- [clears throat]
- [normal] You know what?
I'm just gonna
speak for myself.
[gentle music playing]
I came here 'cause
I missed you, Dad.
I was hoping you'd
missed me, too.
Well, of course
I missed you, son.
So, what are you doing here?
Did you come to watch
your dear old dad
knock over some pins?
Oh, no.
I'm here to roll.
In the tournament?
You?
[haughty laughter]
[nervous laugh]
- Like father, like son, eh?
- [both laugh]
Well, may the best man win.
- I'm just kidding.
- [both laugh]
It's good to see you, son.
I'll tell you what.
After we bowl, let's catch up
on lost time, shall we?
- Yeah! Of course. Yes!
- Yes?
[both laugh]
- [louder laughter]
- W-We laugh the same!
- [both laugh]
- [upbeat music playing]
Well done, Knuckles.
You have not lost your touch.
- [rumbling, brakes squeal]
- [intimidating music playing]
- [doors open]
- [engine cuts]
[doors shut]
[doors creak]
[muffled groaning]
[door creaks]
[banging]
- [door slams]
- [construction noise]
[muffled grunting]
♪
[panting]
- Where are we?
- I don't know.
But it definitely looks
like the type of place
you take people
you're about to murder.
[door creaks, slams]
[dramatic music playing]
Clearly, there's been a bit
of a misunderstanding here.
[Mason laughs nervously]
Um, you seem mad at us,
but it's all good.
We're on the same team.
[torch whooshing]
[dramatic crescendo]
You know what?
Forget I said anything.
[whooshing]
- You failed to bring me
the Echidna.
- [robot whirring]
And I don't deal well
with failure.
[pained beeping]
[clang]
[dramatic music playing]
[drops torch]
You know,
we've got
a lot in common.
You wouldn't be able to tell
by the look of this place,
but not so long ago,
I used to work
for GUN as well.
Though it wasn't
called GUN back then.
It was a military
shadow ops program,
run by a difficult
and very brilliant roboticist.
Wait, so you worked
for Robotnik.
I did.
Until the day he met
a little blue alien
and lost his big bald mind.
After that, GUN tried to erase
all connections with Robotnik,
including me.
Sent a team to take me out.
That didn't work out
so well for them.
So I went underground,
starting selling my creations
in the black market.
And before you know it,
I built an empire.
Come on, man, just give us
a little more time!
We can catch Knuckles.
We will catch him.
- Why should I believe you?
- [Willoughby]
Because you're right.
We do have a lot
in common.
You want to know
why I betrayed GUN?
Because they
betrayed me first.
I dedicated my entire life
to studying
extraterrestrials.
Then San Francisco happened,
and I saw a threat
unlike anything
this world had ever seen.
So I joined up
for one reason.
To protect this planet.
But soon, I discovered instead
of neutralizing the aliens,
we let them play house
in Montana!
Trusting them as
they shed quills
with the destructive power
of a thermonuclear weapon
every time
they go out for a jog!
I tried to warn
the fools in charge,
but instead of listening,
I was the one
who was neutralized.
Taken out of the field,
shoved behind a desk,
wasting my career.
Ordering gift cards
and planning fake weddings!
So, believe me,
I want GUN to suffer
as much as you do.
And if you give us
one more chance
they will. [sighs]
[music crescendos]
[picks up torch]
♪
Oh, man.
Oh, my God.
♪
[torch whooshing]
I still require the echidna
to power my newest creation.
- [foreboding music playing]
- [exhales]
But the price has changed.
Now, your only reward
will be your lives.
♪
- [upbeat music playing]
- Welcome to the Bowling
Tournament of Champions.
- I'm Gary N. Sinclair III Esq.
- And I'm Dylan Beagleton.
And we are here in
sunny Reno, Nevada,
- which is so close to Hell,
you can smell the sparks.
- [crowd cheering]
And you know what?
Today we have a bunch
of amazing competitors
getting ready to collide
in a game of champions.
That's right,
it's poor man's baseball
- bowling.
- [Dylan] Yeah!
Beautiful day for bowling,
I gotta say.
Dylan,
what do you think?
I think it's a great day
for bowling.
