Hair Patrol

"**Hair Patrol**" is the tenth episode of the first season of *Doom Patrol, and tenth episode overall.* It premiered on DC Universe on April 19, 2019.

## Synopsis

Vic and Rita find the mansion infiltrated by Ernest Franklin, a dangerous man called The Beard Hunter, who’s been activated by the Bureau of Normalcy to find Niles Caulder. Meanwhile, we learn the tragic love story between Caulder and an immortal woman named Slava that started Niles on the path towards the man we know today.

## Plot

In Northern Yukon Territory, 1913, Niles Caulder and a companion named Alistair work for the Bureau of Oddities. They are investigating the sighting of a horned-creature. Niles goes off on his own to relieve himself, but notices a unique footprint in the snow. Suddenly, wolves start to howl and one approaches Niles, but Alistair appears and shoots the wolf. Another wolf leaps towards Alistair's face, seemingly killing him. Niles runs away and tumbles down a hill, breaking his left leg. The wolves surround Niles once again, but disperse when an unknown sound is heard. Then, the mysterious horned-creature approaches Niles.

In West Seneca, New York, 2019, a mother yells at her son, Ernest Franklin to go to the supermarket. Ernest unwillingly travels there, and at the cash register he is ambushed by the Bureau of Normalcy. They ask Ernest to capture Niles Caulder and bring him in for questioning. A female agents refers Ernest as the Beard Hunter, who later agrees to the mission.

In 1913, Niles wakes up in a cave. He hears a creature wail and crawls away quickly, eventually discovering a dead body. He is then pulled away by an unknown entity.

In 2019, the Beard Hunter reaches Covington and finds a Jane's wanted poster searching for Niles Caulder. Meanwhile, Cliff, Larry, Rita, and Vic contemplate on how to wake up Jane, as seen in the previous episode. The Negative Spirit suddenly emerges from Larry's body and touches Cliff's head, sending him into the Underground.

In 1913, Niles wakes up in the cave near a campfire. He sees another hairy human-looking woman on the other side of the campfire and pleads with her not to harm him. He crawls closer to the woman and asks her if he can move closer to the fire. The woman becomes enraged and beats Niles, who is still on the ground due to his leg injury. She puts out the campfire and leaves.

In 2019, Vic tells Rita about gender-queer, teleporting street Danny. He gives Rita the comic book Danny supplied him with, and Rita notices a man is missing in a famous advertisement. Meanwhile, the Beard Hunter breaks into the mansion and inserts a tool down a bathroom sink. The tool pulls up some hair, which the Beard Hunter swallows completely. His head starts to distort and he passes out.

In 1913, Niles writes in his journal that he has been at the mercy of the "primitive" woman for weeks. He explains to the woman that he needs to go home and offers her to go with him. She doesn't understand, and Niles comes to the realization that he will not be allowed to leave, and angrily yells at the woman. He runs to another part of the cave and tries to dig a hole so the dead body he discovered earlier can be buried. The woman follows Niles and drags the body, urging Niles to follow her. He follows her through the woods into a circle of tall stones. On one of the stones, Niles notices a carving of a tribe. He believes she has existed within the tribe for generations, and wonders if she was graced with eternal life. She frees him of the ropes binding his hands, and allows him to burn the dead body. The woman continuously mutters "Oyewah", and closes her eyes, moving her body to mysterious rhythm. This summons the horned-creature.

In 2019, the Beard Hunter wakes up, tied to a chair, confronted by Rita and Vic. The Beard Hunter explains he is looking for Niles Caulder. The Beard Hunter asserts he is known by many names, including 'El Cazador de Barba' in Spain, a pogonophile in his psych profile, and the Beard Hunter. Rita asks why the Beard Hunter doesn't have a beard, to which he says he has a hormone disorder. He also reveals that he consumed Niles' essence when he ate Niles' hair. The Beard Hunter says knows the truth about Niles and where to find him because Niles' beard calls out to him throughout time and space.

In the 1910s, Niles and Slava walk across an icy plain. Niles suddenly falls through the ice into freezing water. He becomes ill and the woman takes care of him. Later, Niles sees the woman vomit and she then collapses. Niles believes the two of them can't survive the cold without each other; soon the two become intimate and have sex.

