"Belonging" Part II

The very first shot of "Belonging" shows the blood-stained face of Topher Brink, the Programmer for the LA Dollhouse, muttering to himself "I was just trying to help." This is foreshadowing one of the key messages of this episode and the way Dollhouse will solidify both the tragedy of Sierra's existence and Topher's kind of "help".

Next, the scene fades to a California beach one year ago, where we see Sierra as she was before the Dollhouse: an aspiring Australian artist named Priya. Priya apparently makes her living selling novelty art pieces on the beach. 

Almost immediately, however, we are introduced to another character: a man named Nolan Kinnard.

Now, I know that I have described Kinnard as a creep previously, but for someone watching this episode for the first time, he seems much different. He avoids eye contact with Priya at times, yet is always stealing glances at her; Priya and her friend comment on how often he comes to their spot on the beach, with her friend insisting that Nolan is definitely interested in her. But just how interested?

Anyway, after expressing his admiration for her art, Nolan invites Priya to agree to a private art showing at his home to get her more exposure. Priya takes his number, and eventually, she agrees.

The next scene is that very art show Nolan promised to Priya. We hear, then see a well-to-do intellectual woman showering praise on Priya and one of her works, saying something to the tune of "I can't imagine life without owning a painting like this." Priya responds appropriately: "You must have a very boring life."

Indeed, this short exchange ties with Priya's overall feelings about her circumstances. She is obviously uncomfortable in this situation, but feels compelled to stay in the interests of her art career (and possibly some sort of obligation to Nolan?).

Now the episode presents us with two parallel conversations. In one, Echo (obviously hired out by someone for the evening) approached Priya, compliments her on her luck in meeting Nolan and encourages her to stay close to him, saying that he can really take her career to new heights. This meeting between a current Doll and a future Doll might seem a bit far-fetched, but it is no coincidence.

On the other side of the room, Nolan Kinnard is talking with one of the top executives from the Rossum Corporation, the operation of the Dollhouse. It is revealed that because of Nolan's "contributions" to Rossum's work, they have helped him stage this art show as part of his elaborate seduction of Priya. Thus, Echo's encouragement to stay with Nolan - all pre-programmed into her head. 

We also see that the Dollhouse has provided Victor for the evening, playing the part of an Italian art dealer. Priya and Victor seem to hit it off really well, and they try to sneak out of the building for some "privacy". 

However, Nolan spots them and tries to stop Priya. He is clearly becoming frustrated with his repeated failures at wooing the young artist. Victor is quickly whisked away by his handler, and Nolan starts to become aggressive and physical. 

Priya tries again and again to pull away from Nolan and leave through the door, but Nolan keeps standing in her way. Eventually, she wrenches free of his grip, slaps him in the face, and shouts, "You disgust me. Nothing in this could make me love you." And with that, she storms out of the building, presumably forever.

Or not. 

The very next shows the present-day Sierra as an Active on an engagement with Nolan in his home. Nolan snaps a picture of her with Priya's old Polaroid camera, and after she leaves, tosses the photo into a drawer filled with numerous similar photos.

The backstory up until this point is tragic enough. Once it is revealed how exactly Priya and the Dollhouse staff were tricked by Nolan into creating Sierra, Nolan will become absolutely the worst person ever to grace the Dollhouse cast.

"Belonging": How (Not) to Get the Girl

Just look at that guy's face. One glance at that slimy, self-confident, dead-eyed smile would be enough to send any girl running in the opposite, which is what Sierra will try to do throughout this episode of Dollhouse, "Belonging". As one of the last episodes of the final season, this episode serves as the show's way of tying up loose plot ends; specifically, Sierra's reasons for entering the Dollhouse.

Up until this point, one of the main moral objections to the activities of the Dollhouse has been how they force Actives to perform sexual acts, degrade themselves, and sometimes kill others, all without the Actives' knowledge or explicit consent. The Dollhouse, in the form of Adele DeWitt counters this point by showing how normal people with personal issues volunteer to be Dolls, and are financially or otherwise assisted for their service.

Anthony, a former U.S. Marine and veteran of the Iraq War, volunteered to become "Victor" for the Dollhouse in Los Angeles in exchange for the Dollhouse relieving him of his crippling PTSD. Madeline joins the Dollhouse as sleeper Active "November" in order to have the memory of losing her only child wiped away. Even Caroline somewhat "volunteered" to become Echo, trading her personality for the chance to not go to prison on terrorism charges (it's a long story). However, it has been up in the air as to why Sierra decided to join the Dollhouse, if it was ever her decision at all.

Which it wasn't. Not at all. Sierra had no say in the matter. Not even a little bit.

Next week, I'll detail exactly how Priya - a carefree bohemian artist from Australia - was trapped in the Dollhouse by the man above, Dr. Nolan Kinnard.

Damsel in the Dollhouse: Part 3

So far, I've written about how Sierra is the character who suffers the most in Dollhouse, yet looking back I don't feel that the points I've addressed have really supported that point. So today I will run through every major terrible thing that Sierra (and also her original self Priya) have gone through.

