The Event Episode 1.17 Cut Off the Head

Inside a lab, Herbert Mills extracts a specimen from a cylinder and places it under a microscope. Outside, Sterling's men, led by Agent Garret, make their way in. Panicked, Mills calls Sophia who insists he destroy the evidence. Herbert emails Sophia and destroys what he can before leaping out the window to his death. In the Sleeper community, Sophia tells a select few about her plans to winnow the human population in order to make room for 2.5 billion of her followers. She assigns Aaron the job of analyzing Mills' research on a super weapon. In the meantime, Sophia shares her plan to cut off the head of their enemies by killing Martinez.

At the White House, Sterling tells Martinez that Mills was working on something to aid the Sleepers in some way. Mills was studying ice-core samples before he committed suicide, but it's unclear why. Martinez fears that Sophia is about to mount some sort of offensive and Jarvis suggests that perhaps they should reach out to other world leaders they can all unite against the Sleepers. Martinez disregards Jarvis' advice. Later, Martinez meets with a concerned Senator Lewis. Lewis says that DNA testing has cleared everyone in the White House, but Christina is the only holdout. Lewis adds that Christina's past has a few inconsistencies, but Martinez won't hear it. He defends his wife and her moral stance against mandatory DNA testing.

Sophia phones Jarvis. He accuses Sophia of being a war criminal, but she argues that she only acted in self-defense. Martinez, she claims, forced her hand. Sophia feels that if Martinez has his way, there will be much more bloodshed. That's why she wants to meet with Jarvis and work with him somehow. She says her main agenda is to make Jarvis President. At Dempsey's chateau, Sean breaks in and finds a bound-and-gagged Vicky unconscious while flames crackle around her. Sean carries her to safety but Dempsey ambushes him. Dempsey calmly says, "It's time we had a talk."

In the Sleeper community, Leila notices Luis stationed outside her house. Leila walks to the kitchen and inexplicably cuts her hand. She yells to Luis for help. Luis takes Leila to the infirmary to get her hand bandaged. Leila notices Simon is imprisoned in one of the rooms. When Leila gets a free moment, she enters Simon's room and says she knows Michael betrayed him, but that she had nothing to do with it. Simon believes her and tells Leila that Sophia is looking for a weapon in Siberia that will have the power to wipe out billions of innocent people. On one of Sophia's map, Simon read the name "Irina Bogdanov." Simon urges Leila to find a cell phone (hers has been confiscated) and find a way to warn everyone. "Get help," Simon says. "You're our only hope."

In the Sleeper community, Leila notices Luis stationed outside her house. Leila walks to the kitchen and inexplicably cuts her hand. She yells to Luis for help. Luis takes Leila to the infirmary to get her hand bandaged. Leila notices Simon is imprisoned in one of the rooms. When Leila gets a free moment, she enters Simon's room and says she knows Michael betrayed him, but that she had nothing to do with it. Simon believes her and tells Leila that Sophia is looking for a weapon in Siberia that will have the power to wipe out billions of innocent people. On one of Sophia's map, Simon read the name "Irina Bogdanov." Simon urges Leila to find a cell phone (hers has been confiscated) and find a way to warn everyone. "Get help," Simon says. "You're our only hope."

Jarvis meets Sophia in a hotel room. She nonchalantly tells him that her people are coming in great numbers and that the human population will have to be substantially reduced. Some nations will be destroyed while others will be allowed to coexist. Since Martinez has become too belligerent and irrational, he will have to be murdered. If Jarvis works with Sophia, the U.S. will be spared. Meanwhile, Martinez apologizes to Christina for being so preoccupied as of late. Christina forgives him and they share a tender moment; Christina recalls falling in love with Martinez in Belize. Martinez recalls that Christina had mentioned she had family in Belize but they never did see them. Christina disregards Martinez's curiosity, leaving him a bit suspicious of his wife's origins. Could she be a Sleeper?

A concerned Martinez arrives in Senator Lewis' office and asks for his wife's file. Meanwhile, Jarvis meets with Sterling to complain about Martinez's hardheadedness. Jarvis argues that Martinez's rigidity will only lead to more casualties. Jarvis begs for the opportunity to have diplomatic talks with Sophia. Sterling rejects the idea and says that Jarvis should be in prison for what he's done already. Nobody trusts or forgives Jarvis; they only tolerate him. Aaron tells Sophia that Mills used soil frozen in ice cores to help pinpoint the location of "the weapon." Mills focused on a 1.8 square kilometer region near the Dolgan Coast. The Sleepers are searching there now. Jarvis phones Sophia and tells her he will work with her. She says that if Jarvis follows her instructions, he'll be President by the following day.

Leila invites Luis in for a drink. When he takes off his jacket, Leila manages to steal his phone and dial 911. Leila says the people who blew up the Washington Monument are holding her hostage but she doesn't know where. The dispatcher says that the GPS on her phone is deactivated and therefore it's impossible to track down Leila. Luis lunges at Leila and tries to get the phone, but Leila manages to run out into the street. At Dempsey's chateau, Dempsey tells Sean that he is well-intentioned. Dempsey claims he comes from a tribe of sentinels who have been protecting the Earth from non-terrestrials for thousands of years. It's clear that the heroic Sean is destined to be the next sentinel and the only one who can stand up to the evil Sophia. Then Dempsey takes a gun and shoots himself in the head!

Sean and Vicky make a run for it. Though Sean told Dempsey he didn't believe a word of his story, Sean can't help but wonder why Dempsey didn't just kill him. Suddenly, Leila phones Sean. She tells him that Sophia and the Sleepers blew up the Washington Monument and they're looking for a super weapon in Siberia. A woman named "Irina Bogdanov" might be involved. Michael surprises Leila and takes away her cell. Michael tells Leila that if Sophia finds out what she's done, she will be in huge danger. At the White House, Martinez tells Christina that Senator Lewis has given him her file. He hasn't read it but he wants to know if there's anything Christina needs to tell him. A tearful Christina admits that her parents aren't from Cuba; they're Dominican. They're illegal immigrants.

At a rehabilitation center, Jarvis summons Dr. Lu to give him acupuncture. Dr. Lu manages to slip a packet of artificial sweetener into Jarvis' coat pocket. It's clear nobody noticed. At the Sleeper community, Sophia receives word that Jarvis received the packet. She tells Aaron that Jarvis is naive enough to think he can save his country, but once the Sleepers have their weapon, nothing can. Meanwhile, in Siberia, Sleepers lift a frozen carcass out of the ground. Back at the White House, Jarvis slips the packet of artificial sweetener into Martinez's cup of coffee!