This one has some nasty scenes that imply child torture and cannibalism. You have been warned.
Kids can't leave. They are behind bars. It's a gate. Clock ticking. 6 a.m. Sun shines. Kids wake up. October 10, 2045. Kids' dormitory. They run around. They all have tattoos on their necks. Toddlers galore. They play. Emma is 11, one of the oldest kids there. Her mom loves how deeply she cares about her family. Kids eat, all 38 of them. Their "mom" prays and they pray too. Ominous zooming in on their tattoos. The "mom" feeds them. Today's date is circled on the calendar. The kids are being tested in some manner in front of monitors.
Kids are given their results. Emma got the perfect score again. Kids chat. Some are grumpy and barely contain their anger. They are running out in the field. 1:10 p.m. Sunny day. Birds chirping. Kids are in the grove. One kid notices footprints but Norman circled him and tagged him. Norman caught all but Emma. Is she the protagonist. Yes, judging by the hair. Emma is jumping over a chasm. The clock is ticking. Quirky happenings. Very little is happening.
Black-haired kid tells Emma Norman is excellent at strategy. He says tag is like chess (?). No kids have beaten "mom" at chess. Fake news, kids regularly beat adults at chess. Kids again go out and hide. Emma sees something? She moves deeper in the forest. Something will grab her? She sees the iron bars again but it's an ankle-high fence. Norman is there too. They look at one another. The black-haired kid is there too. A very low fence.
Other kids approach. They don't want to leave. One girl says they never got any letter from their siblings that were "adopted". They all get "adopted" by the age of 12. Emma is 11. They theorize what happened with their siblings. They are probably just considerate. It's an orphanage. Norman wants to travel. Black-haired kid is Ray. He says he wants to survive. Emma wants to ride a giraffe but she would want to stay forever. They are all happy there. Ray doesn't believe it. The toddler girl chirps about writing letters. She is dead, isn't she?
At night, kids are asleep. Mom is looking at the drawing of her and kids. The little chirpy toddler girl is dressed up and is hugging her bunny plushie. She promises to write when she gets adopted. She is dead 100%. She is welling up. "Mom" takes her out down the hill, humming a song. The girl asks what song is that. "Mom" doesn't reply. They approach the gate. Inside the oprhanage, her bunny is on the table. Emma sees it and wants to give it to her. Emma and Norman rush out. They reach the gate.
They are afraid of the gate. They peek through it. They move through. Dripping water. A lot of mega-tall entrances around them. Trucks too. Emma has never seen a vehicle in real life. The dripping liquid is from a water pipe (?). No-one's there. Emma moves the truck's tarp and sees... something scary. She drops the bunny and steps back. Norman peeks inside and sees... dead toddler girl. She is already cold and white (?). A man's voice calls. They hide between the truck and the wall. Another man's voice says it's just imagination.
The kids see horrendous monsters speaking just like humans. One of them picks up the toddler girl. They comment on human flesh being the tastiest. She is dropped in a vat of teal liquid, naked. They say the human flesh from this farm is of the highest quality and reserved only for the rich. So, these demons drive trucks? Another demon approaches and asks about the harvest. This taskmaster demon has a list with the tattoo codes in a spreadsheet. He announces harvesting the ones with the full marks. The taskmaster smells something. Under the truck is nothing, except the bunny. How did they escape?
Outside, the kids are gasping. Emma says it's a farm and they're food. The demons are asking "mom", Isabella, about the toy. Norman is crying. Emma is shattered and wails. Her cry echoes to the farm. Ray asks how it went. They say they didn't make it in time. The toddler girl's name was Conny. Emma and Norman talk about escaping. Emma doesn't want to lose any more family. Norman says she won't have to. He is the strategist. Emma says strategy is the key! Norman assures her he can find one where they all survive. Isabella has the toy.
Emma has a nightmare that someone is feasting on child's flesh. She sits bolt upright in her bed. 13th October, 2045. Emma is frozen solid looking at Isabella. Norman greets her like nothing is happening. She can't smile or act normal. Norman says they shouldn't act strange. Isabella can't tell who left the bunny. Emma forces herself to smile. Norman analyzes what the taskmaster said. What about scores?
It appears the scores determine the growth of the child (?). Ones with the best scores get sent out last, but the threshold is always 12 years old. Emma and Norman were exempt from being sent out. But why? Is it the size of their bodies? Norman says it's their brains, and the more developed it is, the better. They eat brains! Norman analyzes the shipment schedule and says they have 2 months and must develop an escape plan. This is the part I like.
In the forest, Emma and Norman draw up a map of the farm. The house is in the center, with the forest encircling the farm and a gate. Emma votes for the forest since the gate is closed. Norman thinks aloud. He suggests escaping during the day over the fence because the little ones won't be able to stay awake. They jump over the fence and move on. It's a massive wall of some sort. Norman climbs a tree but falls down. Emma climbs the tree and sees the wall is 2-3 meters thick but no guards.
The wall's surface is smooth. It's meant to make them give up. They hear a bell. They rush back to the farm house. Two kids are missing. One comes back crying. He lost a girl in the forest. Isabella takes out a compass. She will go fetch the girl. What does the compass do? It's about to rain. Isabella comes back with the girl. So, where do the kids come from?
Norman says they have a chip inside them. Isabella intentionally showed them the compass to teach them they can't escape. Norman suggests getting some rope. Emma asks if there are cameras in there. Norman says no. They discuss the tracker device. Isabella has to keep checking her tracker to find out who is where. One of the kids says the clock in their room is busted. Norman runs there. He says Emma shouldn't worry about anything.
Norman sees Isabella talking to Emma. Isabella is staring at Emma's soul. Norman is sweating and looking at them from around the corner. Emma saves the situation and hugs Isabella. Emma mentions Conny. Norman gasps. This Isabella is the real monster. She should be hanged and quartered. Ray rings the bell and kids run out for dinner. Norman steps out of the corner. Isabella asks if they went to the gate. Norman says no. Emma confirms.
