Boxed In

**boXed in** is the fifth episode of the first season of *The Gifted*. It is the fifth episode of the series overall.

## Synopsis

**SENTINEL SERVICES CLOSES IN ON THE MUTANT UNDERGROUND** — Motivated by a tragic event from his past, Jace throws all the power of the Sentinel Services into finding the Mutant Underground  Way Station. Meanwhile, Blink's vivid dreams lead her to confront Dreamer.

## Plot

**SPOILERS AHEAD**

Four years ago on July 15th, in Dallas, Texas, Jace takes his wife Paula and daughter Grace to the park for an evening out. Apparently, Jace was merely a Dallas police officer back then. In the middle of their family outing, there is a mutants rights march in progress. Duty sergeant asked if he wanted to do crowd control at City Hall, but Jace told him that he promised his girls a picnic. Jace and Paula become concerned when mutant abilities begin to manifest at the march. They decide to leave before things get out of hand. Unfortunately, they are too late. As Jace attempts to retrieve Grace from the merry-go-round, a red blast of energy is released, killing Grace, along with many others.

Present day, Agent Turner and Agent Weeks track down the escapees from the prison transport. They pulled the GPS tracker on the Sentinel Services vehicle they stole, which is headed north on 23 towards Druid Hills. Agent Turner instructs his fellow agents to reroute all tactical units and to get a drone in the air because the mutants will be ditching the car the first chance they get.

Thunderbird, Eclipse, Polaris, Caitlin and Reed pull into their rendezvous point; an abandoned lot. Reed thanks Eclipse for saving him despite having no obligation to, but Eclipse is more concerned with getting out of the open. While Caitlin and Reed embrace after being apart, Polaris, Eclipse and Thunderbird retrieve the untraceable getaway cars they had left nearby. Thunderbird stops to explain that Pulse was responsible for them losing their powers at the warehouse district. Polaris and Eclipse are in disbelief as they were all under the impression that he died two years ago at the relocation facility. Furthermore, he hated Sentinel Services. He protected all his people from them in Macon, which as Thunderbird informs them, is a station that had been recently raided. Thunderbird then hears an incoming Sentinel Services drone. Eclipse and Polaris volunteer to draw it away while Thunderbird, Caitlin and Reed head back to Headquarters.

Polaris and Eclipse draw the drone away as planned though they struggle with taking it down. Polaris attempts to reach it on her own but it is out of range. When Eclipse discovers that it's above the car, Polaris pulls off the rear view mirror and levitates it just outside the car. Marcos then shoots his sunbeams at it, which reflects off the mirror and destroys the drone. Polaris and Eclipse then express how much they love one another and share a kiss.

Unfortunately, Agent Turner and Weeks are alerted when the drone is destroyed. They lock in it's last known location and call in units for every intersection within a 10 mile radius. If they're smart, Eclipse and Polaris going to take the side roads to head for the interstate. So Agent Turner hopes to cut them off.

Thunderbird arrives at Headquarters with Reed and Caitlin to find the station crowded with new arrivals. He asks Shatter what's going on, but Shatter only redirects him to Sage. Caitlin informs Reed that they are at the Underground station and that they're room is downstairs. Reed wonders about their previous plan to go to Mexico. Caitlin explains that they could never leave him behind. Reed then calls out Andy and Lauren, and they come together as a family.

From Sage, John learns that Sentinel Services hit back soon after they hit the convoy. They raided every place they even suspected of being mutant sympathizers, with no warrants. Sentinel Services is out for blood. The Underground has their hands full and they can't even consider moving anyone with the heat Sentinel Services is applying. All they can do now is continue to man the scanners and keep their people off the grid. They need to keep listening because if anything turns up on the radio, they have to know about it.

Lauren tells Caitlin and Reed that Sentinel Services shot Harry while they were attacking the convoy. Though they are doing everything they can to help him, he is still in bad shape. Fade notices Reed at the station and immediately attacks him for what he did in almost leading Sentinel Services to Headquarters. Fade and Reed exchange blows before the fight is broken up by John. Fade then reveals that the last time he and Reed crossed paths, Reed was working for Sentinel Services.

Meanwhile, Agent Turner and Agent Weeks set up a roadblock where they believe Eclipse and Polaris' will travel. Turner wants three more units in the position. Based on the drones last location, they know the mutants are near. As for the other roadblocks, every route in a 20 mile perimeter is secure and they have reinforcement coming. Agent Turner orders Weeks to double whatever they got as he doesn't want to take any chances. He then gets a call from his wife Paula. She's calling to check in as she thought his transfer was going to be done by noon. Unfortunately, they have an issue that he couldn't talk with her about. But they have some clean up to do. He promises to come home once the job is done.

