Joe Harris

"*Why do you need an explanation for everything? Your generation needs an explanation for everything. What the hell is the matter with you guys?*"
—**Joe** to **Dylan**

**Joe Harris** is a character in the Apple TV+ series, *Amazing Stories*. He is a cranky blue-collar worker who, after suffering a knee injury, is forced to move in with his son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons. Joe makes a surprising connection to his younget grandson Dylan after they receive a ring that has the power to turn them into superheroes.

## Amazing Story

Joe and his son Michael arrive at the latters house. Joe sees his grandson in the garage, and sharply asks what Dylan is wearing. Michael reminds his father that Halloween is this weekend. Michael wants Joe to view this situation as a good thing - a new beginning. He got all the exercise equipment for when the therapist arrived. He begins to quote a mantra to his patients, but Joe grumbles that he's a gastroenterologist.

Helen tells Joe that they've turned Dylan's room into his for now, with Dylan staying with Bryce upstairs. He scoffs that he can handle being unconscious for six hours, as it's the best part of his day. She offers to be there if he needs to talk as she's counseled a lot of patients going through aging or his process. She assures him that loss or grief is normal but he's firm that he's fine.

Dylan is feeding his frog when Joe enters his new room. The walls are plastered with comic book pages. Dylan tells Joe to read any of his comics, and Joe eyes the sketches in the corner. He's trying to make his version of Batman, as he wants to be the next Neal Adams. Joe wants to be alone so Dylan gets his backpack and leaves. Joe sits on the bed with his knee brace.

The next day, Joe begins physical therapy with his new therapists. Michael and Helen discuss their work schedules, then ask Bryce to drive Dylan home after school. He agrees but only after practice which isn't over until 6:30. The bickering ensues before Joe intervenes. He promises to pick him up but needs the keys to do so. Michael is reluctant to let him drive but Joe is insistent he's fine as the injured leg is his left.

Joe heads to his workplace where he greets his workers. Kenny offers to help him, but Joe refuses. He heads to the office to talk to Kenny as he's eager to get back to work in six weeks. Kenny gives him the union contract that has his pension attached since Joe's been with them for 45 years. There are great benefits in the retirement plan, too. Joe becomes upset as he's been there longer than anyone, including Kenny, and is the best in the shop. They have a lot of big contracts coming in with hard deadlines, and he can't put someone who can't do the work out there. Joe angrily gets up to leave but promises to come back. Kenny tells him that he has to take it either now or in six weeks.

Dylan waits outside of school as he sketches. Joe arrives to pick him up. They talk about Dylan's day and he lies that it was great. He then blurts out that he hates junior high. Joe would give anything to be back in school - he wasn't just popular, but a legend. The night of the senior prom he put the principal's car on the roof. By the end of the dance, everyone found them on the roof with the car. Dylan surmises that he has to accomplish that to be popular. Joe asks if he has friends, though Dylan just lost Brady as he doesn't want to hang out anymore. Joe scoffs Brady off then drives home.

Dylan brings the mail inside as Joe gets out of the car. Dylan hands him a small box that is for him - it's from Wham Comics. This surprises Joe who quickly opens it with the car keys. Inside the box is a ring with a card that says Dynoman. He ordered it from the back of a comic book 60 years ago for 50 cents. Dylan realizes Joe was into comics once, but the man explains it was a long time ago. He thinks this must be a joke with Kenny behind it. Dylan asks what happened to the comics, but Joe probably gave them to Michael.

