Earth: Final Conflict - 1st time watch thread

[The Wormhole]

The State of Emergency may already have been lifted, but its effects will linger for the next few episodes. This isn't something that just gets resolved and forgotten.

Renee Palmer is something of a Mary Sue. CEO of Doors International with some kind of authority with the government and she poses in different disguises every second episode. A likeable enough character if you suspend your disbelief.

Lili is no longer a main character, and she only has three or four appearances in the season. And despite bieng in the credits, Doors has shit all to do this year and might actually be in a maximum of five episodes.

Season 3 is kind a laid-back year. It's good and it'll entertain you, but nothing particularly ground-breaking happens.

 

[The Habs Fan]

The Vanished

With the state-of-emergency over, Liam begins investigating the disappearance of several Resistance members. He enlists the help of Renee Palmer from Doors International, the woman who helped free him and Augur from the Volunteers. Meanwhile, Sandoval begins preparing Lili for her final journey.

If the first 2 episodes are any indication, season 3 will be a great season.

I'm really sad that Lisa Howard is no longer on the show. Of course, her name not being in the main credits last episode was pretty much a dead giveaway of this fact, but at least she got an excellent final episode. And hopefully it's not the final episode because if it is my feelings about this episode will change drastically.

What is Sandoval's plan with Lili. Is it Zo'or's plan or is it Sandoval working on his own? I think I asked that same question at the end of my last review, but it's not any clearer in this episode. What is more clear is the reason why Sandoval kept Lili alive. Well actually, I still have no idea why but it's a very interesting plot development that I hope gets explained.

Were the same experiments that were performed on Lili also performed on the other detainees? As far as I could understand, Lili was implanted with a CVI that broadcasted what she could hear and see and also was transformed into something no longer human. And then Sandoval, looking a bit remorseful (could his reason for doing this actually be a positive one?) sends Lili off into space going who knows where.

It was downright depressing when Liam walks by and doesn't notice Lili's dog tags where she scratched the words "find me". The last shot of Lili looking terrified as she hurtles towards her unknown destination was the perfect ending to the episode. They had better continue this storyline!

I also appreciated the penultimate scene with the pullback at the end revealing the Taelon ships flying low overhead, showing that the Taelon presence on Earth has not diminished even though the state of emergency is over.

RATING: 5/5


There may be a little more time between reviews for a while as I'm a bit distracted by the new Zelda game.

 

[The Wormhole]

Don't worry, Lili's storyline is continued. Though not for several episodes at least. I think we got a few Taelon wonder technology which Zo'or usurps for his evil agenda first.

There may be a little more time between reviews for a while as I'm a bit distracted by the new Zelda game.

Heh, the remind me of when season 4 originally aired. I set my VCR to tape an episode because I was so close to beating Majora's Mask.

 

[The Habs Fan]

There may be a little more time between reviews for a while as I'm a bit distracted by the new Zelda game.

Heh, the remind me of when season 4 originally aired. I set my VCR to tape an episode because I was so close to beating Majora's Mask.

Majora's Mask... now that brings back memories as well. Except I was forgoing watching Voyager to play it

 

[DeepSpaceWine]

Majora's Mask... now that brings back memories as well. Except I was forgoing watching Voyager to play it

Well, with Season 7 you weren't missing much, and Majora's Mask came out within a day or so of "Repression". Essentially from there to November you weren't missing much (and I say that as a Voyager fan). The winter block (Jan-Mar) had more hits (best block of Season 7, which ain't saying much). You coulda played MM thru January and only have to stop for "Shattered" and a few other eps.

 

[The Habs Fan]

Majora's Mask... now that brings back memories as well. Except I was forgoing watching Voyager to play it

Well, with Season 7 you weren't missing much, and Majora's Mask came out within a day or so of "Repression". Essentially from there to November you weren't missing much (and I say that as a Voyager fan). The winter block (Jan-Mar) had more hits (best block of Season 7, which ain't saying much). You coulda played MM thru January and only have to stop for "Shattered" and a few other eps.

That's true, I was disappointed with season 7 of Voyager which probably contributed to me taping it and not watching it on the day it aired.