Back at HQ, John urges everyone to calm down so that Reed can explain himself though Fade is irate. Lauren explains that while her father used to prosecute mutants, he stood up to Sentinel Services after learning that she and her brother are mutants. Reed admits to wearing a tracker into Fade's bar. He was doing what he had to do to get back to his family. But he realized that what he was doing was wrong, which is why he stopped. Meanwhile, Harry condition worsens as he can be heard groaning in pain throughout the station. Leading Caitlin, Andy and Lauren to take action while Reed tries to make amends.

Caitlin joins Clarice in the vault as she applies pressure to Harry's wounds. Caitlin takes a look at his wounds before instructing Clarice to get her clean gauze and painkillers. Dilaudid, fentanyl, even codeine. Despite Caitlin's efforts, the Struckers are starting to draw a lot of attention. Andy notes how they are being looked at and with that believes that it's time for them to leave the station. Rather than running, Lauren suggests gaining the Underground's trust. Caitlin then calls Andy and Lauren over for help in treating Harry.

Shatter tracks Sonya down to the supply room to tells her that the station had been talking about Reed and they weren't so sure that they want him there. Should the time arise when he becomes an unwelcome guest, they're going to need Sonya to make him forget the station and everyone in it. Sonya agrees, but only if John commands it. But Shatter seems determined to get Reed out with or without John's authorization. Clarice, also in the supply closet, hears the entire discussion. She inquires about Sonya's powers. Sonya explains that sometimes she manipulates memories for security purposes. Nonetheless, Clarice begins to suspect that her memories have been tampered with.

John hopes that Reed and Fade can come to an understanding but that seems like the least likely scenario at the moment as Fade doesn't trust him after he nearly led Sentinel Services to the station. Reed reasons that his own children are mutants and that he would never endanger the one place protecting them. The tension between the two only seems to grow, and before John can do anything to solve it, Sage calls him back into the monitoring cells after picking something up on the scanners.

Until a few minutes ago, the radios were going wild with activity, but it suddenly stopped. Now, a traffic stop is being called in. Before that, a drunk and disorderly by the freeway. But there's no word on the manhunt, leaving Sage to conclude that the police have given up, though Reed is unconvinced. He offers to help as he used to work similar manhunts, and therefore knows the protocol. Dispatch calls in all units for a petty theft. So Reed asks for a map, marking on it the last three calls; a burglary in Stratford, lewd conduct at a bar in Hapeville, and a 586 in Glen Haven. They sent multiple units to all of three places, which means that they know the Underground is listening. So they have resorted to speaking in code. While Sentinel Services searched for Eclipse and Polaris, Atlanta PD is tightening a net, working a grid, looking for the Underground.

Back on the road, Eclipse and Polaris seem to be in the clear. Eclipse takes this time to address the fact that Polaris is pregnant. While she had been through a lot, the baby seems okay. She can feel it in a similar fashion to feeling metal or electricity. Eclipse asks if she's happy. Polaris tells him that she thought a lot about bringing a baby like theirs into the world they currently live in. As for Eclipse, he can't wait to be a father. As their hands touch, just like before, they create a small aurora borealis. If it's a girl, Polaris decides on calling her "Aurora" in reference to the aurora borealis they create when they touch. Eclipse suggests "Rory" if their child is in fact a boy, but she laughs hysterically and decides against it.

At the roadblock, Agent Turner wonders where his other units are that he called in over 20 minutes ago. Agent Weeks tells him that the Deputy director rerouted some units to expand the search, which frustrates Turner as he's certain that Eclipse and Polaris are headed in their direction. As it turns out, he is correct. Eclipse and Polaris spot the roadblock. While he wants to find another route, Polaris suggests that they he keep going. She takes control of the car and proceeds towards the roadblock in high speed before abruptly stopping and getting out the car. She makes quick work of the two agent backing Turner before disarming him of his gun and kidnapping him.

Polaris and Eclipse take Agent Turner to an abandoned warehouse, where she places him up against a wall and magnetically wraps rebar around his neck, giving Agent Turner a collar of his own. She tightens it to the point where he can just barely breathe. Eclipse begins to worry what will follow with them abducting a Sentinel Services agent. However, Polaris seizes the opportunity to figure out what they did to Pulse. If they've found a way to turn mutants against each other, then the Underground won't stand a chance. Polaris reminds Eclipse that Pulse was John's best friend. If they can turn him, then they can turn anyone. As further reassurance, Polaris informs Eclipse that they were going to try to turn her.

Back at Headquarters, Caitlin, Andy and Lauren continue their efforts to save Harry. Unfortunately, they are running out of supplies and what they truly need to possibly save Harry's life is actual blood, during which time Andy offers to donate his blood given that he he is 0-negative, a universal donor. Caitlin then begins the transfusion.

