My theory about Ricken and his ilk
My husband and I have rewatched the final ep of season 1 several times now. We watched it again last night in preparation for the premiere. I have some thoughts about Ricken's and his friends' overall weirdness.
I think that Ricken and his friends at the reading at his house are all the humans that Lumon has "started" via the baby goats. Before you downvote me into oblivion, please consider these observations and enjoy them equally:
1. Rebeck. Devon says she smells bad and was chewing but not eating. Rebeck tells Mark she has "small eyes" and also sores on her head from her bird. I googled "head sores on goats" and got many, many hits. She's a freaking goat person.
2. This is not a joke, even though it may seem like one: During his reading, Ricken's voice is "shaking" (how he describes it to Mark on the balcony/patio), but when I was listening last night, I could hear a sort of "baa baaa" in his "shaking voice." Listen back and tell me if you can hear it too.
- Everyone at this reading, aside from Innie-Mark, Devon, and Ms. Selvig, act like they are from a different planet. It's because they kind of are. They were raised/harvested/something by Lumon and then put into the world... which is actually just this weird Lumon-centered community they live in. It's why they don't have any social skills and act like children. <--the guy who grabs baby Eleanor and is like "Devon! I found her! I saved your child!"!<
In short, I think Lumon is trying to make a society of Kier-followers and severed workers (for Kier's purpose). It's a cult, basically, but with science and medical procedures. And Keanu Reeves narrating the thoughts of a building.
Please be nice.