Continuing to connect the Dots!
Speaking of "identity theft" and "invisibility," here comes insidious villain, V.M. Vargas, whom Billy Bob introduces as the "Wolf", Vargas, like a wormy, computer virus has made his way into Emmitt Stussy's company. Emmitt takes a short cut when he needed money, during the bank bubble in 2008, and got a loan form an unusual source, without asking too many questions. In the opening episode, Emmitt wants to return the money to get it off the books, so the IRS doesn't look too closely. Short cuts have consequences and Emmitt's now has a silent, but deadly partner. Vargas is a sinister kind of evil. who binge eats then purges or spews the impute from his body in the form of pithy, one liners, like Mike Milligan from season two. The bulimic nature of Vargas not only explains his horrifyingly bad dental work, but may also be symbolic of how his invasion into the Stussy Company through stealth means is like a tapeworm, devouring everything in his path. Vargas is parasitic; eating everything in his path, while purging from his body his own identity while taking leeching off the life of another. He informs Emmitt that Stussy's belongs to him and intends to use Emmitt's "identity" to make himself and all his money "invisible" from the world. Vargas is afraid the "masses" are about to storm the gates of the wealthy and he intends to protect his wealth by hiding it in plain sight: Stussy INC!
"Into the Fire," also shows brief connections between characters which not only move the plot along, but also raise the question, as Hawley did in the first two seasons, how do humans connect with the world around them and how much other people's perfections of us affect our own identity. Does perception equal reality, or is there a discernible objective reality we (mankind) can share with others. He between Nikki and Gloria, as they walk past each other on the sidewalk outside the parole office. Gloria is going in to talk with the brain bashed suspect's parole officer, Ray, while Nikki has just left him with the news about a bridge sponsor. In this passing, both women sniff each other out and know instantly, the other woman poses danger to her. In her meeting with Ray, she learns her suspect's parole officer has the same last name as her step-father, Stussy. As she takes his business card, Gloria knows this is no coincidence. She's connected one of the dots.
Gloria has one other passing connection, which yields results. She meets a perky, talkative beat cop named, Winnie. Gloria is trying to wash her hands after a bathroom break, with no luck, when Winnie asks for a tampon. Winnie should have asked Nikki; Nikki would have had one. Winnie is a chatty, Cathy and could easily be dismissed by Gloria, who is quiet. However, over the first four episodes this season, we've seen Gloria and know she has a naked, innate sense of understanding human flaws without passing moral judgment. We also know after she passes Nikki, Gloria instinctively knows a "Tigress" when she sees one. Winnie may talk a lot, but she, like Gloria, listens and knows a lie when she hears one or just stammering like she heard from Sy. Winnie also knows about Gloria's murder case because there hasn't been murder in that small Minnesota town in years and while investigating Ray's accident, she learns the car that hit Ray's Corvette belongs to his brother, Emmitt Stussy's company. Winnie connects the other dot, Emmitt, and where he lives, Eden Prairie, not Eden Valley. Thus, Hawley, brings back another theme from seasons one and two: how do humans connect with the world. Gloria likes human connections and listening to learn. The way Carrie Coon's eyes light up when Winnie brings her the connecting dots in person, not over the phone, in a text message or email. Gloria refuses to believe perception equals reality and does not all other people's perception of her to move her from the path she is traveling. Gloria moves at her own speed and changes directions when her instincts, senses, tell her two. So, Hawley once more begs the questions" Does our perception of things or people, create their own reality, or is there an objective reality we all can know? Do we allow people's perception of us to shape or reshape up into someone or something new. Remember, how Hank Larson, from season two wanted to create a new language based on symbols because he believed words could mean different things to different people, thus causing the ability to communicate with other people more difficult. Moreover, our inability to communicate with each other on a human level becomes the source of all the ills that plague the earth. Each season, Hawley shows characters trying to connect to an ever-changing world. Some connect with their minds, other with their senses, but these connections are often miss-perceptions, like Hawley's opening scrawl, "This is a "True" story."
Tonight's episode continues the "turth" verses "perceptive truth" when Ray and Nikki send a porno of Ray disguised as Emmitt having sex with Nikki in disguise. Gloria has another conflict when she and Winnie bring Ray in for questioning. She knows he won't like it, but as she puts it "you don't have to like the truth for it to be true." The new sheriff dismisses her once more and says cut Ray loose cause she cannot prove the "truth," and he won't let her try.
4 out of 11 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
