Having delivered 30 of its planned 80 episodes, Foundation Season 3 leaves audiences hungry for more. Creator David S. Goyer has evidently ironed out earlier pacing concerns; the season flows seamlessly from its opening episode, ‘A Song for the End of Everything,’ which sets the stage for the primary characters, all the way to its captivating, mind-bending finale, ‘The Darkness.’
Foundation: Season 3 Details
- Episodes: 10
- Runtime: 45–69 minutes per episode
- Creators: David S. Goyer, Josh Friedman
- Starring: Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, Terrence Mann, Cassian Bilton, Cherry Jones, Brandon P. Bell, Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing, Alexander Siddig, Pilou Asbæk, Synnøve Karlsen, Cody Fern, Troy Kotsur, Tómas Lemarquis
- Storyline: Set 152 years after the Second Crisis, Gaal prepares for a momentous confrontation with the enigmatic Mule as worlds across the galaxy teeter on the brink of collapse.
Goyer, who not only penned but also directed the premiere episode, immediately immerses viewers in the action. Foundation, an adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s celebrated literary series, charts an epic, millennia-long struggle for dominance. On one side stands the tyrannical clone rulers known as the Empire, and on the other, the Foundation, established by the brilliant mathematician and psycho-historian Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) with the noble goal of safeguarding all human knowledge and history.
Fast forward 152 years after the Second Crisis, and the Empire finds its grip on the galaxy’s fringes weakening, while the Foundation’s influence has surged, now spanning an impressive 800 planets. Emperor Cleon’s legacy continues through his clone successors: Dawn (Cassian Bilton), Day (Lee Pace), and Dusk (Terrence Mann), who uphold his twelve-millennium reign. As Dawn approaches his ascension to Day, a mere ten days remain, mirroring the ten days until Dusk is ceremonially reduced to “three kilograms of ash.”
Meanwhile, Day has abandoned his imperial duties for a life of indulgence with his lover and drug dealer, Song (Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing). In his stead, Dawn and the loyal robot major-domo, Lady Demerzel (Laura Birn), strategize before the council on how to destabilize the burgeoning Foundation. The true catalyst for conflict emerges when the formidable mentalic known as The Mule (Pilou Asbæk) seizes control of the independent pleasure planet Kalgan. This event jolts Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell), Hari Seldon’s protégé, from her cryo-sleep, thrusting her into the epic confrontation she has foreseen and prepared for.
Adding to this intricate cosmic tapestry are a host of compelling characters: the spirited couple Bayta (Synnøve Karlsen) and Toran (Cody Fern), the steadfast balladeer Magnifico Giganticus (Tómas Lemarquis), the unsettling revelations shared by Demerzel with Zephyr (Rebecca Ineson), a mysterious cult anticipating the return of robots, the Foundation’s ambassador Quent’s (Cherry Jones) developing affection for Dusk, Captain Han Pritcher’s (Brandon P. Bell) alarming findings, and Skirlet (Isla Gie), a child under the Mule’s thrall. These interwoven storylines propel the ten action-packed episodes forward in a dazzling spectacle of visuals and sound.
Demerzel, the lone survivor of the devastating Robot Wars, emerges as a towering and tragic figure. Her journey through the maze, observing the eerie ‘golden apples’ nourished by robot blood from past conflicts, underscores her profound and epic sorrow. Bound by her programming to serve the Empire, she carries out her duties with unwavering loyalty, even to its bitter conclusion. Day’s offhand remark that her ‘chest is emptier than he thought’ proves tragically inaccurate. In a poignant exchange, Demerzel declares, ‘I cannot weigh love against freedom,’ prompting Day’s sharp and insightful response: ‘because freedom would win.’
Despite the widespread bloodshed and violence, the driving force behind the events in Foundation is, surprisingly, love. Those swayed by the Mule consistently express having ‘never felt such love,’ while Magnifico poignantly describes his own loyalty as ‘loyal as an ink stain, true as a scar.’ Even the Mule’s destructive path is fueled by a twisted form of love, stemming from the burning question in their heart: why their parents chose an infant over them.
The season’s action sequences are nothing short of magnificent, complemented by intense mind interrogations and haunting depictions of destruction. Amidst the chaos, the breathtaking beauty of silent, shimmering worlds, lush green landscapes, and unique lifeforms—even the poignant image of a kid goat’s carcass, Dusk’s final meal—serves as a powerful and delicate testament to the series’ flawed yet perfect execution.
The season concludes with a pivotal communiqué, its destination setting the stage perfectly for the already-renewed Season 4, where Ian B. Goldberg and David Kob will take the reins as showrunners from Goyer.
You can currently stream Foundation on Apple TV+.