Chapter 16 (Legion)
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Episode 8
- Noah Hawley
- Jordan Crair
| "Chapter 16" | |
|---|---|
| Legion episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 8 |
| Directed by | Jeremy Webb |
| Written by |
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| Featured music | Jeff Russo |
| Cinematography by | Polly Morgan |
| Editing by |
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| Production code | XLN02008 |
| Original air date | May 22, 2018 |
| Running time | 48 minutes |
| Guest appearance | |
| |
"Chapter 16" is the eighth episode of the second season of the American surrealist superhero thriller television series Legion, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It was written by series creator Noah Hawley and Jordan Crair and directed by Jeremy Webb. It originally aired on FX on May 22, 2018.
The series follows David Haller, a "mutant" diagnosed with schizophrenia at a young age, as he tries to control his psychic powers and combat the sinister forces trying to control him. Eventually, he joins the government agency Division 3 to prevent his nemesis, fellow psychic mutant Amahl Farouk, from finding his original body. In the episode, David discovers the location of Farouk's body and hurries to find it, although he is one day behind Farouk.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.409 million household viewers and gained a 0.2 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received positive reviews from critics, who praised the cinematography, visual style and character development, although the pacing and lack of progress received criticism.
Inside the Mainframe, Ptonomy is shown Fukyama's past. When he was a teenager, he was contacted by Division 3 in acting as a keeper from secrets, with his brain surgery serving as some sort of machine that would prevent telepaths from reading minds and discovering vital information.
Hacking into the Mainframe, Ptonomy contacts David through a Vermillion, saying that he has found the location of Farouk's body in a desert known as "Le Désolé". David leaves for the desert without informing Division 3, but tells Lenny about his intentions. After he leaves, he has Lenny released from her cell and she leaves on a motorcycle. Farouk is also pursuing the location, following advice from his old caretaker. Guided by Clark, Syd leaves for the desert as well.
The desert turns out to be a constantly changing location where time and logic do not apply, with Farouk one day ahead of David. Syd catches up with David, but both struggle passing a storm in the desert. They find a tent with their future skeleton selves. David says he has a plan and telepathically communicates with Clark, telling him to find "the clock". However, Clark is knocked unconscious by Melanie, revealing that she is under Farouk's control. Back in the desert, Farouk summons a minotaur to help with his mission.
In the middle of the episode, the Narrator talks about narcissism and the idea that people don't matter, which could be the most alarming delusion in existence. He views it as people struggling with seeing the real world outside their "shadow", noting that if everyone lived in a cave, nothing would be real.
Production
Development
In May 2018, it was reported that the eighth episode of the season would be titled "Chapter 16", and was to be directed by Jeremy Webb and written by series creator Noah Hawley and Jordan Crair. This was Hawley's eleventh writing credit, Crair's first writing credit, and Webb's first directing credit.[1]