1
Now, you understand,
children... they react to
what goes on around them.
This is not like Gabriel.
I don't mean to pry,
but I have to ask.
Are there problems at home?
No. He's not acting out
or anything like that.
Not with him. With the family.
Stan and I...
we're getting a divorce.
I see.
Gabriel shouldn't be punished
for what's happening at home.
He's not. He's being
punished for fighting.
Can't you make an exception?
I wish I could. School policy.
You should see this suspension
as an opportunity.
Talk to him.
Try to make him understand.
Divorces are never easy,
but they don't have to be final.
You want to tell me
what happened?
I don't want to talk about it.
Gabriel... fighting? Why?
Things are difficult
enough around here
without getting a call
from your principal.
You broke Dougie's nose.
It'll be a miracle
if we don't get sued.
Are you listening to me?
I don't want to talk about it!
I don't know what
I'm going to do with you.
What do you mean, suspended?
I left three messages
at your office.
Well, I was working.
Yeah? I work, too.
Thank you, Susan.
I know you work.
You can't do me
the courtesy of waiting
until our divorce is finalized
before you run around
with that woman.
I was working! Do what you want!
Keep it down, okay?
Gabriel can hear.
There you go again,
trying to avoid the issue.
God, you are driving me crazy.
You ruined my life! Oh, yeah?
Well, that's a two-way street,
sweetheart!
You okay?
Sure.
Heard you had a scrap yesterday.
You want to tell me about it?
Your mother tells me
you pushed that boy down
and broke his nose.
Hey. Look at me.
Fights happen.
It's what you do after
that matters.
What you learn from
the situation. Okay?
You know, fights don't always
have to be with other people.
Sometimes they're just problems that
you're dealing with, you know?
Do you know what I'm saying?
Okay. Well, I gotta go.
You... stay out of trouble.
Okay. I gotta go to work.
I made you lunch,
it's in the fridge.
And you have mine
and your dad's numbers
in case of an emergency.
You gonna be okay by yourself?
Why aren't you shooting hoops?
Hey, Tully. Don't feel like it.
I hear you.
It a holiday or something?
What?
It's a school day.
I'm suspended.
Ah.
I know about that, too.
What are you escaping from?
You wouldn't understand.
Try me.
I've developed a list myself.
Responsibility,
problems, parents.
Yeah?
Always on my case
about every little thing.
"My house, my rules."
My old man always said that.
So what did you do?
What'd I do?
I left.
Hey, Tully!
Ah, gotta bolt.
Thanks for looking after him
while Stan and I work.
I'm close by.
Gabriel doesn't fight.
He does now.
Recess.
How is he?
Him? He's fine.
Few scrapes. Nothing bad.
And the other kid?
A broken nose. Black eye.
I'm worried.
I'll talk to him.
He doesn't respond to lectures.
Gabriel doesn't respond
to much of anything lately.
How are you doing?
I'm managing.
Is that enough?
What?
The kid...
He sees things, I'm sure.
Hears things.
What's he supposed to think?
Our marriage is over.
Of course we fight.
What couple doesn't
when it's all ending?
Sometimes we're loud.
Sometimes we're really loud.
Don't get started.
This is hard enough.
I can't fight a two-front war.
Neither can a ten-year old.
There's more.
What? You're not gonna
send him to boarding school.
He has to choose.
What?
Who he wants to live with.
It's only fair.
And I remember when math
was my only problem.
Talk to him.
I'm glad you're here.
Hey, I'm hiding from
the widow down the block.
How many apple cakes can I eat?
Dad...
You're my daughter.
It's just us now.
No smoking.
You're not my mother. Dad...
I told you, I quit.
Quit buying, maybe.
So how do you like
the Dodgers this year?
Ups and downs, right?
Did you know the Dodgers
originally played in New York?
I remember seeing them when
I lived in Brooklyn as a kid...
before they moved,
before I moved.
Moving someplace new is
always a jolting experience.
I mean, the hot dogs
don't even taste the same.
Grandpa. I'm sorry.
My point is,
they picked it back up again.
Ups and downs, right?
That's what life's all about.
Come here.
Am I in trouble?
When I was your age,
my grandfather...
your, what, great-
great-grandfather...
taught me how to spit
watermelon seeds.
Anybody ever teach you that?
No. Okay.
First, you take
a bite like this.
You work it in your mouth.
Try to get all the seeds
between your teeth
and your cheek.
And when all the fruit is gone,
and the seeds
are all you got left...
you let her rip.
Now you try.
Not bad.
You know...
with all the seedless
watermelons they have now,
this is a dying art.
I got into a fight
the other day.
So I heard.
You aren't mad?
I didn't have
to duck any punches.
But now that you
bring it up, can I ask why?
I don't want to talk about it.
Fair enough.
Mom and Dad say
I have to choose.
Choose?
Who I want to live with.
Oh. Yeah.
You know they both
love you very much.
Lots of boys don't
have that luxury.
I want my parents
to live together.
I think you'll find that
what we want and what we get
are rarely the same thing.
