Worst of the final 2 seasons and it's still a 4.5 💀 Absolutely perfect as a setup episode before the most significant and catastrophic events of the show yet. It clarifies where each character stands, what they think and mean to another another, and helps give the following events more clarity and context so they can hit as hard as possible. Every single line of dialogue and action is filled with thoughtful characterisation, I constantly had to pause to add notes to this (which I've been doing since around 2x3, but it really just goes to show how layered everything is). The little chase scene is so gripping even seeing it again and the score is absolutely incredible as always too. [SPOILERS] They do a brilliant job of humanising Darlene in this episode. In general, Mr. Robot is a fantastic show when it comes to making you connect with morally questionable people through their backstories and the tragedies they endure, which help to explain why they do what they do. Like how the fuck did this show make me of all people attached and sympathetic to rich capitalistic pigs with God complexes like Price and Tyrell. Going back to Darlene though, this episode is amazing for how it shows that she never wanted any of this to happen. The impact five/nine had on society, murdering Susan Jacobs, she never intended to do those things and yet she got so deep into fsociety that she lost so much of her humanity along the way. I can completely understand how someone might find Darlene dislike-able after season 2, and yet when the show frames her actions in this way it's just so hard to do for me. This is also representative of one of the core reasons why this season is so difficult to stomach at times; Nobody ever wanted any of this to happen (something which is proven even more after stage 2). The characters who the audience cares most about who are the most humane and easy to connect with, Elliot, Darlene, Angela, Tyrell, they're all so far out of their depth and were never aware of what they're getting into. While Elliot and Darlene have already realised this and are trying to fix their mistakes, Angela and Tyrell have yet to understand this, and this episode excellently clarifies that they don't understand the full scope of what they're doing. Angela has the naive belief that nobody will be hurt by stage 2, even double checking and asking Irving if nobody will get hurt and trusting his answer. Tyrell's greatest motivation behind doing stage 2 is his wife and family, but the Dark Army manipulates him by keeping him in the dark about Joanna dying so that he'll do their bidding. The way the plot goes in ways that no one anticipated is also a huge part of what makes Darlene and Elliot's dynamic so hard-hitting to me. Although they have a deep rooted love for one another as siblings which is highlighted here, it gets torn apart by the opposing sides they work for (with Darlene secretly helping the FBI), alongside their frequent miscommunication and separate mental health struggles. Although the show does make it clear that these character have a certain degree of innocence and that they never wanted to do so many of the things they cause, they still have to reconcile with their own responsibility in causing them. Not only does Elliot have to deal with instigating five/nine, but he also has to come to terms with how Mr. Robot works against him. Even if it's not the "real" him, one of his personalities is still helping the Dark Army. A core rift in Elliot and Darlene's relationship in this season is when Mr. Robot gets physical with Darlene and scares her, and even if that wasn't necessarily Elliot's fault, it was still him and he must reconcile with the way it divides the two of them. I deeply respect how the show gives such a nuanced portrayal of where each character stands morally, as few other shows are able to pull this off as thoroughly. The best way this is done is through Elliot. Despite trying to stop stage 2, deep down Elliot is still drawn to fsociety and his intentions may not be any less violent than Mr. Robot. As much as they're different, on a deeper level they're incredibly similar, literally being the same person when it comes down to it. One action that displays this is when Elliot comes back into control when Mr. Robot was talking to Angela and Tyrell, it's only when Mr. Robot gets aggressive and strangles Tyrell that the normal Elliot comes back. Elliot is just as malicious as Mr. Robot when it comes down to it, their nature is the same. [ ⚠️SPOILERS FOR 3x5, 3x6, AND DOM AND DARLENE'S DYNAMIC THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE SHOW ⚠️] There are countless moments across this episode that hit so much harder for me now rewatching and knowing what happens next, all of which I want to talk about here: -The fact that an fsociety lead pops right up as stage 2 is about to begin is an obvious diversion for the FBI so they're not focusing on what the Dark Army is really planning. Right down to the final moments, Dom was the only person who noticed what was truly happening due to how systemically flawed and ignorant the FBI was. -Continuing with the themes of characters being inadvertently responsible for profound tragedy, it's Elliot attempting to stop stage 2 by shipping the files all across the country that results in 71 buildings being bombed instead of just one. Such a heartbreaking detail to look back on. -It makes me so sad that Elliot and Darlene are just beginning to improve in terms of communication before all that progress is wiped away immediately in the following episode with Elliot learning that Darlene was working for the FBI. There are so many interactions ("maybe we should have some sort of signal when I'm coming and going so that you know it's me", "How about you just tell me?") that initially come across wholesome before they're given a completely new context. -Considering how Dom and Darlene's relationship evolves from here, the scene with Dom buying Darlene a drink says so much about their dynamic and how it progresses. Someone buying someone else a drink and getting to know more about them would typically be considered a normal gesture between two friends, and yet it's wrapped so deeply between the stress they're both dealing with thanks to stage 2 being just around the corner. Dom and Darlene were never meant to work, their relationship is too connected with trauma and pain. The first time they ever saw each other was literally when Darlene's boyfriend got murdered by the Dark Army. Because of Darlene working for the FBI, her entire life falls apart, including her relationships with those closest to her. Peak episode!!