'The Purge' Season 2 Episode 3 brings out the NFFA's vile practice of auctioning human life
This article contains spoilers for season 2, episode 3 'Blindspot'.
The horrors of a working government that believes in the annual Purge is what the third episode of The Purge's ongoing season 2 highlights. And this time, it is not just the impact of the violence on those that purged or trauma of those that came close to being purged. Showing a whole new side to the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) and its jurisdiction and law, episode 3 gives us an insight into just how functioning the system is, and the measures they undertake to ensure a curbing of violence. And if you thought sentencing people to death on the next purge was vile enough, there's an auction system in works too.
In last week's episode 2, we saw Tommy Ortiz being snatched by the police for still being in private property for a bank heist after the third end-of-purge siren ended. During his arrest, as the policemen read out his rights, Tommy was severely beaten up by them in the process. They threw him on the ground, kicked and hit him with a baton, and later slammed him against their vehicle and tazed him too. At the time, Ryan had remarked to the rest of their team that he was most likely being sent off to the next purge as a part of capital punishment.
At the time, it was shocking enough to know the degrees of crimes, and the punishment sentenced to people who engaged in petty crimes on Purge night and couldn't get away because of minor flaws. But in episode 3, as Tommy is taken to the court for his hearing, the bruised and beaten up appearance is a striking contrast to the calm and composed demeanor he maintains as his shoddy public defender asks him to plead guilty right away.
Even at the end of his hearing, Tommy tries doing his lawyer's job, laying down the lack of gravity in the crime he supposedly committed. He tries reasoning with the judge, citing his past to validate himself as an otherwise law-abiding citizen - a former cop, if you will, as we learn later in the episode. But the only compensation the judge can offer him is the prospect of giving his life up for auction on the next purge night, in which case, five-percent of the money paid will go to next of kin.
There's not only police brutality and absolute bias in presiding over crimes, but also a rampant dehumanization of the common public. Everyone's life is monetized in an environment that runs on the idea of being able to overcome their murderous instincts on one fateful night of the year - all in the name of a nation reborn.
'The Purge' season 2 airs on Tuesdays at 9 pm only on USA Network.
