(So then also in terms of the metaphor itself, there are at least two worlds we've found in the desert: Ours, and the Matrix. The religious person would say of the first that it proves the existence of God. And the atheist would say, "Find a watch in the desert, doesn't matter who made it: It belongs to you, permanent." And the STO/Zoë would say -- of both worlds -- that we have to fix the watch, no matter how bad it gets or what it turns us into. And Tauron Tamara would say, "Fuck this v-world, it belongs to me. Permanent.")

"I did not lose my son," Joe whines -- because that's all he ever does -- but Sam's pretty satisfied with it altogether, as it turns out: "Then what are you doing here?" I don't think this whole thing was an elaborate farce to get Joe to man up, but I do think Sam sees it as just as valid an ending as anything else to this particular chapter.

Tad jacks in and he's dragging Tamara down a slick hallway full of pipes, Yesod, toward their destination. He explains the in-world game they're heading for, which is called New Cap City which is, like so much of this show, dorky, but so is the internet so it cancels out. Basically, it's a Grand Theft Auto in the Matrix, modeled on Caprica City herself (he'll explain later they even blew up the maglev to keep it current, which she won't quite know yet is her tragedy and her salvation), with the very important caveat that, unlike other Matrix activities, if you die there it's permanent and you can't come back. A garden you can't get back to.

He drags her through a space which becomes a window in a very cool Matrix-y brokedown-palace kind of hotel room, all curling wallpaper and wrought-iron sconces, onto the fire escape. Special effects commence; it's all Sin City monochrome and those dogfight planes with the shark smiles painted on. A dirigible unleashes a squad of them on the hotel in an unrelated squabble, and Herc pushes Tamara down against the wall while she screams -- it's pretty terrifying -- and then pulls her back into the hotel room which didn't exist a second ago so he can reload his guns and explain about the Matrix some more.