Defiance: The World We Seize & The Last Unicorns

June 20, 2015 6:16 PM - Season 3, Episode 1

Seven months have passed since Irisa saved the day and the E-Republic has left the mining town of Defiance which has found its town sustaining ore unreachable. The fate of Irisa and Nolan remain unknown, while Amanda struggles to keep the town together. Elsewhere, Rafe McCawley and the Tars continue their hunt for their grandson and children. Meanwhile, the Votan Collective has plans of its own, while a new race of aliens debut.

RIP McCawley Clan.

posted by Atreides (9 comments total)

This definitely felt very everyone dies. I'm feeling set up for a bunch of will they won't they chains with regards to the Omec, but am still excited for the new season.
posted by Feantari at 8:34 PM on June 20, 2015

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE oh man I have been waiting for this.
posted by corb at 9:44 PM on June 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

I need to put up the post for the episode from Friday, but I'm still in shock that we no longer have Graham Greene to love and adore on the show. They could have relegated him to a corner of the Need/Want grumbling over some topic for a minute each show and I would have loved it. I remained pretty spoiler free concerning Season 3, so the deaths all came at a quick and sudden surprise.

The Tars continue to be the Tars and I'm thankful for that. While Stahma's choice to kill her daughter-in-law was very much motivated by keeping her grandson safe, I don't know if she wouldn't have killed her without the babe nearby to save her husband. That said, Season 1 Stahma definitely would have done it. This season Stahma, I'm not sure.

The Beast/General Whats His Name. I'm mixed on his presence. For being a feared general of the Votan Collective, it's kind of underwhelming to see the small force he has under his command. Is the VC that weak? Do they not care that much?

Linda Hamilton. Woot Woot. Pilar continues to walk that line of terrifying reassurance of the loving grandmother and the psychotic who will do everything to protect her children (grandchild) with a fine rationalization for every action.

Defiance. Things ain't going too hot. I'm liking Berlin as Lawkeeper, so I hope she gets to keep the job, but it will be interesting to see if her and Nolan begin to buck heads over issues.

The Omecs. Different. I'm still on the fence on them, but I think they will have the chance to be a bit more interesting than at first glance.

What happened to the Doc. GOOD LORD. I felt terrible for her.
posted by Atreides at 11:18 AM on June 21, 2015 [1 favorite]

3 seasons in and I'm still not sure why exactly I'm watching Defiance. I don't think I'm super invested in any of the characters, I think it's mostly default-genre loyalty and liking some of the actors. That said, I was sad to see so many McCawleys go. Especially Christie. I think one of my favorite moments from the series was that little laugh of Stahma's back when she figured out that it was Christie who had murdered the woman that Alak slept with, that Christie was a real Tarr after all. I'm sorry I won't get any more scenes between those two women.
posted by oh yeah! at 4:24 PM on June 21, 2015 [1 favorite]

That was such a brutal surprise. I had no idea they were killing those two!

And I think in the past seasons the Votan collective hasn't been portrayed as quite as bloodthirsty as they are here.
posted by Catblack at 10:37 AM on June 24, 2015

Wasn't the VC kind of brutal at the start of last season, when we were in California?

Here's a thought: So the Tars are ordered to blow up the Arch (which seemed kind of archaic being described as "the Arch of St. Louis."), but the Arch is a visible reminder of their son, who broadcast his radio station from its top. Will that be a consideration in how well they follow that order? Coincidentally, they would have to follow it, tho', since their son's life is on the line.

I was half hoping Irisa would kill the general, as I'd prefer to see a different big bad. I'd rather see the VC version of the E-Republic's takeover of Defiance, versus just making the VC the bad guy. For now, it seems, as portrayed by General THE Beast, that would simply involve killing all humans.
posted by Atreides at 11:57 AM on June 24, 2015

Aw man, I don't think I'm gonna like this season, between the super bloodthirsty Casti dude, the cannibal people, and killing off all the McCawleys. Christie went out like a boss, though, cussing that guy out in Casti and English and then baring her throat and saying "I am not afraid." Wow. Always did like that girl. Hate that Stahma had to do it, but clearly everyone would have been killed if she hadn't.

Super convenient to get rid of the baby!
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:56 AM on June 30, 2015 [1 favorite]

The McCawley kill off was a pretty dang brazen move, particularly given the fact that they ended up reopening access to the mines - the source of the McCawley fortunes. I'm still miss Graham Greene, he added a great down to earth rebuttal to the Tars.
posted by Atreides at 9:07 AM on June 30, 2015 [1 favorite]

I found this episode particularly heartbreaking, for Stahma. She doesn't want to kill Christie, and has actually come to love her, and never respected her more most likely than in the moment when she essentially hurried her own death to get them away from her baby. At the same time, she knows it will always be there between her and Alak. She knows she is doing something irretrievable. It's not just about risk for her, or she wouldn't have asked for the General to forgive Christie, openly. That life she wants to preserve, and that is the one she must take.
posted by corb at 6:16 AM on December 10, 2015 [2 favorites]