Original subtitles

Dr. Ben Song risked everything when he used

the Quantum Leap Accelerator to travel back in time.

Now our team's working to find out why.

As he leaps between bodies with no memory of who he is,

he still has one hope...

That his next leap takes him back

to the place and people he calls home.

Holy shit.

Ops, you okay?

- Yeah. - Let's go.

Man your station.

Move.

Number four come in. Number four.

This is the TAO.

Multiple inbound Bandits. Multiple surface contacts.

They've got to be bluffing.

Those aircraft started for us

just as those missile boats cut us off.

Does that sound like a bluff to you?

Captain, hostile aircraft are 20 miles.

Do you wish to engage?

Arm the Harpoons and Phalanx.

Bring the 5-inch guns to bear. - Copy.

Arm the Harpoons. Arm the Phalanx.

Bring the 5-inch guns to bear.

Commander Rossi, number four turret

isn't answering, sir.

Commander Rossi, sir,

number four turret isn't answering.

Ops, are you gonna get on that

or do have to do it myself?

Aye, aye, sir.

Do you have a visual on the contact?

Bearing 351?

351. Yes, Captain.

Let's go.

Commander Rossi, we've lost Comms, sir.

But she's still answering fire control and ready to...

This is insane!

Turret four operational, sir.

And now.

Target one: destroyed.

Target two: destroyed.

Inbound aircraft...

destroyed.

Threat board clear, Captain.

What war is this?

One I hope we never have to fight.

Great work, everyone.

This is the XO. All clear.

This ends the readiness drill.

It was a drill.

It was a drill.

Captain on the bridge.

How'd we do, Captain?

Good, but we can do better,

especially with the Chinese watching.

Is that sub still shadowing us?

Disappeared the minute we started the drill.

But I can confirm that it's Chinese, Han class.

Probably wants a front-row seat

for the war games.

Make sure she stays gone.

All hands, this is the captain.

I want to congratulate you

on another outstanding performance.

Our ship is about to be the centerpiece

of joint exercises between our Navy,

the South Koreans, and the Australians.

It's a great honor.

But I want you to remember the bigger picture:

we are in the East China Sea,

the most dangerous waters on Earth.

Come on.

And the Chinese think that

they are the world's next great superpower.

I happen to disagree.

I always knew you'd look great in a uniform.

Oh, Addison, I know I say this a lot,

but it is really good to see you.

I thought I had leapt into the middle of a war.

Where am I?

Uh, we still don't know.

Ziggy's... - Ziggy's running slow.

Yeah, if I ever started a band, that's what I'm naming it.

- Yeah. - But the weirdest part

is all of this feels strangely familiar somehow.

Was I ever...

Like you were in the Navy?

No.

But you are in my world now.

So this shouldn't be too hard to figure out.

Okay, you are Commander Rossi.

He called you "Ops" so I'm guessing

you're the operations officer

and you're on a battleship so,

you know, that narrows it down a lot.

Men, there is no such thing as peace,

only pauses between wars.

I know that speech.

He's quoting one of the Navy's all time gr...

And in those pauses, hundreds of skirmishes

that never make the papers.

Addison, what's wrong?

We are the tip of the spear.

We protect the greatest nation in the history of history.

Let that honor sink in.

Let that honor be your guide.

Ben, you are on the USS "Montana."

This is Captain Bill Drake.

And that is my father.

My head hurts.

That's my line.

Yeah, well in case you hadn't noticed,

today is all-bets-are-off day.

Ian, you said there's no way to target

a specific place and time.

Well, no way for us to target a specific place and time.

You think Ben figured out how?

No.

Then it's a coincidence.

Magic, part of my job here is accepting the fact

that there is still a lot that we don't know

about the Quantum Accelerator.

And maybe one day I'm gonna have all the answers,

but for now, all I know is...

We're on a leap with your father?

Yeah.

Are you okay?

At least I know why this felt familiar.

I don't remember the particulars,

just that you've told me about this before.

Addison, if you want to take this leap off,

I will totally understand.

I can't take it off, Ben.

Don't stand there, man, tie that down.

Uh, I'll tell you why in a minute.

But first you need to stop talking.

Commander.

You're in the Navy.

You can't be seen conversing with yourself.

