Wait, did Alphas just pull out a full blown mythology episode this week? We’d already become familiar with Rosen and his team, were teased by what’s going on at Binghamton, and now finally introduced to Red Flag. Guess the naysayers are realizing there’s more to this show than we first thought.

In “Rosetta”, Rosen and the team try to find Red Flag, the group responsible for the attacks of the first three episodes. Meanwhile, Gary connects with an autistic woman named Anna who may be the key to helping them.

Alphas (s01e04): Rosetta

Red Flag: The question of ‘who is normal?’ isn’t medical, it’s political. If you hear voices, are depressed, are attracted to the same sex. If you believe in God, or believe in nothing… At one point or another society has branded you with the stigma of mentally deficient. We are not normal by any strict definition, but we reject the label of deficient. In many ways, we are simply better. And that frightens them.

“Who is ‘normal’?” is a question that has been asked for hundreds of years, and depending on which point in history, you’d get a different answer. But now that Alphas are the question, Red Flag is out there saying, “Who cares?” And as we’ve seen in the first three episodes, this group concerned with the rights of Alphas is willing to do anything to prove that point and protect themselves, even blowing up a drug designed to prevent Alphas from even being born. Their message may be good, but the delivery not so much.

Which is troubling for Rosen because there’s clearly a war brewing between Binghamton and Red Flag, with our team now unknowingly stuck in the middle. It’s been their work to both protect society from Alphas, and also protect Alphas from themselves. But each week that Binghamton comes to collect the most troubled Alphas to ‘rehabilitate’ them, these two ideas appear to be increasingly at odds. There are definitely layers to it all, and that’s what keeps the show interesting.

Now we can add Red Flag into the mix as they believe society is out to stop Alphas from even existing. As Anna later says, “We are not a problem to be fixed.” And Red Flag is going to make sure everyone knows it. It creates a bit of a conundrum because Cameron and Bill, as Alphas and part of the team, are curious about the motives behind the attacks, whereas Rosen is only obsessed with stopping their terrorist ways. It even takes Gary maybe being in trouble with Anna, who it turns out is leading Red Flag, before Rosen takes a step back and lets Cameron and Bill go after them alone. In

It’s also not surprising that Gary, as the member of the team that fits in least with society, seems to have an easier time connecting with Anna. What is surprising is that Anna is not just a member of Red Flag, but the actual leader of Red Flag. I was definitely tricked into a false sense of security by thinking Anna was weak just because she’s severely autistic. Then, in the end we learn the organization is a lot more widespread than we thought.

It’s also a real wake up call for Gary, who is used to being treated as a child, that he can be like Anna do things for himself like get a glass of water. I loved seeing an episode focused on Gary, and I hope we get more of the same insight into the rest of the characters soon. I’m really looking forward to where the show goes next.

Notes:

Cameron and Bill are so badass as a team. And Cameron using his power at the beginning to storm the house was so awesome.

Bill (noticing Cameron using Rachel’s mug): You know she can smell your hands were on that, right? She’s going to smell your nasty hands were on that thing.

Nina: Hey Gary, you working in there?
Gary: No, I’m talking to Anna about myself. She thinks that I’m amazing.
Nina: I do too, Gary. Just get back to work, okay?