What would you do if things weren’t going exactly the way you’d planned? Would you work harder, or would you do what Bito in Akuma Kun did and make a deal with the devil to get things to go your way? You’d go with option one to avoid all that soul-sacrificing stuff the devils are known for. However, this wasn’t the case with Marcus (Jesse Suntele) and Lloyd (Kiroshan Naidoo) in In Your Dreams. While in the process of saving their dying business, they unleashed something that they shouldn’t even have touched in the first place. They heard from an old friend who said she had the answer to all their problems. Unfortunately, they ended up stirring up a whole new pot of problems.
Spoilers Ahead
Who Are Lloyd, Marcus, And Dineo?
Episode 1 of In Your Dreams takes flight with Dineo (Didintle Khunou) making the discovery of her life, an ancient artifact that was lost centuries ago. The artifact was called the Statue of Walala, and legend has it that it can grant wishes. The bearer of the artifact would only need to perform certain rituals. Thanks to the rumors, the artifact has landed high on everyone’s list, from big-shot collectors and archeologists to illegal smugglers like Akin. Dineo and Akin had a sordid history. The latter used to work for Dineo’s father but chose money over loyalty. This ruined Dineo’s father’s career, leaving him with depression and dementia. Dineo never forgave Akin and swore to ruin him, like he ruined her father. Dineo was school friends with Lloyd and Marcus, the duo who, after graduation, opened their pest control company.
Unfortunately, their success was short-lived. Their investors found out Marcus and Lloyd were using chemicals that are frowned upon by the NPC. Moreover, they were even threatened with jail time if they didn’t stop manufacturing their pesticide. Marcus and Lloyd’s financial condition was dire. They couldn’t afford to pay rent and, thus, had to crash in their truck. The duo arrived at Dineo’s warehouse when she told them she was having a termite problem. Therein, the artifact and its promise to bring fortune caught Lloyd’s attention. Lloyd figured that if there was even a slight chance that this artifact could solve all their problems, he must take it. Marcus and Lloyd held the artifact in their hands and called to its god, not knowing it would be their biggest mistake.
What Did The Sangoma Reveal To Dineo, Lloyd, And Marcus?
The next morning, both Marcus and Lloyd woke up in the exact same place they had seen in their dreams. Marcus woke up at the top of the mountain he used to climb with Dineo. As for Lloyd, he found himself in a stadium. This was shocking, as the friends were absolutely sure they’d slept in their truck. Dineo has always had suspicions about the artifact’s power. She always felt that the legends were just stories to scare children. Dineo took them to a sangoma, living near a mountain. The sangoma told them about Baka and the cursed statue. The artifact was a vessel to contain Baka’s soul, who, if not defeated, would claim their soul. As inscribed on the artifact, one has to survive three dreams and defeat Baka. If one succeeds, the artifact will grant them the thing they most desire. However, it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park for Marcus and Lloyd, as they had no way to control what they dreamed about.
How Do Marcus And Lloyd Overcome Their Challenges?
In episode 2 of In Your Dreams, Marcus and Lloyd face Mr. Savage as their first challenge. He used to be Lloyd’s maths teacher and never slept while he was alive. This was probably because he had insomnia. Since Lloyd was talking about Mr. Savage all day, it was obvious that he would dream about him, too. Thanks to the artifact, Mr. Savage rises from the dead, but as a zombie. Thus, to pass this trial, the group needed to defeat their zombified math teacher. Little did they know that Mr. Savage had plans to propose to Marcus’s mother, Palesa. Why? In reality, Mr. Savage was in love with Marcus’ mother. He had tried asking her out multiple times, but she never agreed. Marcus couldn’t risk his mother seeing Savage, as it would certainly kill her. Marcus’ mother, Palesa, had a severe heart condition. Her heart muscles had deteriorated to the point where she couldn’t even breathe. However, Marcus was unaware of the seriousness of his mother’s condition. Palesa never told him because the last thing she wanted was to become a burden on her son. After dismembering Savage’s head and passing a few more hurdles along the way, including getting pulled over by a cop, Marcus and Lloyd were able to pass the trial.
Compared to Lloyd, Marcus’ challenge was much more peculiar and dangerous. Marcus dreamt about Dineo, and an alternative version of her materialized right before his eyes when he woke up. However, this version of Dineo wasn’t as nice as they’d expected. She was evil-obsessed, with a desire to marry Marcus. The doppelgänger believed the only possible way to achieve this was to kill the real Dineo. The group tried to tranquilize the doppelgänger, but she went berserk and shot Lloyd with an arrow. Marcus used his mettle and killed the evil doppelgänger, tricking her into eating peanuts, something Dineo was allergic to.
Why Does Amanda Need The Artifact?
Amanda paid Akin a visit and ordered him to find the artifact and also the place from which it was taken. Amanda was a wealthy businesswoman who was prepared to pay any price for the artifact. She was dying, and her only chance at survival was the statue. She was the same woman for whom Akin had been working all along. Akin’s search for Dineo and the artifact brought him to a sangoma she’d visited with her friends. The sangoma told Akin about Baka and the prize he would get if he vanquished all the challenges. So far, Akin was under the impression that the artifact was just some old, rusty statue. He had no idea that it could grant immortality or any wish. Amanda had been after the artifact for years. For her, this rusty statue was her only shot at survival.
As episode 3 of In Your Dreams neared its end, Akin visited his old boss, Dineo’s father, in the nursing home. The aim here was to find the place from which the statue had been recovered. Unfortunately, Dineo’s father had dementia and couldn’t remember the place. At this point, Akin told him what happened to Dineo’s mother. So far, the show has maintained that Dineo’s mother committed suicide. But the reality was far from it. Akin was behind her death, and it was he who made her jump. The first three episodes of In Your Dreams never explained the reasons, but it could be possible that she found out about Akin’s intentions, and the latter threatened to kill her family. Maybe Akin made a deal with her that he would spare her daughter and husband if she killed herself. This left Dineo’s mother with no choice, and she had to meet Akin’s demands.
Final Verdict
The game had just started, and Marcus and Lloyd still needed to pass the final trial to make their wishes come true. However, it wasn’t going to be smooth sailing, as Amanda had ordered Akin to kill everyone connected with the statue. We will definitely be seeing more of Amanda and her motives in the upcoming episodes of In Your Dreams. Even though this is a long shot, there’s a chance that Amanda knew Dineo’s parents. As they both were archeologists, it was possible that they were the ones who told Amanda about the artifact. Whatever the case, Amanda would leave no stone unturned in her pursuit of the artifact, as, unlike everyone, she has nothing to lose.
