Spoilers

 

Salvo Hardin finds herself back on Terminus in the middle of a war, and Brother Dawn goes on the run.

This episode, directed by Roxann Dawson, is the point where the show absolutely pops. The weeks of building up the storylines are finally paying off as significant events begin to happen.

We flashback to a moment between Salvo and her father, where the latter expresses his belief that violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. He’s referencing the destruction of the Starbridge and the subsequent retribution by the Empire which has led to the death of millions of Anachreons and Thespins. This is the battle that she’s in right now, caught between the warring factions on Terminus. Each side believes they hold the upper hand, and then the tables are turned. And did you really expect that ending with the long-dead Hari Seldon turning up?

The other big plot line is that of Brother Dawn, who is feeling smothered by Brother Dusk’s pride at his achievements, as reflected in giant murals. We’re told that history is an act of addition and subtraction – the maths being carried out by the victor, and the young Cleon goes on the run, seeking his lover, Azura, in the underground. He also discovers another clone of himself, planning to infiltrate the Empire as a decoy, before this plan is smashed apart by Brother Dusk and his crack troops. The show has never been so exciting and political, the final episode promising much.

Verdict: A satisfying escalation of events that takes two of the show’s main plot lines to new heights – and did I mention that The Vault has opened?! 9/10

Nick Joy