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Every TV series has to tell viewers what sort of show theyre watching.
With more complex, ambitious shows, it takes a little longer.
Then there are shows that change the rules as they go along.
But its also a show intent on redefining itself as it reveals new aspects of its world every week.
As withthe opener, the second episode provided more questions than answers.
Heres whatMartial Feats of Comanche Horsemanshiphad us pondering.
Why does this episode open during World War I?
Or can you even ride in the South in the same streetcar with white people?
However, their names are spelled differently which doesnt entirely rule out a connection, of course.)
What kind of coffeemaker does Angela use in her bakery?
It looks cool, doesnt it?
It seems to be powered by some kind of technology that exists in theWatchmenworld but not in ours.
(See also: Tophers floating magnet toy later in this episode.)
Why does Angela dress like a nun for her alter ego, Sister Night?
Its notable that she feels compelled to put on her costume before interrogating Will.
Thats something that Sister Night does that Angela Abar doesnt.
Other mysteries: What are those pills Will says he uses for memory?
If the mere mention didnt spotlight them, the way the camera lingers on them would.
When Will says, Long time since Ive been home, does he mean Tulsa?
Has he not returned since the massacre?
Why does Angela take Will away from the crime scene?
Thats the biggest question of all.
It cant just be intuition, right?
What is theNew Frontiersman?
(A related question with no answer yet: Who is the girl picking up the papers?)
Why does Looking Glass leave his mask on even when he eats?
Maybe hes still crying?
Whats the deal with the winged journalists?
Speaking of Red Scare, is he really a communist or just saying that for effect?
Whats in the big package Angela bought Cal for Christmas?
Hes obviously a jerk, but its best not to write him offjustas a jerk.
President Redfords intentions may be noble.
His ideas might be even be correct and well implemented.
And how does Cal survive?
Whats the deal with the protesters?
They seem particularly irked by Redfordations, the reparations program implemented by President Redford.
Whats the deal with the American flag?
The American flag now has a circular field of stars in the middle.
Its not clear exactly how many stars it includes, but we know that Vietnam became the 51st state.
Did the U.S. expansion continue elsewhere?
Why would the residents of Nixonville mount such a cartoonish image of Richard Nixon outside their park?
It does seem kind of ignoble, doesnt it?
The Nixonville raid also helps flesh out what we know about the police.
Angela is not on board with the Red Scare-led escalation of violence.
She behaves as if shes seen this kind of excessive force before and knows it goes nowhere.
Can Doctor Manhattan pretend to be human?
He never did in the graphic novel, but does that mean he cant?
He can seemingly do just about anything else.
What happened to Angelas parents?
But we dont yet know.
Is anyonenottuned intoAmerican Hero Story?
ThePetey memoreferences an earlier season that depicts Rorschach with a withering deconstruction of pathology.
So who is he?
Senator Keene seems significant, doesnt he?
And we learn that Crawfords wife, Jane (Frances Fisher), used to work for him.
Was there a split?
If so, they seem friendly enough.
That discovery may turn out to be at the heart of the show.
Was their friendship all a front?
A means to an end?
More questions: To what point in the past does the the robe belong?
Was it Crawfords grandfathers?
And does this connect him to the Seventh Kavalry?
Meanwhile, Veidt is hanging out with a bunch of … clones?
The poor, unfortunate Phillips even sacrifices himself in the process.
But not to worry: Veidt has spares.
Whats the significance of the episode name?
In our world, it hangs in the Smithsonian.
The image provides a reminder that history is filled with spilled blood and unfinished business.
