DARK MATTER – Season 3 Episodes 5 and 6 – SPOILERS

While searching for a very important data file, Maro, Two, and Three become trapped in one of Tabor Calchek’s safe houses. The Android rescues them by offering the guard droid (Michael Ayres) the same upgrade she obtained from Victor. She intends to let him decide whether to accept the upgrade, but Three is in a hurry and stuns the droid, leaving the upgrade chip behind so that the droid (who posesses no personal designation) can decide about it later. The guard droid had already attempted (unsuccessfully) to contact Calchek, and his messages could have been intercepted. Revealing herself in this way could come back to bite The Android, and may be the reason she is eventually apprehended by the Galactic Authority. (see previous post)

Three seems to be increasingly and obviously attracted to The Android. Possibly his new relationship with Virtual Sarah has been a positive influence on him. The Android, since her upgrade, has flirted with Three on at least two occasions (see episodes 2.4 and 2.7).

The Raza is hunting the data file for two reasons. Two wants it because it contains information about a secret Ferrous Corp shipyard. Maro wants it so he can rescue Ambrosia (Anna Hopkins). It turns out that the duplicitous Ambrosia is such a disappointment to Maro that he decides to leave the Raza. Solara leaves with him. Two gets the data file.

Solara (Ayisha Issa) tells Five a bit of her personal history. She grew up in a monastery. “I was a prioress of the Seventh Order of Chandarity,” she says. “Under the protection of the Abbot of Daro.” Though they were trained in the martial arts, the monks (who subscribed to a pacifist philosophy) fell victim to bandits, and all of them died. Solara describes what happened. “I was on a pilgrimage to a nearby shrine, and while I was gone, some bandits broke into the temple and stole some very valuable manuscripts. They killed everybody inside the place. I guess they didn’t want to leave any witnesses. You know, I must have just missed them, because when I got back, the bodies were still warm. I tracked the bandits into the woods, Then I waited till nightfall. I snuck into their camp and and I slit all of their throats while they were sleeping.”

It is a bit suspicious that Solara should return so soon after the monks were killed, but it might have happened that way. It is even more suspicious that a person who spent her entire life in a monastery would so easily abandon pacifist principles and not only kill several people, but do so by stealth. This is the work of an experienced assassin, not the prioress of an abbey.

The church still makes a distinction between a prior and a prioress in the DARK MATTER universe.

We find out that the entire crew of the alt-Raza hitched a ride to the Raza’s universe in the alt-Marauder. Alt-Two hijacks a Zairon warship, double-crosses Truffault, and steals some missiles that were supposed to be delivered. Two gets back on the good side of Truffault after recovering Mikkei’s missiles. Alt-Two then makes an alliance with Ferrous Corp. This potentially places Two and alt-Two on opposite sides of a war.

Five tries to be reasonable with alt-Tash who is threatening to destroy the Raza, and fails because alt-Tash doesn’t care if two of her crew mates die in the process. Fortunately, alt-Android is very reasonable, and shoots alt-Tash in the back. In this scene, Five wears the mysterious flamingo shirt. (There is likely a market for reproductions of the outfits worn by Jodelle Ferland and Zoie Palmer on DARK MATTER. Someone should make them available.)

Six seems to (unknowingly) be Agent Zero, Ferrous Corp’s secret weapon against the Independent Colonies. When the Raza returns to Cepheus-8 for a visit, scans from orbit show no communications activity and a lot of dead bodies on the ground. It might be that Six was (at some point in his past) made into a biological weapon by Ferrous Corp (in conjunction with either The General or the Galactic Authority). Could it be that, when activated, Six’s body manufactures a deadly airborne pathogen to which he is immune, and which becomes inert after a specified time period?

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NOTES

Ennis Esmer (Wexler) will be Charlie Durant in the science-fiction drama CLARA, the story of astronomer Issac Bruno (Patrick J. Adams), a man obsessed with finding extraterrestrial life while his personal life collapses around him. Then he meets Clara (Troian Bellisario), a young research assistant. As Clara brings more balance to Issac’s life, the two work together to make a profound scientific discovery. Writer/director Akash Sherman says that the film aims to deliver on scientific accuracy, “while telling a distinctly human and emotional story of self-discovery and love”. CLARA is currently filming in Toronto.

Inga Cadranel (Alicia Reynaud in four Season 2 episodes) is interviewed at length in episode 19 of the Firecracker Department Podcast, hosted by Naomi Snieckus. The podcast is one hour and twenty-two minutes long and well worth the listen. (Snieckus and Cadranel have known each other for a long time.) Others in the DARK MATTER cast who have been interviewed by Firecracker Podcast are Zoie Palmer and Tommie-Amber Pirie. The podcast is a free download from iTunes.

The DARK MATTER panel at San Diego Comic Con will be on Thursday, 20 July at 8:15pm in Room 6DE. Cast members participating will be Jodelle Ferland, Alex Mallari, Jr., Anthony Lemke, and Melissa O’Neil.

Jessica Sipos (Tash) will be Sarah Mercer in seven episodes of the second season of CHESAPEAKE SHORES. Sipos’ character will make her first appearance in Episode 2.2, titled “Deals Undone”, in which Mick nervously faces a failing business deal; Abby is subpoenaed in the investigation against Wes; Kevin recovers from his fall at home while at the same time struggling to define his future with Georgia (Ali Liebert); and Trace learns the warehouse property is still in reach. The first season can be streamed on the Hallmark Channel website. Season Two premieres Sunday 6 August at 9/8c on The Hallmark Channel.