Summary
Episode 7 is an impressive penultimate chapter; it’s managed to give answers but leave many plot points unanswered for the finale.
This recap of Amazon original series Utopia season 1, episode 7 contains significant spoilers.
We recapped every episode — check out the archive.
The opening
Michael wakes up and his wife Colleen asks him to open a file on his computer. There are pictures of him in a compromising position linked to porn on his computer. Colleen then rings someone and confirms an operation has been deployed — she’s completely blackmailed him. Michael is shocked to learn that his wife has been working against him all along. His wife tells Michael he has to agree to new terms and stay in line.
Episode 7 confirms immediately that Michael is part of a conspiracy that’s way bigger than the virus — he’s been a pawn, a part of sinister plans, and he didn’t even know it. It brings an exciting ending for the last two chapters.
Fix it
Arby tells Kevin that he’s back with them for their purpose. On the news, Charlotte tells the journalists that she is an orphan and that her father was a disturbed man and implies that she had a strange relationship with him — she angles with molestation. Kevin is fuming that Charlotte is changing the narrative and asks Arby to fix it. He reminds Arby that he is “earning his place in this crowded world” — a phrase often repeated by this psychotic man.
You work for them too
A downbeat Michael talks of how he fell in love with Colleen — she confirms her purpose was to make him love her and it worked. Michael is devastated that he gave away all his weaknesses. Michael asks her who she works for. Colleen tells him she works for people who will change the world and he works for them too. Jessica enters Michael’s house — she lurks around the corner and points a gun at him. The rest of the group head inside as well.
Everything seems to be coming together well with all the story strands starting to form into an overarching objective.
There’s a whole world out there
Arby approaches Charlotte in her home and asks why she keeps talking to the press. Charlotte explains she felt like she wanted to talk to people and she couldn’t stop — “Arby, the world is so big”. Arby asks if she likes the world and she responds that she loves it and asks him if he ever had Pepsi?
This conversation is insightful; it shows how both characters had an upbringing that was not normal for a child. Arby’s obsession with eating raisins shows how he never had much joy in life and viewed the world in a narrow way. Charlotte obviously decided to explore the real world a bit more and fell in love with what it can offer.
Are you Harvest?
Utopia season 1, episode 7 cannot help itself — more and more violence arrives but from the most unexpected characters.
Jessica and the group undress Michael to see if there are any scars that confirm that he’s Mr. Rabbit but they cannot find anything. Jessica refuses to believe that he’s not Mr. Rabbit. They show him the mental asylum photo — Michael claims he was in there due to anxiety. He realizes at this point that Colleen put him there on purpose. Jessica turns her attention to Colleen and keeps asking her if she is Harvest. Colleen keeps denying she has anything to do with it and then she springs into life with her highly skilled MMA and fights Jessica. As Jessica loses the fight, Alice picks up a gun and shoots Colleen right in the chest.
One of the most interesting things about this Amazon series is how there does not seem a gap between adult and child — they all seem capable of picking up a gun and causing violence and they do it with very little hesitation.
Defining your own purpose
Charlotte gives Arby snacks and treats and explains how they can define their own purpose. Arby seems down that Kevin and co made him into a monster and that he doesn’t want to be called Arby anymore — he wants to be called John.
Episode 7 confirms that Arby does not feel fulfilled with Kevin’s view on “Purpose”. Perhaps it’s a flaw on Kevin’s side that he could not make his children more loyal to his causes.
Virus delivery
Jessica gives Michael an oven glove full of broken glass and presses it into his hands. After many questions, Michael tells them that he knows how the virus is being delivered — he believes the flu has been engineered and inserted in rabbits — they become weapons and delivered to pet farms where children attend. He shows a map pinpointing where they will be delivered next. The group make self-made hazmat suits and head to a pet farm to look at the rabbit — they spray them, shoot them and then burn the animal tents down.
What’s next?
In the middle of the night, Charlotte meets Kevin and tells him she never became a martyr. She admits she’s being selfish with reckless behavior. Kevin asks her what they should do with her now. Meanwhile, Michael tests the vaccine on a rabbit in the lab. Jessica asks Becky why she doesn’t die — she doesn’t understand the purpose of staying alive. Becky believes there are good things that come next. Jessica just wants answers and revenge.
It’s a sad angle on Jessica’s character — she believes her only reason for breathing is to finish her mission. The story hints at heavy indoctrination and abuse and Jessica is a victim of the system placed on her. This is why Becky is in disbelief as to why Jessica does not see what else the world can offer.
It suddenly dawns on him
Michael runs the test and he realizes it isn’t his flu and the vaccine won’t work. It then dawns him that nothing is as it seems anymore. Jessica shoots the rabbit and declares that Kevin Christie is Mr. Rabbit. To get help, they meet the Homeland Security agent Katherine Milner and Jessica is immediately aggressive with her. The agent asks Jessica if she remembers her. Wilson remarks that in Utopia, Katherine gives Jessica a blanket.
The ending
Katherine tells Jessica that her father’s work became all about profit. Wilson tells the agent that Kevin Christie is Mr. Rabbit and explains why. She raises that the vaccine is FDA approved but Wilson says the virus is going to kill many people. Katherine insists that Kevin is a good guy. When Jessica and the others regroup, there’s a knock on the door. A man has been tied up with strong sellotape and left on the doorstep.
Utopia season 1, episode 7 is an impressive penultimate chapter; it’s managed to give answers but leave many plot points unanswered for the finale. Overall the Amazon series has managed to sustain momentum right until the very end.
Additional points
- Thomas tells Kevin that Michael will get the full anthrax treatment — the story will spin it that Michael couldn’t handle what he did.
- Alice tells Ian that killing Colleen only made her happy for a second. Cole then walks in and cheers her up.
