List of Red vs. Blue episodes

Medical Officer DuFresne arrives in Valhalla in response to Simmons' request to Command for a medic. Doc is initially happy to see Simmons again, but Simmons insists that Donut needs his help. Doc notes that Donut is dead, and that nothing can be done for him. Simmons apologizes, and admits that he sent the request because "they" forced him to, as they needed someone with medical training. Doc turns around to see Washington and The Meta, who knocks him unconscious.

Doc informs Washington that the Meta is physically healthy, though he is having serious problems with his armor. In the desert, Tucker searches for the Reds and Epsilon-Church, and guesses they must have taken off. Caboose warns Tucker not to say anything about Epsilon-Church's absence, as the aliens would become hostile if they knew he was gone. Meanwhile, Sarge arrives in Valhalla, calling out for Simmons in an attempt to lure Washington into the center of the canyon. Washington tells the Meta to kill the prisoners if Sarge causes him any problems and moves out to intercept him. With Washington gone and the Meta distracted, Simmons and Doc plan to short circuit the Meta's armor using an overpowered charge on Doc's medical scanner.

Washington confronts Sarge and disarms him, then orders him towards Blue Base, but at Sarge's signal, Grif bursts through the canyon wall in the Warthog, landing on Washington. With the Warthog still moving at high speed, Washington climbs from under the Warthog onto the front, and attempts to shoot Grif. Grif slams on the brakes and Washington is thrown into a pile of explosive barrels as Sarge reclaims his shotgun. He fires at the barrels to ignite them, attempting (and failing) a one-liner, and Washington is engulfed in the resulting explosion. The Meta notices the explosion and prepares to kill Doc just as he starts to charge his scanner.

• This is the first RVB episode to feature pre-rendered character animation.

Doc hits the Meta with a blast from his overloaded scanner, knocking him back temporarily. The Meta attempts to punch Doc, but the blast causes his temporal distortion unit to malfunction, slowing him down drastically. Simmons quickly theorizes that his punch will still carry the same force as normal as they are merely viewing the Meta from a different timeframe, but Doc ignores him. When the Meta's fist connects with Doc's helmet, he is slammed into the base wall. Simmons attempts to pull him free, but is forced to abandon him when the Meta recovers. Simmons is then blasted away from the base by the Meta's weapon and manages to grab onto the Warthog turret when Sarge and Grif drive by. As the trio tries to escape, the Meta uses the grav-lift to launch himself onto the hood of the jeep, destroying it and throwing the Reds out. As the Reds prepare to fight, Epsilon-Church arrives and catches the interest of the Meta. He lures the Meta back towards Blue base, briefly pausing when he recognizes it from his memory flash. The Reds take the opportunity to flee through the hole in the wall, which leads to another canyon.

Having set the piece of wall containing Doc back up vertically, Washington again attempts to interrogate him. After being repeatedly hit by the Meta and threatened to be shot, Doc reveals that Simmons said something about a distress call, and mentioned "sand". At the desert, the Reds spy on Epsilon-Church and Caboose. Sarge believes that the Reds may be able to restore the Blues to command's database at the facility mentioned by Epsilon Church. As the Reds leave in pursuit, Tucker takes the opportunity to escape from the aliens and he makes a dash to his alien motorcycle to follow the Reds. Unfortunately, the vehicle runs out of gas and Tucker is forced to flee on foot with the aliens in pursuit.

Upon entering the facility, Epsilon-Church has F.I.L.S.S. run the tutorial for Caboose's benefit. As they explore the facility, F.I.L.S.S. explains that it is a backup storage site, intended to allow the operations of Project Freelancer to continue if its primary site was lost. She further explains that the bunker stores equipment used in the combat simulations, noting that her record of Blue team is missing. When they arrive at a locked door, F.I.L.S.S. refuses to allow Caboose to enter, claiming that only the Director is allowed in. At Epsilon-Church's insistence, she relents and allows both to enter. Outside, Grif and Sarge catch up with Simmons, who had seen Epsilon-Church and Caboose entering the facility. The three make plans to gain entry by posing as Freelancer agents.

In the desert, Washington and the Meta free Doc from the concrete block he was trapped in using grenades and the Meta's weapon. Doc tells the ex-Freelancers that the aliens are drawing a map to where Epsilon went to, though his translation may be incorrect. The aliens finish drawing the map, but it turns out to be a picture of a dead human with the word "Shisno" next to it. Rather than waste any more time, Washington decides to simply kill the aliens and leave one alive to talk, resulting in the Meta leading an attack.

As the Reds make a hasty retreat, Caboose asks F.I.L.S.S. for help, who declines, stating that she cannot interrupt a simulation test. Tex ambushes the Reds and starts to attack them while Simmons flees to find a better weapon. After finding a rocket launcher, he runs into Tucker, who he asks to help fight Tex.

Tex begins beating Epsilon-Church with his previous shell as the Reds stand by and discuss the situation. Caboose asks F.I.L.S.S. for help again; she suggests the armor lockdown safety protocol, which she didn't mention since she assumed Epsilon-Church already knew about it. Caboose has her activate it, which immobilizes Tex but also affects everyone else, except Caboose because his helmet does not have the lockdown protocol.

Church wakes up in a strange blurry version of the Freelancer facility to learn from F.I.L.S.S. that he's in Recovery mode. He attempts to send Tex a message via F.I.L.S.S. only to learn that Tex has refused to receive any messages, something she should not be able to do. Church has his and Tucker's armor unlocked, but decides to keep Tex locked up until he can figure out what to do with her. The Reds also remain in lock down, believing they are dead and in some kind of Purgatory. Church tells them he will let them out if they agree not to fire on the Blues or Tex; Reluctantly they agree.

