Though it began as an uneven, possibly pretentious-looking series, Legion became an absolutely stunning, classic X-Men story over the course of eight episodes. This week’s season finale saw Team David finally, painfully extract the Shadow King from David’s overworked brain. The creature’s Aubrey Plaza veneer continues melting deliciously away until Syd sets off a chain of events in the episode’s final moments.
Syd kisses an in-distress David, taking the Shadow King into her body. Then, Syd-and-Shadow-King touch Kerry’s forehead, putting the parasite into Kerry. Kerry-with-Shadow-King then kicks through Cary’s spleen and faces off against an independent and healthy David. When they clash — glowing with mutant powers in the most recognizable, “superhero”-looking shot in the series — the Shadow King is ejected again. It lands inside Oliver, who, just after remembering his wife’s name, leaves the compound with Shadow King living inside him. Just as Team David realizes what happened, we see Oliver (Jemaine Clement) driving down a forest road with his new, parasitic passenger Lenny (Aubrey Plaza). Season 2 of Legion will evidently see Plaza and Clement double-team the role of series villain, which means it will be absolutely, mind-meltingly lit.
Aubrey Plaza as The Shadow King on FX's 'Legion'
All in all, Legion proved itself a robust artistic project for director Noah Hawley while also managing to appease fans of classic superhero stories. Season 1 actually feels like a prelude to a pretty straightforward mutant story, and we’re already hearing rumors that Professor X will make an appearance in the show as David’s biological father.
Legion airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. Eastern on FX. Season 2 does not currently have a premiere date scheduled.
