Ep 2. When the Battle Is Over

When the Battle Is Over is the second episode of the third season of the hit TV series Transparent. Set in Los Angeles, Transparent tells the story of the Pfefferman family, a dysfunctional yet lovable clan who are all struggling with their own personal demons. The show explores themes of identity, family, and sexuality in an honest and intimate way.

In this episode, we see the Pfeffermans still reeling after the events of the previous season. Maura (Jeffrey Tambor), the family patriarch who recently came out as transgender, is struggling to find a new place to live after selling her house. Sarah (Amy Landecker) is dealing with the fallout of her split from her husband Len, as well as her complicated feelings for her ex-lover Tammy. Josh (Jay Duplass) is trying to come to terms with the death of his girlfriend, while Ali (Gaby Hoffmann) is exploring her own sexuality and gender identity.

The episode opens with Maura and her friend Davina (Alexandra Billings) inspecting a new apartment. Maura is nervous about starting over and worried that she won't be able to afford the rent. Meanwhile, Sarah is dealing with a crisis of her own when her daughter Ella runs away from Len's house in the middle of the night. Sarah and Len (Rob Huebel) spend the day frantically searching for their missing daughter, while trying to keep their simmering resentment towards each other at bay.

Elsewhere, Josh is still struggling with the aftermath of his girlfriend's suicide. He is haunted by memories of her and is unable to move on. Ali, on the other hand, is feeling more confident and comfortable in her own skin than ever before. She meets up with her friend Lyfe (Cole Escola) and the two of them explore a gender non-conforming clothing store, where they try on various outfits and have fun playing with their identities.

As the episode progresses, we see the various members of the Pfefferman family trying to navigate their own personal battles. Maura ends up deciding to move into a smaller apartment that is more affordable, but still struggles with feeling like an outsider in her new community. Sarah and Len finally find Ella and have an emotional heart-to-heart about their relationship and where they went wrong. Josh has a breakthrough moment when he realizes that he needs to let go of his grief and start living his life again.

When the Battle Is Over is a poignant and powerful episode of Transparent that highlights the complexity of family dynamics and the struggles that individuals face as they try to find their place in the world. With its honest and heartfelt portrayal of the Pfefferman family, the show continues to be a groundbreaking and important representation of the LGBTQ+ community and the challenges they face.