Da Vinci-s Demons Season 1 - Episode 1

However, the episode adds a layer of the supernatural or psychological here. During the autopsy, Leonardo begins to hallucinate, seeing the dead man’s life flash before his eyes. This introduces the audience to the show’s "magic realism." We are never quite sure if what Leonardo sees is real, a result of his opium use, or simply a manifestation of his hyper-active deductive reasoning. It is a visual representation of his "demons"—the voices and visions that drive his genius.

We see the world through Leonardo’s eyes. When he assesses a situation—whether it is the trajectory of an arrow, the mechanics of a lock, or the structural weak point of a building—the screen is overlaid with glowing blue sketches and mathematical formulas. It is a brilliant narrative shortcut, showing the audience exactly how Leonardo solves problems. It transforms him from a mere painter into a superhero whose power is intellect.