Eps2.2 init 1.asec
Elliot faces a chess match with Mr. Robot.
The third episode of *Mr. Robot*’s second season, and the thirteenth overall, aired on July 20, 2016. Written and directed by creator Sam Esmail, it centers on Elliot Alderson, a hacker and cybersecurity engineer with social anxiety who has been pulled into the hacktivist group fsociety by the anarchist figure Mr. Robot. In this installment, Darlene seeks Elliot’s assistance, while the FBI looks into the arcade.
The episode opens on Halloween 2014, with Darlene visiting Elliot. They talk during movie night; Elliot mentions he lost his job at Allsafe after the E Corp hack and now must attend therapy. Inspired by a mask Darlene brings, he puts on their father’s jacket and discusses hacking E Corp, which piques her interest. In the present, Darlene asks Elliot for help with fsociety. He declines, so she asks to see Mr. Robot instead. Elliot later gets a chessboard from Ray. Mr. Robot proposes a game: if Elliot wins, Mr. Robot will leave. Elliot wrestles with the offer; Krista advises against it, while Leon urges him to fight for what he wants.
The FBI investigates the arcade, finding the “End of the World Party” on social media. Agent Dominique discovers a bullet casing there. Cisco tells Darlene about the discovery and urges her to bring Elliot back, but she refuses. After sex, Cisco says the Dark Army couldn’t have killed Romero, as he was looking into an illegal FBI surveillance program called Project Berenstain. Joanna learns her funds are low and that Tyrell’s severance was withheld because he paid the parking attendant who found his SUV during the hack. She meets Scott and offers to frame Tyrell for his wife’s murder in exchange for the severance, but Scott refuses. Using information from Price, Angela submits evidence that leads to the arrest of two E Corp executives. She assumes Price wants her to help settle a class action lawsuit over a toxic leak, but he dismisses that. Whiterose pressures Price to stay on schedule and gets updates on the FBI’s arcade investigation.
Elliot decides to play chess with Mr. Robot. The game ends in three stalemates, and Mr. Robot says Elliot can’t keep avoiding things. Elliot agrees to help Darlene despite Mr. Robot’s objections, and also accepts Ray’s offer to help with his problem, gaining access to Ray’s computer. He contacts Darlene, who tells him the FBI found the arcade and that Romero is
- Series
- Mr. Robot
- Season
- 2
- Episode
- 3 (overall 13)
- Air date
- July 20, 2016
- Network
- USA Network
- Writer and director
- Sam Esmail
- Viewers (households)
- 0.637 million
Lore & Background
The episode opens on Halloween 2014, with Darlene visiting Elliot. They catch up during movie night; Elliot says he got fired from Allsafe after the E Corp hack and is now forced to go to therapy. Inspired by a mask she brought, he wears their father's jacket and opens up about hacking E Corp, intriguing Darlene. In the present day, Darlene visits Elliot and asks for his help with fsociety. When he refuses, she asks to see Mr. Robot instead. Later, Elliot visits Ray, who gives him a chessboard. Mr. Robot offers a deal: they will play chess, and if Elliot wins, Mr. Robot goes away. Elliot is conflicted, with Krista telling him not to accept it, while Leon tells him to fight for what he wants.
The FBI investigates the arcade, finding that the "End of the World Party" was on social media. Dominique discovers a bullet casing retr
Reader's Guide
The episode is significant for advancing the central conflict between Elliot and Mr. Robot, using a chess match as a metaphor for their struggle for control. It also deepens the FBI investigation into fsociety, introduces the Project Berenstain surveillance program, and shows Joanna's financial desperation. The episode received extremely positive reviews from critics, with an 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 19 reviews. Critics praised the performances and tension but criticized its runtime and pacing. The episode was seen by an estimated 0.637 million household viewers, a 21% decrease from the previous episode. Its legacy lies in its layered storytelling, flashbacks, and dream sequences that set the stage for Elliot's future actions, including his decision to hack the FBI.
Did You Know?
- The episode was written and directed by series creator Sam Esmail.
- It originally aired on USA Network on July 27, 2016.
- The episode was seen by an estimated 0.637 million household viewers with a 0.3 ratings share among adults 18–49.
- The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an 89% approval rating based on 19 reviews.
More in Mr. Robot episodes 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record