Hello, friend, if you've been watching the second season of Mr. Robot , you already know that things are getting crazy. Elliot is holed up at his mom's house trying to quell the voice of his father. Darlene is trying to run a revolution, while Angela is sidling up to E-Corp. Not to mention people are dying, Bitcoin collectors are out for revenge, and lots of money has been burned. And who knows where the heck Tyrell Wellick is. All this and more is why the craziest fan theories about Mr. Robot don't really seem that crazy at all.
Watching the USA series, one may feel a little confused or disoriented, not unlike the way Elliot feels on a daily basis. Overwhelmed by the tension of questions what is real and what is not. It's hard to know who to trust and what to believe. Director Sam Esmail doesn't make it any easier with his Easter eggs, callbacks, and general interest in misdirection. This is a show where anything can happen. It's why fans can't risk missing a single new episode without worrying something big will be spoiled for them.
However, it's also a show where fan theories just add to the mythology. They keep viewers on their toes, going back to see how plausible these possible twists could be. Here are some of the craziest that may not be so crazy at all.
1. Elliot Is In A Mental Institution
Elliot has told us he's hanging out at his mom's place for now, but, since he's not always the most trustworthy narrator, the theory that he's actually in a mental institution doesn't seem too farfetched at all. Vulture has been leading the charge on this one, pointing out Elliot's mom's clinical greetings. She walks in to tell him it's "time to get up" in the morning and then "see you in the morning" every night. This all sounds like "the utilitarian, affectless interactions of someone in charge of monitoring and corralling patients" to Vulture. Elliot's "mom" is not his mom, she's a hospital employee. It would point to why she never seems to say anything else to Elliot, instead she's seen watching TV.
This would mean his friend Leon is also a patient, as is Hot Carla, who is describe as being a "pyro." Vulture points out "someone primarily identified by a dangerous mental illness could definitely be a person in a ward, too." One Reddit user also called attention to the similarities between the light fixture in Elliot's house and in Krista's office, who could be seeing him due to the fact that he's been committed. Krista does tell him that she agreed to see him under "the condition that you were going to be more open with me." Hmm.
2. Darlene And Angela Are The Same Person
This one at first sounds a bit farfetched. Seriously, in Season 1, the two childhood friends were seen together. Darlene even apologizes and says, "I should be more open with you. You're family." Angela accepts this apology and the two go on with their lives. And they appear to have a long history together. But, with this show, that really doesn't mean much. The question is whether Darlene, Elliot's sister, suffers from any of the displacement that her brother suffers from. If so, Angela could be one of her personalities, a figment of her imagination. Angela isn't real, only Darlene is. Darlene is actually Angela.
The fact that, when the two were seen at a ballet class together, Angela was in white and Darlene was in black could be a clue that they're two sides of one person. However, this theory is definitely a little thinner than some of the rest. One question that comes to mind is, well, who is Angela's father to Darlene in this theory? But as everyone tries to figure out whether Angela's new job at E Corp is a way for her to try and take down the company from the inside, one can't help but notice that this sounds exactly like something Darlene would do. Could be that's because it is her?
3. Elliot Is Actually In Prison
A Reddit user named Extenso points to Elliot's very strict routine to explain this theory. The character tells us his regimented daily schedule is of his own choosing. His mom wakes him up at the same time, he eats at the same table every day with his friend Leon, he goes to church group, he watches basketball. Look close, and you'll even notice that Elliot is constantly surrounded by bars. It's why this user wonders if Elliot is actually "warping his experiences in prison to fit a more comfortable and normal setting."
In Episode 2 of this latest season, this idea that he may be warping his experiences comes into play, when he believes he's been captured by the FBI, only to realize he's in his mom's house throwing up his Adderall. His sense of time and place is definitely wonky. Of course, drugs will do that to you, or a need to escape a reality. Especially, if you've been put in prison after a historic hacking.
4. Elliot Is An Alternate Personality Of Tyrell
What if Elliot isn't real? That's a theory that could blow your mind and really make you rethink how you've been watching the show. A Reddit user came up with this theory that Tyrell has multiple personalities and Elliott is one of them. The two men didn't work together to cause the hack; the same man and his alternate personality actually caused the hack. Tyrell isn't gone, he's just hiding in his Elliot persona. That phone call from Tyrell to Elliot was Tyrell just trying to get through to himself. Darlene could still be his sister. He could still be working to avenge his father's death.
