This 2 hour extravaganza let us witness the crew at their best and their worst. We saw them unite then we saw them fracture all within a short span of time. These episodes were an emotional rollercoaster ride, but a ride I will gladly take over and over for the thrill of the gut wrenching surprises. Some people jump out of planes for an adrenaline kick, but I would argue that watching a Joseph Mallozzi show is an even better adrenaline rush and he delivered. We all should have known we were in for it when his name popped up on both episodes with written by credits. For a show known for its stunning and surprising moments these episodes did not disappoint. Join me as I look back at the journey each character went on in this powerful season finale.
One had the least number of surprises in these two episodes. Everything he did was very in line with his character. He sought out Two to try and comfort her, well as much as she’ll let anyone comfort her, and at the very least he was there for her to articulate her concerns and worries without judgment. He’s had moments of poor judgment this season, but under everything he does care about Two. While I still do not see he and Two being able to maintain any sort of long term relationship I do appreciate how quick he was to stand loyal to her through everything. When Two was rendered unconscious on the planet he didn’t hesitate to move to her and take on a very protective posture over her. He was as willing as all the other guys to risk his life to get her back and actually came up with somewhat respectable ideas during the brain storming meeting.
The Season Finale finally brought the One and Three tension to a breaking point. They’ve been able to tolerate each other until now, but when paranoia took over these two men couldn’t overcome it and ended up training their guns on each other multiple times. In all fairness to Three he was ready and willing to bury the hatchet with One until One reignited things between them. Given what One knows about what Three may have done to the wife he can’t even remember I can understand some of his inability to let things go, but before training his gun on Three perhaps he should get some definitive proof that Three was actually involved in the murder. The fact that Two sided with Three probably didn’t help his state of mind, but calling Five into a position of danger was not his smartest idea ever. It can be justified by him thinking Three really was the true threat, but to convince Five to leave the safe place Two had left her is not going to win him any points with Two when she finds out. He knows how much Five means to Two and of everyone he should have known Five was left secured on the bridge for a reason. I do look forward to seeing how One overcomes what I’m sure he’ll perceive as multiple betrayals.
Two has gone on a traumatic and painful journey these past couple of episodes. Everything she thought she knew about herself was ripped away and her entire world was shattered. While Portia knew what she was Two was blissfully ignorant and I believe that helped shape her. From what small snippets we know of Portia she seems like a harsh and calculated killer. Two, on the other hand, is equally as skilled, but with the capacity to love and care. She bonded with Five and has gone out of her way time and time again to save members of her crew. When Alexander Rook said that the crew of the Raza did something to her he was right. They taught her to love and care and most importantly they taught her what a family is. If this sounds a lot like the same journey The Android has gone on, then you would be right. Both women were created and started off as killers seemingly incapable of compassion or concern, but both have evolved into extraordinary beings.
We learned a lot about Two in Episode 12 including that Two’s real name is in fact Rebecca, and that will probably be the last time you hear me call her that because it just doesn’t seem right. We also learned that she is not indestructible and has her very own Kryptonite in the form of that dampening field Rook used on her. She’s also not immune to shock sticks, but we already knew that, and after these past few episodes I hope the crew realizes they desperately need to get Two and The Android retrofitted against those things. She can age, and if the man we saw at the end of Episode 12 is any indication, that may not be a good thing. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if he is one of the big bads gunning for the crew next season via Rook. Episode 12 was big for Two, and Melissa O’Neil nailed every emotion asked of her. She showed us Two at her most vulnerable and the fear she channeled through her eyes when Two was about to be dissected was palpable. The fight sequences were as amazing as always and Melissa’s commitment to them is evident.
Two and Five continue to have this powerful sisterly bond as was painfully observed when Five realized the guys had been forced to leave Two behind in enemy hands. They’ve been through a lot together and upon seeing Two make another miraculous return Five again launches herself into Two’s waiting arms. They may not share blood, but they are family, and their bond is one of my favorites on this show. It could be because I have a younger brother myself and I fully understand that a sibling bond trumps all other things. That bond has been tested over and over again with its biggest test coming in the Season 1 Finale.