Emancipation

When the Skrill Queen is stolen by a radical group of Resistance members, the Taelons loose their only source of weapons for their Protectors, causing Zo'or to consider implementing another state-of-emergency. Meanwhile, Liam is forced to question Renee's loyalties when he discovers she might be assisting the ones holding the Skrill Queen.

This episode masquerades as an important plot changing episode, but what exactly changed at the end?

I don't think there's been an episode dealing with skrills since the first season. Since then, we haven't really seen skrills at all except for when Sandoval uses his. So when Liam liberates the skrill queen and allows it to live in a rain forest, what exactly is this changing for the Taelons? Sure, we're told that the skrills are the Taelons' most important weapon, but we haven't seen any evidence of that since season 1. So although this story is written well and is interesting, it doesn't have the emotional impact it's going for.

I liked the subplot dealing with Augur losing his money. Although the character development was introduced out of the blue instead of slowly developed over the course of several episodes, I like the change this has done to the Augur character. Is his new partner with the Flat Planet Cafe Dr. Belman? It sounded like Majel Barrett Roddenberry's voice.

RATING: 3/5

 

[The Wormhole]

Is his new partner with the Flat Planet Cafe Dr. Belman? It sounded like Majel Barrett Roddenberry's voice.

Yes, this will be confirmed a few episodes later.

 

[The Habs Fan]

Is his new partner with the Flat Planet Cafe Dr. Belman? It sounded like Majel Barrett Roddenberry's voice.

Yes, this will be confirmed a few episodes later.

Not just a few episodes later, but in the episode I just watched


Deja Vu

Liam and Renee begin investigating the possibility that the Taelons are invading the privacy of high-profile individuals using a new form of memory enhancing technology developed by Doors International. The investigation takes an unexpected turn when Liam discovers that the technology is already available on the black market and has been the cause of several unexpected deaths.

Here we have the first season 3 episode with a Zo'or takes over new technology for evil means plot.

This time Da'an doesn't even argue when Zo'or says he's taking over the Neme (sp?) project. Maybe he got tired of arguing.

Anyway, the Neme project is a machine developed by Doors International and the Taelons to help you experience memories. The first guinea pig is the mayor who has the awesome name of Carter Dubois. After the ride is done and the press questions him as to what he saw, he lies and says that the memory he experienced was of him playing baseball, a very pleasurable game of baseball I guess since he was sweating and moaning the whole time he was in the chair. The actual memory he experienced was with an Asian prostitute, underage as Zo'or points out later in the episode as the true nature of Zo'or's plan is revealed. He wants to use this machine to blackmail politicians.

This is kind of an interesting twist since the machine can also be used to implant fake memories into a person which sounds like a Taelon kind of thing to do. Especially since I think they did something like this in season 2. Anyway, the fake memory implantation plot is in this episode too, but it's being done by a 3rd party for the purposes of making money. Who cares if a few people die because of memory overload? (Who knew that memories could be so damaging?) Sandoval is a partner in this business venture as he needs to make a living too.

The climax with Renee and Liam fighting through memory strands to reach the brain-fried and dead, but clearly breathing Dr. Suriyama was strange. I didn't know that memory made such a powerful weapon (also another possible Zo'or motive that didn't materialize).

This episode did have some good acting (along with some bad acting), and some interesting parts, but overall it felt like I was watching a repeat of a previous episode. (I just went back and checked and I think the episode is "Second Chances").

And yes, Dr. Belman does appear in this episode and is confirmed to be the new "silent" partner in the Flat Planet Café.

RATING: 2/5

 

[The Wormhole]

I just viewed the "memory kills" thing as the brain is a sensitive thing to mess around with, and if you're not careful, this could be lethal. Obviously, black marketeers working in back alleys aren't going to be careful.

 

[The Habs Fan]

The Once And Future World

When several Taelon artifacts are smuggled into the United States from Peru, Liam and Sandoval begin an investigation. However, the closer Liam gets to uncovering what is really going on in Peru, the more he suspects that Renee has an alternate agenda.

I think any episode dealing with Ma'el and/or ancient Taelons are good, and this episode is no exception.

This episode is written like a race. A race between Liam and Sandoval to find the source of the artifacts. But it also has an intriguing plot point driving it all: the discovery of ancient Taelon artifacts.

