During The Gifted in “outfoX,” Esme manipulates fears and feelings to get her own way. She pushes for the team to break into Trask Industries, saying that she wants to save her family. However, there are constant smirks and glances as she listens into private conversations and gets her own way. Is it possible she’s working for Dr. Campbell or could she have another ploy up her sleeve?
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Dr. Campbell May Be Blackmailing Esme
Esme doesn’t appear to be under the drug influence that others have been. She’s able to hold conversations and show full emotion. We’ve also watched her use her abilities consciously in a way to manipulate events. Pulse and Chloe both struggled to manage normally because of the drug. This would suggest that she’s not working for Dr. Campbell in the traditional way.
However, that doesn’t mean she isn’t being manipulated or blackmailed. Dr. Campbell is an extremely smart man. Esme mentioned her family stuck at Trask Industries on more than one occasion. Her story never changed, which suggests there is certainly some truth in it. Her family may have been taken there, but Dr. Campbell has offered them back to her if she does his bidding in the mutant underground.
The smirk when the Struckers agreed to work suggests that she really wanted the teenagers involved. Dr. Campbell has wanted the Strucker children from the very beginning, so he may have offered Esme her family back in return for the two mutants.
Esme May Have Wanted a Backup Plan
Knowing that the plan to take down the power station in The Gifted may have failed, Esme would have wanted another plan in motion. She certainly seemed emotional enough at the end to suggest that her family really is trapped inside Trask Industries. Her wish to take down Trask Industries may not have solely been to work with Dr. Campbell. She may have found a way to take down the whole place and get her family back at the same time.
With John, Marcos and Lorna pulling out of their side of the plan, Esme may worry that Dr. Campbell will never know she came through for him. She doesn’t know if her family will be released and would have likely preferred to have been captured to let him know. If she had her own plan, she would have wanted to use the distraction of the Struckers being taken to get into Trask Industries and save her family.
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Esme May Have Chosen to Work with Dr. Campbell
On the other hand, Esme may not even have been manipulated or blackmailed by Dr. Campbell. There’s a strong chance that she made a choice to work with Dr. Campbell. He may be her family. She doesn’t want to take down Trask Industries but get back to this man that she potentially loves.
If Dr. Campbell isn’t someone she loves, she could be using him. She may want vengeance against the Von Strucker family, which means she wants to take down the Strucker children. Working on a plan that looks like she needs to take down Trask Industries would be enough to get them involved and gain the trust of the mutant underground.
What do you think Esme’s plan is? Is she being manipulated by Dr. Campbell or is she choosing to work with him? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The Gifted continues on Monday at 9/8c on FOX. Like our Gifted Facebook page for more updates.
(Image courtesy of FOX)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Alexandria is a full-time freelance writer and journalist. Alexandria studied Computer Science at Aston University and Criminology at the Open University. She enjoys writing about TV shows and entertainment news. Other than writing, Alexandria loves reading, exploring new countries, and relaxing with her family.
