THE AFTERMATH
The aftermath of Rebecca's massacre last week is swift and prompt. Her actions didn't go unnoticed, inciting riots, protests, and igniting furor between the most volatile groups of people. Rebecca didn't garner any favors from the Inner Circle members either, Lorna is livid she acted against orders and took the lives of 30 victims. She minces no words in telling Rebecca this who claims it was simply a "mistake". Then she flips the car door and runs off.
Seriously, the car was parked, she could have just opened the door...dramatic, much?
Not liking the look on Andy's face or his persistent questions about her even back at the compound. This kid is lovesick to the point of blinding stupidity. As Esme points out, Rebecca's fate will be decided by Reeva. I, for one, hope Reeva lets her have it.
After the humans commit an atrocity rivaling Rebecca's, bombing a foster home for mutant children, Esme is able to find a school hidden in the Swiss Alps that takes in mutant children. Wondering if that may be an X-Mansion reference? Clearly Lorna is hesitant to send her daughter so far away, but as Esme points out, it may be the only way to keep her safe.
The show finally remembers Lorna and Marcos' relationship this episode as shown in the flashbacks and in this fantastic scene between Dumont and Teale, who work very well together. She gives Marcos a chance to say goodbye to Dawn and Marcos has some harsh words to say to Lorna. I can't blame him for being upset, he makes some great points about the Inner Circle bringing on this maelstrom outside, even if it wasn't what Lorna and Reeva wanted, their methods brought them to this point. I also think there was some new understanding of her father from Lorna, who is now facing a situation he too may have faced years before. "I'd rather her grow up hating me than not grow up at all." I don't envy her position and Marcos is equally upset, wondering how he can say goodbye to a daughter he never even got the chance to know.
When it finally comes time to say goodbye, neither Marcos or Lorna can contain their waterworks - although they're sure to wait til the other is out of sight before relenting to their emotions. Juxtaposed with the lovestruck flashbacks we've been getting of these two throughout the episode, and it's hard to watch and realize how far they've come, how much they've lost, and all that lies broken, possibly irreparably, between them.
THE EARLY DAYS OF POLARIS
Time to see the origins of Polaris. 12 years ago, Lorna was your regular angsty teenager with daddy issues, and powerful mutant abilities. She lived with a doting aunt but never knew her real father. He's the elephant in the room, we all know the show is dancing around Magneto, though I kind of like that they aren't openly referencing him. I'm not sure if it could be a licensing issue (though I imagine it's not given the Fox/Disney connections) but the fact the writers are making a pointed choice to not talk too much about Magneto himself helps to ensure we're getting Lorna's story. After all, if people really want Magneto, there's tons of other media they could turn to so I appreciate keeping the limelight on Lorna.
On this day we flashback to specifically, she does get one gift from her father. "My North Star" as he calls her. A red disk with a familiar symbol engraved on it. Something she's kept ever since, as we see her talk about it again one night with Marcos.
In Lorna's teen years, she acts out. Her aunt points out she's been arrested four times after a few men heckle her at a bar and she winds up wrecking one of their cars in her cheeky way. Can't say I wouldn't have done the same in that situation. But Lorna is a broken girl, she's upset about the lack of answers about her real heritage. It's obvious her father has power but no one will give her confirmation of his identity. Her aunt loves her but it's clear there are some hurdles between them she can't understand and help Lorna with in the way she needs.
Said aunt, winds up being Dawn's new caretaker. I think that's a good decision on Lorna's part, to keep Dawn nearby but with someone she knows, loves, and trusts. She also finally gets confirmation about her father and who he truly was, his motivations and goals. Lorna has a new understanding of Magneto and the ending montage where she reshapes the disc he left her into a headpiece that mirrors his is a profound moment for her as she embraces her heritage, her destiny, and reclaims her identity moving forward. For the first time in her life, Lorna is proud of of where she came from.
SEARCHING FOR A CURE
Later, the Struckers are invited to Madeline's house for dinner and I'm beginning to think this woman is too good to be true which means she may have a darker agenda or she's going to wind up dead soon! Because nothing gold can stay.
She has some interesting information about the Strucker family history though, and is a sympathetic supporter of Reed's father. Where he can only see the damage his father has done, Madeline tries to make him see the other side.
Elsewhere, Lauren is getting the chance to look at what being a normal young adult who plays frisbee and flirts with cute lab boys is like. She's charmed by the college life Noah is able to show her and his efforts to cheer her up and help her see past her X-gene and life as a mutant on the run are endearing.
But then, the other shoe drops. Madeline Risman wants to rid the world of mutants, or at least, give them the choice to get rid of their gene if they want. Lauren is shaken by the information she and her father could be helping make that possible. She has some big decisions to make about her beliefs and status in the mutant world soon. And I wouldn't forget the little fact Risman's brother is the man who invented the Purifiers so fast either, even if Noah says she hates him, family is a tricky thing.
THE CRUMBLING UNDERGROUND
With John's abilities, it doesn't take them long to find a spot Rebecca has hit. Clarice senses the shift in energy, it makes sense she would feel out of whack in an area where all the molecules and matter have been completely rearranged.
They find a pretty gross discovery, a man who experienced firsthand what Rebecca is capable of, buried under a trash heap.
John and Claire finally find what they're looking for, after she flips and switches them around a little bit, Rebecca shows her face. She's playing the "I don't know anything" card and she's doing it pretty well. I guess she's always been skilled at manipulation. I have a feeling John is going to assume Rebecca was weaponized by the Inner Circle, forced to do their bidding - and yes, in some ways she was, but no one forced Rebecca to act on her overzealous blood lust. So I don't buy this act of hers for one second.
And speaking of Rebecca, looks like she might be in some hot water as a strange man has her pinioned to the wall with a knife at her neck at the end. I'm not really sure what the writer's are doing with Rebecca because last week they wrote her like a psychopathic murderer and this week they wrote her like a scared girl who just needs some help. It can't be both. She can't just bounce back from what she did last week by looking sad and angsty for a little bit, her characterization seems uneven to me but I'm not sure if it's all a manipulation tactic or what, jury's still out.
EXTRAS
Performer/Mutant of the Week: This week belongs to Lorna and Emma Dumont is at her best. The scene where she talked about the way she hates her father for abandoning her, and the toll it took on her to here about the Brotherhood and all the people in the world believing him as evil, yet she still felt she hated him more, was monumental in her development. As was the scene at the end when she finally understands her father's motivations for leaving her like he did, and the big blow-out between her and Marcos. So many fantastic moments for both character and actress in this phenomenal episode!
Most Gruesome Death: That poor twisted up guy John and Clarice find out in the alleyway. Nightmare fuel!
Most Pointlessly Dramatic Exit: I'm sorry I just can't get over Rebecca twisting off a whole car door when the vehicle was PARKED and she could have just gotten out like a normal person.
Best Scene: Lorna brings Dawn to Marcos for him to say goodbye.
Wham Line: "You weren't hiding me from him, you were hiding me for him."
Favorite Clarice-ism: "Yeah, well, the only thing worse than doing something stupid and dangerous is doing it alone."
Freaking Out About: LORNA'S HEADPIECE HELLO!!!
