Things keep getting stranger in Sam Esmail’s hacking world. Python, part one, sees Elliot entering a controlled dream state and Wellick returns. Although it appears that Tyrell is showing up only to Elliot. It is clear at this point, if at no other, that the two men are the same person.
This may be purely because of Elliot’s conscious dreaming, taught to him by his childhood friend Sam. Although it is apparent that Elliot and Tyrell are the same side of the same coin. Both want change the world and to overthrow Evil Corp.
Python Part 1 was very surrealistic, even without the whole “mind awake, body asleep” mantra. All the players had abstract experiences through the episode.
Dom talking to Alexa again and asking if the thing loves her. The agent’s belief that the Chinese are declaring war and her increasing paranoia are all clues that not only is she in shock but that shootings by the Dark Army have also shaken her.
Angela easily has the most “through the looking glass darkly” (pun intended) experience in the episode however. The entire Dark Army interlude with Whiterose was off kilter.
The van ride, the house where she is taken to the black room and those esoteric questions all point to a surreal “trip” sans the acid. Everything about that sequence screamed fake.
As Angela is shown into the room, the door is white and the area beyond the opening appears to be brightly lit. Once inside, however, the door is now black, like the room, and it is not brightly lit at all.
There is light from some high windows and that large fish tank as well as that weak glow from the little interrogator’s Commodore.
Everything about the interrogation is odd. The copy of Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, the child interrogator, the nonsensical questions, and the leaking fish tank all strike a discordant note with the viewer. The presence of the archaic Commodore computer with its huge floppy disc is also jarring.
The old video game questions about the door were also disconcerting, it had no real logic. Only when Whiterose enters to speak with Angela do things become clearer. She wants to know what Philip Price’s fascination is with the young woman. As do we.
At the end of their 28 minute conversation, Angela is turned. Her earlier goals are discarded and she tells the lawyer not to call her again. Angela’s countenance is that of the damned, as though she is now privy to some horrible knowledge.
Joanna Wellick is, apparently, shown the location of Tyrell’s phone calls. She tells Mr. Sutherland that this is her husband’s best gift yet. Joanna still believes Tyrell is alive. And so she should, she has seen Elliot and spoken with him.
Elliot spies on Mr. Robot as he finds what was hidden in the apartment. It is a coded message on a barbecue flyer. After some code breaking Robot and Elliot learn what they must do.
Mr. Robot follows instructions and Elliot follows him. (The predominant colours in this episode are red, blue and black. This will obviously have some significance to the plot and Esmail may reveal what this is later on.)
Elliot reminds himself that he is not following Mr. Robot and approaches the waiting cab. The driver is clearly Arabic and speaks “sporadic” English. Elliot finally gets in the cab and admits who he is.
The driver asks him for the address and Elliot is stumped. Suddenly the other cab door opens and an address is given to the cabbie.
Tyrell Wellick is the new passenger.
Elliot pressured the driver to acknowledge his new passenger. The man responds in Arabic and finally Elliot, and Wellick, are ejected from the vehicle.
This seems to be proof positive that Wellick is Elliot and vice versa. Keeping in mind that Esmail said in the first season that this is a spin on Fight Club it makes perfect sense.
Next week is Mr. Robot’s season two finale. Mike’s Film Talk predicts that all computer hacking hugger mugger aside, Esmail will reveal that Angela’s interlude with Whiterose was a dream and that Wellick is indeed Elliot.
The premise works if one believes that Joanna has known all along of Elliot’s (or Wellick’s) split personalities. It would be a brilliant twist if it is revealed that Elliot has not really existed all along. That he is a manifestation of Tyrell Wellick and always has been.
Mr. Robot will have its season two finale next Wednesday on USA. Tune in and see just what Sam Esmail has up his sleeve this year.
CAST:
- Rami Malek – Elliot Alderson
- Christian Slater – Mr. Robot
- Carly Chaikin – Darlene
- Portia Doubleday – Angela Moss
- Stephanie Corneliussen – Joanna Wellick
- Martin Wallström – Tyrell Wellick
- Michael Cristofer – Phillip Price
- Grace Gummer – Dominique “Dom” DiPierro
- BD Wong – Whiterose/Mr. Zhang