Isabella apparently believes them. They move down the stairs and Emma collapses on her knees. Norman's hand is shaking. He helps her up. They are stressed out. Wow. Poor kids. Ray saw them. 10 p.m. Emma lockpicks (!!!) the door. They found something... it's spare tablecloths that they can use as rope. They hide it in a tree trunk. They want to figure out how to take out the tracker. Emma suggest saying Ray.
Norman agrees. Ray steps out of the forest. He's heard them. He gives Emma his book. He grabs them both and asks what happened at the gate. Norman tells him he's sharp. Isabella notices Ray is gone. Norman and Emma tell Ray what they know and he calls it bad. Emma is surprised he is ready to believe them so quickly. Ray says not all kids can make it. Emma wants to save everyone. Ray says there 37 kids at the farm and it's impossible. Emma wants to do it. She has a strong motherly instinct. Ray says escaping isn't enough and they must survive out there.
Outside is a demon's world, says Ray. How does he know this? Ray says the smaller kids have to be left behind. Emma won't hear it. She isn't bending on this. She grabs Ray and argues with him. Norman laughs. Emma freaks out. Ray suggests beating some sense into her. Norman isn't concerned and says he saw Emma scared for losing her entire family. Ray is angry and says his emotions are clouding his vision. Norman wants the impossible. Ray is angry and grabs him, calling him crazy.
Norman says he'll make Emma happy and bake a mud boat (makes sense in context). Ray smirks and calls him a jerk but joins in regardless. They hear the bell. Emma says they should still have free time left. Another maid, sister Krona, carrying a baby. Norman calls her "another enemy". Isabella has purple eyes. Emma has green, Norman blue. Krona has white eyes, Ray light green.
October 18, 2045. Kids are kicking each other in head with a ball. Ray says they now have Krona as a source of info. The baby is called Carol. Ray talks about resupplying of the farm. Isn't 6 years too long for a food source? Norman theorizes about other farms, seeing how there are other adults there. Emma searched her body and found nothing, no scars. Ray says it must be something based on radio waves (?) and that needs batteries. He says, "That kind of technology wouldn't exist in 2015." Ray also says it might be demon technology and they should just give up. Ray suggests brainstorming. Norman suggests looking at Carrol to see if she's been implanted.
Isabella talks to Krona, who is black, and who gushes about her producing the highest-grade merchandise out there. Krona admires Isabella, who has no time for small talk. Isabella shows her files on the top kids. Krona asks why Isabella called for assistance. She says the kids saw the truck and know the secret. Krona freaks out and says they must report this and ship them out right now. Isabella calms her down and says she has procedures in place to take care of the situation.
Krona bends the knee but on her own gloats about reporting Isabella and being awarded the mom position. Why did Isabella admit her secret to Krona? Krona talks to her doll, which is black. She cradles the doll and has an imagined conversation. Krona's room is barren. She shouts at the top of her lungs about her plans. ???? Such a Disney villain. She wants to find the brats fast.
Norman and Ray talk about Krona being loved. Ray says the only way to prevent the adults leaking out their secret is to - clinks the fork on the tray. Feed them? Krona jumps in between them and smiles like a pedo. She says she knows they'll get along. She shakes their hands and stares at their faces. Norman says she didn't hear them and that she suspects them because Isabella told her. Emma is taking care of Carrol and feeling up her body. Why doesn't Isabelle take care of the baby? A girl with glasses asks her about the other night.
Emma finds Carrol has a welt behind her ear, from the blood drawing done on all kids. That must be it! The girl with glasses doesn't have one. Doesn't tattooing a person make their flesh tainted and unpalatable for eating? Ink seeps into lymph nodes. Isabella contacts someone through the radio and says it's October 17, situation normal. Grandma responds with a message from the boss, asking if those three can be shipped out as planned. Grandma says other farms had a disappointing harvest and Isabella's farm is the only one producing the highest-grade material for the Tifari (spelling?).
We see demons at the table. They hear the news and see only the most special meal can be celebrated to The One. What did I say about such a long food cycle? It's liable to failing catastrophically. Emma is running after a ball. The girl with glasses looks after her. Ray goes after her. Krona saw them. The three discuss the welt locations. The next step is how to break it. Norman talks about cutting it out but Isabella might notice it. Ray says trackers didn't notify Isabella when Emma and Norman entered the gate.
Ray says that it's possible that the tracker only triggers a notification to Isabella's compass when the tracker is destroyed. Norman says they can't ignore the risk. So, they can only destroy it when they escape? Ray says he'll figure out a workaround. Emma says it's all his. Norman says kids trust Isabella and won't be able to handle the truth. Ray says some of them aren't good at physical activity. Emma has an idea and wants to play tag with the kids to sharpen their bodies while Ray and Norman will tutor their minds. We see kids running and falling into water.
Ray teaches a kid how to think. OK, I don't think he has the patience to be a tutor. The kid hides his tracks and... runs in circles? Emma teaches toddlers how to be quiet as Norman is looking for them. Kids are learning. Krona is watching the kids with a creepy smile. She wants to join the fun and chase kids, with a 20-minute limit. Ray and Norman analyze Krona's search pattern. She isn't going after them but then she appears. She left a bunch of marked leaves on the ground to lure kids in.
Krona is impossible to beat. They've all been caught. She's too fast. She's chasing Emma. They jump over a ravine. Emma is hidden somewhere in the outcroppings. Norman is physically weak, Ray is too quick to give up and Emma's weakness is her naivete. Krona is gloating. Emma is hidden behind a rock. Krona mentions the harvest and says she's on her side. She finds Emma. Now only Norman and Ray. She couldn't catch them two. They win. She is fuming.
Krona doesn't do anything since that day. The trio talks in private. They theorize Krona's role is observing their behavior and there's one of the kids keeping an eye on them. We see Ray's face. Dinner bell. What slop do they eat anyway? We don't see any food procurement or preparation process. Emma is becoming paranoid.
