Act One
Elliot is taken to Krista's apartment, where he is met by Vera. Elliot questions why Vera waited to make his move after two months, and Vera explains that he wanted to be thoroughly prepared for their reunion. Mr. Robot ruminates on a way for Elliot to escape while Vera elaborates on his rise to power in the Dominican Republic following the 5/9 hack. After conquering the entire island, Vera felt empty and sought the guidance of a shaman, who told him to go back to where he truly belonged: New York, and find Elliot, whom Vera wants as his partner in crime. Elliot opts to negotiate, but Vera becomes annoyed by this, reasoning that they already played this game before with Shayla. Elliot points out that Shayla's death was exactly why he wants to ensure Krista's safety and demands to see her in person. Vera obliges.
Act Two
In the next room, Krista sits bound and gagged. Elliot presses Vera to let Krista go, but Vera insists that he be introduced to Mr. Robot before honoring another request. Elliot tries to feign ignorance but Vera is unconvinced, taking a knife to Krista's throat. As Elliot struggles with Javi and Peanuts, Mr. Robot takes over, announcing his presence. Mr. Robot demands to know what Vera wants with him, and Vera says that he wants to know why Elliot created him. Mr. Robot tells Vera that Elliot's mother was cruel to him as a child and that his father died of leukemia, leaving him without a proper figure to protect him. Vera writes this off as Mr. Robot spinning the true story, but Mr. Robot asks why Vera would waste his time when he doesn't even have a proper plan to take over the city with no capital to act on. Vera claims he can hold up stores, but Mr. Robot mocks his small-time approach, offering to share the money they stand to gain from the Deus Group hack in exchange for Krista's safety. Vera thinks Mr. Robot is lying, pointing out that Krista shared her own ambivalence with Elliot in her notes. Elliot returns, saying that he can show Vera the total amount of money on his laptop. Vera sends Javi and Peanuts to get Elliot's bag. Vera admits that he is more intimidated by Elliot, and says that he doesn't need Mr. Robot to help him.
Act Three
Elliot shows Vera, Javi, and Peanuts the amount of money he will gain from the hack. As they fawn over the exceptionally large number, Elliot remembers the gun that he picked up from the dead Dark Army agent in Pike's Hollow and grabs it out of his bag. Elliot points the gun at the three gangsters, but Vera states that he doesn't have it in him to shoot them all. Elliot pulls the trigger only to discover that Javi took the bullets after checking his bag. Vera confesses that he is impressed by Elliot's bravado, but that there are still some issues that they need to work out. Mr. Robot tries to cover for Elliot's failure but Vera reloads the gun and retrieves Krista from the next room. Elliot panics as Vera asks him why Krista is so important to him, to which Elliot says that he needs her and that she helps him. Vera understands this to mean that Krista is Elliot's "shaman", and that Krista is the key to breaking Elliot.
Act Four
Vera sits Elliot and Krista down in the next room, demanding that she conduct a therapy session. Krista tries to explain that it doesn't work like that, and Vera sends Javi and Peanuts to wait outside, giving the three some privacy. Reluctantly, Krista begins asking Elliot about how he has been, and Elliot informs her of his motherś passing. Vera grows impatient, forcing Krista to ask Elliot about the day he fell out of his bedroom window, and how it's connected to Mr. Robot's origin. Krista refuses, and Mr. Robot tries to convince Elliot to not play along, but Elliot demands that Krista reveal what she is hiding. Krista asks about the day Elliot fell out of the window, and he states that he wasn't pushed as he originally thought. Krista inquires as to why Elliot would do such a thing, and he recounts the events leading up to the incident. Krista suggests that Mr. Robot is the reason why he doesn't remember, and Elliot accuses Mr. Robot of lying, asking how long he has truly been around. Mr. Robot tries to tell Krista that he can't know the truth, but Elliot persists. Krista asks Elliot why he would have such a violent reaction to his father, and Elliot posits that he could have been scared of him. Krista asks why he would be scared of his father, and Mr. Robot weakly says that he cannot protect him anymore. The truth begins to dawn on Elliot, and Krista asks if his father molested him. Elliot answers, "yes."
Act Five
Broken by this revelation, Elliot leaves the room. Vera follows him and tries to convince him that the truth about his father is power. Elliot blames Vera for doing this to him, and Vera tries to level with him, revealing his past of abuse. Vera tells Elliot that very few people know the pain he has experienced and that he can use it to become the storm that he has weathered for so long. Vera, with tear-soaked eyes, looks into Elliot's, saying, "I see you now..."
*thud*
Vera gasps. Standing up, he reaches behind him to feel his knife, plunged into his back by Krista. Vera coughs up blood and collapses, struggling to breathe as Krista stands before Elliot. One by one, the lights shut off as Vera bleeds out on the floor.
Tropes
- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Mr. Robot pleads Vera and Krista to stop probing onto his origins. With what is revealed later on, it's very understandable.
