The first part of the Dark Matter third season premiere, Being Better Is So Much Harder, just doesn’t disappoint, does it?
The Raza crew is scattered by the explosion. Five and Truffault escape via a Volkov-Rusi ship and make it back to the Raza and Android. Lt. Anders shows up when we least expected him and drags Three’s pitiful self planetside just in time. They take shelter in a facility where they thought they’d be safe. Two and Six make it to the Marauder, which is badly disabled and left drifting in space.
Image courtesy of Syfy
The Raza’s easy-breezy plans to rescue Two and Six change when a Ferrous Corp ship shows up, blows up the Volkov-Rusi ship, and attacks the Raza. Luckily, the Raza has the ever-resourceful Android, Five, and Truffault on board. They are able to fend off a boarding attempt, and they return Ferrous Corp’s favor by blowing them up. Two deprives herself of oxygen in order to keep Six alive. Hallucinating and devastated about Nyx’s death, Two says a touching goodbye to Nyx. Never fear, though–the Raza shows up to rescue them both.
Image courtesy of Syfy
After an almost lethal encounter with a security droid and some good old fashioned small talk about who blew up the station, the true nature of a really bad guy, and impending war, Anders conceals Three’s presence when the GA arrives to collect him. Anders then ensures the Raza can rescue Three. I think watching Three and Anders together was my favorite part. The interplay between the two of them easily shifts from light banter to more serious discussion. If Anders was a more permanent part of the Raza crew’s life, Three and Anders would provide a great dynamic.
Image courtesy of Syfy
And, oh boy, was I ever right last season when I said Ryo was Four no more. Ryo skips merrily back to his empire, where he being making plans for universe domination. He releases Teku, his old friend, teacher, and advisor, from his three year stint in jail. Instead of taking Misaki’s advice about neutralizing him as a potential threat to his authority, Ryo makes Teku his advisor.
It’s a bit stunning to add up the wake of destruction in Ryo’s path since he gained his memory. There’s the unnamed people he killed on his path to power, his stepmother, his brother, and the entire station he had blown up. I attribute Nyx to his actions too, although indirectly. That should be fun when he figures that out, and by fun, I mean lethal. He’s not joking when he said he finally learned his lessons in political ethics.
Image courtesy of Syfy
“The costs are always personal” is a line from Trufault, and it really rings true for this episode. Two’s grief over losing yet another person in her crew, one she counted as a friend, is a palpable and burden she carries. Six realizes that Two’s need to carry that burden is part of what makes her Two, and not Portia. Six is still grappling with his own earlier decision to betray his crew and his continuing determination to find his way back. Ryo may be putting himself at enormous risk by placing someone who has proven himself willing to defy the throne so close to him, and his ambition has cost him Nyx’s life.
Five’s fear for her crewmates lives is so thick you can practically see it. Five and Three are going to have to have a little chat sooner or later, too. One of the biggest personal costs for Three has always been Sarah’s death and his memories surrounding her. Things never really go well when you save someone’s consciousness on what is essentially a harddrive, Five. This may not be the boon for Three that Five thinks it is, and you know these costs are going to be personal for both of them.
Hang on to your seats for the second part of the Dark Matter third season premiere, “It Doesn’t Have To Be Like This”.
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