Note: Full spoilers for the episode follow.
Imagine that everything you know, every memory, everything that makes you you, was contained on an external storage device. Now imagine that device was stolen. That's the situation Beck finds himself in when he's duped by a small-time thief and nearly loses everything. You have to feel sorry for him as his memory begins to fade, but it was a pretty dumb mistake for someone who is supposed to be a freedom fighter in the mold of Tron. And considering how important identity discs are in the world of the Grid, and the dire consequences of being without one for any length of time, they're surprisingly easy to steal. But let's overlook that little plot convenience and get right to the heart of the story. Which, as it happens, had a lot to do with matters of the heart.
Since the beginning, Tron has kept Beck at a distance, relating to him solely as the cool, reserved mentor, even at times when Beck really needed a friend. As he explains in a rather exposition-y scene near the end of the episode, Tron once let his friendship with Clu cloud his judgement, and that experience has made him cautious about forming new emotional ties. But in "Identity" he puts it all on the line and risks exposure to bring Beck back from the brink of oblivion. It's an important turning point in their relationship. It's also worth noting that Tron's knowledge of strays and the process of memory loss was too thorough not to have come first-hand. We've seen in the first few episodes that Tron is badly damaged physically, now we know he's got some internal scars to match.
What the creators of this series seem to understand in developing Tron: Uprising so far is that you can have all the ultra cool light cycle chases through spectacular digital landscapes you want, but none of it is going to connect with an audience unless they care about the programs riding those bikes. I appreciate that the writers are taking the time to explore the characters' motivations, even one-shot characters like Lux. Her sacrifice wouldn't have meant as much without the insight that her actions were rooted in her love for Cobol. That she would betray him after learning of Tron's survival is a testament to Tron's power as a mythical figure.
Zed is also turning out to be more than just a minor character whose only purpose is fill out the B story of each episode. Though he hasn't yet had much impact on the greater story arc, he has had some difficult choices put before him. His desire for recognition and respect from guys like Bartik and Hopper clash directly in this episode with his feelings for Mara. Luckily for Beck, love wins this round, but I was a bit disappointed that Zed walked away from the chance to join Paige's task force. I would have liked to have seen him go up against Beck as the Renegade.
All of this character stuff goes hand in hand, of course, with the slick visual design, which continues to impress. By now, it's easy to take the look of the show for granted, but the style is really distinctive from anything else on television. In "Identity" we got more thrilling action, including a cool sequence that climaxed in Beck jumping through a window, and some pretty fluid fight scenes. We also visited a new location, Pergos. It wasn't quite as gritty as I expected from Tron's description as a rundown "garbage heap," but it did have a different aesthetic from Argon City and the other locales we've seen so far.
In just four episodes, we've had a chance to explore more of the Grid than in either of the films, and I look forward to more of that world expansion in the show's future. Based on past experience, I fear that Tron: Uprising is bound to let me down sooner or later, but I'm happy to say that it hasn't happened yet.
Source : ign[dot]com
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