Elliot May Not Hack The Dark Army On 'Mr. Robot' After All — But Someone Else Still Could

Warning: this post includes discussion of sexual abuse.

Spoilers ahead for Episode 8 of Mr. Robot Season 4. Now that Elliot is no longer able to repress the memory of his childhood trauma, his whole perspective has shifted — including how he feels about hacking the Dark Army. In the Nov. 24 episode, Elliot questions whether or not he can go through with his plan to take down Whiterose — which could mean someone else will step in to carry it out instead.

Destroying Whiterose has been a driving force for Elliot since Angela's death, but now that he has consciously accepted why he created Mr. Robot, his wellbeing may take priority. In "Request Timeout," he begins to process the abuse he experienced by speaking openly about it with Krista, the younger version of himself, and even Mr. Robot. It's through his discussion with Mr. Robot — who he clarifies does not represent his father but instead "the father [he] needed" — that Elliot reveals he's uncertain of what he's capable of now. "I don't know if I can go through with the hack anymore. I don't know if I can do anything," he tells Mr. Robot. "I can't do it. I can't do it. I'm sorry."

It's devastating to hear him express doubt in himself over the abuse his father perpetrated against him, but this emotional release also seems to be cathartic for Elliot, who is so rarely this vulnerable. Rather than be defeated, Elliot could realize that he needs to take the time to process what his father did to him and stop allowing himself to be consumed with whatever Whiterose is doing. That may sound unlikely for a show that has made the two's final face-off feel like its ultimate endgame. However, just because Elliot may need to step back from his plan doesn't mean someone else won't take his place.

Which brings us to Darlene. She spent the episode being held hostage with Dom by the Dark Army. It seemed like Janice was going to kill them both, but Dom saved them. Knowing Janice would make good on her threats against her family, Dom had secretly hired the recently released Irish mobster Deegan Maguire to protect them. Janice is taken aback by the development, and Dom takes the opportunity to kill her and the two Dark Army operatives standing by. With her lung punctured and on the verge of potential death, Dom tells Darlene, "Go find Elliot and take them down."

It's possible Dom will survive, but regardless of her fate, Darlene will likely feel a responsibility to uphold Dom's request. And if Elliot reveals that Angela is truly dead (since he's been keeping the photo of her dead body a secret), she'll be even more personally invested in destroying the Dark Army. So while Elliot feels broken, Darlene's desire for vengeance could be what's needed to see his project through. Furthermore, Darlene is seemingly unaware that her father sexually abused Elliot. If that's the case, she'll have to grapple with the truth about her father while also supporting her brother. Again, her response to this could be anger, further fueling her to do something of significance for her brother.

While processing what happened to him should be Elliot's only priority, Mr. Robot made it clear that he's still thinking about his larger plan. Whatever Elliot chooses to do next, his sister — not Mr. Robot — may be the most important person standing by him, whether at his side or in his place.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit online.rainn.org.