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Overview
We are introduced to Michele’s brother, witness two tests, and wait to see if Ezekiel will give into Aline’s blackmail attempt.
Trigger Warning(s):
Cutting and Opening Of Flesh
Review (with Spoilers)
Topic 1: You Have Allies (Cassia, Aline, Ezekiel)
Ezekiel reveals to Cassia that Aline is blackmailing him but he doesn’t say with what. She lets him know she will support him, as will his team. Though, as Cassia starts to think of a strategy, Aline takes over a meeting to determine the next test for the candidates to everyone’s surprise.
Commentary
Call me bias but honestly, the non-pale characters got the best storylines here. Joana is an accidental child murderer who survived off of stealing, yet is pretty much smarter than everyone. Nair, while we don’t know how she rose to the position of a council member, she does seem formidable in her own way. Then Fernando, as much as he is a good guy, he is a good guy with complicated feelings. Focusing on the one who matters for this topic, though, Aline is just a boss. She knows she has Ezekiel by the balls and on top of that she, before he announces his resignation or anything, starts taking over as if the transition has already started. That move had my jaw drop since the audacity, especially with her having no friends but Matheus, who is not physically there, that was either really stupid or she may have some more surprises in store. Just as a backup in case Ezekiel’s people, looking at you Cassia, try anything.
Topic 2: Should I Stay or Should I Go? (Joana, Michele, Fernando and Tiago [Rafael])
The next test deals with temptation. Take an enormous amount of money and be eliminated or stay. Michele rejects the money, Tiago’s mom tries to blackmail him into taking it, but he counters he will say she forced him to do the process. Which, according to him, could ban their family. Then, with Fernando, he wants to leave but his dad says he will disown him if he takes the money. So he ends up staying.
As for Joana, Ezekiel sets her up, using the information he has, to test if she really wants to be there. She notes she’d die to be at the Offshore so her registry fraud is forgiven and she passes the test.
Commentary
Let’s focus on Joana and Tiago. For Joana, I am really wondering what are Ezekiel’s plans for her? The amount of favoritism, at this point, is astounding. He lets her skip the individualized tests, due to the one he made, and while they aren’t buddies, they do seem close. Is this how he grooms people to be on his staff?
Then with Tiago, the only thing I want to question is why do they think this technology advanced place can’t hear you over water running? They have rings which work as walkie-talkies or phones. You think they can’t bug the place? I mean, all things considered, with how Ezekiel knew about Joana, eventually, and seemingly cared more about the initiative she took to take the process than cheating, does it even matter if you have a false identity? He let the boy cheat once already, thus showing initiative, so who is saying he cares about Tiago taking his brother’s place or that this is his 2nd time? Especially since he didn’t get past the first test last time. Though, even if he did, considering the amount of test they make it seem there are, he wouldn’t perhaps have an advantage.
Topic 3: The Individualized Test (Michele and Tiago)
With Joana being cleared and Fernando just told to make a new test, that leaves Tiago and Michele. Michele has to convince Bruna’s parents to let their 2nd daughter, Isabella, join the process and Tiago has to find someone to push 1 of 2 buttons to pass his test. He gets Fernando to do so strictly from revealing he and Michele are part of The Cause and hinting that if he gets caught or eliminated, so will she.
Commentary
Can we just question how crappy the vetting is for “The Process.” You can falsify your registration, you can get this far and the testers won’t know a thing about you, and it doesn’t matter if you murdered a child, stole someone’s registration chip, or anything which seems very non-Offshore. Weird right?
That aside, I must admit I love how The Cause isn’t a constantly seen figure. We know it exists, get the casual reminder, but they aren’t treated as some big evil. Thus allowing more time to focus on the characters we need to get to know, need to care about, and give them space, episode by episode, to get a sort of rapid development. Which, admittedly, especially after Ezekiel and Joana, Michele didn’t necessarily get, but it was enough to drive home her speech with Bruna’s parents. Though I do wonder if Cassia has the time, will she follow up on Michele’s story or just hone her sights on Aline?
Things to Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered
- What kind of jobs do they have inland?
- Are they basically supplying all the Offshore people’s needs to live comfortable and possibly carefree?
- So, when it comes to the inland kids, do they really just leave them to their own devices and hope for the best? Is there any sort of school or orphanages? Could it be just total mayhem that the Offshore only intervenes in when it comes to The Cause?
- They don’t use money Offshore
- How many tests are there in all? Not in terms of how many were created, but how many are supposed to be given?
- What did Michele cut out of her hip?
- Fernando and Michele have sex and he sees them as dating.
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