The Great Escape

The Great Escape is the second episode of the first season, and the series, of CBS's Guardians of Today. It first aired on January 26, 2017. It is the second episode of the series, overall.

Synopsis
After six of the powered individuals cause distress by using their powers they are hunted by the police.

Plot
In Baltimore, Zachary talks to a shrink about his experience at the concert and how he saved his wife. The doctor also deduces that it was an extreme case of adrenaline. Zachary tells him that it didn't feel like adrenaline, it felt like something more powerful. In Moscow, Hannah runs into a store and steals many candy bars and other items. She runs out and as the alarm goes off she runs off. In Midwest City, Kyle takes out a gun and shoots his shoulder. He screams in pain and takes off his shirt. He watches it as the bullet falls out and the skin heals. Kyle thinks he is going crazy but again shoots his foot.

Andrew is walking on the Seoul streets. He runs into a pole and his hands begin to turn into gorilla hands. He smashes the pole and it crashes down. People stare but Andrew runs off. However, as he is running he is caught by the police. He transforms into an elephant and tramples the police. In Washington D.C., Bella is watching TV. She sees the remote is across the room, so she teleports there to get it and teleports back to the couch. She smiles but still wants it to go away.

In Greenville, Lily takes an online quiz. She gets nine out of ten correct and sees the question she got wrong and goes back in time to choose the correct answer. Lily thinks her powers are awesome and thinks about how she will never have to make mistakes again. In Ellicott City, Wyatt is writing his story about the murder and turns invisible to enter the crime scene and get evidence. However, he is seen and the police tell him to leave. Wyatt hides behind a wall and turns invisible again to find evidence. However, he is again seen and warned the next time he does this he will be taken to the police station. He turns invisible for one more try but he is again seen and taken into a police car.

In Salta, Charles sits next to his mother. He hears her saying that she knows he can hear her. Charles asks why and his mother tells him that he is responding to everything. Charles tells his mother he though he was going crazy but he now realizes he has superpowers of some sort. In Adelaide, Grace buys something at a store. She is dollar off but she mind controls him into letting her off. Other people try this but he refuses, causing them to get mad at Grace.

In Bluefield, Alicia has realized she can talk to animals, too. She sees a dog tied to a fire hydrant. Alicia tells the dog that he should be freed. The dog then rips off the leash and goes on a rampage. The dog attacks a man and Alicia tries to get it to stop and the dog immediately stops. The man thanks her but tells her to keep her dogs in check. She tells him it's not her dog. Alicia sees the owner exit a building and sees Alicia with her dog. The woman gets her dog back and angrily insults Alicia. Alicia tells the dog to attack the woman, loudly, with people hearing. The dog kills the woman and people see. The cops are called on Alicia, who runs off.

Ashley is sleepwalking in Birlington. She is suddenly on the highway where cars are speeding at her. She creates a forcefield and the cars explode, causing the entire bridge to collapse. Ashley runs off. She has been running for a while when she sees a news report about Ashley being wanted due to her involvement in the collapsing of the bridge. In La Pine, Mark sees a campfire and tries to walk off but his mind gets the better of him and the fire extends, killing all the people around the fire. Mark is disturbed by this.

In Birmingham, Zachary sees two men attacking another younger man. Zachary stops the two men using his newfound strength but he accidentally kills one. The younger man is scared off and runs away, while the other attacker attacks Zachary. Zachary only injures this man but escapes. In Moscow, Hannah sees a woman about to be hit by the car. Hannah speeds into the street and saves her. In Midwest City, Kyle sees a man with a gun pointed at him by another man. Kyle runs in front of the bullet and it hits him. The man with the gun laughs and runs off as the man who was going to be shot tries to help Kyle. Kyle has healed and the man thinks the bullet went past them.

In Seoul, Andrew returns home. Karen tells him that there is a news report of a man who looks just like Andrew that can transform into different animals and the man killed three citizens and several police officers. Andrew takes Karen in a different room and shows her his powers. Karen kicks him out of the house. In Washington D.C., Bella sees a young girl running into the middle of the street. Bella teleports into the street, saves her, and teleports back. The girl is mesmerized as she is taken back to her mother, who thinks the girl is joking. In Greenville, Lily sees a man being killed in an alley and goes back in time, five minutes before and saves the man.

In Ellicott, Wyatt turns invisible and jumps out of the police car. The cops see but can't find him because of his powers. At his house, Riley hears about this on the news and remembers the night before when he couldn't see Wyatt. Wyatt returns home and sees the report. Riley realizes he can disappear and Wyatt tries to get him to understand. Riley tells him he loves him and the two kiss. In Salta, Charles is on the streets when he hears a woman screaming half-a-mile away. He runs over to where it is happening and saves the woman just in time. In Seaford, Evan bumps into a woman. Evan sees a vision of the woman walking into a store and being shot, in the same clothes. Evan sees the store right there and the woman walking into it. Evan sees a man with a gun in there. Evan tells the woman, who sees and thanks him. The cops arrive and arrest the man.

In Adelaide, Grace sees a man robbing a store. Grace mind-controls the man into stopping. The cashier thanks Grace but asks how she did it. Grace tells him magicians never reveal their tricks. In Bluefield, Alicia returns home. Her husband asks her what is going on. Alicia tries to tell him about her powers but her husband calls the cops, causing Alicia to kill him on accident. Her children see and Alicia runs out of the house. In Birlington, Ashley is found by her father. Ashley tries to explain what is going on with her. Her father understands but he tells her that he is a cop and has to turn her in. Ashley creates an energy blast that engulfs the next ten yards, knocking her father unconscious.

Mark sees a fire that is in a building. Mark stops the fire with his powers and is terrifying to some people who see but to others is a hero.

Starring

 * Grant Gustin as Zachary Holmes
 * Camren Bicondova as Hannah Wright
 * Iain De Caestecker as Kyle Morgan
 * Nick Blood as Andrew Anderson
 * Morena Baccarin as Bella Jones
 * Peyton List as Lily Shaw
 * Colton Haynes as Wyatt Clarke
 * Daniel Bonjour as Charles Murphy
 * Sean Maguire as Evan Simmons
 * Katie Cassidy as Grace Jackson
 * Erin Richards as Alicia Young
 * Caity Lotz as Ashley Davies
 * Colin Donnell as Mark Smith

Guest Starring

 * Melissa Benoist as Karen Anderson
 * Chris Wood as Riley Powell
 * Lea Thompson as Tina Murphy
 * Chad Michael Murray as Noah Young
 * Bella Lotz as Hailey Young
 * Max Page as Elijah Young
 * Patrick Dempsey as Joshua Davies

Co-Starring

 * Levi Alexander as Henry Young
 * Victor Garber as Dr. Patrick Hughes
 * Colin Morgan as Man
 * Danneel Ackles as Woman
 * Vinnie Jones as Strong Man #1
 * Jeremy Piven as Strong Man #2
 * Moisés Arias as Weaker Man

Uncredited

 * Unknown as Taylor Young
 * Inky as Troubled Dog

Trivia

 * This episode received 10.63 U.S. million live viewers along with 4.68 million DVR viewers. It garnered 15.31 million viewers in total.
 * This episode received mixed reviews. It received a 55% on Rotten Tomatoes, a 57 out of 100 on Metacritic, a 6.9 on IGN, and a D- from The AV Club.
 * This episode is rated TV-PG-LV.