Mr. Robot – eps2.2init1.asec

                          By Jessica Wolff

A Halloween night flashback shows the birth of fsociety and the plot to destroy Evil Corp. Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek) answers the knocking at his apartment door to find his sister Darlene Alderson (Carly Chaiken) in what would become the fsociety mask. Though Elliot is initially hesitant about spending the evening together, Darlene uses the code word of init1 and Elliot and Darlene end up watching a movie together, which shows the inspiration for the fsociety masks. Elliot reveals that his therapy sessions were court ordered after he was fired from his previous job for destroying the system and that he’s been offered a job at AllSafe. Later in the evening, Elliot puts on the Mr. Robot jacket as well as an fsociety mask and decides to take the job at AllSafe so that he can destroy EvilCorp from inside. Darlene is freaked out, but Elliot persuades her to help with the plan.

Back in the present, Darlene comes to visit Elliot at their mother’s house, wondering why he came here of all places. Elliot tells Darlene that he knows what she’s been doing through the news broadcasts and that what she is doing is dangerous. However, Darlene insists that the things she is doing are good for the mission they originally set out to do. Elliot says that they went too far as now Gideon is dead because of their actions. Darlene asks if he really didn’t expect consequences from what they did. Elliot says that the plan wasn’t his, but Mr. Robot’s (Christian Slater). Through this conversation, Elliot realizes that Darlene wants his help and that there is something that she isn’t telling him.

The FBI swarms the fsociety arcade searching for evidence. Dominique DiPierro (Grace Gummer) and her supervisor discuss the little evidence they’ve found. Her supervisor questions if this arcade is really the hideout of fsociety, but DiPierro insists that she is correct, as hackers like to hide in plain sight. In a car, Joanna Wellick (Stephanie Corneliusson) meets with a man who is terrified and wants to go to the police with what he knows about Tyrell Wellick’s (Martin Wallstrom) role in the hack. Joanna pays him for keeping quiet and he exits the car. The driver tells Joanna that they are running low on funds since E Corp is withholding Tyrell’s severance package.

Angela Moss (Portia Doubleday) stands outside of E Corp’s headquarters as she watches the two E Corp execs that she turned in for insider trading being lead out of the building in handcuffs. Meanwhile, Elliot plays chess with Ray (Craig Robinson), who tells him that he needs to improve his game and he should play himself. Ray sees that there is something on Elliot’s mind that hinders his ability to perform and that he should talk to someone about it. This causes Elliot to wonder whether he should take his advice and talk to someone about his role in the hack. Before Elliot can think about it more, Mr. Robot threatens him to stop him from saying anything. Elliot defies Mr. Robot and insists that he doesn’t care about going to jail if it can unburden him and stop Darlene from doing more crazy things. Angela meets with Antara Nayar (Sakina Jaffrey) and tells her that she turned those guys in because Price created leverage against her and she felt that she had no choice but to act. Nayar is skeptical about the situation, but Angela insists that she can use her position to find information that will help their case against Evil Corp.

Mr. Robot challenges Elliot to a game of chess and that the winner gets control over the situation. If Elliot wins, Mr. Robot will leave, but if Mr. Robot wins then Elliot has to listen to him. Pondering the situation, Elliot talks about Mr. Robot to Krista Gordon (Gloria Reuben). Krista asks to talk to Mr. Robot herself, but Elliot refuses by saying that it will legitimize him. Krista presses, but Elliot snaps at her and has a breakdown about his inability to control the situation. Krista tells Elliot that Mr. Robot’s game is dangerous for Elliot’s well being because eliminating a part of himself is dangerous. Elliot tells the audience that Krista is wrong and that annihilation is the only answer. Whiterose (BD Wong) puts makeup on and consults with Phillip Price (Michael Cristofer) over the phone. Price confronts Whiterose about his lack of effort of helping him with the aftermath of the hack. After assuring Price and hanging up, Whiterose asks his assistant to look into the FBI’s investigation of the hack.

Joanna meets with Scott Knowles (Brian Stokes Mitchell) at his home, trying to solve the problem with her husband’s severance package. Joanna offers a deal that she will testify against her husband in Knowles’ wife’s murder case in exchange for the money from the severance package. Knowles refuses the offer saying that Tyrell Wellick’s son is getting what he deserves: nothing. Darlene meets with Cisco (Michael Drayer) who tells her that the FBI found the arcade. Darlene asks if the Dark Army is involved, but Cisco insists that there is no way that the Dark Army did this. Darlene tells him that she didn’t tell Elliot about the Dark Army because he is too fragile, but he insists that Elliot has to know. After having sex in the bar’s bathroom, Cisco tells her that Romero was investigating the FBI when he was killed and that he had found something that made the Dark Army nervous. Darlene panics and wants to run away, but Cisco tells her that it will make her look suspicious and get her killed.

Elliot meets with Leon (Joey Bada$$), but is distracted by a chessboard. Leon offers to play with him, but Elliot refuses. Leon then tells Elliot that chess used to be a means of self-improvement and asks what he’s playing for if he’s not playing anyone. Elliot says he’s playing for resistance and Leon encourages him to go ahead and play for it. Joanna and her lover Derek (Chris Conroy) are lying on the couch and Joanna is distraught about the lack of finances, telling Derek she loves him because he is poor. That night, Elliot lies in bed pondering what Leon said and wondering if his existence is worth fighting for and if he can better himself and his future. He dreams of bringing his friends and family together around a table that he sits at the head of, an empty chair representing the absence of Mr. Robot and the destruction of the Evil Corp building in the background. He wakes up, resolving to fight for his existence.

Mr. Robot and Elliot sit at a secluded picnic table and begin their chess game. The game ends in a stalemate and Elliot resets the game to play again. Elliot and Mr. Robot discuss their past as Elliot tries to best him. The second game also ends in a stalemate and Mr. Robot resets the game. Mr. Robot tries to intimidate Elliot by asking if he is sick knowing that everyone else is hurting while they play their game and Elliot responds that everyone is hurting because of them. Mr. Robot says they are running in circles and Elliot says this is the last time. Mr. Robot tells Elliot that he is making the moves that Elliot is telling him to make subconsciously. The third game ends in another stalemate and Elliot realizes that he is unable to beat Mr. Robot and that every game will end in a stalemate. Mr. Robot says that challenging him was the only way to show him that trying to get rid of him is a waste of time. This angers Elliot and he resets the game, insisting that he can defeat Mr. Robot once and for all. Mr. Robot tells Elliot that he’s here for a reason and angrily pushes the chess pieces of the board when Elliot ignores him. Mr. Robot insists that Elliot is avoiding his problems and that they need to work together.

Angela comes to Price in the parking lot and demands a promotion, using a pattern she found in the settlement documents as leverage. Price refuses to bend to Angela’s demands and leaves her standing at the valet. Darlene calls Elliot and tells him about the Dark Army, asking for his help. Mr. Robot appears to Elliot and Elliot goes to talk to Ray. Mr. Robot pleads for Elliot not to confess, but Elliot instead tells Ray that he will help with his computer problem. Ray tells Elliot that many prophet figures have heard voices and emphasizes the importance of his business before bringing another man in to watch over him. Elliot uses Ray’s computer to talk to Darlene and finds out everything that has happened with the arcade and Romero through Darlene’s code. Elliot communicates with Darlene and resolves to hack the FBI in order to save her and fsociety.