Sense8: Art is Like Religion

“Impossibility is a kiss away from reality.”

While the last episode dealt with reveals and some answers, this episode went right back to questions as each member of the cluster started to realize their little hallucinations are a lot more complicated.

I absolutely loved the fact that we got some new pairings in this episode, specifically Capheus and Riley, and Capheus and Sun. While Capheus and Riley's interaction was sweet and brought up some interesting information about language and culture, I think the real meat of the entire episode centered around the conversation between Sun and Capheus, both having to make a potentially life altering decision, and ultimately realizing they had already made the choice. I wonder if that's an intentional call back to The Matrix.

I really loved how you get the feeling that while both characters are struggling, neither is really conflicted but trying to justify what they had already chosen, and that by talking with each other they came to an understanding. The subtle way they built up those connections was interesting. There were a few scenes between Lito and Sun earlier as she is dealing with the emotional weight of her decision alongside her period and somehow those emotions transferred over to Lito, who is clearly the most outwardly emotional member of the pod. Because Sun is so internalized, perhaps she subconsciously chose Lito so those feelings of sadness and rage could be expressed out loud.

Lito gets another visit/share moment with Will during the big climactic shoot out at the end, or at least the movie version of a big shoot out. With shades of Neo fighting agents, Lito goes full red pill with the aid of ropes and really low rent special effects. Meanwhile, Will engages in a foot chase after a gang related suspect. The stark contrast between real life and movie fantasy was well done here, as Lito takes down a dozen while Will and his partner have to back down from a similarly outnumbered fight. Although Will’s confusion over the situation Lito was facing was hilarious at times, the clear obstacles with visiting while in a high tension situation were visually engaging.

Will does seem to be the most aware of what is going on, maybe because he actively helped Nomi escape in the last episode and he has a detective’s mind. There were two more scenes with him that were really telling about his personality and beliefs. He was yelled at by his sergeant about pulling strings to talk to Jonas, and while frustrated he took it without much complaint. Then when he started investigating Nomi he spoke with her mother and the constant deadnaming actually made him call her out, “Her name is Nomi.” That was just a lovely little moment.

Nomi's story continued with the rather bizarre idea that police are involved with finding her. Which is just weird, because she would be nothing more than a patient who left a medical facility against medical advice in any normal situation. The fact that they are still actively looking at her gives credence to Amanita’s conjecture about Dr. Metzger’s role in all of this. Either Nomi has a major terminal brain condition, or something else is going on that is much deeper and involves a greater conspiracy. My guess is the latter, because otherwise it makes little sense that their apartment was tossed.

Turns out Capheus was risking his life to deliver two coconuts, something Silas is impressed about because if he was willing to risk his life for nothing, then what would he do for something of real value? He then gets a big box of drugs for his mother, and in a later scene she is shown cooking and smiling, so it appears as though they are working properly now. That’s good, I’m glad there are immediate results for Capheus’s sacrifice. I’m less sure about what Silas wants from him, though. I guess we’ll see.

I’m starting to worry about the potential fallout from Wolfgang and Felix’s robbery. They keep risking exposure, and it is pretty clear Wolfgang’s uncle suspects him of breaking that unbreakable safe. It doesn’t help that Felix has the intelligence of a goldfish, being loud and bragging in public about diamonds. Will Wolfgang’s cousin go after both of them, or due to the familial connection will it just be Felix that pays the price? Either way, I doubt this is going to go unresolved for too much longer.

Finally we have Kala, who spends nearly the entire episode with a look of fear on her face. She so painfully and clearly does not want to get married and she obviously doesn’t love Rajan the way that he loves her. She keeps asking about marriage and obligation, as though questioning whether it is even possible to get out of the situation she finds herself trapped within. Rajan’s preening and joyful entrance to the wedding really says everything about what he feels about Kala.

Then it is time, and we see Kala getting ready for her wedding. She has to wear nearly fifty pounds of jewelry and clothing. We are shown a montage of the seven steps (the woman has to take one more step than the man) of the wedding itself. The entire time she appears as a woman going through the motions for everyone but herself. So when Wolfgang shows up, naked and questioning her, she doesn’t know how to react. Her fainting was a fun way to let her escape, compounded by the weight she was wearing both physically and emotionally, from the shock from seeing Wolfgang and the realization that he was right.

There is a very brief montage moment during the wedding which seems to hold some major foreshadowing and symbolism. As Rajan says "With the promise of everlasting companionship," it cuts away to Lito, Hernando and Dani sharing a domestic moment together, which just has to have been intentionally framed. Because in the next instant when Kala says "We shall share love, the same tastes," it cuts to Will encountering Riley because there's no romantic sparkage between them at all. (That was sarcasm on my part.) "Share the same food" cuts to Capheus waiting for dinner because cooking epitomizes the love that Capheous and his mother share. "Final step" cuts to Sun handing over the leash to her beloved dog to her trainer and saying one final goodbye. Then "Lets make a vow together to share our strengths" cuts to Nomi and Amanita holding hands as they discover their trashed apartment.

Bits:

Lito may have glimpsed the other sensates, but this is the first time he has met any of them.

So I have a curious little bit related to the pod, because it seems as though there is an equal divide between men and women, but that would also mean that Nomi, while biologically born male has always been a woman. It’s a subtle and powerful statement that fits nicely in a series that deals with the wide spectrum of LGBTQ+ individuals, relationships and complexities.

Quotes:

Don Carlos: “Art is like religion. For the believers, it's everything. For anyone else, it's just a pile of stinking bullshit.”

Capheus: “Who can say if it is we who make the choice, or the choice that makes us?”

Hernando: “Lito, you're going to have an accident...”
Lito: (as a car cuts him off) “Oh, you did not. Excuse me! I – you – you tacky, cheap weave, plastic-titted whore! I see you! I see you!”

Another strong episode, although perhaps not quite as good as the last one.

3.5 out of 4 Conversations about Art, Tea and Choices.

Samantha M. Quinn spends most of her time in front of a computer typing away at one thing or another; when she has free time, she enjoys pretty much anything science fiction or fantasy-related.

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