Legion
WARNING: the below contains spoilers for the FX series Legion if you have not watched it be warned plot points will be talked about below a few paragraphs into the article.
I have to admit most new tv these days is becoming less and less interesting as it becomes more watered down for the P.C (Politically Correct) crowd. Increasingly it follows a more cookie-cutter approach to the plot that is often predictable and in the end boring.
Even with this approach some shows still grab my interest, Arrow, Flash, Super-girl just to name a few. Also, I do enjoy a few non-traditional shows ones I call mold-breakers like Doctor Who for example. Another example of a mold-breaking show and the one this article is about is called Legion on FX here in the states (not sure the partner channels in other countries).
From the beginning, this show has intrigued me and at times confused me with its very non-linear perspective and narrative. While the show has just wrapped season 2 and one would assume has begun planning/shooting season 3, it still has an amazing story that keeps you interested from day one and always leaves you wanting to know just what is going. When it finally reveals what is happening, it only leaves you with more questions.
Season 2 was the embodiment of this with its constant time jump showing future Sid contradicting what past Sid was doing/saying. This coupled with the increasingly confusing relationship of Amahl Farouk (A.K.A the shadow king) to David, at times it’s a fatherly feeling relationship at other times its a nemesis feeling relationship.
The season focused on two points early on, where David had Disappeared to at the end of Season 1 and his true motives for wanting to find Farouk’s Body. Consistently they show future Sid throughout the first part of the season warning David that regardless of what her past self-states Amahl needs to be revived in an effort to help solve some crisis in the future, purposely being vague with David it creates a sense of mystery about her true motives.
Slowly, you begin to question just weather David is a good guy (spoiler alert if you read the comics he does go evil for a bit), David himself has no doubts about his intentions and very much views himself as the victim. If you have watched season 1 you as the viewer might start sympathizing with David, this is by design and part of the genius about how this series is written.
When writing a multi-dimensional character like David that also happens to have multiple personalities, its I imagine would be most difficult to show which person is the core or true personality. For Season 1 we see him struggle with Farouk trying to control him and later we see him struggling with his fractured mind trying to retain control of himself. With a being as powerful as David, violate his trust or betray him and it is possible for him to become a serious threat. This is what brings me to the meat of this article his ultimate arc through the season and the place he was left at the end.
Leading up to the Finale we witness his friends start to question his true motives and become guarded, Eventually leading to their betrayal of his trust which as mentioned above is not the best option regarding a being this powerful. To be fair David does some questionable and very bad things in the last episode, however, the fallout of that to me seems a bit out of place.
After his battle with Farouk he is threatened by Sid who then tries to kill him, he then tries to erase her memory and proceeds to rape her. Again, this is a horrible act by David and should be dealt with, what does not make sense is that in the next few scenes, David is put on trial by Sid and the entire Division 3 crew. Sid, the person who just hours ago tried to kill David is not trying to reason with him claiming his act of rape and future acts he has not yet committed justify their actions. The rape I get he should be punished for that but judging him on future crimes is a bit extreme, couple that with the fact that the entire season was about finding and destroying Farouk’s Body, they are now allies against David.
Somehow, the entire body of people who he thought his friends are not judging him on events he has not yet committed all the while ignoring that one of them tried to kill him just hours ago. Eventually, try to explain his actions and tells them he is a good person. They apparently feel pity for him but do not believe him so they suggest the one thing that they feel would help Medication and treatment, basically putting him back in the asylum.
This angers him and he makes one final plea to them to reconsider, thinking they have the upper hand they refuse. He then succumbs to the inner demons (his alternate more violent personality), Tells them they had their chance and begins to shake the building to break the barrier holding him. He is successful in his escape and leaves his former friends with the knowledge knowing they basically created the version of David they feared from the videos they received from the future.
Here is where I think the writing is brilliant, in trying to prevent David from becoming what they fear he will become they end up making him that version of himself. What I mean by this is by removing his support system (whether they realize it or not) and making it appear his friends had turned on him especially Sid who he loved, they ended up paying the way for his darker half to take control and begin his reign of torment which undoubtedly will be the premise of season 3. Whether Division 3 realizes this at first is not clear but from my perspective, everything they did to him coupled with what Farouk did to him has to lead him to this. It also was not helpful to have the one person he hates most in the world, the one who in essence killed his sister being there trying to justify their actions against him.
So, while the events may not have played out the exact same way they did in Future Sid’s timeline, he ultimately ended up in the same place. Also, the entire reason she started to suspect him was the way he was acting which they viewed as different, this was a direct result of Future Sid kidnapping him and making him swear not to reveal where he was. If you watch Doctor Who you undoubtedly know the term bootstrap paradox, this is very reminiscent of that by trying to warn past David what Future David would become she set in motion the events that would make David become what she feared in the future.
This leaves me with the question, if Future Sid had not interfered in the past would David still become the monster he is portrayed as in the future? It’s unclear whether this is the case, or even if the thought occurred to current day Sid and company after David disappeared.
I could go on and on but this again is why I love this show it makes you think and keeps you guessing it breaks the mold most shows use nowadays and I love it. What did you guys think of the finale or Legion, in general, is it as intriguing to you guys as it was to me?