Emma has so far been a very weak protagonist. Norman is packing something and thinking. October 29th, 2045. Isabella and Krona talk. Krona is exulting the conditions and Isabella praises her. Isabella calls her an insurance and that those who know the secret aren't her concerns. Isabella says Krona's sole purpose is to act as her pawn. If she behaves, she will get the mom position. Krona is sweating. Krona walks to her room, all defeated. She picks up the dool and rages.
Krona rips the doll's head and stomps it. Krona screams about Isabella being a witch. That must have woken up the entire house. Norman says they should start playing tag in teams. Ray says the little ones would die on their own. Norman suggests telling Don and Gilda. Ray tells Emma to memorize a 100 formations. She can do it. They practice chasing each other through the forest in formation while the leader gives out orders to scatter or crouch. Upbeat music.
Emma is ecstatic. Phil was the last one in playing tag. He and Sherri are also constantly watching Emma. Ray estimates he will be able to hack the trackers in 10 days. Norman says they will break out then. Ray is shocked. Norman says they have to escape before winter comes. Emma says they should introduce Don and Gilda to the plan tonight. POV approach. The trio. Emma asks the boys to follow her lead. It's Don and Gilda, the girl with the glasses. They can't believe it's true.
Emma repeats it. Don blows it off and laughs. The trio is solemn. Don can't believe it. Emma says Isabella is the one who sells them to people. Gilda interjects and says Emma has no reason to make this up. Gilda wanted to ask about the night Conny left and bawls. Emma consoles her. Weaksauce protagonist. Norman shows them their test scores and how it matches the "adoption" order.
Emma asks the two for help. They are quiet but will help. Ray is again angry. Norman says they had to tell them. Ray says Conny is dead and they should know the truth. Norman says he will tell them where he did two ropes: one behind his bed and the other in the bathroom ceiling. Whichever disappears means that's the spy. Ray asks what if both ropes are gone and neither is a spy? Norman says he has a contingency in that case too.
Emma and Gilda relate. They touch hands. Gilda wants them to stay together forever. Gilda's dead 100%. Dead of the night. Gilda takes her glasses. She heard something. She gets up and slowly walks out the room. Emma saw her. Someone slides a note under Isabelle's door. It says:
ROPE NORMAN BED
Krona opens the door and sees Gilda. She says she's been waiting for her and lets her in. Emma sneaks up and eavesdrops. Krona says they can talk now. Gilda says there's no issue at all and that she feels better. She's not a spy. Krona says Emma told her everything and stops her from leaving. So scary. This lady is mega-weird. No adult acts like this. Krona asks which of the other kids know.
Gilda is frozen but then pushes Krona away and asks her to stop. Gilda feigns ignorance and says she talked to Emma. Krona apologizes and lets her out. Nice mystery we got there. Gilda sneaks back in and Emma meets her. Gilda is about to cry. She does and hugs Emma. Krona is fuming. She does that a lot. They are doing laundry. Norman and Ray talk about traitors and their motivation. It must be guaranteed survival or something. Don witnesses their tag play.
Emma is measuring the walls. Norman wants to talk to her about the traitors and asks if she would take them with. She said yes and that that person's life might not be guaranteed. She wants to believe in everyone. Ray wants her to be paranoid but she believe none of the kids are truly bad. By God, she is naive. Norman is not surprised that's her answer. Norman finds the rope above the bathroom ceiling but none behind his bed. Ray says it must have been Don but Norman says it's him. Why confront him?
Clock is ticking. Ray and Norman. Where are the other kids? Ray smiles and tries to blow it off as a joke. Norman says he told Ray the fake locations of the ropes but actually told different locations to Don and Gilda separately. He told Don the dining hall and Gilda the library, so they can go and check out those. Ray falls back on the bed and laughs. October 30th, 2045. Ray says he thought he was doing so well and confesses. Norman says he had a hunch ever since Krona came in. He was the obvious choice for the enemy.
Norman asks how long he was her spy. Ray says for a long time and doesn't feel any shame. Norman is angry. Ray is smiling. Norman asks if the trackers can even be broken. Ray asks what he wants. Norman asks to share all the information and flip to their side while keeping watch on the. Ray calls him an idiot and says that was a stupid move to confront him instead of using him. Norman says that's true but Emma reminded him they're family and that's why he changed his mind.
Norman says Ray was the one who set this up for the trio to escape as he told them that night to go with the bunny. Norman says Ray has been controlling their actions but also keeping Isabella under control. Ray says he sold himself out to learn more about the enemy. Norman calls it risky. Ray says Isabella wouldn't throw him away and asked her two things: not to be shipped out and for rewards, such as various junk. Ray wanted to research the outside world and see what he can get. Everything he got was outdated. He did testing, it took him a few years. He knows how to break the trackers.
Ray says he's the strongest card Norman has and has a crazed look about himself. Norman is stunned. Ray says he started preparing from the moment he learned the truth. Ray asks Norman to trick Emma, pretend to be taking everyone and ditch the weakest members of the escape group. Norman says training helps them more than they expected. Ray is cold and cruel. Norman agrees and promises to keep his word. Cruel little boy.
Ray is smiling like a madman. Norman is lost but then figures something out. Ray visits Isabella and reports on the progress, saying summoning Krona wasn't a good move. Ray asks for his reward for being a good spy. A dream. Norman dreams escaping through the gate. He turns around and sees corpses. Flowers bloom from their bodies. Ray taunts him. Emma is dead too. Something slithers from the ceiling and eats Norman as he wakes up. Kids are crawling over him. He hugs them.
Emma is already up, and so is Ray. The three of them go to the forest. Ray admits to being a spy. Emma freaks out but then apologizes. Norman explains and Emma calms down. Ray promises to help them escape with everyone. Emma says that's unlike him but is glad he wants to help. Emma asks about Ray sacrificing kids to save her and Norman. She asks him to promise he'll never again sacrifice others. He promises and says they'll all escape from there.
