Swamp Thing: Falco

Synopsis
Funeral services are held for Savanna Langford, mother of Tressa Kipp and grandmother to young Jim Kipp. During the service, a mysterious man with an apparrantly broken arm emerges from the nearby bushes and withdraws a rifle. He fires a shot into the crowd, but the bullet doesn't strike anyone. Jim Kipp catches a glimpse of the man shortly before he darts off into the woods. From another section of the swamp, the Swamp Thing watches the events with great interest. Sheriff Andrews and his deputy chase after the shooter, but fail to capture him.

The shooter, Falco, stops in the middle of the wetlands and conceals his rifle inside the hollowed out trunk of a fallen tree. The Swamp Thing comes upon the trunk and uses his powers to fuse the gun stock with the wood of the tree trunk. He is confidant now that the gunman will not be able to procure his weapon for future use.

Shortly thereafter, the rest of the mourners retire to the Langford Home for the funeral reception. The county deputy believes that the shooter was specifically aiming for him, but has no idea why. One of the guests, Anton Arcane, addresses Jim Kipp in his room and asks him about what he had seen. Anton shows great interest in the matter when Jim mentions that the shooter had a broken arm.

Later, Falco scours the city in search of his true prey -- Anton Arcane. While walking the streets, he spots Arcane in front of a bargain shop called Nazerman's and follows him to the upstairs loft which is Arcane's secret hideaway. Arcane is looking a slide shows of his various experiments.

Now that he knows where Arcane lives, Falco then returns to the swamp to retrieve his rifle. At this point he encounters the Swamp Thing who asks him about the shooting incident. Falco angrily reveals that he was once a peregrine falcon who was turned into a man thanks to Arcane's science. Loathing humanity for what they do to the earth and sky, he is determined to avenge himself against him. Falco removes his arm sling, revealing a disfigured, hairy appendage. The Swamp Thing tries to convince Falco that murder is not the answer, but the former avian refuses to listen to reason.

Suddenly, one of Arcane's Un-Men leaps out from the bushes and attacks Falco. Falco wrestles him to the ground, but the pig-nosed mutant cracks him across the temple with a rock then runs off. The Swamp Thing then takes the unconscious Falco to a safe spot in the woods.

The Swamp Thing then goes to the cemetery where he finds Jim kneeling before the grave of his grandmother. He lays a flower in front of the grave and tells Jim that "time will heal all wounds".

Jim then takes his row boat onto the lake near his grandmother's place. One of the oars slips off of its housing and falls into the water. Jim reaches for it, but falls into the lake. Falco is awake now and hears Jim's panicked cries for help. The Swamp Thing also hears him and both men run to the shoreline. Falco reaches him first and wades out into the water to save Jim. He pulls him to the surface, then brings him back to shore where he performs CPR. Jim revives and runs back home. The Swamp Thing stands there and Falco tells him how joyous it felt saving a life. Feeling Jim breathe again felt reminds him of flying. Falco seems to make peace with himself and the world of man that he now inhabits.

Notes & Trivia

 * Filmed at Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida.


 * Falco's name is identified in the end credits of the episode, but is never stated in the episode itself.


 * How Falco learned English as well as how to handle a rifle is not explained.


 * Oboe Hardison only has a brief non-speaking role in this episode.


 * First appearance of Oboe's girlfriend. Her name is not revealed.


 * The Un-Men seen on Arcane's slide show are the same Un-Men seen in his cave in the pilot episode. One of the three Un-Men is the same one that attacks Falco in the swamp.


 * One of the grave stones in the cemtery belongs to Alec Holland. Alec Holland is the Swamp Thing's original name when he was still human.

When Falco tries to remove the "stuck" gun from the tree trunk, it actually moves slightly even though it's supposed to be firmly rooted in place.