Washington, the Meta and Doc gather near the Epsilon unit, which Washington realizes is empty due to the AI being moved to the eye-like body they saw in Valhalla. Doc, having not seen it, thinks Washington is going crazy from heat-stroke and tries to psycho-analyze him while the Meta begins converting the storage unit into a capture unit to retake Epsilon.

The Meta finishes configuring the old Epsilon unit into a capture unit. Out of curiosity, Doc asks Washington if they could track the Reds' trail, like heat signatures, footprints etc. Washington tells him otherwise, however, after Doc is out of earshot, Washington asks the Meta if they could track the Reds like Doc suggested.

Simmons and Tex begin working together to sort through Command's personnel files, only to be roadblocked by the Director's files being restricted and no record for either Tex or Church. However, Tex does pull up another Freelancer base not far from their location. As she sets off to check out the weaponry, F.I.L.S.S. asks Church to make a journal update as the Director used to. Church has the entries transferred to him and deleted from the database, an act observed by Sarge before sending Grif to aid Simmons with supplies.

After dispatching the guards by herself, Tex and Epsilon-Church arrive at the Freelancer base. Church has another flash of Valhalla, and realizes he mixed the two locations up in his memories. Tex reveals that this was where Alpha was sent after the very first break in, of which she was a part. It was here more and more "tests" were run on him. Other AI were used in the torturing process of Alpha, with Omega and Gamma being used to create tests that were impossible for Alpha to win, driving him mad, and breaking him to the point he could not recognize anybody, not even Tex. When Church asks if she and the other Freelancers succeeded, Tex says no, and that she failed herself and Alpha.

Informed by F.I.L.S.S. that the storage facility contains backups of Project Freelancer data, Simmons has her restore the Blue Army data. Grif and Simmons then look at the records, and they reveal that all of the Red and Blue bases are merely training grounds for Freelancer agents, and are staffed with the army's worst soldiers based on poor test scores and poor field performance. Furthermore, all of the strange events the Reds and Blues had encountered during The Blood Gulch Chronicles, including being seemingly blown into the future, meeting the Alien, and Tucker's pregnancy were part of just one of several scenarios that may be run at simulation bases (confirming what they were told by Washington in Chapter 12 of Reconstruction). Sarge is shocked by these revelations and walks off to construct a base from junk. He insists that Simmons and Grif stop calling him "Sir", and then announces that he quits.

At the Freelancer base, Tex reveals that she is looking for the Director. She suggests that Washington and the Meta may know who the Director is. In the event they do not know his identity, Tex states that she will simply kill them, and that if she cannot find the Director, she will settle for destroying everything he built. When Epsilon-Church asks how Tex will get in contact with Washington and the Meta, she shoots him, triggering his recovery beacon. She explains that the beacon would not have activated until they left the storage facility. Church insists that he would have helped her. She states that he cannot even help himself, which is why he made her. Church asks her why she is doing all this, and she says that she intends to find out herself.

Washington, Doc and the Meta arrive in a jeep to find Church lying in the snow unguarded. Washington quickly guesses it is a trap set by a Freelancer sniper. Doc suggests that the sniper would anticipate the trap being recognized and would set up a different trap, which is soon proven correct when a series of mines under their Warthog explodes.

Washington regains consciousness from the land mines and is immediately interrogated by Tex about the Director's location, but is attacked by the Meta. She uses several hidden weapons as well as explosives against Washington and the Meta as they attempt to use the capture unit on her. While she at first appears to be winning, Tex slowly loses ground. During the fight, the explosives collapse part of the ground they are fighting on, and Washington narrowly escapes death when Doc saves him. Eventually, the Meta manages to stab the storage unit into Tex's visor, capturing her.

Epsilon demands that they release her, but Washington explains that the unit is failing, and that Epsilon will be leaving with them. Epsilon resolves to fight them. Washington asks the Meta for the memory unit, but the Meta attaches it to his own armor, allowing him to cloak. Washington tells Doc to protect Epsilon, and is forced to fight with the Meta. Before Washington is about to be killed by the Meta, the Reds and Blues suddenly arrive in a Pelican dropship. The ship crashes due to Grif's inept piloting, almost knocking Doc off a cliff.

Epsilon asks if anyone has seen Tex, but Washington repeats that she was captured. Epsilon spots the capture unit lying in the snow, and asks that Tex be released. Washington tells him that the unit was rigged to be one-way, lest Epsilon — the intended target — escapes again. Washington explains that the unit will not survive being transported to a facility without sufficient means to do so. Washington says that if he lets her out, Epsilon will have to come with him. Epsilon agrees to this, and Washington sends the Reds and Blues to scour the base for equipment to aid in restoring the capture unit.

As the Reds are looking for power sources to keep the capture unit running, they hear a large explosion, which leads Simmons to arm a rocket launcher as they all go to investigate. They run outside to see Washington and The Meta in battle; the Meta quickly gains the upper-hand and takes Washington out of the fight. As Caboose and Doc stay with Epsilon, Sarge, Simmons, Grif, and Tucker attack the Meta, and they inflict some damage despite the Meta's power. The Meta is goaded by Sarge into coming towards him and grabs him by the throat. Sarge says "shotgun" three times and Grif, remembering the codeword from earlier, gets Simmons to help him push the jeep off the cliff. Sarge then attaches the tow hook onto the Meta's armor - which was given to him by Washington during the fight - and references his arguments about the jeep with Grif early in the Blood Gulch Chronicles by saying to the Meta "Hey Meta settle an old bet would ya? Does that thing look like a big cat to you?" The Meta drops Sarge and the capture unit falls from his back as he is dragged over the cliff to his death, swiping at Grif's legs in the process. Simmons tries to stop Grif from slipping over the edge, but Grif falls. However, he manages to survive by lodging the Meta's weapon — which he had stolen earlier — into the cliff face and holding on.

