'Messiah' Episode 8: Payam Golshiri declares that God 'wants the flood' as he tries to bring about world peace
This article contains spoilers for Season 1 of 'Messiah'
In the previous episode, the 'Messiah' is taken by who we find out was the Secret Service and this episode titled 'Force Majeure' has him sitting with President Young of the United States. Asking for the president's 'consideration', the Messiah (Al-Masih, Payam Golshiri, Imam) talks about the history and the spewing of blood, and asks, "how far would you go to bring about a thousand years of peace?" He further tells the president, "withdraw all American troops from everywhere, bring them all home. You'll be remembered as the President of Peace." We wonder, was this the holy agenda all along?
While politics and religion take center stage on the themes of the show, CIA agent Eva Geller chases a connection between Wallace and Golshiri. She finds that Golshiri wrote an advanced paper, titled 'Transformation Politics - A New Era' that is conveniently missing. The 'Messiah' finally answers daunting questions posed by the press, saying he's 'real' and the people have chosen to call him 'Al-Masih'. "I am a message, I am here to bring about the world to come" is the only identity he gives himself. He reveals his meeting with President Young even though it was supposed to be private and claims to have spoken on how to bring about world peace.
In the Iguero household, Rebecca reveals to her father that she had traveled to Austin last year with her mother to get an abortion. Felix is livid with his wife Anna and questions his daughter as to why she chose to tell him now. Felix, who had a fallout with the 'Messiah' earlier referring to him as God wonders as to how he would show his face to his leader. Rebecca further tells her father that the 'Messiah' has come for her.
Meanwhile, a warning spelled out to the President by the Messiah might be coming true, with a massive unpredicted tidal surge on its way to Florida. With the President shaken by the events, two White House officials take matters into their own hands, arranging for a 'back channel to Israel'. On the other hand, in Israel, a guard is willing to admit that he let the 'Messiah' go when he was in jail.
When Anna Iguero asks him what it is that God wants, 'Messiah' says: "He wants the flood"! Is this a foreshadowing of holy history repeating itself?
"America has given strength to brutal dictators," says the 'Messiah', merging politics and religious beliefs. Is this a call for social justice, or the delusions of a religious fanatic?
All episodes of Season 1 of 'Messiah' are now streaming on Netflix.