Proverbs 14:1

**Proverbs 14:1** is the eighth episode of the first season of *Warrior Nun*. It is the eighth episode of the series overall.

## Synopsis

Secrets are revealed and a Sister Warrior mysteriously returns to the fold as Ava and her allies attempt to keep a sacred object out of the wrong hands.

## Plot

### Ask an expert

Ava opens the Journal she found before, saying that the answers they're looking for are in there. She points out the first part, which is in Latin, and asks if anyone knows how to read it. Beatrice grabs the book and Shotgun Mary notes her private education, Camila commenting that she wishes that she could speak Latin. Beatrice reads it as being the story of the death of the angel Adriel. It talks about his tomb, and the miraculous healing powers that radiated from it. Ultimately, the Warrior Sisters decided that an otherworldly energy was too powerful for ordinary people to withstand and the tomb was sealed away, in a stone crypt with the message over it "Let the dead rest" in Latin. The tomb was forgotten and eventually a new city, Vatican City, rose over it. Ava comments that Sister Shannon wrote that the unnatural energy of the angel's bones could control demons and was in fact what anchored demons to this world. She suspected the Church had known all along. Mary asks if Father Vincent has heard this before and he admits that he has. It is a devil's bargain to keep people reliant on the Church, for as long as there is darkness in the world, people will turn to them. He refused to believe it, but Shannon did. Mary explains that if Cardinal Duretti were to become the Pope, he could order the Halo-bearer to phase into the tomb and seize the power for him. Mary asks if Vincent believes her now, but he says that he still doesn't understand how it would benefit Duretti to take the bones for himself.

Ava explains that the journal indicates that Duretti could weaponize the power. Mary says that they have to get into the tomb before Duretti, asking Vincent if it will be enough for him if they find what Shannon says is there. He agrees it would have to be enough. Beatrice asks if removing the bones wouldn't weaken the entire Catholic faith. Mary says it's the difference between them: that she cares more about her Sisters than the Church. Ava says to look at it like this: they can get the Order back together if they get rid of Duretti. Camila questions Ava's ability to phase through a 20-foot wall, but she says she can do it if she trains. The question then turns to just how they're going to find this mysterious tomb. Ava replies that they ask an expert. They go to the Arq-Tech headquarters and Ava asks to speak to Kristian Schaefer.

They ask for Kristian's help in finding the tomb and for Jillian Salvius's help in giving Ava a place to train. Jillian asks what's in it for them and Ava says that Jillian could perhaps use the bones to power her machine. At the Cat's Cradle, Lilith enters the wreckage of Sister Shannon's room and looks around. Back at Arq-Tech, Ava is impressed by how quickly Jillian put together the bricks that she needed for training. Camila leaves with Jillian to study the journal some more, while Ava gets to work. She phases straight through the four-feet brick wall, asking what's next. Kristian speaks with Father Vincent, telling him he's already used data from the Vatican to partially map the catacombs. Mary asks where the tomb is and he tells her that researchers were only able to identify 37% of them, with Adriel's not among them. Mary says they should take their chances and find it, but Kristian tells her it would take months. He says there's a map that could help them find it, but it was stolen decades ago. He says you'd need to know the black market to know where to look for it. Father Vincent looks thoughtful, then sighs and says that he might know. Back at the Cat's Cradle, Lilith continues to stalk around, observing the activities of the Reject Nuns. She is spotted by Sister Crimson, but when Crimson approaches, she simply vanishes.

### A surprising return

Back at Arq-Tech, Ava tries to phase through another wall and is taking longer. She finally comes out the side she came in on, panting and gasping and saying that she peed a little. She explains that she got disoriented and bailed. She describes it as being like trying to walk through syrup. Beatrice asks if she could maybe find some way to guide her. Jillian, entering the room, says that she could help. Meanwhile, Father Vincent visits an old contact, a man with a photographic memory for every stolen artifact he's fenced, someone he knows from another life. He tells Mary to wait, but Mary tells him that's not happening and follow him. Father Vincent then neutralizes the security guard to meet with the man, Esteban. Back at Arq-Tech, Jillian provides Ava with a GPS tracker and earpieces. They try it again, this time with Beatrice using the GPS to guide Ava. Ava, panting, pleads for her to bring her out, but Beatrice tells her it's only a few more feet. Ava makes it through and apologizes to Beatrice, saying that it gets worse the longer she's in there. Jillian explains that she's losing power, draining the Halo's energy. Ava agrees that she's going to need a lot more energy if she's going to make it through 20 feet. Jillian notes that she's been able to up the power before, but Ava retorts that there's no way she can walk while being electrocuted. Just then, Lilith stumbles into the room. Ava recognizes her and Lilith collapses.

