- "Chase, our parents are still murderers."
"Then what? We just stay in this weird underground mansion forever? The six of us and an oversized iguana?" - ―Alex Wilder and Chase Stein[src]
The Hostel is an underground mansion in Los Angeles and the hiding place for the Runaways, who found it as they were fleeing from PRIDE due to being wanted for the Assassination of Destiny Gonzalez.
History
Discovered by the Runaways
- "Sounds like home."
- ―Nico Minoru[src]
Formerly an abandoned mansion, the Hostel was found by Karolina Dean when she accidentally fell through a roof window during the Chase of Mike. The Runaways managed to find the entrance of the abandoned house and, thanks to Molly Hernandez's superhuman strength, they were able to enter it. They made a quick tour of the place and decided that it would be a perfect place for them to stay and hide from PRIDE.[1]
During their first night at the Hostel, the mansion was affected by an earthquake, which caused a column of the building to nearly fall on Gert Yorkes before being stopped by Hernandez. The Runaways then looked around the building, both for damages and for Dean, who had actually left the Hostel prior to the earthquake for a secret meeting with Jonah. Once all the teenagers were accounted for, Chase Stein announced that he would try to restore power in the mansion while several of his teammates left for their own tasks.
The Runaways are able to enjoy power at the Hostel
Installing himself in the garage, Stein found a Rolls Royce car and reported the discovery to Yorkes, who was busy cleaning up the mansion. Since all the other Runaways had gone, they took some time to discuss their relation ship and then worked together to restore power in the Hostel. Despite Stein's failed attempt, which caused technicians of the DWP to come inspect the mansion before being chased away by Old Lace, they successfully managed to bring electricity in the house. They then welcomed Nico Minoru, Dean and Hernandez back from the Infiltration into Minoru Mansion, and Minoru explained that they would use the room in the Hostel to train to use their powers and abilities together.
While Minoru and Dean agreed to share a room together, Yorkes went to see Hernandez in hers and offered her some company, but Hernandez replied that she wanted to be alone. In the middle of the night, Hernandez sneaked out of the mansion, deciding to use her powers to become a vigilante protecting the ones in need in Los Angeles.[2]
Runaways Training
- "School just started."
- ―Nico Minoru[src]
In the next morning, Nico Minoru awakened Karolina Dean, Chase Stein and Gert Yorkes so that they could practice as expected. She also confronted Molly Hernandez for her night wandering, forbidding her to do it again. The Runaways then placed some dummies and prepared for some target practice, but the training was quickly interrupted due to Yorkes suffering from brain troubles due to having stopped her meds, and Minoru struggling to control the might of the Staff of One to the point that she nearly attacked Stein when training with him.
Figuring out that Alex Wilder's absence could be a reason for their lack of success, the Runaways went back to their other activities, such as Stein repairing the car he had found. As it happened, Minoru received a phone call from Wilder, and quickly figured out that Wilder was being kidnapped by his parents. Therefore, the Runaways decided to leave the Hostel together to rescue him. The mission was a success and Wilder could safely return to the Hostel. He was then later joined in his bedroom by Minoru, who offered to play video games with him and to be told of what his recent days had been with.[3]
Topher's Stay
Topher finds his way to the Hostel
Despite Nico Minoru's warnings, Molly Hernandez sneaked out of the Hostel one more time to perform her vigilante work. However, this time she was followed by another young men from the streets: Topher. As Hernandez was confronted by Gert Yorkes and the rest of the team about her activities, Topher revealed his presence and declared that he would like to stay in the Hostel.[3] The Runaways intensely debated over whether they could risk to keep him in the Hostel, but upon witnessing him breaking through a Staff of One-created cone of silence with powers seemingly similar to Hernandez's, they agreed to lend him a room under Old Lace's guard.
Early in the next morning, however, Topher escaped from Old Lace's surveillance by digging a tunnel through the walls with his superhuman strength and returned to the Hostel with a large amount of edible food, using this as the reason why the Runaways should keep him around in their mansion, which they reluctantly agreed to do. The Runaways then returned to their other tasks, and while Karolina Dean left the Hostel for another secret meeting with Jonah, Alex Wilder, who was trying to hack into the PRIDE Construction Site's equipments with the only computers he had at the Hostel but to no avail, suggested that they and Topher went to steal some computer equipment at Atlas Academy.
The mission at Atlas Academy was a success and the team safely returned to the Hostel, where Topher was thanked for his assistance. However, he was also confronted in private by Minoru, who demanded to know where the rock fragments he used to gain his superpowers came from.[4] Topher was then interrogated by the Runaways about his use of the rock powder to see whether they could keep him nearby, but due to Hernandez strongly vouching for him, they agreed to let him remain at the Hostel. Remaining alone with Topher, Hernandez showed him all the pieces of clue and information gathered by Wilder in his investigation about PRIDE's secret activities, especially regarding the PRIDE Construction Site.
