13.1 - Recap

At the B&B, Todd and Claudia are kissing on the sofa, but she admits she's distracted because the warehouse is getting a computer upgrade. Todd isn't sure why Claudia is so excited about what he thinks is an IRS warehouse, and admits that he doesn't know much about computers. Claudia takes off to meet with the guy who is coming to do the update, someone from Global Dynamics.



At the warehouse, the Global Dynamics man, Douglas Fargo from Eureka, is fiddling with the computers and Artie isn't thrilled. Pete finally gets Artie calmed down. As Douglas cuts into the floor, Claudia arrives and uses an artifact ring to cast enough light to find his laser cutter when he drops it. She explains that the ring belonged to Ben Franklin and directs energy from the human body. Douglas asks for a tour but Claudia warns he doesn't have sufficient clearance. He shows off his equipment, including a MARA drone used for maintenance.



Back in the office, Douglas shuts down the systems and then reboots the systems. Nothing happens and Artie isn't happy. They turn and watch as a computerized eye pillar rises up from the floor. A voice comes on and says that a catastrophic failure has been detected, while other pillars rise up throughout the warehouse. Douglas warns that there's some kind of override in effect.

The voice announces the system is working adequately, and Artie realizes the voice belongs to Hugo Miller, the designer of the warehouse systems. They go to the computer lab and Artie explains that it's been shut down for 35 years. Hugo spent years integrating the warehouse into a working platform. There are a lot of games scattered around the rooms, and a can of lemon pop. Artie warns that Hugo was a practical joker and left cans of exploding soda pop everywhere. They spot an active terminal but when Douglas tries to use it, he gets an electrical shock. The computers are uploading data into the warehouse mainframe system and Artie warns that they have no control over it. Artie says that Hugo is retired but admits there were rumors of a nervous breakdown.

Pete and Myka go to nearby Featherhead, where Hugo is at a sanitarium. He appears to have had a complete mental breakdown, and they try to get answers from him about the backup computer system. Pete mentions the voice's message at the warehouse and Hugo briefly mentions the failsafe code. He draws a picture of a cat and Myka suggests they take him back to Warehouse 13. Hugo seems to remember the warehouse and agrees to go if they get him ice cream. However, he manages to grab Pete's Tesla and stuns them, and then goes skipping out of the retirement home.



Douglas and Claudia bring up the files on Hugo, and Artie goes through it. However, much of the information has been redacted. They do find a reference to Hugo collapsing in aisle Allentown-22C, apparently suffering from mental exhaustion. The original system completes its upload and the eyes project a hologram of a younger Hugo Miller. It explains hat it has taken control due to catastrophic failure and it's scanning for irregularities. The agents call in and tell Artie about Hugo, and Artie tells them to bring Hugo back. The nurse gives them Hugo's records, and Myka gets an idea from when Hugo spoke about spinning and dancing. They go to a nearby carousel and find a depressed Hugo saying it worked the last time. They handcuff him but he says he needs the spinning to help them.



As Claudia and Douglas go over the files, one of the eyes watches them. Artie figures an artifact must be involved. Hugo One reappears and informs them that it has accessed all of the files, and they've all had numerous incidents. It informs them that the agents who work there are the catastrophic event, and seals off the warehouse.

Todd calls Claudia, who makes an excuse and tries to cover when Todd hears Douglas in the background. Before she can hang up, Hugo One cuts off all external communications. Douglas wants to know who Todd is, and Claudia insists that it isn't serious. Artie interrupts their discussion and tries to convince the computer program that the agents aren't the fault. Hugo One doesn't believe him and initiates the Falcon Scott Protocol: freezing the warehouse to preserve the artifacts.

As they drive back to the warehouse, Myka goes over Hugo's neuro-imaging files and realizes that much of his brain has fried. Hugo informs them that he has to go to the bathroom and Pete tells him to wait until they get to a gas station.

Artie takes Claudia and Douglas into the warehouse and gives them Babel Stones, which allow them to communicate among each other in seeming gibberish without letting Hugo One overhear. When it can't translate, it activates the MARAs, spider-like drones, and sends them out into the warehouse. Artie thinks there's something more at work than a simple AI program. Meanwhile, the Hugo One program activates Douglas' MARAs when it realizes they are up to something.



