"Jailhouse Block" is the third episode of Minecraft: Story Mode - Season Two.
Plot[]
Chapter 1[]
- "Five minutes and already apprehended in an escape attempt? That is just... that is just RUDE."
- —The Warden scolding Jesse and Jack/Petra for immediately trying to flee the Sunshine Institute. src
After being teleported away by the Admin, Jesse lands on bedrock, stripped of his/her items and dressed in a prison uniform. Nearby, a jukebox repeatedly instructs him/her to follow an orange line to a "check-in zone." Jesse realizes he's/she's been teleported to a prison; if he/she looks up, the jukebox warns that failing to comply will release the lava above. With no other option, Jesse follows the line until reaching a building sign reading "Sunshine Institute."
Suddenly, a massive prison golem named Big Hank appears behind Jesse. Jesse flees and encounters the Warden, who introduces the Sunshine Institute and reveals it was built by the Admin, before escorting Jesse inside. The Warden prepares to leave to escort another arrival who entered around the same time as Jesse.
The arrival turns out to be Jack/Petra (whoever did not destroy the clock in the previous episode). He/she overpowers the Warden and escapes with Jesse. However, the Warden orders a group of guards, called Associates, along with prison golems to detain them. Jesse and Jack/Petra speed through an obsidian maze, dodging prison-unique hostile mobs created by the Admin, including prison zombies, slimes, and spiders. Despite their efforts, a prison golem captures them and returns them to the institute.
The Warden chastises them for attempting to escape so soon and orders them separated. Jack/Petra is sent to the "Mush Room," while Jesse is taken to the Warden's office. Before they are separated, the prison golem carrying them strikes Jesse with a blow.
Chapter 2[]
- "PRISONER X HAS ESCAPED! I REPEAT, PRISONER X HAS ESCAPED!"
- —An Associate after an alarm wails in the Sunshine Institute. src
The Warden orders Jesse to close the office door, which he/she can choose to do or ignore. While the Warden tells Jesse about his promotion to Warden, Jesse peers out the window into the Mush Room, where Radar, Nurm, and Jack/Petra are being manhandled by two prison golems. The Warden's prison golem eventually retrieves Radar and brings him to the office.
When Radar arrives, the Warden forces him under a sinister machine called the Iron Breathtaker, designed to literally drain the breath from its victim. The Warden then presents Jesse with a choice: remain a prisoner or accept a promotion to Associate.
Accept the promotion: Jesse accepts the promotion and is given an Associate uniform. Radar is visibly shaken over Jesse's decision.
Refuse the promotion: Jesse refuses the promotion; the Warden retaliates by tripping Radar as he steps out from the Iron Breathtaker, breaking his glasses and leaving him with a black eye. Later, Radar's glasses are repaired with tape.
Once Radar is freed, Stella enters the office wearing an Associate uniform, much to Jesse's dismay. After she greets Jesse, the Warden is surprised to see that the two already know each other. Stella seizes the opportunity to humiliate Jesse, reveling in her position as an Associate, before revealing her desire to take over the Warden's role. The Warden privately informs Jesse that loyalty to the Admin is the only way to survive in the prison and warns that forming close bonds will only make things more difficult. Subtly hinting at his own reluctance to be part of the institute, the conversation is interrupted by Stella, who escorts Jesse and Radar out.
In the Mush Room, Radar tells Jesse he is hungry. They meet an Associate named Anthony, who hands them bowls and explains that prisoners are to feed themselves mushroom stew using mushrooms gathered from the pit in the room. Jesse is free to roam the Mush Room and can perform several actions:
- Converse with guards or prisoners like Brick to learn more about the institute
- Help the prisoner Rob with his painting by building a mushroom statue for him to paint, then providing feedback
- Meet a prisoner punching the stone floor, who reveals their (futile) plan to escape despite knowing that breaking blocks in the prison causes mining fatigue
- Reconvene with Jack/Petra and Nurm
- Discover the Admin's voice emanating from a jukebox in the ceiling
Depending on Jesse's status in the institute, two scenarios unfold:
- If Jesse is an Associate, Anthony secretly gives him/her cocoa beans to craft a cookie, admitting that none of his stash is Warden-approved. Since he doesn't have any wheat, Jesse must negotiate with Oxblood, a horned, red-skinned prisoner with a hidden stash. After some persuasion, Oxblood gives Jesse some wheat. Jesse returns to Anthony, who gives him/her the remaining ingredients.
- If Jesse is a prisoner, he/she collects mushrooms directly from the pit, working against other inmates. He/she manages to gather enough mushrooms to craft a stew for Radar.
Regardless of his/her approach, when Jesse gathers the ingredients, another prisoner named Terry attacks him/her with a wooden sword in an attempt to steal the ingredients. The Warden arrives and intervenes; Jesse can either pin the blame on Terry or inadvertently reveal Terry's intent with the weapon. As punishment, the Warden sends Terry to the zombie mines while Jesse proceeds with crafting the cookie/stew for Radar.
