S03.E11: The Dwarf Star Conspiracy

[FormerMod-a1]

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One of the Android's newly discovered memories leads the crew to a suspicious Dwarf Star facility on Nova 17.

[thuganomics85]

Man, I forgot all about the whole "ink-like alien species that infected Three" stuff, so I was surprised how they worked that into this episode.  So, basically these ink aliens have been backing Rook/Evil Bearded Will Wheaton and are the reason he has been so successful, and in return, he has created a whole bunch of naninte people similar to Two/Rebecca, to serve as hosts and have them assimilate into the universe.  Damn, but from we have seen, Rook does strike me as someone who would be perfectly fine with that.  And apparently he has "disappeared," but I wouldn't be surprised if his smug ass comes back into play.

Android has made another change now, and she has started a wearing a... well, slightly more revealing outfit now.  Loved everyone's reaction to it.  Especially the entire scene with Two and boobs.  Oh, Android!

Figured Two wasn't going to die, but I did not predict it would be Boone that saved her.  And kidnap her.  Well, I guess you have to take the bad with the good!

Only two episodes left this season, so I'm looking forward to seeing how everything is going to connect and come into play.  And if we're going to see more of Future Five's hints of what is to come, like more betrayal and the fall of House Ryo.

[UNOSEZ]

So where are the other simulants...  Did they get off the ship... The main one just finished her run on wynona Earp I can't believe she's just a one off character.. Plus she isnt the only one out there.. But are all the simulants out there already infected with the ink aliens... Or just her... 

[Raja]

2 hours ago, UNOSEZ said:

So where are the other simulants...  Did they get off the ship... The main one just finished her run on wynona Earp I can't believe she's just a one off character.. Plus she isnt the only one out there.. But are all the simulants out there already infected with the ink aliens... Or just her... 

I do believe that the aliens gave the four or so at a time synthetics, after the Rebecca prototype, their consciousness.  And those in the different corporate security forces and probably the GA are most likely infiltrators like  the shapeshifiting Founders in the DS9 Dominion War story.

[Paloma]

At first I didn't understand that it was alternate universe Boone saving Two--I thought maybe it was a simulant who had taken Boone's identity. In any case one thing I have never really understood is how the alternate universe crew is able to meet and interact with the "real" crew. Was this ever explained, or is this just one of those sci-fi concepts that we are supposed to accept? 

[Raja]

37 minutes ago, Paloma said:

At first I didn't understand that it was alternate universe Boone saving Two--I thought maybe it was a simulant who had taken Boone's identity. In any case one thing I have never really understood is how the alternate universe crew is able to meet and interact with the "real" crew. Was this ever explained, or is this just one of those sci-fi concepts that we are supposed to accept? 

Our Raza crew jumped to their universe because of some tech malfunction with the blink drive and they followed our crew back and escaped in a marauder. Even if they are not on the Raza, most, except high ranking corporate and GA types know them as the most wanted in the galaxy. We are lead to believe they are still acting like our Raza crew did before the memory wipe.

[Paloma]

7 minutes ago, Raja said:

Our Raza crew jumped to their universe because of some tech malfunction with the blink drive and they followed our crew back and escaped in a marauder.

OK, so does that mean that the two crews are no longer in alternate universes but are actually in the same universe (the one that the memory-wiped crew is in)? If that's the case, then it makes sense that they could periodically run into each other.

[wanderingstar]

I couldn't take my eyes off Three in tonight's episode. Anthony Lemke was so good. He conveyed Three utter terror at those ink aliens (is that their official name?)

Seeing all the simulants in their pods was chilling, as was seeing Lt. whatshisname torture that one simulant.

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Only two episodes left this season, so I'm looking forward to seeing how everything is going to connect and come into play.  And if we're going to see more of Future Five's hints of what is to come, like more betrayal and the fall of House Ryo.

I still want to know what she meant by the Double Deception.

Can't believe this season is almost over.

[Clanstarling]

20 minutes ago, Paloma said:

OK, so does that mean that the two crews are no longer in alternate universes but are actually in the same universe (the one that the memory-wiped crew is in)? If that's the case, then it makes sense that they could periodically run into each other.

Yes. To my understanding alternate universe crew are in "our" Raza crew's universe. With the exception of the time our Raza went into their universe, whenever we've seen  the "bad" crew, it's either been the alternate universe crew - or a flashback to "our" crew.

