The Protector

Nine-year-old Wyatt Perkins is convinced he has a superpower. After twice jumping into the water to save his older sister Bridget, he has been researching "protective instinct" online and decided that his heightened urge to protect loved ones makes him practically a superhero. His mom, Carla, teases him not to go running into burning buildings, but Wyatt is eager to put his gift to use.

The Perkins family is adjusting to life with Dad away. Ron is serving far from home, and the family talks with him by video chat. Carla has been calling him constantly, running even small decisions past him, like whether to take a free family finance class. During one call, Bridget announces she has to work the night of the musical she and Mom had planned to attend together, a mother-daughter outing Carla has been looking forward to for weeks.

Meanwhile, Wyatt goes looking for people to protect. Walking Bridget to work, she warns him, "Fine, just don't Wyatt up my life." He immediately spots what he calls a damsel in distress and insists on helping an "old woman" across the street. She is not amused: "I'm 48, young man." Hoping to contain the damage, Bridget convinces Wyatt that a real superhero needs a secret identity, so he should never mention his power again. Wyatt agrees, deciding this means he will need a lair.

At Whit's End, Connie shares news that a bear has been spotted near town. Wyatt appoints himself Connie's guardian, escorting her to the dumpster and researching bear defense: loud noises scare bears away, and pepper spray stings their eyes. He packs a backpack with an air horn and the pepper spray from his mother's keychain. Connie, misreading his constant hovering, assumes he has a crush on her and tries to let him down gently, leaving them talking hilariously past each other.

At home, Carla pours out her heart to Ron. Bridget will not make eye contact, never wants to go anywhere with her, and even backed out of a clothes-shopping trip. Ever since Bridget's near-drowning, Carla has been questioning every decision she makes as a parent, which is why she keeps calling him. Ron gently urges her to take Bridget to Whit's End for ice cream and really talk. Carla agrees, then notices something odd: the pepper spray is missing from her keychain.

The ice cream outing goes badly. Bridget dodges her mother's questions, then escapes to the counter, where Connie asks her to help let Wyatt down easy. Bridget explains that Wyatt does not have a crush; he thinks he is a superhero protecting people. Then Bridget bumps Wyatt's backpack, and disaster strikes. The stuck air horn blares through the shop, and when it is finally silenced, the pepper spray goes off inside the bag, spraying everywhere and forcing everyone to evacuate. Whit's End has to close for professional cleaning.

Outside, a sore-eyed Wyatt admits defeat: "For the first time in my entire life, I feel sorry for bears." Connie tells him that caring about people is a wonderful thing, maybe even a gift from God, but like all gifts, he has to learn how and when to use it. Finding a superhero mask marked with a P for "The Protector" in his backpack, she wonders aloud whether he liked the idea of being a superhero more than the idea of actually helping people. She suggests he aim his instinct at his own family, because Bridget and his mom are going through something. As they toss the backpack in the dumpster, the air horn blasts one more time, and it scares off the real bear hiding behind the dumpster. Connie has to admit those are some amazing instincts.

Walking with Bridget the next day, Wyatt watches her panic when a sprinkler splashes her, and the pieces click into place. He tells her what he has figured out: after nearly drowning twice, she is afraid of water on her face. That is why she avoids the rain, why her hair has gone unwashed, and why she skipped the musical, since going meant getting her hair done. Bridget insists he drop it, but Wyatt has a better idea. He remembers that at a salon, you lean back with your head in a sink and the water never touches your face.

He leads Bridget to the kitchen, where he has stacked books on a chair by the sink, and presents her to their mother with a grand "Welcome to Salon de Kitchen." Carla finally understands, and she gently coaxes her frightened daughter to lean back and trust her. As warm water runs through Bridget's hair without touching her face, the wall between mother and daughter comes down at last. Bridget admits it feels good, and Carla agrees; it feels really good for both of them.