While listening to the scanners, John contemplates evacuating the station. Sage however advises him against such actions given that any identifiable mutants leaving the Underground will be apprehended before they are out of city limits. Since they are looking for fugitives, Reed suggests that he go out there to draw them away from Headquarters by making it seems as if they are in a different direction. Reed explains that Sentinel Services made an educated guess about the direction they went in, so if they were to see Reed anywhere in the opposite direction, they would assume that he is going to 85 South, toward Alabama, and they would redirect the search that way. But as Sage points out, if he gets caught, they will arrest and interrogate him, thus compromising the station. Maybe there is a way we could avoid that, John states, as he looks over to Fade.

Eclipse demands to know why Pulse was working the convoy. Agent Turner reasons that not all mutants are terrorist, but they aren't buying it considering Sentinel Services shot Pulse. When Polaris accuses them of committing genocide, Agent Turner tells them that his action stem from July 15th. But as Eclipse points out, that was the action of a few mutants, not all mutants despite political claims. People died on both sides. But nobody had to die as far as Turner is concerned. He's not going to apologize for trying to stop mutant violent, but Eclipse questions how he can fight violence with more violence. 7/15 started out as a peaceful protest. Little did Eclipse and Polaris know that the peaceful protest killed Turner's daughter. She was 7. Barely even knew what a mutant was. Polaris calls Eclipse over to remind him that they must remain focused. 7/15 changed the world. Thousands dead. Relentless mutant persecution all across the country. They are fighting for every mutant that can be turned into a weapon. Which Eclipse agrees is a fight worth fighting but he doesn't think Agent Turner will provide them with any useful information. So Polaris decides to take the information from him. They call Sonya to inform her that they kidnapped Agent Turner and that they needed her help.

John asks Fade if he can help save the station, informing him that Reed will lure the cops in the wrong direction, and that all he has to do is be the getaway driver. Fade is hesitant to sign on, as it means working with Reed. John explains that Harry took a bullet in the gut while saving Reed because he is that important to their mission. After telling Fade that he is going to do what is commanded of him, John tells Reed to say goodbye to his family as he's leaving in five minutes.

Reed says his goodbyes to Caitlin who isn't pleased that he's leaving after they just got him back. But Reed explains that he has to do this to lure the police away as there is nowhere else to go. The Underground needed to know what side he is on, so this is his chance to make it right. Reed gives Caitlin a kiss and tells her to tell the kids that he'll be back by dinner. Caitlin returns to the vault to find that Harry's condition is worsening. They can no longer postpone removing the bullet.

Agent Turner tells Polaris that she's in enough trouble as it is. Adding the kidnapping of a federal agent will only make things worse. Their only move is to let him go and hope for the best. Polaris makes him a deal. She'll let him go if he tells them the truth about Pulse and the secret detention facilities. They're only kept secret to protect them from people like Polaris and Eclipse. They keep dangerous mutants off the streets, Agent Turner claims. However, he has no intentions of telling them what was done to Pulse. Although, that's what they have Dreamer for, who arrives with Blink via portal soon thereafter. Unfortunately, just behind them is Sentinel Services and Atlanta PD, who demand they surrender.

Reed and Fade pull up to an intersection downtown where the traffic cameras are hooked into the district police station. Once he's spotted, it'll send the cops away from the Mutant Underground. The plan is for them to reconvene in two blocks on Elm. In his prison overalls, Reed walks down the street hoping to gain the attention of the people around him. John and Sage monitor the scanners for the call to come in of Reed. Before long, dispatch makes the call, which results in the search being redirected, as theorized. While they are clear, Reed still needed to get out of site. So John tells Sage to text Reed's phone.

While Caitlin is far from being a surgeon, she has no other choice but to perform the operation. Caitlin tells Lauren to keep pressure on the entry wound while she makes a midline incision to remove the bullet, which had been lodged fairly deep. Caitlin, equipped with a scalpel, slices Harry's stomach open wide. After removing the bullet, Harry begins to bleed profusely. He is hemorrhaging, meaning that an artery must have been cut. Unfortunately, Caitlin isn't capable of stopping the bleeding without a cross-clamp. Lauren suspects that she may be able to stop the bleeding with one of her shields so she asks her mother to show her where the nicked artery is located. After getting the shield in place, Caitlin sews Harry up while Lauren continues to apply pressure via her shield. Thankfully, it seems as if all their efforts have paid off, as Harry will survive. In the process of saving him, they have also earned the trust of the refugees who quietly observe from afar.

Reed arrives on Elm street only to find that Fade isn't where he said he would be. He runs into an alleyway as the police approach him and open fire. While running, Reed bumps into the car, which Fade had made invisible. Reed hops in and the two of them flee the scene.

