*Spoilers Ahead*
Most people who have attempted to tell stories know that one of the hardest experiences is finding a way to make your exposition interesting, how do you find a way to relay necessary info to the audience without boring them? Various people have found ways to rectify this problem through the years but few have done it as well as Legion does tonight.
This week’s episode has two separate instances of exposition to clear up any confusion that might be lingering after the last six episode. The first deals with Jermaine Clement’s wonderfully bizzare, Oliver Bird as he explains to Cary what he’s gathered on The Shadow King (named as such at long last.) The scene is fun mainly due to Oliver’s failing memory, his disappointment at finding out his wife is not Asian is a fun moment, but the scene is overshadowed by the one with David and…David.
To put it in better terms, David manages to break free from the mental box he was put in last week with help from his rational, English-accented mind. The sight of Dan Stevens talking to himself, using his actual native voice for one, is fun enough but then they get to work figuring out exactly how and why The Shadow King is doing this to David through the wonderful use of animations on a chalkboard.
Legion has made a name for itself by continuously finding new ways to frame it’s scenes and if the chalkboard animation wasn’t enough we get a silent film horror show when Shadow King arrives to confront Syd and Kerry. The scene is interplayed between scenes of David making his way out of the labyrinth of his mind and regaining the use of his powers, in a callback to the scene in the kitchen where his powers manifested in a big way. Elsewhere, Oliver is creating a literal shield of words for Syd and David from the hail of bullets the Eye sent their way in the physical realm. All of these scene play together in tense fashion as Shadow King crushes the Eye before Syd and Kerry and then goes to do the same to them.
Thankfully, they are all saved as David regains control of his mind and body, thanks in part of Cary’s device, which finally gets to work it’s magic. The Shadow King is now trapped in the box that David was held in.
The rest of the episode plays as denouncement to everything that came before it. Oliver makes everyone eggs and still doesn’t seem to recognize Melanie, Kerry and Cary have a bit of a falling out, David and his sister make up and just as things seem to be going well the interrogator from the first episode returns, with horrible burn scars to boot and he orders the deaths of everyone but David. Meanwhile, deep in David’s mind, The Shadow King is beginning to break free.
The end is upon us and it looks like the battle is far from won between David and the being inside his mind.
Bits ‘n Pieces
- There were a lot of fun references to Professor X this week, from the brief shot of his wheelchair to the chalkboard drawings. My personal favorite though was David putting on a Patrick Stewart voice when impersonating his father.
- Another week and another scene where Aubrey Plaza shows that she deserves all the Emmys.
- Oliver naming his diver’s suit Jules Verne was a nice touch.
- “My memory’s a bit… what’s the word… dishes.”
Jesse Swanson is a would-be writer, podcaster and funny guy who covers TV shows of all shapes and sizes. You can find him on Twitter @JesseSwanson