Legion - power and identity portrayed with a powerful identity

There's nothing just as effective as a TV series to strike a sense of existential crisis within me. I've encountered many to send me into deep reflective thought about my ideologies and my perception of reality but I can say without a doubt, that none have had a greater impact on me than Legion. Created by Noah Hawley (a bona fide genius), this undiscovered masterpiece might be one of the most important shows on television. If I were to describe its themes and tones as simply as possible, I'd say it were what would happen if Pink Floyd and Samuel Beckett made a show about God (my atheistic fingers just cramped as I typed that word) disguised as a mutant with mental issues.

Legion is an adaptation of the eponymously named Marvel comics character, and tells his story from childhood to realisation of his mutant origin and powers and continues from there. Avid comic enthusiasts will be smiling at this point, because if you know anything about Legion from the existing literature, its enough to get you giddy. From being the son of Charles Xavier (Professor X), to his stature as an Omega-Level (basically infinitely powerful) mutant, and his dissociative identity disorder, David Haller holds the position of being one of the most significant yet hidden and underrated characters in the Marvel universe. I won't even bother trying to list his powers within this article, but I definitely feel you should search them up to get your mind blown.

We are Legion

The series tells the story of a boy unaware of his potential, coming to terms with his legendary skills and eventually becoming a full fledged force of immeasurable proportions. We experience this entire journey designed to be this metaphorical Bildungsroman (coming of age) of David's spirit. Naturally, comic lovers like myself would expect the show to be about the powers of David and just how crazy they get, but that is where the genius of Noah Hawley and postmodern storytelling transform this show into the upper echelons of shows.

When David's fractured psyche starts to take form in front of the audiences in its fully visceral form, we realise the show isn't about his powers or even his debatably despicable actions but rather about an innocent and beautiful boy consumed by parasites beyond his control. Obviously, the show revolves on the consequences of David's realisations on the people around him but the crux of the story relies on David searching for the thing that fixes him or better yet, hides what he is from himself. The show, from its first breath to the last, is about the broken boy, David Haller.

When you realise you're a God

With a simple but swift decision as that, the creative visual genius of the show comes into fruition. Packed with unforgettable story moments and twists which to full effect convey David's immense power, the show's most important decision lies in its strength of using visual stimuli and imagery to convey many ideas in a single scene. Not defined by compact aspect ratios, rigid storytelling tropes, chromic details or symbolistic meaning, the show makes full use of the environment, landscape and visual detail to express important ideas, as those of David's diminishing connect to reality.

The show highly depends on performances as most other shows, but maybe more so due to the nature of the character's abilities and personalities. When one portrays a position of power but also immense pain and tragedy such like Legion or Sydney Barrett or even the Shadow King, one needs to be fully aware not only of the implications of their character's actions but also of the subtlest movements and intricate expressions. This is why I believe, even without an ensemble cast, Legion as a show has stupendous actors. From the extremely British lead of Dan Stevens, to a stellar Aubrey Plaza and a highly underrated Navid Negahban, the cast manages to play the story to perfection.

The Shadow King

The Devil With The Yellow Eyes. Yeah, that's a bit clunky. But if that monstrous creature doesn't scare the living breath out of you, I don't know what will. I highly despise horror movies simply because of the trauma they inflict on me. So when I realised that Legion carried a mild horror element, I almost shied away and turned it off. I soon realised however that to tell the story of David Haller, this aspect of the story is maybe more integral than any other. And as I sat through the scenes, I realised the excellent craftsmanship needed to create them and gained quite some admiration for them, both in the execution of the scenes and the plot lines it set up, most importantly that of Navid Negahban's character.

Most legendary heroes need possibly even better villains to carry them, and this I will continue to believe till my dying days. Not more powerful ones necessarily, but just better characters. Where would Batman be without Joker, or Walter White without Gus Fring, although that one is up for debate (Walter was NOT a hero). Somewhat explicably, one might apply the same logic here and question who the hero is and who the villain is, but that's for you to decide. My point is Amahl Farouk, or the Shadow King, played by Negahban, is one of the most charismatic villains I've ever met. The charm is enough to secure him a position into the top tier of characters in television, not to mention his intellect and strategy.

The Devil With The Yellow Eyes

No show, apparently, is complete without a love interest. Legion, in an unconventional sense makes use of this trope and give us a normal romantic interest to get behind, not to mention a psychotic alternative as well as a narcissistic route. Rachel Keller portrays Sydney Barrett, the conventional female interest who awakens and assists David on his journey that his powers are a gift and not a burden, without realising that HIS powers combined with his trauma is definitely a burden if not to society, but definitely to him. When she does however realise this, redemption's window begins to close (spoiler alert: It doesn't end well). The psychotic arc is short-lived and subdued but still existent, as Aubrey Plaza's character shines throughout the series. The narcissistic tendencies, however is the greatest love story told in the show.

David Haller, believes in the person he thinks he is. Certain themes revolve around whether he is too blinded by his power to see what he really is or more importantly so, what he may become, not to mention the lingering question of whether he deserves anything at all? Legion will make you question everything you think you know, not only about its own stories and characters, but yourself too. What you interpret and believe about David Haller could possibly be an integral mirror to who you think you are.

Reflection and philosophical deliberation are recommended reactions to the show, as evident through a majority of season 2 (you'll see it). As I've said, it made me question many ideas about life and reality that I held dear. I personally believe Legion is a sleeper hit and would force everyone to watch it, if not for the possibility of losing your mind in the process.

It's Always Blue.