Chapter 9

Information

Season

2

Episode

1

Air date

April 3, 2018

Writer

Noah Hawley & Nathaniel Halpern

Director

Tim Mielants

Episode guide
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"Chapter 8"	"Chapter 10"

"Chapter 9" is the ninth episode, and second season premiere of Legion. It aired on April 3, 2018.^[1]

Synopsis[]

Unlikely alliances are formed; the search for the Shadow King begins.

Plot[]

Prologue[]

Oliver Bird and Lenny Busker are floating, alone, in a pool. They appear to be enjoying themselves, as Oliver sips on a martini. He finishes his martini and a person in a suit reaches on screen and replaces it. Oliver turns to thank the person but sees no one around. Lenny asks what day it is and Oliver refuses to answer because he does not have conversations about time. Lenny then begins to laugh hysterically and Oliver asks what's funny. Lenny replies that they are trapped. Oliver then joins in on the laughter while we see both of their grief-stricken faces.

The camera then zooms out to reveal that Oliver and Lenny are inside the head of Amahl Farouk in Paris. The camera continues to zoom for a further reveal that shaows Farouk is inside Oliver's head and Oliver is in a night club. In summary, Farouk is controlling Oliver who is in a nightclub.

The Maze[]

The screen goes black and the audience hears a voice begin to speak. The narrator (Jon Hamm) describes a maze in the desert carved from sand and rock and at the end of the maze is a prize. The narrator asks for the viewer to imagine this maze, with its walls and floors and twists and turns. The narrator then reveals that the maze which the viewer has created in their minds is the maze itself. He continues to elaborate that this idea of a maze will come to dominate every waking and sleeping moment. Accompanied by the sound of teeth chattering, the narrator states that the viewer is now in the maze and cannot escape, before welcoming them to madness.

David's Return[]

Clark and Ptonomy enter an abandoned nightclub littered with clothing filled with ash on the floor, where they find David sitting in a chair and staring at nothing. In a trance, David tells them to "Help them" Ptonomy ask David who "them" is, but David only says "They're in the maze", before passing out. Clark and Ptonomy then find a room full of people previously attending the nightclub who are motionless with the exception of their teeth chattering.

Word gets out that David is back and Kerry Loudermilk goes to Sydney Barrett's room. Kerry opens the door and finds Syd holding a cat. Kerry states that they found him. Sydney, who is in the body of the cat, telepathically asks who they found. Kerry states that she hates it when she swaps bodies with animals but Syd replies that she's practicing, before asking who they found again. Kerry tells her that that they found David.

David's unconscious body is then placed in a medical capsule where he is met by Cary Loudermilk who assures him that he is safe and welcomes him to Division 3. Cary, in a hazmat suit, examines David while Admiral Fukyama watches near by. Cary states that David's blood pressure is like the other victims in the nightclub, which leads his coworker, Dr. Orwell, to ask if David is infected. Cary replies that he doesn't believe so because his brain activity is the same as his old scans. Dr. Orwell then asks why David doesn't respond and Cary proposes that David's mind could be trapped on the Astral Plane. The Vermillion state that the Admiral is of the opinion that if there is any risk of a telepath being infected, then he has to be terminated. Clark reassures the Admiral that David's mind is strong and can resist the infection.

Cary becomes fed up with the large amount of precautions put in place and the idea that David might have to be terminated and removes his helmet. This triggers alarms and several Division 3 soldiers (children soldiers) arrive and aim their guns at Cary, who then uses Kerry Loudermilk to protect him. Kerry greets the children and they flinch and hesitate. The Vermillion then call for a retreat, leaving Cary to continue trying to wake David. Thankfully, David wakes up and, strangely, asks for waffles.