Reminds me of a story that
my grandfather, your...
Great-great?
Good. Grandfather, told me.
It was about...
Nah, skip it. What?
Well, it's just a stupid story.
Something you'd hear
before you went to bed.
You wouldn't be interested.
Is it any good?
Well, I don't know. I liked it.
But I like adventure stories.
Heroes battling bad guys,
people dying,
worlds being saved.
But that's just me.
Tell it.
You sure? Yeah. Tell it.
All right.
Is your mother watching us?
No.
It's a habit.
Drink chocolate milk.
I'm lactose-intolerant.
But you eat ice cream.
You want to hear
the story or not?
Okay. Once upon a time...
Ah, jeez. What's the matter now?
It's a fairy tale.
You're gonna tell me
a fairytale.
No, it is not a fairy tale.
Well, not exactly.
Whatever.
Listen up.
You might learn something.
Okay.
Now, like all stories,
this begins in a place
and time not like our own.
There was a small village
on a distant planet
where simple folks
worked the land.
There was a boy
about the same age as you.
And he lived there
with his mother and father.
And the boy's name was Nethiah.
But life, no matter
what galaxy you're in,
is made up of differences.
And while these people
lived in peace,
there are always those
who thrive on war.
The Strifers were savage.
What they saw, they took.
And those that resisted
were killed or enslaved.
And as they moved
across the land,
they conquered all those
who stood in their way,
regardless if they pledged
allegiance or rebellion.
What does that mean?
Whether they gave in
or fought back.
Oh.
Thoran was the Strifer King.
He was ruthless,
with a hunger for everything
he set his eyes on.
And when his eyes fell
on the village,
the fate of Nethiah
and his family was sealed.
War is never a good thing.
But when you're fighting for
your family, your community,
it takes on a special meaning
because you're protecting
what's most precious to you.
Now, that day, the villagers
fought valiantly,
but they lost.
Many died,
including Nethiah's father.
Some were enslaved.
The lucky ones escaped.
Nethiah watched as the Strifers
destroyed all that
he had come to know.
And the horrors that he saw
were too much for words.
Nethiah managed to escape,
and he found his mother
chained to a wall.
The Strifers had captured her.
And they were slowly
feeding her a serum
that was poisoning her.
He wanted to help his mother,
but there was nothing
he could do.
He was too small,
too weak to separate her
from those machines.
No. Come here, come closer...
She told him to leave.
She loved him so much
and she knew that
if he was captured,
he would be forced to work
in the mines, or worse.
There's nothing
for you here now.
Do you understand?
I want you to listen to me
very, very carefully.
I want you to close your eyes.
Shut them very tightly.
And do not open them
till I tell you.
Now, stand up.
Stand up!
Do not open your eyes.
Leave me now! You must go!
You must go
or you will die here.
Do you understand? Now, go!
And do not look back,
no matter what you hear!
Don't worry for me, my son.
I will always watch over you.
So what did he do?
He took a secret tunnel
and found the pipeline
that would lead
outside his village.
And when he climbed up
out of that pipe,
he was free.
So he made it?
Unfortunately, no.
He didn't.
Something stopped him.
He just couldn't do it.
He couldn't leave those
who meant the most to him.
So he went back.
And the Strifers captured him.
Oh, he fought like a wildcat.
He made the Strifers earn it.
But in the end,
he was still a boy,
and these were the strongest
creatures in the galaxy.
They beat him mercilessly,
until he finally passed out.
What? Why did you stop?
I got places to go,
people to see.
But I'll look in on you
while your parents are out.
But what about the story?
Hey, slow down, kiddo.
It's just a fairy tale,
remember?
It's way better. Really?
Well, then maybe
I'll come back tomorrow.
That sound good?
Yeah.
Grandpa? Yeah?
I hit that boy the other day.
I hit him first.
I heard.
You did?
Kids fight.
He made of fun of me.
Oh. Well, then he deserved it.
He said I was gonna be
one of those divorce kids.
He's right.
I know.
Thing is, he's my best friend.
Was.
Well, I'll tell you something.
Kids make fun of things
that they're afraid of,
what they don't understand.
Adults do, too.
I guess.
Come on, let's take this inside.
I haven't eaten
this much watermelon
since my prostate was your age.
Your what? Never mind.
My father's going to watch
Gabriel while we're at work.
Your father?
Yes, my father. Someone's
got to get through to him.
I talked to Gabriel.
Yeah, I know how
you talk to him.
Oh, stop. Susan,
I talk to the kid, okay?
My father has a way.
He's a good man.
He's a hard-ass. Excuse me?
You know what I'm talking about!
Whenever he speaks his mind,
he has no internal censor!
Since when did telling the
truth become such a bad thing?
I'm going to my room.
Yeah, walk out,
like you always do!
Can I come in?
Yeah.
Hey, kiddo.
We haven't really
talked very much
about what your dad and I
are asking of you.
I know it must seem like we
dropped a ton of bricks on you,
but it's really important
that you know why.
Whatever problems your dad and
I are having are between us.
They have nothing
to do with you.
