Episode 3 of "Foundation" dives deep into the past, set 400 years prior to the events that captivated us in the first two episodes, warning viewers that this chapter is a complex tapestry, woven with threads of confusion and intrigue.
Our journey begins with the Genetic Dynasty, specifically with Cleon the First, who stands in contemplation amidst the ongoing construction of an incomplete star platform, his doubts about his legacy mirrored in the uncertain skyline. Haunted by his mortality, he prepares to entrust his heritage to the future.
Then, we leap forward 400 years, arriving precisely 19 years after the cataclysmic star-bridge bombing. Demerzel, engaged in a reflective dialogue with Brother Dusk, admits that each incarnation of Cleon has diverged significantly from the one she knew 400 years ago.
As Dusk confronts his own mortality, he scans through projections of the various versions of Cleon that have come before him – from dreamers to visionaries. With his time dwindling, Cleon strives to make the most of what remains, pondering the kind of legacy he will bequeath to history.
For now, he embarks on a journey aboard a ship with the other Brothers and Demerzel to witness the Eye of the Empire, a place where his presence is taboo, especially considering the youngest version of himself, still growing in a colossal test tube.
This cyclical narrative persists beyond Brother Dusk's final moments. As he awakens to his last day, he is entrusted with the youngest among them, a poignant farewell that underscores the theme of partings. With a heavy heart, Brother Dusk steps into the flickering light, his form dissolving into dust, bringing an end to his chapter in this epic saga.
This is hardly Demerzel's maiden voyage into such endeavors, as she casually brushes aside the dust with two fingers, bestowing it upon the babe's forehead as a solemn symbol of the flame's transmission. This solitary gesture propels us forward by seventeen years, where we find Cleon the 14th—now a mature version of that once tender infant—markedly distinct from Brother Dusk. He makes a bold decision to eradicate the art his former self cherished deeply, opting to raze it to the ground and embark on a fresh start. Demerzel, though understandably apprehensive, remains circumspect for the time being.
In the intervening years, the Foundation has embarked on colonizing Terminus. Numerous myths have sprung up around the enigmatic Vault, that triangular structure we first glimpsed at the series' inception. The settlers, wary of its mystique, steer clear of it. As such, the diverse settlers endeavor to continue where Hari Seldon left off. However, the circumstances surrounding his demise remain unexplained, seemingly left for the narrative to unfold. Intriguingly, the field encompassing the Vault is expanding, radiating outward from its original locale at an exponential pace.
Salvor Hardin is the one to decipher this puzzle, her uniqueness becoming evident as she alone can withstand the Vault's emitted energy, which renders others unconscious. Convinced that the Vault is awakening, she postulates that the aforementioned catastrophic event could very well be attributed to it. Hugo lands and returns to the planet, making his way to Salvor. He regales her with tales of his interstellar adventures, urging her to accompany him into space next time. Salvor smiles, politely declining as she reminds him of her commitments at the Foundation.
After their intimate encounter, Salvor finds herself unable to unwind, an unsettling premonition about the Vault gnawing at her consciousness. Her attention is specifically drawn to a young boy darting into the wreckage of a crashed shuttle. As she hastily pursues him, she encounters a formidable indigenous creature, eerily reminiscent of the ones from the simulations, which she manages to scare off with sheer determination. Returning to Hugo's side, she discovers him awake and inexplicably teleported to the precipice of a cliff, just as they observe gunships looming on the horizon. With communication lines down and the empire out of their reach, the group faces a dire countdown: three days until the Anacreons arrive, battle-ready.
Salvor is secluded momentarily to be revealed the enigmatic equations of Hari amidst this chaotic backdrop. With Gaal missing and Hari deceased, she reluctantly rises to the occasion, compelled to safeguard their settlement. To accomplish this, she must delve into the mysteries of the Vault. Later that evening, driven by curiosity, Salvor trails the same young boy once more into the decrepit remains of the shuttle. However, this time, she finds herself outmaneuvered by the Anacreons, who have already landed, surprisingly armed with... bow and arrows?
