Raised by Wolvesjust seems to be getting better and better this season, and the big turns are coming with incredible speed. There are big new ideas dropped for just about every important story element in this episode, and it keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. Season 2, episode four is entitled “Control,” and is directed by Sunu Gonera,who also crafted episode 3. This episode was written by Karen Campbell, who wrote one episode of season one, and wrote on many episodes of season six ofDexter.
After the intense conclusion of the previous episode, fans saw Campion, Holly, and Paul approach Marcus’s Mithraic church with a warning. Some tense back and forth between Paul and Campion led to the duo keeping the enemy encampment’s whereabouts a secret. This detail is swiftly subverted as Paul’s beloved rat erupts with a corrosive bioweapon that immediately puts the boy in a horrific state.
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Turns out that The Trust, inits apparently infinite wisdom, determined that Paul was lying, and used him as a Trojan horse for a clandestine attack. This breach of trust shifts a ton of moving pieces throughout both the Mithraic and the Atheists. Paul’s condition is grievous, and its depiction is genuinely unnerving. This twist works and feels very well-earned, but some savvy viewers may see it coming, especially if they’re watching the two episodes back to back.
This episode marks a huge turning point in the life of Campion, who is starting to feel more like the main character every episode. Campion has proven himself the only character capable of viewing both the Atheist and Mithraic perspectives with relative fairness, and that makes him engaging. He sees the Mithraic praying over Paul’s condition and decides that science might provide a more helpful answer. He is pursued by the friendly android Vrille and a hostile armed Mithraic. Campion, a lifelong pacifist, is forced to kill a living creature to protect someone he cares about. He does so with little pause, almost instinctively. Shortly thereafter, he has a seemingly religious experience that saves his life. The last of Mother’s children has grown a lot over this season, and the big shifts over this episode seem poised to put him in a very new position of power that could change everything. Campion’s voice of reason is a breath of fresh airamongst extremists and maniacs, and his evolving character is very interesting.
Meanwhile, Mother has chosena more classic directionfor her character; violent defense of her children at all costs. Paul’s new predicament awakens the unstoppable maternal instinct within her and brings her into a new conflict with Marcus. Paul’s fate hangs in the balance as his original adoptive parent and his new guardian throw down in the sands. The fight unveils several big concepts, both to the characters and the audience. The series finally addresses the sudden superhuman gifts Marcus seems to exhibit, and the answer is bizarre, yet satisfying. This exchange and its surrounding effects are interesting because they address several of the show’s main themes through each other’s lenses.
The Trust’s actions putting the children in danger places it in conflict with Mother, who sees her duty to her children as paramount. It’s so unusual to seethe “AI versus emotions” argument, as personified through an argument between two machines. Mother’s character is interesting because of the inherent paradox of her personality. A war robot reprogrammed to care for children. She’s still the most engaging character in the series, and as elements of her programming clash with each other, it’s a wonder to see how things work out.The theme of parenthoodis on full display in this episode, between Paul and Marcus, Mother and Campion, Decima and Vrille, and Father’s newfound occupation.
The final moments of this episode drop a massive reveal that threatens to change everything in several ways. After winninghis bizarre Thunderdome dueland earning a hefty supply of android fuel-blood, he is finally able to reanimate the dead android he stumbled upon. Once that unnamed thing finally gets off of its operating table, the android turns out to be a massive new figure amongst the Collective. Truly, this episode leaves off on a cliffhanger so massive, that nothing is off the table for the remaining of the season. With multiple godlike androids, two recently aggrieved armies, one giant snake locked in a cave, and almost every main character in a powder-keg state of aggression, the following episodes could be truly spectacular.
Episode 4 ofRaised by Wolves’second seasonis a fantastic exploration of the show’s main themes, packed with the heady sci-fi action that keeps it exciting. This series is proving a mastery over simultaneously setting pieces in place for the big spectacle and remaining extremely engaging.Raised by Wolvesis available to stream on HBO Max and new episodes drop every Thursday.
