Everyone already knows that For All Mankind does incredible finales, but I guess now the show is branching out into equally fantastic penultimate episodes. "Sons and Daughters" splits its time between a storyline that's both tense and action-packed, and another that could barely feel more different if it tried. The combination results in an enthralling experience.
For All Mankind's alternate history hasn't always been plain sailing, but there has often been an underlying message of hope and progress – even during its darkest moments. The main storyline in "Sons and Daughters" is one of the only times the show has made me forget about the more optimistic undertones. Similarly, even the more hopeful B-story is haunted by betrayal and dishonesty. "Sons and Daughters" is a masterclass in writing that sets up a joyously uncertain finale.
FULL SPOILERS for For All Mankind season 5 Episode 9, "Sons and Daughters."
Earth vs. Mars finally happens in "Sons and Daughters"
The previous episode already set up this conflict, but it wasn't until the final seconds that For All Mankind added an extra layer to the imminent battle. AJ (Ines Høysæter Asserson) and her grim experience at the Goldilocks mining colony at the hands of the Sons and Daughters of Mars gave her an especially hateful motivation ahead of landing on the Red Planet. "Sons and Daughters" paid that off beautifully.
Watching the sudden development of AJ from a reluctant astronaut to a driven soldier was both rewarding and terrifying. This section of her arc really intensifies For All Mankind's recent focus on gray morals. It's something that drapes itself over the entire episode as we watch the Sons and Daughters of Mars, who took over Happy Valley with violence, try to defend their home from another external force. I found it surprisingly easy to root for the Mars residents overall, but there were still key moments that made me question my allegiance. I think that was the point.
"Sons and Daughters of Mars" is very conflict-heavy for For All Mankind
Of course, there is always conflict in For All Mankind; it's just rare that it's the physically violent kind. The space opera often busies itself with endless politicking and boardroom meetings. The time for all of that has passed by the time of season 5's penultimate episode. Instead, we get a good old-fashioned shootout, but with main (or at least established) characters on both sides.
Considering For All Mankind so rarely does this sort of thing, "Sons and Daughters" feels like warfare is pretty common on the show. That being said, it never stops feeling incredibly character-driven, either. There are deaths and severe injuries to figures I didn't know I cared about, or even liked. I think For All Mankind is one of the only shows capable of doing that to me, because it never skips the narrative groundwork.
It also becomes pretty clear after some pondering that this storyline is where "Sons and Daughters" draws its title. At first glance, it just seems like a reference to the pseudo-terrorist organization that's taken Mars. Then, when the combatants start to have visible second thoughts about the people they're firing at, they start to wordlessly realize that these aren't simply enemies to be shot down. They're people's sons, their daughters. It humanizes the whole thing perfectly.
I could watch a full season of the B-story in "Sons and Daughters"
As fantastic as the fight sequences are in For All Mankind season 5's penultimate installment, they are bound to have a pretty short shelf life. After all, it's trained soldiers taking on a team of spirited but inexperienced rebels. On the other hand, the work of Cynthy Wu's Kelly Baldwin and her crew as they explore Titan is rich with possibilities. I know For All Mankind isn't the kind of show to just adopt a Star Trek-esque approach to seeking out new life, but I really wish it would at times like this.
Just as Earth vs. Mars back on Happy Valley benefits so much from being fueled by its character dynamics, so does the Titan mission. The underlying secret of Kelly being the one to send Soujourner down to Titan's surface is just bursting to get out at any moment. I can't see that happening until at least the finale, if ever. For All Mankind has a history of keeping the truth under wraps indefinitely, so this might be something Kelly just has to live with.
Still, seeing them walk about on the surface of Titan is arguably the most sci-fi the show has ever felt. It might be the interpersonal tension that makes it especially attention-grabbing, but I do genuinely believe that the search for life is doing a lot of the heavy lifting. On that thought, what the heck was the shining liquid on Titan? It was a tantalizing way to leave Kelly in "Sons and Daughters." I can't wait to see how the finale pays it off, and if they finally get through to Mars among all the fighting.
Episode Rating: A+
For All Mankind season 5 is streaming now on Apple TV.
Add us as a preferred source on Google