Hammer into Anvil - Recap

At the Village Hospital, Number Two is asking Number Seventy-Three why she slit her wrists. She denies being unhappy there but insists there's nothing she can tell him about the location of her husband. Number Two questions her husband's feelings for her and notes he's been seen with another woman. He has photos of her husband with the other woman but Number Seventy-Three refuses to say anything. Number Two moves in on her, and outside Number Six hears her scream. He comes running in just in time to witness Number Seventy-Three leap to her death. Number Two warns him that he'll pay for interfering, but Number Six responds by warning that he will.



Later, Number Two calls and demands that Number Six comes to the Green Dome. Number Six refuses but Guardians lead by Number Fourteen attack him later on the road and finally overwhelm. They take him to the Green Dome and Number Two wants to talk about Number Six. When Number Six refuses, Number Two draws a sword and aims it at his eyes. Number Six barely reacts and expresses only disgust. Number Two slaps him and then warns that he will be the hammer to Number Six's anvil. However, they're interrupted when Number Two's superiors calls. He assures them there are no problems and refuses to accept assistance. Number Six notices his nervousness and leaves. Once he's gone, Number Two calls the Observers and demands special surveillance on Number Six.



Once outside, Number Six goes to a shop and purchases a copy of the Tally Ho. He then purchases six copies of the same album, L'arlesienne, noting they're not all the same. He takes them to a listening station and reviews the introductory phrase of each one, checking his watch each time and writing a note to himself concerning one record. Number Six then returns them to the puzzled shopkeeper and informs him they're not satisfactory. The shopkeeper notices that Number Six has circled the word "security" on the Tally Ho. He calls Number Two and goes to the Green Dome, unaware that Number Six is watching him. At the Green Dome, Number Two listens to each record but can't determine any difference in the albums. Number Two dismisses him and wonders what Number Six is up to. He activates the security monitors at Number Six's flat and sees him writing something down on a piece of paper before leaving. He goes to a cafe and sees Number Fourteen slip into his flat. Number Fourteen takes the top piece of paper from the pad and leaves, as Number Six watches him. Number Two examines the stolen paper and dismisses his assistant Number Fourteen, and then brings out the words to reveal a report on his instability and a promise to provide a full report later. Number Two realizes that Number Six is a plant.



That night at home, Number Six takes a hidden envelope and goes out, well aware that Number Two is watching. Number Two and Number Fourteen follow him in person and Number Fourteen watches as Number Six leaves the paper in the Stone Boat. Number Two recovers the envelope and they take it to the Green Dome, then dismisses Number Fourteen. The envelope contains nothing but blank pages. Number Two calls in a technician and snaps at the man, telling him to test the pages for anything and everything. The technicians find nothing and make their report to Number Two. He doesn't believe their report and wonders if they're hiding something from him.



The next day, Number Six places a personal advertisement in the Tally Ho: a quote from Cervantes' Don Quixote. He then calls the Director of Psychiatrics and asks for the report on Number Two. The doctor has no idea what he's talking about or who he's talking to. Number Six says it's wise that they don't discuss it on the telephone and says they can talk later. Number Two calls the doctor in, plays the recording back, and asks him to explain. The doctor has no idea what the calls meant but the increasingly paranoid Number Two doesn't believe him. When the doctor suggests he ask Number Six, Number snaps at him and then orders him out.



Number Six continues his campaign, asking the Village band to play the Farandole from the L'arlesienne suite. The band master reports this new information to Number Two, who asks him what else Number Six said. The band master denies knowing anything else and Number Two accuses him of lying just like everyone else. Meanwhile, Number Six visits Number Seventy-Three's grave and notices Hundred-and-Thirteen's nearby. He drops off a letter at the post, a broadcast request. The Supervisor reads it: it's a personal message from Hundred-and-Thirteen to Number Six, wishing him a happy birthday. Number Two hears it and goes through his files, then takes Number Fourteen and leaves to see the Supervisor. He demands an answer, noting that it isn't Number Six's birthday. When the Supervisor can't account for the message, Number Two relieves him and tells his replacement to avoid Number Six. Number Two stalks out, insisting he'll break the conspiracy against him.



Number Two goes over all the information while Number Fourteen asks for permission to deal with Number Six before he poisons the whole Village. When Number Two notes that the authorities would suspect him, Number Fourteen says he can make it look like an accident. Number Two considers the matter and the two of them go outside... where Number Six is arriving, saying Number Two telephoned him. Number Two covertly suggests that Number Fourteen go ahead with his plan, and Number Fourteen challenges Number Six to a game of kosho. The two fight it out, each attempting to dunk the other while bouncing from trampoline to trampoline. They're interrupted before they can finish the increasingly aggressive battle, and they bow to each other.



Next, Number Six goes to the store to purchase a small notebook and a cuckoo clock. He purchases a specific one with a wooden box. The shopkeeper reports to Number Two. Meanwhile, Number Six uses the box and some breadcrumbs to make an improvised trap for a pigeon. He then takes the cuckoo clock to the door of the Green Dome and leaves it there. Number Two assumes it's a bomb and orders Guardians to retrieve and defuse it. They're puzzled to find that there's no bomb: there's nothing but a cuckoo clock. Meanwhile, Number Six has captured a pigeon and goes into the woodlands near the restricted area. The new Supervisor reports to Number Two and they watch as Number Six writes down some numbers and attaches them to the pigeon, then sets it free. The new Supervisor shoots the bird down and Number Two tells his technicians to decode the numbers. They state that Number Six will be sending a visual signal at 0600 hours tomorrow. The next morning, Number Six takes a mirror and goes to the beach, then sends a Morse code signal. Number Two has his people determine there's no one at sea to receive the message. The observer reluctantly says that the message translates as "Pat a cake, pat a cake."



Number Six visits Number Fourteen at the cafe and asks if he slept well, then talks about having insomnia and going to the beach. The waiter reports the meeting to Number Two, who calls Number Fourteen in. Number Fourteen can't account for the conversation and Number Two assumes the worst and believes he's working with Number Six. He dismisses Number Fourteen as a traitor and orders the Butler out as a co-conspirator. Number Six is listening to music at his flat when Number Fourteen arrives and knocks him to the floor. Number Fourteen accuses Number Six of poisoning Number Two's mind and the two fight. Number Six finally throws his opponent out the window and goes to the Green Dome to find Number Two isolated and cowering in fear. Number Two accuses him of being an agent of his masters. Number Six neither agrees or denies, but notes that if he was an agent, Number Two's duty would have been to not interfere. Number Two insists he's loyal but Number Six says he's failed and they don't like failure. Number Two begs him not to tell their masters and Number Six agrees... and tells him to report himself. Left with no other choice, Number Two makes the call as Number Six, satisfied, leaves.




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