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For the Agent Carter episode, see Smoke & Mirrors

"You're in the Algorithm, dear. This is your fantasy wedding, with your fantasy bride, and your fantasy friends. None of this is real."
Magistrate's Wife to Karolina Dean

Smoke and Mirrors is the first episode of the third season of the television series Runaways.

Synopsis[]

The Runaways spring a trap to rescue their missing friends from Jonah and his family.

Plot[]

Chase Stein, Janet Stein and Karolina Dean are trapped in simulations generated by the Healing Algorithm: Chase believes that he saves Gert Yorkes from a Rite of Blood perpetrated by PRIDE; Janet lives a happy life with Victor Stein, who is kind to her, with her scientific abilities being recognized by the whole world; and Karolina repeatedly lives a wedding ceremony where she marries Nico Minoru while being surrounded by her friends and family. Meanwhile, Nico has visions of her own in her dreams in which she encounters a mysterious enchantress, Morgan le Fay, who assures her that she will help her rescue Karolina.

R301 Catherine goes to prison

The Gibborim, now controlling Victor Stein, Stacey Yorkes and Tina Minoru, but still do not know where their last member is, the Magistrate's Son. Dale Yorkes has taken his daughter Gert and Old Lace to a cabin, but struggle to keep them calm. Geoffrey and Catherine Wilder, who have been arrested by the LAPD, meet with their lawyer Londell Kendricks so he can engineer their release. Meanwhile, the Runaways decide to mount an operation to rescue their missing friends, leaving Leslie Dean at the Hostel.

Molly Hernandez and Xavin go to the Yorkes Residence to investigate, but find no sign of Gert and Old Lace. Xavin notices that Hernandez is visibly troubled and offers to talk, leading to the two bonding over their ability to feel and display their emotions. Meanwhile, Alex Wilder and Nico head for the Stein Mansion to infiltrate the place and look for a way to save their friends. They realize that their friends are indeed held in the mansion, but that they cannot fight the three Gibborim in their current condition.

Janet begins to realize that she is in the Algorithm, but fails to escape, although she is able to briefly make contact with Chase. The Magistrate's Wife accesses Karolina's simulation to confront her and know her relationship to the Magistrate, revealing to Karolina that she is in a simulation.

Dale decides to make up for his mistakes. He apologizes to his daughter for what he has done, and offers to help her master her telepathic link with Old Lace. This enables Gert to expand her abilities, to the point that she can actually share the dinosaur's vision and control her. In the meantime, Catherine also decides to act on her misdeeds, and confesses to the killing of Darius Davis, ensuring that Geoffrey will be released while she is taken into custody to serve a jail sentence.

Nico and Alex - R301

Tensions begin to arise between the Magistrate and his wife due to the former refusing to consume Karolina. However, they have a more pressing issue as they are contacted by the Magistrate's Son, seemingly controlling Gert. The three extraterrestrials leave the Stein Mansion, enabling Alex and Nico to infiltrate it. Indeed, it was actually a ruse by the Runaways: Xavin disguised themself as Gert and pretended to be the Son to lure the Gibborim out. During the confrontation against the Gibborim, Hernandez is able to shortly have the personality of her mother Stacey to resurface. Thanks to the trick, Xavin and Hernandez are able to steal some Inhibitor Pods.

Having entered Janet's simulation, Alex is told that he must find the Abstract and decrypt it so everyone can be released from the Algorithm. Alex thus jumps into Karolina's simulation, who was just reunited with Nico, to explain what they have to do. They exit the Algorithm right as the moment the Gibborim return home, and manage to hide in a closet.

Leslie goes to a hospital to perform some medical exams since she experienced signs of early labor. Surprised by the nurse's behavior, who abruptly leaves the room, Leslie takes the scanner and reviews the images of her baby, who appears to have glowing eye, thus revealing that the baby is from Gibborim ascent as well.

Cast[]

Main Cast:

Special Guest Star:

Guest Stars:

Appearances[]

Locations[]

Events[]

Items[]

Vehicles[]

Sentient Species[]

Creatures[]

Organizations[]

Mentioned[]

Music[]

Song title Artist Location(s)
Hallelujah 2Cellos
2 Million G Flip
Sensation Talisco
Inhaler Hilary Woods

References[]

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Smoke and Mirrors.

External Links[]

Season One ReunionRewindDestinyFifteenKingdomMetamorphosisRefractionTsunamiDoomsdayHostile
Season Two Gimmie ShelterRadio OnDouble ZerosOld SchoolRock BottomBury AnotherLast RitesPast LifeBig ShotHostile TakeoverLast WaltzEarth AngelSplit Up
Season Three Smoke and MirrorsThe Great EscapeLord of LiesRite of ThunderEnter The DreamlandMerry Meet AgainLeft-Hand PathDevil's Torture ChamberThe Broken CircleCheat The Gallows
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