" Ten, nine..." " Hold on." "Are you crazy?" " Are you crazy?" " It's the Project Runway finale." " You're crazy." " So you can DVR it!" "Just stop ruining my life." "Oh, my... you know what?" "You know what?" "!" "You are so dead!" " I-I actually didn't do it." " You know what, Alison?" " I didn't." " Then who did?" "!" "What are you...?" " Ready for the Runway?" " Of course, of course it was the other one." "Uh, no, the real world, actually." "President Dalton gave his, uh, State of the Union, like, an hour ago." "I have to be up on what the cable-verse thinks for work tomorrow." "Oh, great." "So just because you're interning for Russell Jackson, you have to stay current on how screwed-up the world is?" "Guys, Mom has spent the last six months negotiating a global climate deal, and the president announced it tonight." "It's like the moon shot of our generation." "More than 200 countries committed to the Stockholm Protocols' sweeping carbon emission benchmarks." "But the crown jewel for President Dalton was getting India and China on board." "The question now:" "will the treaty pass the U.S. Senate?" "Ah." "Hey, look who's civically engaged." "Hey." "Do you guys think that the Senate's gonna ratify?" "You mean act rationally and sacrifice minor short-term domestic economic gains for the greater good?" "Oh, yeah, they always do stuff like that." "I have faith." "In the scorched-earth fight our president is willing to wage to bulldoze those who would deny reality." "Scorched earth over scorched earth?" "Appropriate." "I need ice cream." "You were really playing Titanfall, weren't you?" " I mean, you know..." " Weren't you?" "Huh?" "If the State of the Union had just a few more explosions..." " Hello." "Who?" " I want to watch Project Runway." "Oh, God." "Uh, yeah, let him in." "Who is it?" "The Grim Reaper?" "Pretty much." "You sure you don't want a spoon?" "Mm, no, thanks." "So, I hear you are meeting with the Dalai Lama tomorrow." "Been on my schedule for months." "I doubt you just heard." "But I did just hear from the Chinese president about it." "I'm sure that you explained to him that our policy towards Tibet has not changed, and we would never let the Chinese dictate with whom our secretary of state can or cannot meet." "President Li and I simply agreed this is a delicate time." "Often the first step toward appeasement." "The Chinese have had a bug up their ass about the Dalai Lama since the 1950s, when they first drove him from his spiritual seat in Tibet." "To them, he's a font of separatist rhetoric, hell-bent on breaking away from China, so it is indeed delicate." "Are you really mansplaining Tibetan history to me?" "We need China on board for the president to deliver on his promise to fight climate change, which I know you know." "And you also know that in just five days, China's congress decides whether or not to ratify the treaty." "After that, you can go on Dancing With the Stars with the Lama for all I care." "Please, Elizabeth." "Please?" "Really?" "Does Conrad even know you're here?" "The president says it's your call." "Look." "I get that the timing of this isn't great." "But as we know, this meeting has been on the books for some time." "And caving to Chinese pressure about it would set a terrible precedent." "That said," "I can pare back the coverage." "Try and keep the visit under the radar, I guess." "Thank you." "Good morning." "Any word from Ian?" "Still radio silence." "Dead militia member and an asset gone quiet." " Go, team." " Yeah." "Good morning." "Good morning." "DOJ ruled that Ian's kill was justified." "Wayne O'Connell's wounds were consistent with Ian's account of the attack." "Okay." "And what about the disposition of the body?" "Office of Legal Counsel wants it released to the family immediately." "And say what?" "That he was killed during an FBI sting into his death cult?" "We can't risk word that the investigation will get back" " to the VFF." " That's right." "You want to pull Ian out." "I don't see how we have any other choice, unless you expect the Federal Bureau" " to disappear a body." " Okay, look." "I have a meeting scheduled with Ian tomorrow." "Assuming he shows, I'll give him a camera." "As far as the militia's concerned," "Wayne O'Connell is just missing." "Let's give Ian more time to gather evidence, then we can pull him out, grab the drone and the bomb, and then release O'Connell's body." "The most I can get the DOJ to hold is four days." "That's how long you have to me something