17 minutes ago, Gillian Rosh said:

I couldn't take my eyes off Three in tonight's episode. Anthony Lemke was so good. He conveyed Three utter terror at those ink aliens (is that their official name?)

If it isn't, I vote for calling them that  It's a good name - descriptive and easy to remember. 

And yes, I thought Lemke was very good at conveying the fear. The ink aliens aren't my favorite plot point, but they certainly make for strong and frightening adversaries.

Is it just me, or wouldn't the nuke just feed the gateway, not destroy it? The gateway was feeding on the reactor, which isn't that different (except for the 'splody destruction of buildings and people part). 

Though we pretty well know this won't happen, I had half a thought that it might be nice for Two to discover and adopt a little manufactured person just like Mommy.

Edited August 12, 2017 by Clanstarling

[akg]

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I forgot all about the whole "ink-like alien species that infected Three" stuff, so I was surprised how they worked that into this episode

I had too and was very confused about Three's nightmares/memories at the beginning. What episode introduced the ink aliens?

With all of the significant looks towards Two, I was expecting someone to figure out she was a simulant. 

[DEM]

The ink aliens first appeared in 2x09 (Going Out Fighting) when the crew infiltrated the Dwarf Star labs on Earth in order to acquire new nanites for Two. Three and Six were captured, etc.

Six is the worst undercover operative ever! By the 17th 'significant glance' at Two, I was questioning his every credential.

 

1 hour ago, Clanstarling said:

Is it just me, or wouldn't the nuke just feed the gateway, not destroy it? The gateway was feeding on the reactor, which isn't that different

Hmm, I'm no nuclear physicist, but I'm pretty sure it is very different.  Think: nuclear power plant vs nuclear bomb (or even everyday nuclear power plant vs nuclear meltdown).

Edited August 12, 2017 by DEM

[xaxat]

There was a lot in this episode. Simulants, alt u Boone, aliens. . . (Seriously though. I though things were complicated enough with just a galactic corporate war.)

I am really enjoying how the show is engaging viewers on the question of what it means to be an individual. Last week it was primarily about Android and the other androids. This week it was Two and the other simulants. What could the simulants have become (had they not been taken over by an apparently evil alien invasion force)? Like Two? Android (the tortured simulant did appear to have emotion outside of pain)?

I thought the reason the aliens wanted to move into our universe was great. The Heat Death of a universe is a really good reason to find another one. 

2 minutes ago, DEM said:

Six is the worst undercover operative ever! By the 17th 'significant glance' at Two, I was questioning his every credential.

That's because he grew a conscience. When he infiltrated the crew of the Raza as a member of the GA, he was really good.

My boobs? . . boobs. . . boobs.

[2727]

I'm glad Android's new clothing choice was addressed, because I for one couldn't take my eyes off her breasts. I love that she chose to portray her developing sense of identity through cleavage. Heh.

The "ink aliens in human form as the Raza crew" may be one too many character incarnations for me, so I hope that's the last of them. I'm also wary of how many times the alt-Raza peeps are going to mess shit up in this timeline. Ryo is using them now but I trust they'll go away when that storyline plays out.

Edited August 12, 2017 by 2727

[Terrafamilia]

1 hour ago, Clanstarling said:

Is it just me, or wouldn't the nuke just feed the gateway, not destroy it? The gateway was feeding on the reactor, which isn't that different (except for the 'splody destruction of buildings and people part).

 

20 minutes ago, DEM said:

Hmm, I'm no nuclear physicist, but I'm pretty sure it is very different.  Think: nuclear power plant vs nuclear bomb (or even everyday nuclear power plant vs nuclear meltdown).

I was also worried a bit at first that they'd go with the bomb just producing a colossal gateway for the eldritch abominations but in this case it seemed to turn out like if your television, while happy to draw on household current, got struck with lightning.

How is it that altBoone knew precisely where he could pick up Two?

[Latverian Diplomat]

32 minutes ago, 2727 said:

The "ink aliens in human form as the Raza crew" may be one too many character incarnations for me, so I hope that's the last of them.

I get what you mean, but it is a) cheap, and b) gives the cast a different character to play, so it's a win/win on the production side. I'm OK with what they've done so far. If people start bumping into their identical twin sibling/clone-group-member a la Blake's 7 just to save casting a guest part, I will be less patient with it.

1 hour ago, xaxat said:

 What could the simulants have become (had they not been taken over by an apparently evil alien invasion force)? Like Two?