The crew united to save Two, but that trust was quickly dashed when the crew begins to be taken out one by one. The betrayer was making their move, but we quickly learned the betrayer and the wiper are two very different people. In the midst of all this Two fought desperately to keep her crew together, but not even the fearless leader was able to avoid the paranoia when she locked up One an questioned if Five had done been the one to poison Six. I’m quite interested to find out her reaction to learning Five is the one that wiped their memories. Two is going to have to institute some serious team building exercises next season in the wake of all this. A lot of healing will have to take place in Season 2, but if any relationship can bounce back it will be Two and Five. Other relationships are going to require a significant amount of time to heal. Mainly Two’s relationship with One. At least her relationship with Three seems to be on the rise. Which makes me happy because Three seems to be the better match for Two right now.
Three has feelings for Two, that can’t really be argued. What is debatable is if those feelings are romantic or just strictly friendly. I’m still holding out hope for a miraculous resurrection for Sarah, but until that day I would like to see Two and Three fall into a serious relationship. When she was being held by Rook he fought for her with the most passion and the emotional impact of losing her again was only second to that of Five. He was ready to charge the facility to get Two back at all costs. That is not the mark of a man incapable of caring. His past with Sarah shows how caring and loving he can be. Mix that with his edgy side and he is by far the better match for Two. If the show is going to have any serious relationships in Season 2 I really hope they go with Two and Three. I like Marc and Melissa together in scenes, but Anthony and Melissa have a much more equal energy that they infuse into their characters.
It was nice to see Two trustingly walk off with Three even after realizing they had a traitor hiding within the crew. That shows that despite his brashness she did not see him as the real threat. She even trusted him close to Five, which is a real indication of her faith in him, as things were going to hell. They held true to that trust until the very end. Three may have spent most of the episode trying to pretend like giving up the password to save her was no big deal, but it was. One may have been ready to give up the password, but Three acted faster and in hopes of saving her while One was still hesitating. He may have pushed her away after the infection scare, but I think he’d be open to giving a relationship with her a shot. Two badass warriors would make an epic couple.
His tension with One has been building all season and while One jumped on the paranoia train first Three wasn’t far behind. He truthfully thought One was the betrayer, and with good reason since it appears Derrick Moss performed several acts of deception just to get on board. Still, these are two men who are going to have to learn to work together, so I’m hoping they can overcome this rivalry they have and aid the others in the retaking of the Raza. It was fun to watch Marc and Anthony portray the banter between One and Three. They both seem to have fun with their scenes together and it makes the tension between these characters even more fun to watch.
Four was his usual logical and calculated self during Episode 12 as he joined in on the rescue plans for Two. I really like the exchange he had with Six while they were waiting for the team to return. He instinctually picked up on Six’s vibes of anger and delivered a very frank and necessary statement of fact regarding the part Six also played in delivering the White Star weapon. Too bad he couldn’t use some of his expert deductive skills to realize Six was about to royally screw them all over. I enjoyed his end scene of the episode where he was smiling and joking around. I do believe, and someone correct me in the comments if I’m wrong, that this is the first time we’ve seen him smile all season. They need to give Four more happy scenes in the future because Alex has a great smile that the show should let him show off from time to time. I also hope that we get to see some sequences next season of him training Five. You know, pending him surviving the events of the finale and all.
He went in to the finale still focused on retaking his throne. As soon as he has what he needs he’s prepared to go on his way to take his rightful place on the throne. Personally I hope he never gets the supplies he needs because that would mean him leaving the Raza and that would be a devastating moment. I would support a one episode mission where he overthrows his evil stepmother and then allows his brother to stay on the throne while he rejoins his friends on their mission.
I don’t know about anyone else, but he was always very low on my list of crewmembers that would betray the others, so it did not surprise me when he was one of the first taken down by Six. As he so eloquently pointed out he saw none of them as threats simply because he could so easily take any of them out. I think the only ones that would give him trouble would be The Android and Two, with The Android out of commission by then he didn’t have much to worry about. There is no way Six would have been able to match Four in a fight, so it is not at all surprising that he took out Four first. Considering he spiked the water I’m sure he wanted to take out more than just Four, but one is better than none I guess. It was unfortunate that he missed out on the insanity of the last bit of the episode, but when he comes around next season he is going to be pissed. Either Six had better have a damn good explanation for this betrayal or he’d better find some far off planet and find a hole to hide in because Four and the others will be gunning for him.
