Marvel's Runaways S01E06 "Metamorphosis" Recap

Fifteen years ago, Jonah gave Geoffrey and Catherine the mansion with the secret room in the basement. All of the same adults are there, including Molly's still-alive parents. Leslie is already a leader and aware of the sacrifices just like Victor and Tina who have already been blackmailed into helping keeping everyone in line. All of the adults were offered help and in exchange Victor forced them into performing these sacrifices that convert people into a form of pure energy that can be consumed by the human body (Jonah's, to be exact).

In the present, Jonah presses Leslie to let him meet Karolina as he is actually her father. He wants to pose as an anonymous billionaire donor to the church and plans to attend the upcoming fundraiser for the school at which he'll be able to meet his daughter. Leslie is weary of the risks of being at an event her husband Frank will be at, as she's concerned he'll be suspicious.

Nico agrees to help Alex break into her mother's private server during the fundraiser event so they can find the surveillance footage of the sacrifices. Tina begins to train Nico to help her understand how to use the staff. She also shares how the staff was created in the lab and was designed to respond to Tina's DNA alone and the genetic similarity between mother and daughter is similar enough that she can access it. Tina also says that she would've let Nico read Amy's diary if she had asked. Tina is still saddened at not understanding why Amy would've killed herself.

Karolina bonds with Frank, who admits his failed attempt to go Ultra has him thinking he was pursuing something that wasn't his and she expresses her interest in the drawing of beings of light done by her grandfather.

Victor is revealed to have cloned his wife's phone and uses it to spy on her as she speaks with Robert. She admits that it's harder to have an affair now that Victor has been a kinder husband and been getting along with Chase. He admits that he knows Victor had been abusive in the past and gifts her a gun to use as a precautionary device, encouraging her to finally tell Victor about them.

The teens decide to take a single limo to the fundraiser and launch their plans to get access to the surveillance footage. They all dress up in their fancy clothing and it's more directly revealed that Karolina is romantically interested in Nico. Karolina reflects on having to re-evaluate who she is now that she sees her religion as a lie and that perhaps now she'll be able to be honest about both who she is and whom she wants to be with.

The teens and adults all arrive at the fundraiser. Jonah reunites with Leslie and Frank becomes suspicious. When the two walk off together, Frank has flashes of a memory that seems to have been erased at one point of him catching Jonah and Leslie together in bed.

Molly becomes concerned when she realises that by sending the parents away to prison she won't be able to get the information Catherine promised to give her about her parents. Molly begins to text Catherine, pressing for her to give her the information immediately, alerting Catherine that something is amiss.

Gert asks Karolina if she's interested in Nico, saying she's supportive if it's the case. Karolina is uncomfortable with speaking about the issue so she points out Gert's interest in Chase, which Gert denies. Karolina asks Chase to get a drink for her just to retaliate against Gert. The pair point out to each other that they're not being honest about who they like, before splitting off.

Karolina grabs a bottle of vodka and heads to the roof. Chase sees her walking out of the main party area when he is approached by Leslie who is looking for Karolina so she can introduce her to Jonah. Chase denies knowing where she is and follows her out. Molly follows Chase to see where he's going. Karolina is drinking her sorrows away and sits on the building's ledge, alarming Chase. An emotional Karolina fumbles the bottle and begins to fall off the ledge. Chase tries to grab her but only ends up pulling her bracelet off. Karolina falls off the ledge but stays suspended as her powers are activated and she's able to float back onto the ledge where Chase puts the bracelet back on her. He kisses her and she appears surprised and unresponsive but doesn't say anything to him to clarify that she's only interested in him as a friend. Molly witnesses the exchange.

Gert flirts with a low-level security guard to keep him distracted while Alex and Nico head up to access the server needed to get the surveillance footage. They realise they need to head to Nico's mother's office to get it. When Alex and Nico take the elevator upstairs, the guard tries to call it in to ask who is accessing the restricted area. Gert begins to play on a vintage video game which distracts the guard further into telling her it's not supposed be touched but her flirtatious charm prevents him from taking any real actions to make her stop. They are interrupted by the PI/security man Tina had contracted to dig up information on the Yorkes when they were trying to run away. Gert charms him into playing on the game with them.

Chase and Karolina get back into the party in time for the main address to be given. Victor begins to struggle with the nanobytes in his head that are supposed to be treating his brain cancer. Tina is giving a speech and thanks Robert for all his support and loyalty to the family. When Victor is given the opportunity to speak, he exposes Janet for having an affair with Robert. Victor collapses due to his cancer and Tina excuses herself, humiliated at Robert's betrayal. Victor is brought to a back room where Chase lets it slip to everyone present, including his mother, that Victor has brain cancer. Janet tries to comfort him but Chase tells her to leave. Dale offers to call 9-1-1 but Leslie says she has a better idea. She updates Jonah on Victor's illness and says she has it under control, despite Jonah's skepticism but he agrees to help.

Tina passes by Gert and the two staff playing on the vintage video game. They are apologetic and complimentary towards her but she says nothing, only giving them a judgmental stare. Gert texts Alex and Nico to warn them she's coming up. They hide behind her desk and Tina comes in and cries to herself. Nico is shocked, having never seen such vulnerability from her mother. Tina returns to the party afterward and Alex and Nico both sneak back shortly thereafter. Nico ponders how it doesn't make sense for the heartless killers they believe their parents to be to break down crying in their private office. Chase updates them on how Karolina can fly and that his mother and Nico's father are having an affair. Nico realises that this is the reason her mother was crying.

Jonah injects Victor with a special serum that cures his ailing health. Afterward Victor is shown to bed in good spirit and no longer angry at his wife. Jonah encounters Karolina and introduces himself to her as one of her mother's old friends that's new in town. Frank offers to drive Karolina home and she heads off to find his car. Frank stares Jonah down suspiciously and is about to follow after Karolina when Jonah stops him, saying he admires all the work he has down for the church. Frank says he failed to go Ultra and Jonah assures him he was successful but simply doesn't know it yet, guiding him to walk off and speak in private. Leslie watches the encounter from afar and Dale ponders how Frank should have no memory of Jonah since he took care of that problem himself. She says Frank doesn't remember him, leaving the pair to ponder what insidious things Jonah has planned for Frank.

Gert catches up with Molly, asking where Chase is. Molly shares how she followed Chase up to the roof where he kissed Karolina. Molly is apologetic but says she didn't want there to be any more lies. Gert is hurt but appreciates her honesty on the matter. Molly approaches Catherine and stresses her need to know about her parents and lets it slip that she 'didn't see a thing' and heads home with Stacey. Catherine tells Geoffrey she messed up and now believes Molly saw everything.

Marvel's Runaways is available for streaming on Hulu.