Legion - Chapter 6

Pie abuse.

After last week's turn to the bizarre, Chapter 6 of Legion... gets weirder.

All of the characters - including the Eye - are apparently trapped in David's head space, which now resembles the Clockwork, having their personalities deconstructed by tough-love shrink Dr Lenny. As Miranda sought to convince David that what he took for insanity was the manifestation of his powers, Dr Lenny now leads her 'patients' to the realisation that what they thought were powers are in fact manifestations of mental illness. Yes, it's the asylum episode, but this being Legion we're going to weirder and darker places even than is usual for the trope. Syd is the first to see the door back to reality, but Davi urges her to keep quiet in case the doctors connect this to her diagnosis: Apparently she is the delusional scizophrenic in this world.

"I'm sensing a lack of professionalism here, Doctor."

Syd is numbed by music therapy after she asks too many questions, while the Eye is given license to pursue a disempowered Kerry. Miranda is contacted by the figure in the diving suit, who leads her into the world where David is about to be shot. David begins to shake the certainty of the illusion and Lenny turns aggressive, openly revealing herself as an aspect of the parasite personality and claiming to have known his real father, who tried to hide him from the parasite. As David struggles not to be overcome, the figure in the diving suit releases Syd from the sound of crickets and opens the mask to reveal, not Oliver Bird, but Cary.

Chapter 6 brings home just how dangerous and destructive David's parasite mind actually is, using his own powers to entrap the entire group, including memory expert Ptonomy. At the same time, it reveals weaknesses as well, with aspects of the illusion slipping out of control and the entity's impatience belying its claims of implacability. My main gripe is the declawing of Kerry, and I really hope we get to see her - as well as Syd and David - fight back next week.