Legion S2 Ep. 2 ‘Chapter 10’ Review
Nothing is as it seems. We are plagued with more questions within the first two episodes of this season than the entirety of the first season. Last season we aren’t supposed to trust the memories of David, but now I don’t think we are supposed to trust the reality of the series.
Spoilers Ahead
I know reviews are meant to give some semblance of clarity, but with a show like Legion, they make it difficult. I have just as many questions as you guys. Is future Syd actually Syd from the future? How is their two Davids and which one is the real David? Can Amahl Farouk/Shadow King be trusted? And probably the biggest question of all that I ask at the end of every episode, what the hell did I just watch? I don’t have the answers but I can highlight some of the best moments from the episode, aside from the surreal visuals and it’s wonderful editing.
The episode starts with Oliver/Farouk invading Division 3 HQ and laying waste to the guards by turning them into dust in a terrifying, yet uncomfortably funny way. Jemaine Clement (Oliver) is known for his comedy but blended with the horror aspect, makes for a thrilling performance. In his invasion, he messes up Cary and Kerry by having them switch roles of their power. Now Cary is inside Kerry, so she’s the host. There is still tension between the two as to what started all that, we aren’t sure. Melanie is still watching things from afar as she’s in a drug-addicted daze, for the most part, these days.
One thing that I haven’t mentioned yet is the dark and physical comedy that appears so naturally in a rather bleak setting. Aubrey Plaza (Lenny) is still having the time of her life in the role of a deranged lunatic. There’s also something else. In the middle of everything going on, Amahl Farouk seems to be giving the viewer a lesson on reality and how we perceive it, which seems to be the theme for this season.
Even with its amazing imagery/visuals, the series still has a sharp focus on the characters. The relationship between David and Syd has always seemed genuine; it’s awkward at moments, but what can you expect from mutants with their powers? But things are getting complicated, we don’t know who to trust and personally, I don’t trust any of the characters. Especially David since now he’s made a devil with Farouk that he’ll help find his body, as long as he doesn’t kill anyone anymore. Farouk begrudgingly agrees, but again we can’t trust him. The scene between the two characters is one of the best as we get a better sense of who Farouk is and how he acts, which is very intimidating.
We are teased about an even bigger threat than Farouk, one that lay waste to Mutants and practically civilization. Future Syd is the one that tells David to help Farouk but we don’t even know why and what the outcome is. All we can do is wait for the next episode and hopefully get one answer to the questions we’ll be getting.
What did you think of the episode? Episode Two (Chapter 11) of Legion airs Tuesday, April 17 at 10:00 p.m. EST on FX.
