S04.E03: Forbidden

[mxc90]

Quote

First Aired: October 20, 2019

Whiterose has the feels; Elliot gets owned by his own hack; and an old foe chills in wait.

[mxc90]

I'll be pissed if Krista is killed/harmed by Vera.

In Mr. Robot's talk about what do you call someone who's lost everyone, why did he include "sister" in the mom, dad, sister, girlfriend, friends?

Did Olivia explain why she is not with her kid on Chirstmas Eve? She sure asked Elliot the right questions: Did someone hold you down and force you? Are you crazy or something?

She may be doomed getting involved with him.

Vera and his little elves on Christmas Eve. 

The meeting has been set for Christmas night, will they have enought time? Whiterose may win this one.

Not important but I would liked to have seen a follow up if Whiterose was accused of murder/how he got out of it or how he explained the suicde. 

Did Wellick need to break into Elliot's apartment to see him or did someone else do it before he arrived?

[possibilities]

Wellick being so indiscreet and yelling about how they're going to take them down was the least credible thing the show has done so far.

[Cardie]

The glimpse of Whiterose’s backstory was intriguing. Like Elliot and Angela, he’s had a devastating loss in the past.

The rest of the episode was mostly setup and kind of a yawn. 

[Neurochick]

It's interesting that Vera is in this season.  Good to bring back people from season 1.  Shows us who Elliot was before the hack.

I have no idea how this show will end, but I do have theories.  

Whiterose will commit suicide.

Elliot or Mr. Robot will kill Vera.

Elliot and or Mr. Robot will be the new "king of New York" or the new Whiterose.  

[truthaboutluv]

I loved this episode, especially getting the glimpse into White Rose's past. I know it had to be hard not being able to live their true lives but damn, the love of White Rose's life was hardcore. Dude just said, "fuck it" and peaced out. 

Man EVERYONE is obsessed with Elliot, even Vera apparently. I mean I can see why he'd think having someone with Elliot's hacking skills working for him would be golden, considering Elliot managed to get the guy out of maximum security prison by hacking the prison security system. Still, Vera must know there are other hackers in this world. And poor Krista who we know this will not end well for. 

And then there's Tyrell. Seriously, how has that nut managed to stay alive so long? Tyrell really thought it was a brilliant idea to just start blurting out shit as soon as Elliot walked in? I mean really? Did he not even consider that of course the Dark Army has likely bugged Elliot's apartment? Idiot. 

Ah, Elliot finally got laid again. It only took two seasons. Rami and whoever that actress was, had great chemistry but the whole time I kept thinking, "and this is how single women end up murdered sometimes". Because seriously, Elliot in real life is the guy you run the other way from with a quickness. Everything about the dude says psycho.

I cracked up when Mr. Robot stepped in to flirt with the woman and try to use that method of distraction. Because all I could think was yeah, that's a good plan trying to get socially awkward as fuck Elliot to make small talk with anyone, least of all an attractive woman. Lucky for him girlfriend's fucked up enough to find his weirdness attractive versus creepy as hell. 

[truthaboutluv]

10 hours ago, mxc90 said:

In Mr. Robot's talk about what do you call someone who's lost everyone, why did he include "sister" in the mom, dad, sister, girlfriend, friends?

I assumed that was just because Darlene and Elliot had had a fight and it's been clear since the first season that Darlene and Elliot's relationship has been strained a lot throughout the years. 

Quote

Did Olivia explain why she is not with her kid on Chirstmas Eve? 

He was with his father. Elliot mentioned this after he hacked into her iPlanner. That her ex had their son for Christmas and so she set up the date with the guy she met on OKCupid. 

Edited October 21, 2019 by truthaboutluv

[mxc90]

43 minutes ago, truthaboutluv said:

I assumed that was just because Darlene and Elliot had had a fight and it's been clear since the first season that Darlene and Elliot's relationship has been strained a lot throughout the years. 

He was with his father. Elliot mentioned this after he hacked into her iPlanner. That her ex had their son for Christmas and so she set up the date with the guy she met on OKCupid. 

Thanks.

I just thought it was odd he would include the only alive person with the dead mentioned. I didn't think their relationship was that bad.

1 hour ago, truthaboutluv said:

Because all I could think was yeah, that's a good plan trying to get socially awkward as fuck Elliot to make small talk with anyone, least of all an attractive woman.

The most shocking part of the episode. He sure knows his troubled women!  

[truthaboutluv]

Forgot to add, anyone get the sense that when Elliot was trying to stop Darlene from going to the woman's apartment and he grabbed her roughly, to the point she had to tell him he was hurting her, that this was the other alter?

Especially because the writing made sure to have her ask Elliot if it was him, meaning she knew something was different. He said it was but I mean, what else would an alter say. 

Edited October 22, 2019 by truthaboutluv

[patty1h]

I loved that black and white dress that Whiterose was wearing in the flashback.  It had a classic quality and looked beautiful on her.

