Summary
A major last-minute death makes for the most significant development of the season thus far.
This recap of Elite season 6, episode 4, “War”, contains spoilers.
Do you know how I said that the damage done to the boys by Isadora’s revenge mission in Elite season 6, episode 3 seemed a bit worse than what might have been done by a marker pen? Well, I was right, because the word “rapist” is actually tattooed on their backs, not written. Oops. Either way, it’s an act of aggression that the boys demand payback for, seemingly not considering that they kind of started it by raping Isadora.
Elite season 6, episode 4 recap
Obviously, there are contrasts in the way these two incidents are treated. Javi, Hugo, and Alex are aghast at the idea of being violated and demand recompense, and their accusations are at least taken halfway seriously, though admittedly proof is demanded of them. But you can see why Isadora was so frustrated by her predicament. The irony is that they claim a tattoo lasting forever is evidence of its severity as a punishment as if a sexual assault doesn’t last forever in certain respects too.
Anyway, putting this aside for a moment, “War” primarily focuses on two subplots. The first is Mencia continuing to try and involve herself in Sara and Raul’s relationship. Raul is hawking Sara’s social interactions and essentially acting as her bodyguard at school, which is hardly diverting suspicion, but it does make it very difficult for Mencia to actually get near her. The second subplot is Cruz’s first football match after coming out to the world, which many characters are present for. And it goes pretty well at first — there are rainbow flags unfurled in the stands, and Cruz gets a standing ovation, but when he raises the rainbow flag himself after scoring a goal, Raul and his awful friends hurl so much homophobic abuse in his direction that a riot breaks out and the match is abandoned.
Raul being at the match at least gives Mencia a chance to bond with Sara privately, where she’s able to relate her own experiences and remind Sara that there is a big difference between love and fear. They even share a kiss. When Raul returns home later, after being so central in causing the riot and Bilal getting bottled during it, it was very pleasing to see that Sara had cleared out her closet and left for Mencia’s place.
But for Cruz, the riot follows him home. Of course, he was already getting homophobic threats at the house, which Patrick and Ivan now know about, but he processes the experience by snorting cocaine alone while the boys go out for a drink. Ivan gets absolutely wasted and accidentally shoves Isadora, which prompts her to find out more about how he was involved in her rape. Not knowing where else to turn, Patrick calls Cruz, but when he sets off to meet them, still a little worse for wear, he gets into an altercation with three men who beat him to death at the roadside. Ivan and Patrick find him laying there, and then we cut to the funeral, making for one of the biggest developments of the season thus far.
You can stream Elite season 6, episode 4, “War”, exclusively on Netflix.
