Chapter 19 (Legion)
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Episode 11
- Jeff Russo
- Dan Stevens
- Navid Negahban
- Noah Hawley
| "Chapter 19" | |
|---|---|
| Legion episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 11 |
| Directed by | Keith Gordon |
| Written by | Noah Hawley |
| Featured music |
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| Cinematography by | Polly Morgan |
| Editing by |
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| Production code | XLN02010 |
| Original air date | June 12, 2018 |
| Running time | 52 minutes |
"Chapter 19" is the eleventh episode and season finale 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 directed by Keith Gordon. It originally aired on FX on June 12, 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 finally has his battle against Farouk, all while Syd seeks to stop David from becoming evil.
According to Nielsen Media Research, the episode was seen by an estimated 0.315 million household viewers and gained a 0.1 ratings share among adults aged 18–49. The episode received mixed reviews from critics. Critics praised the performances, narrative and visual style. David's actions, however, drew polarized reactions; some found it bold with potential scenarios, while others derided it as character assassination.
David and Farouk fight a psychic battle, where Farouk seems to overpower David. However, in the distance, Lenny uses the paintball weapon to hit the Choke, which emits a frequency that hits Farouk and David. The scene then is interrupted by a three-year time jump, with a glimpse of Oliver and Melanie, who now live in the ice cube, with both noting that Syd was betrayed by David.
Back to the present, and without their powers, David brutally attacks Farouk. As David is about to kill him, Syd arrives at the scene, having escaped from the underground. Syd confronts David on his perceived dark nature and how he seemed to enjoy killing many of his enemies. She then pulls out a gun and despite David's pleas, she shoots him. The scene then jumps to a dream sequence where David winds up in his childhood bedroom, with a Narrator explaining certain concepts on a television. An alternate version of David suggests that the delusion is that David believes himself to be a good person, claiming he isn't.
Returning to the desert, Syd's bullet is hit by Lenny's bullet, causing her to fall back and lose consciousness. David alters her memories, while Division 3 agents arrive at the scene to retrieve them, capturing Farouk by placing him a device to stop his powers. Lenny is also placed under custody, as she escaped from Division 3. The team returns to Division 3, where David and Syd remain committed in their relationship and both have sex, with David not revealing anything about the events nor her memories. Unknown to them, Admiral Fukyama watches them. Meanwhile, Cary creates a device that allows him to see the events at the desert, where he sees David changing Syd's memories.
David visits Farouk in his cell, who is awaiting execution. Farouk is aware of David manipulating Syd's memories, mocking him for his hypocrisy. After he leaves, Farouk's powers slightly manifest, and he restores Syd's memories. The next day, David arrives at Farouk's trial, but actually is part of a trap set by Division 3 and is caged in a force field, with even Farouk present. The Vermillion accuse him of his future crimes for the potential apocalypse he will cause, as well as the fact that David sexually assaulted Syd by erasing her memories and having sex with her. They want him to take treatment at a psychiatric hospital, or he will be killed.
As alternate versions of David mock him inside his mind, David proclaims that he is a good person and deserves love. Giving up on his attempts to convince them, David uses his powers to destroy the force field and vanish. He then appears in Lenny's cell, who happily joins him. As soldiers arrive, they vanish. When Syd asks Clark what should they do now, Clark states they must "pray".
Production
Development
In May 2018, it was reported that the eleventh and final episode of the season would be titled "Chapter 19", and was to be directed by Keith Gordon and written by series creator Noah Hawley. This was Hawley's fourteenth writing credit, and Gordon's first directing credit.[1] Originally, the season would end with its tenth episode. But in early May 2018, an additional episode was ordered.[2] According to Hawley, part of the reason involved in avoiding an over-crowded season finale. The additional episode allowed the writers to spread more storylines throughout the previous episodes.[3]
Writing
David turning into a villain was an idea that intrigued Noah Hawley, who always thought of the question "what would happen if Walter White was a supervillain?"[4] Hawley wanted the series to evolve to the point that the audience would stop believing that David is the hero, and that Syd is the actual hero. He further added, "On the level that it's their story, I think she should always be front and center, and I think we went a long way this year towards expanding your understanding of her."[4]
Regarding David's sexual assault on Syd, Hawley commented, "I mean, look, it's controversial. I don't know what the conversation will be, but I think it's worth having the conversation about consent and about the fact that there is no justification for acting without another person's consent. And, as she said, 'I'm the hero and you're just another villain' On some level, that's the story of the show. The question is, is there any redemption for him coming out of that? And where do we go next?"[5]
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