Series 9 Episode 7 discussion

[Simone]

Personally, I think that the plot with the estate-snooper who was deemed psychologically unfit for MI-5 work was more than just a side plot. I think the whole mental / psychological state of Lucas/John's mind is essential here. So, let's say John is a student with a fluid morality getting involved with drugs in Africa. Before he was just the genius student (must have had that photographic memory already) in love with Maya - didn't he tell her something happened when he was in Africa? Their story must be from before. So he picks himself up, meets Vaughn & Lucas. Apparently, he must have thought a lot about Maya because he apparently told Vaughn about her at the hotel when he got drunk. Then things with the errands take off - not sure exactly about this part. But at the moment I like to think that he was as he told Harry told by Vaughn they were actually doing work for the government. He really got excited and went with it - so he started coming up with ideas too - hence him opening the suitcase. Still plausible to me, since genius people tend to focus too much on one aspect in life and shut out the rest. Also, he was rather isolated, with just Vaughn and Lucas as company. Less people to observe his change or where he was going to.

Let's say he geniunely was shocked after the explosion when he realized to what the "fun" had led. But remember, he's a guy with fluid morality. So the way to go about solving a problem - not good, killing Lucas. I think he somehow mentally had this image of himself as a good guy, one that achieves great things. However, he lacked moral strength to actually be that guy. But how easy to fall prey to self deception. He just to a greater degree. From then on leading a double life started to properly mess with his head. So he lives as Lucas, tells himself lines of how to be good and not to be a traitor over and over until he actually believes it. Might have really felt remorse and guilt - hence the sentence about Russian prison would make sense. Everything is ok so long as nothing is out of the ordinary. Once a problem arises - say that guy from Russia (can't remember his name right now) or then Sarah - he always falls back into old habits. What I mean is, the way he decides to solve problems is on his own. Doing stuff that is in the grey area. Not like other people who'd have asked the team & listened to the rules.

So far so good. All of this double life is going pretty well, Lucas/John has recovered from Russian prison only to have the Sarah fiasco. Then he gets pictures from the past. Now this must mess with his head properly. Hence the sudden falling apart of his composure. He's confused. His actions become a mixture of Lucas and John behaviour. The only thing that seems normal is Maya who he knew before he got involved with any of this. So he must be convinced (apart from maybe loving her so much, not that convinced of that myself) that she's the one he needs to stay normal.

I don't know how much I've been rambling on now. But to me this episode was like a revelation. The whole Lucas/Vaughn/Maya storyline never appealed to me before. It was distracting and weird. Now everything starts to come together. And I like it. Can't wait for the final pieces of the puzzle