# Fargo S1E9 \[Open spoilers\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 11, 2014, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522 "2014-06-11T03:14:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/81 "2014-06-12T16:28:29Z")
Security cameras in the elevator would show that Lester did nothing wrong, but that he was a witness to three murders and then tried to hit the murderer. We’ve seen from our recent Kanya West and his sister in law fight in the elevator that security cameras do indeed extend to the elevators in some hotels, and casinos have security cameras everywhere but in private rooms and restrooms. Malvo doesn’t care if he is caught on a security camera. It would be inconsistent for the writers to explain exactly what Malvo is, but they might drop a big hint that his body really is that of Rev. Frank Peterson. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Fornicator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Fornicator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Fornicator)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/82 "2014-06-12T16:53:49Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > What does that have to do with anything? Have you heard of the genre of magical realism? Have you heard of The Bible? The what now? You may have forgotton who, in E7, made the point originally point about Fargo, magic realism and The Bible: [QUOTE=The Fornicator] One thing Fargo has reminded me of was the discussion back in the day about Gabriel García Márquez and the origins of magic-realism. You don’t need to spend too long with the Bible to work that out, so anyone thinking Fargo is a little ‘out there’ with some of these happenings might muse a little on the book that is the foundation of western civilisation. Excuse me, I just need to part the Red Sea. [/QUOTE] It may not be [Salon.com](http://Salon.com), but it’s nice to know you read what I have to say 😉 ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/83 "2014-06-12T17:11:06Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Security cameras in the elevator would show that Lester did nothing wrong, but that he was a witness to three murders and then tried to hit the murderer. We’ve seen from our recent Kanya West and his sister in law fight in the elevator that security cameras do indeed extend to the elevators in some hotels, and casinos have security cameras everywhere but in private rooms and restrooms. Malvo doesn’t care if he is caught on a security camera. And that was probably still true in 2006 but not in this show apparently. Lester would still have been fucked to have been seen with Malvo when the murders took place though. ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/84 "2014-06-12T18:15:29Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I’m not sure what you mean by that, but I think he was legitimately planning to skip town (to avoid Malvo more than the cops) with her. It was only when he had to go and pick up the passports and saw the light on in the office that he realized he was stuck. He could send her in and if she came back out with the passports they could continue on their way, if she got killed he’d have to figure out what to do next, but at least he was still alive. > > If he had the passports at home this wouldn’t have happened. > > The next question is, why was Malvo sitting in the office. The only answer I can come up with is that he was just going to wait there until morning. At home he printed off tickets for Mexico, I didn’t catch how many passengers he had. His wife was warming up pea soup…they just left it there. Ick! ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/85 "2014-06-12T18:46:45Z")
> [@eenerms](#): > > At home he printed off tickets for Mexico, I didn’t catch how many passengers he had. > His wife was warming up pea soup…they just left it there. Ick! Nitpick on the show: The tickets were leaving MSP at 11pm and they were arriving in Mexico at 8:30am with no layovers. That plane is moving really slowly on a non-existant red eye. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/86 "2014-06-12T21:59:31Z")
> [@The\_Fornicator](#): > > It may not be [Salon.com](http://Salon.com), but it’s nice to know you read what I have to say 😉 So if you DON’T sneer at the idea that Malvo is not entirely human, why did you say this earlier: “It really isn’t. This is an adult-orientated drama with adult themes. Honest.”? I have no idea what you are saying. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2014, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/87 "2014-06-12T22:12:03Z")
I think the point is that Malvo’s status is and will remain ambivalent. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/88 "2014-06-13T05:11:11Z")
