The Spiral Effect — GORGO

As SynteX completes its transformation from GreenLit’s ashes, Yelena oversees the first successful human trial of Substance V—a new Unity variant laced with her blood and Vorazd’s will. Dr. Chen’s Resonance device quietly controls the staff. Back in Florida, Marisol initiates seven clients through Unity’s metamorphosis. From the doorway, Yelena watches in silence as bodies convulse and rise transformed. Inside, a new cultist waits beneath the Resonance—Billie Morgan, barefoot and grinning, ready to join the symphony.

Yelena Gorgo arrives at GreenLit’s Colorado facility to investigate resistance from within. Accompanied by Emilia Glazkov and naïve hacker Steve Goldberg, she uncovers the buried remnants of a forbidden neurochemical experiment: Project Scarecrow. After ousting the anxious Dr. Thorne, she recruits the unnervingly calm Dr. Chen and recovers a living sample of the compound—Unity.

Invading Casanova English’s dream, the Eater of Dreams torments him using the guise of his murdered father. Revealing its connection to Yelena Gorgo and knowledge of Casanova’s secrets, including dealings with the entity called the Veil, the Eater demands he sell CU:LT for protection, threatening dire consequences if refused, before abruptly snapping him awake.

In Miami, Yelena presents the Chrysalis to Marisol. Compelled by Yelena (influenced by Vorazd), Marisol turns its key. Mirrors emerge, consuming Marisol's memories and desires, transforming her reflection until she declares herself a "Better Me," corrupted. Later, in New York, Yelena uses nature-bending powers linked to the Chrysalis to attack wrestler Sev Yurievich. She taunts him, implying his corruption is next "underneath The Black Rainbow."

Yelena finds herself in a decaying ring within her psyche, surrounded by alternate selves. The Entity (Vorazd) reveals her family line are its "Vessels," causing Spiral's/Nathan's fates due to their resistance. It offers a choice: willingly merge with all selves, becoming whole, or be replaced and face oblivion. Yelena submits, absorbing the others. Awakening changed in the hidden chamber, she takes the Chrysalis, now bonded with Vorazd.

Yelena opens the iron door, descending a rune-marked spiral stairwell into a deep hexagonal chamber filled with grotesque thrones and art. She finds her brother Nathan's medication and a note from Spiral mentioning Nathan's inheritance and a mysterious "Box." Feeling betrayed, Yelena sees the black Box appear. Touching it, she's overwhelmed by dark energy, her consciousness pulled into a psychic vortex, dissolving her physical form as she senses other presences.

Yelena wakes disoriented on her jet heading to Copenhagen, influenced by her "Other Selves" after a loss. Realizing she's going to her father's abandoned castle, the Entity forces her unconscious. She awakes driving nearby, lured by a music box. Guided by the shadowy Entity, she enters the derelict castle, finds a hidden door, and steps into a dark chamber, compelled towards a grotesque iron door.

Yelena finds herself before a surreal "Council of Yelena" – seven alternate selves criticizing her recent wrestling losses and weakness. Presided over by her "Other Me" (The Entity), the council argues Yelena failed by not inflicting enough suffering and by letting Fukuyama live, leading to an assassination attempt. The Entity demands Yelena embrace brutality and kill Fukuyama, threatening a takeover if she fails, leaving Yelena facing her darker self's ultimatum.

Yelena meets tech billionaire Johnny Wu in Calgary. Their meeting is interrupted by an assassin disguised as a waiter who kills Wu's bodyguard and targets Yelena. Paralyzed by fear, Yelena flashes back to childhood trauma until her "Other Self" takes control. A brutal fight ensues. Yelena/Other Me overpowers the assassin, realizes she was the target, kills him, and instructs Wu to clean up the scene.