Okay, well, the good news is that

you're the operations officer,

which means not only are you third in command,

but the entire ship is your domain.

In fact, the most conspicuous thing

you can do... Besides talking to me...

Is stay in one spot for too long.

So let's walk and I will tell you why you're here.

May 2, 1989...

A date not many outside of the Navy remember,

but those of us who served will never forget.

At just past 1900 hours...

The ship picked up a distress signal.

Bridge, Comms, we have a possible distress call

broadcast in the clear on 2182 kilohertz.

A fragment, really...

Impossible to confirm and not repeated.

My father decided not to pursue it...

Nor tell Captain Drake...

Which was a mistake.

It turned out the distress signal was

from the USS "Tampa,"

a submarine conducting a top-secret mission

off the coast of China.

Apparently, there was an explosion on board

and it started to sink.

The trouble was, no one in the fleet

knew the "Tampa" was there

and no one besides the "Montana"

picked up the transmission.

And as a result,

all 138 sailors aboard her died.

I'm sorry.

Me too.

The Navy launched an investigation.

And while no charges were filed,

my father's reputation was...

Well, let's just say he was encouraged

to leave active duty.

Magic, if I'm hearing you right,

then Addison is being given the opportunity

to prevent one of the most painful things that

ever happened to her father.

But risk her life in the process.

I mean, I can't be the only one thinking this.

If I help answer that distress call,

what happens to you?

Addison, we're not talking about changing

something small here.

Who's to say it's not like "Back to the Future?"

What if Addison ceases to exist?

Okay, okay. Easy, McFly.

Addison was already born in 1989.

And despite what pop culture would want you to think,

it would take significant changes to a person's life

in order for it to have impact

on any of their loved ones downstream.

My father is the most stoic man that

I have ever met.

He doesn't stress and he doesn't show emotion.

When I was a kid, I didn't even know he knew how to smile.

He's not gonna change.

Even if we do this,

he will still be the man I know.

And he will still leave my mom and me.

Addison, I don't know.

Then it's a good thing it's not your choice.

Ben, fate brought us here so that I could

save the lives of all of those men that

died because of my father.

Please help me do that.

When does the call come in?

Soon.

We should get to the bridge.

I don't know, Captain.

Was it a treaty?

Oh, Master Chief, you disappoint me.

Commander Rossi, since you're here,

maybe you can tell the Master Chief

why the "Montana" is 127 feet tall

and not a foot taller.

I don't know. I was in the Army.

Et tu, Brute?

XO, enlighten these cretins.

127 feet is how high the Brooklyn Bridge sits

above the East River.

And the "Montana" was built in the Brooklyn Navy yard...

By women, no less,

which means I guess they're good for two things.

Charming.

CEC, Bridge.

Any sign of that Chinese sub?

She ran and hid during the drill.

Yes, Captain.

She's 5,000 yards to our stern.

She's back?

You got her scope?

Yes, Captain.

Light her up with our fire control radar.

Aye-aye, sir.

Ben, training the ship's fire control radar

on a vessel is considered hostile.

The Chinese could think they're under attack.

Captain, that's a very provocative action.

Yes, XO. That's why I'm doing it.

War games start at 0900.

You think we should allow that Han down there

to just follow us with impunity?

Respectfully, yes, sir.

Let's scare 'em with what we can do,

not give some no-name sub driver an excuse

to take a cheap shot at us.

CEC, belay that order.

We'll let that Han slide for now.

XO, you have the bridge.

XO has the bridge.

XO.

Not now, Master Chief.

- But he's getting worse. - I said not now.

That is the most upset I have ever seen him.

Bridge, Comms.

We have a possible distress call

broadcast in the clear on 2182 kilohertz.

Can you bring that up?

Okay, Ben. This is it.

This is the SOS my father ignores.

We're here, sir.

And Comms puts the origin of that signal about here.

Right next to Chinese territorial waters.

They said the call might have been in English

or might have been gibberish.

One fragment, not repeated.

Nothing since.

Okay, remember, they don't know it's the "Tampa."

You have to get them to investigate it.

An HF signal?

Sounds like the Chinese to me, sir.

I agree, not to mention that fleet says

we don't have a ship within 50 miles of that.

Understood, but we don't turn our backs on a distress call.

Both: What?

