3%: Season 1/ Episode 2 "Chapter 2/ Coins" – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

Overview

As the process continues, Alina starts to pick up on something she can use against Ezequiel.

Review (with Spoilers)

Main Plot (with Commentary)

Topic 1: Fernando’s Faith In The Process (Fernando)

We get to see Fernando as a child, his father instill faith in the process, and begin to understand why he would more so blame himself than see the process as unfair.

Commentary

Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I wonder if the government of the Offshore plants people like Fernando’s father in order to maintain control. After all, as seen throughout history, perhaps the easiest way to exert control over a population is to make it in the name of some sort of religious figure. In this case the founding couple. Who, by the way, I hope we get the backstory of. For with it not being clear what year this is, if they are on the same timeline of history as we are, I would like to know how this odd religion took over either just a part of Brazil, the country or even more.

Topic 2: Ezequiel’s Trips Inland (Ezequiel & Aline)

While trying to push Aline off onto someone else, she discovers Ezequiel is making secret trips inland, with food, for reasons she doesn’t know why. She reports this to Matthaeus who awaits hard evidence.

Commentary

How interesting would it be if Ezequiel is part of The Cause? But another idea would be he still has family, or friends, who didn’t pass. With that, that being his guilt, he tries to sneak out some food and other things whenever the process happens. Heck, maybe he has a kid that is inland and he is sneaking provisions?

Topic 3: The Process Continues (Joana, Rafael, and Fernando)

The first test is a room scenario in which more than half of the candidates are eliminated. Fernando almost gets everyone eliminated due to thinking murder was the room scenario. However, Rafael, with some assistance from Joana, make the save with noting it was a silver allergy. For the second test, someone has to be eliminated. Rafael makes a quick target, but then he makes the case for Fernando. He uses a sob story and reveals to everyone there is medicine to make him walk again. Thus, at the time, saving him.

In the end, they draw pieces of Agata’s scarf to see who will be eliminated and while Joana gets the shortest piece, the decision isn’t vocal. It is about getting a chip and while, originally, everyone was supposed to put the chip they took back in the bag, Joana only pretended to do so.

Commentary

At this point, I figure if they are not focused on a lot then they are going to be eliminated. Making Agata next in line for she has barely had more than a few words come out of her mouth. Heck, her longest time speaking was when she was talking to Lucas this episode, and look what happened not too long after. Though I would love to be wrong. However, outside of Marco, do you honestly believe anyone else could be eliminated? The Cause was absent this episode so Michele seems unlikely. Rafael is the closest thing to a villain and is too clever to discard, as is Joana who literally has sex with Lucas in one scene then screws him over the next. As for Fernando, I can imagine him becoming broken but not this soon. Maybe toward the end.

Things To Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. How many live Offshore?
2. If you have kids, are they sent to inland and they must earn their way to being placed offshore?
   1. The Alvares family makes it seem your child has to go through the process, but when are they taken from you and sent inland? Much less, who is expected, if there is an expectation, to take care of them?
3. What does the Offshore vaccine treat?
4. Who is the founding couple and what is their story?
5. Not that it is important but, are any of these candidates wearing underwear or does Joana not like wearing a bra?