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Lore & Background

The episode opens with a flashback showing Romero, recently released from prison, renting the Fun Society arcade to Mobley and revealing its dark history. Mobley recruits Romero into fsociety. In the present, Elliot imagines a conversation with Mr. Robot about Tyrell, and Mr. Robot hangs up on Elliot. Disturbed by news of Gideon's murder, Elliot voluntarily takes Adderall pills provided by Leon, despite Mr. Robot's protests.

Mobley visits Romero's house and finds him murdered in the backyard. Darlene blames Romero's drug deals, but Mobley and Trenton suspect the Dark Army. FBI agent Dominique investigates the crime scene and finds a printed list of FBI agents, taking a snapshot. Angela dines with Price and two E Corp executives, who provide her with evidence about the Washington Township event. Elliot's Adderall abuse causes him to lose sleep for days; he lashes out at a church group meeting. Ray approaches Elliot at a diner, having found his journal, and asks for help through Mr. Robot. Dominique visits Romero's mother, finds a poster for the "End of the World Party," but does not follow the address to the arcade in this episode.

Reader's Guide

The episode received extremely positive reviews from critics, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting a 100% approval rating based on 22 reviews. Critics praised the performances, directing, and intrigue, particularly Rami Malek's portrayal of Elliot's mental collapse. The episode's dense, beautifully crafted narrative introduced new characters and alliances while delivering a major final reveal. It was seen by an estimated 0.799 million household viewers, a 24% decrease from the previous episode. The episode's significance lies in its deepening of the series' psychological and conspiratorial themes, as well as its stylistic ambition, with sequences described as "killer, stylized TV" and a closing shot of the arcade's sign that brought the cold-open full circle.

Did You Know?

• The episode was written and directed by series creator Sam Esmail.
• It originally aired on USA Network on July 20, 2016.
• According to Nielsen Media Research, it was seen by an estimated 0.799 million household viewers.
• The episode received a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 22 reviews.