In 2019, the Beard Hunter is still tied to a chair and attempts to jump around, falling to his side. He sniffs the floor and inhales one of Vic's stray beard hairs. Meanwhile, Vic tells Rita they should let the Beard Hunter go and put a tracker on him. They hear a loud thud from the other room and rush to now-freed Beard Hunter. The Beard Hunter talks about Vic's past, which he learned from swallowing his facial hair, and allows the Beard Hunter to connect to Vic's brain stem. Vic attempts to shoot the Beard Hunter with his arm cannon, but his internal system stops him and says that an unknown threat was detected and their post has been compromised. Grid suddenly activates the arm cannon, which allows the Beard Hunter to escape. Vic shuts down the system using code-word "Elinore". Rita allows the Beard Hunter to leave.

In the 1910's, Niles writes in his journal about how he chooses to remain in the north. He feels liberated, and becomes more disillusioned with time. In 1916, Niles sings a song while alone in the woods. A second voice starts singing the same song, and Niles discovers it is his Alistair from the Bureau of Oddities that he was on the initial mission with. Alistair is surprised to find Niles alive. He reveals to Niles World War I is underway, and the mission of the Bureau has changed from exploration and discovery to completely exterminating the abnormal. He goes on to reveal he knows about Niles' intimate relationship with Slava, and forces Niles at gunpoint to lead him to her nest.

In 2019, Vic believes something is wrong with his system. Rita reveals she slipped the tracking device Vic gave her onto the Beard Hunter. Suddenly, Jane and Cliff return from the Underground, and the Negative Spirit returns to Larry. Jane leaves the room, and Vic asks Cliff about what happened in the Underground, but Cliff says that it is not his story to tell.

Back in 1916, Alistair says he is disappointingly-pitiful of Slava, as he believes her to only be a "hairy little troll". Niles leads his former friend Alistair across an icy plain, but suddenly the ice breaks. Niles' allows his former companion to drown in the freezing water; he then throws his journal into the water to protect anyone from finding Slava. Niles walks to a camp in the woods, where members of the Bureau are taking up shelter, and surrenders himself.

Niles returns home and lies to the Bureau, stating there is nothing abnormal in the north. In the back of the room, Mr. Nobody enters and starts loudly clapping. It turns out that Niles was reminiscing on old memories, and Mr. Nobody eavesdropped in. Mr. Nobody asks Niles to answer one question, and if Niles does, everything will go back to normal. He asks Niles, "Where is the girl?" Niles doesn't answer, leading Mr. Nobody to believe Niles' goal all along has been to protect Slava. Mr. Nobody threatens to hurt the Doom Patrol, but Niles tells Mr. Nobody they are stronger than he thinks.

In 2019, the Beard Hunter opens a door to a never-ending white staircase. He traverses downward and finds an eyeless doll in a wheelchair that looks like Niles. The doll begins to speak, confusing the Beard Hunter, and suddenly the horned-creature appears from behind. The Beard Hunter screams and drops his flashlight to the floor.

## Cast

### Starring

* Diane Guerrero as Kay Challis / Crazy Jane (archive footage)
* April Bowlby as Rita Farr
* Joivan Wade as Vic Stone / Cyborg
* Alan Tudyk as Eric Morden / Mr. Nobody
* Matt Bomer as Larry Trainor (archive voice)
* Brendan Fraser as Cliff Steele / Robotman (archive voice)

### Special appearance by

* Timothy Dalton as Doll (voice) / Dr. Niles Caulder / The Chief

### Also starring

* Riley Shanahan as Cliff Steele / Robotman (archive footage)
* Matthew Zuk as Larry Trainor (archive footage)

### Guest starring

* Tommy Snider as Ernest Franklin/Beard Hunter
* Pisay Pao as Slava

### Co-starring

* April Billingsley as Checkout Lady
* Joan Van Ark as Mrs. Franklin (voice)

## Gallery

### Videos

Doom Patrol 1x10 Promo Hair Patrol HD DC Superhero series