With the capture unit close to failure, Epsilon prepares to enter it to find Tex. He tells Caboose that if he does not come back, then Caboose will be in charge of remembering him. Leaving his body, he enters the unit. Doc goes to check on Washington, and Simmons tries to stabilize the unit to no avail. The unit fails before Church and Tex can emerge.

Later, UNSC recovery forces arrive to investigate, and the Red and Blue teams are questioned. After the questioning is finished, the soldier that interrogated them tells them they can return to their training bases. He expresses surprise at the teams having killed three Freelancer agents, but says that the Chairman will be disappointed at not being able to debrief Washington. The members of Blue team comment on Washington's supposed death, including Washington himself, who had faked his death and is now wearing Church's armor but with yellow trim. Washington joins the Blue team, while the Reds, not wanting to walk back to base, hijack a Hornet. The interrogator tells another soldier to throw the capture unit in evidence, as "it's all a bunch of junk now anyway".

The episode opens within the Epsilon Unit, with Epsilon Church's internal monologue being repeatedly interrupted by Tucker, who keeps calling him up to the cliff. After Church arrives, Tucker reveals that he and Caboose have been watching the Red team. The Reds have attached a rocket launcher to their jeep, and Donut is giving orders. After several rockets are fired, Church grows frustrated as the memories aren't right, like Donut giving out orders and starts walking down towards Red Base. As he does so, there is a rumbling sound. Tucker follows Church and asks where he is going. Church replies that he is going to "set things straight", and that "...it has to be done the right way, or there's no point in doing it at all...there's an order to things".

At the Director's behest, an unnamed agent in blue armor arrives to help South and North, sneaking in and providing a distraction for them to fight back against the surrounding enemies. During the battle, North is wounded while protecting South from enemy fire. The unnamed agent helps the twins to extraction, a Pelican dropship.

Back in present day inside the Epsilon unit, the Reds formulate a plan to attack the Blues until Church shows up and attempts to talk to them, only to realize that they don't recognize him. The Reds agree to talk, but not before a bloodthirsty Donut shoots Church in the foot in exchange for five minutes to hear him out.

• Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla from Smosh guest star in a cameo as two soldiers arguing over one of the soldiers' rifles during the fight scene.

Attempting to set things straight, Church tries to convince the Reds that their personalities are wrong. While he does not succeed, he does get Simmons and Sarge thinking and Donut to panic over his apparent knowledge of his diary.

Church eventually limps his way back to Blue Base where, during a discussion with Tucker about his attempts to fix things, Caboose heads in the base and calls Command, who has sent out a special forces member to the Blues. Back at Red Base, Simmons is briefly obstructed by Grif and his recently-cleaned floor before getting Donut to help with the construction of Lopez. During this, Grif and Donut begin to revert to the personalities of their real selves, causing another earthquake.

As Church struggles to get Caboose to remember when the special forces agent will arrive, Sarge and Simmons continue to work on Lopez. Donut interrupts and goes to talk to Sarge about their feelings while Church attempts to activate Sheila in case things get dicey when Tex shows up. His attempts prove fruitless, but it does get Tucker to start showing his interest in women and revert to his real personality.

The episode begins with Washington and another Freelancer named Connie returning from a failed mission. Washington tries to cheer up Connie by saying that the mission failure was not her fault, but she angrily replies that he is just making excuses. Connie points out that the ranking system the Director has put in place has started a rivalry among all of the Freelancers, drawing lines between them. She continues by telling Washington that he will eventually have to pick a side. Connie then leaves, telling Washington to call her "C.T." from now on.

At Red Base, construction on Lopez has finished and Simmons begins to show signs of his real personality, demonstrating his love of math and organizing and kissing up to Sarge. An earthquake hits briefly, followed by Lopez activating and speaking Spanish. Sarge explains this is adding culture and learning the language as a unit bonding activity, and as he and Simmons acknowledge just how out-of-character that is, another earthquake hits.

At Red Base, Lopez notices that the earthquakes are getting more frequent, and tries to warn the Red Team that they are in danger. However, the Red Team can't understand him and they assume Lopez is making jokes. Simmons, jealous at the attention Lopez is receiving from the Reds, storms off to prove to Red Team that he can be "likeable, funny, and people-like".

Meanwhile, at Blue Base, Church continues to try to explain the situation to Tucker and Caboose, and tell them that the simulation they are experiencing is a form a recursion taking place within the Epsilon unit, where the computer tries many different iterations of the same scenario to find a solution. He also reveals the fact that he is actually an AI based on the memories of Alpha and the Director. Tucker then likens Church's search for Tex to a stalker's actions. Suddenly, they notice a grenade lying on the ground between them, and realize too late that somebody must have thrown it at them before it explodes.

The episode begins where the last one left off, with Washington and North Dakota heading to a training match featuring a new Freelancer. In the match, the new Freelancer, Agent Texas, spars with Wyoming, Maine, and York. Meanwhile Freelancers Washington, North Dakota, South Dakota, Carolina, and C.T., overlook the battle from above. During the match, using her strength and agility, Tex easily defeats her three opponents, winning Round one. As Round two begins, York tries to coordinate a plan with his teammates. However, Maine and Wyoming, attack by themselves instead, leading to all three having many repeated failures. The three then start attacking Tex from all sides. Tex, however, easily kicks and punches them around, impressing the other Freelancers overlooking the battle. York tries again to regroup his team, but continues to be ignored by Maine and Wyoming, leading to further defeat.

