"For example ... he's secretly banging Sister Sage? In an opening flashback to a month ago, we see Cipher feeding and bathing his dad, then letting him watch while they have sex. It seems like puppetry is at play somehow here, like Cipher Junior is just a physical vessel for Cipher Senior to use to get around his own immobility. But Sage also shows up later in the episode to obliquely discuss their plans for Marie. It seems like she's fully in on this, maybe an equal partner."
"I have to say, as much as I enjoy Sage on ,this crossover feels more random than the usual guest appearances on this show, especially because the flashback does little to explain the origin of the relationship. Sage's whole thing is that she's the most intelligent person on earth, but these appearances don't lean much into that, and the franchise is once again falling back on pairing her off with another male supe to sexually dominate. I'm not opposed to seeing more of this kind of cross-plotting, but it feels a little underexplained, and it doesn't necessarily need to be Sage in the role."
Cipher exerts total control over Marie and Jordan, using physical puppetry and psychological pressure to accelerate Marie's training and potential rise above Homelander. A flashback shows Cipher caring for and allowing sexual interaction while suggesting Cipher Senior may be using Cipher Junior as a vessel. Sister Sage appears complicit, discussing plans for Marie and possibly acting as an equal partner, but her intelligence-based character traits are underused. The crossover placement of Sage feels random and underexplained, and Jordan is left violated and powerless, threatened by the prospect of returning to Elmira if they resist.
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