Mortel Recap: New Powers

This recap of Netflix series Mortel Season 1, Episode 2, “Hot. Hot. Hot” contains significant spoilers. You can read the recap of the previous episode by clicking these words.

Now that Mortel has established that Sofiane and Victor (Némo Schiffman) have newfound powers, we receive a slightly stronger episode. Mortel Episode 2, “Hot. Hot. Hot”, begins in a supermarket. Sofiane tells the shop supervisor that he wants all his shopping for free and begins using his powers on him. As they escape the shop, Victor tells Sofiane that Obe gave him powers. Later, when Sofiane joins Victor’s family for dinner, Victor learns he can read minds, which appears excruciatingly painful, especially when he can hear his mother and sister think about how much they want to f–k Sofiane.

Sofiane has this superhero team in his head, where they approach the wrestlers to pay for what they did to his brother Reda.

Counsellor Mrs. Jourdan speaks to Victor about Sofiane. In return, Victor asks about Laurine, the girl Mrs. Jourdan counselled and later threw herself out of the window. The counselor accuses Sofiane of being a manipulator. I don’t think she’s entirely wrong.

One of the teachers named Thomas shows Mrs. Jourdan some drawings from a student called Modibo. One of the drawings looks like Obe. The counselor wants to know why students are keeping themselves locked in under self-imposed house arrest. Mrs. Jourdan goes looking for Modibo in his home. She finds him and asks about the drawings but before the conversation can go further, Modibo’s father catches her.

The midway point of Mortel Episode 2, “Hot. Hot. Hot” spices things up slightly. Victor and Sofiane go to the school gym to approach the wrestlers. Sofiane demands to fight Rodrigue. Luisa is in attendance and Victor unintentionally reads her mind and hears “I don’t love Bastien” and that she felt comfortable around Reda. Sofiane and Rodrigue wrestle and Sofiane uses his powers initially to beat him, but then Victor struggles with the voices in his head, walks outside and throws up as Sofiane begins losing to Rodrigue.

Luisa becomes a helping hand and takes Victor to her home for a change of clothes. Victor sees a voodoo statue at Luisa’s home that looks like Obe. Luisa’s grandma freaks out a little. Victor and Luisa enjoy a conversation together as they walk outside, then suddenly, Victor remembers he was meant to be with Sofiane.

Victor checks up on Sofiane who is understandably angry for leaving him. Victor makes it known that there’s something going on between Luisa and Reda. With Victor seemingly struggling with his powers, Sofiane tells him to drink from a whiskey bottle beforehand. I didn’t know there was a party up until this point, and what a ludicrous idea to give someone a full bottle of whiskey.

At the party, Luisa talks to Bastien and lets him know it is over and she is not in love with him. On route, Victor is super drunk and Sofiane is now concerned, despite getting him drunk. The wrestling team won’t let Sofiane in, but Victor decides to skirt on the outside and creepily speak to Luisa before heading in.

Sofiane asks Luisa if they can speak to Reda, while Victor ends up in the bathroom with two girls taking laughing gas. Luisa tells Sofiane that Reda was scared of someone, not knowing who that someone was. She drunkenly tells Sofiane that he looks a lot like his brother and that she misses him. Sofiane feels the sadness and starts making the house shake. Victor causes a ruckus and damages a table, and then his head begins to bother him. He sets off a fire with his mind and everyone evacuates. Obe turns up and wonders what the hell is going on and asks Victor to save Sofiane from the fire.

As Mortel Season 1, Episode 2, “Hot. Hot. Hot” ends, I’m wondering what the hell is going on as well.

Additional Notes

• Kiana believes it is Sofiane making the teacher mad.
• Sofiane forces Victor to read the teacher’s mind but he won’t. Sofiane and Victor promise to not force their powers on each other.

You can read the recap of the third episode by clicking these words.