[hnygrl]

Now we know why he's so obsessed with time. Now we know why he chose the name white rose. He's trying to bring his lover back?  God I hope it's not that basic. 

So now we've met  number three. He's the mean, aggressive one. He's the one who sexed up the lady.  I don't like the third one. He's dangerous & unpredictable. 

Edited October 22, 2019 by hnygrl

[benteen]

Really good episode.  It's cool that we spent so much time getting a Whiterose backstory though I do wonder even with his high-ranking position, how he managed not to get blamed for the suicide or how his secret was never revealed.

Elliot and Olivia was a surprise and I really liked how that storyline played out too.

I joked that we would see Tyrell for two minutes and I was right.  Esmail REALLY dropped the ball with him and Joanna.  Set up some intriguing characters in Season 1, inexplicably kept Tyrell off-screen for most of season 2, inexplicably killed off Joanna shortly thereafter and Tyrell's storyline comes out with all the impact of a wet fart.  Instead of having a plan, these two are just pathetic social-climbers who aren't that interesting.  Epic fail.

I figured Whiterose would replace Price with Tyrell so that was no surprise.  Good lord, can Tyrell possibly be anymore stupid not to assume that the Dark Army was bugging Elliot's apartment and just blurt everything out to him like an idiot?

[truthaboutluv]

9 minutes ago, benteen said:

Really good episode.  It's cool that we spent so much time getting a Whiterose backstory though I do wonder even with his high-ranking position, how he managed not to get blamed for the suicide or how his secret was never revealed.

Well there's the fact that I assume his lover's fingerprints were the only one on the knife, because it didn't look like he touched it and it's obvious the guy's fiance knew something was up with him. Because when Whiterose showed up and asked for him, she said he'd been hiding in the room all night and she didn't know what was wrong with him.

So I can see their believing he was depressed and killed himself. And I got the impression the father may have suspected the son was gay, which is why he was forcing him into the marriage. So I'm sure he'd accept that his son likely killed himself. 

[marcee]

What I found really great about this episode was the takeaway that if Elliot would have gone through with his plan to blackmail her (losing custody because she's been doing drugs)...he would have failed. Because she's wasn't. She kept the pill bottle as a reminder. So it's a really good thing Mr. Robot stepped in and pursued the more 'humane' way of getting the code. Maybe a lesson there?

[possibilities]

She'll still lose her job, though, won't she? Surely they'll be able to trace the security breach to her passcode being stolen

[Ottis]

6 hours ago, benteen said:

It's cool that we spent so much time getting a Whiterose backstory though I do wonder even with his high-ranking position, how he managed not to get blamed for the suicide or how his secret was never revealed.

Given his new role as minister of state security, he could say almost anything - including that he had confronted the deceased about suspicious behavior and when confronted, the deceased killed himself, proving Whiterose is in fact an excellent security minister. This would also allay any suspicions anyone had about Whiterose being gay and that person was his partner.

14 hours ago, hnygrl said:

So now we've met  number three. He's the mean, aggressive one. He's the one who sexed up the lady. 

Did we? Did he look different? I didn't notice #3, but I was in and out of the room. Elliott definitely has more overall confidence at times in dealing with Mr. Robot.

4 hours ago, marcee said:

What I found really great about this episode was the takeaway that if Elliot would have gone through with his plan to blackmail her (losing custody because she's been doing drugs)...he would have failed. Because she's wasn't.

Putting aside perception is often reality, so maybe, your take was my take as well. But by going with what was surprisingly working, Elliott avoided a dead end. I kind of liked it because I like when characters do smart things. I like to think he pulled it off by finding a way (we didn't see yet) that didn't implicate the woman, but I guess we'll see.

WTH is the Congo project?! Bringing back the dead boyfriend? It's something that can be shipped. DNA? His body? Unformed clones?

Edited October 22, 2019 by Ottis

[Cardie]

48 minutes ago, Ottis said:

WTH is the Congo project?! Bringing back the dead boyfriend? It's something that can be shipped. DNA? His body? Unformed clones?

I know it would be a cop out that most here would hate, but Occam’s razor says it’s a time machine. Now we know why Whiterose wants one. I’m wondering if he’s had so many people killed because he plans to do a reset and they will all be back. 

[truthaboutluv]

For me, the fact that at this point almost everyone is certain the Congo project must be some type of time travel machine only further convinces me it's not. Yes, Whiterose is obsessed with time, yes he lost his great love but I still don't think that we're getting some literal time travel machine. Now as I said before, I wouldn't be surprised if it is something time related though not necessarily some sci-fi literally turning back time thing. And hey, if I'm wrong, I'll happily accept the egg on my face. 

[shapeshifter]

This is probably going to be my least favorite episode. The WhiteRose flashback was too long IMO for a character that is not Elliot, but even more problematic for me was that the WhiteRose origin story did not tie in with Elliot’s adventures, IMO, because unlike WR’s heartbreaker, Elliot’s tryst with Olivia was just a chance meeting of like-ish minds in the midst of him using her for his agenda.
Or were we supposed to see WR in the same light? Maybe so. 
Anyway, I think it would have worked better if they had spread out the flashbacks over several episodes. 