A Toronto music teacher receives a coded message during a piano lesson. Excusing himself, he accesses a secure computer system using voice print ID. He receives activation code "JUDGEMENT" and orders for immediate deployment to Calgary. His mission: infiltrate the Fairmont Palliser hotel and terminate two targets meeting in Suite 1201 – tech billionaire Johnny Wu and Yelena Gorgo. Retrieving a handgun, cash, and fake Canadian ID, the assassin prepares for his assignment.

In Miami, Yelena reflects on needing restraint after Katz's death. Board member Evelyn calls, informing Yelena she's fired as CEO/Chair of the Niels Gram Foundation due to the police investigation. Evelyn presents offers to buy the foundation's stake in Bifrost Capital. Yelena angrily refuses to sell her majority share of her father's company. Frustrated, she destroys her laptop and decides to go home for sex with Marisol and Emilia.

Yelena addresses the reader, demanding cooperation alongside her "Other Self." In a New Orleans ICU, she visits her dying half-brother, Nathan, after his stroke. She mocks his condition and discusses her XWF career. Nathan dies, triggering unexpected grief. After coldly dismissing a nurse, Yelena informs Marisol, inheriting Spiral's fortune as her "Other Self" offers dark comfort.

Yelena attends a police interview regarding PI Katz's suicide. Facing skeptical Deputy Wydell but finding allyship in Sheriff Corpus (previously charmed), Yelena presents a fabricated alibi, supported by Angel and staged footage. She deflects questions about past deaths. With SFPD dismissing Katz's theories and Corpus seemingly convinced, Yelena navigates the interrogation successfully, leaving Wydell frustrated.

Yelena and Marisol confront PI Ari Katz in his motel room, where bodyguard Odion has subdued him and staged a noose. The room reveals Katz's obsession with Yelena. Yelena psychologically torments Katz, threatening his daughter to coerce suicide. Her "Other Self" emerges. Katz tries warning Marisol, but she stays loyal, telling Yelena/Other Me to proceed. The Other Me kicks the chair, hanging Katz, who dies slowly while they laugh.

At Yelena's house, Marisol kisses her passionately. Yelena hesitates, confronted by her suspicious "Other Self." Yelena confesses the brutal details of murdering Mari's grandfather, claiming love as motive. Shocked but focused on the love declaration, Mari accepts Yelena. Their intimacy is interrupted by Yelena's plan to confront PI Katz. Mari asks to join, and Yelena agrees, intending to "convince" Katz to stop investigating.

PI Ari Katz meets SFPD Inspector Eckhardt, presenting evidence linking Yelena Gorgo to multiple deaths/disappearances. Eckhardt dismisses Katz's theory, attributing Byrne's death to COVID and suggesting Katz is obsessed due to grief over his wife and guilt from his past. Katz leaves angrily, determined to prove his case. Unseen, Yelena's assistant Angel eavesdropped, later reporting to Yelena that while the police aren't convinced, Katz remains a threat requiring action.

Yelena meets PI Ari Katz, instructing her associate Thaïs to plant a GPS tracker on his car beforehand. At the coffee shop, Yelena mocks Katz, admitting the meeting was a ploy. While Katz is distracted, Thaïs plants the tracker. Katz leaves angrily. Yelena retrieves Thaïs, explaining the tracker will reveal Katz's office. She takes Thaïs to dinner, while her "Other Self" reminds her to stay focused.

In a NYC ER, Yelena gets a facial laceration stitched after killing a mugger post-match. Seeing the wound triggers panic. Her "Other Self" appears, reframing the scar as an external sign of her inner monstrosity, making her stronger. Yelena accepts this, her panic replaced by dark resolve. She adopts a menacing persona towards the surgeon before leaving with Angel, embracing the scar as part of her identity.

Yelena meets Leo Schwartz for a Fortune interview, discussing her past. Schwartz reveals he's Ari Katz, a private detective. He confronts Yelena with evidence linking her to the deaths/disappearances of Petrov, Dupin, and Byrne – all tied to her father. Katz discloses he's investigating Mari's missing grandfather, Estaban, and knows Yelena rented the ranch where he was likely held. Recognizing the threat, Yelena leaves, resolving with her "Other Self" to kill Katz.