Are we going to do?

Officer of the Deck, we're gonna close that distress call

on a course of 310, ahead full.

Come to 310, ahead full.

Aye, sir.

In the original timeline, he ignored the transmission.

I don't understand.

Did we change something already?

Comms, let fleet know we're disengaging

from the war games.

Responding to a distress call.

Helm, cancel that course change.

XO, what the hell are you thinking?

We're not going anywhere.

It wasn't your father who ignored the distress call.

Sir, we received a distress call.

A fragment of a call, broadcast from Chinese waters.

Tell me you're not that naive, Commander Augustine.

Sir.

We are the flagship of these war games.

Now can you imagine what a feather it'd be

in the Chinese workers' cap if they could get us

going off on a wild goose chase

with some Han-class sub on our ass.

International law requires all ships at sea

to respond to a distress signal.

A spoofed rescue is the oldest trick in the book.

We're not falling for it.

Is that understood?

You have a good heart.

But it's an affliction that I've seen

kill many a fine man.

Carry on.

Aye, sir.

All pods maintain current status.

It wasn't him.

All these years, he never said anything.

But he didn't abandon those sailors.

The captain did.

XO, I think you're right about that call.

I think it's one of ours.

If you think I'm right, Ops, help me find proof.

You heard him.

Ian, what can we do to help?

I pulled up the specs on the ship's communications array

and I have tasked Ziggy with finding Ben a way

to prove that the call came from the "Tampa."

Make it good.

Drake was famous for being stubborn.

Speaking of Drake, I've combed through every report

on this incident and there's not even

a hint that the decision to ignore the distress call

was his.

The man was a legend.

Addison's father fell on his sword to protect that legend.

Why?

Because sometimes doing what's best for the service

requires sacrifice.

Okay, but if the official report was wrong about that,

what else could it be wrong about?

What are you saying?

The explosion that happened on the ship, the "Tampa,"

was caused from something.

If we want Ben and Addison to survive this leap,

we need to know what really happened in 1989,

including the Chinese version of the events.

Aren't you still friendly with the guy

who served as your counterpart

in the Chinese Navy at the time?

Liu Wei, he's a CEO now.

I'll call him.

Hey, we've got something.

Since the fragment we picked up was unencrypted,

there's a way to identify it as friend or foe.

See the head of each signal?

Chinese transmission has

a different signature than ours do,

so we can check the fragment's waveform,

see which it matches.

Good idea, Ops.

Do it.

Okay, grab that handset. Hit the button.

Talk on the mic.

Comms, Lieutenant Walker.

Walker, do you have that distress call?

No, I threw it in the trash.

Come on, Ops, what kind of question is that?

Yeah, right.

Can you compare the header of the waveform

to samples from our transmissions and the Chinese?

Standby.

It's one of ours.

Good catch.

How'd you ever think of that, Ops?

Yes.

XO, plot an intercept course, best speed to that location.

U.S. sailors in distress.

I hate to think what would have happened

if you hadn't pulled that rabbit out of your hat, Ops.

That's why they pay me the big bucks, sir.

Seriously...

thank you.

XO on the bridge.

Sir, the course is 310.

Estimated time to intercept: four hours.

Thank you, Master Chief.

Why don't you and Ops grab some rack.

I think it's gonna to be a long day.

Clear port bow.

Stand by fire.

What was that?

It sounded like torpedoes.

He's lost his damn mind.

Our torpedo is bearing 210.

Range 900 yards to target.

We fired at them.

- Captain. - We're on our way to rescue

a U.S. vessel near Chinese waters.

The last thing I'm gonna do is let that Han follow me.

Sir, you're starting a war.

You're a hero tonight, Ops, but forget yourself again

and you'll be in the brig.

Is that clear?

Ben, say, "Yes, sir," and apologize.

Yes, Captain.

Sorry, sir.

Besides, I'm not starting anything.

I'm merely giving our Chinese friends a good scare.

Master Chief, you're familiar with the concept

of a warning shot, are you not?

I am, sir.

And XO, have we or have we not played this game

with the Russians 100 times?

Not with live torpedoes, sir.

Torpedo now safely clear of the Han.

Maybe not.

But this way, that Han won't forget

who's the big bad wolf.

Transients from the sub.

