by Charles Kirkland, Jr.
Dreams Realized as the Past Closes In
A nerve-wracking audition unlocks dream roles for Simon and Trevor, but just as triumph arrives, the past comes crashing back in Episode 6 of Wonder Man.
Trevor Becomes the Mandarin Again
The episode opens with Trevor Slattery auditioning once more for the role of the Mandarin. Disheveled and visibly hungover, he stumbles through the lines until a simple prop changes everything. When he slips on a pair of sunglasses, the persona snaps into place.
“Some people call me a terrorist…” and suddenly, Trevor is back.
Anxiety at the Door
On the drive to Von Kovak’s home, Simon Williams spirals with regret over the previous night’s celebration. He needs sleep. He needs preparation. Trevor does what he always does, attempting to calm and reassure him.
When they arrive, Simon’s anxiety peaks. He becomes convinced that the single pair of shoes outside the door is a test, that everything is a test. Trevor steadies him with box breathing just as the door opens and they are ushered inside to meet the other finalists.
The Audition Process Shifts
Von Kovak gathers the group in his study, explaining that he is still discovering Wonder Man as he goes. He plays “The Midnight Special,” announcing it as the soundtrack to the film’s opening scene. Everyone moves with the music except Simon, who freezes inside his own head.
Trevor pantomimes a trombone, prompting Kovak to cut the song short. Amused but focused, Kovak pairs the actors off to run scenes.
When Trevor is paired with another actor, Simon tries to intervene, but Trevor gently shuts him down. The first pair performs, but Kovak abruptly stops them, tosses the script aside, and introduces an improvisational exercise meant to blur the line between fiction and truth. Trevor and his partner go first, playing a couple in the midst of a breakup as they move through the house. The exercise works.
Simon Falters
Simon and his partner, Manuel, are next. They are tasked with portraying a relationship in which one person feels himself slipping away. Uncomfortable without a script, Simon defaults to recreating a scene from Pretty Woman. Kovak immediately recognizes it and expresses his disappointment.
The group regathers in the study while Kovak steps away. Trevor entertains the room with a story about seeing Chaka Khan live. Simon sits alone in the corner, unraveling.
A Nightmare Reveals the Fear
When Kovak returns, he proposes another exercise. Simon volunteers. This time, his scene partner plays a former classmate calling him on the phone, hurling insults and calling him a freak. Simon asks him to stop. The actor keeps pushing.
Trevor senses something is wrong and tries to intervene, but it is too late. Triggered, Simon punches straight through the man’s head. The room erupts in screams.
Von Kovak calls Simon’s name.
Simon jolts awake. It was a dream.
Truth and Validation
Embarrassed, Simon retreats to the balcony, where Trevor finds him shaken. Simon confesses that Kovak wants him exposed, stripped down to who he really is, and that if he reveals that part of himself, he will never work again.
Trevor reminds him that he is more than his powers. He is a man capable of pain, joy, fear, and love, and acting is about reflecting that truth.
Back inside, Simon and Trevor perform the final scene as Wonder Man and Barnaby. When they finish, there is silence. They are escorted toward the door. Just before they leave, Kovak stops them. He admits he was close to giving up, but now he is certain.
Simon is Wonder Man. Trevor is Barnaby.
They both have the roles.
The Past Returns
Simon drives Trevor home, the two celebrating their hard-won victory. Trevor steps out of the car and Simon drives away. Almost immediately, a black Department of Damage Control vehicle pulls up.
Agent Cleary steps out and informs Trevor that he is returning to prison.
Trevor stops him with a promise. Simon Williams is super-powered and dangerous, and he can prove it. He just needs a little more time.
Closing Thoughts
The series continues to move closer to its comic roots as Simon finally secures the role of Wonder Man. The question now is whether the role will be his salvation or his undoing.
Guests starring as themselves: None