In the Division 3 cafeteria, David eats waffles with Ptonomy, who watches him. David asks why everyone is so afraid here, as he can hear all of their scared thoughts, what happned to Summerland, why are they at Division 3's headquarters, and who Admiral Fukyama is. Ptonomy explains everything to David. Summerland now works for Division 3 under the command of Admiral Fukyama. After the Lazarus Affair, the Divisions were assembled to study and defend the population against what they saw to be the new mutant threat. Ptonomy also elaborates that there are 3 Divisions. Division 1 focuses on global command and communications, Division 2 focuses on science, genetics, and technology, and Division 3 focuses on daily engagement with mutants. Ptonomy also explains that after David left, Sydney and Melanie were able to convince the Division's leadership that mutants aren't generally a threat and just want to live their lives. This lead to Summerland merging with Division 3 so they could fight real mutant threats like the Shadow King, who has been number one on their most wanted list. David is confused by this and states that he's only been gone since yesterday (in actuality he's been gone a year). Ptonomy asks what the last thing David remembers is. Ptonomy then reads David's memories as he remembers that Farouk escaped in Oliver's body and then while he and Sydney were on the balcony a strange orb zapped him with a beam. David then changes the subject to why there are children soldiers and Ptonomy explains that under a certain age people can't be infected. David asks what Ptonomy means by "infected" but Ptonomy says they'll discuss that later and changes the subject back to how David has no memories after the orb. David clarifies that he remembers trees, being on a roof downtown, and dancing. While David remembers, Ptonomy sees him surrounded by trees and when the camera zooms out it shows that the trees/forest is on a root top of a large building downtown. Ptonomy also sees David in the nightclub with Oliver and Farouk/Lenny dancing. Ptonomy is about to ask about what David was doing with Farouk at the nightclub but he sees Sydney and states that they'll talk later. David did not see Sydney and is confused as to why Ptonomy left. His internal monologue reveals that he's worried that Ptonomy "knows".

Sydney then comes up behind David and whispers "Are you the magic man?" in his ear. David turns around and greets her. Syd, in disbelief, sits down on a nearby booth, and states that David looks the same. David thanks her and says she looks great as well. The conversation becomes telepathic as Sydney mentally says that David left her. David apologizes and says that he didn't mean to and was taken. The conversation switches back to verbal communication and Syd says that the Summerland mutants thought David was dead for about a year (326 days exactly). Sydney says that in the time he was gone she found a grey hair and likes cherry pie now, before asking David where he has been. David states that he was in the sphere before saying that event occurred yesterday. Sydney replies by telling David about how she would play these games with herself. Letting a kettle boil and if she could hold her breath until the whistle then she'd know that David was alive. David then asks if he can kiss her and Syd replies that he better. The two then enter the white room and make love.

After they've finished, Sydney explains more of what occurred while he was gone. Farouk is still inside Oliver, searching for something and there have been sightings of him all across the world. Division 3 has been close to finding Oliver a couple of times but when the Catalyst appeared they had to split their attention. Syd explains that the Catalyst is a virus, psychological in nature, according to Cary. The virus causes people to freeze and with the exception of chattering their teeth. Eventually, Division 3 realized that where the virus infected people coincided with Oliver sightings and they believe Farouk is infecting people.

Later, Sydney goes to see Melanie. Melanie has heard the news of David's return and Syd tells her that he looks good. Melanie has become bitter and begins telling Sydney that "their men" always do look good after they've returned and how David will leave again. She rants about how Oliver and David arrive and leave, their lives constantly under the excuse of needing to save the world. Sydney, feeling uncomfortable, tries to change the subject saying the Admiral asked if Melanie is ready to come back to work. Melanie ignores Syd and continues ranting about how "their men" control them (Syd and Melanie) with their absence, which distracts them from their lives and the things that matter. She then continues to say that it's never Oliver or David's fault if they leave, and Melanie and Syd can't stop them because destiny is calling them and it would be cruel to stand in their way. At this point a kettle of hot water begins to whistle. Melanie and Syd both stare at it and after a moment it's clear that Melanie won't get it. So Sydney pulls the kettle off the oven and pours Melanie a glass of tea while she continues ranting, saying the saddest words in the English language are "vacant lot". Sydney tries to reassure Melanie, saying that Cary finished the sensory deprivation tank and David will use it to find Oliver. Melanie then tells Syd that when "their men" return, things will never return to how they were before they left.

After Sydney leaves, Melanie takes some Vapor, a drug that David used in Season 1. As she lays on her bed in a medicated ecstasy, a Minotaur in a dog wheel chair moves past before the door violently closes.

