We learn that Steven isn't just a quirky alter; he was a protective identity created by a young, abused Marc Spector to escape the physical and emotional abuse of his grieving mother.
While the visual effects are stunning, the true power of " Asylum " rests entirely on Oscar Isaac's performance .
Instead, the entire episode takes place inside a surreal psychiatric hospital (representing the embattled mind of the protagonist) and a massive boat sailing across the sands of the Egyptian afterlife (the Duat).