Summary
Episode 4 brings a highly relatable and dystopian version of the life we lived in 2020; it represents the mental toll and trauma it has had on people led by actor Uzo Aduba.
This recap of Amazon Original series Solos season 1, episode 4, “Sasha,” contains spoilers.
Well, it’s no surprise that four episodes in, Solos gives us a pandemic-themed chapter. The reality of lockdowns and been isolated to our homes is a depressing one. We are not designed as humans to be confined to one space. Episode 4 represents the mental toll that can take place on an isolated person while the world flips over, and it supports how new environments can change us permanently.
In episode 4, a global pandemic drove everyone inside. In Sasha’s smart home (StayHomes), the AI asks if she’d like to go outside, but she says, “fuck that”. Then, when she coughs, the AI asks if she’d like a virus test, but she doesn’t want it. It appears that Sasha (played by Uzo Aduba) has trust issues with her StayHome, but the AI reminds her that she’s been inside for twenty years and feels it could be time to leave and explore the world.
Refusal to return to the world
Sasha does not want to be fooled and refuses to go out. She hates the promise of travel, money, and the intoxication of touch — she states she is happy as she has everything she needs and knows the life she once enjoyed is over. She no longer desires the outside world — the only thing she misses is a pool.
Missing Nia
Sasha reminisces over Nia – she misses her, but the AI wonders if she wants to see her again, which irritates her as she can’t tell if the AI is a bot or a human; she knows that the powers above her can manipulate her environment. She has a strong mistrust of the world she lived in.
The day they were locked in
Sasha recalls the day that everyone was locked in — her heart was broken as she could not get to Nia. It’s then revealed that they share the same birthday and how one year, Nia promised Sasha that she’d teach her how to swim. Her monologue gets more and more agitated the more she recalls the day she began her isolation away from Nia.
The AI tries again to convince her to go outside and meet Nia, but Sasha’s lack of trust in the authorities continues — she explains her cousin James was fooled, and she will not be. James did ring her, but she didn’t trust his voice. It’s soon revealed that her entire family has left their homes.
The ending
Suddenly, sirens go off, and the AI warns her this is not a ploy and she needs to leave — he tries to tell her the pandemic has ended for years. Suddenly, the AI tells her there will be a forced re-entry into the world and that her StayHome will end. Sasha cannot remember the last time she spoke to Nia — the AI tells her that Nia left her home 10 years ago and tried to contact her, but eventually, she gave up. Finally, the AI reveals that no one else is in their StayHome anymore, just her.
The AI gives in and tells her she can stay in her home — they finally give Sasha her pool — the windows show an underwater experience. Sasha asks if Nia can join, but the AI tells her, “goodbye”.
Solos season 1, episode 4 brings a highly relatable and dystopian version of the life we lived in 2020; it represents the mental toll and trauma it has had on people led by actor Uzo Aduba.