We both had an equal part in
bringing you into this world,
and we both love you very much.
Does that make sense?
I guess.
Take your time
with the decision.
You know, when two people
get married,
divorce is the furthest
thing from their minds.
You have children,
you raise a family,
make a better lot in life.
But along the way,
life tends to throw in
a curveball or two.
You and mom don't love
each other anymore.
No.
No, we don't.
Well, not the way we used to.
Then in what way?
Well...
look, I'm gonna
tell you this because...
I think you're old enough
to understand it.
When I first met your mom,
it was like nothing else
I had ever felt before.
It was like... you know how
when you're running real fast
and you gotta stop because
you gotta catch your breath?
It was like that.
Only that's how I felt
every time we were together.
And when we got married,
there wasn't a day
when the sun didn't rise
and set with her.
But sometime in the last year,
I stopped loving your mother
the way I used to
when we got married.
And I can't explain why...
I wish I could...
but one morning I just felt it.
And, here's the thing
about falling in love
that no one ever tells you,
but I'm telling you now...
you can always fall out of it.
I don't understand.
Well, you will, buddy,
when you get a little bit older.
Trust me.
Now, as far as who
you're gonna live with,
that decision
is completely up to you.
And your mom and I aren't gonna
try to sway you in any way.
We both love you very much.
How will I know if you're
gonna fall out of it?
You little grubber-ish... yah!
That kind of love...
no parent ever falls out of.
All right. Now,
you give that a whirl.
Come on.
Looks like you could
use a cold soda.
Hey, Tully.
You got the weight of
the world on your shoulders.
I can tell.
You got that look.
What look?
It's the way you carry yourself.
That hunched-over, "I can't put
anything else on my shoulder" look.
It's that obvious?
Know what helps with that?
Give me the ball.
Follow me.
Come over.
For whatever reason,
shooting free throws
always helped me
to get my mind straight.
You play a lot.
In school.
Starting point guard for
a team that went to State.
We lost but, we had a fun ride.
Now I only mess around
when the mood hits me.
Here, why don't you
give it a go?
Uh, I don't play.
It's not playing, it's shooting.
Cheapest therapy I know.
Here, take it.
Hold the ball like this.
Bring it over your head like so.
Keep your eye
on the back of the rim.
That's what you're aiming for.
You aim for the front,
you'll brick the shot for sure.
Now, when shooting...
your left hand guides the ball,
while your right hand
propels the shot.
Always, always,
always follow through
with your shooting hand.
Why?
Hell if I know, kid.
It's what the coaches
always said.
Go ahead, give it a try.
Sweet!
You want to talk about it?
My parents are splitting up.
The "D" word.
I should have known.
So which one are you
gonna live with?
That's the thing.
They want me to decide.
Ah, hell.
Excuse my French.
That's a hard place to be in.
I'll tell you this.
You're not the first kid
whose parents got the big "D".
Great. I feel
so much better now.
I'm serious.
It stinks, but it happens.
It'll be hard, but it's livable.
What makes you so sure?
Why do you think I left home?
Just because they can't
live with each other
doesn't mean they can
live without you.
How am I gonna make a decision
without hurting one of them?
You can't.
Someone's going to get hurt.
I'll tell you something else.
They're scared.
Scared of what?
You're the glue now, kid.
You can keep them as close
or as far apart as you want.
You understand?
So this is where
you've been hiding out.
Who's this?
Grandpa, this is Tully.
Tully, my grandpa.
Nice to meet you, Grandpa.
Nice to meet you.
I gotta go pick up some trash.
I'll catch you later.
You know him?
He's a friend of mine.
I don't like him.
You don't know him.
Didn't know bin Laden, either.
You want an ice cream cone?
Yeah.
Let's go.
Grab your stuff.
You better hurry up or
I'm gonna eat yours, too.
So are you gonna
continue the story?
Sure. Just let me
sit down first.
Come on!
Okay. Where were we?
When Nethiah got captured
by the Strifer King.
That's right, he got captured.
But they didn't enslave him.
No. They did
something much worse.
They made him
into a pit fighter.
The young boy grew
into a strong man.
And they taught him
how to fight,
kind of like the gladiators
of ancient Rome.
And did he learn.
He was the best.
400 times they lowered
him into the pit,
and 400 times he raised
his arm in victory.
The only time he was allowed
to leave his cell
was to train or fight.
And for the longest time,
that's all he knew.
He became like an animal,
like a savage,
as savage as the Strifers
who had locked him up.
And one day, suddenly,
something changed.
What? He had enough.
He reached his limit.
He just couldn't do it anymore.
The fighting, the death.
He was a man at
the end of his rope.
There comes a time
in everyone's life
when a decision has to be made,
and Nethiah made it...
no more fighting.
When they came for him,
he refused to leave his cell.
He didn't care what
the consequences were.
He was finished.
Nethiah was given a choice.
Fight, or be taken
to the Strifer King,
a fate that no one had
ever returned from alive.
That was when he met Sir Hanif.
He was a freedom fighter
who had been silenced by the
Strifers in a terrible way.