He must be changing depth.

What's that sub doing now?

Bugged out, sir. I've lost her.

Now let's go be heroes.

- Sir, I... - Not here.

Come on.

Trade relations, huh?

A different kind of war than the one

we had to worry about...

Harder to figure out who your enemies are.

So the reason for my call... May 2, 1989.

A sad day.

Why ask about it now?

I know our submarine, the "Tampa" wasn't far off

your coast when it sank.

I'm wondering what you know.

I'm glad we're talking, Magic,

because we weren't in 1989.

And as a result, we came close to something very bad.

Now shut the door.

Listen...

How old is your daughter?

She's two and a half.

She looks just like you.

Yeah, Addie...

Addie's perfect.

I don't know why heaven would ever entrust an angel like her

to a guy like me, but...

Look, Ops, I don't know what's going on...

The way you're talking to the captain.

Do you want to get kicked out of the Navy?

I'm worried about him.

He's having a rough time with the loss of his wife.

With all due respect, I heard the Master Chief.

He's getting worse.

I will not tolerate that kind of talk aboard this ship.

I have served for Captain Drake for almost 20 years.

He is a great man.

He is.

Sir, what's really going on?

You, uh, like your family, Rossi?

Ben, my dad never talked about his family.

You know, the usual.

Love, hate.

Well, my dad was a son of a bitch.

The only time he stopped drinking was

when he was beating on me or my mom.

When I was 18, I snapped, fought back,

and nearly killed him.

Left town that night, joined up, and never went back.

Look, point is,

I was a wreck when I enlisted.

But Captain Drake saw something in me.

He's the one that got me into the Academy.

And he's the one that taught me how to be

something other than angry.

Look, I'm not saying he's not gonna have his bad days,

but I will keep him in check.

Do you understand me? - Sir, if I could just...

Do you understand me?

Dismissed.

How are you holding up?

Yeah.

You know, I know this might be tough

and I might see a side of him that I didn't

see as a kid, but...

But?

Why was he so cold to me growing up?

Saved by the bell.

Or in this case, an incredibly fickle AI.

Okay, that can't be right.

What?

Ziggy says all 138 sailors aboard the "Tampa"

still die because no one rescues them.

How is that possible?

General quarters, general quarters.

All hands man your battle stations.

Detonation port side.

I guess us sinking would explain the lack of rescue.

All stations, make damage control reports.

Damage control station manned.

Sir, report from damage control.

Number one shaft is frozen

and Mounts 51 and 53 are inoperable.

- Are we sinking? - No, sir.

It'd take a lot more than that to knock us out of the fight.

If CEC didn't pick up a torpedo,

how can we be sure we were hit by a torpedo?

We're out in the middle of nowhere.

If it wasn't the Han that hit us, who was it?

Moby Dick? - Do you have him?

- No, sir. - All right.

When you do, I want a solution plotted

and ready to fire on my command.

Aye, aye, sir.

Ops, I want you to review the Link-11

for the last 15 minutes.

He doesn't think it was a torpedo.

You don't think it was a torpedo?

If it was, how did $50 million worth

of electronics miss it?

He's gonna sink that sub

if I can't prove it wasn't them.

How long do I have?

Called for an SH-3 from the Yorktown.

That's a sub-hunting helicopter

from a cruiser nearby.

I figure we'll have five minutes till it finds them.

If it wasn't a torpedo, what was it?

A mine?

You're saying a mine sunk the "Tampa."

In '89, our leadership knew that

American submarines were testing the limits

of Chinese territorial waters.

We laid mines all along the coast.

Figuring if one of our subs hit a mine,

it would be forced to surface

and America would be forced to admit

they violated Chinese waters.

We'd hold your crew for a few weeks

as a show of outrage.

But really we would be tearing your submarine apart

and stealing all the technology.

In fairness, it's a good plan.

Except we didn't account for the weather.

One bad storm, and over 50 mines broke free

and drifted out into the open ocean

directly towards your war games.

One of those mines sank the "Tampa."

And if the currents had been stronger,

they would have drifted toward your fleet

and started World War III.

We got lucky in '89, Magic.

Let's hope that never happens again.

Magic?

Jenn, Ben is sailing into a minefield.

Minefield?

Wait a minute. That's great.

Great? Why is that great?

