Krapopolis

- We found them just outside the city walls,

Looking for a way in.

Hippo's checking them out because they

Were acting kind of screwy.

raiders.

Why not make something of your own for once,

Instead of raiding your whole life?

You know what, I'm gonna tell them that.

Watch their faces as their entire

Life philosophy crumbles.

- Yeah, raiders are usually pretty philosophical guys.

But these aren't raiders.

These are spies from new scepsia.

- Spies? Why didn't you say so?

That would mean someone wants to see what we're doing.

Such a compliment. - Uh--

- Do you think they have good things to say?

Did they mention me in particular?

No, don't tell me. I want to go in fresh.

What do you wear to meet captured spies?

- It doesn't matter. - I'm so nervous.

Spies come to spy on my city.

I cannot wait to meet these guys.

What a weenie.

- And that's why democracy is so important.

Here on krapopolis, instead of being ruled by a king,

The people themselves rule through a king.

- Wow, you just so clearly have a passion for this stuff.

Right?

You can feel it. - Keep talking.

- You know, you might not believe this,

But not everyone is as interested as you are

In what I have to say.

- That's because these people are sick.

What?

No, it's not. Sick how?

Still figuring that out.

But whatever it is forces them to pay attention

To other people's feelings.

They're incapable of tuning out a point of view.

No, that's ridiculous.

I'm sorry about my brother. He's just--

- No, he's right. - What?

- You're both right. - You're both doing great.

There you go.

They'll see anybody's side of anything

Because there's something wrong with them.

It's worse than that.

It's called empathy.

I came as soon as I heard.

We have to kill everyone who has it.

- Well, that seems a little extreme.

- It's a biological weapon, tyrannis,

Created by the titan empathis.

It compels you to understand others,

And it almost wiped out the olympians during the war.

That must have been so hard.

- If it's been passed down to human offspring,

That means it's contagious.

Don't touch their tears.

- Ok, even if this were a disease, which,

To be honest, I'm skeptical, it sounds like one

We could all stand to get.

I mean, taking other people's perspectives into account?

No, I agree with mom.

It sounds bad.

But also sounds like something I should study.

Not in my city.

- I understand why you have to do this!

Hey!

What is wrong with you?

- Take it up with someone who cares.

Or don't. They could be contagious.

I'm going to my temple and sealing myself in

Until we're sure it's contained.

My mom.

oh, my god.

I can taste them burning.

Oh, that's not good.

Spartans?

- Yes, about a day out, I'd say.

Quite ruined my post-gangtug high.

- Well, stupe ought to be able to handle them, though.

Right? - These guys are 7 feet tall.

Their veins are made of carbon.

They're totally devoted to murder--

To a heroic extent, really.

I mean, if you look at it from their perspective--

Whoa, whoa, hold on.

Look at it from their perspective?

Oh, man.

I see what you're getting at.

- When you arrested those spies,

Did you get any of their tears on you?

Oh. Oh, I have it!

I have empathy.

And I get what a big problem that is.

I'm trying to picture fighting a war right now,

And I can't stop thinking about those imaginary soldiers,

Their imaginary families,

And their imaginary dreams.

If I've got empathy when the spartans get here,

They're gonna literally eat us for lunch.

- All right, just stay away, stupendous.

Try to keep the tears inside your eye hole.

Dad, can you seal her away somewhere or something

Until we figure out what to do?

I understand.

I understand why you have to do this.

And I respect it. I respect you.

- Fantastic. Very glad to hear it.

But please respect me from over there.

I've got to talk to mom.

Mom, mother, let me in, please.

- Not until you prove to me that you don't have it.

- Well, that's gonna be hard, actually,

Because I'm naturally pretty thoughtful

And take other people into consideration by default.

But I guess I could try--

No, that does it.

No one with empathy could be so egotistical.

Well, I'm glad you let me in.

But the reason infuriates me.

Stupendous has contracted empathy.

She has?

Oh, well, then she's going to die.

Come on.

How can somebody die from empathy?

- The disease progresses, tyrannis.

You don't just stop with seeing eye to eye with your neighbor.

It ends with you feeling so bad for your salad

That you end up dying of exhaustion,

Trying to find a river you won't pollute

By drowning yourself.

The olympians that contracted it

Turned into things like the north wind

And comfortable silence between old friends.

Humans won't be able to pull off that transition.

They'll just hang themselves or starve!

Is there a cure?

- Yes, a mushroom said to grow in the feces

Of empathis herself.

Oh, but she's long gone, died in the war.

And all we are left with is this awful disease.

Titans had feces?

That's the part you focus on?

- I just hadn't even thought about it.

None of the stories about titans had any reference to that.

- Do you want me to include feces

In every story I tell you?

I'd rather assumed it was an easy cut.

- All right, fine. The mushrooms?

The mushrooms, yes.

I don't know how likely it is we'll find them.

But I don't want to incinerate my daughter.

And I don't want to stay in this death trap of a city.

So where did the spies come from?

New scepsia, I think.

Then we go to new scepsia.

If nothing else, it's a lead.

- All right. Let's save the city.

- Ok, you have to ask before you do that.

Bird!

Ugh, I have to be more specific.

Eagle!

giant eagle!

Eagle that is big enough!

Stupid--

Time to put an end to empathy.

- Oof, don't love the sound of that.

How about, let's go find some poo mushrooms!

No? Ok.

Well, we'll work on it.

So we find this cure.

We get stupendous back in shape.

And we have a fighting chance against these spartans.

- Spartans are the least of your troubles.

- Yes, yes, I know you say empathy

Is so incredibly dangerous.

But I still can't see how it could possibly be--

Is this new scepsia?

I believe it was.

You were saying?

I don't understand.

How can empathy be so destructive?

Perhaps I've been confusing it with compassion,

The organically occurring version

In human beings like myself.

Except compassion isn't real.

It's a performance, something that lazy humans made up

So they could get out of the hard work

Of killing each other.

- You would think that, wouldn't you?

Incapable as you are of understanding

The natural human urge to love one's neighbor.

ah, ah!

Get her off me. Mom, help!

- He's so smart. - Clearly.

You're so smart.

- Look, no offense, you guys,