While Topher promised Yorkes that he would try and find medication for her next time he went for supplies, Dean returned to the Hostel and sneaked into Wilder's bedroom, hoping to sabotage his computer installation so he would not cause damage on the dig site, where Jonah had told her that there were Gibborim related to her trapped beneath the surface. However, she was found by Minoru before she could actually do something. Later that day, Hernandez discovered that Topher was gone, and the Runaways quickly figured out that he had stolen the map of the construction site pinned on a wall by Wilder and that he had left the Hostel in order to find more powering rocks. They thus departed from the Hostel as well in order to find him.
Gert Yorkes tells Old Lace that she is leaving
The Runaways returned quite disturbed by their mission, which had concluded with Topher's likely death. In their bedroom, Minoru was comforted by Dean about the recent harsh decisions she had had to make, and they eventually openly made out while Wilder and Stein discussed about love relationships in the former's bedroom and Yorkes tried to be supportive towards Hernandez, expressing how she was proud of her. Later in the night however, both Yorkes and Dean secretly left the mansion: Yorkes went to an emergency room to be given the drugs she needed, temporarily leaving Old Lace to be taken care of by her friends, and Dean left to find her mother Leslie and question her about Jonah.[5]
House of Arguments
- "I'm moving into my own room."
"Yeah, um, that's probably a good idea 'cause we're stupid teenagers, and living together after dating for, like, five minutes is super unhealthy." - ―Chase Stein and Gert Yorkes[src]
Due to the recent events and the secrets the Runaways were keeping from each other, life at the Hostel became more tense. Nico Minoru shared with Alex Wilder the troubles she recently had in leading the team, which had caused Molly Hernandez to resent her. As she looked for Hernandez, Minoru feared that she might have left the mansion alone again, only to finally find her and being sarcastically asked whether she could no longer wander across the Hostel freely. Hernandez also informed Minoru that Chase Stein and Gert Yorkes were missing and that she had no idea where they were. Minoru returned to the bedroom she shared with Karolina Dean and found Dean practicing her powers, but this led to an argument as Dean reproached Minoru with not letting her enough space, causing Minoru to leave.
Stein and Yorkes eventually returned to the Hostel, explaining that Yorkes had gone to the hospital and had called Stein's mother Janet to sign her out. Meanwhile, Dean went to see Wilder in his bedroom, looking for advice regarding Minoru since she had learned that her sister Amy had been murdered by Jonah. Then, due to what Stein had learned from his mother, a group meeting was held at the Hostel to discuss the fact that Jonah intended to perform another sacrifice. Although an argument erupted between Yorkes and Stein about the former's actions and Stein announced that he would live in his own room from now on, the Runaways were still able to figure out that the sacrifice would likely occur at the Church of Gibborim Executive Offices.
Geoffrey Wilder is held captive at the Hostel
Before departing to prevent it, Minoru warned Dean that this could cause Jonah's death, meaning the loss of an information source regarding her powers, but due to Dean blatantly rebuffing him, they suggested that they should also live in separate rooms. Later, having successfully infiltrated into the Church of Gibborim's offices, the Runaways returned with an extra guest: Geoffrey Wilder, who had been brought by Alex after being rescued from the Dematerialization Box so that he could question him. In the meantime, Dean and Minoru were ultimately able to reconcile, but Minoru was left distraught when Dean revealed to her that Jonah had killed Amy.[6]
Geoffrey was kept restrained by Alex, but despite his captivity, he still feared for his son's life and revealed to him Jonah's true agenda: leaving Earth with his spaceship buried underground. Due to this new piece of information, Alex gathered the Runaways in the Hostel's hall in order to discuss their next move, and Dean revealed that Jonah was her father and that she had secretly met with him. Therefore, despite some disagreements arising, the Runaways decided that they would return to the PRIDE Construction Site to stop Jonah, but that they would leave Dean at the Hostel.
The Runaways discuss the events of the Battle at the PRIDE Construction Site
Nevertheless, Dean convinced Yorkes to let them join the mission, as there were living beings in the hole of the dig site. This convinced Minoru to change the Runaways' plan, forcing Alex to go along with it. In return, Alex persuaded his teammates to accept Geoffrey's assistance for their mission. As a result, the Runaways and a blindfolded Geoffrey left the Hostel and headed to the PRIDE Construction Site. The Runaways only returned home after the Battle at the PRIDE Construction Site, and found it hard to celebrate their victory, especially for Minoru, because of Dean blaming her for having killed Jonah.[7]
Day Off
- "Maybe that's what we all need: a day off. What? You were just telling me how it's getting all claustrophobic in here."