Chapter 3 Delusions[]

The scene then cuts to a title card stating "Chapter Three Delusions" and then to an animated video where the narrator's voice is once again heard, but this time it is put to visuals. The narrator talks of a man named Zhang Zhou, who had a dream that he was a butterfly and when he awoke, for a moment, he was unsure if he was Zhang Zhou who dreamed he was a butterfly or a butterfly who was dreaming he was Zhang Zhou.

The narrator then goes on to explain a delusion using eggs as a metaphor. Like any other idea, a delusion starts as an egg and looks the same as a normal idea. The narrator then speaks of Albert A, who, while he was walking one day, stumbled, and for a brief second it seemed his right leg didn't belong to him. Albert goes on to test this idea. The leg was attached to his body and when he pricked it he felt pain but he was still unsure if the leg was his, so he took a pen and stabbed it. With each day the idea grew until Albert became confident that the leg was not his and he didn't want it anymore. The narrator then says that Albert went to the hardware store, bought a saw and then cut off the leg.

Going back to the egg metaphor, the narrator states that we have ideas all the time (an idea being represented by a baby chicken), but most ideas die before they can grow. Lenny/Farouk is then seen killing the chick and smiling. The narrator continues that when a delusion is born (a delusion being represented by a black sludge-covered, mutated chick) other more rational ideas must be rejected for it to grow. The mutated chick is then seen eating a normal chick. If the delusion can grow, it will become full-blown psychosis. Lenny/Farouk is then seen kissing the mutated chick.

Finding David's Memories and Farouk[]

We then cut back to David, who is sitting in the cafeteria drinking a warm beverage. Behind him, Clark is seen discussing something with the Vermillion and another agent, before joining David at the table and asking how he's doing. David begins a conversation with Clark by stating that he doesn't know what Amahl Farouk really looks like. Clark tells him that Division 3 was able to find a few sketches, rumors and Egyptian poems about Farouk. They believe he "came to be" in the early 1800s in Morocco. David asks why Clark phrased Farouk's birth that way, to which Clark clarifies that the information they found is highly blown out of proportion. He then says due to human's superstitious nature and Amahl's powers, much of the information they found is highly suspect. He uses the analogy that "probably, the Devil was just some guy named Lucifer who beat up kids for their Lunchables".

The conversation then turns to Clark needing David's official story. He tells David that he's been giving him some space and time to adjust but they need to talk about the year David was gone. Clark states that he heard about how David was gone for a year but it only felt like a few hours, but Division 3 is going to run some tests to see if David's cells have aged a year. David accuses Clark of not believing his story. In response to David's disbelief, Clark tells him a story from his childhood of how when he was young, his mother had leukemia and often kept him home to keep her company, watch soap operas and eat ice cream in bed. Clark and his mother had a game they played that when anybody had an evil twin or amnesia they would eat ice cream. David interrupts him, stating that he's not lying, but Clark tells him to wait. At that moment, a waiter brings Clark a large bowl of ice cream and places his spoon over it before asking David "What were you saying?" David is not impressed by this and reminds Clark that he can read his mind. Clark sets down the spoon (having never taken a bite of ice cream) before getting up to leave. Before he walks off though, Clark tells David that he was a fat kid because of the ice cream, but his mom was nice and called him husky. He then reveals that his mom died when he was ten. Clark then says that David needs to go see Admiral Fukyama because they want to talk to him. As Clark leaves, David is confused by the "they" pronoun used.

