Legion: Season 1/ Episode 5 “Chapter 5” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Once again Legion shifts the way it handles its story to keep us on our toes and perhaps guessing what is the undisputed truth when it comes to David’s life.

Episode Focus: There Is Something Different About David (David, Syd, Ptonomy, Lenny, and Dr. Bird)

There is something different about David. Ever since he came back from the astral planes. There is this confidence, this new ability to create his own world within people’s heads, or access and create worlds in his own, and at first, Syd doesn’t recognize the change in personality. Though not this insecure and slightly timid guy anymore, with him finding a way so they can touch, kiss, have sex, it blows her mind. To the point that, despite what Dr. Bird has done for her, and how David is acting, she decides to get sassy and ungrateful toward the woman. Almost to the point, you wonder if she is suffering from whatever David is.

But alas, it is just a simple takeover. Lenny, after arguing with David to act and not rely on Dr. Bird and her group for help to save Amy, he finally listens. In fact, he not only listens, but he seems to let her take control. Thus leading to Division Three being brutalized. Even their leader, the one who wanted him killed back in episode 1, he ends up dead. Leaving, so it seems, just The Eye as the survivor of that particular outpost.

However, with seeing what David did and what he is capable of, it becomes clear to everyone, and eventually Syd, something is not right here. So Cary comes up with a device he thinks can separate David from Lenny, at least long enough to possibly help David regain control. But this will be no easy task for with Lenny being much more than a parasite, but a mutant who has transferred themselves into David’s consciousness, it won’t be exorcised easily. In fact, it traps the remaining players one by one and after tormenting Syd for a little bit, it starts up a group therapy session. One which begins with Syd talking about her father’s death.

Commentary

At times, I honestly felt this show was going to pull a Mr. Robot. That is how lost and confused I have slightly become. Yet, this is a good confusion. Since the beginning, Legion has made sure to be distinctively different. It never truly allowed us to get fully comfortable in the way it was going to handle David’s story. At first, you want to pin it as just an odd drama, but then there were these action elements reminiscent of the X-Men movies. Then it seemed like it was going to focus on the training, how mutants really get to hone their powers and reconcile the trauma they, or others, used to suppress these powers, but then the sci-fi elements came in and then came this air of mystery. Something which, thanks to Plaza, has often had a bit of dark humor. However, as much as Plaza, who honestly is the breakout of this show, can create odd comedic moments, she is also capable of making things very eery. To the point where, at times, this genre-bender of a show seems like a psychological thriller with a twisted comedic aspect.

But I do wonder where we may go from here? With Amy safe, only the Eye left when it comes to who has been introduced for Division Three, does that mean the defeat of Lenny/Benny is next? For, at this point, I feel Lenny/Benny has risen to the point where I don’t think she can be killed off and then her shoes filled quite easily. Which for season 2, could cause problems.

Is This the End of Cary/Kerry?: (Kerry and Cary)

After the ass whooping and bullet wound Kerry took, it seems Cary may have lost his pseudo-fraternal twin. Thankfully, though, after spending some time recovering apart, he absorbs her back in and this leads to her quickly healing. Albeit at the cost of Cary’s body, but losing her was never much of an option. But the problem with Kerry is that, as all the drama happens with David, she refuses to be idle despite just facing death. So with the device made to separate David from Lenny and her having a bat with nails in case she has to fight, Kerry comes back on the scene ready to brawl.

Commentary

I highlight this Kerry/Cary situation since, even with the background we were given of Cary’s mutation works, it still perplexes the hell out of me. Nevermind Kerry looking half the age of Cary, but also this healing element is a bit strange. Yet, with Kerry the only person besides Lenny, and maybe David to a point, with a notable personality, I’m glad she is alive.

Things to Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. It seems, more and more, part of the reason Dr. Bird wants David on her side isn’t necessarily to help him and so Division Three won’t have him, but to get back her husband. Someone who seemingly loved creating his own worlds to the point he got trapped in one. But, you have to wonder, with him having similar powers to David, could it just be that he maybe wanted to create a world without Dr. Bird? For while we are told The Eye left because it liked causing harm to its fellow mutants, maybe this is a lie that only Cary and Dr. Bird know the truth of.
2. Syd reveals her first time, creepily, was swapping bodies with her mother and having sex with her mom’s boyfriend. The swap, though, unfortunately, didn’t last through the whole, session, so her then 16-year-old self transformed back while the guy was still inside her. A story I solely tell just to show Syd is a bit more screwed up than given credit for.
3. We learn from Amy that David is adopted. Thus opening up the question of who are his parents, assuming he has them, and wondering what happened to them?

Collected Quote(s)

Who teaches us to be normal when we’re one of a kind?