Andan's Run

(Act III, Video 15)

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## Overview

Andan's Run is the fifteenth and final episode of not just Act III, but the entire first season of Dad. This episode brings everything together, as new storylines develop and old ones reach their turning points. It's the 63rd episode overall, clocking in at a movie length of 1 hour and 14 minutes.

## Plot

Immediately after the events of Dad Elucidated, Andan goes on the run. Drones search for him and holographic wanted posters appear across the city. Andan runs off into the distance, uncertain of where to go.

In 2017, Cheryl continues revealing what she's done to Malvin, who is still confused by all of it. Cheryl tells him that there's something he needs to guard, that something presumably being inside of his shed. She then reveals to him that she believes that their lost daughter, Lucia, is somehow on Andan's planet; Kepler 22B.

In the present day, Scarlett continues her plan. She plans on becoming, or at least pretending to be human, by constructing an android body from parts at Bardo Industries.

Dadbot A7M2 feels that the day has finally come. He opens the gift Crothers gave him way back on Father's Day 2019. It's revealed to be another sledgehammer with incredible quantum power; the Quantum Sledge. Dad holds the tool, now closer than ever to becoming the Quantum Father. Crothers appears, stating Dad must build a shed in order to unlock the hammer's full powers.

Malvin is frustrated that his attempts to break Dad and Cheryl apart have failed. Despite getting tensions to rise with the Dad Magazine and the heavily influencing romance novel, they're still together. Lazlo, the robot popstar, walks by and Malvin tries to get her to break into the Server and leave something for the Dad family. Lazlo denies him and insults his shed in the process. Malvin threatens her and Lazlo leaves. Malvin decides that he has to kill Dad himself.

Dadbot A7M2 has not built the shed, due to being busy at Company. He kicks his feet up to relax and watch another episode of Walker Texas Ranger, unaware that a spooky ghost girl is watching him. He falls asleep, and has a dream that he's a super crime-fighting vigilante that cracks endless dad jokes, taking down crime guys that work for the evil Drug Man. This epic TV program is titled, "Dadass" Cheryl wakes Dad up and they head to bed. Cheryl, once again, feels attached to this fantasy life, despite it not being real. A commercial for the gossip show, "Town Talk," hosted by Cathy Prince, plays, mentioning Dad's RealiTEA video on the cult trying to expose him.

Sometime after the intro sequence, Andan stops to rest after his constant running. He looks in the dumpster, and notices some clothes. These clothes are what he eventually wears in Dad Feels Aevum, revealing this scene takes place before then. As Andan leaves the town, he is stopped by a strange man, who reveals he knows everything about him. This man states that he was the one who invented FOOD and embedded the brainwashing coding inside the cans, that he worked on the OVA program, which got cancelled for the AELPHA program, and that he was also the one that crash landed Andan on the planet.

Andan is understandably frustrated, but the man calms him down. The man states that he used to work for Cheryl, but was fired by her, despite everything he's done for her. As a result, he wants revenge and to make her miserable, which is why he willingly lets Andan go free, giving him a car to ride in as well. As long as Andan is gone, Cheryl's plans are in disarray. He also displays regret over his actions of roping Andan into this mess. The man reveals Cheryl's true motives, stating that her daughter, Lucia went missing and was never seen again. Cheryl believes that she died and was reincarnated, but wasn't able to find any trace of her on Earth, due to there being no signs of anyone that shares Cheryl's firmament, or spiritual essence. Lucia was either reborn on Planet 9 or Kepler 22B, planets that are capable of hosting human life.

Cheryl is in the process of reaching Planet 9, but Kepler 22B is too far away, hence why she jumped on the opportunity to steal Andan's ship. Andan feels a hint of sympathy towards Cheryl's loss, but ultimately feels indifferent and spiteful after Cheryl's left him trapped on Earth. He makes his way out of the town. The man calls someone, his voice changing into a computerized filter. This man, this engineer who was formerly aligned with Cheryl, is revealed to be the Computer Master.

