Terra Nullius

*A Man of Vision* is the sixth and final episode of the first season of *Cleverman*. It first aired on July 7th, 2016 on the ABC, and June 6th, 2016 on Sundance TV.

## Plot

Containment Authority officers have increased security around the Zone, determined to make sure no-one gets in or out without permission in preparation for Minster Matthew's plan to "cleanse" it. Inside, Maliyan is handing out guns to some of the younger hairies, including Djukara.

At home, Jarrod and Charlotte are conducting a home ultrasound; Charlotte complains that she feels "tight", but Jarrod tries to play down her worries. She decides to spend her day off shopping, but while out experiences severe pains and tries to call Illythia, but their number is no longer listed.

In the Zone, Koen heads off with Kora to try and send her home. Blair gives Kora Ash's remains, asking her to take her "somewhere beautiful".

At home, Waruu is unable to sleep on the couch. Nerida, who is with a sleeping Alinta and Latani, tells him to leave. He sticks around for breakfast, talking up the development deal with Slade, and Nerida leaves, seeking comfort from Linda. Linda goes to see Waruu, and tries to call him out for his behaviour, but Waruu turns it back on her, blaming her for not being there during his childhood and for killing his father - she was stoned while driving the car, causing the accident that killed Koen's parents and left him an orphan.

The CA makes an announcement, calling for all humans of the Zone to leave, as their "safety can no longer be guaranteed". Linda throws Blair out of her flat, then starts smashing her belongings. Matthews makes a public announcement that the Zone will be emptied, just as Waruu goes to Slade; he complains that he can't go through with his plan if Matthews cleanses the Zone. Matthews gives Waruu video footage he says can take Matthews down - but he still needs to deliver Koen for the deal to go through.

Maliyan braids Djukara's hair, part of an old hairypeople warrior tradition. Outside, a young hairyman tries to exit the Zone and is shot dead by a CA officer. Some of the kids inside don't want to leave, and neither does Alinta, who refuses to leave Latani behind. Nerida comes to get both of them, convincing Latani to come with her.

Koen and Kora arrive at the tree from Koen's visions, a place where Uncle Jimmy used to bring him. The tree is a garthering place for ancestor spirits. The two speak in their minds, Koen now able to understand the Gumbaynggirr speech. After saying goodbye, Kora lays down in the roots of the tree, and Koen places his hands on the ground and sends them back, seeing a vision of the ancestor spirit holding Kora's body before they both disappear into the tree.

In a bar, Waruu shows the footage to Belinda - it's of Matthews with Araluen. Waruu hopes this will finish him and the CA, but Belinda reveals that it's a private company - outsourced by the government and owned by a shelf company belonging to Slade. Realising he's been played, Waruu calls Koen and goes to meet him at the tree. He tells Koen everything, and says they have to stop Slade together.

In the Zone, Linda struggles to carry her belongings out of her flat, while Blair, hanging around inside, is recognised by Djukara, who chases and eventually catches him. Meanwhile Nerida has shaved down Latani and changed her hair to resemble her own, taking her and Alinta out of the back door. Linda, distraught, piles her belongings up on the lawn outside her flat.

Charlotte goes to the offices of Illythia, but they're no longer there, replaced by a different clinic who claim to have been there for five years.

Matthews brags about his plan while watching the news with Araluen; she sees Latani in the Zone and after the death is reported, she strangles him, then electrocutes Frankie with her own cattle prod and escapes, wearing a hoodie to conceal herself.

Charlotte calls Slade to talk about Illythia; he dismisses her worries, but Koen and Waruu arrive at his secret clinic and he hangs up. Charlotte collapses, sobbing and in pain on the floor. Koen attacks Slade, but Slade, strong thanks to the hairy compound, overpowers him. Waruu pulls a gun on Slade, demanding to know what's happening; Slade explains that he's been unlocking the power of the hairypeople, and offers to give that power to Waruu, calling him the true Cleverman and handing him the *nulla nulla*.

Djukara has Blair at his mercy, and Maliyan tells him to finish him off, but Djukara decides it won't solve anything and walks away. Maliyan brings him out in view of the Containment Authority officers and a crowd that includes Nerida, Alinta and Latani. Maliyan threatens to kill Blair, but Waruu - who has injected himself with the hairyperson compound - shoots Maliyan, shocking the crowd further.

In his lab, Slade takes a blood sample from Koen, saying this is all Jimmy's fault for "messing him about". Koen refuses to give him access to the Dreaming, and unleashes a telekinetic wave of power to knock Slade out and destroy much of the lab.

Waruu makes a speech to the remaining people of the Zone about their title over the Zone, but everyone is too shocked by his behaviour and demeanour to say anything. Meanwhile the Namorrodor has stalked Linda to the meeting - Waruu can see it and tries to banish it with the nulla nulla, but it overpowers him. He tries to shoot it, but it has no effect; just then Koen arrives and picks up the nulla nulla, challenging the creature himself. After a brief battle, he destroys it, sending it back to the Dreaming and proving he has finally accepted the role of the Cleverman. Blair cheers for Koen, as Waruu slinks off alone.

The next morning the hairies and remaining humans build barricades and prepare weapons to fight off the coming invasion by Containment Authority officers. Kulya runs back to the barricades, shouting that the CA is on its way; as they wait for them to come, Koen stands on the barricade holding the *nulla nulla*, hearing Kora's voice in his mind: *"Ngaluunggirr"*...

## References

* *Terra nullius* is a Latin term meaning "nobody's land". European settlers regarded Australia as *terra nullius* when they invaded the country in the 18th and 19th centuries, despite the population of Aboriginal Australians who had already lived there for tens of thousands of years.