The Closer You Get

Season 2, Episode 09

“***Avocato**: You are no son of mine!
**Little Cato**: I am your son. I am. Always will be.
**Avocato**: I will find you, and I will kill you!
**Little Cato**: You aren't my father.
**Avocato**: Neither is he!*”
―Avocato and Little Cato
**The Closer You Get** is the ninth episode of the second season of *Final Space*. It aired on August 19, 2019 on Adult Swim and August 26, 2019 on TBS.

## Plot

Gary discovers a way he may be able to communicate with Quinn; Tribore reconnects with a resistance fighter who has an ulterior motive.

## Summary

The Team Squad tries to find a way to give Avocato his memory back. Ash suggests using a method from her home planet; tie up the amnesiac and beat him with pain sticks till he remembers something. Since they don’t have those on the Crimson Light, Clarence lets the team borrow his whips. Tribore unexpectedly drops by, and gladly participates in the whipping. It actually works, and some of Avocato’s memories come back.

Tribore reveals his reason for stopping by; he picked up a signal from Quinn, which surprises Gary since she is in Final Space. The message is severely corrupted by an unknown kind of radiant energy. Clarence believes it to be a trap. Avocato remembers how Lord Commander once sought out The Order of the Twelve to learn how he could reach Final Space. He was instructed by Helper Hula to drink from something called Clearwater, which enabled him to look into Final Space. Avocato shares this information with the rest of the Team Squad. It might be a way to reach Quinn. Little Cato is upset that Avocato remembers this information, but not his own son.

The team sets a course for Kanopus Prime, where the clearwater can be found. The sight brings back a memory of Avocato’s days as the Lord Commander’s right hand, when his master ordered him to kill the entire population of the planet. A.V.A. detects bump in time on the planet’s surface, where space flows over a cliff like a waterfall. Gary will check it out, and needs backup. Avocato and Little Cato both volunteer, but both also refuse to go if the other goes. Fox forces them both to go. When Gary and the Cato’s fly over the waterfall, it sucks them down despite their jetboots. Little Cato has to be rescues by Gary.

On the Crimson Light, Clarence attempts to steal the ship back and leave Gary + the Cato’s behind, but H.U.E. zaps him with a taser. Even A.V.A. is impressed by H.U.E.’s attitude, but there is no time to enjoy it. A large fleet is approaching the planet. The crew is in uprising space. Fortunately, the fleet confronting them is led by Shannon, who is delighted to see Tribore again. She boards the Crimson Light to ask Tribore if his resistance can help the Uprising. She also confesses her love for him, but Tribore confesses that they cannot be. He changes gender every 6 months, and his two selves are in love with the other.

On the planet, Avocato instructs Gary to drink the Clearwater. Once he does, Gary finds himself in a desolate world where large, shadowy creatures order him to climb a tree made of corpses. On top, Gary finds several pools filled with screaming souls. Then a creature named Phil shows up and offers to help Gary. He has a map, and Gary can have it if he takes it out of Phil’s pocket. Gary expects a trap, but nonetheless complies and actually finds the map. The map dissolves into a glowing line that Gary has to follow. It ends at a glowing pool, in which Gary sees Quinn. But then black goo wraps itself around Gary and pulls him into the pool. When Gary breaks free, he finds himself underwater, near a gate to Final Space. Quinn is there.

Quinn warns Gary he shouldn’t have come. This is a place of death. Her point is proven by the dozens of death Gary’s floating in Final Space. Then Invictus appears. Quinn screams for Gary to leave, as Invictus reaches out for him. On the planet’s surface, the Cato’s are startled by a large flock of Vagori. They fight them off to defend the unconscious Gary. Little Cato is caught, which makes Avocato remember why he betrayed the Lord Commander (the day he was ordered to kill his own son). He thus remembers Little Cato. After freeing him, father and son can finally properly reunite. Gary tries to return to his body, but Invictus catches up with him before he gets there.

On the Crimson Light, Tribore and Shannon have a romantic dinner, with Shannon wearing a mirror over her face so Tribore is with “herself”. Dinner is interrupted however when Tribore’s ship calls. On the planet, Gary wakes up possessed by Invictus and attacks the Cato’s. The Cato’s try to subdue Gary, but Invictus made him remarkably strong. Little Cato unsuccessfully tries to snap Gary out of the possession. When after some fighting Avocato finally gets the upper hand, Invictus decides he likes Avocto’s body better and switches. Invictus then poisons Avocato’s mind with lies about how Gary turned Little Cato against him. He shoots down Gary, and Little Cato is forced to shoot Avocato to prevent him from killing Gary. In response, Avocato renounces Little Cato as his son and vows to kill him too.

Invictus disappears with his host. Little Cato takes Gary to the Crimson Light’s medbay, then collapses in despair.

## Cast

* Olan Rogers as Gary and Mooncake
* Steven Yeun as Little Cato
* Coty Galloway as Avocato
* Tika Sumpter as Nightfall and Quinn
* Vanessa Marshall as Helper Hula and Invictus
* Tom Kenny as H.U.E. and Phil
* Shannon Purser as Shannon Thunder
* Ashly Burch as Ash Graven
* Conan O'Brien as Clarence
* David Tennant as Lord Commander
* Ron Funches as Fox
* Fred Armisen as KVN
* Jane Lynch as A.V.A.

## Final Thoughts

For behind the scenes about this episode, see https://www.adultswim.com/videos/final-space/final-thoughts-s-2-e-9.

## Trivia

* Watched by 539.000 viewers when it premiered on Adult Swim.