‘Mr. Robot’ Recap and Review: “eps2.7_init5.fve”

Isaac
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For a full recap of the episode, visit the Mr. Robot Wiki here. This article is a review of the episode in which specific details and events are discussed. SPOILERS may occur, so read at your own risk.

Elliot and Leon

The quick and dirty catch up: Elliot emerges from his 86 days of captivity after giving us a reality check of what was true in the prison. Ray was the warden, his heavy was a guard, most everyone was an inmate (including the white supremacist rapist gang, R.T., and Leon). We see his super-speedy arrest, conviction, and incarceration for hacking Michael Hansen and taking his dog.

Now on the outside, Elliot catches a ride with Darlene and helps her resolve her Dark Army problem. His reboot (the literal meaning of “init 5” on UNIX based systems) was supposed to bring clarity, but now it’s making his interactions with (and as) Robot glitchy, unpredictable, and unstable. Even Robot is unclear what’s happening, and the changes in point of view are jarring.

Oh, that Dark Army problem? Cisco survived Darlene’s baseball bat. He’s none too thrilled but claims he is “spying” for her safety. After all, Mobley and Trenton are still missing. Cisco facilitates a meeting with Whiterose’s representative and Elliot so that fsociety can find out what the mysterious “Phase Two” is all about.

Whiterose takes the opportunity to revisit the grave of Price’s predecessor (who died in an engineered air crash). Price, for his part, wants Whiterose (as Minister Zhang) to get China to bailout E Corp, since the US Government did not. Whiterose considers a similar fate for Price as the former CEO. The conversation between these two illuminates that Whiterose knows who Angela is and what she’s been doing, as does Price; further, Whiterose is directly responsible for the Washington Township plant, which is unavoidably being taken over by the feds. Does this have something to do with the power brown-outs throughout the Tri-State area?

Angela uses her emerging social engineering and login raid skills to gather Washington Township documents to leak to the federal regulators, but the Deputy Director seems to know a bit too much about Angela (who is supposed to be anonymous) for her taste, and it spooks her. This prompts a visit from Dom, who has known about the Allsafe CD from Ollie for two months.

Cisco looks for the missing VHS tape tying Darlene to fsociety and finds a surprise in the smart house. Judging by the sound, it’s a panting man. Did he find Mobley? Or is that who is banging on Darlene’s door?

The big reveal? “Phase Two” is Elliot’s own plan, and he’s calling Whiterose’s shots.

Angela

Best Moments of the Episode:

Dom forcibly brings Angela a sandwich.

Whiterose visits a grave.

Elliot’s reality check leaves his disassociation unstable, but not unstable enough to participate (as Robot) in Cisco and Darlene’s reconciliation.

Joanna visits “Ollie” (aka Elliot) at his apartment.

Next Week on Mr. Robot:

“eps2.8_h1dden_pr0cess.axx”

Isaac
I don't always help Fandom users; but when I do, it's as an anthropomorphic fish in an armored military vehicle.