Because if we know it was a mine,

then all I have to do is find others.

That's great.

How do we do that?

I was hoping you would know.

Okay, tell me everything there is to know about mines.

Helicopter on-station. Dropping sonar buoys now.

Okay.

The first Chinese mine was the M1,

which was actually a model of Soviet design.

By the 1980s, Chinese minesweepers were

being made with low-resonant steel.

To be resistant to sonar.

But sonar is just sound waves.

Okay, I need to call the radio room.

Let's calibrate the sonar buoys

before we start the sweep.

This another one of your magic tricks, Ops?

- Walker, can you do it? - Sure.

But it'll take five seconds to run the whole spectrum

starting now.

One Mississippi, two Mississippi.

- Walker. - What?

It's an accurate way to keep time.

Plus, I'm from Mississippi.

Calibration complete.

Commencing search of the surrounding waters

for the Han.

Four Mississippi, five.

Multiple surface contacts.

Range and bearings all over the place,

but they're not moving. - Because they're mines.

The Chinese didn't shoot at us.

We hit a mine that broke loose from its moorings.

Captain, it wasn't a torpedo.

We hit a mine, sir.

Very well.

Continue the sonar sweep.

And when you find that Han, fire at will.

- But, sir, wasn't them. - No?

Then where did that mine come from?

Do you think it's a coincidence

we just happened upon it

in the middle of the open ocean?

They put a hole in our ship!

I'm not letting them do that again.

I want that sub at the bottom of the ocean.

I have to stop him.

New contact.

There's the Han.

Bridge, CEC. We found the Han.

CEC, Bridge. Fire at will.

Fire at will. Aye, aye, Captain.

Arming torpedoes one and two.

You're making a mistake. Do you hear me?

You're making a mistake.

XO, what the hell?

CEC, did you fire?

We've gotta get back online!

Negative, Captain.

And whatever just happened knocked sonar offline.

We lost them, sir.

Master Chief, confine the XO to his quarters immediately!

Petty Officer.

You're going to Leavenworth, Mr. Augustine.

CEC, I want to know the minute you find that Han.

Ben, Ziggy says if Drake fires on the Chinese...

That we go to war.

How's it looking?

Remember before when we were worried that

at the end of this leap, Addison might have changed?

Well, it feels like the changes could be

a bit more, um, global.

I don't believe the leaps are random.

I don't believe it's all just a roll of the dice.

The moral arc of the universe is long,

but it bends toward justice.

Martin Luther King.

That's what I think we are, what Quantum Leap is...

Part of whatever mysterious force

bends that arc for the better.

I hope you're right.

Because right now, it feels like we're bending it

towards World War III.

We'll be able to resume our search for the Han

any minute now, Captain. - Excellent.

Sir, maybe we should radio fleet,

advise them of the situation.

And break radio silence?

Let the Chinese know that one of theirs is in trouble?

No, thanks, Master Chief.

CEC, Comms.

We're finally getting a clear transmission

on that SOS.

It's from the "Tampa," sir.

Captain Toti says they've surfaced

and are taking on water.

Have fleet dispatch a rescue helicopter

to begin recovery of the "Tampa's" men

while we take care of that sub.

Ben, a helicopter can only rescue 10 men at a time.

Ziggy says if we don't sail there right now,

only 20 men total will be rescued.

Also, you know, World War III.

Captain, a helicopter can only hold

10 of the "Tampa's" crew.

You heard the report. We need to rescue them now.

Thank you, Ops.

We will make best possible speed to the "Tampa"

once this Han is dealt with.

Ben, stop.

Look, you might be persuasive and yeah, the crew is worried.

But this is the Navy.

Chain of command is everything.

There's only one man on this ship

who might be able to stop this.

Sir, we need you right now.

You have to act.

Sir?

My wife doesn't love me anymore.

I love her and we both love Addie,

but I just...

I can't seem to let her in.

She'll never leave.

She'll endure it, endure me.

She's still so young.

It's...

It's not fair.

If I go, she'll be happier.

And Addie...

I won't pass on the darkness that I carry.

And I do carry it.

There's an old hymn,

"Set the walls around your heart.

"Build them strong with stone.

And do what must be done."

He used to say that to me when I was a kid.

I was really scared.

