Meanwhile, Oliver takes Cary to his ice cube home inside the Astral Plane. When Cary mentions how Melanie will be thrilled to see Oliver, he is confused and Oliver doesn’t know who Melanie is. Oliver explains he is forgetting everything and is not sure how long he has been in the Astral Plane. Oliver does know there is a monster inside of David and the monster is Amahl Farouk, the Shadow King. Cary confirms this by realizing David’s dog was named King; for the Shadow King.
This was a satisfying detail to put into the show and makes the season feel more complete. Oliver tells Cary how David is trapped in a tiny corner of his own mind and the Shadow King will soon take over. Inside the ice cube the scene is tinted blue and this provides a very relaxing atmosphere and makes the audience feel safe. To contrast this, David is shown screaming and banging behind the ice, which makes the environment pretty confusing. I wanted to feel safe inside of the ice cube, but it felt uneasy with David screaming in horror. Cary tells Oliver he created a halo that fires electromagnetic signals and those could block the Shadow King if placed upon David’s head. However, that would also unfreeze time and the David and Sydney would be shot. Cary goes to rescue the others after realizing they are going to need everyone to change the dynamic of the room.
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Cary takes Oliver’s diving suit and rescues Sydney and takes her to a tube inside of a white environment where the Shadow King can’t hear them in. Cary explains the situation and tells her she has to distract Lenny so they can save the bodies in the real world. Cary gives Sydney pairs of glasses and tells her Oliver has some control in the Astral Plane and the glasses will show her what is real and what isn’t. Sydney steps out of the tube to rescue her friends and is immediately placed into chaos. She sees many frightening images and patients running around, but as soon as she puts on her glasses the world turns black and white and she sees nothing that can harm her. Sydney searches Clockworks and comes across Kerry, who is running from a crowd of patients. Kerry barricades a hallway door and Sydney puts glasses on her. The two continue their search for the rest of their group and the Eye pounds on the hallway door.
One of the show’s strongest aspects is its soundtrack. While Sydney is sleeping and before she is woken the music is very light and has soft vocals with sprinkles of a soothing piano. This gives the illusion of comfort and really makes you feel as though you are in a relaxing dream and that is exactly what the Shadow King is trying to do to Sydney. This music makes the transition to Clockworks even more frightening and surprising.
I love how as soon as Sydney leaves the tube in the white, worry free world the audience is immediately greeted with sudden and harsh music along with a violent setting. The hallways of Clockworks are dark and lit with red as hostile patient run wild. The scene is very chaotic and lights are sparking, tables are overturned and distorted voices are heard over the speakers. As soon as Sydney puts her glasses on the people disappear and her world turns black and white. This makes the scenery a little more relaxing, but Clockworks is still in bad shape. I love how when Kerry meets up with Sydney, the hallways Kerry came from is in full color even though the lobby is in black and white.
David is still in his coffin screaming and panicking. Suddenly another version of him appears inside of the darkness. This version of David is very calm and has a British accent (actor Dan Stevens' real voice). British David explains David is having a breakdown and as a result David created him as a projection of his rational mind to help him escape. British David tells him to focus on a classroom and they are teleported to a lecture hall with nine blackboards. British David tells David he needs to forget everything and sort out what is going on. David begins to write facts on the whiteboard that includes he is adopted and there is a parasite inside of him who takes a form as Lenny. David begins to piece together that the parasite is a mutant and has been with him since he was a child.
David theorizes his dad was a mutant who fought the Shadow King in the Astral Plane and eventually defeated him. When the Shadow King was defeated, he somehow didn’t die, but followed David’s father. When David was born his father sent him away to be safe, but the Shadow King followed David and possessed him to feed off David’s power. David realizes the parasite was what made him crazy and sick and the Shadow King was feeding off him to take over the world and kill his father. David decides he is going to take back his body and escapes the dark corner of his mind.
This entire scene was very satisfying to watch as the puzzle we have been trying to solve throughout the entire season is finally put together. The chalk animation used is a great touch and the animation is very smooth and fun to watch. I loved watching the chalk people fly across the board as several scenes play out at once across nine different blackboards. The animations felt both simple as if David could have drawn it and it shows complexity as they move across the boards with a personality of their own. It felt so great so see David confident again without having to worry about him doing something stupid. This scene was definitely a defining point for David’s character as he learns the extent of his powers and puts together the complicated puzzle that is his life.
Cary and Oliver join Melanie in David’s old bedroom where time is somewhat frozen. Melanie is relived to see Oliver after so many years, but is devastated when he doesn’t remember who she is. Cary and Melanie try to move the bodies of David and Sydney but they are unsuccessful. Oliver then starts conducting imaginary music and letters begin to form in mid air and surround David and Sydney. The floating letters spell out “shield” several times.
Meanwhile, David breaks out of his prison and enters a psychic maze he must navigate through. The Eye attacks Sydney and Kerry inside Clockworks. Lenny then appears and walks toward them with a crazy look and messed up hair. Lenny tells the three they should rise when the King approaches them. She makes the Eye come towards her and it is obvious she is controlling him. Lenny tells him she no longer has a use for him and proceeds to crumble his body like paper and his bones snap while blood splatters on the walls. Sydney and Kerry can do nothing but watch in horror. Lenny realizes Oliver is up to something so she teleports into the other world and stops Oliver’s shield. Lenny appears back in Clockworks to kill Sydney and Kerry. However, David focuses his mind and his powers begin to emerge just like in his kitchen as seen in previous episodes. David’s powers cross into the Clockworks dream and the building begins to shatter and explode. Cary is able to put the device on David’s head and everyone is transported back into their bodies one-by-one as David stops the bullets aimed at him and Syd.
Starting when the Eye attacks Kerry and continuing throughout until David’s destruction of Clockworks, the show turned into a silent film. Nothing could be heard except the high-energy electronic music as the climax of the episode plays out. Characters still were able to talk, but instead of hearing them the audience got dialogue cards like a real silent film. Moments like these are what make LEGION so unique and intriguing. Each episode seems to have it’s own style and brings something new to the series. I absolutely love the creative and mind-bending style of the show and how the minds behind the show aren’t afraid to experiment and go all-out with their ideas. I felt like I was watching an old horror movie and it was a unique experience many shows on television do not offer.
David transports everyone back to Summerland and is his normal self as long as he keeps the halo on his head. Cary takes David to his lab so they can perfect the halo device since it is very unstable, but they are interrupted. Division 3 has found Summerland and the interviewer from Chapter 1 has a third degree burn across his face and is back for vengeance. Soldiers completely surround Summerland and the man tells them to kill everyone except David. Before they pull the triggers the audience sees Lenny, the Shadow King, and the World’s Angriest Boy in the World crack their imaginary coffin inside of David’s mind.
This episode was my favorite episode of the series and the most fun I have had watching television in a long time. The crazy style of LEGION blows my mind every episode. Not only that, but the acting is phenomenal. One actress who really shines is Aubrey Plaza as Lenny. Plaza does such a great job and delivers every single episode. It’s hard to believe the next episode will be the last of the season; I am definitely not ready for Season 1 to be over.
Written by James Philbrick, LEGION Beat Writer -- Click to read James' posts
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