On December 4, 2018th, the finale of season 2 of The Gifted aired on the Fox Network. “gaMe changer” begins with Andy defending an unstable, emotional Rebecca, but a terrible thing happens. Also, it deals with Dr. Risman’s X gene cure, which is really a kind of “final solution” for mutants. Finally, the show sees Thunderbird and Blink get into a fight. This season ending clears up lots of questions from earlier episodes.
To begin, apparently, Dr. Risman has a “true believer” in regards to her cause and research. An assistant of the doctor explains to Lauren, saying: “Dr. Risman is on the verge of something. It could be a solution for all mutants. Anyone who doesn’t want the X gene. Doesn’t want it in their family. They have an answer. They’re going to transform the world, Lauren.” His name is Noah.
However, Lauren realizes the true purpose of Dr. Risman’s X gene research. Lauren tells the mutant underground: “Her brother helped founded the Purifiers. She disagrees with him. Only because she is trying to eliminate hate. By eliminating mutants.”
For Lauren, Dr. Risman’s cure is to eliminate mutants. Passionately, Lauren tells her parents: “But if she finds it, along before parents use it on their kids, before the government uses it on everyone. She thinks she’s saving the world. She already has our DNA. We can’t let her use it.”
Furthermore, Reed agrees with Lauren about this “cure” exterminating mutants. Reed tells the underground: “If Lauren is right, we have to find a way to destroy the research and go. We can’t risk the lifes of every mutant on earth just for my sake.”
Meanwhile, in “gaMe changer,” Jace organizes a citizen’s militia:
“I want to talk about this so-called mutant ‘uprising.’ We need to start calling what it exactly is. It’s straight up terrorism. Thirty-seven humans slaughtered at that bank. It’s up to us to do something about it. And I am not talking about someday. I am talking about now. I am talking about today. First thing we are asking you to do is watch and report. We got a hotline number. Put it in your phones. Leaders have schedules and assignments roaming street patrols. And why you are out there, if you see any evidence of a mutant threat. I am talking about anything, call it in, call it right away cause it is time to take our safety into our own hands. Cause guess what, the cops, the Sentinel Services, they’re not getting it done. So this is what we are going to start a citizen militia. We are going to put eyes and ears in every single neighborhood and we are going to stop mutant violence before it spreads. This mutant uprising. They picked the wrong species to tangle with. The don’t know it yet, but I swear their about to find out.”
Meantime, Blink questions Thunderbird’s plan for a kidnapping. She tells Thunderbird to his face: “You’re not seriously going to kidnap a systems analyst on his way to work? Wow. We are really living the dream of the X-Men. This is crazy.” Thunderbird wants to kidnap a systems analyst.
In defense, Thunderbird gives reasons for this proposed kidnapping. Thunderbird explains to Blink: “This guy isn’t a saint. He does mutant related research for the government.”
Elsewhere, in what sounds like an Alex Jones type of talk show, the Ryan Hour talks about the Citizen’s Militia on the radio. We hear this as Marcos tunes in before the kidnapping: “Yeah, but you’re missing the point. The point is this guy is going to come and change the whole passing scheme.’On today’s Ryan Hour featuring crisis responders who have organized their own citizen’s militia.'”
Also, in this segment, Dr. Risman explains Reed’s powers in a scientific way to the Strucker family. She tells the Struckers:
“Reed’s X gene manufactures complex proteins that release energy. The medicine that Otto and I made blocks the proteins interrupting the system, but when it ceases to be ineffective, the result is a massive release of power and terrible damage. That’s why the work we’re doing with Lauren is so important. By comparing your X gene and hers, we can not just learn to block the gene but turn it off entirely.”
In this broadcast, we learn something about a secret company called “Regiment.” The kidnapped guy reveals this information to Thunderbird after being threatened with a beating: “There might be something. We done it for security reasons. But Regiment runs the control systems for the mutant restraint collars. All of them [prisons].”
With this installment, the media continues to support the Purifiers. On the Ryan’s Hour, Benedict Ryan tells the public: “I know the Citzen’s Militia movement has been accused of bigotry. People use words like ‘hate group.’ Claim you exclude mutants.”
Furthermore, Jace uses the television show “Ryan’s Hour” as a bully palpit. He tells the public: “No, we are about patriotism. We are about law and order. And are we proud of our species? Yes. But if there are mutants that want to do the right thing and support the laws of this country, they are more than welcome to join us.”
During this show, Reeva deals with Rebecca. Reeva tells Andy: “So it would be better if I turn her loose? For what she knows.” She locks her up in a cube-like prison.
Also, during this episode, Andy is forced to kill Rebecca when she tried to kill the Inner Circle. “Hey Rebecca. She’s not breathing. Somebody help. We need to get to doctor. I didn’t mean to. I am sorry.” However, he didn’t mean to do it.
After killing Rebecca, Andy is depressed and guilt-ridden. However, Polaris goes to comfort him, saying: “Andy, I spent time in places like the mental hospitals where they kept Rebecca. You got to understand if you’re not broken going in, then you definitely are coming out. And they made her who she was.”
Moreover, she convinces Andy to come on the latest mission to get revenge:
“Look, I didn’t want to go either until I found out about the target. You know the mutant restraint collars. Yeah, I worn one personally. They tortured you and Lauren with them. That’s who we’re going after. The company behind them. Not a factory. The DC facility where they control the collars. All of them. Ok, every mutant in this country that’s being tortured and abused. Every mutant like Rebecca. Andy. This mission is your chance to get justice for what they did to her.”
With “gaMe changer,” Regiment is taken down by Sage, a mutant with super intelligence and an ex-member of the mutant underground who was responsible for monitoring of law enforcement and mutants. Reeva tells the Hellfire Club about Sage taking down Regiment: “Using the information we got from the bank. Sage pinpointed the location of the Regiment server farm and penetrated it’s security. Their anti-mutant defense arrays will be down by the time we arrive.”
Now, all the mutants are freed from detention camps and mental hospitals. Reeva says the uprising has began: “Think of it. Every collar in every prison. Every mental hospital. So much power unleashed. Today the uprising truly begins.”
It’s “gaMe changer” where Jace Turner captures the leader of the underground, Thunderbird. Jace smiles and tells Thunderbird after a brief struggle with the Purifiers “gotcha.”
In brief, this broadcast finally cleared up some loose ends in past shows. One loose end cleared up was Rebecca, literally, when she’s killed by Andy. How was the series going to deal with this loose cannon? Also, Dr. Risman is finally exposed- she wants to get rid of mutants permanently. I kind of had the feeling that the doctor was bad, anyways. Finally, mutants are freed; however, Thunderbird is caught. This episode answered lots of questions which were building up in past episodes.
