I'm either getting acclimated to the oddities of this show or episode two took it easy on the psychedelic antics. Speaking of psychedelic antics, while watching this episode I started wondering about the correlation between the main characters of Legion and different drugs. Being that I've never taken part in a drug harder than liquor and cigarettes/cigars, I'm not exactly a leading expert in this area, but let's take a look at whether I can make this metaphor work.
Regarding our main hero, David Haller, and his counterpart, the Shadow King, they represent hallucinogens, such as LSD, also known as acid, trips, mushies, and tabs. Like their name suggests, hallucinogens produce hallucinations, which correlates pretty well with the telekinetic and telepathic abilities of David and the Shadow King.
Amphetamines, or speed, whizz, ice, and uppers, would be most associated with Cary Loudermilk, who is the brains of the operation. Amphetamines are a stimulant that speeds up certain chemicals in the brain and used to treat ADHD. In other words it helps you focus. Cary is a scientist focused on helping David cope with his multiple personalities and essential in solving many of the mysteries of the show.
Cary's counterpart, Kerry Loudermilk, would be the manifestation of cocaine, or coke, freebase, crack, Charlie, C, and rock. Cocaine produces a feeling of increased alertness and reduced fatigue. This makes me think of someone who is amped up and ready for a fight, which is most certainly the best way to describe Kerry. She is a mutant who lives inside Cary and can separate from his body when necessary, which is usually when a bit of muscle is needed.
As for cannabis, or marijuana, pot, weed, mull, leaf, and gunga, Sydney "Syd" Barrett is our girl. Syd is David's girlfriend and her mutant power is that she swaps minds with others for a temporary period. Because cannabis can be a depressant drug but also cause hallucinogenic and stimulant properties, Syd seems to represent this drug the most. Depending on the person (or cat in the case of this episode) she swaps with, her demeanor can change to reflect the person she is supposed to be imitating.
Lenny Busker is the epitome of ecstasy, also known as es, XTC, echoes, pills, and bickies. This drug has both stimulant and hallucinogenic properties. It is sometimes referred to as a psychedelic amphetamine, which Lenny is all too happy to embody, metaphorically.
Finally we have Melanie Bird. So far in season two she would represent heroine, or hammer, H, smack, horse, white, and beige. Heroine is a depressant that slows down the whole body, including breathing and heart rate. Thus far this season, all we've seen Melanie do is get high and lay in bed.
Again, I've never done a hard drug before in my life, so I really don't know if this is an accurate depiction of the characters and their drug counterparts. This is simply what I was contemplating while watching the episode, which is the point of these posts.