In the grim underbelly of Impulse Retcon, the episode “They Know Not What They Do” drags us into a world where instant teleportation isn’t a gift—it’s a curse wrapped in corporate greed and family lies. As a science fiction writer who thrives on the dark edges of human nature, I see this series as a mirror to our own fractured society. Here, powers born from trauma twist ordinary people into killers, and the line between hero and monster blurs into smoke. Let’s break it down simply, peeling back the layers of this episode’s chilling plot and themes, while I flesh out the ideas lurking in the shadows.
The Corporate Machine: Cleartech’s Teleporting Empire
At the heart of it all is Cleartech, a shadowy corporation peddling teleporters like they’re the next big smartphone. But how do they turn a profit? Easy—imagine blinking from one city to another to seal deals, smuggle goods, or spy on rivals without a trace. No planes, no borders, just pure, unchecked power. The episode hints at this: workers stitch up teleporters (literally, in one bloody scene) while scheming for promotions. It’s office politics on steroids, where employees whisper favors to killers like Nikolai, a teleporter with a body count. Picture this: a lowly Cleartech drone begs Nikolai for a “good word” with the boss, ignoring the blood on his hands. It’s a dark reminder that in the climb up the corporate ladder, people will sell their souls—or yours—for a corner office.
I expand this idea into something sinister: What if Cleartech isn’t just selling travel? Maybe they’re harvesting teleporters’ powers, experimenting on trauma victims to create an army of instant assassins. Profit comes from black-market ops, where teleportation means dodging laws and borders. It’s capitalism gone feral, where the “blink” of an eye hides a world of exploitation.
Unseen Enemies and Demons in the Details
The episode warns of invisible threats, like actual demons aka people acting and pulling strings from the shadows. Nikolai’s chat with the CEO reveals a bombshell: no blood ties between Henry Cole and her past targets, including her supposed father. Henry might be adopted, raised on a lie that her “dad” was real. This twists the knife—family isn’t blood; it’s the illusions we cling to. Unseen enemies? They’re everywhere, from the devilish forces behind mass deaths to the sneaky coworkers you overlook. The show urges scrutiny: peek closer at that employee, and you’ll find rot. But why bother? Negativity is pandemic; ignorance might be the only bliss.
Developing this, I envision a broader conspiracy: These “demons” possessing people could be psychic entities feeding on teleporters’ rage, orchestrating deaths as humans to fuel more powers. Henry’s childhood issues—never treated because they “weren’t a problem”—hint at early possession. She stabs Nikolai with Jenna, then shrugs it off like she’s craving ice cream. Jenna calls her out: “There’s something really wrong with you.” Henry’s reply? She knows it’s bad but can’t stop. It’s a dark take on mental health: untreated trauma births monsters, and society looks away until bodies pile up.
Secrets, Lies, and the Power of Knowledge
Henry masters the art of secrets. She knows people will lie for you if they’re hiding their own dirt—Jenna does exactly that later, covering for Henry’s role in a kid’s death. Henry admits it: she fingered Amos Miller as Clay’s attacker, leading Bill Boone to order his hit via Lucas. It starts and ends with her guilt. But knowledge is a double-edged blade; Henry keeps info on a “need-to-know” basis, fearing Jenna’s recklessness.
Truth gets dissected here: Is it constructed by liars, discovered like science, or handed down like Mennonite faith? The episode pits these against each other. Henry’s stepdad hunts for her when she vanishes, caring more than her “real” family ever did. But there are always two sides to a story. Biology means nothing; bonds are forged in fire? And strangely, all-powerful Henry confesses she doesn’t know what to do, begging Jenna for guidance. Jenna’s idea? Call Clay—the guy who might have raped Henry. It’s a gut-punch of desperation, showing how abuse cycles trap even the strong.
Fleshing this out darkly: Secrets are currency in this world. Henry’s adoption? Maybe Cleartech engineered it, planting her in a family to study her powers. Truth isn’t given; it’s weaponized. The Mennonites cling to biblical “truth,” but corruption rots them from within—fentanyl deals hidden under piety.
The DEA’s Hidden War and Religious Reckoning
The DEA lurks in plain sight, crammed into a Mercedes ProMaster van on a car lot, blending in like just another ride for sale. They’re hunting a religion: the Mennonites, tangled in drugs and delusions. It’s a metaphor for bigger forces—like the UN stamping out religion to control the masses. Forget hope; people need something to believe in, even if it’s corrupt. The episode explodes into a gunfight at Bill Boone’s motel: DEA, local cops, Mennonites, and Boone’s crew trading bullets. Officers drop, but Cleo (Henry’s mom) survives the chaos as if rescued by an angel.
Henry sees what cops can’t. They claim Lucas (holding Cleo) won’t hurt her, but Henry calls bullshit—Lucas just killed someone. She bolts after her mom, teleporting into danger. Lucas rages at Cleo: “How am I supposed to know the real shit when everybody keeps lying?” It’s blind leading blind, tumbling into pits of deceit.
Sheriff Anna’s stunned when Boone walks free. Why? He cut a deal: hand over dirty cops and nail the drug-dealing Mennonites, saving his son Lucas too. Justice? It’s twisted. Lucas exposes Boone: he forces good people into evil, probably even drove Henry to stir trouble at the Miller ranch. Lucas awakens to his doom—he never had a chance, raised in poison.
I develop this into a darker sci-fi angle: The DEA isn’t just after drugs; they’re suppressing teleporters tied to “religious” visions. Mennonites see powers as divine, but it’s corporate experimentation gone wrong. The UN parallel? Global powers fear faith-fueled uprisings, where believers teleport to revolt.
A Fiery End and Biblical Irony
The episode closes with Mrs. Miller quoting scripture: “All have strayed, and there is not one righteous.” Then she orders the Mennonite men to torch Bill Boone’s house—vengeance masked as God’s will. Henry dashes in, spotting Clay on the floor. No escape? She teleports them both out, saving her possible abuser in a twisted act of mercy.
Henry mirrors her mom: both lash out in fury, hitting walls or people. It’s generational darkness—trauma teleporting from parent to child.
In Impulse Retcon, no one’s clean. Powers amplify flaws, corporations devour souls, and faith crumbles under lies. This episode is a stark warning: in a world of blinks and betrayals, the real horror is what we do to each other. Watch it if you dare— but don’t blink, or you’ll miss the demons at your door.