The second episode of Legion season two digs deeper into the mystery of what happens in the future but also reveals the true face of the Shadow King…
After a season premiere that threw lots of new infos and twists at us, “Chapter 10” takes the time to expand and explore the new set-up somewhat. In particular, we find out what’s the deal with Future Syd, the truth about Lenny and we get our first meeting with the real Shadow King.
The highlight of the episode has to be David’s first encounter with the real Amahl Farouk. Seeing how amazing Aubrey Plaza and Jemaine Clement have been as his past forms, Navid Negahban had a lot to live up to. Thankfully, he’s terrific in the part. In contrast to the bodies he has inhabited, the real Farouk is cool, urbane and truly sinister – David is powerful, but this guy sees himself as a God. His monologue, replete with blasphemous comments mixed with pop culture references, is our best glimpse yet at how this monster thinks.
What’s more, The mental battle between the pair was also wonderfully inventive, as the opponents repeatedly upped the method of combat until it involved a tank fighting a tornado. That said, the most enjoyably crazy sequence of the episode for me has to be Lenny and Oliver’s cheerful dance of death as they besieged Division 3 and turned the guards to dust – and a couple of extra unlucky fellas into a pig and a fish.
Speaking of which, “Chapter 10” confirms that Lenny’s mind still exists and Farouk has been using her as a mask. She did want a body, but Farouk pointed out to her that she’ll only eventually die once again. I’m really glad that Lenny is still around as Plaza could have been out of a job now the Shadow King is using his own face. However, I enjoy the dynamic of the corrupted Lenny and Oliver as equal partners in crime so much that I’m not sure how I feel about her being portrayed as subservient to Farouk.
Carey and Kerry, my personal favourites of the supporting characters, had an intriguing arc here as Lenny essentially flipped them inside out – making Carey disappear into Kerry. The final revelation that she is now aging rapidly doesn’t look good. Please let these quirky twins be OK! On the other hand, Melanie, Ptomony and Clark still feel outside of the central storyline right now so hopefully that will be fixed in subsequent episodes.
For Legion standards, then, this was much easier to follow than last week as it dished out – or at least left the plate there for us to pick it up – a few important answers. At the same time, it left hints at what’s to come. Future Syd said David is set to destroy the Shadow King during a battle in the desert in a week’s time. Will we see that in “Chapter 11”?
X-amining Legion:
- So Future Syd wants David to help the Shadow King as there is an even greater evil that wipes out the world at some point to come. She also mentions that David isn’t the same as he used to be. My theory: David is this greater evil. David’s never had a strong hold on his powers so maybe he went completely off the boil when he killed Farouk in this timeline? Maybe he actually needs the Shadow King to keep him in check?
- The Mi-Go Monks were apparently wiped out by a villain called Miser Sunday from before David’s time. That’s not a name from the comics but it does sound similar to Minster Sinister. Who we know was going to be played by Jon Hamm in The New Mutants…
- Speaking of which, I’ve still got no idea what’s going on with Hamm’s narration. But these deliciously cruel, blackly comic scenes – tonight’s involves Oliver incorrectly teaching a boy about colours… with fatal consequences – are proving to be reliably entertaining.
- Stop the presses! Legion actually acknowledged the comics for once. When inspecting the Orb, Carey says: “It’s advanced, though not Shi’ar”, referencing the alien race from the X-Men universe.
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