Warning: spoilers ahead for The Peripheral episode 6.
Despite being mostly peripheral throughout the story so far, Flynne's mother has triggered a potentially show-defining conflict between two major players in The Peripheral's battle for the future. When The Peripheral begins, Ella Fisher, played by Melinda Page Hamilton, has been blinded as the result of an ongoing illness. Flynne and Burton's mother would have died within days had Wilf Netherton not provided medicine from the future that saved Ella and restored her sight. Tragically, The Peripheral episode 7, "The Doodad," sees Flynne's mother take another turn toward bad health, as her blindness suddenly and inexplicably returns.
With an Irish assassin on the loose and an apocalypse to avoid, The Peripheral season 1, episode 7 leaves Flynne and Burton no time to process their mother's resurfacing condition. Once that news lands, however, two The Peripheral powerhouses will butt heads. Flynne began cooperating with Lev Zubov to locate the elusive Aelita on the condition that her mother's life be saved. Ever since Ella's eyes were restored, Flynne has duly held up her end of that bargain. If Ella is blind again in The Peripheral, her illness is most likely back also, leaving Flynne no reason to continue assisting Zubov, and giving the Fisher siblings a bone to pick.
Why Is Ella Fisher Blind Again In The Peripheral?
The Peripheral episode 7 offers no explanation as to why Ella Fisher's sight suddenly deteriorates having been perfectly fine only moments prior, but a potential reason can be found in episode 2's tense dinner scene between Chloë Grace Moretz's Flynne and Lev Zubov's entourage. As explained by Ash, the drug Ella took to cure her brain tumor had a 57% chance of success, with the scientist later clarifying, "We can't guarantee that the drug will work." Although a more accurate medical diagnosis may eventually come, it seems likely that Ella responded to the drug at first, but the cure failed to take hold strongly enough to eradicate the tumor completely.
Flynne will likely be livid at Zubov and his cronies for giving her mother false hope, but even more angry with Wilf. Whereas Ash was at least honest about Ella's chances of recovery, Wilf assured Flynne that the drug would definitely work, and these assurances were the only reason Moretz's character gave her ailing mother a mystery drug from a stranger in the future. As much as Flynne and Burton could now turn against Zubov, the growing romance between Flynne and Wilf will inevitably take a hit due to the promises broken by Ella's health worsening.
What Ella's Condition Means For Inspector Lowbeer
The return of Ella Fisher's blindness comes at a curious time, as the loss of one friend is potentially cushioned by the emergence of another. Alexandra Billings' charismatic Ainsley Lowbeer has taken a keen interest in Flynne, Burton and Conner. The old-fashioned Met Inspector also entrusts Flynne with her suspicions that the Research Institute is deliberately hastening the Jackpot in 2032's stub timeline, while expressing concern about Zubov's Klept mafia learning how to open a stub of their own. Although Lowbeer deliberately makes herself difficult to read, her meeting with Flynne has the distinct air of a job interview.
The Met's Inspector Ainsley Lowbeer seemingly wants to take down the Klept and R.I. together, and hopes Flynne Fisher can help her achieve that. Had Flynne still been bound to her agreement with Lev Zubov, with her mother enjoying the benefits of the future timeline's wonder drug, The Peripheral's protagonist would likely have hesitated to switch her loyalty to the Met. Since Ella is taking a turn for the worse, however, Flynne could be willing to hear any proposal Inspector Lowbeer wishes to make. The fate of her entire timeline may depend on whether Flynne agrees.
The Peripheral continues Friday on Prime Video.