In San Francisco, Yelena dines with CULT owner Lucas Oilsman, finalizing her contract terms: creative control for minimal pay. She shares a dark story about her father. Later, at a tiki bar, Yelena meets Nessa Wall, who worries about Marisol's recent negative change, suspecting Yelena's influence. Yelena deflects. Despite the tension, Nessa apologizes, wanting to salvage the evening. Yelena senses Nessa's underlying attraction, and they agree to enjoy their drinks, the mood shifting towards intimacy.

In Miami, Marisol Vilaró tells Yelena her estranged grandfather is demanding ownership in VilaroFit. Yelena offers help, and Marisol implicitly asks her to "handle" him. Yelena kidnaps the grandfather, taking him to an abandoned meatpacking plant. Strapped nude to a cart, he's psychologically tortured for seven days with isolation, repeated music ("What's New Pussycat?"), and deprivation until he dies. Yelena informs Marisol "It's done" and prepares to incinerate the body.

At a remote bar, Yelena gets drugged and kidnapped by locals Duke and Tommy. In her subconscious, her "Other Self" reveals the situation and forces her awake. Waking in their cabin, Yelena merges with her "Other Self." She savagely attacks Tommy, then incapacitates Duke before burning him alive in the fireplace. She kills Tommy, then calls CULT owner Lucas Oilsman, blaming his employee Duke and telling him to clean up the mess before leaving.

Yelena meets CULT wrestling owner Lucas Oilsman in San Francisco. Lucas wants to sign her, intrigued by her "character." Yelena discusses potential opponents while internally reflecting on violence and her father's legacy. She proposes unusual contract terms: minimal pay for acknowledgment of past titles and full, uncensored creative control. Lucas agrees, believing he's won. Afterward, Yelena encounters an attractive waitress, and her "Other Self" emerges as they share a moment.

Yelena's VilaroLUX proposal is rejected by Osaka's board due to her reputation. Shōgun Fukuyama then invites her to tea. Suspecting his influence, Yelena confronts him. Fukuyama offers a deal: approval for VilaroLUX if Yelena acts as his secret assassin for eight months. Yelena accepts, seeing an opportunity to eventually kill Fukuyama (on her father's list) while securing Marisol's project

After a loss, Yelena journeys into a phantom nightclub, confronting her "Other Self" (disguised as Spiral). It criticizes her failures and reveals it suppressed other inner voices. It offers a deal: cooperate on Spiral's list and winning championships, or face mental chaos. Yelena accepts, signing in blood. The entity transforms, engulfing Yelena. Waking beside Angel, Yelena sees her "Other Self," affirming their dark pact.

Yelena meets Rick Ravenswood at a remote reservation bar. Ravenswood proposes Yelena attack Kalinda before her title match, promising Yelena a future shot against the winner. Yelena feigns agreement but ambushes Ravenswood with two local men. She reveals her counteroffer: Ravenswood will be held captive until the next show, ensuring he arranges the title match Yelena demands. Taking his car, Yelena leaves him captive and drives off.

Yelena recalls learning at age eight her father was committed to Ascension hospital and subjected to ECT by Dr. Corso. Years later, Yelena captures Corso. In a surgical theater, she paralyzes him and administers LSD. Merging with her "Other Self," she prepares a modified ECT machine for prolonged electroshock, aiming to destroy Corso's mind and avenge her father's suffering.

In a Tokyo host club with Angel, Yelena reflects on her identity. Their evening is interrupted by Fukuyama's assassin, Yaponchik. She confirms Fukuyama accepts Vanessa Byrne's death but warns Yelena to behave while wrestling in Japan. After Yaponchik leaves, Yelena receives a text from Rick Ravenswood about "Kalinda." Postponing that, Yelena decides to take Angel to "soapland" for the night, intrigued by Ravenswood's message but prioritizing immediate gratification.