- Art Shift: Several:
- The cinematic 16:9 aspect ratio, once exclusive to "eps3.7_dont-delete-me.ko", returns in this episode.
- The soundtrack is entirely orchestral; not a tinge of Mac Quayle's usual electronic flair to be found.
- The cinematography and scene arrangement mirrors that of a theatrical stage play, complete with a five act narrative structure.
- Asshole Victim: Vera.
- Also retroactively, Edward Alderson.
- Badass Boast: When Mr. Robot starts mouthing off to Vera, Peanut pulls out a gun to rein him in, leading to this exchange:Peanut: "Where's that courage now, bitch?"Mr. Robot (bypassing the barrel literally pointed in his face and staring into Peanut's): "Right fucking here."
- To clarify, this moment is so badass, it serves as a confirmation to Vera that he is in fact talking to Mr. Robot, and not Elliot. Vera even admits that he's intimidated.
- Mr. Robot's claim that his "power" isn't the gun, but that he is the gun, is a close second.
- Actually, an entire portion of the episode consists of Vera and Mr. Robot trading badass boasts with each other, each more grand than the last.
- Bittersweet Ending: A textbook example: Vera succeeds in breaking Elliot's will, but ends up finally paying the piper for his laundry list of terrible crimes thanks to Krista's interference.
- Bottle Episode: Apart from the opening scene with Elliot bound in the trunk, the entire episode plays out inside Krista's living room and studio, with Elliot, Mr. Robot, Vera, Krista, Javi, and Peanut being the only characters present.
- Bunker Woman: Krista and Elliot, of sorts.
- Cathartic Scream: Elliot lets one out after he remembers his father's sexual abuse.
- Chekhov's Gun: Subverted with the gun in Elliot's backpack, but played straight with Isaac's knife.
- Darkest Hour: Elliot learns about why Mr. Robot exists, Vera is not only threatening to kill Krista but also breaks him.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Vera's behavior towards Elliot in general basically depicts the behavior of the classic Stalker Witha Crush trope, albeit much more extreme and darker. It even depicts the stages of Domestic Abuse Elliot is put through. More tropes depicted in this are Scarpia Ultimatum, And Now You Must Marry Me etc.
- From Nobody to Nightmare: Vera's journey following his escape from prison. He returned to his place of birth in the Dominican Republic, and, thanks to Five/Nine, was able to take over the entire island, starting with the resident gangs and ending with the president. One day after this conquest, Vera was already bored with it.
- Gaslighting: What Vera tries to do to Elliot by the end of the episode.
- I Love You Because I Can't Control You: Vera lampshades this by saying that even though Mr. Robot barks a lot, Elliot doesn't need him because Vera is more intimidated by him and believes it makes Elliot his perfect partner.
- In the Back: How Vera is ultimately done in, with Krista using Isaac's knife.
- Inelegant Blubbering: Before the Cathartic Scream, Elliot does this. However, anything less would be an objectionable reaction given what causes it.
- Karmic Death: Vera, as noted in the In the Back example above.
- Kirk Summation: Both Elliot and Mr. Robot point out to Vera how stupid his plan is to "take over New York".
- Know When to Fold 'Em: A particularly bleak example; his outright pleading to stop revealing the truth of the "window event" ultimately failing, Mr. Robot defeatedly states to Elliot that he can't protect him anymore. Failing in one of the primary reasons for his very existence, in the next shot focusing on Elliot he walks past out of the scene and the rest of the episode itself.
- Made a Slave: Vera intends to do this to Elliot. He fails.
- Near-Villain Victory: Vera is seconds away from completely breaking Elliot into his "partner". Cue Krista with a knife.
- Origins Episode: For Mr. Robot, in a roundabout way.
- Rescue Reversal : Elliot went to Vera's apartments to rescue Krista. At the end of the episode, she is the one who saves him from Vera.
- The Reveal: The most emotionally devastating one the show has offered yet: Elliot's father sexually molested him as a child, and Mr. Robot emerged to shield him from the truth of that abuse.
- Silent Credits: And they are chillingly quiet.
- Stalker with a Crush: Throughout the episode, Vera constantly confesses his admiration towards Elliot and at the same time threatens him and Krista if he doesn't become his partner and then becomes soft with him at the end and justifies that he did all this because he wanted to show Elliot "the light".
- Stockholm Syndrome: What Vera tried to instill on Elliot.
- A Storm Is Coming: A thunderstorm slowly brews outside as the events of the episode grow more dire.
- Very Special Episode: The episode ends up covering some incredibly heavy topics, namely sexual abuse. A domestic abuse hotline even accompanies the credits.
- Victory Is Boring: What drives Vera back to New York; he's already achieved all the power he could in the Dominican Republic, and wasn't satisfied.
- Villainous Face Hold: Vera does this with Elliot several times.
- Wham Episode: In a season filled with back-to-back wham episodes, this one drops one hell of a wham: the truth that Elliot's father was sexually abusive.