How?
They wired his mouth shut.
Come here.
You speak with your mind. How?
A lost art known to a few.
Sir Hanif seemed to want
to help Nethiah,
but suddenly, he stabbed him.
How come?
Why didn't he help him?
Well, in a way, he did help him.
He awakened Nethiah's anger,
and when Nethiah was angry,
he was strong.
Hanif! Why? Why did you do this?
To set you free.
I don't understand.
You said... You said
you were going to help me.
Soon, you will feel the
strength flowing in you.
In a way, Sir Hanif was...
his savior.
He showed Nethiah
what a person can do
if he believes in himself,
if he sees the truth in things.
You see, Sir Hanif used
to be a great warrior, too,
and friend to the Strifer King.
But when he finally saw the evil
that lurked in the king's heart,
he made a decision.
He refused to serve
the king anymore.
So he was imprisoned
and forced to fight in the pits.
Just like Nethiah. That's right.
Nethiah made his own decision.
It was better to die
fighting for his freedom
than to live as a slave.
And Sir Hanif came
to that same conclusion.
In one final charge,
he attacked the Strifer guards
outside the prison cell.
Now, Sir Hanif succeeded
in defeating the guards,
but time had slowed
his fighting ability.
It was a victory
that cost him dearly.
Hanif!
Go... before the rest of
the Strifers get here.
No, we'll go together!
No, Nethiah.
This is a journey
for you, and you alone.
We can make it, both of us!
But I am already free.
I... I don't understand.
I'm soon to be outside
these prison walls
in both mind and body.
But your path is
far more dangerous.
My path?
To the Strifer King.
Remember, I awakened your soul.
Use it against him,
for both of our sakes.
Hanif, I don't know how to...
You do, Nethiah.
Use my blade, and take this.
Sir Hanif gave Nethiah
an amulet...
a good-luck charm...
saying only that
it would protect him.
But... But how
will it protect me?
Have faith, Nethiah.
Have faith.
I... I will try.
My strength is leaving me.
Now go.
Go and find yourself
and your purpose.
Let the blade and
the amulet guide you.
Defeat the Strifer King...
and free... our...
people.
Sir Hanif made
the ultimate sacrifice.
So Nethiah... he fought his way
through guard after guard.
But he was bleeding from
the cut in his side.
And when he thought
he could go no further,
he finally found what he
was looking for... a way out.
Did he?
Did he what?
Grandpa! Did he make it?
Oh, well, yeah.
Sort of.
Sort of?
He was the on the verge
of passing out
from loss of blood when...
When?
A stranger found him.
A mysterious woman saw
his weakened condition
and helped him up.
She was unlike anyone
he had ever seen before...
beautiful, with eyes the color
of the setting sun.
When Nethiah woke up,
he had no idea how long
he had been sleeping.
And the woman hovered over him.
And he was scared at first.
She was not an ordinary woman,
she was someone...
something... magical.
Where am I?
You do not know?
Keep your distance.
Why?
Do you intend to harm me?
What are you?
I am a Sorqan!
What is a Sorqan?
I am made up of
many organisms...
but I take the form of only one.
I am known as Naran Anie.
Why am I here?
I do not know.
I must go.
No!
Wouldn't you rather
stay here with me instead?
I am in need of company.
And being the last of her kind,
alone all the time,
Stay with me... drove her mad.
Forever.
She begged Nethiah
to stay with her,
but he was determined to leave.
And that was when
the amulet saved him.
Aaaaah!
Do you know what an amulet is?
A good-luck charm?
Good boy.
It was a charm passed down
from ancient times.
It represented hope, courage,
the power
to start things anew...
just as Sir Hanif
had started anew
when he turned against
the Strifer King...
that if this woman
survived the Strifer attack,
maybe there were other
survivors from his own village
hiding somewhere.
So he walked and searched
for many days,
to the point of exhaustion.
And when he thought
he could walk no more,
he saw something very strange...
a hole in the ground.
But it was no ordinary hole.
It was black as night.
And, when Nethiah
reached his hand in
to see what he could find...
Oh. Grandpa!
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
I'll get you another one.
But something grabbed him,
and it was very scary.
Nethiah wrenched his hand free
from the terrible grip
just as these terrifying
creatures emerged.
Who were they?
Survivors. He found them?
Not only that.
He found his family.
Well, I think that's
about it for today.
Grandpa! Nap time!
I don't take naps.
Who's talking about you, kiddo?
Wait till you get to be my age.
Naps are the best
friend you have.
Come on, let's get you inside.
Hi, Mom.
Oh, you made a mess!
I'll take care of it.
Can I ask you something?
What's wrong Dad?
Have you heard
of a guy named Tully?
Where is my phone?
Honey, have you seen
my cell phone?
Oh, here. Heh.
Remember what I said, Gabriel.
Yes, Mom.
No strangers.
Okay, I won't talk to strangers.
So you're home.
Your father worries too much.
I checked around. That
Tully kid is harmless.
He's a bad influence.
Huh. No worse than our arguing.