Elsewhere, Sentinel Services surround the warehouse where Polaris, Eclipse, Blink and Dreamer are holding Agent Turner hostage. Agent Weeks arrives on the scene and prepares the agents to breach the warehouse. Noticing that they're about to move in, Eclipse asks Blink if she can portal them out when the time comes. She replies "maybe", as it's a bit more taxing tearing holes into space than it is for him to light up. Agent Turner warns Dreamer as she approaches that using her powers on him is an assault against a federal officer. "Don't worry handsome, you won't feel a thing", Dreamer replies as she exhales pink smoke into his face. With Sentinel Services moving in, Polaris buys Dreamer more time by launching rebar out the window at the agents, forcing them to momentarily retreat. While looking through his memories, Dreamer sees his most recent encounters with Polaris, as well as his memories involving a courthouse, the same symbol John saw on Pulse, and a group of mutant files, one of which was titled "Hound". Unfortunately, with Sentinel Service moments away from invading the warehouse after throwing in tear gas, Dreamer is ripped away from Agent Turner before she can restore his memories, leaving him in a state of pain and confusion.

Back at Headquarters, Sonya drew several well detailed illustrations of what she can recall seeing in Agent Turner's mind. It was hazy, but Turner definitely knew Pulse. There was a building, documents, and a logo. While Reed is just as unfamiliar with the logo as her, John remembers seeing it branded on Pulse's arm. Fortunately, Reed does recognize one of Sonya's drawings. He identifies it as being the Baton Rouge Federal Building. Some people he prosecuted were transferred there, but they disappeared soon thereafter.

Reed returns from his mission with Fade just as Caitlin is preparing dinner for the kids. All four of them sit around the table, enjoying their first meal together as a family in quite some time. Andy asks what is next for them, if they are still going to Mexico since that was the initial plan. However, they won't be leaving the station anytime soon given that it's still unsafe to travel due to the heavy police presence. Reed had also been talking to some of the people around the station who have questions about Sentinel Services, which he can help them with. So, for the time being, they will remain at the Underground, especially considering that they could use all the help they could get.

After watching what Sonya did to Agent Turner, Clarice works up the courage to confront Sonya over her suspicions, directly asking if her memories have been manipulated. Clarice remembers a conversation that they began to have last week. However, she can no longer remember the conversation, and now she can't go ten minutes without a memory of her and John surfacing. Sonya confesses to placing the memory in Clarice's head. She explains that her actions were to save John and the others, who were in danger because Clarice was unable to use her powers as they needed her to. So, Sonya forged a connection between her and John in order to anchor her abilities. Clarice is furious at Sonya as she had no right to violate her. What Sonya did was wrong, and now Clarice has to live with the memory of loving someone she barely knows, someone who doesn't love her back. Sonya offers to remove the memory, but oddly enough, Clarice chooses to keep it, simply telling Sonya to stay away from her.

Jace returns home from work and is greeted by Paula. She was worried but they wouldn't allow her to see him. Jace explains that he was being debrief, but he insists that he is fine. He then gives Paula a kiss and asks if Grace waited up for him. Apparently, when Dreamer left him in a state of pain and confusion after failing to restore his memories, it would seem that she stripped him of the memory of Grace's death. Paula soon realizes this and questions what was done to him. She tells Jace that they lost Grace four years ago during the 7/15 incident. Jace breaks down after hearing that Grace is dead.

## Cast

* Amy Acker as Caitlin Strucker
* Sean Teale as Eclipse/Marcos Diaz
* Natalie Alyn Lind as Lauren Strucker
* Percy Hynes White as Andy Strucker
* Coby Bell as Jace Turner
* Jamie Chung as Blink/Clarice Fong aka Clarice Ferguson
* Blair Redford as Thunderbird/John Proudstar
* Emma Dumont as Polaris/Lorna Dane
* Frances Turner as Paula Turner
* Jeff Daniel Phillips as Fade

Co-starring* Courtney Dietz as Angry Girl Mutant
* D James Jones as Trader
* Will Jones as Cop #1
* Hayley Lovitt as Sage
* Jaxon Rose Moore as Grace Turner
* Joe Nemmers as Agent Weeks
* Jermaine Rivers as Shatter
* Brooke Jaye Cornwell as SS Tactical Commander

## Trivia

* The team uses a truck labeled "Claremont Interstate Movers." Chris Claremont developed the Morlocks during his extensive run as a writer on X-Men. A number of the mutants in the show come from the Morlocks.

## Multimedia

* Promotional
* Screencaps
* Videos
* Behind the Scenes

### Videos

Preview Nobody Has To Die Season 1 Ep. 5 THE GIFTEDLorna Refuses To Stand Down Season 1 Ep. 5 THE GIFTEDReed Tries To Work Things Out With The Mutants Season 1 Ep. 5 THE GIFTEDMutant Breath Season 1 THE GIFTED

## References

1. ↑ Final Adjusted TV Ratings for Monday 30th October 2017
2. ↑ Upcoming Episode Titles - Various Shows - 25th August 2017
3. ↑ The Gifted - Episode 1.05 - boXed in - Press Release