actionable." "Preparations for the sand mandala" " are going well." " I don't get it." "These monks spent all week painstakingly arranging colored sand to fit this blueprint, and when, whoosh, they just sweep it away." "Wh-What's the point?" "That is the point." "Everything's transitory." "Everything ends." "That's very sad." "Even that feeling, that'll pass, too." "Okay, now you're just piling on." "Just keep at it." " Good morning, ma'am." " Morning, ma'am." "Great morning." "Is the sand mandala" " ready to rock?" " Yes, ma'am." "Uh, I still don't get the point." "That is the point." "No." "Due respect, ma'am, not getting the point can't possibly be the point." "You can say that about anything." "Exactly." "Give over, Blake." "Okay, you know," "Buddhism clearly isn't for neurotics." "Or maybe just the opposite." "Look who that is!" "Come here!" "Who is this?" "Who is this?" "Oh, my goodness." "This is my girl." "I tell ya, staffers just keep getting younger and younger," " don't they?" " Sorry, ma'am." " The sitter canceled on us last minute." " Oh, are you kidding?" "She keeps me on my toes, just like her daddy." "Right, little varmint?" "Oh, my goodness." "Oh, my goodness." "Secretary Elizabeth McCord." "Ah, so good to see you." " It's so good to see you." " You are the kindest of world leaders." "Tall bird lady with lion's heart." "Thank you, Your Holiness." "You remember my assistants, Lama Samten, Lama Dote and Geshe Tashi." "You can tell them apart by their auras." "Oh." " Buddhist humor." " Oh!" "That's..." "He's..." "That's..." " He's funny." " Yeah." "Oh, now, who are you, little sister?" "This is Chloe." " Hello." " Chloe." "Your Holiness, this..." "Whoa!" "She is the wisest of us all." "Yes." "Now, where is the sand mandala?" "Members of the National Buddhist Center here in D.C. anticipated your arrival." "Ah." "May you be at peace." "May you be well." "May you find loving kindness." "Let this cosmic Buddha palace heal and energize the world." "May I have some tea?" "Of course." "We have a masala chai that the tea snobs around here just rave about." " Hi." " Sorry about this." "No, it's fine." "My mom's coming for her." " Hi, baby." " You got her?" "I really am trying my best here." "Um, listen, I was gonna give this to you a little later, but, uh, it seems appropriate." "It's an informal custody settlement agreement." "Are you serious?" "You... you want sole physical custody of our child?" "I want a routine for Chloe." "Yeah, but what's-what's this?" "Can't we just talk about it?" "Every time we set a schedule, something comes up, and she and I end up ping-ponging between offices and departments, and we cannot keep doing that." "And my lawyer friend says it's a, uh, it's a standard arrangement." "One day a week, every other weekend, and-and then we can discuss holidays." "What happened to working on the marriage?" "My lawyer friend." "And we still need a custody agreement" " while we're working on the marriage." " No." "I do not accept this." "You don't get to dictate the terms here." "Shh." "Okay." "Okay." "We should just talk about this later." "I'm sorry." "I thought you would understand." "Say good-bye to Daddy." "Good girl." "I'll see you soon, okay, honey?" "See you later." "Come on." "I must request your help with a rather serious matter." "Your Holiness, you know I..." "I can't discuss statecraft with you." "I'm terminal." "Pancreatic cancer." "I'm so sorry." "Everyone must die." "I have aligned my life to my purpose:" "to fight for the autonomy of the Tibetan people." "And as for them," "I ask that you endorse my choice for my successor over China's." "Well, as always... the United States encourages you to achieve your goal through direct dialogue with China." "When I die, the Tibetans will lose their loudest voice in this world." "China will be emboldened to trample even more of our rights." "U.S. policy is clear." "We are officially neutral on this issue." "I die knowing that I've done everything I can for my people." "I have no regrets, Elizabeth." "Do you?" "Of course I have regrets." "How could I not?" "It was a rhetorical question, babe." "And now he's dying." "And I feel terrible about that." "And I feel guilty about Tibet." "Like, now it's all on me, but I... we're too... enmeshed with China, especially with this climate deal, to offend them over a battle they've-they've mostly won, right?" "I mean..." "Thoughts from the world renowned religious scholar?" "I guess I'm preoccupied with my own regrets." "Uh, not just that the