Reviewer Rating: 5/5.0
5
Welcome to Wednesday night’s support session for those who have survived the emotional trauma of Ark Season 2 Episode 9! There are donuts and refreshments in the back, so you can eat and drink while you cry.
Man, what a whirlwind that episode was! The creative team behind the show did say, “Let’s slowly burn the audience’s interest and then make them feel every human emotion in one episode.”
“The Ark” has always attracted viewers because there’s so much to work with in “Cycle of Violence.” From Captain Garnet crying to Angus putting “Bit” in a bittersweet state, this is where the Ark transforms into its most interesting form.
Space just got a lot more interesting.
Disasters and disasters are exciting, but it’s the characters that stick with you
As I said at the beginning of Ark’s second season, this series is unlike any other science fiction show. It doesn’t follow the typical space opera formula.
No alien or ray shootouts. Sure, there’s the occasional electric tentacle, but that’s a FTL thing. If you know, you know.
The main thing about “Ark” is its incredible depiction of a futuristic space story based on human emotion and connection.
Don’t get me wrong, Star Wars: Discovery and Star Wars: Strange New Worlds are both incredible shows. However, series like this have decades of fans who develop a connection with the characters and the series as a whole.
Ark doesn’t have a sixty-year franchise. It doesn’t have a star-studded cast. It doesn’t have an endless budget to constantly create visually striking CGI.
This series has great writers, actors, and producers who do their best. Catastrophes and catastrophes are exciting, but it’s the characters that stay with you.
That’s why this episode is the saddest since Cat’s death in the first episode of Ark Season 2.
The writers of “Ark” are sneaky geniuses with a touch of sadism
It’s been a wild ride for Spencer Lane in The Ark Season 2.
They used Lane’s healthy liver to save the Eastern Confederate Captain, but technically the lieutenant was classified as lost cause.
Still, that doesn’t make the situation any less heartbreaking. Normally, I’d rip apart plots where random characters are pushed to violent acts, like in Ark Season 2 Episode 8.
However, unlike that episode, this one introduces so much intensity right from the start. When the assassination attempt occurs, it all feels natural.
What we see in Ark is the maturation of its story. The premise of the show has always been one disaster after another.
Ark has reached a point where it’s ready to move away from “avoiding another disaster” and move in a direction where “not everyone will succeed.”
What’s interesting about the choice to kill off Lane is that he’s a central and key character. He appears in most scenes and has a hand in almost every arc.
In this respect, the writers are sneaky geniuses, with a hint of sadism. “We’re going to make you feel like this character is your friend, and then we’re going to kill him in a heroic way that makes his death meaningful, but it doesn’t make it any less sad,” the writers said.
The plot has ups and downs, and the audience is clamoring for twists and turns in the story and high quality. Touche introduces The Ark’s creative team. They exceeded expectations.
Kelly and the tiny robot in her blood
What’s interesting about this episode is that while Ryan’s death is like a punch in the stomach, it’s not the craziest thing.
I’m talking about Kelly (Samantha Glassner) and the tiny robots in her blood. Kelly is going through something, but it’s unclear what it is.
An almost grueling amount of screen time is spent on her implants and enhancements. It would be a major flaw in the story if something wasn’t developed at the end.
Beyond Kelly and her posthuman status, there’s this strange connection that forms between her and Angus. Are we heading towards a love triangle between Angus, Alicia and Kelly?
This will finally give Angus, who has been completely underutilized this season, something else to do besides vodka.
Now that Kelly’s special bloody robot is no longer in his system, we can let go of the space arc’s possible “super soldiers.”
We’re at the end of the season, and if it’s going to end like a cycle of violence, we need to be prepared for the impact.
Are we bad people?
This episode had so many jaw-dropping moments that it ranks right up there with “The Other You” as one of the best episodes of Ark’s second season.
First of all, when Captain Garnett (played by Kristy Burke) cried for Ryan, if you didn’t shed a little tear, how could I die in my heart too?
While I didn’t get teary-eyed, I wasn’t “emotionally bombarded” on my to-do list today. It’s not even about the character’s death.
It was too much to see the powerful and capable Captain of the Ark crumble like this. It’s like when you’re a kid and see one of your parents crying. Incredible storytelling!
Oh, how shocking Captain Garnett’s line “Are we the bad guys?” Talking about the truth hits you like a MAC truck.
Definitely a shout out to the crew behind Ark as they went above and beyond to give the audience an experience they will never forget.
However, after the dust has settled on the “cycle of violence”, we are left with a key question. Who is the big villain this season?
It seemed like the Eastern Federation would fill the void, but like any good conspiracy, our expectations were completely wrong. See what I did there? Too soon?
After the GSA revelations, I think Maddox (Jelena Stupljanin) becomes a problem again. To be fair, it’s fun to watch her swagger into every scene with those dead eyes and grim smile.
Ark One is about to undergo a transformation and loyalties will be re-evaluated. If I had to guess, the show might push the crew to become independent and start their own colony.
If you’ve read my previous review of Ark, you’ll know that I’ve always wondered what would happen to the show if Ark found its home planet.
Keeping Ark One in space indefinitely required some clever planning. Their life support system can only last so long.
We’re still a few episodes away from the finale, and if we know anything about Ark Season 2, anything is subject to change without notice.
Now the only thing to do is sit back, enjoy the ride through the depths of space, and watch our favorite intrepid crew handle whatever is thrown at them.
Whatever Ark plans to do, I’ll be front and center, ready to soak up every exciting moment in this Syfy space.
Do you think Angus, Alicia and Kelly are headed for a love triangle?
Will the Eastern Federation and Ark-1 join forces to form their own colony?
We at TV Fanatic love talking TV with our readers. So please let me know in the comments below, and join me again as I review the next episode of Ark!