They find boxes of comic books in the garage. Joe explains that Dynoman was a miner like his father, which is probably why he liked the hero. He was working underground one day when a stick of dynamite blew up and shot three radioactive rocks into his ring. Each one had a special power: strength, speed, and flight. Dylan wonders if it's magic or alien DNA that changes his genetics. Joe shakes his head as Dylan's generation needs an explanation for everything. Dylan asks about another character in the book, who is called the Volt. He's Dynoman's archenemy. Dynoman saved Volt's village in Romania from a meteor by smashing it with his ring. A chunk of debris destroyed a house, killing a man and woman inside while the son played outside. The boy vowed vengeance on Dynoman. He collected all the debris of the meteor, as it had absorbed the power of Dynoman's ring and had begun to glow. He knew he could have that power too. He built a helmet from the remains. Dylan calls it pretty standard stuff. Joe admits he's right but his stories had more panache. Dylan is excited as he does that too, asking why he stopped. Joe drops the books as no one can play with superheroes forever. Dylan remarks the ring comes when you need it, and Joe needs it right now. He wants Joe to try it, but Joe tells Dylan to try it. The ring is too big on Dylan so he pesters Joe into putting the ring on. Joe is surprised when it fits and pretends it does something to prove a point. Dylan sees the red stone glow and quickly stops his grandfather. He doesn't think toys just magically appear after 60 years of being lost. He wants Joe to hit the bag, but Joe remarks it's a hunk of plastic. He's going to throw it away now. He can't get it off, which Dylan thinks is a sign, but Joe yells at him to stop. Just because things are crappy doesn't mean he should believe in something stupid. Dylan states it's not stupid and storms out. Joe becomes upset as he still can't get the ring off, watching his grandson storm off. The red stone glows brightly.

The family sits for dinner, though Dylan stays in the other room. Bryce annoyingly toys with a football as his coach told him to keep his hands on it at all times. He remarks on Joe's new ring, though the man brushes it off as nothing. Michael tells him that Lance called about the retirement package the company is offering Joe. He wants his dad to take it but Joe becomes upset, accusing Michael of this being the thanks he gives to a father who believed in him. Helen challenges this as Joe called the medical school a boot camp for know-it-alls. Joe stands by his statement. Helen, however, thinks Lance knows what he's talking about as he's been running the jobs for years. She isn't sure if they can let him go back to work. Dylan joins them at the table at Michael's behest. Joe challenges her statement of "letting him" so she tries to justify her remark by reminding him of his age. He scoffs as they aren't too far behind him either. Michael tells him to take a breath as they want him to think about his future realistically. Joe snaps that he's the reason the company is getting those big orders. As he vents, the red stone glows and Dylan tries to point it out. Bryce continues to toss the ball between his fans but fumbles it. Joe snatches it mid-air and proclaims his life is not over. He then deflates the ball with a single squeeze. He looks to Dylan then down at the glowing ring.

In the garage, they try to figure out how to explain what's happening. Dylan thinks the ring's real but Joe is skeptical. He encourages Joe to hit the bag as the power only comes when he's strong. He begins to taunt Joe until he hits the bag across the room, breaking into the wall. Dylan grins that he's right as Joe happily realizes he's right. He smacks the table happily and smashes it by accident. The yellow stone begins to glow. They test his knee by having him lift weights - a feat he accomplishes astoundedly. Joe returns to work with Lance trying to stop him again. However, he picks up a solid slate of wood and carries it with ease, leaving the men in shock.

Joe comes home from work happily. Michael asks about the broken workbench. Michael asks how his dad's feeling, and he's feeling great. He has a complete release from the doctor and goes back to work tomorrow. They remark it isn't possible, but Joe chimes that it is. He'll be out of their hair in six days instead of six weeks. He hurries off to tell the good news to Dylan.

He finds his grandson in bed, looking depressed. Dylan says he's toxic and gives his phone to his grandfather, who sees the mocking comments under the image of Dylan in his Batman costume. Joe sits down on the bed, wishing he could give the ring to Dylan so he could kick the crap out of the kid. He offers to help with anything else. Dylan decides to do the prank Joe talked about - putting the car on the roof. Joe admits he exaggerated the story. All they did was move the car a block. Dylan wants to do it anyway as he'll be a legend. Joe doesn't think he should worry about the kids at school, as they are losers now and will grow up to be losers still. If he wants to go trick-or-treating, he should go, get himself some candy. He knows it isn't the same, but understands that Dylan might not want anyone around him right now. Dylan stops him by remarking that he's right - he doesn't need Brady or any of the kids from school. He wants to have the best Halloween with his grandfather after he gets off work. Joe agrees to go with him.

