Legion recap: Season 1, Episode 4, “Chapter 4,” Aired March 1, 2016
As we hit the halfway part of season 1, Legion 1×04 took us on a trip, gave us a few answers, and still left us scratching our heads.
In other words, it was one of the best episodes of the season so far. The feeling of a weekly acid trip is part of the show’s charm at this point, so we can either accept it or fall into an alternate mind Wednesdays at 10.
The feeling of a weekly acid trip is part of the show’s charm at this point, so we can either accept it or fall into an alternate mind Wednesdays at 10.
Personally, as I try and figure out if I’m watching Legion out of fear or empathy, let’s recap some of the craziness from this week’s episode.
Lenny/Benny
So it turns out Lenny spells her name with a “B”. It also turns out that changes a whole lot more than just Lenny’s name.
That’s right. Lenny’s character, which was written for a male to begin with before Aubrey Plaza killed the audition, is remembered by David as a woman but actually a man. Memories are unreliable, after all.
This identity “switch” is a solid reminder that David is in fact at least a little bit schizophrenic. It’s one thing to misremember (sorry) the blinds in your doctor’s office. It’s quite another to get the gender of your best friend wrong. Between this is and inventing a family dog, the problem of figuring out what’s real and what isn’t will continue.
I also think there’s plenty more to come with Lenny. She continues to do David more harm than good, evidenced in Legion 1×04 with the fiasco involving The Eye, Syd, and Kerry. There’s always a lot of red imagery when Lenny is around, and it’s no coincidence that she is David’s biggest demon.
Syd Uses Her Powers
Speaking of the Eye, Syd, and Kerry fiasco — Syd finally used her powers on purpose! And judging by the result, it’s no wonder why she never uses them!
David is clearly the most powerful mutant in the show. That’s why he’s the focal point and that’s why the show is named after him. I would argue that Syd finishes a close second, however. She has the ability to turn any situation on its head at a moment’s notice, without anyone being able to stop her from doing so. David has the ability to alter time and moments — Syd has the ability to control who sees those moments.
A common theme of Legion 1×04 is turning fear into empathy. Obviously Sydney’s downfall at the moment is she’s terrified of using her power. Empathy may not be the right emotion, but if she can find a way to be more confident in her own (or someone else’s) skin, Syd could be the key to rescuing Amy and winning this war.
The Eye Doctor
Sticking with the theme of nothing is what it seems, right as it looked like Syd and Ptonomy were getting answers from David’s doctor the dude goes and turns into The Eye. This of course sets off the chain reaction leading to David waking up, Syd becoming The Eye, and Kerry getting shot. It was actually one of the more coherent sequences to occur in Legion so far!
The point here is the bad guys have as much power on their side as the good guys. The Eye obviously has the intelligence to be one step ahead of Ptonomy at this point, and he has the power to mutate himself into someone else. He’s a worthy villain, and one who adds plenty of intrigue to Legion moving forward.
The Scuba Diver
Via Giphy
Alright. Here’s the most interesting, most confusing part of Legion 1×04.
The episode opens with Jermaine Clement (“Present!”) telling a fable about turning fear into empathy. Then, midway through the episode, we’re in full-on acid trip/Tree of Life mode and David follows a scuba diver up some oval ladder to an ice chamber. THEN, we find out the scuba diver is in fact Melanie Bird’s husband who is being held in a giant freezer to I guess preserve his body?
Question. And not just the standard, “Wait what the hell was that?” Legion question. Has David even met Oliver Bird before? How in the hell does he know that guy exists, and he’s in a cold climate? Can David access other people’s minds without knowing it? HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT’S REAL AND WHAT ISN’T!?
Find out the answers to all these questions and more (maybe, probably not) in the next episode of Legion.
Legion airs Wednesdays at 10pm EST on FX.
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Image courtesy of Comic Book Movie
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