Back in 2017, more information is revealed. Cheryl states that she just wanted to teleport onto the ship, but due to the orbs still being imperfect, an error occurred, causing the crash. She then recaps everything that happened with Nathan, having failed to manipulate him and sending him back in time to keep him quiet. Time is limited, because once Lucia's new incarnation turns 10, any repressed memories of her previous life will disappear. Malvin, despite everything, agrees to help her.

In the present, Malvin's patience has run out. He's fed up with everything. Cheryl appears, interrogating him for the incident that happened in The End, with Dadbot 222 and Griffin being found deactivated. Malvin simply states that he's "taking care of it." Malvin chops a piece of wood violently. Cheryl, perturbed, leaves Malvin be, as he begins to maniacally laugh, ready to get rid of Dad.

Emily Ridley has made her way to a town. She tries to get new parts to repair her coagitor and contact Andan, heading to True Value.

A commercial for Durk's Discount Tools plays on Dad's TV. Durk Squell advertises his poorly made items for an expensive price.

Andan, who is miles away from civilization, arrives at a giant satellite, in an attempt to contact his beloved Ella. Instead, he comes in contact with Nila. She reveals that Andan is special, having a high concentration of OA; atoms from the beginning of the universes. Having these special atoms inside of him allow him to have more natural endurance and strength, hence explaining Dad's feats of dancing for hours on end. This also causes him to constantly reincarnate, with Andan being his 81st life. It's also revealed that Nathan is one of his previous incarnations. Nila states that once he returns home, he has a big destiny ahead of him, alongside the many others with OA inside of them. Nila tells Andan that his coagitor is in the glove box of his car, presumably being placed there by the Computer Master. Before Nila leaves, Andan asks how he can reach Ella. She states that he has to listen to her with his soul. Andan continues his road trip to nowhere.

Durk watches Dad's channel trailer. Due to his poor financial conditions, Durk decides to hijack Dad's life to get some free cash, pulling off one of his biggest scams.

Scarlett continues constructing her new body, grabbing one of her arms. The process is near completion.

Dadbot A7M2 admires his quantum sledge, only for Maeve to show up. She reintroduces herself as the ghost found on the Queen Mary Ship during a Beyond Worlds livestream. She's hiding in Dad's house due to people hunting her down. However, Dad is the only person who can see her, since he became Quantum. Being Quantum allows Dad to sense life beyond his current reality, including the afterlife. Maeve disappears, and Dad comes face to face with the people hunting her; Birg and Girg. They hold their pickaxe and shovel to Dad's neck and laugh sinisterly. Dad's in quite the predicament.

Emily Ridley, with help from Crothers, is able to repair her coagitor. She reaches out and contacts Andan, who has his own.

Elsewhere, in the Town USA High School, Jasleiney Gomez tries to blend in until Maeve is caught. She hangs out with the new Thrash Teacher and meets Lazlo. She spreads gossip about Daughter and Griffin, with Lazlo mentioning the cult following Dad around. The fact that the cult she's working for is known to the general public because of the RealiTEA video Dad made, makes Jasleiney nervous.

Andan and Emily reunite, contacting each other over their coagitors. Emily states that the ship they came in was destroyed, and cloaked so no one could find it. Both of them could instantly return to Kepler at the press of a button on their coagitors, but it would cause them to rapidly age by around 22 years. Andan decides to stay behind and find another way back, not wanting to be older than Ella, while Emily makes the jump back home, aging herself up in the process.

Scarlett has completed her new humanoid form, leaving the Server shut off. Cheryl attempts to restart the Server. She's successful, but it's a completely new one without the old one's memories. Believing that the Server was stolen, she goes on to activate the AELPHA program.

Andan, going about his new plan on getting home, stops in the middle of the desert. He decides to make another attempt to contact Ella. He succeeds, collapsing to the ground dramatically in the process. Ella reveals that Andan had been gone for 2 months in Kepler time, translating to a couple years on Earth. Andan reassures Ella that he has a plan on getting home, stating that he misses and loves her. Ella states that she'll come to Earth herself if Andan doesn't make it. The two depart, with Andan being hesitant on his new plan, but it still needs to be done.

Cheryl intervenes after Birg and Girg threaten Dad, allowing the two to search for Maeve. While they don't actually find her, they mention that they're working for a certain "party."

