The Gifted S01E02 "rX" Recap

In a flashback, the Strucker family is playing at a bowling alley with Reed's mother. Lauren discretely uses her abilities to knock down one of her pins but the entire family is shaken when a nearby mutant is being bullied by some bigoted teenagers for her inability to keep her face from vibrating. Her father shouts at them to leave her alone and she becomes increasingly upset until she sends out a burst of energy. Reed goes over and calms the situation, saying that what she has just done (using her powers to injure people/property) is illegal so the best course of action for them is to simply leave quietly.

Returning to the present, the Strucker family (minus Reed) is with the mutants in their underground hideout. Clarice ("Blink") is beginning to struggle to control her abilities as she is barely conscious and accidentally opens a portal to an unknown road, causing an accident there as a result. Caitlin was a nurse, though she doesn't know much about treating mutant anatomy, but comes up with a list of medical supplies that will be needed to treat Clarice. When Clarice opens another portal, it's on the same road as a before and as a result of the earlier accident, law enforcement have arrived. Lauren is able to use her powers to force the portal closed before anyone can attempt to come through it. The decision is made that Caitlin will go with Diaz to a hospital to get the medical supplies while the children stay behind, as Lauren in particular is needed to try to close the portal if another will open.

At Lakewood County Jail, Polaris has an electric collar on her neck that will shock her if and when she uses her abilities. She is warned by another prisoner that it's not just law enforcement that will be coming after her in the jail. On the way to the showers, she observes a chalky-white mutant in one of the cells that has a collar just like hers. When she reaches the showers, the other prisoners in there stare as her hair dye begins to run down the drain, revealing that her hair is actually a dark green colour.

Reed is in custody and is interrogated by Turner, who tries a wide array of techniques to try to get Reed to cooperate in giving up the location of his family, including threatening him, denying him access to a lawyer (which is illegal), and even bringing in Reed's mother for questioning. Reed remains unwavering for the majority of the episode, despite the difficulties, and uses his knowledge of the law to keep Turner at bay, having pieced together that Turner overplayed his hand.

Caitlin has Diaz use an old injury for them to get access to the treatment area of the hospital so she can steal a set of scrubs and gather up the supplies needed to treat Clarice. Diaz is revealed to have a bright, glowing blood that has the ability to burn. Initially, Caitlin is questioned due to her being a non-mutant and having a face injury (caused by Clarice's out-of-control powers). The doctor suspects Caitlin of being abused by her "mutant boyfriend" Diaz but Caitlin insists that she is fine, feeling taken aback by the snap-judgement that Diaz is receiving simply for being a mutant. They are chased by police officers summoned by the doctor after Caitlin gets the necessary supplies but are able to escape.

Polaris is attacked by some of the inmates, and one even deliberately kicks her in the abdominals to try to kill her baby. She uses her powers, despite the resulting electrical shock, to push a metal table to slam that particular inmate into a fence. As punishment for this, she is locked up in solitary confinement.

Clarice's powers are growing increasingly out-of-control and Lauren is unable to close the latest portal. One of the military SWAT men comes through the portal but John fights him off and pushes him back through the portal. Andy steps up and uses his powers to knock the military men back and in the ensuing commotion, Clarice falls off the table and the portal closes.

The underground base is badly damaged by the time Caitlin and Diaz return to it but they're still able to make it inside where Caitlin treats her enough to stabilize her and stop the portals from opening randomly. Clarice is apologetic for the damage she has caused but John assures her that no one died as a result. He asks her about the road that she kept opening portals to and Clarice claims to have not remembered where she opened the portals to, and apologises again for the damage she caused.

Caitlin assures Lauren and Andy that they will find Reed and be a family again. They will join the fight to bring him home, and every other mutant home. However, Reed is shown to be giving in to Turner's interrogation techniques. He will give up the location of the underground base on the condition that everyone in his family will go free.

Finally, a Dr. Strucker is shown to be working in a lab and orders an assistant of his to pull up record of mutant siblings. He displays an interest in finding the Strucker children and asks his assistant to get in contact with the agent working on their case.

The Gifted airs on Mondays on FOX at 9/8c.