In Review: Foundation (S2 – EP10) – Creation Myths

Synopsis: In Creation Myths,  Gaal, Salvor, and Hari chart a new path forward on Ignis. Demerzel heads to Trantor, taking actions that will change the Empire forever.

The Story

Having left Terminus to its fate in the last episode. Demerzel returns to Trantor where she finds herself having to kill Brother Dusk and Enjoiner Rue to fulfill her obligation to Cleon the First and his vision for the Empire. However, this proves a difficult job for Demerzel because she has developed feelings of love for Cleon, which is a love that extends to his Clones. But the programming that was hardwired into her by the original Cleon is unbreakable. After having done away with Brother Dusk and his lover. She turns her attention to Brother Dawn and Queen Sareth. Her first move is to try and discredit Sareth by having her arrested for fraudulent figures in Cloud Dominion’s banks. But soon as Brother Dawn hears of it he rescues Sareth and the two leave Trantor with their unborn child. Inevitably, Demerzel will have to go after Brother Dawn at some stage in the future. But her first duty is to preserve Empire. 

Elsewhere orbiting above a destroyed Terminus. Brother Day looks to push forward with his campaign to destroy Hari Seldons Foundation and orders Bel Riose to destroy the other 7 planets where the influence of the Foundation has taken hold. However, Riose has been secretly working with Hober Mallow all along and has sabotaged the Empire’s Fleet of ships to self-destruct. A huge fight breaks out between Riose and Brother Day, and it all ends badly for Brother Day who winds up getting spaced. Knowing that she will be needed to help strengthen the Foundation. Riose and Hober place Brother Constant in the sole remaining escape pod in the hopes that she will be picked up.

On Ignus. Gaal, Salvor, and Hari look to build a new way forward that will include the Mentalics who are no longer under the influence of Tellem Bond. However, in a last-ditch attempt to regain control Bond’s consciousness is transferred to one of the Mentalic children who attempt to kill Gaal. But before he can do so Salvor leaps in the way and sacrifices herself so that Gaal can live and continue her work alongside Hari.

The Acting

Laura Birn puts in yet another great performance as Demerzel. The scene where she meets with Brother Dusk and Enjoiner Rue at the beginning of the episode is riveting and just a little traumatic to watch. Especially when Demerzel reveals the extent of her relationship with Cleon the 1st. It’s an extraordinary performance as it almost makes you have a degree of sympathy for what is basically a homicidal robot.

Lee Pace and Ben Daniels get to create one of the most brutal fights I have seen on television this year. In short, Day takes issue with having his orders refused by someone whom he views as inferior and a fight breaks out in which Day takes great pleasure when inflicting the maximum amount of pain that he can on Riose. The fight is bloody and brutal to the point where both men are barely standing by the end.

Overall

Creation Myths sort of resets everything as we see Empire get a literal reboot and the first Foundation looking to rebuild elsewhere while maintaining its influence over the 7 planets. But we also see that Gaal’s future vision involving the Mule might not come to pass as Salvor’s premature death may have changed things.

In short, we are left with more questions than answers. Especially when it comes to what will happen with Brother Dawn and Sareth. Will Demerzal hunt them down as she threatens or will she leave them be and focus on the new trio of clones?