After eating, Radar adopts a persona he calls "Prison Radar." He rips off his sleeves and starts behaving aggressively, when an alarm suddenly blares. An Associate announces that "Prisoner X" has escaped, sending all the prisoners fleeing into their cells. Jack mentions hearing from other inmates that Prisoner X is a dangerous escape artist who knows the way through the obsidian maze outside.
Jesse devises a plan to gain access to Cellblock X, the high-security area where Prisoner X is held. To get into trouble deliberately, Jesse breaks into Oxblood's cell and uncovers a hidden room housing a mooshroom named Geoff (or affectionately, Geoffy, as Oxblood calls him). The group moves Geoff outside to provide stew for the other prisoners, earning their gratitude.
The Warden discovers the scene—either after hearing Geoff's mooing or being alerted by Anthony. Anthony hands the Warden a pair of shears, who then orders Jesse to shear Geoff as a demonstration of loyalty to the Admin. If Jesse complies, he/she is promoted to the zombie mines as an Associate. If he/she refuses, he/she and the group are sent to the mines as prisoners.
Chapter 3[]
- "Heh. I'm gonna have loads of friends soon. After all... everyone loves Jesse, right?"
- —The Admin transforming into Jesse. src
Stella, accompanied by Lluna, takes Jesse (and the rest of the group, if Jesse is a prisoner) to the zombie mines, where several prisoners are busy consuming rotten zombie flesh. Initially, Stella pretends to enjoy her work there, but soon admits she doesn't like it at all. During their conversation, she reveals that Prisoner X has been recaptured and is now back in her cell, sparking Jesse's curiosity. If Jesse is an Associate, he/she is surprised to find that the group has followed them, who explain that they too caused trouble to enter the mines.
As Jesse explores the mines, he/she discovers an exposed Redstone circuit in a wall that opens a door leading to Prisoner X's cell, and may also collect zombie flesh. Eventually, Jesse confronts Stella to get the materials required for a lever to activate the circuit. The interaction unfolds differently depending on how Jesse approaches Stella:
- If Jesse demands the materials, Stella grows even more irritated but begrudgingly gives them to Jesse, complaining about their escalating "rivalry" before leaving the room in frustration.
- If Jesse tries to reason with Stella, she opens up about how the Sunshine Institute isn't where she expected to be. She proposes a deal: she wants to escape the institute, but only if Jesse lets her join her group.
- If Jesse agrees, Stella expresses excitement and stays to join.
- If Jesse refuses, Stella is upset and leaves the room.
After Jesse crafts the lever, zombie spawners activate, and the group must avoid the spawning zombies. Jesse reaches the Redstone circuit and opens the door. However, just as the group is about to enter, the Admin suddenly appears, flings everyone to him, and causes the rest of the mines' prisoners to vanish. The Admin also summons Petra/Jack (whoever is the Admin's "champion," now wearing red clothing) and the Warden, who is caught off guard eating cake. Seeing the Warden, the Admin fires him for failing to control Jesse (or for promoting Jesse to Associate despite him/her not being on their side). The Admin then orders Petra/Jack to engage Jesse in battle, intending to kill Jesse.
However, when both Jesse and Petra/Jack attempt to strike the Admin, their swords vanish before they can land a blow. Enraged, the Admin threatens to abandon the institute, then removes the Prismarine Gauntlet from Petra's/Jack's hand and puts it on his own, transforming into Jesse. He also demands Stella to come with him, and depending on her earlier choice, she reluctantly refuses (if she joined Jesse) or eagerly agrees (if she didn't).
Chapter 4[]
- "Stella is just the beginning. Your other friends will fall in line, too. Lukas, Axel, Olivia... all of them. Don't worry. I'll take good care of Beacontown."
- —The Admin disguised as Jesse, telling Jesse their plan to manipulate their friends. src
Before the Admin teleports himself and Stella to the Overworld, he reveals to Jesse his plan to manipulate both Jesse's friends and Beacontown for his own purposes. As the Admin leaves, the group takes the opportunity to sneak into Prisoner X's cell, with the door now open. In the hallway, Petra/Jack shares their disorienting experience as the Admin's "champion" and informs Jesse that Beacontown is looking for him/her. Jesse accidentally triggers the institute's security system; only Jesse, Nurm, and Lluna manage to slip through the closing iron bars, forced to continue without the others.
Inside Cellblock X, they find Prisoner X, a woman bound in a straitjacket and muzzle that prevents her from speaking. Jesse removes the muzzle, prompting her to shout at the trio to release her frustration. Now able to speak, Prisoner X—introducing herself as Xara—reveals the Admin's name to be Romeo. Jesse eventually convinces Xara to join them. However, there is a catch: in order for Xara to escape without triggering the deadly TNT trap above her, at least one of the stone pressure plates in the cell must be activated. The plates, spread across the floor, can only be triggered by the weight of a person standing on them, not by blocks alone. Jesse is forced to make a difficult decision: to leave either Nurm or Lluna behind in the cell in order to leave with Xara.