You're preparing the papers?
Well?
Well what? It's confusing.
I told you.
You need to hire a lawyer.
At those rates?
I'll just invest the time.
I need closure, Stan.
I need to know why.
Our problems started long
before she came into the picture.
She was an effect,
she wasn't the cause.
Who is it, Stan? Don't you
think you owe me that, at least?
What difference does it make?
You don't know her.
We met. It happened.
End of story.
That's life, isn't it?
What, does that have some
kind of hidden meaning, Susan?
It means just as I said.
But you're free to think
whatever you want.
That, right there... that's
what I'm talking about Susan!
What? What are we
talking about, Stan?
You get to this point
and you just cut out,
like I'm supposed to know
what's going on inside your head!
Isn't that what marriage is
supposed to be about? Huh?
Knowing what
each other's thinking?
Finishing each other's
sentences, and so on and so forth?
Don't mock me.
Don't you mock me!
You were with
another woman, and I...
Only after. Only after
it was over between us!
You stepped away
from this marriage
long before I ever
stepped out on you,
and now this ten-year
mistake is finally over.
Our son is not a mistake!
Oh, stop it! I love my son!
I love Gabriel.
And I know you love him.
He's the best thing
that ever happened to us.
This has nothing to do with him
and everything to do with us.
He belongs with me.
Maybe.
But we decided to let
him make up his own mind.
And no matter whom he chooses,
we're gonna respect
his decision.
We're gonna respect it
and honor it,
for his sake.
I know.
And about us...
don't go looking for
answers to questions
that, in the end, aren't
going to satisfy you.
You're a bastard.
I know.
You're going to be
one of those divorce kids!
No, I'm not!
Yes, you are! Take that back!
Ow!
Ow! Uhh!
Come here.
Uhh!
Mom!
One second, Gabriel.
What is it, honey? Have to go.
Where you gotta go? I'll
take you after breakfast.
No, I have to go.
Dad's using my bathroom.
Sure.
Hey. We're in this together.
We gotta take care
of each other, okay?
Okay.
Hey.
How's school?
My mom said I shouldn't talk to you.
I figured.
Come on, Doug.
I gotta go.
I saw Doug today.
Refresh my memory. Who's Doug?
My friend. The kid
I punched in his eye.
Oh.
I wanted to say something,
but I couldn't.
Well, it'll come
when you're ready.
I don't know.
Forgiveness
is a difficult thing.
But I think you'll find most
people are willing to do it,
if you give them the chance.
Take Nethiah. When he finally
found his mom and dad again...
Wait, I thought they got killed.
Well, yes and no.
You see, it wasn't really them,
just fakes that
the Strifers created
to trick Nethiah.
You watched us die
and did nothing?!
No. I... I was young.
But even though
they weren't real,
Nethiah couldn't control his
feelings when he saw them.
You deserve to die
for betraying us!
When they started attacking him,
he could have fought back,
but he didn't.
He took their blows
over and over again.
And when he could
take no more...
he did the only thing
that he could do.
What?
He took out his amulet.
There was nothing I could do.
Liar!
That will not help you now!
It didn't seem to help.
Nethiah could fight no longer,
and he surrendered
to a dark sleep.
Wait, that's it? That's the end?
No, not quite.
Suddenly, there was
a bright light
all around Nethiah.
Didn't you hear me calling?
We're in the middle of a story.
It's good, Mom.
Well, put it on hold.
Dinner's on the table.
But... Gabriel.
Okay.
To be continued.
Come on, Grandpa.
Can you give me a hint?
What's gonna happen?
Is Nethiah gonna fight
the Strifer King?
Good things come
to those who wait.
Um, excuse me. Wash up.
And wash their hands.
How's, uh... how's it going?
It's going.
Has Gabriel said anything
to you about um, you know.
Has he given you any hints?
He hasn't, and I
haven't been asking.
What do you mean,
he hasn't said anything?
Susan, you're my daughter
and I love you.
But if this was
some idea of yours
for me to spend time with
Gabriel so I could spy on him,
you're going to be disappointed.
Is that so bad?
Am I absolutely horrible
for wanting to know
what my son is thinking?
No, you're not horrible. But
you gave him the lousy task
of choosing between parents.
At least give the kid some space
to figure things out.
So what have you two been
talking about all this time?
You know, things.
Things? What kind of things?
You wouldn't be interested.
Try me.
Hey, Gabriel, does your
mom know what a Strifer is?
Are you kidding me?
See? This is strictly
on a need-to-know basis,
and you don't need to know.
Gabriel, your grandfather
has lost his mind.
Who's saying Grace...
you or the crazy man?
All right. Lord, please...
give us a more
understanding daughter.
I mean mother.
When is the last time
you spent any time
with your son?
I saw him today.
Last week, we did the...
the bike thing.
We're going
to the park tomorrow.
Last week. You want him
to live with you so bad,
you spend no time with him.
Look, stop. Stop. Okay?
I came to get my sweatshirt.
I'm going out for a drive.
You got to hawk
all over the balcony...
