So as the premiere episode of Legion gets underway, (simply titled, “Chapter 1”) we get a nice little introduction to David Haller with a montage of the events of his life from the innocence of his infancy to the dark times of his adulthood where he looks to potentially take his own life. It’s a nice touch. While we don’t learn everything about David’s life, we do get a general idea of how it was growing up with multiple different personalities interacting within our protagonist’s head. What we also learn from a visit from his sister is that David has a sharp sense of humor and a sarcastic streak in regards to his illness.
Introducing Sydney Barrett, The Anchor
Once our setting has been established, we are introduced to our cast of characters. Lenny Busker appears to be David’s only friend within the psychiatric facility. She’s an odd cookie to say the least, but already the theory that Lenny could be a character who lives inside David’s head is certainly an intriguing one.
But what really gets our tale of David Haller going is the introduction of Sydney “Syd” Barrett. She doesn’t like to be touched and seems far too in tune with herself to be considered a classic case of crazy. After Syd gives a rousing speech in a group session about self-acceptance, David wastes no time in asking her to be his girlfriend.
The two have their time enjoying each other and everything is all roses until time skips ahead years later and reveals that Sydney has gone missing. It’s here where the real story of Legion begins.
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Interrogation
We jump forward to see a shoeless, somewhat disheveled David being asked questions about a woman. The woman is not named Sydney and she has been presumably murdered. While the man questioning David (billed simply as The Interrogator) appears to be your average detective, he reveals that he knows a great deal about what’s going on with David. “He could be one of the most powerful mutants we’ve ever seen.” That in itself ups the ante and brings the show into the realm of the unbelievable.
The Kiss Heard Round The…Center
We then flashback to when Sydney is about to be discharged. She’s hoping to see David one last time and she gets what she asks for. But right when it seems that the two will wish each other a tearful goodbye, David plants a wet one on her lips and the two are blown off their feet.
While it seems to be the workings of David’s abilities, we discover that Sydney herself may have the ability to switch bodies with an individual when she makes skin to skin contact. Now in Sydney’s body, David discovers the bloody lifeless body of Lenny, half her body imbued into the wall. Is this a case of Sydney being unable to control David’s power after the swap? With the evidence available, all signs point to yes.
Letting It All Hang Out
Once David realizes he’s seen The Interrogator before, along with two mystery individuals, all while in the guise of Sydney, he proceeds to absolutely lose it, using his abilities to destroy everything in the interrogation room and rendering everyone unconscious. Unfortunately for Mr. Haller, a nice dose of knockout gas fills the room rendering him unconscious too.
Family Reunion
So remember that body swap voodoo that Sydney can do oh so well? Apparently, there’s a time limit on that. The interesting part here is that rather than the consciousness returning to the body, the body swaps to wherever the person’s mind is located.
Now free, David does the only logical thing. He seeks out his sister Amy for a place to stay (on Halloween of all times). Reluctantly accepting to help her brother, we get a few hilarious scenes of David housing a stack of pancakes and, after having a vision of the now dead Lenny (called it, but not quite like that), our hero’s telekinetic powers force a lamp to smash to pieces on the wall. When checking the damage, Amy hilariously removes a wall full of sharp garden tools in hopes of minimizing the chance of any unfortunate accidents.
No More Mr. Nice Interrogator
The Interrogator wants what’s inside David’s head and he’ll apply a little electric torture to get the job done. What we slowly begin to learn is that David’s situation is even more complex than we first thought. He’s being held in a government run facility trying to find mutants like David and Sydney.
Remember when we thought David saw The Interrogator before? Seems like that was all in his head. Who he really saw was Melanie Bird, a psychiatric therapist who is sure to be hiding plenty up her sleeves.
While recalling the day he tried to make contact with Sydney, David’s girlfriend appears and explains that she’s been planted in his memories by a mutant ally in hopes of passing on a message to David. When he sees the light, get down.
Prison Break: Mutant Edition
What happens next is a prison break for the ages. We see a ragtag group of mutants, including Sydney, wrecking shop and destroying the government facility and its soldiers with their incredible powers. By the end of it all David demands to know if everything that’s happening is real. Sydney reassures him that it’s all too real and that she loves him. Interesting timing to say the least, but it does answer a question that may have been on the audiences’ minds.
After confessing their love for each other, David shakes hands with the mutant group’s leader Melanie Bird and thus ends the absolute roller coaster of the first episode of Legion.
Where do we go from here? Well, if the previews are any indication, we’re in for a hell of a ride with the future episodes to come.
Legion airs every Wednesdays at 10/9c on FX. Want more news, follow the BuddyTV Facebook page.
(Image courtesy of FX)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
