What is America?

## Episode Guide

***What is America?*** is the 1st episode of the first season of the TV series *The Purge*.

## Synopsis

Once a year, any and all crime – including murder – is legal in America for a period of 12 hours.

## Plot

### Miguel looks for his lost sister

Miguel the ex-Marine desperately searches for his sister Penelope in the hours leading up to commencement. Using compassion and intimidation as tactics in turn, he follows a lead to an abandoned hotel, where he winds up in a brawl with two bazooka-toting creeps who are holding a girl named Kaylee hostage. He frees Kaylee, and she informs him that she knows he’s looking for Penelope and where he can find her. Miguel ultimately learns that his sister has joined a cult and intends to kill herself in ritual self-sacrifice.

### Penelope prepares to meet The Invisible

Penelope -- or “Goddess Penny,” as she is known to her new peers -- is at peace under the direction of Good Leader Tavis. They are The Givers, and tonight, during the Purge, they will volunteer to be “Purged upon,” to be vessels upon which sinners will unleash their pent-up rage. Penelope will cross over to The Invisible and join her parents, who were murdered in the first Purge. As night falls, Penelope and her friends don their periwinkle robes and board a blue school bus and head out into the city.

### Rick and Jenna court the enemy

The husband-and-wife Rick and Jenna seemingly have it all: youth, beauty, intelligence, ambition, chemistry. Despite their staunch anti-Purge beliefs, they make a deal with the devil by attending a black-tie NFFA party at the Stanton mansion on Purge night, drawn by a massive business opportunity. They are uncomfortable in the pro-Purge crowd, and especially in presence of the Stantons, who give a speech toasting this “glorious” holiday.

### Jane slinks away to meet Blacka

Jane has already generated a successful career in finance, but she is still unsatisfied with her role at her firm, despite the fact that she is already in upper management. She heads into the office on the night of the Purge to helm her team on the Purge-proof 38th floor as they attempt close a deal before markets open the next morning. But that’s not all she has in store for the evening; as commencement approaches, she slinks away to the basement of her skyscraper to meet in secret with the mysterious mercenary named Blacka.

### The Purge begins

Jane hands Blacka a manila envelope filled with hundred-dollar bills; Miguel puts on night goggles and cruises slowly in his sedan, looking for Penelope, witnessing the madness -- gunfire everywhere, whippings, vehicles overturned, bodies dragged through the streets like Hector; the NFFA party activates its Purge gate and takes an odious turn that makes Rick and Jenna second-guess coming; Penelope witnesses the brutal murder of her comrade Arthur.

## Cast

### Starring

* Gabriel Chavarria as Miguel Guerrero
* Jessica Garza as Penelope Guerrero
* Amanda Warren as Jane Barbour
* Colin Woodell as Rick Betancourt
* Hannah Anderson as Jenna Betancourt
* Lili Simmons as Lila Stanton

### Guest Starring

* William Baldwin as David Ryker
* Fiona Dourif as Good Leader Tavis
* Reed Diamond as Albert Stanton
* Andrea Frankle as Ellie Stanton
* Paulina Gálvez as Catalina
* Adam Stephenson as Mark Cantoff
* Jessica Miesel as Alison
* AzMarie Livingston as Bracka
* Deneen Tyler as Lorraine Barbour
* Joe Chrest as Ross Bailes
* Jared Samuel Bankens as Asshole

### Co-Starring

* Ben Sanders as Arthur
* Jordan Salloum as Lenza
* Maddie Nichols as Kaylee
* Kent Shocknek as Reporter
* Shauna Rappold as Nurse
* Aaron Williamson as Security Officer 1
* David Kency as Security Officer 2
* August Rosenstein as Bunteen
* Todd d'Amour as Car Service Driver

### Uncredited

* Cindy Robinson as Megan Lewis (Voice)
* Rob Mars as Samuel
* Emmanuelle Nadeau as Melissa
* Madison Sparacello as Laura
* George Quinones as T-Time
* Lisa Mackel Smith as Nurse Rose
* Murtaza Ali as Male Teen
* Mackenzie Graham as Female Teen
* Alicia Davis Johnson as Walking Woman
* Shane Guilbeau as Janitor
* David Shiflett as Homeless Man
* Unknown as Boy
* Unknown as Girl with Crutches
* Unknown as Mother
* Unknown as Mask Seller
* Unknown as Stanton Mansion Security Guard
* Unknown as Butler 1
* Unknown as Butler 2
* Unknown as Elderly Party Guest