Go for your drive.
You just stay off my back!
Come on, give me more!
Yes!
Let's sit down.
I think you got Larry Bird
coming to your house,
giving you lessons.
Who?
You're kidding, right?
Larry Bird? The Bird Man?
Only about the greatest
basketball player ever.
I thought Michael Jordan was.
Well, yeah, but before
Michael, there was Larry Bird.
One of the 50 greatest
players of all time.
Come on, you gotta know
who I'm talking about.
I told you I didn't know
a lot about basketball.
You want to hear a story?
I met him.
Really?
An All-Star game.
Three-point contest.
He was behind,
and as time ticked down,
he started raining them in.
On his last shot,
after he released the ball,
he turned his back to the net
and walked off the court,
with his index finger
pointing in the air.
Gabriel, he didn't
even see the shot go in,
but he knew.
Wow.
I stayed around after,
when he was signing autographs.
He signed my ball.
My most prized possession.
No matter how broke I get,
that piece never sells.
Some things are worth
more than money.
You got that?
Yeah.
How's your friend doing?
Doug? Okay, I guess.
It's tough when friends fight.
You think it'll
never happen, but it does.
I didn't want to hit him.
It just sort of happened.
He was saying things,
and I got mad.
I don't remember even
throwing the punch.
He's my best friend.
Thing is, best friends are
best friends for a reason.
A good friendship
can survive anything.
So what do I do now?
What do you want to do?
Tell him I'm sorry.
Sounds like a plan to me.
Hey.
Hey.
Whatcha doin'?
Nothing.
Yeah, me, too.
How's the eye?
It can be like this
for another week or so.
Does it still hurt?
Not anymore. It looks
worse than it is.
What?
I don't know.
It makes you look tough.
Yeah?
Yeah. Like a boxer or something.
Guess what? What?
Mary Peterson asked me
about it yesterday.
Mary Peterson? What'd you say?
Said it was nothing.
She thought I was
being mysterious.
She left a note in my locker.
No way! Way.
Dude, she's, like,
a year older than us.
I know! Glad I could help.
Need to be a friggin' NASA
scientist for these games.
Something's wrong
with this game.
I can't get it working.
You have to hit
the color buttons
when it goes to a circle
and strum at the same time.
Isn't it easier
to just play the guitar?
Didn't they have video games
when you were a kid?
Yeah. They were called "sports."
And where were you?
Taking a shower.
Before that.
Playing ball with Tully.
Ah. I see.
Then I made up with Doug.
Well, I'm glad to hear that.
Look, uh, this guy...
Tully is his name?
I don't think that's
the kind of person
you want to be
spending time with.
Why not?
Well...
there are three kinds
of people, Gabriel...
the good, the bad,
and the ones that were good
but went bad along the way.
I think this Tully
might be the third type.
You don't even know him.
That's true. It's just
a feeling I get.
I'd hate to see you getting,
you know, influenced.
If, I'm wrong, I'm wrong.
I just want you to be okay.
You ever heard of Larry Bird?
Who hasn't?
I'm surprised you have.
Why do you ask?
No reason.
Are we okay?
Yeah.
Old age, kid.
Makes you want to make sure
that all those you love
are taken care of.
Wait'll you get
to be 40 years older.
But that's, like,
a million years away.
Yeah.
Are you gonna finish the story?
I was thinking about
getting some coffee.
I'd rather hear the story.
Oh, you would, would you?
You can't smoke inside.
Okay. So where were we?
When Nethiah found
his parents and it got ugly.
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
Well, as it turned out,
his amulet did save him.
As he lay beaten,
he entered a dreamlike state,
and his mother came to him,
his real mother.
I'm not here to harm you.
My son.
You must listen to me
very carefully.
You are the last hope
of our kind.
These creatures
manipulated your mind.
They are committed
to destroy us.
This place...
is not of your own memory.
It's something
they have created.
You must rely on faith.
This represents
something forgotten.
I told you once
to close your eyes.
I ask you now to open them.
Fight the overlord.
Break free from the confines
they have created in your mind.
Open your eyes, my son.
Be nameless no more.
For you are...
Nethiah.
It was then he knew
that to put things right,
he had to drive
the Strifers out of the land,
to avenge his parents
and to set his people free.
I have not...
forgotten.
Now, he would have to
fight their evil king,
which meant he would
probably be killed.
Striving for a goal,
a really difficult one,
takes more courage
and inner strength
than anyone suspects.
In these moments,
your character is formed.
Whether you achieve it or not,
success is measured
by how hard you try.
And Nethiah tried hard.
He sought out the Strifer King.
Everywhere he went, there were
signs of his presence,
but no king.
He was starting to wonder
if Thoran was just a story
made up to keep people in line.
So Nethiah freed settlements
from Strifer imprisonment
to send a message
that he was looking for Thoran.
The Strifers went to their king
and told him how they were
losing the control
that they had ruthlessly
enforced for 20 years.
The king was impassive.
He paced as he listened
to their stories of Nethiah...
that he was fierce, unstoppable.