office shut down." "The bomb's still out there, to say nothing of the drone." "Oh, gosh, I'm sorry." "I..." "It's okay." "Just... stop hogging all the self-flagellation." "Hello." "Sorry to bother you, ma'am, but are you watching the news?" "I'll turn it on." "...announcement." "Breaking with hundreds of years of tradition, the Dalai Lama named his successor while still alive." "Gaden Bhuti, a two-year-old Tibetan-American boy from Delaware, son to immigrants Yonten and Sonam Bhuti..." "Didn't see that coming." "Please tell me this boy isn't an American citizen, Jay." "Wish I could, but if we let him keep his citizenship or leave the country to take his new position, the Chinese will accuse us of backing the Tibetan cause." "Well, you got to hand it to the Lama." "He figured out a way to force our hand." "China will make a meal of this." "Yeah, and the appetizer will be our climate deal." "Hang on, Jay." "I have peace and light on the other line." "I got to call you back." "Namaste, Russell." "You watching this?" "!" "Y..." "Yes." "Where did he get this bright idea?" "What the hell did you say to the Lama?" "!" "Mr. Chen, the United States will not officially endorse any new Lama; you have my word." "How generous, Madam Secretary, but the People's Republic needs you to publicly disavow this choice." "You know we can't do that." "Not endorsing maintains our neutrality." "If the Dalai Lama is an American, then by definition, that's not neutral." "It's the United States harboring an anti-China instigator." "Ming, the boy is two." "I think your way of life will survive." "Symbols are often more potent than armies, Elizabeth." "Change your position, or I will make sure the National People's Congress Standing Committee never considers the Stockholm Protocols for approval." "Are you really going to hold the world hostage over a symbol, who's probably not even potty-trained?" "I believe my position is clear." "To hell with the cooling-off period." "I want to look at officially naming China a currency manipulator." "Even hinting at that will be considered aggressive." "Look, whether we like it or not," "Tibet is a symbol of nationalism in China." "And the Dalai Lama personifies the last vestiges of Tibetan independence." "So let China look tough for a few days, and I bet that they will quietly ratify the protocols." "Well, forget the Chinese." "Now we're taking fire from our own flank." "Chandler Morton, the distinguished junior senator from Pennsylvania, just did a lap of the morning shows to express his ardent support for the Dalai Lama and his American successor." "Senator Dumbass even invited the Lama to address the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next week." "Why jeopardize the climate deal?" "Morton's on record as a supporter." "The Dalai Lama's announcement last night broke the Internet." "The public moved on from sad polar bears to cute baby saviors." "The senator's just chasing that narrative to boost his profile." "Well, regardless of his motive, we still need to show China we take this seriously." "Chen won't accept a condemnation." "Morton will have to back down." "Hit 'em where it hurts, sir." "Threaten to withdraw support from your donor list." "And we provoke him, it could blow up in our face." "Look, let me find a carrot to entice the good senator." "You want to reward this punk?" "If we can quietly get him off his high horse, then I will have something to point to when I talk the Chinese off theirs." "Do it, Bess." "Rewarding bad behavior it is." "Nadine, do you still play in that monthly Hill leadership poker game?" "I consider it my pension fund." "You ever clean out anyone from the Pennsylvania delegation?" "Well, it's a friendly game." "Are you looking for leverage on Senator Morton?" "I just wanted to... offer him some alternative paths to the attention he seeks." "I'll find something." "Thank you." "Hey." "Hey." " Here you go." " Oh, thanks." "I got to be quick." "Ever since Wayne disappeared, they've got us on even tighter lockdown." "Does the Council of Elders suspect foul play?" "Yeah, of course." "They got conspiracy theories on why certain squirrels show up when they do." "Since Wayne's disappearance is an actual mystery, they're going nuts;" "I swear they're watching me." "Can you hang on for another 72 hours?" "HQ shutting it down?" "Got to release Wayne's body." "So we need you to focus on collecting significant Intel now." "We'll raid camp after we extract you." "I don't have any significant Intel." "I