We skip ahead to adult Jane training at the Central Intelligence Agency facility known as The Farm. She really wants to go out in the field, but is reined in by her training officer, Stacy (played by Ryan Michelle Bathe, “First Wives Club,” who is also host of the official “Paradise” podcast and Sterling K. Brown’s real-life wife). Stacy likes Jane, who is clearly intelligent, but the younger woman’s psych evaluation was ROUGH. “Sometimes I hear voices,” Jane volunteers. “I don’t want to know,” Stacy quickly replies.
Given what happens later, I feel justified in saying: Good God, Stacy, the woman basically has a neon “UNSTABLE” sign blinking over her head! DO NOT GIVE HER A GUN.
Anyway, Stacy decides that teaching Jane how to meditate — which will help quiet the voices in her head — is the way to go. The practice also allows Jane to slow things down so she can notice, for instance, when the agent she’s going up against in a simulation is telegraphing a punch. So Jane is riding high one night while she and Stacy have dinner… until she notices that Stacy is distracted. Jane’s mentor admits that she’s bummed because she lost out on a promotion that went to a less qualified man in her department.
Jane sympathizes, then wonders why Stacy singled her out for extra guidance. “Because I think you’re incredibly special, Jane, and I’m incredibly sad that no one has ever told you,” Stacy says, making Jane teary. Then Stacy asks if Jane wants to play Nintendo Wii, and Jane excitedly says yes. It’s her first time!
A while later, Jane shows up at the house of Officer Radner, the man who got the promotion; she wants him to step down and allow Stacy the opportunity to forward her career. He takes that suggestion… about as well as you think he might. The last time we see him, he’s ordering Jane to leave his property.
And the next time we see Jane, she’s arriving at Stacy’s for dinner. But Stacy is shaken, because the guy Jane threatened is in emergency surgery after a violent attack. Jane doesn’t seem surprised or upset… and that’s when we realize that she’s holding a gift bag, as though she’s showing up at a birthday party. Stacy looks slightly ill as she asks Jane what’s in the bag. “You said Officer Radner only got the promotion because he had a d***,” Jane says simply. “Well, that’s not an issue anymore.”
Our final shot of Stacy shows her horrified face as the penny drops: She’s created a pretty, meditating monster.