Technically, there couldn't have been simulants without the alien invasion force because they gave Rook the necessary technology. (I really like that, BTW, too many technological leaps in a short period of time stretches plausibility, and I like Rook as a "fake" genius, as @thuganomics85 said above). But, if the Simulants could have been rescued, then presumably, yes, they could become like Two. She seemed to think so; she was consistently against hurting them, and even the nuclear strike was called down without her consent.

Somewhere, I'm thinking that Chris Carter is saying to himself "A clear motivation and a sensible plan on how to achieve their goals? That's no way to write body stealing ink aliens!" :)

[Clanstarling]

3 hours ago, DEM said:

Hmm, I'm no nuclear physicist, but I'm pretty sure it is very different.  Think: nuclear power plant vs nuclear bomb (or even everyday nuclear power plant vs nuclear meltdown).

Well, yes. Of course there are differences between harnessed nuclear energy and explosive (or uncontrolled in your example) energy.  Either way, it is nuclear energy which is released, which is I was talking about.

2 hours ago, Terrafamilia said:

I was also worried a bit at first that they'd go with the bomb just producing a colossal gateway for the eldritch abominations but in this case it seemed to turn out like if your television, while happy to draw on household current, got struck with lightning.

 

Good analogy. We haven't exactly seen the results in regards to the ink aliens, but perhaps it would overload the gateway in the same way lightning would overload the circuit.

[DEM]

4 hours ago, Clanstarling said:

Either way, it is nuclear energy which is released, which is I was talking about.

OK, just go with Terrafamilia's analogy, which is exactly what I was trying to say, but TF was clearer.

(Plus, all the hosts were fried so the aliens were SOL anyway.)

Edited August 13, 2017 by DEM

[MissLucas]

Soooo - I've spent 6.5 seasons yelling at my screen 'stop the fighting, watch out for the white walkers', 2 seasons 'stop the fighting, watch out for the blue goo' and another 2.5 seasons 'stop the fighting, watch out for the green stuff' and now I have to yell 'stop the fighting, watch out for the ink-aliens'??? Alright then.

Well, I had forgotten about the ink-thing inside Three. So of course it comes back. Now we know what evil dying dude who scared the s*it out of Rooke was.

I hated the Android's blergh outfit so I'm glad she dumped it.  I'm not sure that much cleavage is a good idea for combat scenes but we'll handwave that away with plenty of boob-tape. The dialogue between the Android and Two was terrific and beautifully written. My favorite part of the episode.

So Portia knew about the Dwarf Star facility, I wonder how?

Spoiler

And if Portia knew so does Ryo - which explains how Alt-Boone got there too and how Two ends up on Zairon.

[Jacks-Son]

Damn, buttock clenching episode!! Everyone was badass, especially 2, 5, & Android. I approve of the new liberated Android. Good for her. 2 has no idea how much she means to Android and I wish their relationship was revealed to 2. 5 was definitely on her game, both with her decision to hack the servers on the facility and her commanding presence on the Raza's bridge attempting to intercept the nuke. 4 is in for a rude awakening if he thinks he's going to ransom 2 for the Blink Drive. He thinks they have a malfunctioning Blink Drive. Won't he be surprised when the crew of the Raza show up on his doorstep asking for the return of two. He may have a larger fleet, but they've got the ace in the hole with that drive. They could quite literally, take out a major portion of his fleet before their ships can even jump to FTL.

[Locutus]

I'm wondering if the corporate war is really the result of The Ink infiltrating the Corporations at some point in the past.  If not, it's possible that the invasion threat forces everyone (Corps, GA, Raza, etc.) together to fight them off. Reminds me of a Blake's 7 plot when the Andromeda Aliens tried to invade... Star One, I think.

[Locutus]

17 hours ago, Gillian Rosh said:

I still want to know what she meant by the Double Deception.

I took that to have meant the alt-universe doubles. At the time of old Five's statements, I don't think we knew who was on the Alt-maurauder. Everyone assumed it was Alt-One.  Of course, it could mean something else. Perhaps Ryo "becomes" Four again and switches sides again?

[KaleyFirefly]

I like Boone (and Three, and how they are different). The actor plays this well.

[Wouter]

On 12/8/2017 at 5:59 AM, thuganomics85 said:

Man, I forgot all about the whole "ink-like alien species that infected Three" stuff, so I was surprised how they worked that into this episode. 