1. That scene of Sierra's first wipe

I believe that this short scene in the first episode "Ghost" is very important in establishing not only the theme of Sierra's suffering, but also the idea that the Dollhouse is not exactly what it seems. Up until this point, the actions of the Dollhouse have appeared for the most part to be consensual on both sides. We see the clients knowingly request the Dolls' services, and Adele DeWitt's conversation with pre-Dollhouse Echo (aka Caroline) informs the audience that individuals must voluntarily sign a 5-year contract with the House and are generously compensated after their contract expires.
However, seeing Priya about to be wiped into Sierra and the pained look on her pain conveys a implied message that the Dollhouse's operations are inherently harmful to the Actives (the Programmer Topher Brink admits that the first wipe, while necessary, "is always the worst"). This scene also plants the seed of the idea that those who join the Dollhouse may not exactly be doing it of their own free will.

2. Victor and Sierra's relationship

Again, within the universe of the Dollhouse, the romance that develops between Victor and Sierra should not be possible. According to the chief programmer Topher, all Actives have their sex drives removed as a result of the initial wiping process. Yet despite the efforts of the Dollhouse to stop it, the Dolls begin to form personal relationships, but especially Victor and Sierra.

In "True Believer", Topher and Dr. Saunders discover that Victor is having, as Topher calls it, "man-reactions" when looking at Sierra in the shower, this indicates a serious problem with the technology that keeps the Dolls blissfully unaware of their day-to-day activities. Later, in "Needs", when Echo, Sierra, and Victor all have their original personalities returned to them, Sierra and Victor still manage to come together and fall in love all over again. Their relationship only grows stronger with each attempt to separate one from the other.

3. The "Man on the Street" Incident

The man pictured above is Sierra's handler, Joe Hearn. We are first introduced to him in "Man on the Street", a episode that I have already described as a turning point in Dollhouse in terms of quality. And while "Man on the Street" focuses on Echo and Agent Ballard, there is a significant and disturbing side-story involving Sierra, Victor, and Hearn.

In this episode, people in the Dollhouse have noticed Sierra becoming very quiet and sad recently. We also see Sierra break down crying when Victor touches her shoulder, someone she normally gets along with very much. An examination by Dr. Saunders reveals that Sierra has had sex while she was in her Doll state in the House. Dr. Saunders, Topher, and Echo's handler Boyd investigate who did this to Sierra.

Victor is the first suspect - Sierra did shriek when he touched her, and he is known to have physical feelings toward her. If Victor did have consensual sex with Sierra, it would show at best a high level of self-awareness in the Doll state; however, if it was rape, then the Dollhouse can no longer guarantee its Actives' safety within their walls. 

However, a sting operation set up by Boyd uncovers the truth - Sierra's handler has been abusing her in a concealed section of the House away from cameras. The handler is appropriately disposed of by Adele DeWitt, and Sierra is wiped to help her forget the abuse. More importantly, this episode foreshadows a important point of Sierra's most tragic piece of backstory.

4. How Sierra got into the Dollhouse

Throughout the first season and most of the second season, Dollhouse hinted that the way Sierra ended up in the Dollhouse was not entirely on-the-level. Especially in "Needs", the audience is given reason to believe that Priya (Sierra before the Dollhouse) had less choice in the matter than her fellow Actives. Then, in the final few episodes of the series, just before cancellation, Joss Whedon presented "Belonging". 

"Belonging" is an entire episode devoted to Sierra's back-story. It ties all the hints and speculation of the past two seasons together very nicely. It also draws from the themes of the three above specific cases of Sierra's suffering. Showing how Priya became Sierra also explains how Sierra's relationship with Victor and that first pained expression in the very beginning of the series. Unfortunately, "Belonging" also explains why the writers of Dollhouse felt it necessary to use "Man on the Street" to establish Sierra as being a victim of abuse and manipulation by other men.

"Belonging" is an intense episode that I realize now as I write that it must be covered as its own post. Next week, I'll go into depth about this episode, and what it means for Sierra and ultimately the ethics of the Dollhouse.

Sierra: Damsel in the Dollhouse Part 2

Continuing from last week, let's again look at Sierra (portrayed by Dichen Lachman) and how nearly every element of her backstory and Dollhouse's plot puts her in terrible situation after terrible situation.

2. Victor and Sierra: Two Star-Crossed Lovers

In the first few episodes of Dollhouse, Sierra takes on many roles as an Active, from a obsessive fan-girl to a no-nonsense safecracker. However, her most interesting role is her development of an actual personality, despite being in the supposedly blank Doll state. In this way, Sierra's development mirrors her Active Echo's. But while Echo's new personality will empower her to escape and defeat the Dollhouse, Sierra's form of rebellion is her "impossible" love with Victor.

In a much later episode, it is revealed that before Sierra was part of the Dollhouse, she was an up-and-coming artist named Priya. We'll discuss the very suspicious circumstances under which Priya became Sierra later, but for now it's important to note that on one of her last nights as a free woman, she met and fell for the man she would later know as Victor.

A common motif of Dollhouse is that new personalities can be created intentionally and unintentionally. This holds true for Sierra, whose personality will develop into someone completely different from the original Priya.