Foundation: The Leap

 "It's time the dynasty bent..."

Oh my. That was an eventful finale and, ultimately, a rather good one. This season hasn't been excellent but it has, I think, been very good, as much where is departs from canon- inevitable and sensible- as where it follows it.

The big set piece of Hari Seldon in the Vault works well, despite necessary changes- this is not a hologram, but a resurrection, courtesy of magic nanobits, who will awaken only for each Seldon Crisis and then, presumably, live in the new civilisation created by both Foundations. Everything the people of Terminus knew was wrong but, although hurt, they accept it. They, Thespis and Anacreon plausibly unite. So far, so broadly similar to the novel.

But then we turn to the three Cleons. Brother Day's punishment for Azura is truly horrific, proving him to be a tyrant and symbol of a dynasty that must fall. His mercy for Dawn, to the fury of Dusk, is predictable after his religious experiences; we must not have stagnation.

Less predictable, yet utterly logical, is Demerzel's sudden killing of Dawn. She is loyal to the dynasty.

Yet there is a sting in the tale; the rebels have affected the genetics of all future Cleons, starting generations ago. The emperors will evolve. Will this assist their survival? Time will tell.

Both Day and Demerzel have lost a beloved child, although the reaction of Demerzel is more.,.. human. Parenthood is a big theme here, not least for Salvor Hardin, who discovers her genetic heritage. And meets her genetic mother. Yeah, bombshell upon bombshells.

What next?

Foundation: Mysteries and Martyrs

 "The Empire must be protected from mistakes. Like me."

This is an extraprdinary episode, full of revelation and, as good dramas do, wrapping up all the copious exposition in character development and drama.

Hari, it seems, uploaded himself to an AI afterlife at the point of death. Raych knew everything and was in on it; his execution is truly tragic. And Gaal was supposed to lead the Foundation on Terminus... the "First" Foundation. Those of us who have read the novels realise the implications of this.

It's a great scene, with a furious clash between the two geniuses and a realisation that Gaal is... different. With precognitive instincts. This is huge. 

Meanwhile, we learn more of Brother Dawn's horrible gilded cage. It's not the colour blindness; there are other differences. And he must expend effort to hide them every waking second, or he will be killed and replaced with one of many spare Cleons, grown in a vat. It's the perfect metaphor for monarchy- a monarch cannot be an individual and is not free. They all live in gilded cages. They live lives of luxury, but all of them are slaves.

And then we have Salvor and her ever-decreasing number of friends- she mourned her father lastvepisode, now she loses Hugo too, who had such faith in her- as the Anacreonians force them to repair the legendary ghost ship Invictus, with its randomised jump drive. The concept is blilliant.

And then there's Brother Day, concerned by Demerzel's conflicted loyalties with her religion, and with a problem of religious politics to solve, of a type Seldon predicted. So he, the Emperor, resolves to undertake the most arduous pilgrimage possible...

This is superb, the best episode yet, however much it may diverge.

Foundation: Death and the Maiden

 "Hari said an entire galaxy can pivot around the actions of an individual."

Hmm. Not sure he did, love. Psychohistory sees only multitudes, not individuals. That's sort of the point. But never mind. The episode, and the series, are awesome regardless.

I mean, we actuallly meet some Spacers; this is indeed the wider Asimov universe. They are clearly enhanced, spacefaring humans. We get a flashback to Hari persuading Raych to kill him, as part of a pre-ordained plan. He being happy with Gaal would destroy the future- individuals again- so the plan is to split them up. The escape pod is meant for Him. Gaal was never meant to be involved. This makes sense.

We're also meant to see Salvor as destinred by the Great Plan. She gets a lot of development and a lot of heroism here. She kicks arse. She bonds with, and loses, her father. Yet Hugo not only loves her but has total faith in her.

And yet the tale of the three Cleons takes precedence. Brother Day fails to stop a very fascinating religious heresy which verges on treason in nhinting that cloning is decadent stasis that cannot evolve. Yet more fascinatring is that Eto Demerzel- an ageless robot- is an adherent of this religion, a fascinating character point.

And then there's Brother Dawn, who continues and makes explicit his romance with ther gardener. And.. he's the first colour blind Cleon. In contrast to the religious adherents, it seems that even clones eventually mutate. What does this mean?

This is utterly fascinating and deep. Faithful to Asimov not in a banal, literal sense but with real conceptual though. It's superb.

Foundation: Barbarians at the Gate

 "Violence is the last refuge..."

"Of the incompetent. I know. That's an old man's doctrine."

As the above line shoews, this is a different Salvor Hardin in more than gender, while also similar in many ways. But Gaal's narration tells us that this is the tale of a legendary figure as a seriuous and huge Anacreonian assault threatens all Terminus stands for. Yet Hardin is an "outlier"- or is she? As Gaal tells us, Hari's plan accounts not for individuals. Is Salvor an exception to threaten the plan? Or is she its fulfilment?

Certainly things are breaking down in the galactic periphery, as well as unrest on Trantor and religious strife, with an heretical doctrine being promulgated that may indicate that clones do not have souls. Whatever the spin of imperial mathematicians, all is not well in the empire. Nor are things well between the imperial brothers. (Day, it seems, sits on the "middle throne" and is in charge). But were they ever? It appears that the empire is, unsurprisingly, too complex for a single monarch, or even three, echoing Rome after Diocletian- no doubt with intent.

All seems grim.Yet there is plenty to hint that Salvor will bring salvation. Also, those of us who have read the novels suspect what is likely within the Vault...