- ―Alex Wilder[src]
Following the Battle at the PRIDE Construction Site, life at the Hostel became somewhat uncomfortable due to the Runaways struggling to decide what to do next: Nico Minoru tried to cope with the fact that she had killed Jonah, which Karolina Dean was heavily upset about; Gert Yorkes planned to send college applications and Alex Wilder was still determined to bring PRIDE to justice despite Chase Stein's doubts. When Dean announced that she would not take part in the Runaways' future mission and simply remain at the Hostel, Wilder decided that they should all follow her example and take a day off that they could use for anything they wanted. Wilder himself left the Hostel in an attempt to reconnect with his former girlfriend Livvie.
However, the fight against PRIDE was quickly resumed due to the Attack on Livvie, and Wilder took his teammates to the Gordon Hotel for a new mission. Only Dean stayed at the Hostel, reviewing the Book of Gibborim and figuring out that Jonah might have left a message for her. Having successfully retrieved it at the Church of Gibborim Executive Offices, Dean listened to it in her bedroom.[8]
Old Lace's Illness
- "We need to get them help. Take them somewhere."
"Where? The hospital? The zoo? I mean, we don't have a lot of viable options." - ―Nico Minoru and Alex Wilder[src]
Following the rescue of Molly Hernandez, the Runaways returned to the Hostel, welcoming Livvie in the mansion as well and Alex Wilder looked for a way to use footage of AWOL during the Attack on Livvie to their advantage. However, in the meantime, due to having been poisoned by a Synnergy Drone during one of her walks out of the Hostel, which the Runaways did not know about, Old Lace began to feel sick despite Gert Yorkes doing her best to convince her to eat something. Hernandez asked Chase Stein to help them, and Stein went to see Yorkes in her bedroom to reconcile with her.
Despite Old Lace being ill, the Runaways left the Hostel, unaware that Wilder led them into a confrontation with AWOL. When they returned, they found Old Lace extremely agitated, and even Yorkes struggled to calm her down. Later, Wilder and Livvie, who had remained behind, also returned to the Hostel, but while Wilder was asleep, Livvie told the other Runaways about his deal with AWOL. In the dining room, Wilder was heavily criticized by his teammates for striking a deal with a criminal just like PRIDE did, and for being ignorant about Old Lace's disease, but Wilder rebuffed their claims, stating that he was the only one to fight PRIDE and calling them hypocrits.
Old Lace and Gert Yorkes get sick
Old Lace's condition only worsened, and it eventually affected Yorkes herself. Indeed, while they tried to have Old Lace lie down in the mansion's hall so that she could rest, Stein, Hernandez and Nico Minoru saw Yorkes faint on the ground, feeling extremely sick as well.[9] Yorkes was brought back into her bedroom with Stein remaining at her side while Old Lace being more and more agressive due to being kept away from Yorkes. As both Yorkes and Old Lace felt sicker and sicker, the Runaways struggled to find a solution between keeping them at the Hostel or try to find some place for them to go.[10]
Siege of the Hostel
- "You can't see through this shield. And we're not coming out."
- ―Chase Stein to AWOL[src]
However, the Runaways soon had to deal with a new threat on the Hostel: AWOL had taken Livvie hostage and forced her to reveal the location of the Runaways' hideout. Detecting that someone was approaching, Alex Wilder used his cameras to see the LAPD cars coming. Before they actually arrived near the Hostel, Nico Minoru used the Staff of One to cast a camouflage spell, thus concealing the entrance to the mansion from AWOL and his squad. Upon figuring out that Livvie was in danger, Wilder intended to leave the Hostel to rescue her, but he was restrained by Molly Hernandez so that they could devise a plan first.
Alex Wilder confronts AWOL from the top of the Hostel's hill
Since Minoru could not keep the spell active much longer, the Runaways decided to hold the siege. Chase Stein used the car to get Gert Yorkes out of the Hostel so she would not be harmed, while Wilder climbed on top of the mansion, distracting AWOL and his team while the camouflage was lifted. AWOL tried to shoot Wilder, who jumped back into the mansion, being kept from falling by Karolina Dean. When AWOL tried to follow him while abseiling, Minoru used a new spell to entirely shut down the Hostel, thus cutting AWOL's rope, who became the Runaways' hostage.
AWOL is held hostage at the Hostel
The Runaways tied up AWOL to a chair, hoping to use it as leverage against Livvie's life and threatening him with the Fistigons, but Wilder eventually got sick of AWOL's taunting and began torturing AWOL with the Fistigons, only to be stopped by Dean and Hernandez while Minoru struggled to keep the spell active. AWOL remained under Hernandez's watch while Wilder and Dean discussed about the possibility of ending the siege without casualties on their side. Since Minoru was on the verge of breaking down, the Runaways decided to ambush the strike team in the Hostel. They gagged AWOL and erected a barricade, hiding behind it while waiting for their enemies to come.
