'Orphan Black: Echoes' Episode 2: Lucy's clone theory falters, but one burning question remains
Contains spoilers for 'Orphan Black: Echoes'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Set in 2052, the science-fiction drama 'Orphan Black: Echoes' dives into a world irreparably changed by the existence of human clones.
The plot of the show revolves around Lucy (Krysten Ritter), a woman who discovers she is a clone in the first episode, but her background is veiled in mystery as she frequently grapples with bits of a forgotten past.
Things become increasingly complicated as she embarks on a mission to discover the truth about her true identity.
While seeking the truth, Lucy meets Jules Lee (Amanda Fix), who bears a striking resemblance to Lucy's younger self, with both sharing a similar mark on their forearms.
After failing to extract information from Jules, Lucy abducts the young girl and uncovers more startling facts, further complicating the story.
Jules Lee's lack of a branding sign complicates Lucy's clone theory
The episode begins with Jules pleading to be let go, but Lucy demands answers, but she maintains her stance of not knowing anything.
Jules attempts to call her adoptive mother Neva Lee (Alexander Castillo), but Lucy forecully takes the phone and aks for the passcode. While she pretends to give a passcode, Jules flees the truck resulting in a chase.
Later, Lucy brings the young girl to Craig (Jonathan Whittaker), who shares his concerns about Lucy abducting Jules, but Lucy persuades him to help her out.
Craig is able to calm Jules and extract information about her, including the fact that she has lost her memory as a result of a tragic accident that killed her parents, and because her grandfather is unable to care for her, she has been adopted by foster parents.
Lucy attempts to persuade Jules that she is a clone but fails once more. Lucy then tries to persuade her that Jules is her younger version of her by showing her their common scar mark and shining a blue light on her bicep, revealing her branded mark.
However, things take a severe turn when Lucy realizes that Jules is not branded like her, further complicating things.
What does Jules Lee's missing branding indicate?
The mystery of Jules's missing branding calls into question Lucy's belief that they are clones, with Jules representing her younger self.
Jules's absence of branding could indicate that she is from a different generation or batch of clones. Whereas Lucy's branded mark could represent an earlier, experimental phase, Jules represents a more advanced, refined version without the need for such marks.
It is also possible that Jules had branding similar to Lucy's, but it was removed or suppressed as part of an experiment or to keep her true identity concealed.
The discovery that Jules lacks branding may imply the existence of a whole subset of unmarked clones. This could point to a wider, more secret cloning project that functions without leaving physical evidence on the clones.
Overall, the second episode does an excellent job of laying the groundwork for the unrest that will ensue in the following episodes, as the surprising finding of Jules's lack of branding indicates a greater game at play.
How to stream 'Orphan Black: Echoes'?
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'Orphan Black: Echoes' trailer