David then goes to see Admiral Fukyama, who is in a room with large projections of trees and stairwells on the wall. Around him are three Vermillion with magnifying glasses in front of their faces which enlarge them. David attempts to read their mind, but the Admiral, through the Vermillion, informs David that their mind cannot be read. They go on to tell a story of when Admiral Fukiyama was a boy, a machine was placed into their skull, which created them to be "the organizing principle" of Division 3. David is a bit unnerved, but continues the conversation, changing the topic to the Shadow King and how he will find him. The Admiral states that Farouk is a part of David. David becomes a bit paranoid by this, but assumes that the Admiral knows of Farouk and David's past and continues saying that he and the Shadow King were together for a long time. He says that he can still feel Farouk but Farouk appears to by hiding from him and if Division 3 had a way to enhance his powers then he'd be able to find Farouk. The Admiral informs David that they have already thought of this and Cary has created a device to help David not only find Farouk, but also recover his memories. David likes this idea and then asks the Admiral what they plan to do with the Shadow King once they find him. The Admiral bluntly replies that Farouk will be killed. David then asks about what they plan to do with Oliver, who is a hostage of Farouk, and makes it clear that he won't allow Oliver to die. The Admiral is unphased and informs David that Farouk's original body must be destroyed. His body was hidden after David's father defeated him on the astral plane. Because a mutant's powers are genetic-based not mentally-based, if Farouk were to reenter his body he would be unstoppable. Neither Farouk, nor Division 3 know where his body is located and both are racing to find it. The Admiral then states that Cary is waiting for David in his lab and that David cannot fail.

In the lab, Cary has created an amplification chamber to boost David's psychic powers. Sydney is also in the lab. David is reluctant at first due to his dislike of small, pitch black spaces but does come around to the idea. Cary explains that while David is in the tank he will be using a resonator to bring up specific frequencies in the chamber. David will also be able to communicate with Cary while he's in the tank so he can change or tune to a specific frequency. Syd then tells David to strip. David is surprised by this, but Cary explains that for the connectivity to have full efficiency there needs to be maximum contact with his skin. Sydney then reiterates that David needs to get naked. Kerry then appears (exiting Cary's body), presumably to watch. David rolls his eyes and sarcastically says that Kerry arriving to watch him strip is funny. Kerry is confused and Cary informs her that she makes people uncomfortable, he also alludes to the fact that they've had this conversation before. Kerry retorts that Cary spend Wednesday walking around with no pants on and by comparison how does she make people uncomfortable. Cary, now fed up, tells Kerry to merge with him, which she reluctantly does. Cary then apologies to David about Kerry's behavior.

Now in the tank David, begins to have second thoughts, saying that it's a bad idea. Sydney reassures him that they're right outside and Cary tells him to keep his mind open. David reluctantly agrees to be shut into the tank and keep his mind open. Outside of the tank, while Cary sets up the equipment, Syd tells Cary to message her if he finds something before walking out of the room. After a minute, Cary informs David that he's ready to begin. David asks if Cary has used this before, and Cary replies only theoretically. David, worried, questions what he means.

Outside of the lab, Sydney gets into an elevator where Ptonomy is. Ptonomy states that David is David but asks Sydney if she believes him. Sydney asks which part he's referring to and Ptonomy explains that he saw memories in David's head despite his claim of not having any. Sydney asks if it was a year's worth of memories but Ptonomy replies that it was only a few images. He also informs Syd that one of these images was Oliver, Lenny, and David together at the nightclub dancing. Ptonomy then asks if Syd thinks that Amahl still has control over David but Sydney doesn't think that's the case. Ptonomy asks if she trusts David and Syd simply says "He's my man".

Legion_S02E01_Clip_'Dance_Battle'_Rotten_Tomatoes_TV — Legion S02E01 Clip 'Dance Battle' Rotten Tomatoes TV

Oliver, Lenny, and David dance off.

Back in the chamber, Cary tunes in the frequency enough to enhance David's powers. David's consciousness travels outside of the chamber and around Division 3 before delving into his memories. David returns to the memory of the club where a monk is seen walking calmly through the club. David is pursuing the monk but comes across Lenny and Oliver and they engage in a psychic battle which is shown as a metaphorical dance battle.

At Division 3, in the hallway outside where the night club victims are being stored, Syd sees a strange black trail similar to that left behind by the mutated chick. Before she can investigate, David appears naked in the hallway. David tells her that he needs to lie down.

