Powers Review: Origins (Season 2 Episode 7)

Making allowances.

Is that the key to rationalizing all of the deep and horrible shit that everyone experiences on Powers?

In this episode, “Origins,” has Pilgrim’s father given us the answer to how everyone gets by? Is this how they are able to sleep at night, knowing what they’ve done, or didn’t do?

Is it that simple act of talking themselves into believing that maybe, just maybe, it was all for a good reason?

Walker is alive, despite the deadly struggle that sends he and Moody out of a window, and Moody to his death, because Calista saves him. In those moments when Pilgrim believes that Walker may be dead a thousand emotions cross her face. She never anticipates that the new Retro Girl will spare Walker, but let Moody meet his end.

More importantly, Pilgrim never anticipates that Walker will be so passive about ostensibly killing Moody. She has a realization that she’ll spend the rest of her career going along with the lie that Moody committed suicide.

Pilgrim is the moral center of Powers, I’ve said this before. She’s at a personal crossroads, unsure of what she wants for her future because she doesn’t understand how she can go along with a lie, while the truth continues to swirl around inside of her, for the rest of her career.

When she asks her father how he does it, being a corrupt man of lies himself, he gives her his take on it. He makes allowances, because there are some things that make the lies worthwhile. For him, it was the ability to give his wife and his daughter a good life.

For Walker, and for Captain Cross, Moody’s death is pure justice. They can allow the lie to become the truth because in their eyes, Moody got what he deserved for the role he played in killing Janis.

It’s a hard truth that Pilgrim can’t seem to go along with, because as I’ve said before, she’s loyal to the truth. Her alliance lies with justice, even if that justice ends up hurting those that she loves. When she tells her father that she “grew up,” it’s a sad moment of realization for her that going forward isn’t going to be easy.

How she handles the next steps in this complicated story will define who Pilgrim will be, going forward.

Pilgrim’s story is paralleled with the origin story of Supershock, back in the days when he was simply known as Patrick, a young soldier in France who hated seeing death occur needlessly.

Like Pilgrim, Patrick doesn’t want to make allowances.

During his early days as a Power, Patrick did bring death to some, it ate him up inside.

In those days, Patrick has a kind heart, but can’t rationalize his powerful abilities, that is, until he meets someone who understands what he is going through.

Patrick: I’m a freak.
Janis: You’re a miracle.

Janis introduces herself and immediately begins to spout her optimism at Patrick. We see that, right from the beginning, Janis wants to change the world for the better with her totally pure ideals. Having powers is a symbol of the ways that Janis can end war and facilitate peace.

It’s something that she urges Patrick to understand.

While Patrick initially rebuffs her, Janis refuses to give up. She even sets up a meeting between Patrick and then-President Truman, a meeting that Patrick reluctantly takes, because he’s perfectly content to stay in his office doing mundane math if it means that he can avoid any more death.

The way that history is re-written here is actually quite brilliant, in the context of the story. Patrick wants to stop death, while President Truman wants to kill Hitler and secure the Nazi’s atomic bombs.

Patrick: You want me to kill Adolf Hitler?
President Truman: Fuck that fucker up, yes sir.

Patrick makes an allowance. He agrees to kill Hitler in exchange for Truman promising that atomic bombs will be destroyed, and never used by the United States.

A simple allowance, something that gives Patrick the ability to sleep at night, knowing that he’s traded one life for many others.

That is until, like Pilgrim, he’s forced to grow up and face harsh reality.

People lie. People cheat. Scandal surrounds every single calculated motive. Even when trust seems firm, it’s soon clear that it’s too good to be true.

Patrick and Janis sit together, listening to the radio as the United States drops an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, and they both realize that Truman isn’t as honest as he seems.

While Janis’ optimism tries to rationalize why it’s happened, Patrick is only filled with rage.

While Pilgrim and Patrick are busy facing reality, a new Unity is looking for a trainer. Martinez is right. He, Zora, and Calista can be the Powers that step up in this time when all of the power is up for grabs, but not without someone to be in command.

Calista’s immediate thought to ask Walker seems a bit more like cowardice. She knows damn well that she SHOULD be seeking out Supershock. Zora and Martinez both suggest it. Walker suggests it when he turns her down. (What is up with Walker’s headaches, BTW? Seriously, I have nothing to go on here.)

Why is Calista so hesitant? Her interactions with Supershock have been strange, yes. He’s calling her ‘Janis,’ but he’s also showing her a great deal of respect. So what is Calista afraid of in asking him for help?

I’m hoping that this is delved into next week, along with who this Ghost is.

The Ghost has followed Patrick for years, has apparently killed Senator Brown, and is headed for him next. Now, more than ever, seems like a good time for Supershock to form an alliance with a new Unity.

What did you think of this week’s episode of Powers? Will Calista contact Supershock? Will Pilgrim be able to make allowances, or will she stand with the truth? Why is Walker having those headaches? Share your thoughts and theories in the comments below!

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating: 

 

New episodes of Powers stream Tuesdays on the PlayStation Network.