The Leftovers Review: The Most Powerful Man in the World (and His Identical Twin Brother) (Season 3 Episode 7)

In its second to last episode, The Leftovers Season 3 Episode 7, “The Most Powerful Man in the World (and His Identical Twin Brother),” Kevin once again dies and enters the purgatory realm so that he can save the world.

Or something like that.

In all honesty, it’s not very clear why Kevin decides to drown himself so he can go back to the other place. When The Leftovers tapped into its most surreal episode in season 2’s “International Assassin,” I was enthralled by Kevin’s mission to kill Patti in order to purge her from his mind. It was an exciting, deeply effecting episode.

Unlike that episode in the hotel, the stakes in the “The Most Powerful Man,” doesn’t actually feel as high, even though the world’s demise is at stake.

In “International Assassin,” it was Kevin’s desperation and broken mind that led him to take drastic measures and drink poison, just so that he can alleviate himself from Patti’s apparition.

In this episode, Kevin is somewhat in a fugue state. He has truly given up.

Instead of entering a clinical, cold hotel, Kevin washes up on shore. He’s still an assassin, and he meets Dean, (his old hunting buddy), who tells him that his mission is to kill the president.

But we soon find out that Kevin is not just the assassin, he’s also the President of the United States. Kevin assumes two identities in this world — the most powerful man and his identical twin brother.

If this isn’t bizarre enough, over the course of the episode, Kevin needs to find Grace’s kids, Evie, and Christopher Sunday to deliver messages and complete his actual mission to save the world.

And while Kevin gets to speak with everyone he aims to, he doesn’t get the answers he needs.

Instead, Kevin, as President, meets with Patti, who is his Secretary of Defense, and Meg, who is his Vice President.

It’s surprising to see Meg again. I didn’t think we would. And right before she was introduced as Kevin’s VP, I thought it was going to be Laurie, especially after what happened last week.

There is talk between these characters about nuking the world (or their world, rather) because it’s what people want furthering the show’s nihilistic themes.

And before the President gives his approval, both Kevins come face to face. The President kills the Assassin just when the both of them realize that they messed up with Nora.

This was Kevin’s story all along.

From the moment we met Kevin, he was a guy who pretended like everything was OK, but was someone deeply discontent with his life. Despite having a great family with Laurie, Tommy, and Jill, it wasn’t enough. He wanted out.

And ever since then, amplified with the shock and chaos and confusion of the Sudden Departure, Kevin was always flighty. He tried to convince himself that he was happy, that he was happy with Nora, but there’s always been a part of him that just wanted to leave.

In this scene, it’s like Kevin is killing that part of himself that fucks everything up. The part that can’t seem to appreciate what he has going for him, and that sabotages his own life without understanding why.

Kevin seemingly destroys the other place with the help of Patti, as a way of making sure he never comes back.

Kevin then wakes up to find John, Michael, and his father OK.

In the end, the flood never came, and Kevin didn’t even need the song after all. The journey to the other side was about him anyways. It was about confronting his self-destructive tendencies, and maybe cutting it out of him for good.

Kevin Sr. looks at Kevin Jr. and asks him what now?  But for Jr, it seems like he finally understands what he needs to do.

Other final thoughts:

• The whole Grace and her kids being without their shoes angle is so bizarre. But, I kinda like that in the end, she doesn’t find out what happened to the shoes. Life’s many mysteries sometimes just go unsolved.
• I really liked seeing Patti back, as her dynamic with Kevin has been the most fascinating on screen partnership in the entire show.
• Every time Kevin enters the other place, there are people speaking in different languages. Last season it was two women speaking in Spanish, and this time a man speaking in Russian. Both times, I didn’t get what they were saying or find out what the significance is.
• We didn’t get a whole lot of GR this season (mercifully), but there were some nice callbacks in this episode, especially with Kevin, Patti, and Meg dressed in all white.

What did you think of this episode of The Leftovers? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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The Leftovers airs its Series Finale next Sunday at 9/8c on HBO.

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