The episode picks up right after Maine's grenade explodes and greatly injures York. As the medical team arrives, Washington comments that a Freelancer's armor hardens after it locks down, explaining Tex shooting York with the hardening paint shortly before the explosion; something that may have saved him from worse injury. The Director then arrives and berates Washington for following the rules of the training floor, saying that the enemy won't fight according to protocol on the battlefield, and that Wyoming and Maine showed initiative and creativity for using live ammunition and will therefore not be punished. The Freelancers are left confused by the Director's statement, with Carolina becoming suspicious of Tex.

After accidentally shocking himself, Simmons wakes up to find himself chained up in front of Lopez, who is now disguised as him. Lopez tells Simmons that he is going to pose as him so he can get access to the equipment he needs to investigate the earthquakes. However, Simmons mistakenly believes that Lopez is trying to replace him to become popular. Leaving Simmons in the cave, Lopez manages to fool Sarge and Grif into granting him permission to use their equipment, despite the fact that he is still speaking Spanish. Meanwhile, a curious Donut decides to investigate what the disguised Lopez is up to, while the real Simmons manages to break free from his bonds and leaves to confront Lopez.

On the Project Freelancer ship, "Mother of Invention", the Director speaks with the Alpha AI before quickly dismissing him when Carolina appears. They both join the other Freelancers and the Pelican pilot Four-Seven-Niner and begin briefing on their next mission. Members of the UNSC loyal to the Insurrection have acquired a high level asset and are holding it in a secure building. The asset, codenamed the "Sarcophagus", can only be accessed by a key code held by an official of the program that created it, who will be arriving by car to inspect the asset. Because the building will be locked down at the first sign of trouble, both targets must be attacked simultaneously, meaning there will have to be two teams.

The first team - Carolina, Washington, and Maine - are tasked with infiltrating the package storage facility. They are unexpectedly joined by York, whose quick recovery from his injuries surprises the other Freelancers. The second team, composed of North, Wyoming, and C.T., will act as recon for the first team until they infiltrate the building. After that, the second team will then ambush the official and obtain the key code. Also, as a result of her poor performance in her last mission, South is barred from participating in this mission.

At Blood Gulch, Tex tells Church to pick a member of the Red team and kill him. However, due to both his inaccuracy with the sniper rifle and his constant attempts to stall Tex, she takes Church's sniper rifle and shoots Lopez (still disguised as Simmons) and Caboose claims he has avenged "Andersmith". As Tex prepares to shoot Donut, she instead decides to return to Blue Base upon hearing Donut's cries of anguish over Lopez, saying he will demoralize the reds; still believing him to be Simmons. Sarge and Grif discover Donut and Lopez's body, both of whom also believe he is Simmons. Just as they begin to deliver a eulogy, Simmons then arrives stating that he is alive and that Lopez was shot. Sarge ignores him and says small, unimportant things about Simmons, much to his own disappointment.

In Blood Gulch, Church pleads with Tucker to help him have Tex remain at Blue Base, only for Tex to announce that she would be staying longer, stating that Caboose told her about the broken tank and giving her one-hundred dollars. Later on, Church tries to have a private conversation with Tex, only for Caboose to remain with them not understanding Church telling him to leave them alone.

At Red Base, Simmons and Grif recover the equipment Lopez was using the study the earthquakes. Then in a meeting with Sarge, Donut, and Grif, Simmons explains that the planet has become unstable and will collapse. Sarge comes up with a plan to drill to the core of the planet and set off a bomb (parodying the movie The Core), much to Simmons' dismay.

At Blue Base, Tex continues to work on the tank when Church approaches her and asks about how she knows so much about vehicles. During the conversation, Tex reveals that she is aware that Church is really Epsilon and that she is also unaware of the Director's reasons for bringing her back as an AI. Afterwards the tank finally activates.

The episode begins in Blood Gulch, with Grif yelling at and insulting the Blue Team; in the hopes that he'll make them mad enough for them to send a bomb to the Red Base to use in Sarge's plan to stop the planet from destabilizing. He eventually succeeds and Tex builds Andy the bomb.

At Red Base, the Red team prepares to begin their voyage to the center of the planet with the drilling machine Sarge built with a massive excavator he ordered online; both which Grif points out that no one noticed until Sarge pointed them out. Afterward, Tex drops off Andy and he begins to count-down to his explosion, something Grif forgot to think about.

The episode continues with the earthquake which everyone believes is the end of the world, during this time the Reds panic. Since they are all about to die, Simmons takes the time to admit that he had always utterly despised his teammates. However, Andy turns out to be a dud and fails to explode, sparing the Reds. Meanwhile the Blues get Sheila running and try to use her to get out of Blood Gulch before the cataclysm. Church however decides to stay and tells them that if they find Agent Washington they tell him that "Memory is the Key". Instead of leaving with Caboose and Tucker, Tex decides to stay behind with Church, saying that he's never let her down yet. Church tells her that it had taken several versions of him to finally realize that in order get what you wanted, you sometimes have to let go of it first. Tex muses that she just proved the theory right and both she and Church stand together to watch the end of the world.

