In the latest episode of The Gifted Episode 1.09 “OutfoX” Reed returns to the Mutant stronghold and tells his family about seeking out his father and about their mutant heritage and he sacrificed himself to save them.
Early in the episode, we see a flashback of better times for the Struckers when Andy tries to teach Lauren how to ride a skateboard. Lauren obviously knows about their powers at this point after she falls off the skateboard and Andy catches her. They definitely feel something together.
Andy and Lauren discover some information about their family after Andy finds a book in the library. They learn that they were monsters, but also it tells the siblings that they have similar powers.
Reed struggles with whether or not to tell his kids what their grandfather said since they could be dangerous when using their powers. Caitlin asks Reed why mutation skipped him and she learns he had been his father’s test subject. While they ponder their family situation, Esme pitches her idea for a rescue mission to the save others of the Mutant Underground.
Reed and Caitlin are shocked at the powers that Andy and Lauren have especially when Lauren tells them that they had to stop or they would have destroyed the building. The siblings said that it was like they were one when they joined hands, “Like we were one.” Their powers together made it seem they could do whatever they want and that it felt good. Reed warns them and says that they should be careful, but Andy gets upset thinking his parents consider him a monster. Lauren talks to him to calm him down, but admits that it felt good for her, too!
Just then, it’s decided that the mutants must try to save the other mutants being held at the power station. Esme suggests using the Strucker kids and is convinced that with their joint powers the group will be successful. All agree (including the parents Caitlin and Reed) and therefore, everyone joins forces and sets off for the power station. They travel in a van and the mutants pass through the portal opened by Blink landing inside the Power Station. Reed and Caitlin stay in the van to monitor the security.
The group attempts to get to the middle of the building. Reed and Caitlin help them find where they need to go, but things get bad really quickly when the groups presence is discovered by Sentinel Services. Unfortunately, Lauren and Reed are powerless to help them except to say “Get out of there, now.”
As the episode ends, The Sentinel robots are set loose after Andy and Lauren. The two decide that they can’t use their powers at that moment because they are in the basement of the building and by doing so would kill everyone and they are captured.
Even though the operation is a failure, Esme still argues that they should try to get her family out, but there is just no way to do so. Even though she continues to argue the mutants outside decide they have no choice but to leave.
Thoughts on this episode
I enjoyed this episode, but not the cliffhanger at the end, which I never enjoy. We know that the kids are prisoners of Sentinel Services, but I somehow don’t think they will be for long. All through the episode, I wondered about Esme’s motives and, if she is telling the truth about her family being killed by Sentinel Services. I suspect she is a mutant controlled by Sentinel Services who has been sent out the gather up mutants to be captured.
This quote from Den of Geek‘s review of the episode pretty much justifies my suspicions:
The one so far unmentioned subplot from this week is Esme being a creepy shit. The team’s new telepath from last week is up to some shady stuff, trying to manipulate the Resistance into doing what she wants. This tracks with her comics version – Esme was the Stepford Cuckoo who broke with the rest of the Five in One, got all lit up on kick, imagined she was Magneto’s girlfriend, then died when he got all hopped up on kick and decided he was tired of her crap. Morrison’s run is probably due for a critical reexamination, I think. So, for me, this pretty much sums up Esme as not someone who will help the other mutants and is the cause of Andy and Lauren’s capture.
Let’s hope that in next week’s episode somehow, Andy and Lauren are able to escape their fate. Maybe, Reed and Caitlin will find a way to get them out. I’m excited to see what happens. Overall, I’d say this is one of the best episodes yet!
Watch this video showing Esme trying to convince Sentinel Services to help her. Do you believe her? Not me!
See more screenshots in the photo gallery by clicking on the button below.