haven't seen the bomb." "After Wayne, they moved the drone." "You're gonna have to wear another camera." "At the very least, it'll help us plan the raid." "Uh, did you not hear me?" "They already think I'm shady." "If they see that thing, they're gonna kill me." " They sweep the camp every day..." " Okay, listen, I know what the risk is, but remember, we're trying to keep VFF from committing mass murder." "All the work you've done," "Wayne's death, it means nothing unless we get enough information before we go in." "Look, if you're not up for it..." "I can bring you in right now." "I'm fine." "I should go." "Okay." "See you in 72 hours." "Ben." "Hey." " Thanks for this." " Hey, I'm always happy to dispense legal advice when it's paired with a free steak." "Could we actually do something quicker?" "Work is..." "Oh, yeah, I read about the Lama thing." "Uh, whatever you want, man." "So, what can I do?" "You mean if reasoning with her fails?" "You have to play the game you're in." "Hardball." "Use anything you can to make her look less optimal." "Didn't you say she went through some postpartum stuff?" "Do not go there, man." "I didn't say it was pretty." "Ma'am, I did the recon." "Senator Morton's chief professional passion is lobbying the FCC to approve a telecom merger." "But he does have pretty powerful motivation for supporting an American Lama." "I'll let my source tell you." "You play poker with the vice president, Nadine?" "I cashed in my chips when I took this gig." " How are you?" " Hi, Teresa." "How are you?" "So good to see you." "Come, please, sit down." "Uh, yes, well, it was just as well, because Nadine is a shark." "Teresa was gracious enough to take my call anyway." "What better source on Morton than his predecessor?" "I wish I had better news." "Morton's untimely pursuit of Tibetan freedom has particularly craven motives." "His biggest donor is Gration Tech, manufacturer of heavy machinery." "They make almost half their revenue from hydraulic valve parts crucial to coal mining." "An industry that would take an enormous hit if the Stockholm Protocols were ratified." "Ma'am, I just got word from our India desk..." "Oh, Madam Vice President, hi." "Sorry to interrupt." "No worries." "It's good to see you, Jay." "India wants to reopen the Stockholm Protocols." "They're demanding a reduction on all coal restrictions." "They're clearly reacting to China wavering." "That and growing protests in Delhi and Mumbai over the prospect of rising electricity costs." "Well, with India bailing, China is even less likely to ratify the climate deal." "And we have our own senator to thank for blowing it up." "Wow." "So Morton is trying to spike the deal to help one of his donors, but he's hiding behind the feel-good issue of Tibetan independence." "That's my assessment, sir, yes." "You staked your second term on taking meaningful action on climate change." "If this deal falls apart, the enemy smells weakness, works that much harder to deny any of your other priorities." "Why did I want this job again?" "Your house does have a bowling alley in the basement." "So no one will care that Morton puts his donors' priorities ahead of the nation's, I mean, of-of the world?" "Yeah." "No one will care." "We need to stop the bleeding." "Get India back on board, Morton back in line, before every other hack in the Senate puts his hand out and our own side falls apart." "Well, I can handle the India inducements." "As for Morton..." "I rescind my earlier concerns about provoking him." "I think we all know what needs to happen." "We've been watching Ian's feed for hours, with no new sign of evidence." "On the other hand, they haven't killed him." "Yet." "Our dead friend Wayne O'Connell's been out of pocket for days now." "Ian's the new guy; they got to be looking at him." "Yeah, but if we pull him now, there's no way we'll find the bomb." "Unless... we release O'Connell's body to his family without telling the details of his death." "Whoa." "That's a surprising notion coming from an ethics professor." "Could take the heat off Ian." "Buy him some time to find the bomb." "Can you live with that?" "I'm so sorry I forgot to give you this." "Was Chloe up all night?" "Thank you." "Hey, I said I'm sorry." "How could you go to the guy who officiated our wedding for legal advice?" "What about your lawyer friend?" "Someone from yoga who downloaded a form for me." "I didn't seek her advice, and she didn't marry us." "Well, I'm allowed to know my rights." "You really want