And actually,
to be clear,
the weather has no effect on
this sport because we're inside.
[laughs] You see?
This is why I love
working with you.
You're a real details man.
We're gonna get into those
details throughout today.
But first, let me tell you
a little bit about
the competition.
We have 32 teams, each have
won an individual contest
in the Central Northwest
Regional District
of the good old US of A.
These are
hardened competitors
from the greatest part
of our country
- who are ready to bring it.
- [Dylan] Now, Gary.
- Yes.
- In the sport of bowling,
it doesn't get
any bigger than this.
And I understand
that you've been doing this
- for quite a while.
- That's right.
I actually started off
on ESPN Veinticinco,
and I'm hoping to get
down to ESPN Seis.
Wow. Well, Gary,
I've been told
that you have a very
famous catchphrase,
- and this crowd looks like
they want to hear it.
- [laughs]
- How about let it fly?
- Alright, I will.
Let's get ready to roll
some bowling balls!
- That's That's popular?
- Uh, well, yeah.
No, I-I've seen people like,
you know, say it.
["Scarface
[Push It To The Limit] by
Paul Engemann playing]
♪
[applause, crowd cheering]
[crowd]
Pistol Pete! Pistol Pete!
Push it to the limit
Walk along
the razor's edge ♪
But don't look down,
just keep your head ♪
Or you're finished
[Dylan]
Wow! Would you look
at those outfits?
They are not real cowboys.
Open up the limit ♪
[cheering]
Past the point of no return
Reached the top,
but still you gotta learn ♪
How to keep it
[pins clattering]
Uh-oh! I think we're about
to see it! [laughs]
- [Dylan] There they are.
Here come the finger guns!
- [Gary laughs]
Like a bat outta hell,
you could crash the gates ♪
♪
Crash the gates!
Going for
the back of beyond ♪
Nothing gonna stop you,
there's nothing that strong ♪
So close now,
you're nearly at the brink ♪
- Let's go!
- Knocking down
those pins with ease.
- Wow. Wow. What is he doing?
- Wait. Wait a second.
[sword blade scraping,
air slicing]
Wow. Okay. Wade. [laughs]
[song continues]
- Welcome to the limit
- [pins clattering]
Yeah
Take it, baby,
one step more ♪
The power game's
still playing ♪
So you better win it
♪
- [pins clattering]
- [laughing]
- Wonder where you learned that.
- I learned from the best!
- [chuckles]
- [gunshot]
- [shoots bow, arrow thumps]
- [mouthing]
[pins clattering]
♪
[crowd groans]
Push it to
the limit, limit! ♪
No one left to
stand in your way ♪
You might get careless
Come on, Wade!
Be better than you are!
Livin'
- [pins clattering]
- Yes!
- Yes!
- Limit
Don't look down,
just keep your head ♪
- Yeah! Wow!
- Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! [laughs]
To be in that crowd.
- [crowd cheering]
- Welcome to the limit
- [dramatic thud]
- [Dylan] And there you have it.
- [song fades out]
- What an amazing day
for bowling!
We'll be back tomorrow
with the finals.
And, uh, well, that's--
that's basically it.
The birds and the bees.
To be honest,
I'm a bit surprised
you didn't know
about all this yet.
To tell you the truth,
I-I know all about it.
- I just always wanted to
have "the talk." [laughs]
- Oh.
Ah, ha, yes.
This has been so nice
spending time with you, Dad,
but if you think
buttering me up like this
is gonna let you beat me in
the finals, think again, pal.
You're a Whipple, dear boy.
I expect you to
give it your all.
- [chuckles]
- Pistol Pete?
- Would it be alright
if we got your autograph?
- Oh, I'm so sorry.
Not when I'm with family.
Sorry. Thank you.
- [walking away]
- [Wade] Hey, um,
speaking of family
- Could I ask you o-one question?
- Sure. Shoot.
Why did you leave?
[heartfelt music playing]
[sighs] I left
because I was searching
for something.
And, uh
I thought the only place
I could find it was, uh,
on the lanes.
But now, I know
the place I should've
been looking all along
was at home. With you.
I messed up, son.
Made mistakes. Big ones.