Joe is working hard, the stones in his ring glowing brightly as he does. Lance compliments his work and Joe decides to head to lunch early. He steps outside where the stones continue to glow. He runs down the street and begins to use super speed to run the blocks. He is a blur to pedestrians. He appears beside Dylan who is admiring a map. Joe wanted to say hello and explained that he used the ring to run. Dylan explains his trick-or-treating map as they can hit all four places with his grandfather's speed. Joe tells him to pack an extra bag before speeding off.

Joe returns to work where a customer is angry over not having her tables right. Kenny tells Joe about the situation, so Joe assures the customer they'll be ready tomorrow. He assures Lance he has it covered.

That night, Joe is drinking with his workers as they laugh over the great work. Michael arrives to ask what his father is doing. The men leave to give them space. Joe apologizes but Michael confronts him about having the superpowers. He doesn't understand why Joe is filling his son's head with the Dynoman crap. Joe defends his actions as he tried to get Michael into comics or anything Joe liked, but he was never interested. Michael didn't want the stuff just his father, and now that's what Dylan wants but Joe is messing it up again. Dylan is learning the same lesson that Michael learned years ago - that Joe only cares about himself, his shop, and his friends. Joe rebuffs that he loves the shop, trying to justify his actions. Michael is tired of the excuses as it's always about Joe or what he needed. He thought things would be different this time but the minute his job was threatened, his knee fixed itself. Dylan is at home crying his eyes out because the one person he thought was on his side isn't. Joe thinks he can fix it, but Michael tells him it's too late. He tells Joe to go home, pack his things, and leave as he's been warned to do since he arrived. Michael storms out and moments later, Joe crumples to the ground. He struggles to stand as he limps with his leg.

Michael returns home where Helen is giving out candy. He's finally done with his father and accepts the way things are. He doesn't expect Joe to come home tonight. Just then, Joe pulls up in his car. He uses a cane to limp to the garage in search of Dylan. He finds the comic book, the broken wood, and the helmet pieces. He pulls off the ring, letting it clatter to the ground.

Joe storms into Bryce's room, interrupting his makeout session. He demands to know where Dylan is. They saw him leave for the dance in his costume, making promises about things being legendary. Joe realizes what Dylan is about to do and leaves. As he drives he struggles to get through the trick-or-treaters. He arrives at the school to see the teetering car, so he walks to the roof with his cane. Dylan asks him for help but Joe doesn't have any powers. Joe tells Dylan to grab his hand, trying to guide him out of the car. They grasp hands through the open door, but the car suddenly jerks backwards, pulling Joe inside. He apologizes profusely to Dylan, holding the boy close as they brace for the impending impact.

The pair clutch one another when the car suddenly stops in mid-air, with Michael flying while holding the car up. All three stones on the ring glow brightly as he guides the car to the roof. Once safe, Dylan and Michael hug tightly before Michael realizes the astounding power he showed. He saw the ring on the ground in the garage and the power took over. Dylan closes the car door and the alarms go off. Michael grips his family then flies them off the roof. The school floods outside to see the prank and begin laughing as the principal stares in shock.

The trio stand in the yard where they plan to bury the ring. The ring only comes to them when they need it, and none of them need it anymore. Joe offers to make a superhero with Dylan as he has some ideas. Dylan offers to draw them. The trio walk back home as they laugh over the potential side weaknesses of their hero. From the ground where the ring is planted, sprouts a green tuft that glows red, blue, and black.

## Notes and Trivia

* Joe is the interpretation of Dynoman, having worn the ring after it was sent to him. He shares the moniker with Michael, who wore the ring when saving Joe and Dylan from a falling car.