Less Than Perfect

I really want to know what Westmoreland said to Rachel to make her completely change her tone overnight. It just seems so unbelievable. I saw somewhere that someone has a theory that Rachel's eye might come into it since he was the one to build it. Not a bad theory tbh.

Scully_fan

Yes that's the thing, I've been thinking about Rachel and the question is did she really change overnight? Because I'd say the eye is definite proof she did not. That she was actually being indoctrinated before this and we were seeing it in S4 without even realising.

It's obvious now that Rachel has done Westmoreland's bidding before. She was seeing the decapitated head of a swan. It was planting the seed in her mind that the head of the Leda project had to go. Who else would want Rachel to take such an action? Who else would want to test exactly how far they could make Rachel go via manipulation/brainwashing? When Rachel runs into beardy guy in 4x10 he says to her "do not waver" as if he knows exactly what Rachel has to do, and how else would he know her directive even if Rachel at that point doesn't, which is attack Susan as the head of the swan. At the time the way Rachel reacts when stabbing Susan seems to be out of pent up anger stemming from her abandonment issues, and it was that partly, but I'm not sure she would have gone quite so bat**** if she hadn't been seeing the images in her eye. I feel like Westmoreland has been shaping Rachel to get her to where she is, used the eye as a tool. It could even be doing something else to her brain. We don't know since it definitely doesn't just serve the purpose of giving her sight. Even after one meeting it's probably not that hard to get Rachel under his spell. I mean all he has to do is play up to her parent issues. Tell her that she's the real child of Neolution. Tell her everything she has ever wanted to hear from Susan, her mother, added to the eye shenanigans and Rachel is probably willing to take in every word and she was doomed the moment she had it put in as a replacement.

#tl:dr Westmoreland had already indoctrinated Rachel in S4 via the eye messages and it's not an instant change overnight after all.

Aurora Cormier

I'm gonna leave you in charge of all the analyzing and commenting of the season, Lauren, your posts are the best

Less Than Perfect

That is a very good point!

Scully_fan

It definitely makes me want to see interaction between Rachel and Westmoreland anyway. Should be interesting.
omg please don't. But thanks.

Less Than Perfect

Rachel genuinely smiling, and not smirking, is genuinely terrifying.

Scully_fan

It doesn't even look natural.

majesdane

i still don't believe for 1 minute that rachel's truly changed. what she's always wanted is to be, essentially, The Chosen One. to have power, control, and be the "best" of the clones. now she has that and all she has to do is act like she's down with whatever westmoreland is selling. if she's given an opportunity to tun on people for personal gain, imho, she'll take it without a thought.

Aurora Cormier

^ That is SO obvious it's boring me.

majesdane

OB is REALLY one-note on a lot of things.

Aurora Cormier

I know, it gets on my nerves

majesdane

it's been getting on my nerves for 3 seasons now.

Less Than Perfect

It really doesn't. It's so unsettling. It's funny, cause Cosima smiling is the most natural thing ever, but not Rachel.

Yep, I'm waiting for it. We didn't wait five seasons for Rachel not to finally die for everything she's done.

Scully_fan

The magic of TMas.

majesdane

rachel will die. i'm sure about that.