At the beginning of the episode, CJack60 (Joseph Morgan) approaches the window of his room while other Jacks do the same. He looks at the soma in his hand before drawing a sad face on his window. We jump over to Mustafa Mond (Nina Sosanya) who seems to feel what he is feeling. She asks someone to talk to her. After the intro, Lenina Crowne (Jessica Brown Findlay) has sex with Henry Foster (Sen Mitsuji) several times. Once they’ve finished, she talks to him about the party, costumes, and Helm Watson (Hannah John-Kamen). Henry tells her that she was different because he is an Alpha and supposed to lead. She asks him if he liked not being in control and knowing what was coming because she enjoyed it. He tells her that she needs to act her level while she sits in his care.

Henry won’t answer her question. Eventually, Henry grabs her arm and takes one of the somas before checking to make sure he didn’t hurt her. She tells him that there are other ways to be. Henry tells Lenina that they won’t do this again and that it is over. Meanwhile, Bernard Marx (Harry Lloyd) meets with Mond so they can discuss John (Alden Ehrenreich) and his transition. Bernard says it is going well but Mond doesn’t believe that. She wants to know how the social body can absorb John if they never get to meet him. Bernard tells her about the reasons John isn’t adjusting well before revealing he thinks the director was John’s father. Mond says it would be best if he doesn’t know. She quickly turns the conversation to Bernard and his level before reminding him that his job is to assimilate and not to protect.

Then, Bernard leaves and Mond’s friend asks her what she wanted to talk about. We join John as he sits and watches kids play with blocks and other items. One of the blocks falls, rolls, and hits John’s foot so he gets up and placed it in the correct spot. Bernard interrupts and tells John that he can’t stay in conditioning forever but John doesn’t know why he can’t. Bernard tries to convince John to put the contact in his eye because it’ll help him see everyone’s level. However, John proves he can do that without it. John says they have the whole thing rigged and they had levels back at home too as Lenina enters and watches them. A lady nearby tells Lenina that she thinks John likes her before she rushes off in the opposite direction. She freaks out and thinks about taking a soma but doesn’t. John agrees to go with Bernard.

Before he leaves, he tells one of the kids that it just takes a flick. Lenina leaves and meets up with Frannie (Kylie Bunbury) who wants to know about Lenina and the savage. She doesn’t understand why she had to hear it from Vivian (Naomi Yang) but Lenina doesn’t think she has to tell her everything. She says there is a little part of her that is hers. Frannie says she is being different and Lenina admits she might be a little. Lenina is told that interesting things happen to her for no reason. Frannie says that isn’t fair before trying to grab a soma. Lenina attempts to stop her from taking it by saying it is okay to feel but Frannie isn’t going to listen. They play a game of virtual tennis or something moments later. Lenina and Frannie get into an intense game. When it ends, Lenina tells her friend that she is right about them being the same.

She tells Frannie that she always seems to come second and she wonders why that is. Frannie freaks out and takes soma after Lenina leaves. Meanwhile, John is introduced to people who’ve been banished by Helm. He sits down with Zoe reluctantly while Bernard chats with Helm. Bernard tries to comfort Helm by giving her two somas. Zoe tells John about Helm but he isn’t impressed. He learns about them being banished. Helm tells Bernard that she has to give them something bigger and better. He says nobody helps her. Bernard tells her that he brought her something. Zoe tells John about the haptics and the work she did for John. He asks Zoe if she ever wanted to be an alpha but Zoe says Betas have it better because every night is a party. Joe explains that everybody wants to be on top where he comes from while asking a Gamma to get the soma fizzes himself.

John wonders why they have to be anything before one of the guys nearby says you can’t. He goes on to say that they cannot talk like John is talking because they’re not savages. John messed with him before Helm enters and tells John that she knows him and loved it. She immediately says she wants to have sex with him. Bernard suggests John needs time to recover so Helm says John should be brought to her party. When they leave, John tells Bernard about the funny thing he did back there. Bernard tells him that Mond wants him to become a part of the social body before offering him a blue soma. John takes it immediately and Bernard tells him he needs to embrace this place. Lenina returns to her room and looks distraught. She breaks down, cries, and takes soma.

Then, she gets dressed up and prepares to leave. Bernard finds John wearing a black suit and learns that Gary made it for him. He encourages John to change clothes. However, John reminds him that he urged him to go with it and he did. He tells Bernard that his outfit is awful too. They go to the party and Bernard goes for drinks while John goes to Helm Watson. She tells John that you have to come up above to see the design of the party. She says it is fun to play Indra sometimes before telling John all about that. She tells him about some of her past work too. He is not impressed with her story. Bernard tells some others about the Savage he saved from the Savage Lands. CJack60 enters and begins watching the party. Meanwhile, John tells Helm a story of his own and she is fascinated by it.

She jumps on him and they have sex while CJack60 listens to the music and taps his foot. A colleague enters and 60 asks her why they don’t do this. Bernard tells everyone about the Savage Lands until Henry enters and John arrives seconds later. Henry tries to make a fool of Bernard before he dances with Lenina. John follows Bernard into the hallway and tells him that he should punch Henry. He teaches him to make a first and to throw a punch. He promises that it’ll feel great. Bernard goes back into the dance room and punches Henry causing him to crash to the floor. John is grabbed by the others while CJack60 seems to feel something too. Bernard meets with Lenina outside. She believes John put him up to it but Bernard says it was him. He offers to take her back inside but she doesn’t want to go.

They sit outside together a little longer and hold hands. They watch as Pleasure Bomb 139 Firefall appears on Earth in front of them. Helm tells her colleague to go ahead and do it. Lenina returns and watches as John enjoys his first New London party. Mond plays a game with her friend and is told she was always a sore loser. She is told that sometimes there is nothing to be done. Mond gets angry and tosses the pebbles to the ground before the episode ends.

 

Brave New World Review

I’ve enjoyed every episode of Brave New World but I think some have been better than others. This one was very entertaining. I am not sure I understand the bigger story here but I appreciate the main storylines and characters. I found some of the acting to be a bit cringy at times but I can overlook that. Brave New World is unlike anything else I’ve watched and I love the character development going on around the main characters.

I’ll keep watching Brave New World until the season ends and will likely watch the next season too if there is one. This episode was great so I’d give it an 8 out of 10. You can find previous recaps of Brave New World on Reel Mockery.