Five has spent all season trying to remember memories for the others, so they can become better people. A lot of what she has found in those memories has been disturbing, but she has seemed to understand that who they were and who they have become are two very different people. That is until Episode 12 and she retrieves a memory of her own that paints Portia in a poor light and gives Ryo even more points in his favor. Her bond with Two is enough to get her through the early part of Episode 12 without it changing their relationship. It was very telling of their bond when Five finds out the guys had to leave Two behind. Jodelle brilliantly showed Five’s fear and anger at the idea of losing Two again so soon after getting her back. Nothing she remembered mattered in that moment as she was solely focused on the loss of the woman who has become her big sister. The relief that washed over Five’s face when Two returned was a very powerful indication of the underlying strength of their bond. Even more telling was when Five once again launched herself into Two’s welcoming arms. In a repeat of the scene from Episode 11 this hug is necessary and in this brief beat nothing else matters other than the fact that she can tangibly touch Two in order to reassure herself of her physical presence.
In the final hour we learned that she is the culprit who wiped all their memories. The belief is that she did it to protect someone, but whom? I believe that the person Portia and Ryo were talking about in the recording was not the person Das was trying to protect. The program was crude and seems like it was a rush job. Was she maybe trying to just wipe Griffin’s mind in hopes that if he no longer remembered anything the others wouldn’t kill him? After all he did save her from the airlock. Or was she trying to wipe the short term memories of Portia and Ryo’s so they would forget whatever they knew about the mysterious man they intended to kill? We’ll only know for sure if the show gets another season, so let the speculating begin. Who do you think she was trying to protect?
She grew up a lot last week when she aided Two in the reclaiming of their ship and in the process killed Cain. We learned at the end of Episode 12 that she is under the tutelage of Four and he’s already drastically improved her gun handling skills. In her scene with Hologram Android we see just how much she has changed. She’s no longer an innocent young teenager and is instead now on a path to becoming a coldhearted mercenary like the rest of her adoptive family. At least she’s keeping it in the family, but I know none of the characters wanted her to become like them. Yet, when it came time to protect The Android from Hologram Android she ordered Hologram Android to essentially execute herself. That was a cruel order and a sign of things to come. In Season 2 Two is going to have her hands full with Five and trying to keep her on a less bloody path.
After a season of watching the Two and Five sisterhood grow and recover from bumps in the road the season ended in the most heartbreaking way possible for them. Paranoia got its grip on Five early on in the finale and she let her knowledge of who Portia was affect her judgment of Two. I don’t think for a second she would have pulled the trigger on Two, at least not for a fatal shot, but she was prepared to at least incapacitate her if necessary. The waiver in her voice and slight moments of hesitation showed how hard Five was struggling with the idea that Two was the one betraying them. Had Six and the Galactic Authority not intervened I think both Two and Five would have realized the absurdity of the accusations they were throwing at each other. This relationship is going to require some intense mending in Season 2, but I’m confident they can mend the damage Six has caused. After Six’s betrayal Five is going to need to lean on Two harder than ever.
Six goes on quite the journey in these two episodes, but let me address Episode 12 before the trauma of Episode 13. Throughout this episode it seemed like he really cared about his crewmates despite being angry over the part they all played in the destruction of the planet. He stormed in with Four to try and aid One and Three in accessing the situation Two was in. Then when they were planning her rescue he was an active participant in the conversation. He even puts on display an impressive array of piloting skills to get The Android on the planet and to continually buzz the facility. He had to know leaving Two behind would be the best for him in the long run because without her the crew has no true leader and they would be sitting ducks for his deception. After seeing the finale the only thing I can think is she must have been part of some bargain deal and he needed her to be amongst the crew when the Galactic Authority caught up to them. He also knows how much Two means to Five and Five seems to mean a lot to him, so one could argue he did it for her so she wouldn’t be alone after his betrayal. Still, he did his part and he helped recover Two with his immense piloting skills.