On Halloween, Yelena crashes Vanessa Byrne's party, her "Other Self" emerging. In costume, she bypasses security. Finding Byrne, Yelena uses a forged apology letter from Spiral to gain trust. While Byrne is away, Yelena retrieves hidden palytoxin and injects it into Byrne's cigarette. Leaving the poisoned cigarette, Yelena departs, having set her deadly trap.

Yelena discusses murdering Vanessa Byrne with assistant Angel. Dismissing ricin, Yelena seeks a poison mimicking COVID. Recalling murdering Angel's father to ensure loyalty, she finds inspiration in the office's toxic coral. Learning Byrne rolls cigarettes, Yelena plans using palytoxin on them to cause respiratory failure disguised as illness, fulfilling her agenda.

In Tokyo, Yelena meets Shōgun Fukuyama, her father Spiral's former associate. Fukuyama reveals he hired Spiral to kill ex-VPW CEO Vanessa Byrne, a task unfulfilled. Citing Yelena's past murders, Fukuyama demands she kill Byrne to settle the "debt," offering wrestling support. Yelena agrees, noting Byrne is already on her father's hit list, and plans her move.

Interrupted by Nathan's nurse, Jamarie, Yelena finds Nathan hallucinating Alex Dumas. Confronting him, Yelena's sadistic "other self" emerges, taunting him about Dumas's death and his weakness while administering his sedative. Dismissing his threats, she leaves him sedated. Contemplating unleashing her darker side more, Yelena initiates rough sex with Jamarie as her "other self" resurfaces.

Yelena plans to manipulate Marisol Vilaró by revealing Brad Jackson is her father. At the UPRISING venue, she coerces EMT Ash Devereaux into providing Jackson's secret paternity test results. Securing the proof, Yelena bullies a producer into arranging an in-ring segment with Marisol. She intends to publicly expose the truth, embracing chaos to disrupt Jackson's world.

Months later, Yelena confronts Rick Ravenswood, demanding the title shot promised for destabilizing UPRISING. Ravenswood reneges. After Yelena threatens him, Ravenswood reveals CEO Brad Jackson secretly DNA-tested a new hire (an illegitimate child) to distract her. Recognizing the target, Yelena tells her brother Jack that Jackson was on their father's list for ruin—a task she now embraces.

Yelena visits her half-brother Nathan (Jack) in ICU after his accident. His lawyer reveals an amendment: DNA confirmation grants Yelena power of attorney and inheritance. Yelena agrees to the test. Alone with Jack, she expresses contempt, hoping he suffers. Submitting her DNA, Yelena anticipates controlling his life and assets, reclaiming her father's intended legacy.

Yelena lures Alex Dupin to Spiral's derelict house, revealing a hidden bunker with his journals. While Alex reads, Yelena attacks, revealing her identity and motive: revenge. She leaves the wounded Dupin trapped in the bunker to die. Taking Dupin's money, Yelena departs, changes her appearance, and witnesses a fatal accident, reflecting coldly on her nature.

Yelena attends a reading by detective A.E. Dupin for her fictionalized book about Spiral. Disgusted, Yelena confronts Dupin, using an alias to offer access to Spiral's authentic journals for a price. Dupin agrees, lured by the potential for a new book. Yelena seals the manipulative deal with a kiss, successfully trapping Dupin, the next target on her vengeance list.

In Budapest, Yelena Gorgo uses a false identity to infiltrate the Ritz-Carlton. After killing guards, she confronts Tibor Petrov, blaming him for her father Niels Gram's death. Rejecting his pleas, Yelena executes Petrov with her father's razor, fulfilling her vengeance. Emotionally detached and disdainful of her half-brother Nathan, Yelena cleans the scene and departs, hinting at future conflict.