The OA Episode 7 Season 1 Theories and Explanations
We are steamrolling into the station and the breaks are out and I really really suggest everyone assumes your crash positions. Cross your ankles. Head between your knees. And clasp your hands over your head and pray to God this thing doesn’t go all kinds of pear shape like I think it’s about to. Cause it’s feeling like no one has anything to lose now and we might as well blow it all up on our way out through the multi-dimensional portal.
Does it feel to you like Episode 7 of The OA is one big stacking of pyrotechnics against the front door? And by the way, everyone is schlepping around in shoes made out of flint? Mercy me is this whole thing going up in smoke or what?
As an aside, I will say this, I didn’t expect so many of you to join me on this journey through the entirety of this series. Literally the moment I post each episode its swarmed by people. Something like 5 or 10 per episode at any given moment? Which, is kinda cool to see. So thanks for coming along on the ride.
The OA Episode 7 Overview
So let us away shall we? Let’s help with the dynamite stacking. Because man am I dying to see where 8 goes.
The episode begins with Prairie having a bad dream and her father? Oh he just goes in with a gun. No big deal. Now, I’m sorry, but if that isn’t a metaphor and a talisman, I don’t know what is. But then Prairie turns the corner and says to her father, “Are you mad at me for running away. I thought you’d understand the note.” And I literally say out loud, THERES A NOTE?! And her father plays it off like head seen the note, be he never had. Wow. “I forgot about the note.”
Apparently it is the real premonitions that come with nosebleeds. The ones the tell of the future. And so far (Bus, Hap) she feels like she has yet to solve one. But, she feels that if she can solve the premonitions in time, well, then she can prevent the things from happening that she’s seeing in the dream. The FBI psychologist (trauma expert? what is he really?) wonders if the word “psychic” is just someone that is able to pick up on the minute queues within the world around her. Oh, and also? And he just wants her to accept the pain that she feels. To begin the healing process.
Cut back to The FIVE and they are all in marvelously good moods. Cause yeah, this is going to last. They are practicing the second movement and Steve is leading it. And everyone is happy. And it’s daytime.
Oh but wait, when Steve gets home his dad has found out about the throat punching. And the kid’s parents? They found out all about it (via a sub-tweet, come on, that’s funny. ’cause parents know what a sub-tweet is! hahah. Oh wait. I’m a parent. hrm.) Anyway, the boy’s parents wanted Steve’s father to pay $5,000 for their son’s medical deductibles.
Meanwhile Betty and Prairie have a conversation about what’s on the other side of death. She’s worried about having the strength. But Steve is being carted away in cuffs by the reform school security guards. Apparently Steve’s parents are done, they aren’t messing around anymore. But wait! Here comes Betty to save the day with $50k to bribe the guards with. And I’ll be darned if it doesn’t work.
Cut to conversation with Prairie’s parents in the restaurant. (Why do I feel like all of a sudden we are swirling a toilet bowl?) Her mother goes nuts about someone taking a photo with Prairie. But devolves into chaos about their knowing nothing about her captivity. Her mother wants to know who did the marks on her back. And in a snap, a break, Prairie yells out – “I did that. I did. They are two notations of the five movements used to open a portal to another dimension, I know because I am the original Angel.” and WHAM her mother smacks her.”
And Alfonzo comes and rescues her, and takes her away from her parents. “You were sent away from the people you loved. Scott, Rachel, Homer and even Renata and you told us about how you found a way to find the light inside the dark. And now we are taking their place. But, in all of that, you never really told us about them.” about her parents.
“They medicated me, they thought I was crazy. I didn’t mean to come back here.”
“Maybe Crestwood is the missing piece.”
And just like that Betty, Steve, all of them converge on the house – which happens to be where Alfonzo stopped the car to talk. And in Steve’s frantic-ness and chaos, he stabs Prairie with a pencil?! “How did you survive?” he yells. Her response? “I survived because I wasn’t alone.” And then The OA lights candles and tells them, “And now I will tell you the end of my story, are you ready?”
And I pass out – as I watch the episode fade to black on episode seven.
Current Theories and Explanations for The OA
I am wondering if I have done this all wrong. Normally, someone is paid to sit and watch a TV show, and then, when they are completed with the watching they review their notes and write up a concise treatment for the overall show. Knowing what they know from beginning to end the opine about how the show ebbed and flowed. But me? I have no idea how the series ebbed and flowed. I mean, I know what I’ve seen so far, but without seeing the ending it’s very difficult to discuss it holistically. And yet, I’ve enjoyed sharing my revelations and insights as they have happened devoid of the bigger picture. So I’m thinking I’ll do a post after episode eight to talk through the larger picture, talk through the ‘ebb and flow’ of the show and the things that we saw at the beginning of the show that didn’t make sense at the time, but make sense after the show is over.
Regardless… with the state of the union at the end of episode 7, I’m thinking that something cataclysmic is going to happen in episode 8. Steve is without a home Betty is probably sans job. Prairie’s parents think she’s absolutely nuts.
Ying & Yang of Insanity and Miraculous
I am personally thinking – as I have said before – that if Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij know what they are doing (and The Sound of My Voice tells me that they do) then they will balance the two theories I have been talking about all along. Which is A) She’s Fullon Stir-Crazy or B) She really is the OA and her travels through death have opened a multi-dimensional portal to another universe. Which, they have done a good job balancing so far. Really? The only miraculous thing we have seen that can’t be explained was Scott’s resurrection. And that can be explained easily by the fact that she is telling a story to a group of people and could very well be lying about all of it.
Overall thoughts of Episode 7
This was a really good transition to the finale episode that finally gave us a lot more information about The Five. There are still characters that got a short shrift… but I fell in love with Betty and her story with this past episode. And I really felt bad for Steve as well. He seems like he is changing for the better and wants to do the right thing. And Alfonzo, with his coming to Prairie’s defense has really been a shoulder to lean in spite of the chaos with her parents. So this character development has really been a great aspect to this episode and hopefully will carry forward into the finale of the show.
In my episode 6 overview I talked about a number of things that are still outstanding. And the biggest one is obviously the fifth movement. And for the life of me I can’t predict where that movement is going to come from. I do think with the jealously between Homer and and Dr. Hap, my guess is that Homer will be taken away from the cellar somehow. Or that they will be separated. And then most likely, Prairie will break free – or runs for it? Which then sets up the scenario that she is separated from Homer and has no idea how to get back?
Really must stop conjecturing and watch the last episode. Peace everybody. Heading to 8 now. See you on the other side.
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