As painful as the reveal was, Six has turned his back on his crew and betrayed them in a well planned and brilliantly executed back stabbing. He betrayed the very people who have been loyal friends to him. Yeah, they have all bickered, but at the end of the day they always fight for their own. For some unknown price he sold them out. My great hope is that somehow the Galactic Authority did a switch Derrick Moss style and the real Six will return to us next season. I am hoping that the Six we’ve known since Episode 8 was an impostor, but from my years of watching shows Joseph Mallozzi has been involved in I also know he rarely does long drawn out fake outs. Meaning, Six probably actually betrayed the crew, but why? He clashes with Two over Five from time to time, but other than that he’s gotten along just fine with his Commander. He tolerates One and Three and has a decent relationship with Four. He is like a brother to Five and has even risked his own life for hers. What are the options? Was he undercover for the Galactic Authority before the memory wipe? Did they catch up with him during The General mission and remind him he was a Galactic Authority undercover agent or something? Was he offered information on The General in exchange for giving up the crew of the Raza? He nearly died to save The Android then took her down and in the process stole the chip that makes her the being we all love. In essence, if he destroys that chip he destroys her. None of this makes sense, but I guess that is the point. By making Six perpetrate this betrayal the show punched us all in the gut. Our only hope for answers is a Season 2 so Six can explain himself and the crew can try to heal from the events of Episode 13.
The Android was willing to risk all in order to save Two. This is a woman who is not just her Commander, but her friend as well. Ultimately both women have more in common than either had realized until last week. They were both made and created to be these superior beings and neither was born. Both have consciousness outside of their original parameters at creation and both have an overwhelming ability to care for and protect their fellow crewmembers. I think Two always felt a connection with The Android, even if she didn’t fully understand why, hence why she fought for her from the very beginning and made it clear they weren’t leaving her on the hull to be swept away in Episode 3. They’ve had a kinship from the very beginning and The Android wasn’t going to let that be lost to her. She even ignored the warning of her own holographic creation in order to bring Two home.
On the planet when she was making her way through the facility you could see the raw determination on her face. She went into the facility in full on badass mode, knowing Two was running out of time, and never let up. Even as she reached the dampening device and it began to drain her she still crawled and clawed her way to the completion of her mission. This entire mission was above and beyond her programming and she executed it with the determination to save the life of her best friend. That is a very human like characteristic and I hope all this humanity isn’t lost to her when the show returns next season.
I don’t know if anyone else caught this, but scifi is notorious for having red shirt characters that are usually destined to not survive their introduction episode. The Holographic Android literally wore a red shirt, but she also surprisingly survived for longer than most red shirts. Yet, the information she found was interesting and the fact Five had her execute herself seems to indicate the young tech guru may have already knew that information and was choosing to ignore it. Holographic Android did not understand the bond The Android has with the crew and made a very critical miscalculation in trying to turn them against The Android. If any red shirt had to go I’m glad it was her.
The Android is arguably one of the most beloved characters and Six automatically demoted himself from loved character status by harming her. If he destroys her chip, the thing that makes her uniquely her, then there is little hope of redemption left for him. I hope the others find a way to retrieve her chip and bring her back in the form we all know and love her as.
As a Two fan Episode 12 was my favorite of the season. Not to say the other episodes weren’t amazing, because they were, but Episode 12 was such a great world building episode while giving a significant amount of background on Two. This episode also united the crew in a common mission and provided some amazing character moments. Chief of which was the moment near the end when the crew united in the mess hall. They invited Two in and welcomed her to the table as their leader and friend. The Android also found her place at the table as she broke bread, presumably for the first time, with her crew. The entire crew was happy and enjoying a moment of celebration. I’m not actually sure how much acting was going on because it seemed like the cast was just hanging out which brought a nice moment of levity to an otherwise tense episode. It also served to give us our last happy crew moment of the season before the team fracturing season finale.
Another point in favor of Episode 12 was the introduction of Wil Wheaton as Alexander Rook. The beard made him look quite sinister and the fact he is in charge of a facility full of creepy scientist only upped the creep level. Wil is a beloved scifi actor and a favorite in whatever he does. Rook won’t soon be earning any fans based off of what he did to Two, but Wil is always a pleasure to watch no matter what role he is embodying. I’m disappointed Two didn’t get to rip Rook apart, but also glad she didn’t get the chance to do that because it means the potential for Wil’s return. Every character has someone gunning for them and now Two has her archenemy to deal with. Except her enemy also wants her entire crew dead, so that could be a big problem in the future.
