The Gifted – meMento

By: Darryl Ley

In New Orleans, Louisiana in 1985 Andreas Von Strucker (Carsten Norgaard) enters a watchmaker’s (Marc Farley) to pick up his order. The order is a music box that the watchmaker has added some hidden customization and we learn that it belonged to someone close to Andreas who recently died. When it is clear that the order is to his specifications, Andreas kills the watchmaker and the title credits roll.

In the present Lauren Strucker (Natalie Alyn Lind) listens to that same music box while she researches the Von Struckers. Her parents Reed (Stephen Moyer) and Caitlin Strucker (Amy Acker) argue about her with Reed worried about the change in their daughter and Caitlin wanting to encourage her.

Clarice Fong/Blink (Jamie Chung), Marcos Diaz/Eclipse (Sean Teale), Reed and Caitlin hold a meeting with Caitlin advocating for an immediate attack on the Inner Circle. Marcos and Clarice point out that they are outnumbered and down a fighter. After Caitlin suggests they look for allies the rest reluctantly agree with Marcos set to visit other stations the next day.

At the Inner Circle Lorna Dane/Polaris (Emma Dumont) remembers her kiss with Marcos when Andy Strucker (Percy Hynes White) comes in to announce that Reeva Payge (Grace Byers) has recruited some new mutants so she goes to investigate. In the training area Reeva, with the Frost Sisters watching on (Skyler Samuels), addresses three new recruits Tico (Tyshon Freeman), Max (James Carpinello) and Heather (Chelle Ramos) who escaped from prison.

She offers them a chance to be part of something big, but she is interrupted by Max. She tells him to imagine a world without humans, but the trio then balks at the idea that they need to do training by showing off their powers and coordination through a quick display. Immediately after, Reeva attacks with her sonic disruption powers quickly bringing the three to their knees. She then tells them in no uncertain terms that she is in charge and what she requires from them is discipline and they agree to help.

Lorna goes to see Reeva and confronts her over the new recruits who are infamous for an attack on a cruise ship that took thousands of lives she wants nothing to do with them. While they argue in the background, we hear” The Ryan Hour” on the TV. Reeva uses his hate speech to argue that humans aren’t innocent. She cites that Purifier membership numbers are up 70% and they need these new recruits to deliver a devastating blow.

Jace Turner (Coby Bell) is waiting outside Benedict Ryan’s (Peter Gallagher) studio. He has received several messages from his estranged wife saying that she has signed the divorce papers. The two meet at Ryan’s office. Turner wants to announce the fact that the Atlanta station mutants are alive, but Ryan is more concerned about the six thousand mutants who escaped custody when the restraint collars were disabled. Ryan convinces Jace to continue with the Purifier Militia patrols to give humans hope.

Lauren falls asleep while listening to the music box. In a dream she appears to experience the lives of Andreas and Andrea Von Strucker (Julia Farino). We see Andrea using her powers and then in the real-world Lauren copying that and using her “shield” ability in a whole new offensive manner slicing objects in her bedroom to pieces. In the vision Andrea and Andreas attempt to combine their powers, but before they can Andrea is shot and dies in Andreas’ arms.

Caitlin and Reed are awakened by all the noise and come in to see the destruction. Lauren wakes up when Reed closes the music box and the two monitor her for the rest of the night. They ask her about the dream and the change in her powers, but she claims not to remember. They are interrupted by a knock on the door from the building supervisor Art Rael (Wayne Hughes). He had received noise complaints and insinuates that the Reed’s daughter might be a mutant. Reed denies it and Mr. Rael leaves.

At the Purifier headquarters Jace is organizing patrols across the city when Officer Wilson (Tom O’Keefe) comes in. He is angry that he has been left out of the loop, but it is eventually talked in to accompanying Turner on a patrol. At the apartments Caitlin and Clarice are looking in on John Proudstar (Blair Redford) who is still recovering from his injuries. The two then have a chat about having partners with dangerous callings but are interrupted by Marcos who has been checking the stations; however, so far he is not having any luck finding help. After he hangs up Marcos finds his car unresponsive and quickly realizes it is Lorna.

Lorna is there to ask for help, but Marcos is initially too angry to listen. Marcos refuses to listen until she brings up the team who brought down the cruise ship and makes an emotional appeal noting that they killed innocent people including children and then apologizes to him. Later, at the apartments, Clarice reacts angrily to the news that Marcos spoke with Lorna but seems prepared to help Marcos. He then suggests going to the Morlocks. After reminding Marcos that he accused her of being a traitor by working with them she reluctantly agrees.

Reed and Caitlin again speak about the change in Lauren. Reed worries she is following in the steps of Andy, but Caitlin argues that he was brainwashed. Jace, Officer Wilson and the Purifier militia enter a youth halfway house looking for escaped mutants and spot two suspicious looking kids who run but are eventually captured in a room. Marcos and Clarice head to the Morlocks and Marcos apologizes to her. While at the Inner Circle, Lorna tries unsuccessfully to get information about that Reeva is planning from the new team.

At the apartments Lauren is practicing her new way of using her power when Caitlin comes to speak to her. Her mother encourages her, but they are interrupted by a group of cops making their way to the apartments. Caitlin and Lauren hide in the bedroom while Reed answers the door. The police are there investigating a report of mutant activity and illegally enter the apartment. Lauren uses her powers to attack the police and convince them that there are mutants outside and the police leave.

Marcos talks to Glow (Laysla de Oliveira) and the two have a moment, but Marcos hesitates, and she knows it is because of his ex. Clarice speaks with Erg (Michael Luwoye) and asks for help, but instead he offers her a place with the Morlocks which she refuses. In one of the rooms Jace interrogates Rahul (Christian Gabriel Anderson), one of the boys who ran. Jace asks why he ran away, and Rahul replies that it was because they were Purifiers who he compares to the KKK. Jace responds that it isn’t about hate but is interrupted by a gunshot. He finds Wilson and the other boy (Tyler Galpin) shot on the ground. The boy dies soon after he arrives.

Jace quickly realizes that Wilson’s story of the boy attacking him is a lie, but later when the police arrive he backs up Wilson’s story to the detective (Nicci T. Carr) making inquiries who quickly accepts that version of the events. At the apartment Reed chastises Lauren for using her powers before Caitlin reveals it was her idea. They argue again and Caitlin insists that she won’t hold Lauren back.

Lorna slips away to meet Marcos and the two reconcile. Meanwhile, Jace sees Benedict Ryan on his show cover up what happened at the halfway house calling Jace and Wilson heroes. Jace’s wife Paula Turner (Frances Turner) calls him to suggest meeting up, but he quickly ends the call and is clearly upset.

John is finally awake and talks to Clarice. He tells her he loves her then receives a call from Evangeline (Erinn Ruth) who says she is organizing a meeting between all the remaining Underground Stations. In her room Lauren takes a closer look at the music box and finds a note from her Andreas Von Strucker with his and his sister’s hair. The note tells her to carry on the fight. She appears at the building supervisor’s door and seems like a whole other person. She threatens him, blaming him for calling the police on her family earlier. He is completely terrified.

Marcos and Lorna stake out an area based on info from the Morlocks. They see Reeva Payge meet with Benedict Ryan where the two seem to argue and then exchange documents before leaving.