They notice the trio in the forest. Gilda says there must be some other source of danger. The trieo returns. Norman asks Ray if he's planning to... (sell them out to demons?). Emma reports she and Gilda noticed Isabella goes to a secret room in the house and draws its location. That's what she was measuring the other day! The walls didn't match. There is a bookshelf inside the room and probably doors on both sides.
Ray says that's for standard check-ins. Emma asks if he knew about the room and he says he didn't but had a feeling it was there. Don wants to break through and enter the room. Ray says the connection device only contacts the HQ and the risks outweigh the benefits. Why isn't Emma more in charge in the series? She should be the protagonist.
Don and Gilda exeunt and go down stairs. Don moves to Isabella's office. He can't stay calm like the rest of them. Gilda follows. He knocks on the door. No reply. They enter. He examines the bookshelf. It won't budge. She looks around. He is getting mad and smacks it. She looks at the shapes and slides the bookshelf to the side. Door. Don tries opening it. Locked. Someone approaches and opens the door. It's....
A toddler! He shushes them and says he's playing hide and seek. 31st October, 2045. The trio discusses their position and learning the outside environment, behind the wall. Norman says they have everything they need to get over the wall but not how to survive there. Emma says he wants them to meet someone. Don bumps into Isabella and snatches a key from her. He shows it to Gilda. Emma shows the guys a picture of an owl with the name "William Minerva".
Emma says that guy might be their ally, delivering a message to them through the books. The circle around the owl picture is Morse code. Don and Gilda enter the secret room and check it out. Don finds a floor hatch and stairs leading down it. Gilda lights a lantern. Trio deciphers the messages and finds it says "farm", "harvest" etc. Ray says they shouldn't get their hopes up too much; the guy could be dead. Norman says it's a sign there's an ally and a society of humans.
Don examines the cellar. It's crammed with toys and bookshelves. He is breathless. Emma says it's hard to know where the books were made, though one showed year 2015. For two books there's an exception, one said "promise" and the other had no code. Don and Gilda find Conny's bunny down there. Gilda says there are toys from other kids down there too. Don touches a bookshelf and finds a machine. The one without the Morse code has a few pages ripped out.
Don is freaking out. He fears punishment and starts shouting. Don says he doesn't trust the trio. Emma says Minerva will help them survive out there. Emma is gleeful. Don and Gilda hear Isabella above their heads. Norman asks Emma how she noticed the Morse code. The trio enters the dining room. No Isabella, Don or Gilda. Isabella is reading a letter when something is heard. She gets up and looks at the bookshelf. She is about to slide it open. A kid rushes in and gives her the key, saying it was on the floor. How?
Don and Gilda reunite with the trio. They escaped through the other exit? They talk about they saw. Ray rages at them. Don talks about the bunny and is about to say Conny is D-word (can't say it in a kid's show). Don and Gilda learn about demons, harvesting and Ray being a spy. Don is angry and starts chuckling out loud. He punches Norman and then Ray. He grabs Emma but can't punch her. He calms down. No violence against girls, I guess.
Don shouts they should be siblings and trust one another. He goes outside. Gilda goes with. Emma doubts herself. Don says he feels bad for not being able to protect Conny. He cries. Gilda tries to console him. How come Isabella can't hear his wailing? Emma runs out with a lantern, saying she was way too naive. Norman comes too and apologizes. Where is Ray? Pompous guy. Don and Gilda apologize to the two and then Ray comes in, saying he forgives them and also apologizes.
Emma asks the two to pledge they will come with, despite knowing the world is filled with demons. Ray saw or felt someone spying on them. The next morning, Norman and Emma are spreading laundry. Emma says she knows how to escape wiht everyone. We don't hear what it is. Camera shows clothes hangers (will become relevant at the very end). Norman says they can trust Ray. He goes to Ray's bed and looks behind it. He finds... something and amazed Ray went through all the trouble.
Don and Gilda meet him on the stairs, with Don offering detergent and herbicide. Norman says they will help with the investigation. In the forest, the four consult about making a distraction. Norman say Ray is feeding Isabella false info. We see Ray saying Norman will try to poison Isabella. She seems briefly stunned but is otherwise unfazed. Ray asks her to be merciful.
Isabella says she got word from HQ and the next shipment is set. Ray says it will happen on his 12th birthday. He seems relieved it's finally his time to die. So morbid. Isabella smiles. In the forest, Krona ambushes the four and makes weird faces. She says she saw everything and does acrobatics. What a bizarre character. She tells them she is willing to join forces.
Emma and Gilda hold shoulders. Norman has a wicked grin and offers hearing her out. What a mature boy. Krona says they should oust Isabella and shows them her own tattoo on the neck. She wants to take over as the Mom of the house. 1st November, 2045. Krona says girls can choose to die or become a Mom at 12th birthday. However, Mom has to recommend them. Krona says she doesn't recommend it. She shows her chest and a massive surgical scar. She says there's a chip inside that will kill a Mom if she tries to leave but will also restart her heart if something else stops it.
Krona says being a Mom makes her feel human. If the kids escape, Isabella will be blamed. Emma doesn't believe her but Norman again smiles. Krona offers her hand. Norman takes it but Emma interrupts. She asks Krona how they know she won't betray them. Krona says they're in a stalemate and have to trust each other, since they have info to destroy each other. Norman shakes her hand. She has a superior smile and feels elated. She promises to share info about the place, if they drop by her room tonight.
The five discuss Krona. Emma calls her a monster. Norman says she doesn't really want them to escape, since then she would quietly help them instead of openly approaching them. Norman says Krona she wants solid evidence of their rebellion to become a Mom. Don panics. Ray says tools for breaking the tracker would be incriminating. Gilda can't believe he will go to her room at night. Don doesn't want to cooperate with her. Norman says they need her occupied and also draw out as much info from her. Emma says it's going to be fine and again holds Gilda's shoulders. Norman touches Don's shoulder.