to fight me in court for the right to leave her with a babysitter in your apartment half the time?" "Who does that serve, Jay?" "And you can't seriously think that you would be a better custodial parent to Chloe." "I practically was her only parent for six months when you couldn't get out of bed." "Remember that?" "Because I sure as hell do!" "Prime Minister Verma, let me start by saying that I am open to taking a second look at some of the protocols." "Since India will sacrifice the most, we believe it's only fair." "Just none that increase coal emissions." "Ah." "The rich Western nation built on coal tells the emerging market, "It's okay when we polluted." "You find a new way."" "A classic." "Look, I get it." "You promised to bring electricity to the 300 million Indians who live without it, and you think loosening coal restrictions will help you deliver." "And it will." "We have lots of people in India and lots of coal." "It's not a complicated equation." "But the majority of those without electricity live in remote rural areas, far from any kind of grid." "Indeed." "I'm well aware of that." "So let's find that new way together." "Return to the deal as is, and the U.S. will subsidize a mass scale lo-fi alternative:" "bottom-up, solar mini grid efforts to rural areas." "Get the Chinese to resuscitate the protocols, along with this new amendment, we could be amenable." "I told POTUS what this telecom merger would mean for Pennsylvania." "A thumbs-up could push it over the top, really put you on the map." "Good luck, Senator." "You're not coming?" "Oh, no, no, no." "The president wanted to keep this meeting top tier... just one and two." "Number five." "Didn't make the cut." "Let's not keep the leader of the free world waiting." "Senator Morton, are you familiar with the migratory pattern of the osprey?" "Um, no, sir." "They winter in South America, then travel up to 5,000 miles to their North American breeding grounds." "They settle here to eat fish from the Potomac." "I saw a few my first year, but... not many since." "My grandchildren, well they may never see an osprey at all." "That's what scientists call shifting baseline syndrome." "Each generation accepts their version of nature, plunders it, then leaves the next generation to accept the depleted version, and so on." "Which brings me to us." "Now." "You." "Mr. President, I'm here about the telecom deal." "We'll get to that in a minute." "I know you're killing my climate deal to appease your donor." "Who is it again, uh," "Gration Technologies?" "All due respect, sir, your sources don't know what they're talking about." "I'm his source, Chandler." "Your telecom merger is up for review in two weeks." "It, uh, rides the line on antitrust issues, on what's proper and not." "Shifting baseline syndrome." "It's everywhere these days." "Point is," "I can choose to become troubled by those issues." "Or not." "So do the right thing." "Don't screw up the climate deal that a majority of Americans support, including your constituents." "Or I will kick your ass." "Welcome to Washington, Senator." "I received your inducements, Madam Secretary." "All very generous." "But we cannot accept as long as your government endorses the American Lama." "And that's why I'm glad to report that Senator Morton had a change of heart." "We reaffirm our neutrality." "A government with conflicting opinions." "I will never understand democracy." "Well, you say "tomato,"" "I say "let's ratify our climate deal."" "Okay?" "We'll resubmit the protocols with a new addendum for Indian solar funding." "Everybody's happy." "Planet saved." "Thank you." "There's just one more matter to settle." "Really?" "Chinese Buddhist scholars have found the Dalai Lama's true reincarnation." "A two-year-old boy in Sichuan Province." "If you officially recognize him, we will gladly have the Standing Committee consider the protocols for ratification." "Ming, we-we support the PRC's right to recognize this boy as the next Lama." "Just as we support Tibet's right to recognize their own boy." "I'm afraid that's not good enough." "Disqualify the American Lama or recognize ours." "Otherwise, no deal." "Do you know the mountains that President Dalton and I had to move to put this deal back together?" "All to do what's best for our children and grandchildren... oh, and the other seven billion people on the planet, too." "But..." "And you are putting it all on the line, trying to strong-arm us into endorsing some toddler that you are using as a political