Warning! this contains spoilers!
I find myself looking forward to this show from midweek onwards and luckily, episode 3 arrives. This episode is much darker than the previous episodes as next week e quickly get to the midpoint of the season. We seem to not know who really anyone is but find ourselves cheering for our hero and heroine despite ending each episode with more questions than answers and that is the beauty in the story. This week, we are visited on the Beacon by Coley, a long term associate and apparent lover of Aster. She and Halan immediately get into a scuffle, dislike and distrust each other which carries throughout the episode. They are trapped on the beacon for a few days due to a dark matter disturbance coming in. Her background and identity is also ambiguous but it is clear that she and Aster work for the QTA. We also learn more about Aster and Halan as she has intimate knowledge of Aster's past and is able to check the QTA files on Halan revealing he is no boy scout.
The show does a good job of building tension and has a lot of gray characters, which is good depth to the sci-fi genre. I like that Hugh Howey's works seem to be about the characters that are set in a sci-fi world rather than a sci-fi exposition that happens to have characters. This show has just beautiful breathtaking sci-fi scenery each week. I truly appreciate the computer graphics in it.
Analysis
- Aster and Halan are no saints. Aster has a history of questionable loyalties to her partner as well as recently showing she can kill in cold blood. Halan is a deserter and caused the death of his platoon but it is not clear why he deserted or if he just had cold feet which is unlikely after having been on 7 tours of duty. There must be more to his desertion/AWOL story.
- The lighthouse picture - Halan looks at it everyday and wonders if the guy gets back into safety or is crushed.
- The mission being upgraded to a C-File is a big deal but unclear why or what it means. QTA seems to be a very powerful mercenary (mafia like?) organization that only fears the ISA.
- Halan was brought there intentionally as was Aster since Halan traveled over 84,000 star systems in a short amount of time and Aster had 6 instead of the 4 usual oxygen canisters in her escape pod.
- It is interesting that Solomon would not have allowed Aster onboard the Beacon based on psychological analysis by the QTA.
- Could the pendant symbol and similarity to the microscopic rock images been the cause for a religion in the past?
Trivia and Technical mumbo-jumbo
- GWB - Gravity Wave Broadcaster said go (the light emitting portion of the beacon). Apparently too much exposure to it can cause nausea, dizziness, hallucinations and mood swings (per the warning sign on it).
- Space suit helmets do not have glass to shield the face, just a forcefield barrior of some kind. This is pretty cool.
- UGMC - united galactic marine corps (?)
- Coley's access code to the QTA computer system - 81838287
Characters of Interest
- Aster - Reveals more tattoos: Has two tattoos on her right arm, one appearing to be Vishnu the Hindu god, and one on her left arm that appears to be similar. Has a tattoo of a red bird and flowers on right right backside shoulder. Referred to as "street trash from Menelaus" by Coley.
- Halan Kai Nielsen - Blooming love interest? Deserter of the UGMC after Combat Operations on DX-113 (84000 star systems away). The story is that he ran from combat leaving his squad flanked. Lambert, Maba, Ozell, Laurenzano, Rashaan, Kim, Reyes, Jonas and Gashade. He has been on 7 tours of duty.
- "Manager" Coley - Aster's long term partner and love interest. Trained to kill, her father was in the military and had 5 tours of duty.
- Harmony - Aster's personal AI.
- Bartholomew (Bart) - Solomon's personal AI. Has a vindictive personality especially towards Halan.
- Aster's mother - was she killed by the QTA in regards to knowing something about these mienerals or rocks?
- Mysterious Entity - minerals/isotopes/rocks. There should be no glowing minerals in it.
Mysteries and Questions
- Is Solomon still alive? Did he steal Halan's ship and escape? It appears Solomon is actually dead and died in an explosion by accident but Bart blames him for it. However midway through this show, Halan
- Where is Halan's ship? Could have blown up in an explosion? Is it near the beacon as well?
- Is the mineral and isotope exposure causing Halan's PTSD/hallucinations or is there more to it? He's the only one who seems to suffer from this and several have come into contact with the minerals so far. They seem to have a deeper meaning.
- The lighthouse picture in episode 1, is there more to it or is it just a pic/memory from the past? it was heavily discussed by the characters in this episode.
- Why so many unauthorized trips from the beacon by Solomon?
- Will Chick Kannedy return or is that it? I would imagine a kid that young with a ship that big is begging to be attacked in a "tough" part of space.
- The same symbol on Aster's pendant is in the rocks as seen under microscope. How are they connected?
- What is a QTA class-c mission?
- Is Harmony ultimately loyal to QTA? During her dying moments, Coley calls out to Harmony expecting the AI to help her.
- Did the wreckers work for QTA?