Tom Holland is in his trailer, having finished filming the final scene for the movie in which he stars, "Dr. Ekleberg: The Smartest Man Alive." Unlike previous occasions, Tom realizes that he is not the character he plays and that he has been gaslit once again. This cycle has become typical for him – he agrees to be the movie's star, and the cast and crew gaslight him into believing he is the character he is portraying. They convince him that what he is doing is not a movie, but real life. After filming, they break the news to him that the movie is fake, and he is Tom Holland, not the character he thought he was playing. Although he always has a mental breakdown, he recovers shortly afterward.

This time, however, something is different. When Tom believes he is the character he is playing, he begins to acquire the character's characteristics. As Dr. Ekleberg, is the smartest man alive, his intelligence and IQ grow significantly during filming. Gradually, Tom realizes that he has been gaslit into thinking he is the character and that he is, in reality, Tom Holland. Ironically, gaslighting him into believing he is the smartest man alive has made him just that.

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As he reflects on his situation, Tom becomes enraged. He realizes that he has been lied to his entire acting career and that he is now much more intelligent than he was before. He thinks out loud, "How could they do this to me?" His anger is not directed solely at the director and crew but at the world. He has always thought that the world was corrupt, but his newfound intelligence and awareness have sparked something inside him. He ponders, "Why not change the world?" and suggests getting revenge on it since he is probably the smartest man alive. With a sinister grin on his face, Tom proclaims, "I'm Dr. Ekleberg... The smartest man." In that instant, a monster is born.