Agreed. Tons of clues, even to the sliding doors, the mom being a Warden like character, to Gideon visiting him in a room…Leon's limited access to tv, and the Courtyard respect moment that the Guard breaks up.

My assumption is that Eliot's Mom is a warden in Prison. Watch the whole episode again and think of it as Eliot in prison. It clicked for me in the courtyard scene.

Think there is more to it than this honestly. I'm guessing his world is an illusion a bit. He likely is in some kind of Prison type situation and he's creating a fiction around it.

I think Darlene is more distraught that she has to shoulder the burden of leadership in Eliot's absence. Eliot is likely locked up (I'm assuming his exile isn't exactly self imposed.)

Kind of felt like it's the director's way of saying, this isn't Fight Club anymore, or Fight Club rules don't apply.

I'm assuming that the twist this time will be that Elliot is in some kind of Prison. The routine, the sliding doors, the call, the fight in the court yard all imply prison to me. Watching limited TV… Darlene taking over Fsociety in absence of Elliot. Leon maybe having limited tv viewing options. The Gideon felt like a…

Prison Guard…