But I want you
to know that, uh,
despite how it might seem,
I-I never forgot you.
- [rustling]
- Ever.
♪
What's this?
[laughs]
"Wadejammerz '95."
"Wadejammerz '96."
"Wadejammerz '97."
My mixes. You got 'em.
I got them all.
I just never had the damn
courage to write you back.
Because I'm a coward.
A total schmuck.
You're not a schmuck.
You're my dad.
- [soft music playing]
- [emotional sigh]
- I'm so sorry, son.
- It's okay.
I forgive you, Dad.
[Pete]
You know what?
This has been nice.
- Would you like to see my suite?
- [sighs] Would I ever!
They got me staying in
some kinda janitor's closet.
Okay, well, why don't you
come by my suite later,
and we can catch up some more?
How's that sound?
- That'd be amazing! [laughs]
- Good.
- Good. [laughs]
- Dad.
[soft music playing]
[sighs]
- [knocking]
- [Wade] [muffled] One second!
Easy on the snacks, pal.
That costs, like,
15 bucks a bag.
Hey, darling.
Hi, Mom!
What's going on?
I brought you something.
[laughs]
- My old ball!
- Oh, I thought
you might like it.
- Aw, that's so nice, Mom.
- Oh, good. Good.
[clears throat]
Th-There is--
There's something else.
[weak laugh]
This is hard for me.
Um
I saw you today
with your father,
and I noticed this look
in your eyes, and
[soft music playing]
Wade, it wasn't easy
for me when he left.
It wasn't easy for any of us,
and
We bounced around
from place to place,
and I took any job that
would have me, and
But, in the end,
I think we worked it out.
Made a home for
the family, and
Sometimes I used
to say to myself
what he did, leaving us,
leaving you, wasn't that bad.
Wasn't his fault.
But it was.
It was his fault.
And it was bad.
He hurt me, Wade.
He hurt you.
And when I saw that
look in your eye today,
I got worried.
I got worried he was
gonna hurt us again.
Look
Mom, I know that you and Dad
have a complicated relationship,
but that's your relationship.
Dad and I are still
figuring ours out.
- Wade--
- No, I get it
if you don't want him
in your life,
but I might want him in mine.
♪
You can't take that from me.
Darling
just be careful.
Your father's great at
convincing people to love him.
And that's usually
when he decides to leave.
Good luck out there.
[heartfelt music playing]
[door opens]
[door shuts]
- [elevator closes]
- Hold the door, please!
[bangs, rumbling]
- Thank you.
- [tense music playing]
- What floor?
- Oh, five. Thanks.
[tense crescendo]
- [elevator dings]
- [upbeat music playing]
- Dad?
- [Pete] Mm. Come in, dear boy.
What is this place?
Is this like a second
sky lobby or something?
- [elevator shuts]
- Well, actually, it's my lobby.
- Welcome to my penthouse.
- [tea cup clinking]
Wow!
It's incredible!
And for
a professional bowler,
it is humbly decorated!
Ho! Gold everywhere!
So sensible.
- [clinks]
- Wait a minute.
That's a private balcony?!
- [music swells]
- [gasps]
The prettiest skyline
in the universe.
Reno, Nevada.
[sighs]
Dad!
Do you realize how opulent
it is to have a fireplace
in such a generally
temperate climate in Nevada?
- [chuckles] Yes.
- Wow.
- Bowling has really
done well for you.
- Well
- I do alright.
- [scoffs]
Would you, uh,
would you care to see
the master suite?
Uh, yeah!
- [laughs]
- [haughty chuckle]
This way.
Full disclosure,
I have never
been in a hotel room
where someone needed to utter
the phrase "this way."
- [giggles]
- Mm.
Listen, Wade.
[clears throat]
- I am sorry.
- Oh, yeah.
Don't worry.
We talked about it.
It's okay.
No, no.
- Not for that.
- [music turns dissonant]
For this
[ominous music playing]
Wade
- Mom.
- [Willoughby] Hello, Whipple.
- Long time no see.
- What's up, Wade?
- What's up, dude.
- Looks like you got yourself
into a little dilemma,
- doesn't it?
- Wade.