Why is Zo'or so interested in finding the source of the artifacts? What is the purpose of the glowing artifact that transforms into something at the end? I have no doubt that the answers to these questions will be in a future episode.

The source of the artifacts turns out to be Ma'el's ship which is under the water somewhere off the coast of South America (why his ship is in South America but his other lab is in Scotland is yet to be explained). I liked the twist that Doors discovered the ship years before the Taelons came to Earth and he's had a team there secretly studying it ever since. The question of why the ship is so important to the Taelons is never explained, but I'm sure the answer will be revealed eventually.

RATING: 4/5

 

[The Wormhole]

why his ship is in South America but his other lab is in Scotland is yet to be explained

Ireland, actually. But regardless, Ma'el could have easily landed in Ireland first, set up a portal then sent his ship off to South America for who knows what reason. Interdimensional portals, EFC's finger-waving excuse for everything.

Ma'el's ship will be revisited. Without spoiling too much, there is something on board which Doors hasn't yet discovered which Zo'or isn't going to like...

 

[The Habs Fan]

why his ship is in South America but his other lab is in Scotland is yet to be explained

Ireland, actually. But regardless, Ma'el could have easily landed in Ireland first, set up a portal then sent his ship off to South America for who knows what reason. Interdimensional portals, EFC's finger-waving excuse for everything.

Ma'el's ship will be revisited. Without spoiling too much, there is something on board which Doors hasn't yet discovered which Zo'or isn't going to like...

Ah yes, Ireland. I have no idea why I typed Scotland.

 

[The Habs Fan]

Thicker Than Blood

In a shocking turn of event, Augur betrays Liam, and the Liberation Movement to a man he used to work with named Max Pratt, causing the destruction of several Resistance cells. As Liam looks into finding Pratt, he soon discovers that he was actually betrayed by someone closer to home.

This is a very strange episode.The first plot I'll comment on is Da'an meeting with one of Augur's old friends for his help in finding Augur. This is very strange as Da'an suddenly goes evil here and ends up taking out many Resistance cells and leaders (I won't go into details as it all felt very contrived). Also strange was Augur giving up all this information so easily. So what if he threatens Liam's life? How is this Max going to find Liam anyway?

Another storyline deals with Sandoval visiting some kind of memory brothel where he almost kills himself because of something to do with his CVI. I can't explain it any clearer as it really made no sense to me. Then in the hospital, the only cure for Sandoval has to be someone with a DNA match. This person would have to be a parent, siblings, or child. This is all well and good except the only DNA match is found to be Liam who turns out to be Sandoval's son. Correct me if I'm wrong, but is this the first time we're hearing of this? I don't remember hearing that Liam had two fathers before, I just remember the one (Ha'gel).

While we're on the subject of Liam, when did he get a holodeck? That sure was a cool sword training program he took. It's a good thing too since later in the episode he got in a sword fight with Max Pratt. What a coincidence!

I also kind of hated the fact that the Resistance is literally wiped out this episode and it all happened off screen. Liam scrunched his face up a bit for a few minutes but that's the whole reaction we got.

I could easily go on about how bad this episode is but I don't feel like writing about it anymore.

This is easily my least favourite episode of the entire series so far.

RATING: 1/5

 

[The Wormhole]

Ha'gel had shapeshifted into Sandoval at the time he fathered Liam, and Ha'gel required DNA samples of the people he shapeshifted as. So this kind of makes Sandoval Liam's father.

Hey, at least it's not as convoluted as warp 10 salamanders.

 

[The Habs Fan]

Hey, at least it's not as convoluted as warp 10 salamanders.

True, and I forgot about Ha'gel assumming Sandoval's shape and using DNA to do it so I guess it kind of makes sense. But wasn't this the first time Liam referred to Sandoval as his Father?

Anyway, here's my latest review...


A Little Bit Of Heaven

When Liam is framed for murder, its up to Renee to prove that the real killers are a pear of Taelon/Human hybrids created by Da'an when the Taelons first arrived on Earth. Meanwhile, the hybrid continue to kill in an attempt to create more people like them.

With all of the talk of hybrids in this episode, it felt like I was watching an episode of The X-Files. The small town setting just added to that feeling.