Jillian lays Lilith down to rest on a medical bed and Camila and Beatrice are left to speak with her. They wonder how this could even be possible and Lilith asks why everyone thinks that she's dead. Her last memory is that of a Tarask impaling her and since then, things have been a blur. After that, she appeared in the Cat's Cradle. They explain that they thought she was lost to the Tarask. At this, Lilith reveals a large wound on her chest. She then moans and gasps, hearing a terrible, high-pitched ringing. Vincent's contact Esteban claims not to remember about the map, which Vincent finds dubious, given his photographic memory. Esteban flips some pages in a book and admits the truth. He says that the map is in the hands of a private collector. Vincent demands the collector's name and address. Back outside, Vincent tells Mary that she should have stayed in the car and Mary counters that he should have been honest with her. Back at Arq-Tech, Beatrice tells Ava that she should see Lilith. Ava is happy about her return, but isn't sure what to say to her, given that Lilith had tried to murder her. Camila approaches, saying that Lilith is asleep. Camila tells her to stay with her and Beatrice gives them the diary, saying she found a story in it that she thinks might help.

### Being different

Beatrice and Ava sit down to examine the story, which is from a Warrior Nun named Sister Melanie. The nun was imprisoned in a Nazi camp, which confuses Ava, as she doesn't understand how a nun could have been Jewish. Beatrice explains that the Nazis persecuted people for more than just that - the nun in question was gay. The story continues, with the nun encountering a Nazi officer, who asked her to dance with him. When she refused, he grabbed her wrist and saw her tattoo from the camp. She wanted him to. He sneered at her and when his friends converged on her, she drew the Divinium Sword and cut them down, but each slice was an act of hate, as the then Mother Superion had told her. She raged in their blood until the Nazi lieutenant aimed his gun at her. She couldn't reach him and she promised to put her back in the camp himself. She passed through fear, past hatred and beyond pain and the Halo emitted a blinding light and a blast unlike anything she had experienced before, melting the Nazi and everything around him. She fell back, drained, with no understanding of what caused her to summon the energy, but felt unbound, finally herself. The narrative ends.

Father Vincent continues his car trip with Shotgun Mary. He says that he tried to tell her, but he wanted to forget his past. He says that she of all people should know what it's like to have regrets. She agrees, saying that's her point. Back at Arq-Tech, Beatrice cries and Ava asks if she wants to talk about it. She replies that it's nothing, but Ava doesn't understand how it could be nothing. Beatrice calls her ignorance a downer, telling her she's managed to miss the entire point as usual. Sister Melanie tapped into something elemental, amplifying the Halo's energy. Beatrice says that Ava will need to break through her own personal pain if she wants to tap into the Halo's power. Ava asks why Beatrice's so mad at her and she replies that she isn't. She apologizes, saying that it wasn't Ava, but rather everyone but Ava. Her whole life, people have tried to make her into something she isn't, to make her acceptable. She became skilled at many things to have value despite her flaws, or what she was told were flaws. The story resonated with her because she too was punished just for being different. Ava tells her not to hate what she is, that she is beautiful as she is. Beatrice smiles and Ava says she's sorry for her pain. "Don't be", Beatrice tells her, "because now we get to tap into yours".

Vincent and Mary arrive at the target location. Mary blurts out plan for searching, but Vincent replies that they won't have time to search in such a huge place. They need the guy to take them to the map. He holds his hand out and she gives him a shotgun. They enter and find the man painting on the lawn outside of the home. Vincent points shotgun at his head and cocks it. He demands to know where the map is. The man unlocks a cabinet and presents Vincent with the map, pleading that he didn't know it was stolen. "That's why you have it locked up", retorts Mary. She unfolds the map on a table and takes a photo of it with a smartphone. The man asks now what and Vincent replies that they wait. Back at Arq-Tech, Ava meets with Lilith, who is standing outside, looking at a photo. Ava says she's glad she's back and Lilith asks if that's really so. Ava admits she doesn't know. She tells Lilith she owes her life to her, but Lilith shakes her head, saying she's one of them. She should have been fighting beside her and not against her. She asks Ava's forgiveness, but she says that she just did forgive her and that she's really glad she's not dead anymore. "You too", agrees Lilith. Back at the collector's house, Mary receives a text message from Kristian confirming that the map is the one in question. Vincent nods, saying that ends their transaction.

