Mr. Robot: Season 2/ Episode 1 "eps2.0_unm4sk-pt1.tc" [Season Premiere] – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkoSqRWgmLw

Overview

The oddity which is Mr. Robot returns and while Elliot tries to break some old habits, rid himself of some bad influences, Darlene is picking up where he left off.

Trigger Warning(s):
Gore (slit throat & gunshot to head)

Major Characters

Elliot | Edward (Mr. Robot) | Darlene

Main Plot (with Commentary)

Topic 1: Bad Daddy (Elliot & Edward [Mr. Robot])

Between drugs, realizing he is Mr. Robot, and the rest of Elliot’s many issues, he decides to live with his mother, begin a routine, and try to stick with it. The routine itself is dull and can be summed up with regular meals with Leon (Joey Badass), cleaning around his mother’s home, and writing in his journal. There is no internet access, no computers so that temptation is gone. However, Edward does visit. Mind you, he is uninvited, often ignored, and causes Elliot to feel trapped especially as Edward, the father who pushed him out a window, turns into Mr. Robot. Someone who is different only because he believes in a means to an end. So if he has to mentally shoot at his own son’s skull repeated times to get through, he’ll do it. If he has to lead Elliot to believe he can take control and slit Gideon’s throat, just so Gideon doesn’t start pointing fingers Elliot’s way, he’ll do it. After all, he has one goal, and one goal only – Taking down E Corp. Which, despite what happened last season, is far from done.

Topic 2: Continuing What We Started (Darlene)

With Elliot gone without much of a trace, it seems E Corp has been able to start to rebuild. Granted, their clients are having massive issues with paying bills among other things, but they are on the path to stabilizing. Which for Darlene, means their job, the job of F-Society, is unfinished. She feels they made things worse with their initial hit, not better, and even without the original team, she plans to strike once more.

Problem is, these new recruits, the ones who like sawing the balls off the Wall Street bull, they are like the Occupy Wall Street people. There during the high and gone when the real work has to be done. I mean, yeah, Darlene can throw a speech out there and get them inspired, but these people aren’t serious. Which sort of hurts Darlene. Heck, maybe it isn’t even just about the work, the goal, the destiny, it is about the human connection. Being around people with a similar goal and who she can actually vibe with. For right now, all she got is one holdover from the former team and while he is useful, he isn’t Elliot.

Topic 3: 5.9 Million Dollars (Darlene)

When at first you don’t succeed, screw up someone’s life and find a weakness. Such is done with Susan Jacobs (Sandrine Holt), who is this big bad counsel who Darlene runs out of her own home to set up shop. However, where Jacobs really becomes a puppet is because Darlene’s latest plan, of which you can’t completely be sure on what result she is seeking, is to drag one of E Corp’s Chief Officers out into the open, with 5.9 million dollars on hand, or deal with a system which would take 5 days to decrypt.

Now, being the public trust has already taken a nosedive, 5 days offline isn’t an option. Yet, at the same time, being extorted is just a real hit to the ego. But Susan notes they can’t take that chance and really, what is 5.9 million to a company like E Corp? So, that leaves the problem of who is going to Battery Park, of the Chief officers? Well, why not the man most embarrassed by this? Chief Technology Officer Scott Knowles (Brian Stokes Mitchell). A man we don’t learn the fate of, in this bizarre situation, for this ends part one of the season premiere.

Things To Note

Krista remains Elliot’s psychiatrist, despite what happened last season, and with the way she looks at him you can tell she is a bit on edge. Yet, be it curiosity, desiring to truly help the boy or his money always showing up on time, she continues to work with him. Something Elliot appreciates since he does trust her, and likes consistency, but he still has trouble opening up and speaking his truth.

 

Collected Quote(s)

How do I take off a mask when it stops being a mask? When it’s as much a part of me as I am.

— “eps2.0_unm4sk-pt1.tc; eps2.0_unm4sk-pt2.tc” Mr. Robot