‘Legion’ Recap: Shall We Begin?

Warning: This recap for the “Chapter 3” episode of Legion contains spoilers.

The clearer it becomes that Melanie Bird wants to help, the clearer it is that she’s not capable of doing so. This week, they descend into David’s mind and almost don’t make it out. She wants to heal him, but is Division 3 right? Is he an out-of-control god that needs to be turned off like a spigot?

The Plot

While David’s sister, Amy, is being interrogated by Division 3, Melanie Bird delves into David’s memories to train him in the use of his powers. They get further into the kitchen memory and discover that he is telekinetic. They go further and see David and Lennie caught doing Vapor, but the Demon With Yellow Eyes blocks them from seeing any more. David and Syd spend some time on the dock getting to know each other. During another round of experiments with Cary, David has a memory of the Angriest Boy from his book coming into existence in the real world. It triggers another clairvoyant episode — but only Syd is dragged along this time. They see Amy being tortured and questioned, and The Eye sees their spectral form. David agrees to be sedated for the memory work so they can get around his mental blocks, but it backfires: The Demon and the Angriest Boy attack, and David is left trapped in his head.

Related: Catch Up on ‘Legion’ With Our Recaps

I Think We Should Be Other People

The thing that makes David and Syd perfect for each other — and it comes out during their talk on the docks — is that they are both forced to deal with having other people in their heads. For David, it’s having what may be multiple personalities or simply voices talking to him; for Syd, it’s having other people literally take over her body. In many ways, Syd behaves like someone with a history of sexual assault, which may be how she feels when her power activates. On one hand, it’s beautiful that these two people should find each other and, hopefully, help each other. On the other, it may point to all of this being an elaborate delusion entirely contained in David’s head. In another context, that might be seen as a cop-out, but Legion has done it many times in the comics, so it would be true to form here.

When Are We?

The parallels between Melanie’s ranch and Professor X’s school are crystal-clear. Many of the windows are in the shape of the X-Men logo.

So what is the connection? At first, the color palette and fashion of the first episode were suggestive of the late ’60s, early ’70s — but the show had a contemporary feel, so everything read like a “place out of time.” However, it’s possible that those could be genuine period choices. Maybe Doctor Poole isn’t using that reel-to-reel tape player to give his office a retro feel; maybe we are in the past. If so, could Melanie’s ranch be the progenitor of the X-mansion we already know? Is Oliver a spiritual forerunner of Cerebro or is he just a disembodied voice in the house (and coffeemaker)?

Related: ‘Legion’ Star Dan Stevens on Being ‘Confidently Weird,’ as the World’s Most Powerful Mutant

Blink and You’ll Miss It

• After suggestions of a connection, we see it actually happen: Kerry Loudermilk the tracker gets absorbed into Cary Loudermilk the scientist. Same person? Brother and sister? Whatever their situation, it definitely mirrors the multiple-personas motif of David and Syd.

• Like their reflection kiss in the window from the first episode, Syd and David share a tender moment leaning toward each other around a corner. It’s a wonderful use of the medium’s lack of depth.

• “Just a pinprick.” Another echo of Pink Floyd, this time from The Wall. That album is about a person who builds an emotional wall around himself that leads to his becoming a tremendously destructive force. Probably a coincidence, right?

• We hope someone makes a real edition of The World’s Angriest Boy in the World so you can give it to a child you hate. Heck, it’s terrifying enough to give to adults too.

• Line of the Night: “Unhand the reptile, Space Captain!” Everything about this line, from the incorrect taxonomy (frogs are amphibians), to the astronaut conceit, to Aubrey Plaza’s unhinged delivery and the goofy visual of a junkie trying to wrestle a ceramic frog from a well-dressed woman is just magical.

Music Notes

That creepy goth rock tune underneath David’s terrifying Halloween memory is Robert Plant — of Led Zeppelin fame — doing a cover of Low’s “Monkey.” What possessed him to turn an indie rock/dream pop song into nightmare fuel, we may never know, but at least Noah Hawley put it to good use.

Legion airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX.

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