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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
The Mutant Underground loses a great ally, and another ally defies them. Here is our review on The Gifted‘s tenth episode of its first season titled something.
Warning: Possible spoilers ahead!
Plot Summary
John Proudstar/ Thunderbird, Lorna Dane/ Polaris, Marco Diaz/ Eclipse, the Strucker parents, and the rest of Mutant Underground devise a plan to break the captured Mutants out from Sentinel Services’ custody. Reed and Caitlin Strucker sneak out of the Underground Headquarters and try to make negotiations with someone that could perhaps assist them. An unexpected ally turns against the group, and their reason soon comes to light.
Meanwhile, Andy and Lauren Strucker deal with being held in confinement. Mutant researcher Roderick Campbell eventually attempts to run tests on them, and when they refuse, he takes matters into his own hands. Sonya Simonson/ Dreamer and Clarice Fong/ Blink are interrogated by Agents of the Services, then have their lives threatened when there is no compliance.
Discussion
This episode of the show continues to appeal to its fans and viewers through its use of pathos. We are confronted with the loss of a great supporting character at the hands of the mad scientist Campbell. We also discover that he is a murderer and a liar. His interest in exploiting the Strucker children’s Fenris abilities costs them the life of one of the other captured Mutants. The death of such a character will drive the show forward and, by the next episode, will result in repercussions of what follows after.
Immoral human beings continue to express their hatred against those who are different from them. We begin the episode with a Senator running to be re-elected. He slanders the Mutant population by saying, “America has always become a beacon to the world. Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, sacred rights granted to us by our Founding Fathers. But today, sadly, there are those who would like to take those rights from us.” He appeals to his followers by telling them what they want to hear, and all leaders will do anything to be granted the position they are in need of. Those who appear different–or who come from different backgrounds–do not deserve to be mistreated and should not be perceived as such. As Reed Strucker says, “We are not terrorists.” Everyone is entitled their place on this earth, but it is their actions that determine whether or not they keep their privilege.
Esme persuades the Strucker parents to meet Agent Turner as a means to get their children by telling them that “this is a human problem; it needs a human solution,” but all goes wrong when the Sentinel Services agent does not agree to their terms. He tells the parents that what he did was for a good purpose, but Reed Strucker replies by saying, “Just because it’s legal, [it] makes it right?” Unrighteous behavior does not go without some consequences, and Turner faces what comes his way.
The concept of vindictiveness comes to play when Agent Turner expresses his intentions for doing what he does. “You think I want an apology from you? No, I want you to pay, and I want you to know that this is extremely personal for me.” After his meeting with the Strucker parents, his wife tells him that their daughter would not have wanted this for him. If you were a parent, what lengths would you go to ensure the safety and security of your child(ren)?
The Strucker kids, as well as Blink and Dreamer, face imprisonment and hope that help comes for them. When they find that it might not arrive, after all, they choose to stop persevering, but Blink tells Dreamer that “it’s not impossible; it’s only impossible if you give up.” In our darkest moments, we must search for even the smallest grain of light in the tenebrous of situations. Optimism is what helps us reach our goals, and even though evil has the upper hand, we must find a way to overcome such a force. It may not look easy, but it does take time. We shall see how the Mutants resolve this conflict in the last episodes of the season when the show returns from its winter hiatus in the Spring.
Overall, this episode of The Gifted was great from start to finish. Showcasing the manifestation of the Fenris ability, the deaths of a number of characters, and the revelation of a somewhat new Mutant character, the show provides us with a look at what would happen if power was to be used for the wrong purposes. As Esme says, “[The Strucker] kids, what they can do, in the wrong hands, that much power could change everything.”
Easter Eggs, References, and Trivia Facts:
- Adamantium –
- In the Trask Industries testing room in which Andy and Lauren Strucker are being held, Campbell tells them that its walls are lined with “an extremely rare metallic alloy [which takes] a while to acquire.” He also says that this element is “indestructible, so it’s perfect for exploring powers.” Speaking of which…
- Wolverine and the Weapon X program-
- Campbell also mentions that some of the Adamantium used to line the walls of the testing room was found “in a defunct military installation in British Columbia.” This is, of course, a reference to none other than X-Men’s own team member (who also goes by the name of Logan) and the Canadian facility which fused the metallic substance into his bone claws.
- The Stepford Cuckoos –
- In what might be another great reveal, we are introduced to another group of Mutants from the comic book lore. This group of sisters with the X-Gene has a telepathic hive-like super-mind, which commands its victims to do whatever they please.
Were you devastated by the murder of that one character? What are your thoughts on the episode’s ending? Do you think Agent Turner will ever have a change of heart? Let us know! For more The Gifted-related news and reviews, follow Geek Motivation on Twitter (@GEEKMOTIVATION) and Instagram (@geekmotivation).
Written by: John Tangalin
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
