Summary
A thrilling penultimate episode deepens the show’s deterministic ideas
Waking at four to soundless dark, I stare.
In time the curtain-edges will grow light.
Till then I see what’s really always there:
Unresting death, a whole day nearer now,
Making all thought impossible but how
And where and when I shall myself die.”
from “Aubade” (1977), Philip Larkin
Each episode of Devs opens with an overture-esque tone poem, frequently showing us locations that will later be elaborated upon (such as the dam). Each intro underlines the theme of the “Box” (as I believe it is officially called) and those in Devs who use it to peer into the lives of others.
In Devs Episode 7, the show’s penultimate episode, scenes of prehistoric man are juxtaposed with Steve Riech’s audio piece “Come out.” The piece uses and reuses the line “Open the bruise up and let some of the bruise blood come out to show them,” a quote from Daniel Hamm, who was one of several African-Americans falsely arrested for murder in the 60s. While in jail, Hamm was beaten; the quote describes the condition upon which he was allowed to go to the hospital. Hamm’s voice is repeated and duplicated, raising questions of authority, seeing, justice, and the voice; themes that handily tie into Alex Garland’s narrative
Predestination
Katie wakes up at Forest’s house, surrounded by potential futures. The visual language explored over the last few episodes depicts a world where she and Forest have a daughter. But Katie knows how this particular day will go; she has seen it many times.
Katie knows that Lyndon will be in her car. She drives to a reservoir where she claims she believes his theory; that many worlds exist. She explains what must happen; Lyndon will balance on the edge of the dam. The quantum variation of the wind will determine whether he falls and dies, or lives and goes back to Devs. He loves the idea, it proves his theory is correct. So he gladly balances on the edge of everything.
With Great Power…
Meanwhile in Devs Episode 7, Stewart shows the Devs team a billion years into the past, then a couple of seconds into the future. The latter terrifies them; their on-screen counterparts tell Stewart to switch it off right before they themselves do so.
Stewart explains what they have accomplished: “A few hours ago we were in reality and we were working on a sin. And we’ve pretty much traded. That’s the reality, right there.”
Stewart then begins loitering around the entrance waiting for Forest to arrive. He recites “Aubade,” Philip Larkin’s masterful poem about the inevitability of death. We see Lyndon fall off the dam, over, and over again. It seems there is no world where he survives. Lyndon dies trying to prove that he is right.
When Forest arrives, Stewart challenges him (clearly connived by Lyndon’s sentiments last episode.) Forest is unaware of the poem, and he refuses to even guess who it’s by, which disappoints Stewart. “Such big decisions about our future made by those who know so little about our past.” Forest retorts, “Isn’t this our past?” His ignorance of the power of his creation is becoming more evident with each passing episode.
“It flat out fucking works,” Stewart explains. “We ignored you. Made the universe how it is rather than your restrictive obsession.” As Forest walks on, Stewart continues to tease him, asking, “Who was Mark Anthony?”
In front of the box, he watches the cavemen seen earlier. Soon Katie arrives, and they wait for Lily together.
A Normal Life
Lily, however, has no intention of going to Devs. She and Jamie are planning to ignore their prediction by staying at home and feigning normalcy. “I had sort of mentally prepared myself for a high-speed police chase,” Jamie jokes in response to Lily’s plan.
But they are too deep into Devs to ever be “normal” again. Kenton arrives and ruthlessly kills Jamie and attempts to kill Lily. She is saved by Pete, the homeless man who lives outside her house. It turns out Pete is not actually homeless, but a Russian agent who was posted to protect Sergei.
He gives her a choice; turn herself in to the CIA, or flee to Hong Kong. “The life you once have is gone.”
But Lily has never been one to run. The sight of Jamie’s cold corpse ensures that she won’t, as she takes Kenton’s gun and heads to Devs. Stewart, still loitering, advises her to turn around. “I don’t think I can,” she replies, and she comes out to show them her bruise.
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