'Messiah' Episode 7: Washington DC faces a Messianic revival even though the capital city 'feels like Woodstock'
This article contains spoilers for 'Messiah' Season 1
Paper trails and delusions of grandeur is something CIA Agent Eva Geller can investigate, but how is she to explain to faithful masses that walking on water can be a hoax that can be hacked?
With a resemblance to the holy scriptures of Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee, the Vatican steps in to investigate the Messiah (Al-Masih, Payam Golshiri).
Put under the review of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the case still has one thing in common — thousands of followers in awe.
In this episode titled 'It Came To Pass As It Was Spoken', the 'Messianic Revival' may have called for violence in parts of the world, but the witnessing of miracles changed the world — it's one for the books.
The Messiah's old followers are offered food and shelter and welcomed by the people of Israel. Meanwhile, Jibril is locked in a room for protection against the threats coming his way. Their caretaker is named Brother Zaid.
We are unsure of why the boys are brought here, although it seems to be a religious holding for young minds. Sameer, Jibril's friend, has separated from the initial ideologies of the coming of the Messiah with Brother Zaid, their guardian, saying "he could be the false Messiah" and they should remain strong.
This alliance seems to be a tad bit daunting. The idea of modernism and its struggle to react to the possibility of the second coming is hard to conjure up.
One would assume social media would prove to be a huge motivation for followers, and in this case, leads them to social disruption. Eva, who is trying to get to the bottom of what she calls a hoax, sees a possible link of the Messiah to Russia, where Oscar Wallace also has ties.
Eva's seniors need more to go on due to the lack of actionable felonies and set her on a mission to "discredit" this so-called holy leader.
Although the show starts of with its roots firmly in Islam, the idea of Christianity being a part of the narrative is brought up in this episode.
With Rebecca's pictures following the Messiah's move into DC, students from what looks like a religious studies or politics class, are asked to vent out their feelings of the capital Woodstock vibes.
"In Islam, the arriving of the Messiah means a civilization-ending war," a student speaks up, speculating the coming of a "major bloodbath". It is here that it is evident the religion of the Messiah is not known — what if he's Christian, what does it mean for the world's people then?
Meanwhile, the only person that can account for Payam Golshiri's persona is his brother Adar Golshiri, who reveals to Q their abusive yet enlightening childhood.
He reveals that while his parents — a Jewish father and a Christian mother — were killed while fleeing Iraq during the "liberation" of Kuwait, their uncle, a "vagabond", was their guardian.
Their uncle called himself "Yusuf the Magnificient" and taught the boys "the art of illusion", which we suspect has something to do with how the Messiah manages to perform miracles.
This episode also dives into the reactions of non-descript characters. A mother takes her daughter to be healed by the Messiah showing how his followers deeply believe that he is capable of miracles.
And even though Eva Geller (CIA Agent) and Will Matthews (FBI Agent) are watching, they don't seem to understand how he is able to do so. Needless to say, it's insinuated that he heals the little girl and not a word of the duo's exchange was heard by the official agents, stumping them.
In another anecdote to Christianity, the remnants of the Bible story of Mary Magdalene is alluded to in this episode when a woman named Elina comes to the Messiah to be healed. He tells her about her story which sounds as though she may be a prostitute.
A social and religious phenomenon has broken well-set boundaries in the modern world. Is anyone prepared for the consequences of this "war of ideas"?
All episodes of Season 1 of 'Messiah' are now streaming on Netflix.