Norman and Ray go aside and discuss something. Emma wants to ask Don and Gilda for a favor. Isabella got some sort of box delivered to the gate? Book, package and a letter. Emma and Norman visit Krona's room at night. She opens. They enter. Krona is holding her doll and says they can ask anything. Norman looks behind his shoulder. Emma asks to see the tracker monitor. Krona is briefly surprised but hands it over. Very subtle clues.
It looks like a pocket watch. A glowing dot on a map. Emma asks where the trackers are and says it's in their left ears. The two act surprised. Krona says breaking trackers notifies the HQ and the tracker monitor. Krona says they can cut out that part of the ear. Norman doesn't believe that plan. Krona says she can give them infirmary access and teach them how to stop blood loss and an infection.
Emma asks how old she is. She is 26 and was born in a farm. It seems Isabella is 31. She says she hasn't seen the outside but there are humans outside. Some of them bring in clothes and appear in equal standing with each other, so they should mix with those humans and blend. Emma asks how long the demons are around but Krona calls them "Them". Krona says she has no idea where the farm is but there no guards posted because the main security is the tracker. Norman hands back the monitor.
The two prepare to walk out when Krona starts maniacally laughing. Nobody's hearing this? She says they knew where the trackers were and how she learned interesting things from their reactions. Krona says blinking, sweating, gestures and pulse can give them away. She mentioned the location of the trackers but neither of them touched the spot to check. Krona asks if they're keeping a secret. Very clever woman. She mentions "The One" but says she'll explain that the next time.
Meanwhile, Ray is playing with a polaroid camera and takes a snapshot of her. He is amazed by the polaroid. He asks if they can wait after lunch. He left the polaroid. She touches it. Ray hears the clock ring. Emma is in her bed. Norman is bolt upright. Midnight. Isabella is listening to it too. She crosses off a date and says it's time to begin to the camera. Ray is taking more polaroids. They review their plan. Ray will be inspecting the wall. Don and Gilda will watch the 2nd floor window for his signal. Emma and Norman will inspect the wall.
Norman and Emma tell Ray about Krona knowing about them knowing about the trackers. Ray takes a polaroid of them and gives them the camera. He says he can break the trackers whenever. Norman calls the camera a double-edged sword and worries about Krona turning them in. Meanwhile, Krona is talking to herself and wonders how the two knew about the trackers. She figures out they have a special tool to break the trackers.
Krona sneaks around like a pedo to search their rooms while the kids are setting lunch. She searches Ray's quarters. A toddler sees her and asks what she's doing. She says she's cleaning the floors and the kid waltzes off. Krona moves everything around and finds something, a piece of paper. In there, something shocking! She runs out and to her room. Ray snickers.
Krona is in her room, celebrating to her doll and gloating about getting Mom's position because she now has Isabella's 2nd weakness. She wonders how Ray knows about whatever is in the paper because not even Isabella should be aware of it. Isabella arrives holding a knife and giving it to Krona. The letter is from HQ. Krona opens it and reads. Shocking! Isabella says this is goodbye.
2nd November, 2045. Krona is appointed Mom at Plant 4. Isabella says she's been pushing her name and Grandma is waiting for her. Krona has to pack up right now and go to the gate. Isabella asks what's wrong. Krona says she'll go get ready and Isabella goes out. Krona falls to her knees and says she will risk it. The toddler pair runs in and asks for Krona. She holds a pen, package and a piece of paper. She has a determined look on her face. She goes outside with her suitcase.
The gate bars open. Grandma waits for her. Krona approaches her and wants to report something, offering the paper. Grandma reads it and seems doubtful. Krona shouts. Grandma says there's no issue as long as they're under control. She was the one who controlled Isabella? Grandma says Isabella and her Plant are quite special so it's necessary to keep her here as a pawn. Grandma says the best plate for the Tifari requires optimal conditions. Krona starts laughing and feels betrayed. A demon reaches for her as the kids start to eat.
Krona reminisces how she played with her doll and entered the gate. She underwent the surgery and Mom training regiment. The demon closes in. We see more flashbacks of her history as she swings her knife at the demon. Grandma walks away smiling as a fat demon is watching. Krona learned embroidery and aikido? Judo? Really? She had her doll but otherwise inhospitable prison conditions. What were they training and studying so much for? Krona saw someone drop a pen and grabbed it during training. Interesting.
Krona crawls to the gate that's closed. The demon reaches and grabs her, stabbing her with a flower???? She screams and whispers the brats should better succeed, destroying this awful world they're in. The flower blossoms and turns red. Her eyes turn up and she goes pale. Isabella looks at the package she got. Ray knocks and asks if she's ready to switch stuff out. He leads her to a room. So, how can Don and Gilda warn anyone?
Isabella says she removed Krona from the equation. Ray runs to her room and finds it empty. Isabella says she's gone because she was no longer needed and Ray is next, because their deal is officially over, effective immediately. Ray fumes. Isabella is smirking and calls him a useful dog but also a liar and a traitor. He shouts he can still be of use and coughs. Isabella says it is unfair but the situation has changed. She looks at the tracker monitor and apologizes, hoping he can forgive her. He grabs her but she pushes him away and locks the door.
She will let him out when she returns and thanks him for his services. Ray is freaking out and tries kicking the door down. Don and Gilda see Isabella coming out. They can't understand it. Isabella gives them a side-eye and moves to the forest. Don rushes inside the house. He finds Ray and shoulders the door down. Strong boy. They run out. Don shouts everything, wow, and nobody is listening to him? Near the wall, Emma and Norman hear someone approaching and she tosses the rope in the shrubs. Footsteps.
Isabella is holding her tracker. Emma plays coy. Isabella says they've never talked without them acting and laughs. She says they can speak freely. Isabella calls them "food" and the two flinch. Isabella asks them to give up. They can't believe it. Isabella says they have a happy life, if only they can stay oblivious to the truth, so they can die satisfied, which is a paradise. Emma is furious and mentions Conny. Isabella said Conny had a rich life, filled with laughter. Emma wants a miserable but free life. Norman tells her to stop.
