THE GIFTED: 3×1 Roundtable

The Gifted Episode 1.11 – 3 x 1

After the revelation that Esme was not alone and not necessarily on the side of the mutants last episode, came the reveal that her and her two sisters (heretofore referred to as the “Terror Triplets” or “Cuckoos”) are being instructed by a bigger nefarious organization. Afterall, can’t let only the humans have nefarious organizations!

Join Roz, Rueben, Karen, and I as we discuss the episode.

So the Terror Triplets are not working alone. What do you think about the revelation that they are being directed by someone else? And who/what is the Inner Circle?

Roz: Well, here (https://marvel.com/universe/Hellfire_Club) is the rundown on Hellfire, but I’m guessing the Inner Circle is the guy with the diamond and some other lesser known mutants to fill out the team. I’m going to be sad to not get Maddie or Jason in this verse, but maybe I’m wrong. We can’t go with many of the historic members, which is so sad.

Rueben:  This is the time I wish I knew more about the Marvel Universe.  I had to look this up just to get a small understanding of what the Hellfire Club and the Inner Circle were all about.  Given that I can’t even begin to ponder who else is involved, but if they are working with the Terror Triplets (love that moniker, by the way), I can’t see them being all that good, right?

Karen: I’ll go a little deeper here and give you an “inner circle” link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellfire_Club_(comics)#Inner_Circle

There are a lot of names there, but I’ll say right up front, Mr. “I play with diamonds” William whatsisname isn’t there. He’s billed as “William” on imdb. With the allusion to Polaris’ link to the Club, we’re well past The Lords Cardinal phase. *coughMagnetocough*

Cay: While it’s certainly not good for the Struckers, I like bringing in a third party here to mix things up – I think it will make the show that much more interesting moving forward to not be just mutants vs Sentinel Services. Already the last two episodes were more interesting than a bunch that came before.

The mutants are kind of between a rock and a hard place, but they keep getting played by the Triplets and seemingly will continue to be.

Roz: Yeah, the Cuckoos are full on insane most of the time, but the Mutant Underground is always going to be limited because it can’t be very public.

Rueben:  Yeah, Esme and her siblings certainly know how to play everyone off against each other.  It’s like second nature to them, and I can’t see that stopping anytime soon.  It’s just going to be more about how much their victims can hold them off.

Karen: Ugh, the Cuckoos are maddening! I mean, I dig that they’re on the show, but the whole talking in synch/talking in turn thing is making me crazy. As far as the characters go, they’re users first and foremost – that’s just their baseline. They won’t work well with others… ever.

Cay: Yeah, it’s kind of like when there was that set of twins or triplets in school, and they used to do that to be annoying… The Mutants need their help, yet can’t trust them, and also can’t really afford to go against them too much, either.

They seem to be setting things up for Andy to potentially break from his family and do something impulsive/reckless

Roz: Andy has always been the one who’s quick to respond so I’m not shocked he’s the weaker link. He probably has the most raw strength so it makes sense he could see into the Cuckoos way of thinking.

Rueben:  Yeah, I really started wondering that when Andy walked off from his parents once they arrived at Fairburn.  I have to wonder if we’ll see that fracture play out in the season finale in two weeks.  It would be that right time to employ that storyline, don’t you think?

Karen: They can see the cracks in his armor, and they’ll take every opportunity to exploit them. I don’t think they’ll stop at Andy either. Once they grasp the total power Andy and Lauren share and how they can manipulate it, I have a feeling they’ll jump all over it. It may start out being helpful in the efforts for the good guys to win, but ultimately, it’s POWER. They share that avarice with Campbell. Just framing it differently.

Cay: The fact that I didn’t notice that Andy told his parents about the convo with whichever Triplet he talked to and then seemed to pretend that he knew where they’d be after they escaped is definitely a harbinger of bad things to come in the rebellion department, I fear.

The two mutants being used as a weapon by Sentinel Services seem to have similar powers to Andy and Lauren

Roz: I don’t think they’re the same as Andy and Lauren, but with that machine and what Campbell knows of Andy and Lauren, that machine won’t be good at all.

Rueben:  They have similar powers, sure, but it’s that device that amplified them tenfold.  I’m more scared of what that device used by different mutants is going to cause.

Karen: Weird, right? I have a bad feeling about that.

Cay: Does mixing their blood do the same, or worse than just them holding hands? <shudder>

Favorite lines/scenes/MVP?

Roz: Whichever Cuckoo said that Lorna was the daughter of a King of Hellfire! Magneto please show up here please!

Rueben:  What Blink said to Lauren: “Hate feeds on hear and if you run, hate wins.”  That’s pretty powerful given what transpired at the Fairburn Institute.  As for MVP, I would say that goes to Wes, who not only used his powers to shield all the mutants at Fairburn, but holding off the Hounds and Sentinel Services for as long as he did.

Karen: Pretty cool how the scrappy band of refugees were cloaked and then showed themselves to Lauren. Wes was definitely MVP. He’s amazing. Polaris was pretty badass when she slammed the vault door shut and then gleefully talked about how the baby made her stronger. Yeah, it’s foreboding to US, but I love that it makes her a little giddy.

Watch the two-hour season finale of The Gifted on Monday, January 15th, on FOX!