The first episode of the third season of Foundation, titled “A Song for the End of Everything,” is, predictably, an establishing episode of sorts. That's understandable for a show of this scale and magnitude which also does quite a bit of time traveling. The audience needs to re-learn where everyone is, what their motivations are, and about the general situation going forward. But of course, it’s Foundation we’re talking about—and so even an episode that could otherwise be considered boring ends up being incredibly entertaining. That’s just what good sci-fi is.
Throughout the season 3 premiere, we are led from planet to planet by a voice-over from Gaal Dornick, who explains to us how things are some 150 years into the future after the ending of season 2. We learn that the Foundation has grown exponentially and now controls a good chunk of the outer borders of what used to be Empire, which is shakier than ever. And then we are immediately brought to the pleasure planet Kalgan, which is currently between Foundation and Empire—that is, until it’s overtaken by space pirates, which are arguably the best kind of pirates.
The pirate leader in question is the Mule, played by Pilou Asbaek, and this season's big bad. We already saw glimpses of him during season 2, but this time he’s really stepping onto the scene rather than being a confused vision of the future—and what an entrance it is.
Heralded by eerie music and with the power to compel anyone to do whatever he wants, the Mule promises to be one of those villains that audiences obviously want to see defeated but can’t help being fascinated by a little bit. I have great expectations for him, especially considering he introduces himself with what has to be one of the rawest lines of the episode: “I have a very large appetite,” he says to Kalgan’s leader before forcing his entire guard to start killing each other, “one only a galaxy can satisfy.” We won’t be seeing the Mule again during this premiere, but that first scene is definitely enough to make an impression.
From the Mule we move to another main player in this galactic chessboard: the Cleonic emperors, who used to be the only real players before Hari Seldon figured out what psychohistory is. They rule from the planet Trantor. We meet Brother Dawn and Lady Demerzel, played respectively by Cassian Bilton and Laura Birn, on their way to a galactic council meeting.
There’s plenty to discuss, especially amongst the separatist Foundation traders—there are always traders stirring up trouble whenever one goes into space, apparently—but most noticeable is that Brother Dawn is seemingly taking up a Brother Day role. The councillors themselves comment on this. We are eventually told that it’s very close to Ascension Day, when the three Cleons all move one step forward in the pre-ordained stages of their lives, but still. Brother Day’s absence is noted—and will, of course, be explained later.
Before we meet Brother Day, though, we are also treated to a moment between Brother Dawn and Brother Dusk, played by Terrence Mann, who is soon to become Brother Darkness and is morbidly rewatching footage of the demise of all the ones that preceded him. I really love the relationship between the Cleons, it’s always been one of my favorite features of Foundation; it’s such an interesting concept on which to lay the basis for a sibling bond, which is then made even more compelling by the performances.
The scenes on Trantor are wrapped up towards the middle and the end of the episode. We see Demerzel take a moment to talk with a Luminist Zephyr, with whom she opens up about her robotic nature and her doubts for the future; she was programmed to serve the Cleonic Dynasty, but where would she be if that dynasty were to fail?
Demerzel is a fascinating character. It’s very interesting to see her share some of her mind with a character that isn’t one of the Cleons, even though of course it’s established that the Zephyr’s memories will be erased once their conversation is over. I particularly loved Demerzel and the Zephyr discussing the Laws of Robotics, which were established by Isaac Asimov, the author of the original seven Foundation books.
Finally, Lee Pace’s Brother Day appears on the screen, locked in a staring competition with a camel, of all things. We quickly discover that Brother Day is living his days lost between the pleasures of the Gossamer Court and cares very little for the practicalities of running the Empire, preferring to spend his time composing poetry.
Then again, a summons from Demerzel is hard to ignore. The episode actually concludes with all three brothers being shown the Prime Radiant by Demerzel, and the gaping wound of the Third Crisis and possible impending extinction of the entire human race looming on the horizon.
The Third Crisis is a major talking point throughout “A Song for the End of Everything,” and it’s sure to be carried through this entire season. It worries people on the Foundation side as well. We see just how much when Doctor Ebling Mis, played by Alexander Siddig, goes to visit Hari Seldon to look for some answers. But he receives only more questions, heaps of doubts and a brusque shoving out the door of Seldon’s Vault.
Still, any scene with Seldon are immediately among my favorites. It’s not just because of actor Jared Harris, even though he’s absolutely amazing; it’s because Seldon is a fascinating character, especially in his incarnation within the Vault. Brilliant, arrogant, very bad at communicating, and inventor of something that has been shaping the fate of the galaxy for centuries now—that’s the stuff great characters are made of.
What I loved the most about the Foundation in this first episode, though, is that all the time jumps we go through thanks to Gaal’s bouts of cryosleep allow us to see it evolving and going through all the stages of life of something revolutionary—from a small start filled with ideals to a massive entity that is ripe with corruption, as we see in its mayor and separatists looking to join forces with old enemies. I just love when the sweeping currents of history are well represented on screen.
Finally, “A Song for the End of Everything” introduced us to a completely new scenario: the conflict the Foundation is engaged in with its separatists traders, which are being supplied by the Empire. It’s a nice piece of political worldbuilding that will surely come into play later on in the season, but that also leads to the episode’s main action set piece: a speeder bike chase with the added stakes of having to remain in the shade, since the sun on the planet where this chase occurs is literally a death ray.
The very last frame of the premiere features Gaal herself, played by Lou Llobell, who wakes up from her cryosleep more determined than ever to take on the Mule. And I’m more determined than ever to see how all the seeds that have been planted during this premiere develop along this upcoming season.
Episode grade: B+
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