Chapter 08: Button

**Chapter 08: Button** is the eighth episode of the series. It is preceded by Chapter 07: Capsule, and it marks the end of Season One.

## Plot

On the morning of the Purification Ritual, startling revelations and shifting loyalties leave the fates of four candidates hanging in the balance.

## Summary

The winning candidates are woken with messages of congratulations. Fernando goes to Michele's room, where her message is jumbled and she's missing.

Ezequiel tells Fernando that Michele's room is empty and she's been eliminated. Fernando is upset and doesn't believe it. Ezequiel is asked if he didn't notice anything odd about Michele. Fernando says he didn't. As Ezequiel walks away, Fernando says he wants to quit. Ezequiel tells Fernando to come with him.

Fernando affirms that he's certain as he wheels himself around. Outside, he is told that it was a test, his own test, to check his motivation. The agent goes back inside and shuts Fernando out.

Michele is naked and being tortured with water. Ezequiel comes in and dismisses those watching her. He unties her and covers her with a blanket. He tells her they suspected her from the start because Bruna didn't fit the profile. He asks her why she wants to kill him. She won't answer him, so he asks again. She tells him he killed her brother.

A Cause member apologizes for getting eliminated, but Ivana tells him he did his best and the Cause acknowledges that. But the fight continues. He's shown pictures of other Cause members and asked if they made it to the last stage. He says he thinks Michele is still in and Rafael as well. Once he's gone, they celebrate having two people who completely the Process.

The candidates are told to proceed to the garden to go through Purification. Joana and Rafael happily go to meet the others. Rafael asks Joana if she's seen Fernando or Michele. Joana is cold to him. Cássia comes to take Joana to talk to Ezequiel.

Aline bangs on the door and begs to be freed. She wants forgiveness from Luciana, César's widow.

Ezequiel asks why Michele thinks he killed her brother. Michele says he was with the Cause. Ezequiel says that's unlikely. He says it's even more unlikely that someone he tortured and killed would post for a photo on the Offshore and shows Michele pictures of André. Ezequiel says André wasn't with the Cause and instead went to the Offshore through the first Process Ezequiel led. Michele refuses to believe it. Ezequiel asks about how she was recruited to the Cause. He knows the old man behind it all. When Ezequiel met him, he didn't wear the hood all the time. Ezequiel reveals that he was with the Cause. But he abandoned that childish ideology a long time ago. Ezequiel says there are no heroes or villains, nor equality and injustice. There are just people who have merit and those who don't. Ezequiel wants the old man and asks Michele where he is in exchange for her freedom. She says she won't say anything. Ezequiel leaves her to watch videos of her brother, happy with his wife. Michele says he wants to see her brother.

Fernando wheels around outside the gate.

Nair is upset with Ezequiel for involving her in his scheme. He tells her to stay calm. She reveals that she knows about Augusto. She says she won't support him any further. He says she's the only one he can trust, but she can't say the same and ends the call.

Luciana goes to Aline, believing she wants to apologize. Aline repeats again that she didn't kill César. Ezequiel made it up to get Aline out of the way. Luciana still believes she's lying. Aline tries to convince her of the truth.

Ezequiel speaks to the candidates prior to their Purification ritual. He tells them the vaccine will sterilize them. There are no children on the Offshore because heredity was the biggest injustice that sustained the world they lived in before. It was the Founding Couple's greatest feat. They were the first to choose not to have children and taught the others there's only one true path to a superior society and that's merit. The only way to evaluate real merit is through the Process. He tells them they're the real children of the Offshore. Anyone who would like to leave should let Bernardo know. Otherwise, they should follow the path to Purification. Once he's gone, Rafael and another candidate discuss it. The other candidate is excited about it. He starts up the path first. From a distance, Rafael can hear him being welcomed to the 3%.

Cássia tells Joana that Ezequiel will be with her soon. She's concerned about being singled out, but Cássia tells her it's a privilege. Cássia went through one of her own. Ezequiel must see a special quality in Joana.

Michele watches the video of her brother on a loop. Ezequiel comes in and she says she has to see her brother right away. Ezequiel says she has to do her part first. The old man got her into this. And now she's responsible for the death of Bruna and César. But they aren't truly her fault. She was manipulated. She just needs to tell him where she meets the old man.

Rafael listens to several other candidates go through their ritual.

Ezequiel says she can get justice against the actual villain haunting her life.

Bernando talks another candidate out of leaving. She goes to Purification.

Rafael remembers Ivana telling him he can't just think of himself.

Ezequiel tries to convince Michele to tell.

Rafael finally goes to Purification.

Michele tells Ezequiel where she was supposed to meet the old man if she got eliminated.

The old man checks the meeting location.

Rafael is welcomed by the others and vaccinated.

The old man is ambushed.

