Defiance - The World We Seize - The Last Unicorns - Review

Defiance returned for season three with a two hour premiere. It certainly felt like one continuous episode to me, but it was actually two episodes back-to-back: “The World We Seize” and “The Last Unicorns.” Both episodes were directed by Michael Nankin, but the first was written by Kevin Murphy and the second by Kari Drake. This is only Drake’s second writing credit, and she is new to Defiance, which may explain the inconsistencies of the second episode. It was great to see the Tarrs back in action, and it seems there will be two new big bads. There were shocking developments and terrific performances to kick off the season.

The biggest shocker for me in this premiere was the decimation of the McCawley family. I think this is a misstep on the part of the show. Has it suddenly decided it needs to be Game of Thrones with “Red Wedding” level violence and stakes? While I’ve always enjoyed the aliens on the show, one of the most interesting aspects was how those aliens interacted with humans, and I particularly liked that some of the main humans we encounter are Native American humans which lends itself to another dynamic and layer of meaning. We are down to just three humans from the core cast!

The action picks up seven month after last year’s finale. Rafe (Graham Greene) and Datak (Tony Curran) have clearly bonded through their search for their children and grandchild. Here’s a dynamic that I’m going to particularly miss, especially since one of the initial drawing features for me to the show was the inclusion of Graham in the cast. But it was wonderful to see Datak’s real regret over Rafe’s death to the point of vowing to get revenge.

One of the other relationships that I found especially intriguing last season was the one that had grown between Stahma (Jaime Murray) and Christie (Nicole Munoz). It was wonderful to watch Christie grow and learn to become fierce in her own right, and for Stahma to also learn something of humans from Christie. I loved Christie spitting out the Casthi curses at General Rahm Tak (Lee Tergesen).

         It was heartbreaking to watch Stahma have to choose between Datak and Christie. Murray and Munoz are just terrific in this scene. Christie demonstrates just how far she’s come when she steps up and sacrifices herself to save Luke – and it’s clear that she forgives Stahma for doing it to save the baby. That dynamic between Murray and Munoz will be missed as will Munoz herself.

Rafe dies heroically – and very slowly – trying to save his children. Greene holds nothing back in his grief over Quentin’s (Justin Rain) death. While Quentin was probably the one McCawley who was expendable, his death actually had some real necessity for the plot, demonstrating just how crazy and ruthless Tak is. It was touching and at least some consolation that Alak (Jesse Rath) was able to introduce Rafe to Luke before Rafe finally died. It was also nice for him to have some closure with Pilar (Linda Hamilton).

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that this season has three big bads as I’d include Pilar in this list. She is clearly still crazy. Even after 7 months and the birth of the baby, she’s still chaining up Christie and Alak. It was clear that even Quentin was losing patience with her. Her murdering the couple for no good reason, but justifying it by having to get food for the baby is a clear indication of her utter lack of empathy. Alak has never become used to the violence around him and is clearly horrified. Rath once again turns in a terrific performance, both in this scene and even more so in his grief for Christie.

Will Alak ever be able to forgive his mother for killing Christie to save Datak? Will he be able to realize that she did it to save Luke? It’s sad, but perhaps inevitable, that the show’s Romeo and Juliet be separated by death, but again, I’m disappointed to lose that dynamic.

It would seem that we will see little of Rath and Hamilton going forward as Pilar is on the run with Luke. Again, Rath was terrific as Alak wakes up to realize that he’s now lost his son. Having Tak take him prisoner may or may not separate him from a lot of the main action. I’m imagining that it will take some time to get back to chasing Pilar for the baby.

The episode(s) actually begins with the new alien race – the Omec – arriving in their ship, looking for Gulanite. Initially, it looks like there is only a father – T’evgin (Conrad Coates) – and daughter – Kindzi (Nichole Galicia). In fact, later in the second episode, T’evgin actually says “If we die, it means the extinction of our race.” However, in the last shot of the episode, we see stasis pods in the thousands or more full of Omec, so the point is that they need to be alive to wake them up. T’evgin also promises to destroy the planet and get revenge once their people are woken up.

I have to admit that I’m torn between finding the Omec terrifying – I loved the shot of Kindzi’s mouth when she’s about to eat Nolan (Grant Bowler) – and finding the Omec a little silly – did anybody else go right to Purple People Eaters? I’ve always enjoyed the shows ability to make the alien races alien by their customs rather than extensive prosthetics or CGI, so part of me liked the fact that the Omec appear to growl and purr, but at the same time, as the most technologically advanced of all the Votan races, this seems somewhat primitive. It should also be noted that the aliens we have seen up to now have had many, many years to have their “alienness” somewhat muted by extensive contact with humans.

It’s through the Omec’s need for Gulanite that Nolan and Irisa (Stephanie Leonidas) are freed from their stasis pod. They make their way back to Defiance even though Irisa doesn’t want to face the town after what she did last season. Nolan insists that she’s not responsible, but it’s clear the guilt is going to be a real hurdle for her this season. When they are attacked by the VC, Irisa is unable to shoot, and then lies to Nolan, telling him her gun jammed. Leonidas is excellent, particularly in the second half. I’m definitely looking forward to her character arc this season.

