‘Echo 3’ Recap: ‘We Reject Your Influence’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Five of ‘Echo 3’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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When we last settled in to discuss the wondrous Apple TV+ series, Echo 3, we talked at length about how Episode Four was quite revolutionary in nature. For that was a tale that rejected the machismo nature of this type of story, to focus instead on the emotional fallout of failure and how sometimes, heroes don’t bring everyone home and how they have to reconcile that reality. Which really did add unprecedented depth to this story and this genre quite frankly, and what’s amazing… is that this story is nowhere near done with those kinds of examinations, as evidenced by this week’s powerful and harrowing chapter.

For ‘We Reject Your Influence’ also took the time to explore a corner in this type of story that tends to also be neglected. Specifically, what becomes of those who are captured and imprisoned by the enemy. For more often than not when someone is captured in a story such as this, they become something of an afterthought and our only updates regarding their well-being are handled through snippets and cutaways or visceral images of torture. But this particular tale informed us… that life in this manner, is far more different than the fearful images we usually associate with such matters. It can be lonesome and isolated and difficult to reconcile for those captured.

After all, Amber was away from her family, her life, her world. She hadn’t a clue if her husband was okay, and she was now in a world that she didn’t understand in the slightest. Which led to isolation and worry, and fear of the unknown. The kind that was compounded by her new mysterious contact from the Venezuelan government who wanted her to simply denounce America and embarrass it through and through to further his interests in the country. Which pushed Amber to her darkest and lowest points, and this was powerful to watch. Since it spoke to how scary such an event would be and how hard it would be upon the human psyche and of course, it also showed us… how we endure such terrible times.

Because eventually, Amber realized that isolation and fear would do nothing to help her. She was here for the moment and needed to make the best of it and figure out if by chance, escape was an option since freedom and safety, are part of our emotional needs. Which motivated her to make a friend in this weird and uncomfortable place, and work alongside others to feel productive and needed, and have some semblance of normalcy and safety, and that in turn, led to a slightly more amicable day for Amber. One she could stomach and function through and her eventual freedom around the compound, helped her to discover that escape was indeed a possibility. Which in turn gave rise to purpose and direction, and for a time… it seemed as though this story might end happy.

For Amber did execute a daring escape plan, one that saw her suffer mightily on her way away from the compound and it was a plan that ended in sorrow. Because despite getting through a treacherous jungle and risking life and limb to make her way home, her captors found her and enacted the worst kind of punishment, giving rise to a murky future for Amber. But while we wait to see what that future is going to be, we can bask in the wonder of a powerful tale. One that bookended the previous episode nicely and truly dug deep into the horrors of being a captive and the struggles that come with it and now that we’ve reached the end of this leg of the journey, it will be fascinating to see what other powerful moments await us from a series that is going to explore so much, regarding the struggles of the human condition as it relates to the dark side of war and combat. Until next time.

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