The only thing that would really change is that Elliot's not the star of this show; Tyrell is. Dark Army hacker Whiterose's comment that Tyrell hacks people while he hacks time just became a little more interesting. Then again, if you believe this Mr. Robot fan, there's no chance this theory could be true. So, you know, there's that.
5. Tyrell Is Related To Elliot And Darlene
If you don't totally believe the previously mentioned theory, but think Tyrell and Elliot have some sort of strange connection, this theory may be right up your alley. They're not the same person, but they do come from the same bloodline. It's why Tyrell's so good at hacking and wanted to be a part of taking down E Corp. He's also looking for revenge. Is his dad also Elliot and Darlene's? It's clear Mr. Alderson wasn't the best dad, and it is possible he had affairs — which could lead to Tyrell and explain his accent. It also could lend to the reason why Elliot would trust Tyrell with some of his biggest secrets. There's a familial bond there that maybe Elliot doesn't even remember, or, doesn't even know. A little soap opery, but not totally ridiculous.
6. Elliot Killed Tyrell
This theory hinges on the shot of Elliot reaching into the popcorn machine in the Season 1 finale while Tyrell is heard speaking. Elliot had a gun in there, so did he use it? Some believe he did and just can't remember, which means that mysterious call from Tyrell could be from the great beyond forcing Elliot to confront his wrongdoing. How very Tell-Tale Heart of creator Sam Esmail.
7. Darlene Is Elliot's Puppetmaster
And an evil one at that. Reddit users wonder if Darlene has ulterior motives when it comes to Elliot. In the first season, it's made clear she has just come back into Elliot's life. She seems to be helping Elliot, but some point to the fact that giving him a stolen gun seems like more of a hindrance than anything. Or, you know, a way to make sure he gets caught. Could Darlene be up to something shady?
8. Dom And Ray Are The Same Person
FBI agent Dominique DiPierro (Grace Gummer) and Elliot's new acquaintance Ray (Craig T. Robinson) are new to Season 2 and already fans are theorizing what they mean to the bigger picture. As Bustle pointed out, some believe the two new characters are actually one in the same. According to Entertainment Weekly, this theory asks you to believe that Elliot is so far down the rabbit hole that he doesn't know the different between being awake and being asleep. Ray could be the person he's created to get him through the interrogation of Dom, who was previously speaking with Gideon about the hack.
While they look nothing alike, the two characters share similar personality traits: both are nosy and overly familiar with those they first meet. For Elliot, Ray may be how he sees Dom, who is trying to get him to fess up. EW goes as far to make the connection between Ray's dog and Dom's last name since “perro” does mean dog. Farfetched? Maybe. Out of the realm of possibility? Definitely not.
9. Elliot Is Everyone
The Hollywood Reporter asks if everyone's just living in Elliot's world, one he's made up. His mom, Ray, Leon? All made up by Elliot. Being that Mr. Robot was also a fake-out, it's not impossible to think that Elliot's world that viewers see is really all of his own making. These people are merely characters he's created in his mind. It's best to question everything, assuming it's all fake, until proven otherwise. And, even then, you may want to stay skeptical about whatever "proof" you're given.
10. Elliot And Angela Were Once Married
For any 'shippers out there, this theory could point to Elliot's romantic past with his best friend Angela. The evidence to prove this one is definitely subtle, but it can't totally be ignored. A Reddit user points to Angela telling her then-boyfriend Ollie that Elliot "hates me and you know why." Sure, it could be that he has a crush on her, or it could be that Ollie was the one who broke them up. Angela's also quick to let everyone know she's been seeing Ollie for two years, no more than that, as if the two being together would somehow be wrong. Perhaps it would reveal her infidelity? There's also a dream sequence of Elliot proposing to Angela, only to have her give the ring back because it doesn't fit. That one may seem too on the nose, but maybe it's just a perfect throwaway to throw fans off the idea.
11. Elliot Is In On Everything
While viewers may be confused about Elliot's state of mind, he may actually not be. Another theory by The Hollywood Reporter is that instead Elliot's's been withholding information from us on purpose. Afraid to trust us, leaving us all to figure things out on our own. Yes, this would mean he's been yanking our chain for weeks now. He's not the one who's confused; we are. He'd probably get a kick out of all this though, knowing all the time that's been spent — and wasted — on theories that have been trying to figure him out, now wouldn't he?
The twists will definitely keep on coming, and some of these theories seem like they could hint at what's to come. That's the thing, even the most absurd, ridiculous, unbelievable theories don't seem too out there for Mr. Robot. Remember, control is an illusion.
Image: Michael Parmelee/USA Network; Giphy (11)