At Red Base the team awaits the end of the world. Grif decides to take a nap, figuring it would be best to die the way he lived. At Blue Base Epsilon-Church begins to explain to Tex that he figured out what the Director and Alpha could not. Tex was a by-product of the Director's longing to see Allison again, so strong in fact, that she was what drove him: her memory. After all they've been through Church tells Tex, "I forget you," finally allowing her to leave his memories and move on from her. At peace, Church tells the world to do its worst. However, as the sky rips open further, Caboose calls into the Epsilon Capture Unit to Church, amazed that he is still alive. The Reds look on in confusion as Caboose, whom they believe to be God, calls out to Church, then Sarge suddenly appears next to Caboose to help, further confusing them. Realizing that the world is not ending but he is being rescued, Church despairs loudly and begs to be left here.

In the past, Carolina is seen looking over the updated rankings, as she is dropped to second behind Tex. The Director approaches her and tells her that things are going to change and he needs her to do "a great many things", some of which might be questionable. Carolina obliges, saying that he gave her everything and would do anything for him.

In the past, Freelancer agent York infiltrates an Insurrectionist facility in space and attempts to open a holographic lock. After an alarm is remotely triggered, the Director of Project Freelancer decides to "take a more direct approach". Shortly afterwards, a beam is fired from the Freelancer flagship Mother of Invention, cutting through both the outer hull of the station and the lock, causing York to be dragged out into space.

In the past, the Mother of Invention approaches the facility, revealed to be a scrap-metal recycling station, firing its main cannon. The station launches Longsword fighters in response. Pelican drop-ships are launched from the Mother of Invention, one of which is carrying agents Carolina, North, South, Washington and Connecticut (C.T.), who have orders to capture the "Leader". Due to York's failure to unlock the Leader's hangar, they are forced to deploy into the main hangar of the station. Before deploying, Carolina advises using their jetpacks sparingly, lest they end up like Agent Georgia, who was never found. Flying into the hangar, the agents fight the Insurrectionist forces present. After the fight, Carolina assigns the agents tasks for the mission, then notices that C.T. is missing. C.T. is then seen entering another part of the station via a hole in the hull, and confronts an elite Insurrectionist and two soldiers, who open fire.

Continuing from where the previous episode ended, the two Insurrectionist soldiers open fire on C.T; only for it to be a hologram. Shortly after, the real C.T. incapacitates the two soldiers before greeting the Insurrectionist elite, thus confirming her affiliation with the Insurrection. After giving the elite a datapad containing information on Project Freelancer, they then discuss an artifact that the Insurrection has discovered before the UNSC and Project Freelancer. The elite and his soldiers then prepare to leave, urging C.T. to go along with him; stating that the other Freelancers will soon be onto her. Meanwhile, back in the station's hangar, South reports to Carolina that the Leader isn't present in the facility, but instead is somewhere inside the scrapyard. Just as Carolina orders South, Washington, and North to prepare to enter the scrapyard, York arrives.

In the present day, The Reds and Blues stop at the Wind Power facility, demanding to have a break. Church is revealed to have stored himself in Tucker's storage unit, revealing to have deleted inappropriate stuff Tucker has. Watching the teams chat from above, Carolina expresses her annoyance at their idiocy to Washington. Washington agrees that they are idiots, but also says that they're "not that bad once you get to know them", and states that he and the teams almost managed to trap The Meta the last time they were at the facility. Carolina emphasizes the fact that they didn't succeed.

In the past, North introduces his new A.I., Theta, to York, Washington and South. Theta exhibits a childlike, shy personality, so York introduces his A.I., Delta, to help Theta with its shyness. When North introduces Theta to his sister South, Theta mentions that he also has many brothers and sisters. The Director arrives, to prepare a test for Theta and North. He reminds Delta that protocol forbids direct interaction between A.I.s, then orders it to administrate the test. During the test, Theta is able to successfully operate North's Domed Energy Shield armor equipment to defend against multiple automated turrets, compensating for changes in the situation. With Theta's aid, North is ultimately able to eliminate all the turrets, greatly impressing Washington and York.

In the present day, Carolina looks for leads and clues to the location of the Director with Washington, as Tucker and Epsilon watch. However, the two are found thanks to Tucker's catchphrase "Bow Chicka Bow Wow!!" and are forced to leave without any answers to Carolina's plans. After Carolina's angry outburst towards Epsilon and Tucker, Washington attempts to calm her down, but she assures him that she is fine leading the squad.

In the past, the Director and the Counselor teach the agents about how to care for the A.I.'s briefly touching on the subject of Rampancy. South displays doubt about the necessity of the lessons, but Carolina tells her that it is crucial in their training. York reveals that Carolina's A.I., Sigma (Elijah Wood), was given to Maine by Carolina to help him communicate. Sigma asks about the fourth stage of A.I. rampancy, Metastability, which should theoretically make an A.I. human. The Counselor tells him that it is merely a theory, as no full A.I. has ever reached the stage before, and it is even more unlikely for a fragment, such as Sigma, to undergo the process. Sigma takes great interest in the concept, and after everyone leaves, creates the symbol of the Meta on a computer screen.

In the present, Washington reports to Carolina that he has found nothing in the wind power facility. They decide to move on to the ruins in the desert where Washington found C.T.'s helmet. The Blues discuss Epsilon's memories, and his difficulty determining which of his personalities they come from.

In the present, The Reds and Blues arrive at the desert, where Carolina and Wash search for C.T's remains. The Blues recall the events that happened in Recreation as well as what they are up to here.

In the present, The Reds and Blues have a meeting about Carolina's secrecy and motives, as they believe she can't be trusted, even Washington. The group decides to find out more about Carolina's motives and plans by inserting Epsilon-Church into her Mongoose.

In the present, Washington and Carolina approach where Wash saw C.T.'s helmet, wondering how C.T. ended up there. Carolina then tells him what happened back at the Longshore Shipyards.

