When Mr. Robot first started, nearly everyone was sure that the titular character is a figment of Elliot’s imagination and very well could be his deceased biological father. That “guess” was confirmed (to little fanfare) a few episodes into the first season – once, via a “cliffhanger” ending and the second (in a particularly unintentionally hilarious fashion) by showing his grave marker. To be fair, Elliot did lampshade that we figured it out a while back already.
After that precedent was set, it was standard fare for viewers to assume anything that’s happening that’s unusual – be it a character or scene – is a hallucination. The showrunners however, proving that they’re ever so sly and crafty, managed to buck the trend and continue to surprise viewers. Angela in a dark room being pressed weird questions? Tyrell alive and well and being an important cog of Phase Two? Those were both real!
In addition, the writers also tend to not forget storylines and make sure to revisit them quickly and tie up loose ends. The story behind how the funhouse headquarters was explained later on as well as Lenny’s covert attempts at taking Elliot down for dognapping Flipper and hacking him.
Which is why it’s a bit disappointing to see Craig Robinson’s Ray Heysworth, just shoved to the side and presumably forgotten. His mysterious character that was revealed to be a merciless Dark Web marketplace proprietor and later the warden of the prison where Elliot was incarcerated, ended in an abrupt note, never to be discussed several episodes later or to reappear in a stinger to cap off the finale.
To answer the question of whether he exists – Ray is definitely real, and – as we all know already – he works as a warden. What’s not clear is whether he truly runs a sideline involving illegal Dark Net ventures. The police raid that Elliot triggered is fake. Those chess battles and conversations while watching basketball maybe just a modified version of reality.
Then there’s the line he uttered when real Elliot passed by as he’s being escorted to his cell. What did Ray mean when he said “Need you to swing by at 3 PM. Problems with RT again”? What’s “RT”? Is it a code word for a Taj Mahal scale model he created as a gift for his dead wife? Is it a reference to another round of chess? A behavioral review?
Or maybe the Dread Pirate Roberts alter ego is indeed true, and the other more grandiose aspects of what we saw – getting his ass kicked for looking in too much, the aforementioned raid – are just embellishments?
Whether these parts of the character are real or not, it’s not clear whether they’re going to explore it immediately. Craig Robinson is not known to have signed up for next season and has plenty of projects already in his belt. But knowing Sam, they’re not going to sit and let this unanswered plot go by.
Hey, they somewhat tackled Bill again so there’s hope!