Very good episode, I thought - maybe the best yet. Loved seeing Malvo passing as a vapid suburban dentist (“Aces!”). Did you notice his partner call him “friendo” when he arrived at the party? That was a key word in the Coen Bros.'s _No Country for Old Men_ (the same actor appeared in that movie, too). The incongruity of Malvo putting on that Sixties acid hit “My Green Tambourine” made me laugh out loud. Also loved the closeup later as Malvo arrives at Lester’s old house and has a dagger at the ready, but deftly tucks it away when he realizes Lester’s not there - but still fucks with the new homeowner and his kids by talking about the double homicide there. The combination of the ominous music and the cold, vaguely threatening empty hallways of the Vegas hotel reminded me a lot of _The Shining_. I noticed that the U.S. and Minnesota flags are on the wrong side of each other in the Bemidji police station - a subtle way of indicating that the chief is incompetent? I didn’t buy that the FBI agent who asked the two disgraced agents to pull a file would let them keep the phone message slip. It looked like they still had the original when they were talking to Molly. And remind me of the Garden of Eden reference, please? > [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > …There is a supernatural being known as a “Dybbyk” (spelling not certain). If you look it up, it is a creature that loves to create mischief just like Malvo creates… A dybbuk is also (maybe) a character in the Coen Bros. movie _A Serious Man_. > [@Shoeless](#): > > …The scene in the coffee shop was really well done. I was prepared for some serious shit-hitting-the-fan convergence of events but Malvo slipped away as the others were showing up. Yes, I liked that very much. > [@Shoeless](#): > > …Also, I don’t know if it has been mentioned in any previous threads, but it occurred to me the other day where I had heard the name Malvo before: Lee Boyd Malvo was the younger of the two men convicted in the D.C. sniper shootings back in 2002. I recall someone did mention that in another thread. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > I don’t know if Lester was thinking the same as I was, but when I saw the light on in the office, I just assumed that Malvo was in there. Also, Lester very, very clearly dressed her up to look like him. “Here honey, put this [my] coat on…put your hood up”… Agreed. Lester, that bastard, was willing to send his poor sweet smitten second wife on a possible suicide mission, but was still a bit shocked to see her shot before his very eyes. > [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > Very fine post [by **Garula**]. I enjoyed it a whole lot. Me, too! Kudos. > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Remember that in the elevator, Malvo kept asking Lester, “Is this what you want?” I interpreted that to mean, “Do you want me to drop the facade of a normal person and show you my true colors?” Lester seemed to think that he had something in common with Malvo, but Malvo demonstrated that he’s far more dangerous and evil than Lester (who is hardly an innocent in all of this). Absolutely. That’s just how I read it. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/89 "2014-06-13T06:08:34Z")
Lester is proving to be Malvo’s most catastrophic error. He should never have left him alive in the first place. He did so to indulge himself, he took great pleasure in seeing Lester throwing aside the bonds of morality and law. He enjoys corrupting the weak, although it is only the weak over whom he has any influence. With people such as Molly and her father he is impotent. He did come close to corrupting Gus but Gus had his daughter to keep him on the straight and narrow so the effort proved unavailing in the end. That’s why I don’t think Malvo has any supernatural powers (and I agree with **Dex** , it would be most disappointing if it turns out that he does). The guy makes too many mistakes and it’s only by sheer good fortune and quick thinking that those mistakes haven’t finished him off already. Lester was one mistake too many and that mistake is going to prove his undoing. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/90 "2014-06-13T06:31:25Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Neither Solverson has ever said “yes” to Malvo. I think that in order for him to have spiritual authority to kill someone that you must say “yes” or knowing go along with something improper, like the dentist and hygenists who knew they weren’t supposed to see someone in witness protection, or the new Mrs. Nygaard, who lied to Molly about why they left Vegas. A very interesting idea but Lester didn’t say yes to him the first time. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/91 "2014-06-13T07:00:33Z")
I’ve had this series queuing up all season and finally just binged on all the episodes over the past three days. So good. > [@White SIFL](#): > > A very interesting idea but Lester didn’t say yes to him the first time. Hmmm. That scene made a point to show very specifically that he never said no, either. > [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > I’m still hoping that he screwed up by telling some random black kid the whole story about Tahir so that some random black kid figured it would be a good deal to pretend he was Tahir. If that ever becomes known, hopefully it will be enough to get Bill the Doofus fired or at least demoted. The African kid is really Tahir. They both had pictures of each other. Unfortunately Tahir’s pictures of Bill’s family were stolen with his luggage. Speaking of which, if they do decide to go the anthology route and make another season I’d love to see Tahir’s stolen luggage play some role in the next story. > [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > I’m thinking he is some sort of supernatural being limited somehow in what he can do. The fish storm was just way too freaky. Oh come on, was I the only one to react to the in-show explanation with an immediate “Sharknado!”? > [@The\_Fornicator](#): > > Loved the scene between Molly’s Dad and Malvo. Seen something very silimar before, can’t recal where … My guess is Deadwood. It reminded me of the scene when he tells Jack McCall that his mouth looks like a cunt. > [@The\_Fornicator](#): > > Lester should never have approached Malvo in Vegas, then he should have walked away when Malvo whispered that to him as he stood up, and he should have said ‘no’ when Malvo gave him the final opportunity to back off in the elevator. On each of those three occasions his arrogance and sense of entitlement over rode sense. All of which happened in a single night. You could say he denied common sense three times before the rooster crows the next morning. heh. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/92 "2014-06-13T07:32:15Z")