What's so good about DM is that they setup this stuff from way in advance, in this case in late S1 (or even earlier if you count the revelations about Two's abilities, which were gradually brought into play during S1). Some criticise the show for being "unfocused" and jumping from Corporate war to alien invasion, but I like it: it gives variety and I don't see why one crisis has to be over before another hits. The corporate war can go on in the backgrounds, the Raza doesn't need to be involved always, all the time.

On 12/8/2017 at 7:26 PM, 2727 said:

The "ink aliens in human form as the Raza crew" may be one too many character incarnations for me, so I hope that's the last of them. I'm also wary of how many times the alt-Raza peeps are going to mess shit up in this timeline. Ryo is using them now but I trust they'll go away when that storyline plays out.

Technically, this episode didn't sport "ink aliens in human form as the Raza crew". We merely saw flashbacks or dream sequences about Three. Since a number of "simulants" have infiltrated corporations (no doubt, Ferrous is among them!) and the Raza crew now knows their faces and identities, this will come into play but probably not as the Raza crew.

On 12/8/2017 at 7:32 PM, Terrafamilia said:

 

I was also worried a bit at first that they'd go with the bomb just producing a colossal gateway for the eldritch abominations but in this case it seemed to turn out like if your television, while happy to draw on household current, got struck with lightning.

That's a very nice analogy ;)

On 12/8/2017 at 10:35 PM, DEM said:

OK, just go with Terrafamilia's analogy, which is exactly what I was trying to say, but TF was clearer.

(Plus, all the hosts were fried so the aliens were SOL anyway.)

Yes, the bomb would have destroyed the facility with its infrastructure (the power plant, the computers, the entire construction) and with the hosts + the people who would have the control functions. The simulants at large will probably try to recreate the same conditions elsewhere, though.

As an aside: I note that the Raza now suddenly has missiles (finally!). Must have nicked them from the clandestine Mikkei shipment, early in the season.

On 13/8/2017 at 0:08 AM, MissLucas said:

Soooo - I've spent 6.5 seasons yelling at my screen 'stop the fighting, watch out for the white walkers', 2 seasons 'stop the fighting, watch out for the blue goo' and another 2.5 seasons 'stop the fighting, watch out for the green stuff' and now I have to yell 'stop the fighting, watch out for the ink-aliens'??? Alright then.

Well, I had forgotten about the ink-thing inside Three. So of course it comes back. Now we know what evil dying dude who scared the s*it out of Rooke was.

I hated the Android's blergh outfit so I'm glad she dumped it.  I'm not sure that much cleavage is a good idea for combat scenes but we'll handwave that away with plenty of boob-tape. The dialogue between the Android and Two was terrific and beautifully written. My favorite part of the episode.

So Portia knew about the Dwarf Star facility, I wonder how?

  Hide contents

And if Portia knew so does Ryo - which explains how Alt-Boone got there too and how Two ends up on Zairon.

Very good point about Ryo, I hadn't realised that. It makes this episode pretty brilliant, without the need for an obvious (unexplained) deus-ex-machina. Since Portia and co would probably also consider the alien invasion a threat, and with Ferrous likely being infiltrated as well (maybe Zairon, too), the crew may have some cards to play to get Two back in one piece.

Portia knew aboutt he Dwarf Star facility - was she tipped by dr.Shaw? After all, Shaw had worked on the sythetic tech (presumably given by the aliens, to Rook) and may have had suspicions. It's strange that her security override works on this remote facility, as three points out.

Last episode, Shaw and co were less than honest with their visitors so I wonder what else they may have kept silent about.

I don't get the blue goo and the green stuff references (unless the latter is about Killjoys)?

On 13/8/2017 at 7:02 AM, Jacks-Son said:

Damn, buttock clenching episode!! Everyone was badass, especially 2, 5, & Android. I approve of the new liberated Android. Good for her. 2 has no idea how much she means to Android and I wish their relationship was revealed to 2. 5 was definitely on her game, both with her decision to hack the servers on the facility and her commanding presence on the Raza's bridge attempting to intercept the nuke. 4 is in for a rude awakening if he thinks he's going to ransom 2 for the Blink Drive. He thinks they have a malfunctioning Blink Drive. Won't he be surprised when the crew of the Raza show up on his doorstep asking for the return of two. He may have a larger fleet, but they've got the ace in the hole with that drive. They could quite literally, take out a major portion of his fleet before their ships can even jump to FTL.

