So begins the final two episodes ofMr.
Robot, as Elliot is once again talking to us, the viewer.
Hes alive, and hes amazed that hes alive.
Credit: Elizabeth Fisher/USA Network
He thought for sure he was going to die in the nuclear plant explosion.
But somethings kept him alive.
Hes lying on the pavement in a parking lot where the nuclear plant should be.
In this time and place though, theres a community center in its place.
Elliot cant believe this is happening.
He refuses to believe that Whiteroses machine actually worked until he can find more proof.
Elliot wanders into the idyllic downtown core of Washington Township.
Secret, secret, Ive got a secret, goes the song.
He sees the Mr.
Robot shop, the one run by his father.
It shouldnt be there; its been gone for 20 years, ever since his father died.
My monster is still alive, he says.
Hes beginning to piece things together, slowly.
Wherever Elliot finds himself right now, its not the world of the nuclear plant explosion.
Elliot wanders to his old house and finds his mother.
Shes happy to see him too.
None of this makes sense.
None of this is the fraught, trauma-inducing family hes used to.
This is something different.
A different time or a different place.
His childhood bedroom is in a different place, and theres no Darlene in this timeline.
Has Elliot finally escaped his past trauma?
Has Whiteroses machine allowed him to start over?
Is it worth it if theres no Darlene in his life?
Is this the world I fought so hard for?
Elliots face lights up.
In this world, hes marrying Angela.
Its all hes ever wanted.
He goes to her apartment in an effort to prove that this is all happening but doesnt find Angela.
but Her parents there, along with a friendly, if potentially alcoholic, version of Phillip Price.
Of course, thats not so easy.
The Elliot of this timeline calls Angelas mother.
Elliot answers and hears his own voice.
Another tremor shakes Washington Township, and Elliot runs away.
Hes confused and scared.
He never thought thered beanotherElliot in this wolrd where he doesnt actually belong.
Anything is possible at this point.
Elliot heads to his apartment and sees it in its current state.
This guy is definitely not me, he quips.
He hacks into his computer to find out who this Elliot is.
He sees hes social, happy, always laughing in pictures.
Elliot is convinced theres dirt here somewhere, because no one can be this happy.
He finds a hidden partition on the hard drive.
How is this possible?
Elliot 2 comes home and sees Elliot 1 at his computer.
Elliot 1 sits down and tries to explain himself and figure out whats happening.
Still, hes not normal.
Elliot 1 can hardly argue that point.
Then, everything goes off the rails.
When the two Elliots touch, another tremor hits.
Elliot 2 goes down, something smacking him in the head and laying him out.
Angela calls Elliot 2s phone, and Elliot 1 picks up.
He talks to her, his eyes welling with tears.
Of course I love you.
Ive always loved you, he says.
This is everything hes ever wanted.
Now that he knows Angela is alive, right here right now, he cant turn away.
He cant go back to anything else.
This is the life he wants.
Elliot 2 wakes up and pleads with Elliot 1 to call an ambulance.
Something is seriously wrong.
Elliot 1 looks into the camera and tells us not to judge him.
He covers Elliot 2s mouth and suffocates him.
What has Elliot done?
PART 2
Understanding requires insight.
Insight must be anchored.Brian Greene,The Fabric of the Cosmos
Elliot 2 is dead.
Elliot 1 is late for wedding photos at Coney Island.
Well, Elliot 2 is technically the one whos late, but this is Elliot 1s life now.
We can just call him Elliot from here on out.
Elliot puts his other, dead self in a box and tapes it shut.
Wherever you go, I go, says Mr.
Robot as he shows up again.
Not for him, says Mr.
Robot, gesturing at the cardboard box.
Elliot cant exist in this world though, no matter how much he wants to.
That becomes clear very quickly, to us at least.
It doesnt take long for her to become suspicious and pop kick open the box.
Another tremor and Elliot runs away again, evading Dom by hopping on the subway.
Robot pleads with him to stop and really think about this, but Elliot is so far gone.
Hes embracing the delusion.
Elliot gets to Coney Island, and the delusion begins to slip.
This isnt some sort of alternate timeline.
The beach wedding is ready to go, but all the guests are wearing fsociety masks.
Angela is there but shes running away to the arcade.
Robot shows up to reveal everything to Elliot, and to us.
We can finally understand who this other person is, and why it matters.
Robot begins his explanation.
Whiteroses machine didnt work.
Elliot destroyed it by playing that game, just like he said he would.
This isnt some alternate, ideal timeline.
Its a recursive loop that you constructed to keep him occupied.
The real Elliot, says Mr. No need to dance around it.
The Mastermind isnt ready to accept this.
He cant be a persona, he must be therealElliot.
He runs through Coney Island, confronted by the face of Mr.
Robot on every person he sees.
Then he runs into Tyrell.
The fever dream pulls him in, and Tyrell shoots him.
Elliot wakes up in Kristas office.
But youre not really Krista, he says.
Elliot can hear Darlenes voice telling him to wake up.
Elliot asks about it.
Krista tells him that Darlene is absent from this created world because shes his strongest link to reality.
Elliots disassociative identity disorder led to the creation of numerous personas.
Then, The Mastermind, meant to save the entire world to make it better for him.
Turning his harsh reality into a fantasy.
Your thoughts on this series finale are probably completely tied up in whether or not you like this twist.
To some, it might feel like a cop-out.
We watch as Elliot, or rather The Mastermind, wakes up at JFK Memorial.
Hes survived the explosion.
A nuclear meltdown was avoided.
Most importantly, Darlene is there, by Elliots side.
So, she stuck around and fought for him.
This whole season has been about Darlene and Elliot growing closer and healing old wounds.
This bedside conversation is the final bit of healing.
Darlene wants to know if the real Elliot is okay.
The Mastermind assures her he is; I made a safe place for him.
Now, The Mastermind must relinquish control.
His purpose has been served.
He retires to the movie theatre where the other personas are waiting for him.
Theyve all served their purpose, just by showing up.
And in the end, thats how the show posits change comes about.
You do this in the face of cynicism, corruption, climate change, and fascism.
You do it again and again because its worth it, because its necessary.
The lens of the movie theater projector grows and grows, morphing into an eye.
It blinks once, then blinks again.
Darlene comes into view.
Hello Elliot, she says.
For a show that often traded in paranoia, anger, and fear,Mr.
Robotends on a hopeful note.