And the more his legend grew,
the more his people stood up
against the Strifers.
He inspired them,
strengthened them.
The king said nothing.
But he didn't harm
his followers for failing
as they feared he might.
How come?
How come what?
How come he didn't punish them?
Ah, good question.
There comes a moment
when the inevitable
is gonna happen.
And the king knew that.
You can't enslave
a people forever.
At some point, they're
going to rise up.
And that moment was now.
The big battle
was about to begin.
It was a fight
that they both wanted...
and got.
Now, to give you
some perspective...
throughout history, there
are only a few battles
that compare to what Nethiah
was about to go through.
The Battle of Thermopylae,
where 300 Spartans
fought against millions
of their enemy;
The gladiator uprising
against the Romans;
And Horatius Cocles'
lone stand on the bridge,
protecting Rome against
the invading Etruscans.
And there was the battle
between Nethiah
and the Strifer King.
First, he had to get through
the king's best warriors.
And they came at him
with everything they had.
Strifers are vicious
fighters, relentless,
with one purpose in mind...
to vanquish their foes
or die trying.
Throughout history,
none had been able
to stand up to them, until now.
Nethiah had honed
his fighting skills
as a pit fighter
against the fiercest
in the galaxy.
400 times he had been
lowered into that pit,
and 400 times
he had come out alive.
And back then, he was
only fighting for survival.
Now he was fighting
for his people.
One by one, he killed
the Strifer warriors
until only he
and the king remained.
The challenge was issued.
Everything was riding
on this fight.
If Nethiah died, the
Strifers remained in power.
If the Strifer King perished,
then Nethiah's people
would go free.
When the king asked
by what right
did he make this challenge,
Nethiah smiled
and showed him his...
Amulet!
Right.
The amulet was more
than just a symbol.
It had survived wars,
famine, disease.
Simply put, it was hope.
Hope that wrongs
could be righted.
And that was something
that the Strifer King
never wanted to see.
Now, Thoran looked up
at the stars,
searching for an omen
of the battle to come.
Some people believe that
fate is written in the stars,
and that by studying
their positions,
we can see what's to come.
Now, maybe Thoran didn't
know how to read the signs,
or maybe he just was trying
to change what they meant.
Either way, their battle
came down to a duel of wills
between two great warriors,
each determined
to prove their resolve
and fighting skills.
Thoran's moves were effortless.
He fought with a grace that
belied his size and his age.
Now, Nethiah, on the other
hand, fought like an animal
who tore at the bars
of his cage to get free,
fighting with strength
and single-minded conviction.
Every time he was beaten down,
Nethiah found his feet again.
When you're fighting
for the fates of many,
it can either weigh you down
or raise you up.
On and on the fight went,
punching and blocking
and thrusting
and kicking, kicking, kicking!
I mean, for a while,
it seemed that they were
too evenly matched.
But then Nethiah
started to tire,
and he realized he was going
to have to change his game plan
if he was going to
beat the Strifer King.
So you know what? He decided
to climb up the rock face,
thinking that Thoran
wouldn't bother to pursue him.
But he did! He did.
And, as Nethiah climbed
higher and higher,
he was getting
more and more tired.
And he turned back,
and Thoran was getting
closer and closer.
On and on the battle went,
until it just seemed pointless!
Grandpa!
It's nothing, kiddo.
I just got a little
winded for a second.
You mind if we
finish this later?
Yeah. Come on, let's get you
a glass of water.
Hey. You Gabriel?
Yeah?
This is from Tully.
Where is he?
I don't know. Quit. Fired.
Who knows?
He said to give you this.
What is it?
I just deliver.
I don't read the mail.
This is killing me, Stan.
Look, it is what it is.
Let's just move forward, okay?
Let's do our best to
keep this thing going
in a salvageable direction.
Salvageable? You think
this is salvageable?
Yes, for Gabriel.
Don't you dare.
Don't you dare offer up
our son as justification.
Don't you see
what you've done to me?
I have no pride.
Do you know what it's like
to walk into a grocery store
and see the women shopping
and not know if they're
judging me or not,
not know if they've
heard the rumors,
thinking the whole time
that one of them might be her?
Susan...
Susan, nothing.
Hey, kiddo.
What are you doing out here?
Oh.
Whatcha got there?
A basketball.
Yeah, well,
thanks for confirming
that my eyesight
is still in check.
Take a look.
Oh, is that real?
Yep.
Where did you get this?
It's a good-bye gift
from a friend.
Really?
Yeah.
Must have been a good friend.
He is.
I guess I was wrong.
You okay? Yeah.
Because if you remember,
when we last saw Nethiah,
he was not in very good shape.
Go on.
As they locked
in their death match,
Nethiah remembered the amulet.
He struggled to reach it,
as if just by touching it,
it might give him the strength
that he needed.
The king had other plans.
He struck Nethiah
with a mighty blow,
sending him to the ground.
Well, Nethiah was stunned,
disoriented.
Before he could collect himself,
the Strifer King was upon him.
In the king's grasp,
Nethiah felt the years
of Strifer oppression.
