Checkmate (2009 episode)

Checkmate is the sixth and final episode of The Prisoner mini-series. It first aired on November 17, 2009 on AMC. Six comes to understand the purpose of The Village. Two has taken control to a new level and has a secret destiny marked out for Six.

The series was continued by the online graphic novel As the Air, Invulnerable.

"Checkmate" was the final title of The Prisoner episode originally titled "The Queen's Pawn" in 1960s.

Synopsis
The Village is expanding as newcomers arrive. Six asks one of them where she boarded the bus to get to The Village. "In The Village," she responds. "Isn't that just the wildest thing?"

On the Purpose Floor of Summakor, a woman (whom Michael recognizes as the Winking Woman) tells Michael a car is waiting to take him for his appointment with Mr. Curtis.

Six is doubled over in pain. He receives a summons to the Clinic, where 313 diagnoses him. "What is it?" Six asks a shocked 313.

Surveying The Village expansion, Two tells 11-12 he will one day inherit The Village, and that it will stay in their family for generations.

Six confronts Two with his Certificate of Dying. Two tells Six that Village Death offers clarity of choice: This life, or no life.

313 continues to be haunted with visions of herself from another life. She wants to find a way to help Six. Two tells her there is something she can do, but that she must not let the girl from the Other Place control her.

At the cemetery, 11-12 places flowers on 909's grave. Six challenges 11-12 to give him the information he needs to get out of The Village. 11-12 asserts that his mother cares for him. "Only a mother can destroy every ounce of hope in you," Six says.

Six collapses in front of 147, who offers to take Six to see someone who may be able to cure him.

Michael is escorted to Mr. Curtis's car, where he recognizes the driver as The Village's 147. En route, the driver explains how he used to be an angry person, but Mr. Curtis helped him turn his life around.

147 takes Six to a Village prophet, and tells Six that deliverance is coming -- they just need to wait. Waiting is giving up, says Six.

Six approaches 11-12, who is drinking alone. Six asks him about his mother and the pills. He asks 11-12 to leave The Village with him. "The Village is best for me," 11-12 whispers.

In New York, Michael meets Mr. Curtis and Helen – Two and M2 in The Village. Helen is in a dreamlike state. Mr. Curtis explains that The Village is an experiment happening in Helen's mind. She sacrificed herself so that "broken" people could have better lives.

In Palais Two, 11-12 enters his parents' bedroom and smothers M2 to death.

In the Clinic, Two taunts a dying Six with the details of his upcoming funeral. 313 listens from afar.

Two returns home to discover M2 dead and 11-12 nowhere to be found. Two and the Dogs search the Go Inside Bar, and find 11-12 has hanged himself. Two carries his dead son out, and places his body in state.

Holes begin to open in The Village.

Two visits 147, who he knows can empathize with the pain of losing a child. Two tells 147 there is something he can do to end the pain, but 147 must help: When the moment arrives he must call out, "Six is the one."

Mr. Curtis takes Michael into the city and shows him the positive effects The Village has had on suffering people. Michael claims Mr. Curtis doesn't have the right to help people without their consent. Mr. Curtis offers Michael an opportunity to help him with The Village experiment, and gives him a pass to the Purpose Floor of Summakor. Before Michael can respond, they arrive at a church.

The effects of Village Death begin to overtake Six. Two concedes the plan was not enough to crack him. But, he says, "Village Death was not my last throw."

Two has decided Six's desire to do the "right thing" will force him to assimilate to The Village. He makes a deal with 313: She will give herself to Six to save him.

In the Clinic, Two confronts Six with Rover. Unable to face his deepest fear, Six runs away.

Villagers gather for 11-12's funeral. Six attends, his fever from Village Death miraculously gone. Two confesses to the crowd that 11-12's death was a suicide and that they are all prisoners. A child throws a stone that hits Two in the face. Two tells the crowd to look to Six for answers. 147 steps forward and proclaims "Six is the one," inciting the crowd to join him.

Two tells Six the only way to shut the holes is for a Dreamer to take M2's place. 313 steps forward and takes one of M2's pills.

At the church in New York, Mr. Curtis introduces Michael to Sarah – 313 in The Village. She is nearly delusional, suffering from the aftermath of childhood abuse. Mr. Curtis tells Michael he can save her. Michael takes Sarah's hand, catching her as she collapses.

In The Village, Two places a grenade in his mouth: "Six, I give you the Village," he says, pulling the pin. Two explodes.

Mr.Curtis returns home to Helen, and finds her well. "Don't look back," he tells his wife.

On the Purpose Floor, Michael takes a seat as the new head of Summakor.

In the Village, Six and a sedated 313 look out on The Village. "It took me all this time to see how beautiful it is," Six says. "It has to be possible to do this the right way – make a good Village." 313 sheds a single tear.