Oh yeah. It's on.

Some idea I mentally stubbed my foot on before I drifted off to sleep.

Kurlos. The sadistic fuck that's determined to snuff out Tisandra and Elven sovereignty. Is that his only ambition? To rule Elfhame?

Nope. Because Kurlos has bigger, grander plans.

Kurlos intends to reverse the Exodus of centuries past. Kurlos intends to return the Fae to Earth, the place of Fomorian 'birthright', giving up Earth's human souls to Hell in the bargain he makes with his father. It gives him a cause to strive for, a reason for wanting to take Tisandra out of the picture rather than just killing her wantonly. It gives Tisandra's drive towards Avalon a desperate purpose, namely stopping Kurlos from taking over the globe.

And THAT, ultimately, is what will cause Bobby to finally fight the good fight. Because his family, and the planet, will fall to risk.

Thomas knows. Thomas knows before anyone. That's why he leaves the court briefly. Because he knows Malacar will die. He knows Kurlos will assert his coup. And he knows Tisandra's only chance lies with the one last gate to Avalon. The one from Earth.

THOMAS: I have closed all the gates to Avalon, save for the one on Earth. Kurlos will have a more difficult time of pursuing you there. But you must hurry. We haven't much time.

On Rossum:

"They hit him with the car?"

They hit him with the car. Or rather, he hits them. Or shoves the car out of his way. Something like that. Much as I'd hate to see The Beast banged up, after talking it over with Wayne, it's the only way the group can sensibly cross paths with him. Him wandering the desert and they on the road.

God knows I'm going to be pushing the lines of believability as it is, what with Clarence seeking a ride at the coffee shop (Zuzu pleading his case) and Tisandra thinking Noah should come along too. It's more plausible for them to bump into Rossum than Rossum trying to find them. Otherwise I'd have to invent a reason why he'd be looking for them. And the only plausible one is because he's been sent by the government to wipe them out. Too much problems with that one.

So they hit him with the car.

Though it HAS to be acknowledged and sneered at by one of the characters, namely Bobby, as just too weird and too emblematic of the fucked up nature of things thus far.

BOBBY (gets out, examines the banged up fender and headlight, and drags off his cigarette, toeing it): Figures.

CLARENCE: Is he okay?

BOBBY (lifting the hood of the monk's robes to see Rossum's shiny chrome head in the desert sun and examining the metallic hands sticking out of the sleeves): Oh for the love of god.

ZUZU (getting out of the car): What? What is it?

BOBBY: It's a metal man.

CLARENCE (getting out of the car): A robot?

TISANDRA (head sticking out of the window for a look): What's a robot?

BOBBY: Yes. It's a robot. Everyone get back in the car.

ZUZU: But we can't just leave him.

BOBBY: Yes, we can. And we are. C'mon.

CLARENCE: Wait a minute. We hit a robot?

TISANDRA: What's a robot?!

BOBBY (climbing back into the driver's seat): Yes, we hit a goddamn robot. Everyone get back in the car.

CLARENCE: Bobby, Zuzu's right. We just can't leave it out here.

ZUZU: Yeah.

BOBBY: Why not? It's not ours. Maybe it belongs to the Army or something, I dunno. To be honest, I don't care whose it is. We don't have time to hang around and ask.

CLARENCE: But what if it's busted? What if the military is offering a reward? It may not even be ours.

ZUZU: Yeah, what if it's Communist?

CLARENCE: A Communist robot?

ZUZU: What? It could happen.

BOBBY: And what if they want to throw us in jail for even being around the goddamn thing.

CLARENCE: We should pick it up and take it to the right people.

BOBBY: Oh you've GOT to be kidding me.

ZUZU: I agree with Clarence.

CLARENCE: Seriously, Bobby. We could use the reward money.

BOBBY: You don't even know if there IS any reward money. Jesus fucking christ. Is there any way we could actually stay on the road without this weird... screwy...

ZUZU: Twilight Zone

BOBBY: ..Exactly!.. Twilight Zone shit always happening to us? Without you guys making me detour to fuck knows where? Can we do that? Can we actually drive toward the places we need to go to? As in be in the car y'know (makes car wheel hand motions) and fucking headed there?

TISANDRA: I'm not going to ask you people again. What's a robot?!!!