As the episode begins, John the Savage (Alden Ehrenreich) is finally allowed to see his deceased mother while Mond (Nina Sosanya) and the director (Ed Stoppard) try to figure out what to do with him. We soon find out that Counselor Bernard Marx (Harry Lloyd) is put in charge of handling John and that the director served as the Warden of the Savage Lands for a time. Bernard speaks to John but John isn’t interested in hearing what he has to say. Then, Bernard explains that it is his job to help him. After the intro, John changes clothes and joins Bernard. By this point, John isn’t speaking and refuses to say anything. He is scared of the lift so Bernard tries to give him drugs but John won’t take them. Lenina Crowne (Jessica Brown Findlay) watches a commercial for the new Savage Lands from her bed.

She gets a visit from Frannie (Kylie Bunbury) who wants to get sexual and know more about the Savage Lands but Lenina isn’t in the mood for it. John watches a video of the people who want to help him transition to New London. He learns about the optic interface and how it’ll connect him to Indra and everyone else. Thanks to the optic interface, everyone will be able to look through his eyes and see how fabulous his life is. Beta Julian enters the room and Bernard quickly introduces the two of them. Julian learns about John not speaking and that he isn’t defective. Julian takes measurements of John’s eyes so he can put him into the system. Bernard is surprised to find out that John is an Alpha or an Alpha Exotic. Julian leaves momentarily before Bernard tells John he’ll learn to think like they do.

Bernard learns when he spots Henry Foster (Sen Mitsuji) walks through the hallway and Julian returns. Julian tries to get John to put the OI in his eye but John knocks his hand away, blinds him, and runs away. Bernard brags to the others about driving an automobile until he learns about John going on the run. Frannie meets up with Lenina again and says she remembers her first correction. Frannie goes on to tell Lenina how she is and how she goes somewhere else in her head. Lenina slaps Frannie’s hand away when she tries to touch her before apologizing. John makes it down to the lower floor and sits next to CJack60 (Joseph Morgan) for lunch. Jack gives John his food and he quickly devours it. Next, Bernard is scolded by the director.

Bernard is told that he should never have come back to New London. After their argument ends, Bernard and the director try to track down John as quickly as possible. The director manages to find out where he is located first. Bernard finds something else. Meanwhile, Lenina goes to work and appears to keep some of the substance used to make an Alpha Minus. She doesn’t puncture through the ball and sends it along anyway. Everyone begins looking at her as the ball blinks red. She rushes off seconds later. CJack60 has the item he found in the room of the Jack who committed suicide. He wonders if John is lost and learns about his mother dying before the director enters and everyone begins leaving. The director stops John and tells him that he is different because he is important.

He claims he can give John what he wants and they want the same thing. John is told that he doesn’t belong there before we jump back to Bernard. He seems to be researching something but Lenina enters and interrupts him. She tells him that she hasn’t been herself so he wants to check her levels. She wonders if something stuck with her or a piece of her was left behind. Bernard thinks everything can return to normal but Lenina isn’t sure about that. He claims nothing has changed but Lenina says she changed. Bernard offers her a yellow. Lenina says she won’t get to choose anything because she will be a Beta Plus. Bernard says they’re back and happy to be alive so he recommends taking the soma. Lenina changes the subject and wants to know about John.

She wants to talk to John but Bernard isn’t sure that would be a good idea for either of them. He encourages her to take her soma, go back to work, and visit the Pleasure Gardens. He says she was happy but Lenina wasn’t and she says he wasn’t either. She leaves before he swallows a soma and lies to himself. He intends to speak with the director and stand up for himself. When he arrives at his office, it is empty but he finds his OI left behind and he notices something odd about it. It appears to be a match with John’s. The director leads John along and tells him that he is going to take him somewhere safe and beautiful. They make it to the edge of the ocean.

The director pulled some strings and says he has arranged for the flivver to take him to the last rocket. It lands nearby but John doesn’t want to return to the Savage Lands because he would be killed. John knows the director is lying to him and he knows he words at Warden. The director is the one who left his mother behind. They get into a scuffle before John accuses the director of leaving them and never trying to return to them. The director says they wanted each other and were monogamous. They didn’t know what happened when John’s mother got pregnant. John is reminded that there are no mothers in New London so his mom had to stay behind. They get into another scuffle and the director goes over the edge. John runs back in the opposite direction.

Bernard interrupts Henry’s chat with several others. He tells Henry that certain characteristics are passed down in the Savage Lands but Henry doesn’t want to listen. Bernard realizes that the Director’s is identical to John’s. Bernard looks out of Henry’s window and finds out that he has a better view. Henry knew the director sent Bernard to the Savage Lands and he thought it would help him because he is often destabilizing. Henry seems to want Bernard to keep what he has found quiet. Next, the locals begin following John. He tries to get away from them and runs into an orgy room. He freaks out and begins climbing higher to get away from them. Bernard and Henry find out where he is hiding. Henry wants Bernard to stay but he says John needs him and leaves. Lenina goes through John’s clothes and listens to his music.

Bernard makes it to John’s side and helps him down. Next, Lenina goes to Henry and asks him to do something for her. She asks him to be the same as he was before. He agrees to do that and they begin making out. Bernard leads John away from the orgy room as John asks to see his mother. He sits with his mother while Bernard tells Mond that he is the only person John knows here. Mustafa Mond believes they’re being tested since the system applies strain to itself. She says Bernard needs to guide him and bring him into the social body and that Bernard is being tested. Then, Bernard learns about the director falling and dying. Bernard realizes he didn’t fall and he wonders what happened. Mond says this is they’re being tested and Bernard has become more important.

Moments later, John and Bernard leave together. Bernard offers John drugs and he takes it this time.

 

Brave New World

This episode of Brave New World was a bit slower than the previous episodes. I think the show is getting to the point where you really have to watch it carefully or you’re going to miss or misunderstand something. I am eager to see where things are going to go from here. This is easily one of the most interesting shows I have watched in recent weeks or even months. Right now, I am thrilled to have access to the whole season because I can’t wait to watch every episode.

This episode was good but slightly slower than the others. It scores a 7 out of 10. Previous recaps of Brave New World can be found on Reel Mockery.