Episode 13 forced us to watch the crew we’ve come to love and support fracture at the seams. They fought hard to stay together and in the end it was a mole from within that tore them apart. I’m confident the others will be able to pull together and self rescue in Season 2, but healing all the wounds this episode opened will take significantly more time. The Six betrayal will hit a lot of them hard with Five surely taking it the hardest. She will need Two, but will she be willing to lean on Two after the accusations they both made towards each other? One and Three will need to bury their past issues and learn to fight together if they are to survive the things to come. Whether that is even possible is yet to be seen, but hopefully they’ll be able to put all this stuff aside long enough to figure out how to survive Six’s takeover of the ship. The Android and Four both need to find a miraculous way to survive the travesties Six bestowed upon them and I greatly look forward to both of them giving him a piece of their minds at some point.
Season 1 is over and now all we can do is hope for a Season 2. There is hope for it and in all likelihood it will probably happen. Keep doing your part and let’s get this incredible show a Season 2.
When the season started, and I was just meant to be the previewer of this show, I promised you guys a character analysis article. Through unexpected circumstances I ended up as the primary reviewer, which I have immensely enjoyed, and never had time to go back and write that article. So, now that the season is over I’m going to work on that article and hope to get it posted sometime in the not so distant future. While this is goodbye, hopefully only until next summer, to weekly
Dark Matter previews and reviews there is still that article you can look forward to. Focus on tweeting
#RenewDarkMatter as much as you can until we get official word on Season 2. Go to
SyFy.com and
Space.ca and watch any episodes they have available. If you have the Season 1 Finale saved on your DVR’s then watch it again and suffer through the commercials in support of this amazing show. We can all do our part to help
Dark Matter get a Season 2, so do it and show the networks how passionate this fanbase really is. Give them a million reasons to renew it so we can continue on enjoying the journey these characters are on.
As we go into the offseason bookmark
Joseph Mallozzi’s blog and check daily so you can keep up with what is going on in terms of
Dark Matter’s future. He has great behind the scenes tidbits, exclusive cast interviews, and all kinds of amazing
Dark Matter stuff on it.
Want to know what may happen in Season 2? Check out
this exclusive SpoilerTV interview with Joseph Mallozzi to see what the future holds if the show gets renewed.
Hit the comments with your thoughts about the season finale and your hopes for Season 2.
Pick your top 5 favorite scenes from both episodes then drop down to the comments to discuss them.
About the Author - Aimee Hicks
Aimee works for a local newspaper and has a BA in Broadcasting and Cinema. She has been a TV lover since before she really understood what TV was. She has a long list of shows that she loves to watch and can be found on twitter (@ahicks83) live tweeting about each new episode whenever she can. A list of her favorite shows includes (but is not limited to) the following: 12 Monkeys, Orphan Black, Outlander, Chasing Life, Scorpion, The 100, The Night Shift, Bitten, Black Sails, 2 Broke Girls, Arrow, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Continuum, Lost Girl, Faking It, Falling Skies, Finding Carter, Once Upon A Time, Orange Is The New Black, Switched At Birth, The Fosters, The Flash, The Originals, Teen Wolf, Under The Dome, & Z Nation. The upcoming shows she is most excited about are: Supergirl, Dark Matter, UnReal, Blindspot, Lucifer, Legends of Tomorrow, Stitchers, Recovery Road, Shadowhunters, Quantico, Code Black, Heartbreaker, and Chicago Med. She has a large and passionate dislike of ""reality"" TV, especially ""reality"" dating shows, but has a weakness for Americas Got Talent and So You Think You Can Dance. But those two don't really count as ""reality"" shows, at least that's how she justifies those guilty pleasures. She was the original creator and co-founder of LOST Video Island (lostvideo.net) which is still operating under the management of the very capable and skilled group she turned it over to.
You can email her at aimee@spoilertv.com.