Andan arrives, shaving his beard. Andan runs back to where he started; the Top Secret Facility and Town USA, in an attempt to find the Quantum Sledge.

Cheryl activates the AELPHA program. AELPHA runs a diagnostic test, exercising and flexing his muscles. Cheryl implants files from the Server into him, using him as a safety gate. The two also get into an argument about removing letters in the word "affirmative," and whether it saves or wastes time.

Dadbot A7M2 is distraught over killing Marty, after being told about it by the Discord Server. Maeve appears, stating that he'll tell Marty that he's sorry. She then reveals that Birg and Girg are working for the Dark Party, the cult of YouTube investigators who are seeking Maeve to extract her firmament for an unknown purpose. Dad goes out to try and take care of the Dark Party, only to immediately forget. He's sideswiped by Durk, who pretends to be Dad's brother.

Malvin waits in Big Park for Dadbot A7M2 to walk home from Company, so he can kill him.

Andan arrives in Dad's Home, perplexed as to why Durk is in the house. He's able to find the Quantum Sledge while Dadbot A7M2 isn't home. He disguises himself as Dad once again, so people will believe he's one of the bots.

Jasleiney meets up with Birg and Girg, who weren't able to find Maeve. Despite failing at their assignment, Jasleiney still pays the two henchmen. Inside a Mind and Nexpo, in Dark Party cult robes, chastise Jasleiney for her failings. Maeve will be able to pass on to the afterlife and her firmament won't be able to be harvested for the Dark Party's continued existence. Jasleiney vows to sharpen her skills and leaves. Jamie and Nexpo vanish, riding away on their scooters.

Carl, who saw everything, takes notes of all the things he's gathered so far. Since he's watched and analyzed all of Dad's videos, he's able to come with possible theories as to what's next. Dad himself is the least sus out of everyone, and is just an average regular guy. Carl takes note to keep an eye on the likes of Cheryl, the Computer Master and the Dark Party, as all of these looming threats continue their respective plans. Carl heads out, shredding away on a skateboard.

The Computer Master is revealed to have been watching the events of the Dark Party unfold, now aware that Carl is onto him. He flexes his superior intelligence, ensuring that he will get revenge on Cheryl for firing him. He then plays a modded Crazy Taxi for computers.

Andan is able to build the shed Crothers mentioned, putting the quantum sledge inside. This allows the energy to be fully unlocked and Andan becomes Quantum, his atoms being supercharged. Andan's plan has seemingly worked, as he boldly states that he will return home.

Another commercial for Cathy Prince's "Town Talk" plays on Dad's TV, as she plans on investigating Maeve, who was murdered by someone in Town USA.

Andan runs into Malvin, who mistakes him for Dadbot A7M2. While Andan doesn't have time to deal with him, Malvin doesn't care. Malvin is sick and tired of Cheryl, and is livid on the fact that she actually got emotionally attached to Dad. She was perfectly aware that Dad was just a brainwashed Andan, that Daughter was a robot, and that the life she was living was never real. She created Dad solely to fund her research, yet she deluded herself in this fantasy. Malvin goes on an all out roast session, stating his hatred towards the Dad channel, his music, his videos and even stating that Dad was never an alternate reality game. Despite the fact that he is no longer Dad, Andan is angry. He charges up the Quantum Sledge, launching Malvin all the way out of Town USA.

Andan, using his coagitor, teleports to the site of the crashed ship. With his newly acquired super-charged quantum atoms, Andan will be able to preserve his current state of being when he makes the jump to Kepler using the coagitor, not being affected or rapidly aged up. He says his final goodbyes to Earth and makes the jump. Andan successfully escapes Earth and is back on Kepler 22B. But, he drops his ship fob in the process.

AELPHA, who had tracked Andan's coordinates, finds the ship fob, reporting to Cheryl that Andan has left Earth.

After a brief True Value commercial on Dad's TV, a teenage girl is shown vlogging. She wonders when her famous Instagram influencer mom is coming back from Bora Bora. Diane said that she was heading to Bora Bora for Instagram travelling. This reveals that this teenage girl is Diane's Daughter, Dad's second child.

Dadbot A7M2 returns from work, noticing his Quantum Sledge left out in the open. Andan had left it behind. With the hammer now fully charged, Dadbot A7M2 also unlocks his powers and truly becomes 100% Quantum.

