In Legion “Chapter 4,” David is trapped in his own mind …
This week we will reach the mid-point of the first season of Legion. Tension has built throughout the series, with the conflict between mutants and humans feeling more tangible over time. This culminated in the cliffhanger we were left with in the final sequence of “Chapter 3,” where David was trapped in a horror-like sequence in his own memory, unable to wake up.
The sedation that Melanie had given him only complicated things. She wanted to make it easier to access the memories that David was suppressing, but unwittingly or not she helped trap him inside them instead. I don’t know exactly why he thought sedating David would be effective or a good idea. She may have fairly extensive experience with mutants, but we don’t actually know this. At the very least, Melanie did not seem to sufficiently consider the effects that whatever sedation she used would have on David. She knew that David was powerful telepathically, and early in “Chapter 3” realized both that he also possessed telekinetic powers and that she wasn’t even close to discovering the limits of his power.
After an earlier memory sequence, Melanie asked David, “What are you?” In this exchange, she seemed almost scared of David, and if she was intimidated by the power of his mind, this may have pushed her to ignore any reservations about the possible side effects of using the sedation.
Judging by the promo released for the next chapter, David will spend at least the first part of the episode still trapped in his memory. This will allow Sydney and possibly Melanie to take over the role of narrator for the series. The change in point of view may provide interesting insight into the world of Legion, because it will be the first time we see the world for an extended period through anyone else’s eyes. It has been pretty clearly established that David does not see the world as it actually is, so how the Summerland house and the world in general is presented could give an interesting change to the series. Check out the promo for “Chapter 4” here.
This change is reflected by the synopsis released by FX, which reads:
"David’s in trouble, while his friends search for answers."
In “Chapter 3,” David was the one looking for answers, but here he cannot do that and the others must rescue him from his own mind. The change will be most obvious if the series is continuing to follow the blueprint set out by Noah Hawley. Hawley wrote and directed the pilot, and is credited as both the series creator and executive producer. In an interview with Variety, before the premiere, Hawley stated that the aesthetic of the series would reflect David’s point of view.
That won’t be available for the first part of this episode, but “Chapter 4” is directed by Larysa Kondracki and written by Nathaniel Halpern, so they may have a slightly different idea for the series.