“It’s hard to be lonely. It’s also hard to love to people. I think that’s the trap.” “Trap?” “Yes, the little private trap that everyone lives in.”

Highmore vibrates with this material as Norman now seems enlightened and about to enter his final form. Rihanna on the other hand largely feels like she’s sleepwalking through a lot of her material. The episode also draws up a nice parallel where Norman compares an unfaithful boyfriend to that of having an imaginary Murder Mother in the sense of how can you really know “when someone is real”?

On the topic of that Murder Mother, Vera Farmiga is also looking her absolutely crone-iest as she glares disapprovingly down at Norman as the comely Marion stays in their motel. I mentioned earlier in the season that the year’s second installment has played the most like a horror film so far, but there are shots of Norma in this episode that are downright terrifying. With the season now in its second half, it’s nice to see the actors going for broke—especially Farmiga. None of this cast has unfortunately garnered any Emmy wins so far, but it’d be nice to see the show’s swan song finally break that tradition. Farmiga floats between vengeful and ethereal in the most menacing sort of way as Norman gets farther and farther away from her.

It feels appropriate to touch on in some capacity that after the painful trust session that Emma and Dylan went through last week, the two push further in their quest for answers. They learn that Norma is dead, information that is surely going to send the two of them headed right back to Norman in time for the finale. It’s a decision that’s certainly understandable on their end, but it doesn’t make it any less frustrating. Even if it has felt like these two have been in their own little bubble this year, it’s been nice unequivocally knowing that they’re safe. That security’s about to go out the window. Enjoy the bagels while you can.

After the bombshell reveal that Norman has been apparently sleeping with men for some time while in Norma mode, this acts as fuel to keep Norman and his mother at odds through most of this episode. What’s all too tragic here is that after Norman’s talk with the good doctor as well as his reality check in the bar, he appears to be lucid about what’s going on. He defiantly tells Norma that she isn’t real and the only reason he’s seeing her at the moment is because of the new tenant that’s in the motel.

“You see? I’m starting to understand it all now,” he tells her. He’s spot on in that respect, but unfortunately that insight doesn’t do Norman any good at all as he heads down the rabbit hole this week. If anything, Norman trying to prove he’s not a slave to the voices in his head is exactly what sends him to his doom. Later on he admits “I’m completely losing my mind,” but it’s over the wrong thing. We get to see Norman literally warring with his psyche this week and it’s just devastating that his moments of clarity come hand-in-hand with sweeping valleys of madness. PS: How similar is Norman’s relationship with Mother to David’s relationship with the Shadow King over on Legion?