Summary
Episode 2 is mostly about the facility’s reputation that is under heat due to leaks from journalists.
This recap of Netflix limited series Stateless Season 1 Episode 2, “Incognita” contains spoilers.
Access all the episode recaps.
How does Stateless episode 2, “Incognita” open?
Sofie awakens in the detention facility and checks her surroundings, witnessing the other immigrants in the compound. Cam is out in the yard and he seems compassionate and kind to the people who reside in the facility. Sofie asks a woman nearby how to get out of here — she explains that she doesn’t belong here and that she wants to return to Germany. Suddenly, a helicopter heads over the detention facility and it’s a news crew. The facility guards ask all the immigrants to head to their rooms. The warden and the director do not want misinformation on the news about living conditions. Episode 2, “Incognita”, is mostly about the facility’s reputation that is under heat due to leaks from journalists.
The escape
A flashback shows Sofie at a mental facility and her family is worried. Sofie is freaking out because they suggest that she will need to live with her parents. In contrast, she’s now in an immigration facility. Sofie tries to get information off Cam — he gives her a payphone card and tells her to let her family know that she’s okay. Harriet, one of the guards, is irked by Cam’s kindness — this becomes important later in the episode. Back to the flashback, Wilhelm visits Sofie in the mental facility and she kisses him to persuade him to free her. In the present day, she’s losing her mind at the detention facility. At the police station, an officer suggests to Margot that people like Sofie ‘want’ to be missing. The officer clearly has a point in this case.
Request for a protection visa
Ameer makes it to Australia and he has an immigration interview; he wants a protection visa so he can find his family. He’s asked why he left Afghanistan and a range of different questions — he talks about the oppression that his family faced and that’s why they fled to Pakistan, saving up money to leave. Ameer talks about the boat he left his family on.
Welcome Clare
Clare Kowitz heads to the immigration facility in Australia — she’s the new General Manager of Immigration. She meets Brian, KORVO General Manager. Clare is introduced to her office. She asks if there are any case officers but there doesn’t seem to be. When Clare visits the compound she is surrounded by immigrants wanting their case to be looked at. Clare wants a couple of the immigrants to get off the roof and asks a translator to help her; the two immigrants have four requests, which mostly consists of helping their cases out. Clare gets impatient and heads up to the roof but the immigrants threaten to self-harm — a news helicopter heads over so Clare retreats before more bad press is published.
This scene in “Incognita” demonstrates how immigration policies are cruel — the two immigrants on the roof have been residing in the facility for years.
Family discontent
At the midway point of Stateless episode 2, “Incognita”, Cam returns home to his family — his sister is clearly against the facility but his wife Angie does not seem deterred by Cam’s new job. He also wants to move home and his wife is pleased — of course, this will change later.
Cultural sensitivities
Sofie is given clothes so she can abide by cultural sensitivities in the facility as she’s showing too much of her body. When she tries on her new clothes, she remembers Gordon abusing her and starts experiencing voices in her head. In a flashback, Sofie is at a nightclub and she meets a woman named Eva — she stole this person’s identity which landed her in this facility.
Welcome Ameer
Ameer is now at the detention facility and he’s asking for his wife. He sees his friend Farid. Farid explains there are many detention facilities like this and shows Ameer around the place. Farid tells Ameer to stay strong in his mind and “get out of here”. Clare rings the director and asks that the military places a no-fly zone around the detention facility — she’s putting her foot down on the place — the character seems determined to put out fires but she does seem to care about the welfare of the immigrants.
Will I be deported
In the detention facility, Sofie is interviewed and she’s told her visa has expired — she’s told she may be deported back to Germany but they need to contact the German consulate first. When she returns to the compound, a woman accuses her of stealing her clothes so she takes off her top that gets the men excited. Meanwhile, a fight breaks out between an immigrant and one of the other guards (Cam’s friend) so he’s detained. They take him around the corner and Harriet beats up the immigrant with a baton. Harriet tells Cam to “toughen the f*ck up”. Cam is alarmed by what he saw. When he returns home, he is struggling to readjust back to family life. Episode 2 sees the reality sink in for Cam who was enjoying the job like a holiday before — he’s learned that this facility is not kind as he first thought.
Ameer’s bad news
Clare tells Brian that he was meant to provide recreational activities. Brian explains that the immigrants are on the roof because no-one has processed their applications for 4 years. Clare hears some news regarding Ameer on the phone; meanwhile, Ameer is reunited with his oldest daughter. Ameer asks where the rest of the family is — she explains how her mother and sister drowned. Clare heads outside to see Ameer wailing at the tragic news. This was an awful scene as it demonstrates the heights Ameer went to help his family escape oppression, which ultimately killed them.
How does Stateless episode 2, “Incognita” end?
Clare is frustrated that families are being destroyed by coming to Australia and David Meakin, the journalist, explains that the policies for immigration are wrong. An emotional Clare asks David to do something about the policies — on the news, a photo has been published of an immigrant getting brutally beaten by the facility guards. It’s only going to get worse for Clare to put out the fires.
