Foundation 3.01
Jul. 13th, 2025 11:26 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakIn which we make another time jump, the Foundation is now in its monarchical phase, while Empire seems to approach its version of the Third Century Crisis. Also: Demerzel is still my favourite.
The Mule gets a suitably impressive (re-)introduction in the opening scene wherein he makes an entire army kill itself, but afterwards remains off stage as the coming menace while we catch up with (nearly) everyone else. I'm amused of how the writing staff decided this latest bunch of Cleons would be different from their predecessors (within the Cleonic basic traits): this time, Dawn (just ten days short of his ascension into Day) is the dominant one and eager to take the throne while Day decided the governing of a much diminished Empire is pointless so he might as well become a full time partying hedonist and Dusk, also just ten days short of having to become Dark and die, is morbidly watching visual recordings of previous Dusk/Darks getting incinarated. We're had angsty Dawns and well meaning but shy Dawns, so a confident, about to take over and good at manipulation Dawn is new and still makes complete sense.Since I doubt Lee Pace will be sidelined the entire season, I'm curious what the about to become Dusk Cleon's role will be, especially given Demerzel's cliffhanger revelation re: the altered timeline. The universe's least likely goodwill ambassador?
But while the Cleons are never boring, like I said, my main interest was in Demerzel, and here I was glad they brought back her adherence to Luminism, because this was not touched upon in s2 while s1 had established it as such an intriguing trait. Demerzel deciding to confess her basic problems and her doubt to a Priestess she can windwipe (and then retore her memories as needed) seems ic, and I'm glad we're finally getting something more about this universe's Robot backstory (including about the often alluded Robot war and what it is was actually about). What Demerzel says about the Zeroth law - A Robot must prevent HUMANITY (not individual humans) being damaged and destroyed at all costs - superceding the three basic laws, and what confusion this caused in the evolving Robots (as it was and is hard to determine what damages and destroys humanity as a whole when it seems to be set on destroying itself) - strikes me as a very Asimovian puzzle for the robots to chew on. Additionally made difficult for Demerzel because Cleon I. reprogrammed her to prevent the end of the Cleonic Dynasty at all costs, and now that Vault!Hari Selden gave her the Prime Radiant, she's faced with the inevitability of the later ending constantly.
BTW: in another plot thread, Dr. Bashir, err, the character played by Alexander Siddig who is the descendant of the s1 character also played by Siddig indignantly wants to know why Vault!Selden handed over the Prime Radiant to Empire; since he gave it to Demerzel specifically, triggering this development in her might have been a reason. Or he was predicting having to team up against the next crisis. Or both.
Meanwhile chez Foundation (1st): it's out of its religious and into its merchants and politicians phase. Since the current Mayor, aka the wannabe monarch, is such an obvious boo-hiss figure, I take it we'll be following this season's Nick Fury and the Sidding played Scientist as far as the Foundation side of the story is concerned, and they're quickly established as characters, though I can't say I fell in instant love as with Constant last season.
Gail (and Reborn!Hari) we don't see in this episode until the very end when Gail wakes up, so I guess the next episode will be focused on them. All in all, a good season opener, doing as season openers do, i.e. lots of exposition of the new status quo and the new stakes presented in an entertaining way. Can't wait for next week!
The Mule gets a suitably impressive (re-)introduction in the opening scene wherein he makes an entire army kill itself, but afterwards remains off stage as the coming menace while we catch up with (nearly) everyone else. I'm amused of how the writing staff decided this latest bunch of Cleons would be different from their predecessors (within the Cleonic basic traits): this time, Dawn (just ten days short of his ascension into Day) is the dominant one and eager to take the throne while Day decided the governing of a much diminished Empire is pointless so he might as well become a full time partying hedonist and Dusk, also just ten days short of having to become Dark and die, is morbidly watching visual recordings of previous Dusk/Darks getting incinarated. We're had angsty Dawns and well meaning but shy Dawns, so a confident, about to take over and good at manipulation Dawn is new and still makes complete sense.Since I doubt Lee Pace will be sidelined the entire season, I'm curious what the about to become Dusk Cleon's role will be, especially given Demerzel's cliffhanger revelation re: the altered timeline. The universe's least likely goodwill ambassador?
But while the Cleons are never boring, like I said, my main interest was in Demerzel, and here I was glad they brought back her adherence to Luminism, because this was not touched upon in s2 while s1 had established it as such an intriguing trait. Demerzel deciding to confess her basic problems and her doubt to a Priestess she can windwipe (and then retore her memories as needed) seems ic, and I'm glad we're finally getting something more about this universe's Robot backstory (including about the often alluded Robot war and what it is was actually about). What Demerzel says about the Zeroth law - A Robot must prevent HUMANITY (not individual humans) being damaged and destroyed at all costs - superceding the three basic laws, and what confusion this caused in the evolving Robots (as it was and is hard to determine what damages and destroys humanity as a whole when it seems to be set on destroying itself) - strikes me as a very Asimovian puzzle for the robots to chew on. Additionally made difficult for Demerzel because Cleon I. reprogrammed her to prevent the end of the Cleonic Dynasty at all costs, and now that Vault!Hari Selden gave her the Prime Radiant, she's faced with the inevitability of the later ending constantly.
BTW: in another plot thread, Dr. Bashir, err, the character played by Alexander Siddig who is the descendant of the s1 character also played by Siddig indignantly wants to know why Vault!Selden handed over the Prime Radiant to Empire; since he gave it to Demerzel specifically, triggering this development in her might have been a reason. Or he was predicting having to team up against the next crisis. Or both.
Meanwhile chez Foundation (1st): it's out of its religious and into its merchants and politicians phase. Since the current Mayor, aka the wannabe monarch, is such an obvious boo-hiss figure, I take it we'll be following this season's Nick Fury and the Sidding played Scientist as far as the Foundation side of the story is concerned, and they're quickly established as characters, though I can't say I fell in instant love as with Constant last season.
Gail (and Reborn!Hari) we don't see in this episode until the very end when Gail wakes up, so I guess the next episode will be focused on them. All in all, a good season opener, doing as season openers do, i.e. lots of exposition of the new status quo and the new stakes presented in an entertaining way. Can't wait for next week!