Isabella offers a hand and asks them to go back to their life. Norman says he'll no longer fight. Emma lunges at Isabella, who slams her against the ground. Emma is shocked and her leg is broken. She wails. Norman is shocked. Isabella shushes her. The other three arrive. Isabella says she will control them as they are special food and binds Emma's leg. Abusive relationship. Back at the farm, kids welcome Isabella carrying Emma. The toddler sees it. Isabella says tomorrow is a special day, because Norman is about to be shipped.
3rd November, 2045. Don is freaking out. Ray won't give up. Ray kicks a bucket. Emma is recuperating. Norman is by her side. Great, disabled girl protagonist. Norman tells her not to worry. She can't let Norman get shipped. He seems serene. He goes to get her some water. The pain is unbearable. He walks down the hall. He has gray hair, like he's a 100 years old. He can't open the faucet. He then does but drops the cup. He sobs and falls down. It struck him what's happening. He cries.
Ray is still convinced Norman will escape. He is rallying Don and Gilda to do what? They enter Emma's room. Ray and Emma stare at each other's eyes. Ray says he'll get Norman out. Emma agrees. Norman is back to his senses and takes the cup back. He seems resolved. He takes a deep breath and enters the room, smiling. He sees Ray, who says he should escape alone. Norman says he can't.
Ray suggests Norman hides in the area. Ray says he knows the caretaking policy and the security won't tighten much if he disappears. Ray says demons stay out of sight so the kids don't get frightened. Norman says that if they make a higher wall they won't be able to get out. Norman has a ton of objections that make no sense. Ray is shouting at him. Norman has given up and apologizes. Wow. No sense at all. Norman says if he runs, either or both of them might get shipped in his stead.
Norman says he will ensure the escape plan succeed. How? Norman says they should make a new plan that they can use when he is gone (no D-word). Emma suggests breaking Norman's leg because then he won't get shipped out. Ray laughs and agrees, wanting to break his arm. Norman says there is no proof that will work. For insurance, Ray will also get a cold. Emma won't give up.
Norman is skeptical. Emma is still hopeful they can escape together. Wow. Norman is welling up and cries. Ray tosses him something. It can disable the tracker and he can climb the wall. Ray says Don and Gilda are making a new rope form spare sheets. Emma asks if it's made from a camera. Ray says that and more. Norman asks Ray how he found out. Ray says he's always known. He says he remembers everything from when he was a baby.
He could hear a lullaby and being split in batches of five. They realize what Krona said was true, since it leads to the HQ, it's swarming with demons. They join hands. Norman seems reinvigorated. Isabella says Norman will be leaving tomorrow night. A girl screams. The toddler asks if this is goodbye. Poor kids. They want to play a bunch before he goes away. Wow, so cute and innocent. The same girl is bawling her eyes out and says she's happy for him. He says he will miss them all so much.
In her room, Emma is gorging, I guess to become strong. Kids are chasing each other. Isabella is drying up toddlers. Gilda is making ropes in secret. Norman sees the pen and the message from Krona. ????? What was in the message. He is running in the field. Emma is sitting under a tree. Ray says it will work out. Norman jumps over the fence and reaches the wall. He tests the tracker zapper and arranges the rope to climb the wall. He runs up the wall and grabs the ledge. Up there he sees...
A forest in the distance and something. The sun is setting. Norman is not coming back. Isabella checks her monitor. She sees him approaching. The rest of the crew is furious. Norman seems dejected. Emma asks why. Ray shouts at him. He is calm and doesn't plan to run. Ray is angry. Emma is sad. Norman says it was a cliff beyond the wall. It's enormous, at least 20 meters.
Norman says a cliff like that isn't possible to jump over. 13th January, 2046. Norman draws a diagram. It's like a hexagon, with the lot directly opposite their farm, which Norman says must be HQ, since it has a bridge. The toddler calls Norman, who gives the tracker zapper back to Ray, who is mad. Norman apologizes for lying and he won't risk the two of them dying.
Norman hugs them both and says he had a good life, had fun, was happy and was fortunate. Ray wants to argue but Emma says it's not too late to run and hide but Norman won't hear about it. He is packing his bags. He sees the string cup phon and reminisces. He was sick due to snowball fights. Kids outside his door won't enter. Emma entered still. Norman is coughing.
Emma cares for Norman. Isabella enters and catches her. She isn't worried. Ray is there too and quips. Isabella drags Emma out and puts a police scene tape across his door. Norman hears the murmur of kids outside. Again Emma next to his door. So cute. She gives him the string cup phone. Isabella caught her again. It works! They are talking. Snap back to reality. Don and Gilda. Norman packs the string cup phone.
He is ready, with suit and tie. Isabella says the are meant to get going. A girl hugs Norman and bawls. She's Sherry. Heart-rending. The toddler is called Phil. Norman asks Phil to take care of Sherry. Norman is saying farewells and says to Emma that all the rest is up to her. Norman says it's bene fun and that he will miss them. Emma runs after him and drops her crutches. She hugs him and they drop to the floor. She wants to use the zapper on his ear.
Norman pushes her away and grabs the zapper. Emma says he can't go. The kids are stunned. He asks her to respect his wishes. She won't. He is almost crying and calls her reckless and immature but true to herself. He seems so old right now. Isabella says it's time and puts a hat on his head. Isabella whispers that she will kill her if she keeps causing trouble. Norman shakes Emma's hand and thanks her, apologizing for tricking her. He gives Emma the zapper.
Ray won't say goodbye. Norman leaves outside. Emma collapses. What a horrible world. Isabella says his suitcase is empty. Norman says it doesn't matter. Isabella says she knew he would never run away. Norman says they will live happily inside the house and asks if she is happy. She hesitates but says she is because she was able to meet him. The gate opens.