No matter what he did,
he couldn't break the hold.
His very breath
was being choked out of him.
And then something happened.
As he struggled for life,
Nethiah saw the amulet
on the ground.
And suddenly, everything
that it represented
manifested in his being.
Slowly, he grasped Thoran's arms
and, in an agony
of determination,
he pried loose
from the death hold.
Thoran was stunned.
No one had ever
escaped, not like that,
not with so much conviction.
Well, the battle had turned.
Nethiah was unleashed.
He attacked with
unrelenting fury...
kicks, punches, throwing
everything at the Strifer King
with such blinding speed
that he could do
nothing but retreat,
until Nethiah had
Thoran on his knees.
The boy who had been forced
to work in the pits to survive
now had the cause
of his enslavement
on the ground before him.
The king looked up at Nethiah.
He didn't beg for his life,
as some say he did.
He didn't bargain with Nethiah
or make promises
in exchange for mercy.
He simply bowed his head
in a gesture of respect.
He submitted to
Nethiah's raised fist
one final time
before Nethiah erased
the past 20 years
in one crushing blow!
The battle was over. Yes!
The Strifers had lost.
In that moment, Nethiah
was changed, reborn.
He emerged from the darkness
in a burst of glory.
He could do so now.
He had earned the right
to step into the sun.
Wow.
The end.
That was a really
good story, Grandpa.
You think so?
Not just a goofy fairy tale?
No.
I think it has
something for everyone
if you know where to look.
So you're suspension
is almost over.
You ready to get back to school?
Yeah.
Good.
But, I still have
a big decision to make.
You'll make the right one.
Choices are important.
You make a choice,
and it says something
about who you are.
Nethiah made a choice, right?
And right now, I choose
to get you inside
before your parents get worried.
I used to be happy, Stan.
I used to be happy and content.
Now I am broken up inside,
and the pieces don't make sense.
And I'm not the only one
in this marriage, you know.
It takes the two of us,
not just me, not just you.
And you used to know that
when we were younger,
but you are wrapped up
in your work.
Maybe I should wait.
You could.
You could wait till tonight
or tomorrow,
but maybe those won't be
good times, either.
Keep waiting,
and in the meantime,
your parents are
going at it all the time.
It's never going
to be a good time.
Or you can man up and...
and get it over with.
It's your choice.
Have you made a decision?
Yeah.
Then, go tell 'em.
I'll be right here.
Do you-
do you remember when
we were in school?
We had dated two years.
Graduation was coming up.
The night before
finals were over,
do you remember
what you said to me?
No.
You said I had the softest
eyes in the world.
You said that you knew
you fell in love with me
the moment you saw my eyes,
that I was the woman for you,
that we were meant
for something special.
Tell me, how do they look now?
They look sad.
Hey, buddy.
We were just talking.
Everything's fine, honey.
Everything's not fine.
Everything hasn't been fine
in a long time.
What? You don't think
I've noticed it?
Buddy, come here.
Let me just... Let me finish!
When you guys told me you
were getting a divorce,
I felt like I was
gonna throw up.
And then you both came to
me and told me to choose.
I'm ten.
What am I supposed to think?
Oh, honey... I'm not done!
Well, I made my choice.
But I'm not gonna tell you.
That's all I have to say.
So how'd it go?
Okay.
Okay is good enough.
So what do you want now?
An ice cream sundae with
lots of whipped cream.
Doable.
So what happened to Nethiah
after he killed
the Strifer King?
Oh, that's another story.
Have you seen the size
of a double fudge sundae?
Well, then we'll have
lots of time, won't we?
Come on! I'm coming.
Too bad I'm
lactose-intolerant, though.
But you eat ice cream.
Oh, that's right, I do.
Well, that's good.
Get off the street! Sorry.
So can I live with you?
Sure.
Just for a while?
As long as you need. Great.
I'm not cleaning up after you.
I'm neat.
I mean, no spitting
watermelon seeds at my house.
Hey, you're the one
who taught me.
So what are you having again?
Double fudge?
Double fudge sundae.
I thought you liked
butterscotch.
No.
When you were younger,
you liked butterscotch.
No, that was when I was younger.
That's what I just said.
Didn't I?
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
Gonna wipe away the pain
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
I'm not dealing
with the rain
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
Gonna wipe away the pain
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
I'm not dealing
with the rain
If we can go back in time
I can show you
how to do it right
Do you remember?
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
Gonna wipe away the pain
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
I'm not dealing
with the rain
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
Gonna wipe away the pain
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
I'm not dealing
with the rain
If we can go back in time
I can show you
how to do it right
Do you remember?
If we can go back in time
I can show you
how to do it right
If we can go back in time
I can show you
how to do it right
Do you remember?
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
Gonna wipe away the pain
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
I'm not dealing
with the rain
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
Gonna wipe away the pain
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
I'm not dealing
with the rain
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
Gonna wipe away the pain
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
I'm not dealing
with the rain
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
Gonna wipe away the pain
I'm just like
a windshield wiper
I'm not dealing
with the rain