Dude, the perimeter
has been breached.
Okay? Now, bro,
that is FBI speak.
- It means they've gone too far.
- I know what it means!
Okay, well. [scoffs]
Dad, you gave me up.
How could you?
Just like when
you abandoned me
at that TJ Maxx.
Except this is
a billion times worse.
Yes, I know,
and I am so frightfully sorry,
dear boy,
but please know that
betraying you again
was one of the hardest things
I've ever had to do
in my life. Truly.
You know, you have done
some pretty terrible,
terrible things
in your life,
but this is
on another level.
- Bravo.
- Gwendolyn.
[mocking]
Peter.
And where'd you pick up
that phony posh accent?
- You're from Slough.
- You know,
this is just like you,
not to take me seriously.
- [scoffs]
- You've never supported me.
Not fully.
Oh, oh, really? Oh, God.
You are such
a psycho schmuck!
Children,
[clears throat] listen.
Despite all that's happened,
I want you to know that
I-I love you both,
and I would do absolutely
anything for you.
Oh! I'm gonna vomit.
Just so you know,
he didn't resist much.
We barely had to
threaten the dude.
And these two,
kidnaping him was his idea.
Hey, Dad?
You suck.
Like, so hard.
Dad, why?
Look, Wade.
Here's the deal.
There's only one Whipple
that matters
in the greater Reno area
and I'm afraid
it's not you, dear boy.
So I suggest you withdraw
from the tournament,
give these folks your
big, furry, red friend,
or I'm afraid I-I won't be
able to stop them doing
some rather nasty things
- to people you care about.
- [Willoughby] Hm
And the first
to go will be
your precious sister.
- Oh no.
- [gun whirring]
- Mm-mmm!
- [dramatic crescendo]
- I'm okay with that.
- Wade!
- Do whatever you
gotta do to her.
- Are you kidding me right now?
- Man, she's got a blaster--
- I'm not joking--
- [Willoughby] Okay, fine!
- [Wade] No no no no no!
- [tense music playing]
- Not my mom!
Then, bring Knuckles back
to this suite quietly.
[announcer on TV]
Próximamente en el Canal
en Español de Reno
"La Ultima Passion."
Ooh
[Willoughby] [on phone]
Make it quick, Whipple.
- Okay. Uh, I'm at the room.
- [Willoughby] Good.
Now, keep your phone on,
so we can hear every word
that comes out of your mouth.
And Wade?
If you try anything,
you know what happens next.
Hey, buddy!
- Wade. You've returned.
- [door shuts]
How goes
the fatherly reunion?
So good. Great, actually.
Um, in fact,
I wanna take you upstairs
to look at something
in his suite.
It's-- Well, it's a surprise.
A surprise? For me?!
What is it?
Fresh Wade Jams?
Another Julia Roberts classic?
An enormous cauldron of
Wendy matz-ball of soup?
[weak sigh]
Those are all great things.
This is not that.
[laughs]
It's something I think--
I think you should see.
I shall wear my finest hat.
Sure.
Put on an adorable hat.
- [footsteps approach]
- [sighs]
[sighs]
- [doors rumble]
- Yeah.
- Oh! Pfft.
- [claps]
Shucks and darn it.
[laughs]
I left my name tag
in the room,
and I'm gonna need that
for the tournament finals.
So why don't you head up
to my dad's room
and I'll meet you there?
- Are you sure?
- Yeah. Yeah.
I'm totally sure.
I'll go grab the stuff,
- you go to the penthouse,
take me two seconds.
- [blasters whir]
Very well.
I shall see you soon,
- my friend.
- [doors rumble]
[heavy thud]
[sighs]
It's done.
Knuckles is headed your way.
♪
["The Story Of My Old Man"
by Good Charlotte playing]
I don't know too much about
too much of my old man ♪
I know he walked
right out the door ♪
We never saw him again
This is the story
of my old man ♪
Just like his father
before him ♪
I'm telling you,
do anything you can ♪
So, you don't end up
just like him ♪
Like him
I remember baseball games
and working on the car ♪
He told me that he loved me
and that I would go far ♪
He showed me how to work hard
and stick up for myself ♪
[song fades out]