Emergence Episode 7: Fatal Exception-Recap And Review-Color Theory Is Important

Everyone’s protecting their daughter, even if some of them have a funny way of showing it in Episode 7 Fatal Exception.

Jo and Emily are locked in a cold war for Piper’s mind. Emily has managed to make moves that have put her several steps ahead of the good guys. She is fiercely smart and morally gray. Now that Alan Wilkis is at her disposal she has everything she needs to reprogram Piper. Similar to cult programming Piper is being groomed and personality traits that are undesirable, altered. Once alteration of her memories begins it looks like the end for Jo and company. Luckily a resourceful and loyal Officer Chris and some serendipitous timing help level the playing field.

Emily’s desire to be loved is so entrenched she can see nothing else. She is still the villain to be sure, but a sympathetic one. Every good villain needs a good backstory. Emily has one in the making. This smart woman who is troubled, and rejected by those who should love her the most is incapable of making rational decisions. Those Daddy issues have left her incapable of determining right from wrong. A roiling mass of need and desperation she is a nasty combination of dangerous characteristics.

Maria Dizzia continues to shine as the single-minded Emily. In other hands, Emily could read as a one-dimensional brilliant mind instead of the damaged sociopath she is. Her sad origin makes her more compelling and scary. She understands she is hurting people and doesn’t care because her want for love is so strong. Just as Piper was programmed, so was Emily. The only difference is hers is of the wet style.

Mia and Alex have their own struggles as Alex wants only to keep his daughter safe, and Mia has become attached to her surrogate little sister. Staying true to their nature Jo and Alex are maintaining civility even in this messy situation. Regardless of their disagreement, they remain deeply respectful. Their relationship continues to have strong chemistry that plays nicely in the series.

Jo’s intense need to protect Piper even at the potential danger to her biological child feels more plot manipulative than truthful at this point, however. Mia and Jo’s race should not be an issue and yet, Jo’s fierce protection of Piper over Mia is questionable. It is problematic for a white woman to choose a white girl over her own black child. If the family is able to unite this issue will be resolved. By episode’s end, they look to be one small step closer. Jo will need to learn to trust her family for that to happen. The cracks that caused Alex and Jo’s divorce are beginning to show.

Benny and Ed are a fun pair that should be explored more. A nice odd couple dynamic that both actors Owain Yeoman and Clancy Brown capitalize on, this could easily be the comedic beats needed between suspense. Before they even got a chance to work things out or at least chew some more screen these two get the shock of their lives when Emily shows up to take Piper.

Piper no longer knows who she can trust after Emily’s work is complete. Mia and Alex show up just in time to help her see truth from lies. Piper hacked her own system and rejected Emily. For a woman as damaged as Emily, there can be no surrender. She needs Piper like she needs air. Coupled with her obvious psychological problems and hyper-intelligence she is a problem. What will happen when her perfect child does something wrong again? Worse yet, as every parent can attest, there is always that inevitable “I hate you” shout. Will Emily find a way to override everything?

Good timing and Mia’s ability to imbue absolute trust in Piper allow for Piper’s emergence(pun intended). Their victory and subsequent unification does not mean all the problems are solved. Emily and others will keep coming and Jo’s family is having a hard time trusting her, understandably. That needs to change before Emily has time to try again. She evidently has just as much, if not more reach than her father did, so it will be an all hands on deck situation.

Color theory and Emergence

Blue- The color of Jo and Piper’s eyes this is one of the most important colors in the world of Emergence. Jo frequently wears blue clothing including tonight. Alex and Ed both wear blue jackets or shirts. Jo’s house has a royal blue door. Piper’s chip, the computer lighting, and her memories before the recoding are all blue. The look of Piper’s memories are an interesting touch. A library filled with blue books all containing an important memory is both functionally appropriate for a computer and human enough to be non-threatening. Blue is symbolic of trust, sincerity, stability, and confidence. Both Piper and Jo have complete confidence in each other and Jo’s ability to keep her safe.

Red- Emily wears shades of red prior to her complete reprogramming of Piper’s memories. A red scarf and jacket are seen in the hallway near the door of Jo’s house which foreshadows the danger to come. Red symbolizes energy, blood, power, deception, and danger. Red often precedes or footnotes intense moments of revelation and violence in Emergence.

Yellow-Piper wears a yellow sweater the entire episode and the lair Wilkis is forced to work at is bathed in yellow. The window treatments and Mia’s jacket are both yellow. Jo’s house and much of the stained glass seen in the windows are golden yellows. Yellow represents duality with symbols both in positive emotions like hope and rebirth and negative ones in cowardice and deceit.

Emily reaches out one last desperate time to her father for help. Devastated by Piper’s loss, she is willing to kill anyone who wronged her including Kindred. Richard Kindred(Terry O’Quinn) will be missed, but he’s leaving the Big Bad job in Emily’s capably twisted hands. Now that Piper can rewrite her own code she is effectively a walking, talking Singularity. having Wilkis back in the fold is a mixed bag. He is terrified they created a Terminator. He may be right, but it’s hard to believe that sweet little girl is the end of the world. Then again aren’t all preteen girls? Want more Emergence coverage? Check out more recaps and reviews here.