pawn!" "Do..." "You know who the real toddler is, Ming?" "You." "You're the real toddler." "You are." "Well, that happened." "Yes, it most certainly did." "Are you going to see the Bhuti family today?" "In a few minutes, actually." "Uh, would you like us to try to talk them out of letting their child do the Lama tests?" "No." "We are not putting our thumb on the scale." "Let's just hope the universe... gives us a break." "The Chinese officials said you will take away our citizenship if we let Gaden study as a monk." "Oh, no, the State Department would never do that." "They were just trying to intimidate you." "We heard the Chinese stopped the climate deal over of our son." "How do we know you won't try to pressure us in order" " to make your deal?" " Well, of course," "American government has policy concerns." "But it is not our place to try to influence you." "It is a difficult decision." "If your child was chosen to enlighten all people..." "And to save your home..." "Shouldn't you let him?" "So you're actually considering giving up your child to be raised by monks?" "Which is your choice." "But, effectively, you'd be choosing to abandon him." "You know that, right?" "Excuse me." "You want to tell me what happened in there?" "Abby wants full custody of Chloe and won't give me an inch." "It's gotten... pretty nasty." "I'm sorry." "Me, too." "You know, I went through something similar with my son, Roman." "Um..." "His father and I weren't married." "And he wanted nothing to do with us, until Roman turned eight." "And then he asked for a relationship." "I think I resented the whole "prodigal father returning for the fun stuff"" "after I'd done all the heavy lifting." "And I knew he didn't have money to take me to court, so..." "I boxed him out." "And then one day, I was cleaning out Roman's backpack, and I found the announcement for the father-son camping trip at his school." "It was torn into pieces." "That's when I realized who was really going to be picking up the tab." "What's the status at the crash site?" "Placed an anonymous call over an hour ago." "Highway Patrol should be there any minute." "With any luck they rule Wayne's death accidental." "We just have to make sure VFF gets the word and buys the story." "Yeah." "Okay." "Call me the minute you get a ping from Ian." "You all right?" "No, not really." "You know, my asset." "How 'bout you?" "Well, I just heard that the Lama's been hospitalized." "Likely the beginning of the end." "I'm sorry." "Well, I got to deal with how his passing is gonna affect the planet." "China's playing with global catastrophe, and no one knows yet whether Gaden Bhuti will pass the test and be the next Lama or not." "There's no way to influence the outcome?" "You mean... by doing something brazenly unethical?" "Are you okay?" "Really?" "You have a fever?" "I just have been suggesting a lot of things that aren't me lately." "Well, I'm right here." "You know, sometimes those Lama tests can take years to initiate." "Great." "Then it won't matter whether he's the Lama or not, because the planet can't wait." "There's-there's no time." "Maybe you can't put your thumb on the scale." "How 'bout you put your foot on the gas?" "Transition team to O.R. 3." "Ma'am." "Transition team to O.R. 3." "Ah, Elizabeth." "I brought you these." "Ah." "How very kind, Elizabeth." "If you want to say something, there's no better time than now." "I-I've been thinking about how, for Buddhists, clinging is the root of suffering." "Well, I understand that now, because I have been clinging to ensuring a future for our planet and its people." "This may even be my purpose." "That is a worthy purpose." "But the trouble is... our purposes are at odds." "If Gaden Bhuti is the Lama, Tibet has a leader." "But the Chinese will not ratify your climate deal." "And by 2050, 200 million people in your region will face losing their homes and lives from the melting Himalayan glacier." "And once gone, so will be the water supply to the Indian seat of your own government in exile." "But if" "Gaden Bhuti is not the Lama..." "If the tests take years, it won't matter." "What do you ask of me, Elizabeth?" "Give my purpose fair footing." "Test the American child now." "We'll accept the results... then go from there." "Jay, what are you doing here?" "You cannot ambush me like this." "Don't worry." "I come in peace." "So, I just spent the week watching Tibet and China fight over a two-year-old who may or may not be the reincarnation of the Bodhisattva of