"Do what must be done."

Is that about your wife or Drake?

You've done everything right.

You've supported him, protected him.

But now you just have to save him from himself.

It's mutiny if I force him out.

There's no way to dress it up,

no way to make it look pretty.

No, no. But it's also the only way

to save the lives of everyone on board this ship.

If I asked you a really dumb question,

would that distract you?

Sorry, Carl.

- Stop! - Run!

Huh.

Well, I'm impressed.

Commander Rossi, stop!

Whoa. Whoa.

Lieutenant Commander, align the torpedo launchers.

Standby to fire.

Aye, aye, sir.

You can't do this, Bill.

Master Chief, call the Master at Arms now.

This is not right.

If you just wait for your rage to lift...

Master Chief, I gave you an order to get

the Master at Arms in here.

You'd see you're throwing away more than your career.

Have that man taken into custody!

You're about to get your men killed.

How dare you say that to me.

You'd still be white trash if I hadn't saved you.

You think this is a joke?

You think war is some kind of a game?

We have been attacked!

And we will answer that attack with the full faith of God

and the might of the United States.

Tell him, Master Chief!

Mr. Shaw, you know I'm right.

Mr. Parker?

What is wrong with you?

What is wrong with all of you?

Have you lost your minds or your nerve?

Which is it?

I'm sorry, sir.

I should have spoken up sooner.

You're a legend and an inspiration

to everyone on this ship.

Be that man now.

Master Chief, the XO will direct the rescue mission.

And, uh...

I'll be in my quarters if you need me.

Thank you, Captain.

It's...

CEC, Comms.

The "Tampa" reports she's down to just a few feet

of free board and her men are going into the water.

Nav, plot an intercept course,

best possible speed.

Sir, any intercept course is gonna take us

right into that minefield.

How long to circumnavigate the field?

Well, at flank speed, about three hours.

Then we have to go straight through.

Ben, all Naval mines can be remotely detonated.

I can get the Chinese codes from Ziggy.

You just have to figure out how to get them to the mines.

XO?

I've got an idea.

CEC, bridge.

Can I get a range and time for the first mine.

We need a range.

1,500 yards.

Two minutes, 31 seconds.

Ben?

Range 1,200 yards.

Ben, did you get that frequency yet?

Range 1,100 yards.

Ben, don't you lie to me.

I might be a hologram, but I will kick your...

Comms, CEC.

Walker, I need you to repurpose the transmitter.

CEC, I don't understand.

Who is this? Is Walker there?

Put him on fast.

Commander, if you repurpose that transmitter,

are we still gonna be able to see the mines on screen?

No, we're gonna lose your visual

but we're not gonna need it.

I'm converting the radar emitters to transmitters.

We're gonna blow up the mines

before we even get close to them.

Ops, you miss me?

Ah, Walker. Thank God.

We need you to broadcast the following frequency

with this exact code.

600 yards.

Visual lost.

Nav.

500 yards.

400 yards.

So you double checked his math, right?

300 yards.

200 yards.

- Whoo! - Whoo!

Yeah!

Whoo! - Whoo!

Yeah! - All right!

Yeah!

Nice. Yes.

- Range could have been better. - Ah.

But it got the job done.

Stand by. Proceed to sailors.

I know you're scared that you're gonna hurt me.

And I know that you're scared that you can't be a good dad

because you're too hard or cold,

or that you carry some kind of darkness inside of you.

But whatever your dad had, it stops with you.

Because you have done nothing but love me...

And made me the person that I am today.

It is going to be okay, Dad.

Yeah.

Everything's gonna be okay.

Ops, it's Walker.

Just wanted to thank you for saving us.

Walker, thank...

Martínez.

I know everything about you,

Dr. Ben Song from the year 2022.

That's right.

Your team must have found me...

Well, the past me.

I can't imagine I had any intel to give to you.

You helped me today?

I mean, if we're being fair, I'd say you helped me.

Not sure I could have pulled this off

from where I was sitting today.

I-I-I don't understand.

I know.

And that's why I'm going to win.

How'd I get up here?

Rossi?

Man, I'm totally confused.

Me too.

Hey, hey.

You have to tell them it wasn't my fault.

I was only naked because my girlfriend

locked me out of the house.

I'm a lawyer.