C.T. and the Insurrection Leader plan to escape the facility, but C.T. tries to tell him that the Freelancers might help them if they were told the whole story from their point of view. Outside the room, Carolina and Tex wait at the door, as the room is guarded by turrets making it impossible to get in without them activating. Carolina orders York to disable the power, but the latter is pinned down by the Twin Insurrectionists. Wyoming proposes that Florida help them as the latter recovers from his injury and uses his rifle to cause a crane holding a crate to smash into the two insurrectionist turret soldiers, killing them.

With the power finally disabled, Tex and Carolina rush into the room, holding C.T. and the Leader at gunpoint. C.T. attempts to convince them of the Director's crimes, but the two will have none of it. C.T. then reveals that she knows what Tex really is, and calls her a shadow, enraging her enough to shoot at C.T. With negotiations over, the four fight before Tex fatally wounds C.T. with one of the Leader's tomahawks. The Leader drags C.T. out of the room as Carolina berates Tex for harming a teammate, though Tex tells her C.T. is no longer one of them. The Leader drags C.T. into an escape pod and she gives him a card full of information describing the Director's crimes before dying. In grief, the Leader takes her helmet and puts it on, revealing that the C.T. the Reds and Blues encountered in Recreation was the Leader all along.

In the present, as Washington and Carolina return from the Leader's corpse, Caboose manages to finish installing Church into Carolina's Mongoose. When Washington and Carolina study the data they salvaged from C.T.'s corpse, they find data on the alien artifact Epsilon-Church temporarily used as a body. Tucker recognizes the artifact and informs them that they had found and used it, though he claims it was a pain in the ass for them to deal with. However, Caboose admits that he had lost the artifact shortly after it was damaged when Church transferred to a new body, which enrages Carolina. The datacard is also revealed to be corrupted, meaning that they have no more leads in the hunt for the Director. Afterwards, Carolina decides to go off alone to visit an abandoned fortress on a nearby island, taking the Mongoose with her. As the Reds and Blues head to the temple to rest, Tucker asks Washington where she is going, Washington replies that she had "lost something" and "needs time to find it again". Also a modified version of the song "A Girl Named Tex" plays as she drives away into the distance.

In the present, Carolina arrives at the abandoned island fortress where York was killed during the events of Out of Mind. Church reveals himself and then asks Carolina what her motivations are and why she can't trust the Reds and Blues, causing her to go on a rant over how she couldn't even trust her fellow Freelancers. Church then delves into Epsilon's memories and summons Delta, who begins playing York's video diaries, recorded after he left Project Freelancer. In the diaries, York expresses his wish to see Carolina again, and gets excited when he hears rumors of a rogue female Freelancer, but is disappointed when he learns that it is Tex. He then reminisces about how he and Carolina first met and wishes things between them turned out differently, implying romantic feelings between them. Carolina asks Church why he showed her those diaries and responds by saying "Because, I know what it's like to spend your life chasing ghosts." Carolina thanks Church, and reveals she wants to kill the Director to take revenge for all of the Freelancers and others he victimized, Church included. They both begin to bond, with Carolina becoming much nicer toward him and Church agreeing to analyze the Director's diary logs for any information.

The group finally arrives at Outpost 17-B Vahalla and quickly get to work. Church, Carolina, and Washington decide to go inspect the crashed Pelican where Tex's previous body is. Tucker approaches Church and is angry over how close he and Carolina seem to have gotten and wonders why Church isn't spying on her like planned, though Church points out that Carolina is a much more complicated person than they thought, and that the only way he can figure out her secret is to be close to her at all times. Then, Carolina forbids the rest of the group from following them to the Pelican. The Reds decide to go find and repair Lopez so they can get a numerical advantage against the Blues. Caboose rushes off to the Blue Base, leaving Tucker all by himself.

In the present, Caboose begins giving Tucker a tour of their new base in Outpost 17-B Vahalla. However, Tucker is not impressed, as the area doesn't seem that much different from Blood Gulch, though Caboose points key differences such as a waterfall and a beach. Meanwhile, Church, Carolina, and Washington begin examining the Pelican wreck. While Washington only manages to find several shell casings and a dog tag, Church downloads himself into the Pelican's computer to see if he can obtain any information from Sheila.

In the past, Carolina and Texas prepare for their match, while most of the other agents gather to watch as some of them are betting if Tex and Carolina might kill each other. As Tex and Carolina charge each other to start the match, the Director arrives, angry that an unauthorized match is taking place. Upon seeing that Texas is involved, he shouts "No, Allison!". Suddenly, all the agents, except for Washington and South Dakota (as they don't have AIs), collapse as their AIs start screaming "Allison!"; Carolina suffers the worst, screaming for the voices to stop. Growling noises start emanating from the Sarcophagus, frightening the soldiers guarding it. The Counselor suggests sedating Carolina, but the Director declines, saying "she made her decision", then dismisses the agents watching the events. On the training floor, Omega implores Texas to "end" Carolina, but she holds back, and instead knocks Carolina unconscious, telling her it is for her own good.

In the present, Carolina tells the Red and Blue teams that they are leaving, much to their dismay. Sarge and Simmons return, telling Grif about how Donut is still alive and living with Doc and Lopez. Meanwhile, Tucker becomes more anxious and frustrated at how Church seems to be getting closer to Carolina, and how he has apparently forgotten his original objective in spying on her. Church points out that Tucker nor anyone else have any idea what Carolina has been through. He then storms away angrily and asks Carolina to talk privately with him.