So what is Sandoval's plan? One of the very few good things in the previous episode was Sandoval's line where he said something like: "I do what I must in order to destroy them." I assume "them" refers to the Taelons and this episode doesn't disprove that theory. In this episode, he seems to be allying himself more closely with Da'an rather than Zo'or which is interesting.

The main plot dealing with the hybrids stealing babies to create more hybrids is good. It makes sense with all of the Taelon schemes to make super soldiers that they would also create hybrids to fight the Jaridians. The writers are obviously trying to give Da'an more shades of grey this season by painting him more against Liam and the Resistance. Actually, I was glad to see that Liam doesn't really like Da'an that much after the events of last episode. I hate it when events in a previous episode are completely forgotten the next.

RATING: 3.5/5

 

[The Wormhole]

But wasn't this the first time Liam referred to Sandoval as his Father?

Quite possibly. In fact, I think it may very well be the last time as well. How's that for a contrived plot device?

Actually, I was glad to see that Liam doesn't really like Da'an that much after the events of last episode. I hate it when events in a previous episode are completely forgotten the next.

Liam and Da'an's relationship from here on is one of the more realistic aspects of the series. They recognize their professional obligations to each other even though they have personal issues dividing them apart. I didn't explain that well. You'll see what I mean as you get further on.

 

[Morpheus 02]

So where are you in the series now?

It's been a fascinating look back....as i recall, season1 was a decent start. The 2nd season was goofy (going way off left field, into several sci-fi cliches). I forget if season 3 was was worse or better. But I recall season 4 felt like they were going back to some of the better elements of season 1 and moving them forward (i.e. redeeming the series), and made me really look forward to season 5. Sandoval was a great character, and season 4 made me think there was some significant development going on (Von Flores did a great job with him).

 

[The Habs Fan]

Pad'Ar

Zo'or attempts to train humans as warriors by having the minds of decorated soldiers placed into the bodies of young athletes taking part in a new gladiator style game called Pad'Ar. Meanwhile, Liam begins investigating a new technology which links the minds of Pad'Ar viewers to the athletes participating.

This episode turned out to be better than I expected, but I didn't expect much.

Here we have the next Zo'or super soldier plan: android bodies with senior citizen (retired veterans) minds. He has them playing a game called Pa'Dar which I guess is being used to showcase the androids to the world's governments.

I don't really understand why anyone would wear those Jackpatches (sp?) that lets you feel everything that happens, especially in a fighting sport such as this, but that's my one issue with this episode.

Overall, this episode was interesting but nothing special.

RATING: 3/5

 

[The Habs Fan]

In Memory

When her shuttle is attacked in space, Lili soon finds herself on Earth years after the Taelons have left. As she attempts to accept the fact that she lost three years of her life because of Sandoval, Liam tells her she is actually being held captive on a secret Taelon facility.

Lili returns to Earth with no memory of where she's been. Oh, and it's 3 years later than the time we're at in the series. Yeah, I was waiting for the reset button to be pushed the entire episode. And yeah, there is a kind of reset button at the end, but the episode is still pretty good.

I give props to the writers who wrote this whole story, as is eventually revealed, with no main characters present. Sure Liam, Sandoval, and Augur all make appearances but they all turn out to be in some kind of big illusion. Da'an, Zo'or, and Renee don't even show up. (I'm not even going to mention Doors because how many episodes has he actually been in this season despite appearing in the main credits? 2?). Yes, I know... Lili used to be a main character. But still, the fact remains that this season she isn't and yet she got an entire episode devoted to her.

We don't get any answers as to Sandoval's purpose for sending her on her journey across the galaxy, but this episode shows that the writers didn't forget about it either. In fact, the whole "Lili not being human" storyline was one of the clues that nothing is as it seems.

Anyway, the whole point of this illusion was for Lili to fix the ID drive, unwittingly giving the Jaridians the key to ID space travel. I have to mention: the Jaridians don't really seem all that bad to me, although we don't really know a lot about them.

This episode features the only ongoing storyline so far in season 3 and I'm excited to see where it leads.

RATING: 4/5

 

[The Wormhole]

The Jaridians are more noble than the Taelons, but don't assume that means they're not villains...