Returning to Defiance, they find that Amanda (Julie Benz) has been reinstated as Mayor, Pottinger and the E-Rep have fled the town now that it no longer can offer them Gulanite. The entire town is dying and the people are becoming desperate. Berlin (Anna Hopkins) has remained and appears to be acting as Law Keeper. She is still clearly struggling to get over Tommy’s death – aren’t we all?!?!  - and appears to be living at the Need/Want. She is far from happy to see Irisa again and brutally beats her – Irisa does virtually nothing to protect herself, underscoring how much the guilt is affecting her. I wonder how long before Nolan is back as Law Keeper…

One of the most unexpected things about their return to Defiance is that Irisa is far from hated, she’s actually got a fan following due to a book that’s been written about her: Amazing Godess of the Badlands. This is pretty hilarious, and I can’t wait to see how much comedic mileage they can get out of this. I’m dying to see Irisa meet the author…

As the episode opens, Doc Yewll (Trenna Keating) is gambling at the Need/Want to buy passage out of Defiance. Amanda talks her out of leaving by guilting her into staying – people will literally die if you leave – because Doc is the only doctor in town. Keating is her usual delightful self and Yewlls sharp, sarcastic, and dry-witted tongue is one of my favorite things about this show. It’s also a testament to Keating that even with all that make up on, it’s easy to see both her terror and loathing of the Omec.

Naturally, when Amanda learns that the mines have somehow been reopened to let Nolan and Iris out, they go to investigate, resulting in Amanda shooting Kindzi. Yewll wants no part in helping to save an Omec, and we learn that their creed is “Conquer, kill, devour.” Amanda goes to the Bookseller (Robert Joy) for information. We learn that they aren’t technically cannibals because they didn’t eat each other – just other Votans. We also meet his son Monguno (Percy Hynes White).

        Nolan reaches out to Kenzi, and there's a real sense that he sees something of Irisa in her. Irisa is not happy that he reaches out to Kenzi, especially when they start flirting. Omec use other races not only for food but also for sexual gratification, so Kenzi licking him at the mines could be interrpreted in more than one way!

Later in the episode, Monguno and some other boys are tormenting Kinzi in her cell and she kills him, leading to her managing to get out of the jail where she’s being held while Amanda tries to negotiate with T’evgin to split the Gulanite between them. There’s a terrific scene between Leonidas and Joy in which she tries to explain to him the ramifications of becoming a killer. Nolan inexplicably put an end to all negotiation by putting a bullet in the Bookseller’s head. What happened to Nolan’s own guilt over senseless killing? His justification is that he couldn’t take a chance on the Bookseller shooting Irisa, but he didn’t seem to even try to assess the situation.

This is actually the point at which the second episode kind of fell apart for me. Are they simply placating the Omec because they are afraid of them? For all they know there are only two of them. Now that the Omec have reopened the mine, the people of Defiance ought to be able to mine the Gulanite themselves as they always have. Why would you simply shoot a grieving father who’s never shown a penchant for violence before? It just seemed like one more senseless killing.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Amanda is going to pay for betraying Yewll. That was truly an horrific scene as T’egvin clearly views Yewll just as she claims – as no more than spare parts. It was cool to see what her skin was capable of doing, however. Did anybody else catch what looked like a large piece of Indogene skin hanging in the Omec work area?

Defiance seems to be between a rock and a hard place as the season opener ends. The Omec are already there – what will they do when they are fully powered up? Will T’egvin wake the rest of the Omec for a midnight snack before continuing their journey? Meanwhile, Tak is determined to overrun Defiance and kill all the humans – and likely most of the Voltans.

I always enjoy the banter between Datak and Stahma, and while watching Stahma assert her independence was really rewarding last season, I also love watching the two work together. I loved Datak saying, “The McCawleys may have been human, but they were our humans.” They certainly have their work cut out for them with Tak as an adversary as he seems to have their number. There was something missing between the episodes in the Tak, Datak, Stahma relationship. In the first half Tak is respectful of Stahma and disdainful of Datak, but by the second episode, Datak and Tak seem to be like best friends. Was it simply the fact that Stahma had taught Christie those curses?

What will they do with Alak’s life on the line as Tak’s hostage? Will they seek help from Nolan and Amanda or from their gang – assuming there’s any of their men left and that they are still loyal. Will they simply do Tak’s bidding?

Several elements of Defiance continue to be really satisfying. The special effects continue to be generally above average. The languages are still really fully realized. And Bear McCreary continues to deliver a terrific soundtrack. As with so many episodes, this one ends with a brilliantly re-imagined version of Queen’s “You’re My Best Friend.” The song begins as a lullaby song by Pillar to baby Luke – he’s now her reason for living and he justifies any action on her part (The song lyrics: Ohh, you make me live. Whatever this world can give to me, It's you, you're all I see). The song quickly moves from Hamilton singing – which is good because she is not a good singer – to a beautiful arrangement.

The shot then pans to the lights coming back on in Defiance. Amanda and Berlin clasp hands. Their reason for living is keeping Defiance alive for the people living there (Song lyrics: Ooh, you make me live now honey, Ooh, you make me live)

There is a shot of Yewll alone in her lab when a light suddenly comes on from the city powering up. (Song lyrics: You're the best friend, That I ever had) This lyric bleeds into a shot of Nolan and Irisa standing by their rover, apart and not talking. (Song lyrics: I've been with you such a long time, You're my sunshine, And I want you to know, That my feelings are true). Nolan still loves Irisa, even when she can’t lover herself because she’s his daughter in every way that counts. Another light comes on, illuminating Irisa’s face.

The rest of the song follows T’evgin and Kindzi out of town and then the camera pans up to their ship and the thousands of stasis pods. All this while the song plays about best friends making me live – as T’evgin and Kindzi will be the ones to waken their fellow Omec.

        While I loved this closing sequence, this won't go down as my favorite season premiere for the show. I'm still disappointed that they killed off the entire McCawley family - except Pilar, who I could easily live without. The Omec introduce a new dynamic as does Tak. I'm not entirely convinced we needed both in the same season, or at least not introduced at exactly the same time. Yewll and the Tarrs continue to be the biggest draw for me for the show. What did you think of the premiere? Are the purple people eaters scary? Were you disappointed to lose the McCawleys? Will Datak and Stahma be able to defeat Tak? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

About the Author - Lisa Macklem

I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.