The Emperor’s Peace
As the kids look up, they see a strange, triangular shape looming over them. It seems like the “vault” might be a threat, and they decide to take it in stride. But as they get closer, they realize that the shape is actually a strange projection - it’s just a triangle! The kids are excited to see what it is, but they quickly realize that there’s something else lurking behind the projection: something dangerous!
A child gets too close to an object in a null field and passes out. The other kids run away, but the warden drags the child to safety and reveals that the object is surrounded by a null field. This stops anyone from getting too close to it.
We flashback 35 years earlier to Trantor, where Hari Seldon and his son Raych sit in the candlelit library discussing what they’re going to do next. “There’s no other way son,” Hari says ominously.
But as Gaal boards the ship, she’s met with a force of guards who detain her. They tell her that she’s not allowed to leave Trantor, and that if she doesn’t leave now, they’ll take her to the authorities. Gaal is terrified, but she knows that if she stays here, she’ll be executed. She decides to take a chance and escapes the ship, running into the night.
Gala has been on the Trantor for weeks, and she’s come to love it. The ship is large and luxurious, with a large library on the top. It’s also home to a number of laboratories and other research facilities. Gaal has come to appreciate the many benefits of living on the Trantor – from its great view of the cityscape, to its comfortable accommodations.
The planet’s surface has devolved into layers, with the natural world belonging to The Genetic Dynasty. These are the ones who rule here, split between Brother Dusk, Brother Day and Brother Dawn. There are others in this family but these three appear to be the most significant. ..
Gaal is Hari’s contact. He shows her the ropes and this level, below the surface, has a sky being projected up that looks utterly breathtaking. Eventually she makes it into the library, where Hari quizzes her intellect. Gaal has quite the knack for math and after solving a difficult puzzle, Hari Sheldon admits his recent predictions about the future are grim. Within these projections, Trantor and the empire will fall. This is what the math tells him but unfortunately the authorities want to keep this quiet. ..
Gaal has just shown up on Trantor, and she’s been thrust right into the heart of this conflict. She’s not exactly pleased and given she’s escaped arrest on Synnx (hence the secretive exit) she may well have to do the same on Trantor. The Genetic Dynasty don’t want to break the status quo, arresting Hari and Gaal. The pair are charged with treason and destabilizing the Imperium. ..
Now that Gaal has been brought here, she is bait. For now, she decides to play along and stands alongside Hari in court.
Hari Sreenivasan, a computer scientist and futurist, has made some startling predictions about the future of the imperium. In a recent interview with the Imperial Herald, he claimed that the empire will fall in 500 years or less due to events in the Outer Reach. Given recent events, this could well be true. ..
This is an article about a period of barbarism that’s due to follow and it’s estimated that 30,000 years of war will take place. If people follow the predictions of Hari, they could reduce the war to 1000 but we’ll have to wait and see.
For now, Hari wants to set up an Encyclopedia Galactica to get the ball rolling on preserving their empire. This would hold the foundation for all of their current knowledge. In order to confirm whether Hari’s story is true or not, his falls to Gaal to corroborate – or incriminate – his story.
Jerril hands the Prime Radiant to Gaal and they both look at it in surprise. Gaal then asks, “What is it?” Jerril responds, “It’s a gift from the Prime Radiant. It contains all of Hari’s secrets and his projections regarding the future.”
Gaal is given the role of trying to fix the equations and if Hari’s predictions are true then she could well be killed, especially if she doesn’t testify that Hari is a liar before everyone.
In a dramatic turn of events, Gaal backs up Hari and confirms that the end is near. This sets up the sequence of events to follow.
As Hari and Gaal are sentenced to death, several suicide bombers detonate explosives at strategic locations on Trantor and plunge the planet into chaos. The elevator and its subsequent tether uncoils and slams down to the planet’s surface, dropping fifty floors down as the Genetic Dynasty watch from afar in shock. ..
Reports of a war cry and explosion precede the fall of the empire. Gaal and Hari, two prisoners brought before the Genetic Dynasty in the middle of this, debate whether cloning should be stopped or accelerated in order to save the empire. These two points keep them alive for now, but their fate remains uncertain. ..
Hari and Gaal are stranded on Terminus, a 50,000 light year away planet. They’ll be right next to the neighbouring Anacreon and Thespin tribes, which are currently gripped by war. This is a risky move but something they’re being forced to enact.
35 years after the Foundation’s successful settlement on Terminus, Gaal is at the heart of all this. ..
The Episode Review
Based on what’s here, it seems that the producers have done a great job of adapting this book into a television series. From Game of Thrones and The Expanse to Interstellar and Star Trek, all the influences are here and blended up into this gorgeously presented story. ..
The worldbuilding is okay, but I’m hoping we see more of the world itself and how it functions during the coming episodes. So far we’ve only seen snapshots of these areas so it would be good to dive into the nitty gritty aspects of life and turn this into a living, breathing universe.
The Expanse is obviously the most notable influence here, with these Anacreon and Thespin essentially made out to be the Foundation equivalent of the Belters. Still, the first episode sets things up well and the amount of money put into this show is clear to see. This is one beautiful, lavishly developed series and everything from the set design to the acting is exemplary. The writing though? Not so much. At least not yet anyway. ..
Apple has released a new sci-fi movie that is sure to please fans of the genre. With lots of potential for the future, we’ll have to wait and see what comes next from Apple.
