Automatically at the beginning of episode four of Legion, “Chapter 4,” we open up with a pretty stark and surreal setting. Actor Jermaine Clement of Flight of The Concords fame stares directly into the screen trying his best to relate a story about empathy and fear (It really has that Twilight Zone vibe, no?). The setting is stark and odd, which is pretty much what we’ve come to expect out of Legion. Right from the beginning we’re trying to get a handle on where we are and what’s to come next.
Trapped in His Own Mind
David Haller lays unconscious after the event of the last episode. Ptonomy and Melanie decipher that David isn’t lost inside his memories. In fact, his mind is lost somewhere on the astral plain, forced there due to the others prying into David’s memories. In order to free David from his coma like state, Syd, Ptonomy, and the little seen Kerry go investigating clues from David’s past. (Side note, Kerry actually being a psychic projection of scientist Cary was completely unexpected.)
First stop is to the office of David’s former psychiatrist, Dr. Poole. Once again, Ptonomy flexes his mental muscles and reveals that even items have memories. (First of all, let’s take a moment to appreciate how awesome that it is. Okay, back to it then.) We begin to further understand David’s past as Ptonomy reveals that David beat Dr. Poole into a coma with his bare hands. This action gives you a sense of just how unhinged David could become if pushed too far. Syd, loyal girlfriend that she is, refuses to believe that things are so cut and dried.
Legion Recap: David Haller’s Mind is a True Nightmare>>>
Locked Up
Amy is still being held by Division Three where she happens to meet prison cell neighbors with David’s former psychiatrist (the one he didn’t beat up) Dr. Dennis Kissinger. Amy admits that she knew something was off with David from when they were kids. When Amy brings up the fact that David used to talk to a dog named king, the doctor explains that he’s heard many stories about the dog. Amy’s reply to that is, “Doctor, we didn’t have a dog.” That in itself raises it’s own set of questions, but on the surface it simply let’s us know that Amy knew something was off with her brother.
Getting Back in the Drivers Seat
We finally see what’s going on in the astral plane. Melanie’s husband, Oilver who is one of the founders of Summerland has been trapped in the astral plane for twenty years. His body has been placed in an old school scuba diving suit, presumably for safe keeping. It’s an easy identifying factor to say the least. So when we see a man in a scuba diving suit on the astral plane telling David to follow him, we know the score.
Oliver ditches the scuba gear to reveal Jermaine, err, Oliver Bird underneath. Oliver is clearly out of touch with time and is happy to see he’ll finally have some form of company in David. Too bad for him, the all powerful mutant is hellbent on finding his way back from the astral plane. But it wouldn’t be Legion if there wasn’t some kind of terrible twist awaiting our hero. It appears that David has brought the man with the yellow eyes along with him on his ride through the astral plane.
The Ex-Girlfriend
The visit to David’s ex-girlfriend reveals quite a bit of information. For one, it reaffirms the fact that King, the dog David supposedly owned as a child, more than likely was a figment of his imagination. Secondly, it revealed the location of Dr. Poole who lives in seclusion as an operator of a lighthouse. Another reveal is that Lenny, David’s former female companion, was in fact a burly man named Benny. Revelations upon revelations, right? Well, it doesn’t end there. We also learn from David’s ex that he’s being watched, presumably by Division three.
And the Hits Keep on Coming
Once at Dr. Poole’s lighthouse home, we get a brief exchange between Syd, Ptonomy, and the good doctor. Poole is blind in his left eye which should be hint enough of another character we’ve crossed paths with in the series. What happens next is a beautifully constructed sequence where The Eye reveals himself to be a Poole in disguise. This appears to be a psychic ability rather than a power of shape-shifting. Bullets shower through the lighthouse putting the mutants on the run up the stairs. Kerry then springs into action where she kicks and punches her way through a crowd of Division Three agents only to be overwhelmed in the end.
Ptonomy and The Eye face off only for the former to be overpowered by the latter with some psychic kung-fu. Realizing that total defeat is imminent, Syd pulls out all the stops and uses her power to switch bodies, making skin to skin contact with The Eye.
Back With A Vengeance
David is still on the astral plane and we get a chance to see Lenny once more. He’s trying to understand exactly who she is to him. Was she always a figment of his imagination or was she really his friend? Whatever the case may be, it’s an answer that we’ll have to wait for at another time. For now, Lenny is hellbent on David utilizing his abilities to escape from the astral plane. A little nudge in the right direction using Syd being in danger as bait is enough for David to power through the astral plane and return to the physical plane.
David tries to hatch his own rescue mission which ultimately backfires. Unaware that Syd and The Eye have switched bodies, David is a bit confused as to what’s going on and with good reason. Kerry on the other hand is all over things, but it appears to be too little too late. The Eye and Syd switch bodies once again. In the end, Kerry is shot through the chest and we’re left with a haunting image of Lenny hovering behind a confused and distraught David.
Things are certainly ramping up and “Chapter 4” has taken Legion into the right direction, providing more answers and just enough intrigue to get us to the next episode. In the next episode we see David start to flex his muscles as he all but demands that the crew save his sister Amy.
Legion Season 1 airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on FX. Want more news? Like the BuddyTV Facebook page.(Image courtesy of FX)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