- [X] Do Nothing: If Jesse stays in the cell for three minutes, Xara takes both Lluna and Nurm out of the cell, leaving Jesse behind. At this point, the game cannot progress, as Jesse gets blown up if he attempts to leave the cell.
- Take Lluna: Jesse takes Lluna, leaving Nurm behind and respecting his wish.
- Take Nurm: Jesse takes Nurm, leaving Lluna behind.
Chapter 5[]
- "Oh, that? It's just my perfect reflexes and photographic muscle memory."
- —Jesse after defeating the Giant Ghast. src
Jesse and Nurm/Lluna (depending on who went with Jesse) exit the cell with Xara, who easily removes her straitjacket. They regroup with the others, and Jack's reaction varies based on who came out the cell with Jesse.
- If Nurm was brought, he tearfully tells Jack that Lluna was left behind. Jack is thankful that Nurm went with Jesse, although Nurm feels guilty.
- If Lluna was brought, Jack anxiously asks where Nurm is. After Xara explains the situation with her cell's TNT trap, Jack gets angry at Jesse for leaving Nurm behind. Jesse can reassure him that they will come back for him after defeating Romeo.
As they exit, they encounter three Associates fleeing from the opposite direction after hearing news of the Warden's demotion. Two prisoners pursue the Warden, and Jesse's group stumbles upon a room full of weapons, which they grab before escaping the Sunshine Institute. Oxblood appears, either pleased or disgruntled depending on whether Geoff was sheared, but Xara scares him off. Outside, more prisoners corner the Warden, who threatens to blow them all up. However, when they see Xara, the prisoners retreat, leaving only the Warden. The Warden reveals to the group that Xara used to be an Admin before Romeo stripped her of her powers, and that he promised Romeo to keep her imprisoned. Just as he attempts to detonate the TNT, Xara fires an arrow at him, killing him, before confirming his claims to be true and noting that stripping an Admin of their powers is no easy feat.
The group escapes into the obsidian maze, navigating it until Jesse and Xara climb over a wall. They discover a diamond tower nearby, which Xara claims is the way out of the institute. Suddenly, Xara runs off without them. Before the rest of the group can chase her, a giant, three-faced ghast emerges. With some unintended help from other ghasts, Jesse manages to kill the giant ghast by stabbing it through its main head. The group loses track of Xara in the process but later finds her trying to take down another ghast. Jesse has a choice:
Help Xara: Jesse helps Xara defeat the ghast. Xara runs off with Jesse and the group, and expresses her appreciation.
Leave Xara: Jesse leaves her to fight the ghast alone. Later, Xara unexpectedly appears next to the group and expresses her resentment towards Jesse for abandoning her.
Chapter 6[]
- "Everyone knows there's nothing under the bedrock except...nothing! And also certain death."
- —Jack doubting Xara once everyone reaches the diamond tower. src
The group hurries through the maze and finally reaches the diamond tower. As they approach, Xara mentions a third Admin, Fred, who died when he and Xara unsuccessfully fought Romeo for control of their world. When they reach the top of the tower, however, they are surprised to find it much shorter than expected. Petra and Jack, skeptical, insist the tower is useless since it doesn't appear to take anyone to the Overworld.
Xara reveals that the tower actually leads people down, deep below the bedrock, where Fred had discovered the key to defeating Romeo. Petra and Jack remain unconvinced. Jack, in particular, is even more suspicious, having been previously deceived by Romeo when he pretended to be Vos, and threatens to not follow Xara's plan. However, when more monsters from the maze approach, Jack turns back, and the entire group descends down the tower together.
As they continue, a chilling shriek echoes from nearby. They spot a giant enderman, standing not far from the tower, roaming the world underneath the bedrock.
Post-credits Scene[]
- "Run, run, run Jesse... as fast as you can. Hahahahaha!"
- —The Admin (disguised as Jesse) cackling after the ninja disappears src
In the Order Hall, Romeo, disguised as Jesse and wearing the gauntlet, paces back and forth, muttering to himself about stopping Jesse and the group from blowing his cover.
He throws the Order's amulet to a ninja standing silently before him, commanding him to track Jesse and the group down. Without a word, the ninja vanishes in a puff of smoke with the amulet.
Impacts[]
Certain choices are influenced by decisions from previous episodes:
- The Admin's "champion" will be whoever Jesse sent to destroy the clock in "Giant Consequences."
- Stella will make a comment about whether Jesse freed her from the ice in the same episode.
- The Admin will transform into Jesse's chosen gender and appearance by the player.
Choices[]
- Did you agree to work for the Warden in the Sunshine Institute?
- Did you shear Geoff the Mooshroom in the Mush Room?
- Did you convince Stella to help you escape and be on your side?
- Did you leave Nurm or Lluna behind in Xara's cell?
- Did you stick together with Xara while escaping?