"The Price of Greatness"
Season 2, Episode 9
Episode	Nineteen
Air date	August 12th, 2012
Written by	Mark Verheiden
Directed by	Adam Kane
US Viewers	3.46 million
Episode Guide
previous "Death March"	next "A More Perfect Union"

"The Price of Greatness" is the 19th episode of Falling Skies and the ninth episode of the second season. It was written by Consulting Producer Mark Verheiden and helmed by new director Adam Kane. The 2nd Mass arrives in Charleston where Tom comes across his former mentor and professor Arthur Manchester. Their arrival brings existing tensions to show and the situation escalates fast.

PlotEdit

The episode resumes after Colonel Porter greets the 2nd Mass when they find the ruins of Charleston, South Carolina. He leads them into an abandoned shopping mall and explains to the 2nd Mass that the reason why they were never attacked was due to the Overlords believing they were dead. Porter also requests that Tom should tell him more about his meeting with the Overlord. Bringing them into a large basement, the 2nd Mass gazes at a large atrium with a buffet table and people everywhere. Despite of their disbelief, Porter offers them to come. As they walk down a broken escalator, the remaining survivors applaud their arrival. Tom offers his hand to Anne and they walk to the food. Jeanne greets Weaver and he embraces her. Tector and Weaver greet After a meal, Tom is greeted by his mentor and professor Arthur Manchester. After introducing himself to Tom and Anne, he and Tom talk to each other and recollect on what happened after the invasion. Arthur gives Tom a book that he wrote himself and announces that he wants to lead the new government in Charleston and invites Tom's support. Shortly afterward, a minor riot breaks out due to the Continental Army requesting that the 2nd Mass is to forfeit their weapons. The members of the 2nd Mass cry out in protest until Tom and Weaver command them to give their weapons away. Elsewhere, Anne goes to the infirmary where she and Lourdes reminisce on the medicinal capacity that the doctors have there. Despite of her willingness to help the patients, she is turned down because she was trained as a pediatrician. She reports to Tom that the people seem too comfortable in Charleston. Jeanne and Weaver reconcile and Weaver asks her where Diego and the rest of her friend are. Jeanne explains that she and Diego were separated when they were attacked by a Mech squad and she wants to find them. After this Jeanne says to Weaver that she plans on speaking at the meeting organized by Manchester.

TriviaEdit

• "The Price of Greatness" is likely a reference to a speech given by Winston Churchill in 1943. The full title of the speech is "The Price of Greatness is Responsibility". This is interesting because it was Avery Churchill who told them about Charleston.
• First appearance of Arthur Manchester
• First appearance of General Bressler
• First appearance of Sergeant Clemmons