At Valhalla, Grif and Simmons debate on their motive for being here and hunting the Director. Simmons points out that the Director is the reason for them being here and all the enemies they've faced over the years. Grif points out that, unlike the Freelancers, they have no personal vendetta against the Director. Then Sarge joins up with them and grimly replies that even if they succeeded in killing the Director, it would be pointless as they would still be doing the same thing they've done before and leaving Valhalla will just make things worse. Unbeknownst to them, Washington has heard their entire conversation and leaves to ponder this. Meanwhile, Church is getting more curious about Carolina's grudge against Tex. Carolina bitterly responds that Tex was the best of the best and she couldn't compete with her, and that if Tex couldn't find the Director, then how can she do it. Church responds if Tex was the best, then she would be in Carolina's position right now, not her, and tells her to let it go. Carolina then notices Tex's dog tags that Wash found in the Pelican and finds that it is actually Connie's. Church notices it has some data stored in it and searches it on Carolina's request.

In the past, Tex investigates the dog tags and finds a message from C.T. directly to her stating that she has left behind a copy of the data she took about the Director's misdeeds and sent this to her not because she is the best soldier, but because she is the one she can trust the most. Tex decides to investigate her data having details on all of the A.I and becomes incensed upon discovering that she is the A.I unit Beta. Meanwhile Washington has gone through surgery and just as Epsilon is implanted in him, severe hallucinations of Allison start to occur sending Wash into extreme pain and unconsciousness. Eventually he is sedated and sent to Recovery.

In the past, Washington finally regains consciousness after the implantation of Epsilon into his armor went awry. North explains that due to the incident with Epsilon, all future AI projects have been cancelled, with the existing AIs due to be confiscated by the Director. However, Carolina angrily protests against the idea of having her AIs taken. North further explains that while Washington was unconscious, Tex had gone rogue, allegedly attacked Wyoming and attempted to steal his AI and equipment, and left the base. However, North is skeptical about Tex being the culprit for the attack on Wyoming, due to his knowledge of her reluctance to use AIs. He then says that Carolina will most likely be tasked with hunting down Tex when an alarm goes off. Elsewhere in the base, Tex breaks into a secure vault with York's help, telling him that there's someone she needs to see. Unbeknownst to them however, Maine is sharpening his Brute Shot and preparing for battle as the Meta.

After breaking into the Mother of Invention, Tex begins making her way to the labs. However, after defeating a group of guards, she is confronted by South who tries to kill her with a missile pod. North then intervenes, saving Tex and buying her time to continue on while he confronts South. Meanwhile, after defeating Wyoming, York tries to create a distraction in order to help Tex. First he hacks into the ship's systems and causes it to fire missiles at itself, disorienting the crew. He then disables the artificial gravity, neutralizing the guards and allowing Tex to bypass a hostile Scorpion tank.

Determined to stop Tex, the Director orders Carolina to stop her by any means necessary. Carolina pursues Tex throughout the corridors of the ship until York attempts to stop her. She asks York why he is siding with Tex, and replies that he's not rebelling because he agrees with Tex, but because he's doing what he feels is right. He asks Carolina to let go of her rivalry with Tex and flee Project Freelancer with him. However, Carolina refuses to let go of her jealousy and both she and York reluctantly fight, with Carolina easily incapacitating York. She then leaves behind her lighter for York to find before continuing her pursuit of Tex. Both women eventually encounter each other and begin a brutal fight throughout the ship's corridors. However, due to the damage it has taken, the Mother of Invention goes out of control and crash lands on a nearby planet, ejecting Carolina from the ship and knocking her out.

Tex takes the opportunity to access the ship's systems in order to find Alpha. She finds Alpha and tries to convince him to leave with her. However, Alpha does not remember Tex and is reluctant to leave the ship, saying that it probably isn't possible anyway, and he is very tired and wants to rest. Disappointed that Alpha doesn't remember her, Tex has a short chat with him before logging out of the system, with both of them agreeing that they hate goodbyes.

With the Red and Blue teams refusing to help them, Church and Carolina decide to try to find the Director themselves. After an unsuccessful search at their first target with no one there, their second target yields results when FILSS mentions that the Director had entered the facility years ago but has not left since.

Meanwhile, in Valhalla, the Red and Blue Teams are continuing their "war", with the Reds attempting to negotiate with the Blues to get their flag back by giving up their stuff, though they all start to admit that it's starting to get depressing. Simmons decides to reveal and trade the Meta's Brute Shot (which Grif kept as a trophy and renamed the "Grifshot") for the flag, though Grif protests since he wants to keep it for himself. As Washington and Grif argue over what to do with the Brute Shot, Doc asks the teams whether they really are okay with letting Church leave by himself. When they point out that Church has been nothing but trouble for them and mention all of the problems they had to deal with in the past, Doc responds by pointing out how their past adventures had changed them for the better. For example, Sarge finally got to lead a real military operation, Tucker learned how to use his Plasma Sword, Washington found a new team, Simmons found his old team, Doc himself managed to keep a patient alive for the first time in his career, and Donut didn't die. Realizing this, the Reds and Blues decide to go after Church. Washington attempts to stop them, saying that it's stupid and that they are being too reckless facing almost impossible odds, also pointing out that the Director plays for keeps. Sarge points out that being stupid and reckless helped them get things done and that Wash and the Freelancers have seem to forget: the Reds and Blues were able to beat the Freelancers time and time again, as while they may have better equipment, plans and training, they lacked the one thing the Red and Blue Teams have: a team they could count on. He then gives Washington his choices: keep playing it safe, or get a little reckless for once. Wash says this is the stupidest idea ever (of all time), but decides to join them anyway. As all agree to go, they realize Church and Carolina have a huge head start on them and wonder how they will be able to catch up to them in time, when suddenly a trio of UNSC Hornet gunships arrive to arrest them, unknowingly proving Wash's theory that he and the Reds and Blues are indeed wanted criminals. The Reds and Blues hijack the Hornets, strand the UNSC soldiers at Valhalla and fly off to find Church and Carolina.

