The Gifted Review: no Mercy (Season 2 Episode 7)
It all goes well until it doesn’t. The Gifted just hit us with another shocking episode. We get treated to more of Stephen Moyer’s wonderful acting and Grace Byers brings a new side to Reeva Payge, and The Gifted Season 2 Episode 7, “no Mercy,” finally shows us the mission the Inner Circle has been working on.
Falling Apart
Reed’s problems with his powers continue and it gives us a chance to see Stephen Moyer being incredible. He truly makes you feel for how terrified Reed is feeling. He is used to being the one that protects his family and now that has changed drastically because now he’s the one that needs protection.
Reed: It’s not your job to protect me, it’s my job to protect you.
It’s not just that he is afraid he’ll hurt them, but that he is a liability that will get them caught. It’s a long way from the Reed Strucker we met in the pilot episode. Sometimes you have to destroy a character, push them to their lowest, in order to build them back up. It’s grueling to watch at times, but it’s always worth the wait.
Moyer definitely has the abilities to pull a transformation such as this one. I for one can’t wait to see how Reed comes out after all of this is through. Reed’s powers are going to be important in the upcoming battle. Whether that battle is against Purifiers or Inner Circle remains in question, but he’s definitely going to be the hidden ace that might turn the tide.
It’s Your Humanity
One of the best parts of this season is Grace Byers’ Reeva Payge. This episode gives us a whole new side of her that positions her as an antagonist rather than a villain. The flashback gives us an entirely different Reeva Payge than what we’ve come to know. She used to believe in humans, didn’t want them to get scared of mutants and believed in communication.
Betty: We’re living a lie if we think these humans are ever gonna accept us.
That’s until she sees her friend get killed by racists for defending Reeva, and dies in her arms. It’s a good reminder of something that people often forget. Even nice people have their limits. Like I mentioned back in The Gifted Season 2 Episode 1, “eMergence,” Reeva is definitely ruthless but that’s not her only quality.
One of the things I love about The Gifted is how nuanced the characters are.
This episode shows us Reeva’s humanity, so to speak. She has feelings for her mark, and Byers shows how conflicted she is over everything. She regrets using him for this but feels like she has no other choice.
Reeva: I wish it was Quinn, it would have been easier.
It’s definitely a different side to the woman who was willing to kill a teenager in The Gifted Season 2 Episode 2, “unMoored,” because he didn’t seem completely on board. Reeva also gives us a line that perfectly encapsulates who she is.
Reeva: I’m not a monster unless I need to be.
Do I trust her? Not really. We all know power corrupts so maybe she’s not the best leader to follow. But I’d take a Reeva Payge over a little psychopath like Rebecca.
What Team? No Team?
On the other side of the Underground, Marcos and John confront Clarice about the Morlocks. I love the dynamic between the three of them, and this is necessary. Of course, it doesn’t exactly go well, but that’s par for the course for the Underground.
Marcos is the first that asks and we see Clarice’s defense mechanism as she bites back about the cartel and Lorna. Sean Teale has a great response as his eyes get sad at the mere mention of Lorna. The best part of the scene is the confrontation between John and Clarice. Jamie Chung and Blair Redford are fantastic.
The truth is all out in the open and John can’t believe it. Until Clarice reminds him that she did it for him because she sees how he is falling apart. She brings up a valid point that the Underground isn’t exactly thriving.
Which brings us to the point, there’s no great option for the mutants.
The Inner Circle makes mutants look bad and it gives power to the racists. The Morlocks might have a bit of a system, but there’s no long-term plan. The Underground is basically dead in the water. There’s no good pro-mutant team at the moment and considering the Purifiers are gaining traction, that’s not good.
Things are looking extremely grim for the mutants. I hope it’s a ‘gets worse before it gets better’ situation. Because the mutants need to get to the get better stage. The three groups have their upsides and their major downsides, instead of choosing a side they need to come together.
United we stand, divided we fall.
Stray Thoughts:
- Lorna trusting Esme with Dawn is heartwarming. As is Esme’s excitement when she finally gets Dawn to go to sleep.
- As a White Collar fan, it is great to see Sharif Atkins back on one of my shows.
- Reeva and the Inner Circle should probably be more thorough in who they recruit. Leave it to Rebecca to ruin pretty much all their plans for being seen as the heroes.
- This Jace plot is something else. I can’t believe Jace himself isn’t uncomfortable? He’s a black man in the united states. He’s willing to sit there and listen to bullshit arguments about taking back America and feels nothing?
- As Caitlin says, the real risk is doing nothing. So when are we going to see the Underground do something
What did you think of this episode of The Gifted? Can the Inner Circle come back from this? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Gifted airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on Fox.
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Maii Trueba de Buen
Maii is a 28-year-old writer who can be slightly invested in characters and their stories. She tries to give credit where credit is due but isn’t afraid to be honest in her writing. It's probably best not to ask about Lucifer or A Song of Ice and Fire, because you'll never hear the end of it. She graduated in film and has a certificate/minor in Art History. She brings that into her writing because, well, she’s a nerd. The only thing that beats her love of writing is her love of Pandas.