AWOL's squad invades the Hostel
However, when the strike team invaded the Hostel, Minoru was unable to cast another spell and fainted, forcing Wilder and Dean to retreat while Wilder shot at the policemen with the Fistigons. AWOL and his men quickly followed them through the barricade and cornered them in a room, but before they could kill the Runaways, Minoru regained consciousness and summoned the Staff of One thanks to energy from the Dark Dimension, using it to cast a powerful spell which simply caused AWOL and his team to vanish. Meanwhile, outsite the Hostel, Hernandez rescued Livvie from her guard, who disappeared as well.
In the aftermath of the siege, Wilder offered Livvie to remain at the Hostel for the night before he could take her back to her home, but Livvie decided to return home immediately, stating that her family was in danger.[10]
Birthday Party
- "We can't let our parents rob us of everything good just because they're bad. It's Molly's birthday. We're gonna have a birthday party. And not just any party."
"A quinceañera?" - ―Alex Wilder and Molly Hernandez[src]
The day after the Siege of the Hostel, Alex Wilder found Molly Hernandez alone in the dining room, having prepared a candle to celebrate her fifteenth birthday, which was the day before. As they discussed the occasion, Wilder figured out that Chase Stein had probably taken Gert Yorkes and Old Lace to the Yorkes Residence for help and they decided to go as well to rescue them. Karolina Dean joined them, leaving only Nico Minoru, who was extremely exhausted and disturbed by her previous of the Staff of One, alone at the Hostel.
During her teammates' absence, Minoru blew a hole in a wall of the Hostel and performed a Wiccan ritual in which she declared to sever her ties with the artifact in order to no longer harm anybody else, hiding the Staff in the hole. The Runaways then returned from their mission at the Yorkes Residence, more troubled than before regarding their parents' behavior, and Wilder declared that they could not allow to be deprived of the good things of their teenage years. He thus suggested that they held a birthday party for Hernandez at the Hostel, which was seconded by his teammates.
The Runaways hold a birthday party for Molly Hernandez
Wilder and Stein decorated the Hostel for the upcoming party while Dean, Minoru and Yorkes helped Hernandez to get dressed for the party. The Runaways then celebrated Hernandez's birthday in the main hall of the Hostel, dancing, clapping and laughing together. However, due to having received a phone call from his father Victor, who had told him that he was dying again, prior to the party, Stein decided to leave the Hostel to return home. Initially, Stein intended to silently sneak out of the Hostel, but he was ordered by Yorkes to give his friends a proper goodbye before departing, leaving his teammates crying and in shock that he chose to return to his parents.[11]
Newcomers
- "Well, this can't be a halfway house for pregnant PRIDE members and aliens with fairy tale fixations."
- ―Nico Minoru[src]
While discussing Chase Stein's recent departure in the dining room, the Runaways were told by Karolina Dean that her mother Leslie had been taken to the Crater and that she needed to be rescued. Although Alex Wilder voted against it, stating that he was not willing to help a PRIDE member, Karolina later left the Hostel with Nico Minoru and Molly Hernandez for a rescue mission at the Crater. Both Wilder, who briefly went outside to retrieve a gun from Tamar, and Gert Yorkes, who knew nothing about the others' mission, remained at the Hostel, and during this time Yorkes found out that she was still connected to Old Lace, who had been left at the Yorkes Residence.
Leslie Dean is brought to the Hostel
Karolina, Minoru and Hernandez eventually returned with Leslie, and although Wilder strongly disagreed with her presence at the Hostel, the others convinced him that Leslie, who was pregnant, had to stay hidden at the Hostel and he reluctantly went along with it. Karolina and Minoru then shared a moment in their bedroom talking about their powers and how they felt about it, before Karolina remained alone in the room and discovered that Yorkes was hiding in her closet. However, it turned out that the newcomer was not Yorkes herself, but an alien shape-shifter who had taken her appearance: Xavin, who had sneaked into the Hostel hoping to meet Karolina, who she called her betrothed.[12]
Layout
- "Welcome to the Hostel. This is my spot, we call it Alexville, or at least I do, in my head."
"This place is freakin' huge, and you don't get a room?" - ―Alex Wilder and Livvie[src]
To be added
Appearances
In chronological order:
References
- ↑ Runaways: 2.01: Gimme Shelter
- ↑ Runaways: 2.02: Radio On
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Runaway: 2.03: Double Zeros
- ↑ Runaways: 2.04: Old School
- ↑ Runaways: 2.05: Rock Bottom
- ↑ Runaways: 2.06: Bury Another
- ↑ Runaways: 2.07: Last Rites
- ↑ Runaways: 2.08: Past Life
- ↑ Runaways: 2.09: Big Shot
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Runaways: 2.10: Hostile Takeover
- ↑ Runaways: 2.11: Last Waltz
- ↑ Runaways: 2.12: Earth Angel