Ezequiel vaccinates Michele and welcomes her to the 3%. Anyone else in his shoes would have killed her. He didn't because he's been on her side. Only someone who has seen both sides can be certain of their convictions. He's taking her to the Offshore, where she'll go to the Recovery and Treatment Center. Every once in a while, he'll bring her brother. He asks if she knows anyone else and she says she doesn't. And he asks about any other infiltrators in the Process. She says she doesn't know of anyone else.

Rafael celebrates with the others.

Joana meets with Ezequiel. He tells her she has a final test to pass. He thinks she can be more than an ordinary citizen. He tells her the Offshore is in danger. Citizens of the Offshore must see the difference between us and them, those in the Inland. He shows her a feed of one of the men who attack her before she entered the Process. He's tied up. He was eliminated in the first interview when he entered the Process. If she pushes a button, it'll sever all ties between her in the Inland. If she pushes it, it proves she's worthy. He'll be killed painlessly. She hesitates and he tells her it's time for her to collect her reward for all her suffering. She deserves a better way of life. The man deserves to die. He encourages her to push the button. Joana thinks of everything the man did to her. She reaches out, but then says she's not a killer. Ezequiel knows that's not true. He says he never should have put his faith in her. She's too weak. She starts to cry and then laugh. She never should have listened to him. He thinks he can change everyone's mind, but he can't. He says she's trash from the Inland. She says he's the weakling. There's not even an ounce of humanity left in him. She leaves, collects her belongings, and exits to find Fernando. Joana tells him no one on that side gives a damn about anyone Inland and that won't change until someone does something about it. Joana tries to take Fernando with her, but he doesn't want to leave Michele. She tells him Michele's not coming and he agrees to leave with her.

The candidates are celebrating. Michele is led past by some agents. She makes eye contact with Rafael and gestures toward her vaccination.

Joana and Fernando stop for water and then continue on their journey. It's a rough trip, but they laugh along the way.

The candidates are all led to the transport.

Joana and Fernando arrive back at the Inland.

Cássia updates Ezequiel. They're closing up for another year. She asks him about Joana and he doesn't answer.

Aline and Michele are on the transport.

Fernando watches as his father preaches about the Founding Couple returning. He leave before his father can see him.

Augusto practices his cube puzzle.

Marco's picture is hung with the others.

Ivana looks at the pictures of Michele and Rafael.

Joana sees some Cause graffiti.

The Process is shut down for the year.

Ezequiel thinks of Julia and Joana and throws a bottle of wine at his sink. Then he sits under the flow and cries as he thinks about the events of the Process.

The candidates arrive at the Offshore.

## Trivia

* This is the first episode without any new flashbacks but with a lot of scenes from previous episodes.

## Cast

### Main Cast

* João Miguel as Ezequiel
* Bianca Comparato as Michele Santana
* Michel Gomes as Fernando Carvalho
* Rodolfo Valente as Rafael Moreira
* Vaneza Oliveira as Joana Coelho
* Rafael Lozano as Marco Alvares
* Viviane Porto as Aline

### Guest Cast

* Mel Fronckowiak as Julia
* Sérgio Mamberti as as Matheus
* Zezé Motta as as Nair
* Celso Frateschi as as Old Man

### Additional Cast

* Carlota Joaquina as
* César Gouvêa as
* Clarissa Kiste as as Luciana
* Dani Nefussi as
* Daniel Uemura as
* Danilo Mesquita as
* Dárcio De Oliveira as Antônio Carvalho
* Geraldo Rodrigues as
* Jorge Dias as
* Júlio Silvério as
* Laerte Késsimos as
* Leonardo Garcez as Daniel
* Lilian Regina as
* Luana Tanaka as Ágata
* Luciana Paes as Cássia
* Maria Gal as
* Pedro Gasparotto as Augusto
* Renan Tenca Trindade as
* Rita Batata as
* Roberta Calza as Ivana
* Rogério Brito as
* Teka Romualdo as
* Thiago Amaral as Álvaro

### English Dubbing Cast

* Cherami Leigh Kuehn as Aline
* David Keefir as Álvaro
* Jay Everett as Antônio Carvalho
* Jay Kasten as Bernardo
* Sarah H. Fairbrook as Cássia
* Chris Smith as Ezequiel
* Sean Johnson as Fernando
* Ki-Ki Fab as Joana
* Sabrina Weisz as Luciana
* Alfred Thor as Mateus
* Bianca Comparato as Michele
* Carol Dennis-Dylan as Nair
* Jay Preston as Rafael
* Stephanie Thomas as Teresa

*Additional Voices*

* Nadia Duggin
* Bill Kametz
* Marianne Miller
* Christopher Niosi
* Laura Post
* Rachel Rigg
* Cindy Robinson
* Kid Robot
* Kaiji Tang
* Kirk Thornton
* Shayla Micole Williams