After using the restroom at the gas station, Hugo wants his ice cream. Myka calls Artie on the Farnsworth, but can't understand him. Hugo examines a dying flower and mentions someone called Albert. Meanwhile, Myka tells Artie about the damage to Hugo's brain, and he writes a message explaining that the computer has taken over and they need to bring Hugo back. Hugo One overhears them, scans the files on Pete and Myka, and creates a fake TV broadcast for the store clerk, Leo, saying that they're wanted for kidnapping.

Artie tells Claudia and Douglas to check out the aisle where Hugo collapsed and see if they can find an artifact involving telepathy, and then says they should meet him in the computer lab.

Leo confronts Pete and Myka with a shotgun and tells them to surrender.

As Claudia and Douglas search the aisle, Douglas asks about Todd. Claudia admits Todd is her boyfriend, and Douglas says that his girlfriend doesn’t exist anymore. She admits she'd like someone like Douglas in her life, someone she can be honest with. She knocks over Max Wertheimer's zoetrope and Douglas catches it. He spins it and his entire life flashes before his eyes. Claudia manages to knock it away and they realize it involves mental manipulation. The MARAs crawl toward them and Douglas admits they also have attack functions. When the drones attack, they run for it.



Pete and Myka realize that Hugo One doesn't want Hugo at the warehouse. They try to identify themselves as Secret Service agents to Leo, but he points out that the President isn't there and it must be a trick. Pete spots Hugo buying a can of pop and figures he's going to play a practical joke, and tries to warn Myka without saying anything specific. Hugo rolls the can toward Leo. It doesn't explode, but Myka kicks the store clerk unconscious and they leave.

Back in the computer lab, Artie challenges Hugo One to a game.

Douglas and Claudia take refuge in a crate, but are forced to leave when whatever is inside makes up. The MARAs close in and Douglas suggests that they use the Ben Franklin ring with his laser cutter.

Hugo One keeps taking hits in <em>Battleship</em> from Artie.

Douglas converts his laser cutter into a light saber, and he and Claudia cut apart the MARAs. She gives him a brief kiss and then says she likes Todd and was thinking of him when kissing Douglas. Douglas claims he's cool with that, and they head for the computer lab with the zoetrope.



Pete, Myka, and Hugo arrive at the warehouse but the unlocking device doesn't work. Hugo insists that his computer thinks for itself as another eye pops up.

Artie wins the game and explains that he cheated. He realizes that Hugo One is the logical half of Hugo Miller's brain. Hugo cheated, and that part of the brain is in Hugo while the game-loving part is in the computer program. Hugo One explains that the full transfer process was prohibited by the Regents, so Hugo went ahead anyway. However, he miscalculated and stole rather than copied half of his brain. Artie points out that he can't run the warehouse with half a brain, and asks Hugo One to let the agents in so they can put his brain back together.



Outside, the eye goes into full-power mode and fires a laser beam, and the agents duck for cover.

Claudia and Douglas get to the computer lab and explain how the zoetrope works. Artie tells them what he's discovered, and why both Hugos can't function. Hugo One agrees, but insists that they recombine the brain inside of the computer, where it will be immortal. In return, it will abort the protocol and let the agents in.

Pete offers himself as a target to get a shot at the eye with the Tesla. However, it has retracted back into the ground. The door opens and they go inside.

The agents join the others in the warehouse and Artie hooks up the zoetrope to the computer system. He insists that the warehouse comes first and it's worth the cost. When Pete objects, Hugo One brings in a MARA and has it subdue Pete. Artie assures Hugo One that they'll do what they promised, and the computer program informs them that the shutdown will continue on automatic until the transfer is complete. They begin and the warehouse powers down. Artie explains that the same thing happened earlier, and the transfer is taking up all of its processing power. There's a six-letter passcode, and Pete realizes it's Albert, the name of Hugo's cat and the picture he drew earlier. They access the system and lock him out of everything except the lab, and then Artie spins the zoetrope in reverse and reunites Hugo's brain in his human body.



When Hugo is restored to normal, he has no memory of what has happened in the last 35 years. As Pete and Myka put the zoetrope back, Myka wonders if they might end up like Hugo or worse. Pete figures that whatever terrible thing happens to her will happen to him as well.

Douglas finishes the upgrade and Hugo is eager to see what the future holds for him. They are taking him to Eureka, and Artie asks Hugo to consider coming back if things don't work out there. Hugo suggests that he, Artie, and MacPherson get together, and Artie admits that there aren't many of them left from the old days.



Todd comes to see Claudia at the B&B. She apologizes and admits that she's been in a weird place, but she's gotten some clarity recently. Before she can go further, Todd says that he's not going to see her anymore and walks away.

Share this article with your friends