"All this uproar over a mere minnow cloaked in a hoodie." Hail to Michael Cristofer, a Pulitzer Prize-adorned dramatist whose prolific career spans playwriting, screenwriting, directing, and acting across both screen and stage. For much of the past decade, he has harnessed his versatile talents within the realm of television. Cristofer garnered critical acclaim for his portrayal of Truxton Spangler in the fleeting AMC series Rubicon, followed by memorable stints on Smash, Ray Donovan, and American Horror Story: Coven. Yet, it is his role as Phillip Price in Mr. Robot since 2015 that has truly showcased his full performative prowess: his piercing gaze intimidates, his demeanor exudes casual warmth, his confidence is sage, and his humor, unexpectedly delightful. He embodies a grandfatherly figure capable of terrifying or embracing you, contingent upon his whims.
In the series' inception, Price was a malevolent tyrant, a power-lustful CEO entwined with Whiterose and aligned with the elite. His pivotal role in rescuing E Corp and facilitating China's annexation of the Congo was soon overshadowed by punishment for insubordination—the obliteration of E Corp's records via Stage 2 and the brainwashing of his daughter, Angela. Later, when he finally confessed to Angela and broke free from Whiterose's spell, he unwittingly sealed her fate at the hands of the Dark Army. Now, with nothing left to lose, he allies with Elliot to dismantle Whiterose, partly to ensure Angela's sacrifice was not in vain.
Regrettably, Price's survival seems improbable. As he enters the Deus Group meeting, only to find Whiterose and Dark Army soldiers in attendance, he acknowledges his impending doom. He realizes Whiterose has discerned his alliance with Elliot and their impending plan, albeit she remains unaware of its specifics. Cristofer conveys a weary acceptance intertwined with a smug indignation at the orchestration of his demise. Yet, he is loth to succumb without first firing a few parting shots and buying enough time for Elliot and Darlene to complete the Deus Group hack, thereby wiping out their bank accounts.
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Of course, the meticulously laid plan encountered a significant roadblock when Mr. Robot unexpectedly arrived at the rendezvous point instead of Elliot, sending Darlene into a tailspin of panic. Still grappling with the harrowing revelation of her father's sexual abuse, Elliot found himself in no mental condition to confront the shadowy elite conspiracy. Nonetheless, when Mr. Robot surprisingly connected Whiterose on a phone call, and she attempted to reprise her deceptive charade with Angela—promising to rewrite the past and eradicate all suffering—it was Elliot who ultimately responded. He was all too familiar with the manipulative tactics employed by authority figures to achieve their objectives. Much of Elliot's troubled, fractured psyche had been turned against him, rendering him acutely aware of their signs. From that moment on, Elliot seized the reigns, with Mr. Robot fading into the shadows.
Director Sam Esmail and credited writer Kyle Bradstreet executed the hacking scenes with commendable prowess, given their reliance on visually unappealing Command Prompt screens and mundane confirmation messages such as "Authentication succeeded," "Account found," and "100 of 100 Deus Accounts Verified." Yet, the mechanics of the hack were anything but mundane. While Darlene ventured to the actual Deus Group meeting at Cipriani on Broadway, Elliot remained behind to keep tabs on Price and Whiterose. When Darlene realized she couldn't infiltrate Cipriani, she swiftly improvised: crafting a new fsociety video adorned with a Monopoly Man-meets-Guy Fawkes mask, exposing the Deus Group's files, and orchestrating an explosion at their meeting venue to scatter them onto the streets of New York. There, she could hack their phones simultaneously, while Elliot phished a cell tower close to Whiterose's location. With Max Quayle's pulsating score and the masterful crosscutting between Elliot on his laptop and Darlene on her mission, the scene unfolded like another exhilarating heist movie—a trope that Mr. Robot had embraced more than once this season. At one poignant juncture, Mr. Robot's voiceover even murmured, "Why do we cut these things so goddamn close?"
Yet, the instant they pull off the daring hack, it shines with resplendent glory. Building on last week's badass moment where Dom dispatched Janice and her Dark Army minions, "Mr. Robot" once again revels in a vintage display of the good guys' triumph. However, Bradstreet denies Elliot and Darlene the emotional fulfillment of this moment, as they are apart, grappling with their personal demons, and technically still on the lam. Instead, he bestows this satisfaction upon Price, who brazenly taunts Whiterose with Elliot's success.
Cristofer commands ample screen time in his swansong episode, scowling and snarking with relish. Yet, his defining moment arrives as he tears into the prolonged monologues towards the episode's climax. His blend of triumphant glee and heartfelt relief is a mesmerizing sight, and Price's words resonate with authenticity. Whiterose's schemes to manipulate Angela ultimately crumble as her loved ones unite to dismantle the Deus Group and terminate their reign of terror. Despite this, Whiterose guns down Price in the streets, fueled by unbridled rage and blatant disregard for the public. Yet, Price passes away with a serene smile, knowing his sacrifice bore fruit and his daughter's legacy remains unscathed.
While Elliot can rest easy knowing Whiterose has been neutralized — as evidenced in the final scene where, having shed her Zhang persona, she awaits authorities' custody — another loose thread remains to be tied. The episode's opening scene confirms that the supposed "flashback" featuring a youthful Elliot and his mother actually unfolds in the present day. Mr. Robot encounters them, informing them that Elliot is unprepared and they must guide him through this. The mother fears losing her "poor boy" forever, but Mr. Robot assures her that he has "awakened" due to Darlene's intervention. The key to revealing to Elliot "what he's done" rests with her.
Esmail and his team have been exceedingly cryptic about this final twist, likely keeping it under wraps for as long as possible. The circular dialogue and obfuscating language employed in the opening scene embody "Mr. Robot" at its most perplexing, yet they present Elliot with one final mystery. "The other one" still lurks out there.
