Mr. Robot: Season 2/ Episode 11 "eps2.9_pyth0n-pt1.p7z" – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Overview

Because of Mr. Robot’s format, we are in a constant state of questioning what is real or not? Heck, maybe even what is embellished or not. So when you see White Rose, is she real? When Elliot sees anyone, be it the characters we believe to be alive or otherwise, are they who they appear to be? We, as viewers, are in a constant state of trusting what our eyes see as we peer through a blindfold. But if that blindfold is ever untied, will we like what we see?

Trigger Warning(s):

Child Abuse

Main Plot (with Commentary)

Topic 1: Stalling (Dominique)

What happened to Cisco and Darlene? Dominique notes because of Santiago’s call people died in the shootout, yet she also mentions wanting to handle the questioning before she is sent home. A place where you can tell, she tries to avoid being for too long for who is there but Alexa? What is there besides reminders of how lonely and unfulfilling her personal life is?

{Commentary}

I’m trying to understand the purpose of us seeing Dom’s personal life. Granted, I often complain about underdeveloped characters, but really what was the point of reminding us how miserable she is outside of work? Especially when it isn’t showing a different facet to her loneliness or even show her pursuing trying to get out there? I mean, even if it showed her trying to befriend Angela that would have been something better than nothing.

Topic 2: Why is This Girl So Special? (Angela & White Rose)

Speaking of Angela, rather than the FBI picking her up it ends up being the Dark Army on White Rose’s orders. Leading to a very strange, mini-Angela asking Angela weird questions like if she cries during sex to basic ones like her picking between two colors. All of it is just a preface for White Rose deciding to appear and meet Angela.

 

Why exactly? Well, because she seems like the type who would have been dead a long time ago. In fact, White Rose says she should have been 90 days ago but now, she is worth 28 minutes of White Rose’s time to understand what makes this girl so interesting. Of which, between the Washington Township incident, the 5/9 attacks, and all that happened in between and since, seems to be what makes her amusing. To the point, White Rose won’t kill her as long as she stops interfering. Which she is to convince herself of not doing whichever way she needs to.

{Commentary}

Angela’s place on this chessboard which is Mr. Robot has her going back and forth between a back row piece to a pawn. Which ultimately I realize is to the benefit to whoever she shares a scene with more than her. Take Wong as White Rose for example.

 

But, their shared scenes aside, you have to be left wondering what is Angela foiling and does it deal with Stage 2? Is it that a nuclear meltdown of an E-Corp asset is the goal? Perhaps the power outs are supposed to open up the ability to really do some damage to the E-Corp servers, especially as Mr. Price tries to position E-coin as a currency which can help the banking system recover? As with most theories, I bet you that in the season finale we will get a watered down answer if we get one at all.

Topic 3: Can You Believe Your Eyes? (Elliot)

What is it Mr. Robot sees? What is it he does while Elliot is asleep, dazed, or left himself vulnerable enough to be taken over? Well, with the glitches allowing Elliot to see Mr. Robot as he possesses him, acts as him, Elliot tries to consciously do as Mr. Robot does and become a silent watcher. Something he does and this reveals… Tyrell? Is he real? Is he alive? Elliot tries to get this answer from a 3^rd party but with that person being a Taxi driver with little patience, he isn’t for Elliot losing his mind over thinking Tyrell is in the back seat.

What really matters here though is Tyrell says, per Dark Army, preparation for Stage 2 is complete.

{Commentary}

A part of me wants to believe Tyrell is real. After all, Mr. Robot perhaps would need him to be real and Elliot to believe he is dead so Tyrell could work uninterrupted. Plus, let’s face it, when it comes to Elliot’s memory issues, more than likely Mr. Robot is the culprit of all that so that Elliot can’t stop whatever he has in motion. After all, be it Elliot or the manifestation which is Mr. Robot, this is all about revenge more than anything else, even if Elliot and Darlene attempt to make it seem like it isn’t. White Rose pointed that out herself.

 

But what is stage 2 remains in the air and why would Tyrell be needed for it? Fingers crossed, let’s hope for some answers.

Highlights

Though Mr. Wong’s performance on Gotham is campy to the point he just blends in, as White Rose he is too brilliant to not stand out. White Rose is sarcastic yet not mean-spirited and has this air of mystery not only when it comes to her person but with how amused she is with the world. Add in the complications of her dual life and you have to applaud Mr. Wong’s work on this character for even if the foundation was excellent, he made her into a skyscraper worthy of awe.

On The Fence

To me, Mr. Robot is not the type of show which needs 12 episodes. It should have stayed at having a 10-episode season for really, what are they doing with that extra time? Granted, some of the filler they use, like the 90s sitcom version of Mr. Robot, was funny, but alongside that comes the arc featuring Ray which, at this point, was purely a time killer.