Malvin has survived Andan's quantum blast, having landed all the way in Alaska. Malvin's private parts are severely blazed.

The scene changes throughout many different locations across the Dad series, looking back on everything that's happened. These locations include,

* Dad's living room.
* Small Park.
* Company workplace.
* Dad's dinner table.
* The Cube room.
* Another park, along with Marty, dead on the ground.
* Another part of the living room, with Daughter trashed.
* The high school.
* Dad's closet.
* Big Park, with Griffin and the Client trashed.
* Another part of the living room with the TV.
* Bora Bora (Diane's jacket can be found sitting on a bag)
* True Value
* Malvin's shed.
* Nathan, who sits up and is revealed to be still alive.

During this montage, Maeve passes on to the afterlife, Durk steals Crothers' lunch, but he's fine with it, and finally, Andan is reunited with Ella back home, alongside an older Emily. Cheryl uses Andan's ship fib to decloak the destroyed ship. Off-screen, she fully repairs the ship. She leaves Earth and arrives on Kepler 22B, beginning her search for Lucia.

Back on Earth, Scarlett has taken control of Top Secret Facility. Dadbot A7M2 is now her husband, and the newly restarted Server is their baby.

In a secret scene that's shown after a fake outro endscreen, it's revealed that Dadbot 69 is still alive. He survived his overload two episodes earlier, with a key robot part bursting out of his head. Dad feels different, and seems more human. He contemplates going home, or returning to work, but decides to simply wander, walking in a random direction. His whereabouts, and what he'll do from here, remain unknown.

## Trivia

* This episode jumps back and fourth in time. As a result, several Cheryl scenes appear seemingly out of order. Cheryl activates AELPHA at the 12 minute mark, and we don't see that point in time again until the 45 minute mark.
* This episode reveals the identity of Computer Master, played by VSauce.
	+ He mentions "the OVA program," marking the first time the spin-off/prequel series OVA is mentioned in Dad's Life.
* Dad finally opens the gift from Crothers, which he received way back in 2019.
* Dad reaching 100K subscribers and going quantum is integrated into the story through the quantum sledge.
* The Dark Party and the RealiTEA videos are fully integrated into Dad's Life, with the cult being revealed to be actually real all along.
* This episode introduces the concept of reincarnation in the Dad lore.
	+ Dad states that when a person has lived over a 100 lives, they ascend and reach true enlightenment. Nila has reached this state of existence.
	+ The Dark Party appears to be harnessing firmament, or spiritual essence, in an attempt to live more lives.
	+ Nathan and Andan being incarnations of each other is the explanation as to why they look the same.
* Malvin is thrown to Alaska near the end of the episode, and it's implied he remains trapped there in videos such as the song "Melt."
* Strangely, when Cheryl interrogates Malvin about the incident during The End, he doesn't outright deny being there. He even states that he's "taking care of it," implying he did have a part to play in the massacre, and he wasn't framed by Dadbot 69.
* In a tragic twist, Malvin gets left behind on Earth and trapped in Alaska, while Cheryl leaves Earth and arrives on Kepler, despite Malvin helping her. Malvin also wanted to find Lucia as well, yet he was abandoned.
* It's stated in the post-episode livestream that Cheryl most likely used one of the orbs to repair Andan's ship.
* The Scarlett Upgrade was not only for the server, but the entire town as well, since the school's curriculum had changed as well.
* Computer Master calls an unknown person during the flashback with Andan, stating they have some sort of deal. It's unclear who this client is and what Computer Master is offering, although this may have something to do with MILA and the HUMAN parasite.
* Computer Master swore revenge on Cheryl, but at the end of the episode, she left the planet. And it's stated Earth's technology isn't advanced enough to reach Kepler. So it's unclear where he'll go from here now that the person he was after is now gone.
* The Server being restarted by Cheryl somehow created a new, baby version of the Server.
* With the introduction of Cubey and Scarlett, this means that Dad now has had three different families with three different women.
* A good chunk of the episode was shot pre-pandemic.
* It's revealed that 3 acts = 1 season, with this episode serving as the season finale.