compassion." "I know." "I read about it." "It's crazy." "He's this avatar for everyone's hopes and fears, even mine." "I'm clinging to Chloe like she's the last mooring of the life I knew, the life that I... that I thought made sense to me." "You're a wonderful mother." "And I'm a present and loving dad when I'm around." "I'm gonna work on doing more of that." "But the main thing is, no matter what choices that we're making in our lives right now, she didn't choose it." "She deserves parents who respect each other and put her first, and I just..." "I just want to focus on that." "So..." "I'm saying yes to your agreement." "Chloe needs stability more than I need... anything." "But I hope we can keep talking about it, though." "Things can change." "I could get fired." "And then I'm coming after her with everything I've got." "Yeah, of course we can keep talking about it." "I want Chloe to think that her dad is the greatest." "So, the Dalai Lama's representatives are set to meet him today?" "Uh, yeah, in an hour." "It's the final test." "And if they recognize their master in this little American boy?" "Then we are out of moves." "You should have heard me wax poetic about the ospreys to Senator Morton." "Oh, I'm sure you were very eloquent, Conrad." "No one would tell me otherwise." "This job gives you an inflated sense of your own importance, so it can be sobering when the world just does what it wants, all your fine talk be damned." "I just got word." "The Dalai Lama passed away." "His attendants are preparing to take his body back to India." "I'm sorry to hear that." "He was a great man." "Maybe even something rarer." "He was a good man." "Do they still plan on testing the child?" "Well, Tibet needs a spiritual and symbolic leader now more than ever." "I hate to root against a toddler here, but the Little Buddha'd be doing the world a favor if he shanked this test." "Hey." "They're taking Ian to the chapel." "News of O'Connell's death broke this morning." "Reaction's been mixed." "Any pronouncements from the Elders?" "Soldiers of God, welcome." "We'll see." "Amen." "It's been a hard morning." "We lost Wayne, a brother in the struggle." "Suspicion abounded and fell in particular on the newcomer." "Brother Ryan, join me." "Uh-oh." "There's no way we can get him out now." "Brother Ryan reminds me of when Paul washed ashore in Malta." "When the local people found him, they thought, like we did, that he must be a murderer." "Why would God punish Paul with a snakebite after a shipwreck, if he didn't have it coming?" "Now we hear Wayne drove off the road to his death." "But remember, my brothers, what comes next for Paul." "What comes next?" "It's good news." "Scripture says," ""But after they had looked a great while and saw no harm come to him..."" ""...they changed their minds and said that he was a god."" "Now I'm not saying Brother Ryan is a god." "The Maltese are a fickle people." "But he has endured our judgment with patience." "We apologize." "Now... bless Brother Ryan as he takes Wayne's place on the Council of Elders and fulfills our purpose:" "to bring a timely end to this decaying world!" "Amen." "Amen!" "He's alive, and he's a member of the Council now." "Not a bad day at the office." "Yeah, yeah." "Ma'am?" "Geshe Tashi." "I am so sorry about your teacher's passing." "Thank you." "His legacy lives on in his reincarnation." "The search will continue." "So, Gaden Bhuti did not pass the test?" "When Lama Dote, Lama Samten, and I met the child, we agreed: he is not our teacher." "I know His Holiness had a lot of faith in your discernment, so we wish Tibet luck in its search." "The path to the new Lama often has many turns." "Before I go, may I fulfill one of the Lama's last wishes?" "Can we go to the mandala?" "Of course." "Yes." "Shall I ask Blake to call Minister Chen?" "In a minute." "For now, will you please gather the staff?" "So, where will you search next?" "There is a girl in Nepal." "Or perhaps there will be no Lama." "I would find that kind of ambiguity hard to accept." "As you noted in the hospital, clinging to anything, including a vision or a political stance, is a recipe for suffering." "The Chinese exiled the Lama, but this introduced him and Tibetan culture to the world." "Whether or not autonomy comes," "Tibet lives in the hearts of many, and, so, can never die." "Perhaps in this way, the Lama did achieve his purpose." "Now other purposes can flourish, perhaps not ones beneficial only to Tibetans, but to all mankind." "Thank you."