3%: Season 1/ Episode 5 "Chapter 5/ Water" – Overview/ Review (with Spoiler)

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Overview

Ezekiel’s history, and relationship with Julia, is covered.

Review (with Spoilers)

Topic 1: The End of The Line (Aline & Ezekiel)

With Aline discovering Ezekiel had Augusto in his room, she threatens to either have him reported or he can resign and recommend her for his position.

Commentary

There was a suspicion since the beginning Aline had an agenda. After all, while Ezekiel is in a power position, arguably he doesn’t have many allies outside of Cassia. Add on there seems to be some political splintering Offshore and naturally, everyone would want to jockey for their people to have positions of power. For while it isn’t clear if being on the council is an elected position or not, I bet haven’t like-minded individuals throughout government, and beside you, makes things less aggravating.

Topic 2: What I Left Behind (Ezekiel and Julia)

We are introduced to Julia, Ezekiel’s wife. She was once happy and vibrant; all you could wish for in a spouse. However, in Ezekiel’s first year as Process Leader she eliminates a mother who is about to abandon her child and that is the beginning of the end for her. If only because it reminds her of the child she had, before meeting Ezekiel, she left behind. Which, with the rules of Offshore, she can’t legally see. Which drives her mad to the point she’d rather die than be kept from her son.

Thus leading to Ezekiel sneaking out to check on the child. His guardian was killed while hunting The Cause and he is all that remains of Julia.

Commentary

Let me begin by saying, this episode almost thoroughly allows you to understand why Ezekiel is the way he is. The reason he pushes and weeds people out like he does and why he has his people ask certain questions, it is all because of Julia. He wants to weed out the weak not just because it’s his job, but also it keeps people like him from maybe finding and falling in love with someone weak. Someone who maybe able to hide it for a while, but then as the chasm between who they are now and who they used to be becomes too wide, they leap. Thus leaving people like Ezekiel heartbroken and questioning their existence. Also, at the same time, in a way it seems the questions he has his interviewers asks are for the candidate’s benefit too.

Take for example Michele’s interview questions dealing with being away from her assumed boyfriend. I think the point was, as I think was maybe mentioned, they don’t want you entering Offshore with any regrets or even hopes that your loved one could one day cross over like you did. For while they want you to have faith that the process is fair and just, there is this undercurrent of reminding you it really isn’t just for everyone.

Focusing on Julia though, and her story, I do honestly feel that this English dub is draining the emotion out of these performances. For while, I still felt affected by what her character went through, and then how Ezekiel is trying to cope, at times you could just see that the vocals didn’t match the actors’ expressions. One of the key examples is Augusto whose child actor speaks in such a silly tone as Ezekiel notes his mother misses him and he says he is lying. It is like the kid was given one take and no direction.

Things to Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered

1. Do all the shirts have the vaccine cut out?
2. Is everyone guaranteed, or coerced, to have a job Offshore?
3. Why in the world, of all people, Julia was asked to handle someone being eliminated? Was Cassia too busy handling a The Cause operation? Julia was assigned to watch cameras, not to physically interfere. Couldn’t Cassia have someone within her department handle that? Someone likely trained to?
   • On top of that, considering how agitated most candidates would be when eliminated, you’d think that exit area, post-test, would have more than enough security personnel so someone like Julia wouldn’t need to be called in.
4. The reason why Ezekiel practices that drowning technique is because one of the ways Julia helped calm him down during his first year was first having him close his eyes and gently wipes water against his face. From there, she would have him submerge his head to quiet the world and have him focus. It has since probably evolved as a means to connect with her since Julia committed suicide by drowning.
   • She is the first to commit suicide Offshore, by the way, making Ezekiel’s connection to allowing the first murderer Offshore probably devastating. Though with Julia’s death, likely he cut most of his emotions off a long time ago in order to not get hurt again.
5. Is the place The Process happens made not only to give the test but monitor and control the inland?
6. I believe the test is done once a year and it isn’t mandatory. You have to register for it.
7. Why is it you can’t at least maintain some type of communication with those inland? Must the inner workings of Offshore remain so secret?
   • Also, considering the internet exists in some form, as seen by Valeria altering Joana’s records, surely there must be ways around this inland/Offshore separation that for some reason exists.

Collected Quote(s)

“You Create Your Own Merit.”
— “Chapter 5/ Water.” 3%