I just saw that the last episode is an extended 90 minute long show. Can’t wait. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/93 "2014-06-13T09:20:09Z")
> [@The\_Fornicator](#): > > Loved the scene between Molly’s Dad and Malvo. Seen something very silimar before, can’t recal where … There’s a similar sort of scene set in a diner in an episode of _Criminal Minds_ only in this one Keith Carradine is the serial killer rather than the good guy and Mandy Patinkin is the one engaging him in conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/94 "2014-06-13T10:30:53Z")
> [@Fleetwood](#): > > The FBI agents had Malvo walk by them with a rifle and kill 22 people while they were arguing about lunch. Not the best and brightest. I don’t think Lester is the central point of their investigation, they are after Malvo to clear their reputations. I bet they are working off the books on this. Their presence has already impressed the chief and may open his mind to Molly’s theories. > > Did I miss another time jump? I thought they were a year removed from the Nygaard/Malvo murders. I’m not arguing with anything you said. I would like to point out that the last thing the FBI agents said was that they wanted to take another run at Lester. Malvo may well be their primary interest but the way they may get to Malvo is through Lester. When you spoke about the dumbass chief and how Molly’s chart may open his mind … I have to wonder how that can happen. You may well be correct about her chart. But I can’t imagine a howitzer blast to his head opening his mind. He just does not possess the kind of mind that would seem capable to being opened. I’m not sure why. But for some reason, I have a real huge hatred on for that dumbass Chief. Maybe it’s because I like the Molly character very much and this chief has done nothing but obstruct her at every turn and caused her nothing but grief and the reason for all of that was essentially nothing more than his own stupidity. That really just gets my blood to boiling. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/95 "2014-06-13T11:15:56Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > A very interesting idea but Lester didn’t say yes to him the first time. Well, no, he didn’t really respond to the idea of killing Sam Hess one way or the other, but he certainly didn’t object. And then, shortly after, Lester called Malvo to say that he’d bashed his wife’s brains in, come help me. That means, from Malvo’s POV, that he’s corrupted Lester quite well. I love the way Malvo does nasty little things along the way, like scaring the kids about the murders in the house. Reminds me of the film BEDAZZLED (the original, with Peter Cook and Dudley Moore), where the devil does nasty little things just to be spiteful, like training pigeons to poop on people, tearing out the last page of Agatha Christie mysteries, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/96 "2014-06-13T12:35:17Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > I’m not arguing with anything you said. > > I would like to point out that the last thing the FBI agents said was that they wanted to take another run at Lester. Malvo may well be their primary interest but the way they may get to Malvo is through Lester. > > When you spoke about the dumbass chief and how Molly’s chart may open his mind … > > I have to wonder how that can happen. You may well be correct about her chart. But I can’t imagine a howitzer blast to his head opening his mind. He just does not possess the kind of mind that would seem capable to being opened. I must have missed the take another run at Lester line, though they never ran at him before. Probably never heard of him until that point as they were focused on watching the Fargo crew, not a couple of murders in Bemidji, when Malvo sent them to FBI limbo. About the chief, I didn’t mean that Molly’s chart would suddenly impress him, but the fact that two FBI agents were interested in it might. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/97 "2014-06-13T12:56:20Z")
I’m still in shock that Stephen Root got killed off so quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/98 "2014-06-13T13:04:17Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > I’m still in shock that Stephen Root got killed off so quickly. He is a great actor and I hope he finds a good home in another show very soon. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/99 "2014-06-13T13:14:31Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > I’m still in shock that Stephen Root got killed off so quickly. I’m not, there’s only one episode left (well, in that case, I guess they could have found a longer lasting role for him), but as I mentioned up thread, it was hard to have that many comedy actors on the show. Might as well have Dave Foley play Gus. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522/100 "2014-06-13T13:30:04Z")
One thing has bothered me. Lester says that he hadn’t seen Hess since High School which we know is a lie because he bullied Lester the day before. Why didn’t the sons ever tell the police that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-s1e9-open-spoilers/690522.md?page=6)