26th Apr2018

‘Legion 2×04’ Review

by Paul Metcalf

Legion-2x4-Chapter-12

In Legion, we often see David (Dan Stevens) be tested within his own mind. This week though, much like last he has to travel into the mind of others. Unlike the previous episode, this week we see him take on a test that isn’t as easy as he thinks.

With most of his friends now out of their own mind labyrinths, David finds himself inside Syd’s (Rachel Keller). Thinking it will be easy to understand what is keeping there, he soon finds that she is testing him, and refuses to let him out until he passes.

While Legion tends to concentrate on the relationship between Syd and David, we’ve never really delved into what makes Syd the woman she is. This week she takes David through various scenes in her life to make him realise something, and the only way he can be released is when he finally gets it.

What we see in Syd’s mind enforces what a lonely character she is, but even in emphasising that fact, we never really get the answer as to what she is trying to show David until he finally realises it for himself. Once this is found, we are presented with a monologue from her which is beautifully written and says a lot about both of the characters. To go into this of course would be spoilers, which I won’t do. I will just say that it is further emphasis into just how good the show is, and also how well written it is.

In providing us with an episode that fully pulls David away from outside events, we are fully able to look at the relationship between David and Syd, but most importantly fully understand her and what she has been through. One of the scenes shows why she fears the touch of others and is quite harrowing. It also raises many questions about consent, and as a young girl the unique position she was in that ended up being so dangerous and damaging for her.

Moving from this episode, it is fair to say that Syd will be seen in a different by the audience, but only because we understand her better now. She is important to the growth of the David character because she is very close in predicament to what he is. She teaches him a very important lesson here, and one that he’ll hopefully remember, because in truth it is important to the show itself.

Looking at the conclusion of the episode, it is fair to say that things will be moving full speed once again. Now that the focus will be back on Amahl Farouk (Navid Negahban) and stopping him. That is assuming that he is now the focus of the show, and some other monster isn’t waiting in the shadows ready to pop out and bring the future that may or may not be still happening.

Legion is a show about broken people with special powers, fighting to save a world that is against them. What makes it so special is that it does things a little differently than any other show on television and succeeds in being something truly special. Last week proved that, and this week we got another special episode that may have been Legion’s most intimate yet. If season two carries on like this, it will have easily surpassed the first, and that is quite a feat when you think about how good it actually was.

***** 5/5

Legion airs on Fox TV in the UK on Tuesdays.

Review originally posted on PissedOffGeek
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