The crew of the Raza has been through a lot together, which has arguably made them stronger than any blood-bound family. This episode will force the crew to take a sharp look at their family as Nyx forces them to tackle the topic of family head-on. With new crewmembers, Nyx and Devon, seemingly sticking around the crew finally has to figure out where they fit in. Do they want to expand their already complicated family? How much are they willing to risk for people they barely know? They'll be forced to answer those questions as they face down a new enemy.
Nyx has gone out of her way to become a part of the Raza crew. She helped them escape Hyperion-8, and in the last episode alone she saved both Two and Three along with helping to rescue Four. She has fought for her place on the Raza, which I think is largely due to her own troubled background. It’s very possible the Raza is the first place she’s ever truly felt like she belonged. We finally learn what her backstory is as she misleads the crew in a bid to get their help finding her brother, Milo (played by
Falling Skies vet Mpho Koaho). Nyx’s deception puts Two in a very awkward position, forcing the Raza leader to make a multitude of split-second decisions, with serious consequences should she make the wrong call.
Some of the promotional material for this episode has revealed a small insight into Nyx’s gift. What is shown in the
sneak peek is an extremely small part of the bigger picture. Rest assured that the episode does go into her gift in detail and it all makes perfect sense given what we've seen her do. Nyx's dark past has left her with a lot of lingering things to deal with. Much like her new crewmates, she didn’t really fit into her old life, but unlike them, she has vivid memory of the horrors she endured. The problem is her actions cause a lot of havoc in this episode. Will they allow her to stay after everything? Can they fault her for things they too have done? Will her past assistance be taken into account or will they hang her out to deal with things on her own? Two and the crew will have to tackle all of these questions as they figure out what to do with her.
This is a big episode for Nyx, and Melanie Liburd will stun viewers with her emotionally powerful performance of a sister desperate to keep a long-standing promise she made to her brother. There is one scene where Liburd doesn’t speak a single word, but she conveys so much in that moment that viewers will have no doubt about what is going through Nyx’s head. This episode will give viewers a whole new view on Nyx as we get an intimate view into her troubled past. Liburd has been a standout since she premiered on the show, but this episode really allows her to shine.
The crew is dealing with a whole array of other issues while all of this is going on, including a lack of funds which they desperately need in order to make a move on one of their enemies. Two members of the crew find themselves separated from the others and in a very precarious position. This duo is one that needed to spend some time alone together, so I think fans will enjoy their interactions. The big cliffhanger from the prior episode, regarding the Android and her upgrade, is answered in a really nice way. I think viewers will enjoy seeing the resolution to that. We continue to see Devon’s spiral and Shaun Sipos does some powerful work portraying Devon’s struggle with drugs. A budding friendship arises out of the chaos, and I look forward to seeing how that friendship evolves. One member of the crew will receive an ominous warning that will leave the audience nervously waiting to learn more. As if that wasn't enough for viewers to stress over, another member of the crew receives a different, but equally worrisome, warning. The ending is unexpected, and directly involves a member of the crew, and it too will make viewers anxious for the next episode. I don’t think any of us are ever truly ready for
Dark Matter cliffhanger endings, but this one is definitely setting up something big. Things are changing and this episode seems poised to be the launching point for a lot of big changes ahead. This episode absolutely can't be missed.
The prior episode,
We Voted Not To Space You, remains my favorite episode of the series, but this one gave it a serious run for its money. The entire cast, as usual, delivers flawless performances and Melanie Liburd is a standout. This can't miss episode was written by Robert C. Cooper and directed by Bruce McDonald. The episode airs this
Friday, August 5th at 10/9C on Syfy in the US and Space Channel in Canada.
Here are some quotes to tide you over until Friday:
“You just want to be yourself.”
“Now you want me to trust you?!”
“Flying straight is not an evasive maneuver!”
"Whose brilliant idea was this again?"
“I believe the old saying is damned if you do.”
What character did Joseph Mallozzi describe as a
Koala? The people who guess right get bragging rights. Extra bragging rights if you can guess why he picked this animal for this character.
Hit the comments section with your hopes for this episode. What do you think will happen? Are you excited to finally learn more about Nyx?
About the Author - Aimee Hicks
Aimee works for a newspaper in North Carolina 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. If the show is sci-fi, fantasy, comic book based, drama, or action the odds are good she watches it or has at least watched a few episodes of it. She also has a love for comedies 2 Broke Girls and Mom. 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.
