"This is especially important for a character like Jordan, who gets possibly their best showing of the series in this episode. They don't start off so hot: Marie confesses that she was a virgin before they had sex, and Jordan responds that she shouldn't say \"I love you\" to her first sexual partner. But then this awkward argument gets cut short, and Jordan learns that they are now No. 1 on the rankings."
"That creates some fertile narrative ground for Jordan, who doesn't feel amazing about becoming a tool for Vought, even if they get some nice perks. Particularly horrifying is the speech Stacey wrote for them; forcing Jordan to say the word \"trans-tastic\" practically constitutes a hate crime, and as they're quick to point out, \"trans\" isn't even the right word to describe their gender identity. They're bigender."
The episode slows its pace to prioritize emotional journeys, particularly focusing on Jordan's conflicted response to sudden fame. Jordan is promoted to No. 1 on the rankings and feels uneasy about becoming a tool for Vought despite receiving perks. Stacey writes a speech that forces Jordan into humiliating language, mislabeling their identity; Jordan identifies as bigender, not \"trans.\" A new friendship forms between Jordan and Sam after Jordan calms Sam during a destructive tantrum. Sam wrestles with guilt and violent impulses and contemplates a permanent escape, while Jordan counsels him away from self-destructive choices and offers emotional support.
Read at Vulture
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