### The last Warrior Nun

Back at Arq-Tech, Ava gives it another try. She makes it 14 feet, but starts to get into trouble. Beatrice tells her to concentrate, that the wall is her fear and her deepest pain. She asks what's stopping Ava. Ava claims she doesn't have enough energy, but Beatrice tells her that isn't it, that it's a physical limitation, not what's in her soul. Ava replies that if she drains the Halo, she goes back to being paralyzed and Beatrice replies that this is what she's afraid of. Ava replies that what really scares her is being alone and abandoned. Beatrice promises that no matter what happened, she would always have them. Ava asks if she really means it and she says she does. Ava keeps going, and emerges through the other end - the full twenty feet. They hug. Beatrice tells her that the Halo is nearly depleted and they need to figure out how long it takes to recharge. She asks if Ava is ready for a few more tries and Ava agrees that she is. Back on the road, Vincent tells Mary of his history, a runner for drug cartels in his childhood. He was good and kept his mouth shut, getting promoted. He was intoxicated by the money, but he saw the light. He believed he found an answer in joining the OCS, that the darkness inside of him had to be a demon. The first Warrior Nun to look at him saw the truth, that he had no demon. It was only him. He tells her that he worries that even if they destroy the bones and rid the world of demons, his own darkness will remain. He tells her he never wanted her to see him like this.

At Arq-Tech, Camila plays piano on a tablet and Lilith pleads for her to stop. She quips that she takes requests and Lilith tells her she requests silence. Camila comments that she looks pale, asking how she's feeling. "Like I've been to Hell and back" replies Lilith. Camila gives her some tea, an old remedy of her mother's. Camila asks what Lilith thinks is going to happen to all of them and the OCS, but Lilith just shakes her head, saying they'll figure it out. She hears the ringing again and runs off, saying she'll be fine. She goes to a mirror, where the scratches and sores all over her face vanish before her eyes. She pants, then lifts up her shirt and opens the wound on her chest, finding something glowing inside. Vincent and Mary meet with Kristian, who tells them that he's found the Tomb of Adriel, three levels down. Vincent thanks him and he asks how they were able to find the map. "That's why I have the shotguns", answers Mary. Jillian visits her son, Michael, saying that he looks happy. He replies that it's because Ava's back. He says he feels better when she's close. She tells him she worries about him. He apologizes, but she tells him that mothers are supposed to worry. She tells him that they have news, that they found the other door. He replies that it will change everything.

Ava sleeps and has a nightmarish vision. She then finds herself inside the church at the Cat's Cradle and standing before Sister Shannon. She tells her she wishes she'd known her and Shannon replies that they all meet, eventually in this life or the next. Ava shows her the diary, saying that she left her this, and Shannon replies that she didn't leave it to her specifically, just the next Warrior Nun. She says that the Nuns' stories are short, with so much promise left unfulfilled. She tells Ava that the Halo is a burden that is too great for one person to bear. She felt alone, but found a family, who died one by one before her eyes. She sobs and Ava asks how she can help, but she falls to the ground and vanishes in a puff of smoke. Ava awakes and tells Beatrice that they need a new plan. She says that she needs to see if she can use the Halo to destroy Divinium. If she can, then she can destroy the Relic of Adriel. Vincent and Mary tell her this isn't the mission, but Ava replies that the mission is the problem, Warrior Nuns dying one after another. They have to destroy the bones: no more demons and no more Warrior Nuns. She unsheathes a knife with a divinium blade and a high-pitched ringing sounds. "I'm going to be the last Warrior Nun", she declares, holding the blade in her hand and melting it away.

## Cast

* Toya Turner as Shotgun Mary
* Thekla Reuten as Jillian Salvius
* Lorena Andrea as Sister Lilith
* Kristina Tonteri-Young as Sister Beatrice
* Tristán Ulloa as Father Vincent
* Peter De Jersey as Kristian Schaefer
* Olivia Delcán as Sister Camila
* Melina Matthews as Sister Shannon

* Lope Haydn Evans as Michael Salvius
* Victor Solé as Esteban Ruiz
* Kay Headley as Villa Owner
* Nikol Kollars as Female Lobby Guard
* Rafa Chaves as Auction Security Guard
* Guiomar Alonso as Areala
* Sinead MacInnes as Sister Crimson

## Trivia

* The Bible text means in general: The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands.” ... She commits adultery with another man -- or woman. She spends money the family does not have, or invests the family fortune foolishly in what she does not understand.