Isabella asks Norman to wait a bit in the room. He sees something and is awe-struck. The room is filled with golden light. Back in the house, the next morning. Everyone prays, all 37 of them. Emma seems downtrodden. Kids run and laugh. Emma sees a cup is missing from the cupboard. She hears Norman's voice call out to her. She turns around but two toddlers are there playing. Kids are making bottle rockets. Emma sees a flock of geese go across the sky.
Ray seems so depressed. The quarter is talking about their plan. Ray wants to give up. He says he's really tired. Emma offers him the zapper but he says he's out. Emma leaves. Ray apologizes to Don and Gilda. Emma is in her room, sobbing. Sad music. Isabella appears, saying she knocked. Emma hides the zapper under her pillow. Isabella hugs her and gloats that she is so despaired. Isabella says she will feel better if she becomes the next Mom. If Emma becomes an adult, gives birth and proves herself, she can come back to the farm and care for the kids.
Isabella says Emma will die but can live if she becomes a Mom. Emma refuses. Isabella says she'll never be able to escape. What a cruel, wicked and vile woman. This is a demon in human form. Emma is left sobbing. December 2045. Kids are playing with clothes hangers. Emma is gloomy and depressed. The toddler, Phil, is crying and hugging her. Ray is listening to the clock ticking. He is looking at the paper. Isabella is carrying a toddler around to show she'll always have at least one kid with her, so Emma can't save them all.
Ray is humming a lullaby. He's in the dining hall. Night. Emma approaches him. She asks what he's doing here. He says this is his last chance to say goodbye to the house. Tomorrow is his birthday. He asks if she has given up. She hasn't, has she? Emma looks and has a wicked smile.
Inside the dining hall. The clock is ticking. 14th January 2046. Emma says she refuses to ever give up. She won't let Norman's death be in vain. Ray says he understands. Emma suggests they run away. Ray has other plans. Emma made Don and Gilda deputies. They got supplies, food and clothes. They can leave whenever. Emma has a plan to go across the cliff. She wants to escape tomorrow morning. He asks her to sit down.
Isabella needs to be dealt with. They also need to go across the bridge. Ray has the perfect answer for them: lighter oil. He wants to set the house on fire. They will also block her doors to the secret room. He made 10 Molotovs behind the rocks in the forest. He suggests starting more fires in other farms next to them. Ray tells her to go now.
Ray says the dining hall is far away from rooms. He asks if Emma's leg is healed. She proves it is. He pours one can of oil on the floor. He mumbles to himself about the plan and pours another can on the floor. He tells her to go alert Don and Gilda. She asks for the exact wording of his plan; he didn't mention himself. They discuss distracting Isabella. Ray opens the third can and pours it over himself.
Emma is shocked. Ray laughs maniacally. He has he's been waiting for this day and that he decided it years ago. This is his retaliation. He was never into all that studying, but simply wanted to be a prize and now he will burn to a crisp. He will show them all he is human. He feels regret for his siblings dying. Emma wants to save him. He won't hear of it. He throws a book to her. It's got polaroids of her and Norman. The clock strikes 12.
Ray lights a match. He is finally 12. He says he cherishes the time spent with them. He drops the match and Emma runs to grab it. We hear Isabella humming the same song Ray just did as she coddles babies in sleep. She enters her secret room and starts writing. The clock strikes 12. It's the 15th. All of a sudden, a scream. Isabella runs out and moves to it. Emma is wailing. Isabella smells something. She opens the door: it's a damn inferno inside.
Isabella is frozen as Emma is wailing on the floor. She begs Isabella to help Ray. No way to help anyone. Isabella checks her monitor and sees Ray is in there. She says Gilda to take the babies outside. Isabella takes the fire extinguisher and hopes to at least save the brain. No effect, wow. Like dousing a volcano. Isabella can't understand why the sprinklers haven't activated. Emma gets up and we see her left ear is attached. Emma is gone. Isabella follows her signal. She sees a bucket and a torn ear. She examines it and realizes the ruse.
Isabella is frozen and realizes what just happened. She realizes the kids were wearing their shoes. Emma runs to the forest. The kids are already there, laughing and smiling. Ray is there too. Now we see what really happened. Emma actually got the dropped match and snuffed it out. She says other kids won't let him die. Two toddlers report to Emma and bring a bunch of dried meats. Ray wants to say he's ready to die but Emma slaps him. The toddlers arranged a meat doppelganger to replicate the smell of burning flesh.
Emma offers to cut off his tracker. Emma says what Norman told her. Norman knew Ray will kill himself. He actually found the oil behind his bed, figuring out the fire blaze scenario. Norman said he wrote down a plan he came up with. We see him writing down something and giving it to toddlers. Wow, so smart and clever. That happened the night before his shipping date. He also said he got something from Krona: mold for the key to the secret room and a pen. Don and Gilda gave Emma the message and the mold. We see her crying.
Emma lights a match and the inferno spreads. She breathes in and wails. The present continues. Her ear is patched up. Did the toddlers have their ears chopped off too? Ray is shocked. Isabella can't open the door because the keyhole is blocked. Ray asks Don if the toddlers all know. He says yes. We see Emma and Norman talking about toddlers being more mature than people think and letting them in on the secret. Norman called it reckless. Don says they told 4 others.
We flash back to the night Emma and Norman visited Krona. The tick Norman had where he looked behind his shoulder, there were actually 6 kids eavesdropping on them. Emma was actually giving instructions when the toddlers were hugging her. They hid their supplies in the well. Ray is amazed. They reach the wall. Norman is there too. He touches her backpack. Nobody else saw him. Ray is confused.
Isabella sees the house burning. She laughs like mad. She looks to the sky and shouts that Ray and Emma can never escape. Ray asks if this is everyone. Phil grabs Isabella's skirt.
Kids 4 and under were left. Emma thought about this. We see how Emma, Don and Gilda discussed the plan to leave those kids behind. Gilda plays the devil's advocate and says the 4 and under kids will die if they bring them. Emma agrees with Ray and Gilda. Emma promises to save everyone and Gilda mentions the kids in other plants. Emma gasps. She apologizes. Emma looks at the pen and asks for Phil brought in. 15th January 2046. Phil already knew about the house. He overheard Krona talking about harvest.
