Ostensibly set within the X-Men universe, the first Season of Legion aired on TV last year and was more likely to have left you scratching your head than speculating as to where the story would go in year two.
We were introduced to David Haller (Dan Stevens), a man with a world of trouble in his head. Committed to various institutions for what were perceived as mental health issues, we soon learn that he's got a lot more going on than anyone has suspected. See, lurking within his noggin, piggybacking on his consciousness is another, powerful psychic, Amahl Farouk. Also known as The Shadow King, he's been feeding off the vulnerable Heller's powers, appearing in a variety of different guises, but primarily the form of David's old friend Lenny Busker (played with verve and gusto by Aubrey Plaza).
David, who quickly became a target for mutant-hunting bureau Division 3, was helped by a group from the Summerland institute. A safe haven for powered people, it's led by Melanie Bird (Jean Smart), and includes mutants such as Ptonomy Wallace (Jeremie Harris), who can sift through the memories of others and Cary/Kerry Loudermilk (Bill Irwin and Amber Midthunder), two very different personalities who exist within the same body and can split apart when needed.
And then there's Sydney Barrett (Rachel Keller), whose power involves temporarily swapping bodies with anyone she touches. Having met and fallen for David at the Clockworks Psychiatric Hospital, she becomes a key part of the team.
The first Season of the show weaved a weird and wonderful story of David's battle to understand what was happening within his mind, escaping the clutches of Division 3 and even visiting the astral plane, where Melanie's husband Oliver (Jemaine Clement) has been trapped. Oh, and in the season finale, David appeared to be zapped into a strange probe, his whereabouts currently unknown. The Shadow King, meanwhile, escaped and took over Oliver's body, heading out to spread more chaos.
So, can you learn more about the future direction of the show by hitting the comics? Unlikely – creator Noah Hawley (who previously spun the concept of Fargo into TV gold) is happy to use the comic book past of the character as loose inspiration rather than faithful bible. Going forward, we can expect more from the Shadow King (Wonder Woman's Saïd Taghmaoui, but he's since been replaced by Navid Negahban).
David will, of course, return, but we'll have to wait to learn where he went and what happened. Big changes will have occurred in his absence – the Summerland team are now working with Division 3 to battle the Shadow King. And no doubt the series will continue to specalise in trippy visuals and the odd dance sequence. Legion isn't the sort of show that everyone will enjoy (there are those who criticise it for often favouring style over substance), but if you can key into its vibe, you'll find it's a very different, inventive show.
Legion returns to US screens on 3 April on FX. The show is back in the UK on 17 April via Fox UK.