Ms. Stevens: Our future scientist. What have you made for us?
Dean: Today, I will be demonstrating the principles of a nuclear fission reactor with a dash of pizzazz. Nuclear power plants generate heat by splitting unstable uranium atoms. In my experiment, I will be creating a similar exothermic reaction by splitting oxygen and unstable hydrogen peroxide with potato yeast I made myself. Safety first, though. You never know when there's gonna be a cool nuclear meltdown of radioactive foam. [hands out goggles; pours yeast into volcano] Just a moment. You know, uh, potato yeast can be a slow catalyst. [students murmuring] Maybe it just needs a good stir. Uh, the ratios are probably a little off. Uh, maybe I need a little bit more hydrogen peroxide.
Adult Dean: As my nuclear reactor turned into a sad swamp, I realized that I had been so distracted by my mother and Michael that I hadn't made my yeast properly.
Dean: Ta-da? [students giggle] My yeast must have died.
Mr. Brooks:Shame. I was really excited for this one. [students laugh] I guess science is about failure, too.
Adult Dean: I had never known this level of embarrassment before. Science was my thing. How could I let this happen? [laughter]
Dean: [to Michael] I don't know what you're laughing at. At least I did my project by myself. You needed help from my mom because your mom is so crazy, she got locked up. [laughter] [Michael walks out]
Adult Dean: I'd finally vanquished the supervillain, so why did it feel like I had lost? Wait a minute. Was I actually the villain? As kids, we don't pause to think that every supervillain probably has a complicated backstory. And that superheroes don't always do the right thing. Or that there are some things in this world that hurt even more than getting beat up.

[Lillian grabs a chemistry set from the backseat and hands it to Dean]
Lillian: I figure you'd want to start practicing for next year.
Dean: Thank you.
Adult Dean: All my mom wanted to do was help someone less fortunate, and I ruined it. I wasn't a superhero at all, but if I kept my head down and watched closely, I had the chance to learn from an actual superhero... my mom. Maybe one day, in an alternate universe, she'll have her own storyline. Hopefully, it'll be a rare reboot that's better than the original.

Adult Dean: The Jefferson Davis Junior High School science fair was only a couple days away, and a few of us stayed late to work on my project. By 7th grade, I'd taken my game to the next level.
Dean: Then... add a catalyst and stir and...
Cory: Whoa!
Keisa: Whoa! [laughter]
Dean: Just wait till I make my own yeast out of potatoes.
Cory: Hey, I bet you could win the science fair this year, Dean.
Dean: Me? No.
Adult Dean: Of course I was winning. I'd been doing experiments ever since my aunt got me my first chemistry set when I was 8. I was still holding out hope that a lab accident would bestow me with superpowers, but no luck yet.

Keisa: Goliath is kinda cool, huh?
Adult Dean: See, in comics, you could be a nerd and be cool. Peter Parker, Bruce Banner, Hank Pym - all were superheroes that started out as scientists.
Michael: What you doing, nerd? Reading like you White?
Dean: Leave my stuff alone!
Michael: Or what, dork?
Adult Dean: In that moment, the spirit of every scientist superhero coursed through my veins. Standing before me was the most evil supervillain ever born, and I owed it to the world to do something. [students chanting "Fight! Fight!"]
[cut to Michael punching Dean as he curls up in a ball on the floor:]
Michael: [punching Dean] Read! This! Science! Boy!

Lillian: Unh-unh. You wanna fight? Then you're gonna have to pay the piper. Your parents are gonna wanna hear about this. Come on. Let's go. Come on. [Michael gets out of the car] [knock on door] Michael, are your parents home? [Michael is silent] Who was supposed to pick you up?
Michael: My brother. But he usually has to work late. [picks up key]
Lillian: Are you home alone?
Michael: I-It's fine. [goes inside]

Lillian: Can you believe this boy's situation? I mean, clothes thrown all across the sofa. And I'd hate to see the kitchen. Probably dishes everywhere.
Bill: It's a real shame.
Lillian: Mm-hmm. And I was talking to some of the moms...
Kim: You mean the moms busybody gossip line? [laughter]
Lillian: Speaking of which, Miss Doris said she saw you at the mall, and I said that was impossible because you told us you were at the library.
Bill: Keys.
Kim: Mm.

Lillian: Now, anyway, as I was saying, I found out that Michael's older brother is 22 years old. Can you imagine? A boy being raised by someone who's practically a child himself.
Bill: Well, at least they have each other.
Lillian: I bet Michael could use some guidance and a warm meal, too.
Adult Dean: Michael definitely didn't need another meal. He was already the size of a linebacker in 7th grade.

Adult Dean: I promised my mom I'd offer to help Michael. Sure, I'd been working on my project for a month and he hadn't even started his. That's totally fair.
Dean: My mom says I have to help you with your science project.
Michael: Shut up.
Dean: Cool.
Adult Dean: Oh, well. I tried.

Adult Dean: I knew my mom was hoping I'd try harder, but there was no way I was teaming up with a guy that's been tormenting me since we were in the 2nd grade.
Cory: Oh. That's Michael Simms in your kitchen. Huh. Well, it was nice knowing you, man. I'm gonna work at my house.

Dean: Mom! What is he doing here? I told you he didn't want my help.
Lillian: Yes, and I'm sure you asked very sincerely.
Adult Dean: My mother definitely had my number. And since I'm not about to let this boy show up empty-handed, we decided to make a potato clock using one of your old science kits. [to Michael] But you're gonna do all the work yourself, you understand?
Michael: Yes, ma'am.
Dean: But those are the potatoes from my project.
Lillian: Sweetheart, don't be silly. There are plenty of potatoes. Who knew root vegetables could be so interesting?
Adult Dean: Uh, I did.