Demons are supernatural beings that are believed to have the ability to possess the bodies of the living. According to the infallible source that is Wikipedia the etymology, the origin, of the word “demon” most likely derives from the Greek “daiesthai” which means to divide or distribute. I say this because this episode alludes to what a demon actually is, albeit in two forms.
In one scene, a character implies that there are inner demons: ones that get in the way of what you want in life, in a way reminiscent of self-doubt. In another, a projection of a sensate is mistaken for a different sort: one of temptation, lust. The writers, in their research, must have come across the creature known as “Buer”, depicted with a lion’s head and legs like spokes on a wheel. It is a chimera, an amalgamation of a lot of different animals. In a way these eight people have become this chimera; this demon to be feared and hunted.
There is a scene in this episode that I found… hard to watch. Two of the most popular fears have been merged into one: the one of claustrophobia and one of suffocation. A plastic bag is placed on a character’s head (I won’t say which for fear of spoilers). You can see the bag take on the contours of their face, the veins protruding upon the face of the torturer. It goes on for some time, nearly too long for my liking (if there is such a thing). But if their intention was to make me squirm in my seat, they have triumphed in that regard.
The one word I would give to this episode if someone asked me to describe it would be visceral. This is an episode that doesn’t shy away from some pretty sweaty, passionate scenes. I think orgy would be another word I would use, and I mean that in the literal, Roman, sense. We all need a little love sometimes, right?
#Peace.Love.Sense8