Sydney takes David to her room and lets him dry off. He hesitates before exiting the bathroom & upon entering the main bedroom Sydney states that she'll clear off her bed and there are clothes in the lockers for him. He goes over to the locker and she gives him some privacy by sitting on the bed, out of sight from the lockers. She asks him if he found Farouk, but he hesitates, before replying that he wasn't able to. She then asks what he saw in Cary's isolation tank, but he lies and says it was just random things and noise. She then accuses him of keeping secrets from her. He appears to be confused by this but she explains that she knew him, at least before he disappeared, and she knows that there are some things he is not telling her. David changes the subject saying that he understands that it has been hard for her but she needs to understand that to him it's only been a day while for Syd it's been a year. He tells her that he's still the same and she's the one who's changed. However, he immediately realizes his hurtful insinuations and says that she's right and this is a lot to process. After a moment, she says that this was the second time that he left her, the first being when he went to rescue Amy ^[2]. He promised her that he would come back, but he didn't. David countered that he wasn't in control and that was Farouk's doing, but she ignores him and continues saying that she's wondering when he'll leave her again. After a moment, he tells her to close her eyes and she complies. David then stands up and pulls out a necklace, dangling it in front of Syd, and tells her to open her eyes. She stands and walks over to the necklace saying it's beautiful and asking where he got it. He explains that Cary made it and that it's no ordinary compass. The arrow is always point to him, no matter where he is, so all she has to do is walk in the direction the compass tells her and she'll find him. He tells her "If we get lost, we get lost together" a quote that she told him in Season 1 ^[2]. Sydney takes the necklace, making him promise that there'll be no secrets between them.

Sydney and David then fall asleep, their minds in the White Room. Meanwhile, the mutated chick is seen crawling on the floor and under the bed while they sleep. In the real world, the two are laying on two twin beds that have been pushed together in Sydney's room. There's a pillow separating them and David lays on the edge of the bed, his eyes open while Sydney sleeps. David recalls some of what happened to him after he was taken by the orb.

In the orb, David bangs on the walls, screaming for help. Seeing that it's futile he turns around and begins to push into the darkness that is the orb. As he begins to walk into the inky blackness, Sydney walks into view. She appears to be older, worn down by time. She's wearing David's necklace and is missing her left arm below the elbow. David calls out to her but she motions that she can't talk. Because they can't communicate directly, she uses a light wand to draw pictures. Through her pictures, she tells David that she's from the future and that time is running out. This Syd from the future draws the Shadow King and his body, then the words "help him", indicating that David needs to help Farouk find his body. This request confuses David greatly. He also realizes that Sydney is the one who sent the orb. Sydney motions that she can't explain, before turning around. David asks if there's someone there and tears begin to roll down her face. David begs for Sydney to talk to him, tearing up as well. Sydney then draws a heart, before disappearing into the darkness.

The scene then cuts to David lying on the bed in the real world but his eyes are closed now. In a dream-like sequence, David wanders through the nightclub again, following the bald monk, until he runs into Lenny and Oliver. But instead of fighting, they walk towards each other and presumably kiss, however, the image fades just before they do. In the real world, David is now standing in the shadow of the bathroom door, watching Sydney sleep.

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Dan Stevens as David Haller
Rachel Keller as Sydney Barrett
Aubrey Plaza as Amahl Farouk/Lenny Busker
Bill Irwin as Cary Loudermilk
Navid Negahban as Amahl Farouk
Jemaine Clement as Oliver Bird
Jeremie Harris as Ptonomy Wallace
Amber Midthunder as Kerry Loudermilk
Hamish Linklater as Clark Debussy
Jean Smart as Melanie Bird

Co-Starring[]

Jenna Borrenpohl as Vermillion #1
Jelly Howie as Vermillion #2
Ashli Dowling as Vermillion #3
Caitlin Leahy as Vermillion #4
Brittney Parker Rose as Vermillion #5
Lexa Gluck as Vermillion #6
Christine Horn as Dr. Orwell
Marc Oka as Admiral Fukyama
Jon Hamm as The Narrator
Nathan Hurd as The Monk
Michael Yama as Zhuang Zhou
Nikita Bogolybov as Albert A
Zoe Cotton as Woman on Bus

Trivia[]

The basket worn over Admiral Fukyama's head is similar to that of the Komusō, a group of Japanese monks that would wear straw baskets over their head to symbolize their absence of ego. ^[3]