Ryo and the rest may have to find common ground, in light of the alien threat. Ryo must have interesting knowledge, with his memories intact. And his Ferrous allies will need that list with infiltrators, which may in turn halt their war, at least for a while.

On 13/8/2017 at 9:10 AM, Locutus said:

I'm wondering if the corporate war is really the result of The Ink infiltrating the Corporations at some point in the past. 

That's an interesting possibility. I suppose that people like Niemann and Truffault pretty much have to be originals though; the infiltrators will presumably be relatively new people that made a quick climb through the ranks.

 

 

Line of the episode again goes to three for me: "the grass is always greener on the other side of the interdimensional portal?".

As for the "double deception": I suspect this will not immediately come into play, we already have "the dwarf star conspiracy" as one of the things Five mentioned. "The fall of the house of Ishida" is probably near though, I think this particular storyline is meant to have its climax at the end of this season (so, next episode or the one after). I wonder if Ryo can survive this or if it will be game over.

This episode took more care than usual with the human adversaries; the Mikkei crew was drawn quite well for a bunch of "redshirts". The person who gave the order to fire the nuke actually acted quite heroically and also rationally, even though he didn't really have a better option. The military commander was also interesting: so reasonable toward the Raza crew, so disturbing with the torture. I loved it that Two couldn't bring herself to tell the truth. Well played, show.

In my view, Two isn't a simulant: she is synthetic but she isn't simulating anything, she is human.

[tennisgurl]

Another great episode! I love that this show takes things that are set up (like Three being infected by black goo aliens) and bring them back in unexpected ways. I like that they change it up from just having them fight in the corporate wars all the time, having other villains and problems crop up keeps the show fresh. It also makes me feel REALLY bad for the Raza crew. They just have enemies coming from all over! The authorities and corporations, Ryo, other criminal factions, alien goo monsters, their own evil twins, and now a soon to be started robot uprising. No wonder they had so much fun in 21st Century suburbia.

Anthony Lemke just killed it this episode, he sold his fear and desperation really well, while staying very in character. I actually think my favorite Three scene (other than him shooting a machine gun into a intradimentianal portal, which is just awesome) was when he was in the med bay freaking out about the voices in their head, and he started begging Six to leave. He just sounded so scared and vulnerable, it made the situation seem even more dire to see him so openly scared. Six and Two both looked super freaked out and concerned too. It was sweet how much they were worried about him (while keeping their mind on everything going on), and were trying to help him. Three is the resident asshole, but he's also their friend, and they know his asshole tendencies are a mix of pragmatism, and posturing.

I was also super impressed by how he plays Boone, as opposed to how he plays Three. When it cut to him flying the ship with Two in it, I was like "oh shit its Boone!" without him saying anything. It was just in his body language.

On ‎8‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 1:10 AM, Locutus said:

I'm wondering if the corporate war is really the result of The Ink infiltrating the Corporations at some point in the past.  If not, it's possible that the invasion threat forces everyone (Corps, GA, Raza, etc.) together to fight them off.

That would be a really cool way to wrap up the corporate war storyline, and I could totally see them doing something like that!

I think it was clever that they combined Rook with the aliens. I can totally see him being the kind of guy willing to get into bed with black goo alien monsters. Also, The Androids new look was adorable! I'm glad she ended up in something a little less...80s, but still, I love her.

[MissLucas]

9 hours ago, Wouter said:

I don't get the blue goo and the green stuff references (unless the latter is about Killjoys)?

Blue = The Expanse / Green = Killjoys

[Wouter]

8 hours ago, MissLucas said:

Blue = The Expanse / Green = Killjoys

Of course, how could I forget the Expanse ;)

Thanks.

 

Still no renewal. I hope it comes.

[ae2]

Boobs.

[jhlipton]

On 8/12/2017 at 8:49 AM, Gillian Rosh said:

I couldn't take my eyes off Three in tonight's episode.

I couldn't take my eyes off of Android.

On 8/12/2017 at 3:08 PM, MissLucas said:

The dialogue between the Android and Two was terrific and beautifully written. My favorite part of the episode.

Boobs.

On 8/14/2017 at 3:59 PM, Wouter said:

The dialogue between the Android and Two was terrific and beautifully written. My favorite part of the episode.

1) Or bought or stole them from the Belters...

2) Even worse than "torture always works" (one of my least favorite tropes, is that the commander went straight to torture.  Stimulating a pleasure response for a good answer would lead better info faster.

 

Boobs.  Boobs.  Boo....