Edited October 23, 2019 by shapeshifter

[xaxat]

OK, I have to admit that when Vera was stuffing the chickens, I was thinking "cross-contamination!"

[tennisgurl]

I thought that was a really interesting episode, I really liked the Whiterose backstory and how it probably ties into her current plans and how she became the way that she is. It also interestingly ties into the rest of the characters and the story at large. So many characters are haunted by the past (Elliot more literally than others) and Whiterose has based her entire dark identity of Whiterose on her lost love. 

I wonder if the plan isnt to build a time machine to get her boyfriend back, but to go to a parallel universe where she made a different choice and became an ambassador to the US like his lover wanted, and they lived happily ever after? Whatever her plan is, it definitely involves him and the regrets Whiterose has about what happened to him. 

Yeah great idea Mr. Robot, have socially awkward as fuck Elliot chat up a sexy woman at a bar! Good thing she is actually into oddballs like Elliot apparently! Olivia seems like an interesting character and she and Elliot had great chemistry, but I cant imagine it will end very well. I mean, does it ever with Elliot?

I think we saw the third personality come out with Darlene, and the third personality is a real dick apparently. 

[DoctorAtomic]

Of all what this show is about, it strains credulity that Elliot could pick up a chick at a bar and hook up. Ok, he broke in and knows things about her ahead of time but still.

I thought the Whiterose flashback was a little too long to get to the point they needed to be.

I'm at the point now that I don't really care what the Congo project is. They've blathered on about it so much now I assume it is a giant red herring.

Oh, Wellick. Don't change.

Edited October 27, 2019 by DoctorAtomic

[hnygrl]

6 hours ago, DoctorAtomic said:

Of all what this show is about, it strains credulity that Elliot could pick up a chick at a bar and hook up.

THAT is EXACTLY WHY I think that's the THIRD alter working. That one's aggressive and kinda mean so yeah, he'd pick up a broken chick in a bar. And go back to her place. Then let ELLIOT back out to deal with his mess. Wonder if we went back and looked at all 3 seasons how many times we'd see THAT guy in action? Cause he's one of the ones who can look you dead in the eye and tell you brutal truths. Elliot can. not. do that.

OH. Something else I noticed. When the hood is DOWN? THAT'S NOT ELLIOT.

Edited October 28, 2019 by hnygrl

[blixie]

Quote

I know it would be a cop out that most here would hate, but Occam’s razor says it’s a time machine. Now we know why Whiterose wants one. I’m wondering if he’s had so many people killed because he plans to do a reset and they will all be back. 

I don't think it's a time machine (or a cop out either) exactly but it for sure is some kind of "sliding doors" manipulation of time and space and alternate realities, I think he wants a world w/o death, w/o pain, some kind of Nirvana. I think it's partly how he justifies murdering so many people, he believes the new world will essential "undo" every murder he committed. Tha teach person will get the life they want in their own personal universe. And honestly? I'm 100% on board for that ending, I don't think Esmail will go that far, but I'd love it and I'd love how much it would piss everyone off. GIVE NOT A SINGLE FUCK SAM. 

But then I've never much given a shit about the political messages of the show which I find to be mostly juvenile, and ill formed and even more poorly articulated. I'd much rather this were about a time machine reuniting lost loves and family than about techno-socio-political economy in the age of Trump. 

[DoctorAtomic]

Hard to change horses in midstream though. I think that's the main gripe if it is a time machine. Even though Elliot is a super hacker, he's still using techniques that are grounded in reality, even if Mr. Robot is in control. 

It's a little much that the Dark Army is *everywhere* but that the same time, it's not like they're teleporting. 

I tend to think now the 'project' is a red herring. 

[AudienceofOne]

On 10/21/2019 at 2:49 PM, mxc90 said:

In Mr. Robot's talk about what do you call someone who's lost everyone, why did he include "sister" in the mom, dad, sister, girlfriend, friends?

This, amongst some other things tonight, made me think that Darlene is dead. 

On 10/22/2019 at 3:46 PM, hnygrl said:

So now we've met  number three. He's the mean, aggressive one. He's the one who sexed up the lady.  I don't like the third one. He's dangerous & unpredictable. 

Except these people are all Elliot and this is more about integration than about a new alter. I thought it was interesting that now he's changing and pulling himself back together, he's started to imbue Mr Robot with the empathetic qualities he was originally known for. Suddenly Mr Robot's the smooth one, the caring brother one, the sane one. And Elliot has his sense of danger, unpredictability and an underlying sense of violence. Which, of course, I guess he always had. 

I love Whiterose's back story. It's the perfect synthesis of everything he is, was and could be.

Edited December 27, 2019 by AudienceofOne