The Ark season 2, episode 7 review: Is there an Eastern Federation spy on board?

The Ark season 2, Episode 7, "It Can't Be True," focuses on a few personal relationships. It also keeps everything on Ark-1, revealing the secrets of those on board.

Caution: This post contains SPOILERS from The Ark season 2, Episode 7, “It Can’t Be True.”

Just as I was getting a little fed up of Lati and Kimi talking in private, it all comes to a head in the new episode. I shouldn’t have doubted The Ark writers. We quickly learn that Kimi and Lati are spy hunters. Their purpose on Ark-15 was to hunt out the Eastern Federation spies.

There were spy hunters on Ark-1, but they were killed when the ship was attacked in the series premiere. That meant the EF spies were able to hide away, but not for long.

Review: The Ark season 2, Episode 7, “It Can’t Be True”

Kimi is moving too slow for Lati, so she decides to take matters into her own hands. The intrigue begins when someone tries to use Kelly to kill Eva. Suspicions first fall on Trust, who was trying to help Kelly control her own implants. When Eva is later poisoned, the Ark-1 crew have to figure out who would have the means to do something like that. There is one plant that could be grown to make a poison, but Angus says that he never planted it. Who has had access to the garden, though? Lati!

It turns out that Lati had stolen Dr. Marsh’s wrist console so that she could control Kelly’s implants. When that failed, she poisoned Eva. When that also failed, she controlled Kelly again, this time kidnapping Alicia and threatening to kill her. Lati wanted to take a shuttle with six months’ worth of supplies. She’d have six months to find help from someone.

Garnet refused to let that happen, and she managed to get through to Kelly. Kelly was able to take control of herself despite Lati turning on all her implants. It was a bold move, and I love that we see that Kelly can fight through the implant control. This is going to be important later on, I’m sure!

Lati is arrested while Trust is finally freed from his jail cell. Kelly is still jailed, and she doesn’t have the console Cat 2.0 gave her. However, Garnet makes it clear that the console will remain in her cabin, locked away. Kelly will be allowed control when Garnet gives permission. It’s time for Kelly to prove to everyone that she will be a member of the team. We have to remember that Kelly really is just a child. She hasn’t been allowed to grow up the way others have, so she has a lot to learn. She seems willing, at least, and I want to believe in her redemption.

Eva’s secrets come out

Of course, with Lati going rogue, her and Kimi’s secrets come out. Kimi has to admit to Garnet and Strickland what they were trying to do on Ark-1 for. So it wasn’t personal; it was all part of a mission. This leads to Garnet turning to Eva for answers.

Is Eva an EF spy? Garnet doesn’t want to believe it. None of them do, but Eva admits that she is. Well, she was. That has likely changed due to everything that’s happened on Ark-1 since they all woke early from cryo.

That doesn’t change anything for Garnet, though. She has no choice but to send Eva to her cabin to be kept under guard, effectively putting her under house arrest.

Poor Brice, though! He also doesn’t want to believe that Eva is an EF spy. The way he reacts makes it clear that Lati and Kimi were very wrong about him, just as we all suspected. Can Brice and Eva get past this? I guess that depends on what will happen to Eva now that the truth is out.

Kabir opens up to Strickland about her past

Eva’s secret wasn’t the only one to come out in this episode. Kabir and Marsh have been getting very close. Initially, Kabir stepped back because Jelena showed signs of being interested, but Jelena admitted to Kabir why she was actually in Med Bay. That opens the door for something to happen between the two doctors, but Kabir is still hesitant.

While she’s taking her frustrations out on a punching bag, Strickland walks in and talks to her. Strickland is one of those guys who keeps everyone’s secrets, so it’s not surprising that Kabir feels like she can talk to him about her past. She chose to go on the Ark-1 mission to get as far away from her narcissistic, abusive ex-husband as possible.

Like so many who have escaped abusive situations, she puts some of the blame on herself. She also hasn’t really escaped him. That trauma is still there, and she’s scared that she will end up back in the same situation. I adore The Ark for telling this story. There have always been hints of abuse in Kabir's past, and to see her be of two minds about a new relationship because of that past is realistic and raw.

It’s not easy to find someone to trust, but as I said, Strickland is one of those guys you know can keep a secret. Getting the chance to see a friendship like this grow onscreen is beautiful, and I love that Strickland offers to help teach Kabir some self-defense moves. Everyone should learn them, even if they never get used.

Garnet and Spencer get closer

Since the start of The Ark, we’ve all been rooting for Alicia and Angus. They are so adorable, and their conversation about neither of them having had sex before despite both assuming the other had was so cute. I’m glad they had that. It’s another ship that I’m so here for right now. It’s all about Spencer and Garnet.

The start of this episode picks up off the back of that explosion at the end of the previous one. Garnet realizes that one of the Gen 2 clones had to have a device to set off the bomb. Spencer is sure that it’s Ian, and Ian is locked up in a cell. I’m not sure it’s him, though. There’s a heart-to-heart moment between the two of them as Spencer learns what happened to the other two clones/brothers. These Gen 2 clones have been bred as spare parts for the wealthy.

So Spencer learns what he was actually created for. He turns to Garnet, who takes his mind off it by showing him the tablet for the Juno Project. Before Spencer even has a chance to look at who he was partnered with, Garnet sobs about not being matched with anyone. Trust didn’t want clones reproducing. It’s hurtful to find out that you weren’t partnered while everyone else was.

As Spencer realizes that he shouldn’t have been partnered with anyone either, Garnet points out that nobody knew he was a clone and he was partnered with an Ensign who was killed in the initial hit on the ship.

This is where we get the cutest moment of the whole episode. Spencer points out that since everyone now knows he’s a clone, Trust wouldn’t want to partner him up with anyone either. So that means Garnet and Spencer are un-partnered. Maybe they should partner together. That smile on Garnet’s face tells us everything. The two are interested in each other. I’m ready for the writers to explore this more.

There is one plot thread left dangling in this episode, and it has to do with the clones. Milos went to see Kabir only for a fight to break out in Med Bay. As Kabir went off with Strickland and others to break up the fight, Milos stole some red pills. They’re up to something, but will this mean more people get placed in lockup, or will we see people start getting spaced? With five episodes to go, it’s hard to say.

The Ark airs Wednesdays at 10/9 on Syfy.

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