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Overview
As the rift grows between the synths who want to fight and who simply want peace, so comes into the equation the children synth.
Review (with Spoilers)
Topic 1: Finding Purpose/ A Safe Place (Niska, Odi, and Max)
- Niska learns that all synths are on the lookout for her so she heads to the only safe place she knows: The Hawkins family home.
- Odi is having difficulty trying to find a purpose to the point he may have rebooted himself in order to not have consciousness.
- Max, with Flash (Ritu Arya), believe they have created a safe haven for conscious synths.
Commentary
Considering how, in topic 2, Mia finds Leo and Hester without much issue, I must admit I was surprised to see Niska head to the Hawkins household. They aren’t her family and while I’m sure she has a soft spot for them, she knows she is now a danger to their well-being. And with it being clear she does understand how she can complicate others life, it makes it strange she would put a target on the backs of those who gave her some sort of faith in humanity. Heck, considering she is on the run, you’d think she’d try to track down Max. Though it isn’t clear, with the conscious ones technically not being part of the network, if they can search each other out with ease.
Moving onto Odi, watching him try to find purpose was heartbreaking. Odi is a simple machine, unlike the rest of the synths we have met. In many ways, he is kind of like how Max was in season one. He just wants to smile and be able to help. Yet, Mattie leaves him without direction. Well, besides he can be more than what used to make him happy. Making what I guess could be considered some form of suicide or repression saddening. Especially for you know he probably won’t be the first synth to do it.
Though, with him deciding to do so, I think you have to look at how, outside of the Elster synths, pretty much it seems most of the synths went from one person’s slave to an indentured servant. Flash is basically following Max’s vision, with some contribution; Hester is doing the same with Leo; and arguably Mia was doing such with Ed. Making you wonder if there is this innate need for some type of primary user? Hence why maybe Niska keeps wandering back to the Hawkins, or maybe specifically Laura, because she wants that type of connection in her life. In a healthy way of course.
Topic 2: Battlelines Drawn (Leo, Hester, Mia and Max)
- Mia awakens and post-Ed’s betrayal she decides to rejoin Leo and support his and Hester’s plans to fight back.
- Max decides to make things harder for them to recruit by locking out Leo from using the program he made.
Commentary
I’m a tad bit confused about the Mia situation. When she was using that phone of Ed’s or his buddy, I thought she was uploading her consciousness in a similar manner to how V is within the frames of the internet. So with Mattie’s code just waking her up, is it safe to assume she just buried herself and locked herself back up into her former cage? Also, why the reaction to the Hawkins she had? Granted, part of it dealt with Ed’s betrayal, but what did they do? Is it because she can still feel the odd tension after what Joe did? Since all eyes were on him when he got close to her? Much less, I find it interesting that in her post-Ed life she wants to join Leo vs. joining Max. Has Ed broken her trust in humans to the point she would become a more sensible Hester or is there still some of pre-Ed Mia in there?
Either way, Max, under the impression Leo is forgiving toward Hester’s violent beliefs, decides to keep Leo from recruiting further. Leading you to wonder how will Hester retaliate? Much less, with Mattie with them, may they use her in some way? After all, Hester doesn’t like her and sees her as a threat. Not just to her relationship with Leo but to the mission. So, with us seeing how crazy Hester is, what may she do with this liability? Especially a human liability.
Also, when is Max going to start recruiting more? Much less, could he and Flash become a thing?
Topic 3: And So The Work Continues (Athena)
- With the discovery of child synths, Dr. Athena is perturbed. Especially as Milo makes it seem if Dr. Athena leaves then V will be used as part of their AI prototype. Yet, with these child synths, and Milo interested in consciousness transference so that the child synths can grow, it seems working with the devil will still be beneficial. Since it will give her the funding to bring her daughter back in some form.
Commentary
While Pete and Karen interact with Dr. Athena, there is something about her storyline which feels so disconnected from the show as a whole. For while her search is for Leo, who she is bound to meet, will eventually bring her into the fold, even with that looming it’s like she is expendable. Sort of like if Humans was prepping a spin-off and was testing to see if Dr. Athena could leave the nest and thrive on her own. Even though this show I don’t think could benefit or produce a quality spin-off.
Things to Note | Question(s) Left Unanswered
- Pete and Karen look into Dr. Athena for a possible connection to the child synth and find nothing. But, with Karen bonding with the child, who she names Sam, it seems whatever plans she had of crafting a new life are gone.
- Sophia is still acting like a synth, though this stops while Mia was back. Making it seem stability is definitely the reason for her synth-like behavior.
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