Fans of "Mr. Robot" should expect to learn more about Elliot's (Rami Malek) past when the series returns for season 2.
Showrunner Sam Esmail talked about the plans for "Mr. Robot" season 2 during the winter press tour of the Television Critics Association in January. He revealed that the upcoming season will center on the aftermath of Elliot's realization that Mr. Robot (Christian Slater) is not real and just a fragment of his imagination.
"There will be a lot more backstory that will be shown, the timeline will get a little clearer — not 100 percent clear, because where's the fun in that? But a little clearer," Esmail said (via Entertainment Weekly). "It really is about Elliot trying to reconcile what this means in seeing Mr. Robot. The series is filling in the blanks of the past and the present of this character."
In an interview with TV Insider, Malek talked about the implications of his character's discovery. According to the actor, Elliot's realization that something as "vibrant and visceral" was not really true will have a huge effect on his life, which could be surprising and dangerous at the same time.
Esmail reiterated his statement about the impact of Elliot's realization in a separate interview with TV Insider, saying that the entire show is based on the character's emotional journey. "It's going to be about Elliot really negotiating with himself since that's a tough pill to swallow," the showrunner said.
When asked if Slater's character already served its purpose after Elliot already found out that he was just a part of imagination, the showrunner did not agree. Esmail said that when he first wrote the material as a feature film, the revelation part was supposed to happen during the first act break. "What the movie was about, was what if a guy discovers this thing about himself, what's the next thing he does? That, to me, is the interesting part," Esmail revealed.
"Mr. Robot" season 2 is slated to premiere on USA Network in summer.