At the Freelancer facility, Carolina charges at the robots and attacks, using her skill and weaponry to her full advantage. However her obsession to defeat Tex as well as reminiscing about her failures in the past causes Carolina to eventually be knocked down. Church's coordination is also jarred from the intensity of the fight and he is unable to assist her. Carolina breaks down and laments that she can't and never will beat Tex. As the robots close in for the kill, Donut suddenly destroys them with several plasma grenades and Wash helps Carolina on her feet. She is surprised to see that the Reds and Blues have returned, and Wash reminds her that "they're not so bad once you get to know them." When Church tells them he thought that this isn't the Reds and Blues' fight, Sarge replies that they couldn't resist taking on a mission with overwhelming odds with little to no chance of success. Church and Tucker then exchange some words of thanks and apology. However, the robots begin to regroup, and are ready for another round. Her morale restored, Carolina tells the teams to 'lock and load'. To help even the odds, Church enters Caboose's mind and manually angers him into smashing through the robot army. Carolina, Wash and the rest of the Reds and Blues follow suit and working as a team, they lay waste to the majority of the robots, but are slowly being overwhelmed. Wash tells Church to find the real Tex so he can shut down the army.

Church enters the data storage unit where Tex is being kept. He finds her in a similar predicament to what Alpha was in many years ago; Tex has been so broken down that she doesn't even recognize him or have any remembrance of her own name. Church reminds her of their relationship and comforts her, telling her to rest, which Tex wearily, but happily complies to. Church says goodbye, to which Tex recalls that she has always hated goodbyes, which Church replies that he knows why.

In the offsite storage facility, Church and Carolina find the Director in a room with FILSS watching a video file of Allison leaving to join the military again. The Director repeatedly says that he needs more time to bring Allison back and that he's close, but Church ignores it and goes a rant on all of the actions the Director has to answer for, such as what he done to him, Carolina, Wash, Tex and all the others he hurt. Carolina tries to calm Church, but he continues ranting on the lies the Director has made and for the torture on the AIs, all just to bring back a shadow, and he must pay for all of it. Carolina looks at the Director in disappointment as he looks back at her, showing that they both have the same eye color. Realizing killing the Director won't solve anything nor heal past wounds, Carolina tells Church to leave, but he claims that they came all this way to kill the Director, though Carolina reminds him that they both need to let it go. She also says that the past doesn't define a person for who he or she is, but that it's a starting point to what they will become. After leaving a pistol for the Director at his request, Carolina kisses him on the forehead and leaves, just as the Director is saying "You were my greatest creation." Church tells the Director he doesn't know who he is, but he knows that despite being a copy of the Director, he is a better person than him. In response, the Director says "I wasn't speaking to you." As Church leaves, the Director orders FILSS to delete all files dealing with Project Freelancer, including FILSS, except the video of Allison and to shut down every Project Freelancer facility, including the one he is in. FILSS warns him that doing so will shut off the life support system in the facility, though the Director insists. Before shutting down, FILSS asks him if Project Freelancer was a success. He says no but claims he came very close, and that he wish he knew earlier. He then finishes with saying "perhaps the next time around." The Director and FILSS say their goodbyes to each other as the door to the room lowers down, sealing the Director in with the pistol in hand.

Outside the facility, Church and Carolina acknowledge that the journey is over. They thank each other for showing the other a different side of themselves after all they've been through. Carolina then asks Church about where the Reds and Blues will go now, as Church answers that there's one place they haven't been to yet the Reds and Blues can call home.

In the past at Freelancer Command, the Director and the Counselor discuss where to hide the Alpha. The Counselor points out that the Alpha will need a security detail, someone they can trust, so he nominates Agent Florida, who turns out to be Captain Flowers. The Director mentions they will need a cover story for Flowers' "disappearance", as the Counselor has the state of Florida break into several pieces on a computer screen behind them. Then the Director points out that they will need a place to put the Alpha where no one will be able to think to look for it, and the Counselor says he believes he knows such a place.

Grif, Simmons, and Church team up to rescue the other members of their teams. However it goes south and Church flies out of the prison strapped to a rocket. It's revealed that it was a simulation as Epsilon Church grows frustrated reliving the simulations. Another copy of Epsilon Church shows up, reminding him what they were getting into when they sealed themselves in the Epsilon Unit to find Tex. A new simulation starts in Blood Gulch, setting up the events of Season 9.

Dylan finds the other Reds and Blues (except for Doc) and sits down with the group to finally hear the full story of their actions since Chorus.

Everyone is shocked to see their friend after a long time. Loco, dying from his injuries, tells Caboose that he has little time to say goodbye. Tucker tells Caboose to grab Church from the other side of the portal. Caboose refuses, saying Church belongs there. Caboose says his final goodbye to his friend as Loco dies. The machine begins to fire its primary weapon, as Dylan inserts VIC into the device. VIC sacrifices himself to shut down the machine, which vanishes. Temple is then knocked out by Tucker under Carolina's wishes. The Reds and Blues then head outside of the facility to find the Chorus lieutenants along with Sister, who was on Chorus for business. They tell the Reds and Blues that Wash was dropped by someone on Chorus, and is recovering under Dr. Grey's supervision. Dylan submits her story, explaining that after spending time with the Reds and Blues, they definitely do not possess the qualities typically associated with heroes. However, it is their friendship with each other and their determination to fight through any challenge that makes them heroic.