He also remembered Krona snooping under Ray's bed and realized Norman got taken away, so did Conny. He cries. Damn, this show is so morbid. He wails. Emma hugs him. She says only Phil knows the truth but didn't tell the rest. Flashback again. She asks Phil who to take. She says the escape will mean less harvesting and they have 2 years. Phil seems like a soldier and says he is ready to stay behind. Isabella is hugging Phil and asks him where are the kids. He runs to them and she follows with a radio.
A swarm of toddlers approaches. Isabella leaves Phil in charge, reports to the HQ and asks for the alarm sounded. We hear sirens in the distance. The bridge is being fortified. Massive demons guard the bridge. Damn, they are like hulks. Emma found the nearest point to the wall. Ray is confused; Norman did mention the bridge but he also saw a point where they can cross over. It's impossible, wow. Gilda says they all trained for this. Don is throwing a stone with a strip tied around it. He manages it.
The strip is now strung across the cliff. The kids cheer. Ray is shocked. Don uses a clothes hanger and gets across to the other side. Kids cheer. Two toddlers use bottle rockets and string more strips across. Don ties them all. Kids use clothes hangers to go across. Ray recalls the play they did as an exercise. Norman appears and addresses Ray with a smirk. Ray calls it a smug face.
Norman says that something like this never seemed possible. Ray figured they would all just hold them back. Norman said he made his decision because of Emma, she is reckless and naive but true to herself, so that's why everyone joined. Norman encourages Ray and disappears. Isabella hears the report that they aren't at the bridge. Five more kids. One of them, a toddler girl, Jamima (?), is wailing and fears falling down. Wow, so heartbreaking. Isabella is running towards the wall. Now the two toddler boys are freaking out too. Ray volunteers to have her tied to him. He teases the two boys and slides across.
Isabella climbs the wall (?????!). That woman is a Terminator. She used a swing trick when she was a girl and tried to escape. The two boys are next. Now it's only Emma remaining. Isabella caught up to her. She is breathless. Emma looks at her. A wind blows. Emma looks back and sees the inferno. She says goodbye to her house and says, "Bye, Mom". Isabella begs her to stay. Emma slides across the chasm and a few seconds later the strips are cut. GG Isabella. The strips flutter in the wind.
Isabella lets her hair loose. She looks both young and old. She reminisces when she was a girl and stood on the wall. We hear the same tune Ray hummed. A boy is playing it on a guitar. Melancholic tune indeed. 71504 appears his number. Isabella interrupts him and asks if the melody is original. He seems flustered. She wants to hear more of the melody. He plays some more. She looks at him with doe eyes. So simple, beautiful and clear. She welled up when the boy was sent off. He looked back and smiled at her.
What a cruel, wicked world. She also climbed the wall and her Mom beckoned her back. We see the boy being welcomed by Grandma, who gives him her hand. Isabella is going through training and caressing her swollen stomach. She hums the same melody. That's how Ray knew it. We see Isabella coming to the farm, when she hears some boy hum the same melody. She stumbles and gasps. That's Ray. He's her son! She asks how he knows that song and seems shocked. He asks why she gave birth to him. She says she did it to survive longer than anyone.
She seems broken and defeated. She grabs a strip and pulls it in. She tells them to run and be careful. She hopes they can one day find true happiness and light. Isabella returns back to Phil. She says they managed to escape safely. So, how will the house be rebuilt now? Isabella tucks everyone in and sits in the middle. Emma can't believe they did it.
The toddlers are running. Why? Emma promises to go back and save the others. The kids see the sun come out. It's their very first morning as free children.
In terms of world-building, Promised Neverland falls flat and I was never quite sure about the level of technology in the world. I mean, there are trucks but also high tech vats mixed in with old timey farms and 20th century radio stations. I saw plastic bottles, oil cans and matches but otherwise couldn't quite grasp what kind of tools they have available.
The logistics of the premise made no sense. So, Isabella is the only adult in a house with 37 kids. What happens when a toilet gets clogged or a water pipe bursts? Does she call in demons to fix it? The amount of food alone should require dump trucks, and how about diapers, toilet paper and dish detergent? The fact every kid gets shipped at 12 years old to a "foster family" was such a stupid excuse, to say the least, and I can't imagine any kid believing it. I saw there is winter, so how is the house heated? It's unbelievably massive, with no fireplaces I could see. Does it have central heating?
Emma was a very weak protagonist. She was constantly being outclassed by Norman and Ray. I do give the show kudos for trying to have a girl protagonist but she was too whiney and sensitive. Her entire character development came down to saying "we got to save them all" despite what Norman and Ray tried to tell her. I felt Norman was killed off because otherwise he would have taken over the show, and rightfully so.
Norman acted completely out of character in that he decided to die. He was the best character and much better than Ray and Emma combined. I feel the show has lost a lot by killing him off, though some hints do imply he's still in the show in some capacity, especially since Emma heard his voice. In the manga, it appears Norman is still alive, though I just skimmed through it. By the looks of it, Season 2 will be filled with tons of filler, such as walking around with some friendly demons that look like Draenei from World of Warcraft.
Don and Gilda were OK combined but solo Don was simply so much more meaningful and a mover of the plot. Gilda on the other hand did nothing and just filled the empty space. Even Phil made more of an impact on the story than Gilda.
The show grew on me, especially after I watched it the second time. The children are so innocent but also so mature and ready to deal with whatever is waiting for them out there. The scenes of kids crying got to me and the serene moments where kids get to live their innocent childhood struck a cord in me. The show itself appears very manipulative in how it gets you.
By the way, doesn't tattoo ink seep into lymph nodes and taint the taste of meat? I believe tattooing was originally done by tribes where cannibalism was common to dissuade eating captives. So many details don't hold up to scrutiny. Why are they being tattooed anyway? It feels like the only reason is to evoke the notion of a concentration camp inhabitant.