Hello friend.
Destiny has an agenda too…
“A man can’t sentence me that is a cosmic responsibility.” -Vera
Episode five, 3xpl0its.wmv, begins with the repetitious sound of throwing a ball against a wall. We cut to a new camera angle that allows the viewers to look into Vera’s cell from the outside. He paces his cellblock, repetitiously back and forth, trying to figure out who turned him into the FBI. Then we are shown a meeting between Vera, his attorney, and brother. This scene is filled with dramatic irony as the viewers are well aware that Elliott was behind the “anonymous tip” that locked Vera in his cage. Identifying Elliott as an “anonymous tip” supports the idea that he is just as much of an “invisible force” in the world as E-Corp; his own enemy.
The scene continues as Vera looks at a few evidence photos, including one with a pill bottle next to a gun, on a coffee table. Remember when Vera first met Elliott, in Shayla’s apartment back in episode two? Well Vera sure does, as we return to him locked away in a cell. Vera interrupts his cellmate’s repetitious game of catch and walks toward the cell’s wall. Cut to a wide shot, as Vera announces,“So that’s you…that’s who you are…I know you.” He isn’t talking to anyone, but himself in this moment. Yet, the shot frames the cell perfectly, with Vera standing in the far left corner of the screen. This creates the illusion of a direct to camera shot, as Vera connects the anonymous tip to Elliott. In this moment Vera takes on the chorus role in Greek tragedy, as he understands that it was Elliott beneath the anonymous mask.
This is the big steal mountain episode, as our crew breaks in to plant, the “raspberry pie,”. But, both the beginning and ending scenes connect back to the Vera/Shayla storyline. Fsociety’s plan fails, as the dark army backs out in the last minute, and they are unable to move forward without their ally. Tyrell even makes an appearance in this episode as he squares off against Elliott at steal mountain. Tyrell knows that Elliott framed Terrence Colby, and will exploit that secret in the future. Meanwhile Angela discovers just how far her father’s debt has spiraled out of control. With all these story threads, it all ties back to the immanent threat that Elliott thought he had removed from the chessboard, back in episode two.
“Someti
mes the universe aligns perfectly, here I am locked away and still it brings you right to me.”-Vera
Darlene and Elliott return to his place for the night. They stop at Shayla’s apartment to pick up his dog. Shayla’s place has been broken into and she is no where in sight. Elliott answers the phone and hears Vera’s voice on the other line. Elliott went after Vera in an attempt to save Shayla’s life and now she has been kidnapped; talk about irony. For the first time this season we see Elliott being exploited by another person. “Someone’s going to get hurt for this…that’s how we get squared with the universe,” explains Vera during the opening scene. Remember, this is playing out to be a Greek tragedy. The very thing that Elliott wanted to protect is not at risk. He can’t remain a hero and retain his anonymity, because he is just a man…not some “invisible force.”
By Sarah Belmont
Featured Writer
@sjbelmont