"Why the Gods Made Wine" is the sixth episode of Foundation's second season on Apple TV+. It aired on August 18, 2023. The episode was written by David S. Goyer & Jane Espenson based on the novels by Isaac Asimov. Alex Graves directed the episode.
Synopsis[]
Day and Sareth make an announcement. Tellem sows seeds of distrust between Gaal and Hari. Hober Mallow reaches his destination.
Plot[]
On Ignis, Hari sits on the beach, reliving the memory of stampede. Salvor approaches, up early because of weird dreams and she believes that other Mentalics' dreams are leaking into her mind. She continues on her walk, meeting Josiah. He shows her that Mentalics are capable of projecting their thoughts without talking, called "Unvoicing." Everyone on the planet can do it, and Tellem Bond taught them how by using a musical pitch. Josiah uses his abilities to show Salvor how his throat was cut when people feared his powers, and how he was rescued by Tellem. Other refugees show Salvor their own stories and how Tellem rescued them.
Salvor, Hari, and Gaal meet with Tellem. She reveals that Gaal's thoughts have told her about the First Crisis, the Second Crisis, and the Foundation. Tellem doesn't care about the Empire, she just wants to keep her people out of the way so they are not killed. Hari tells her about the rise of the Mule in the future, and Gaal shows her the vision she had. Tellem is shaken, and says that she has to believe that their actions in the present mean something and the future should not be set. She tells Gaal that she has to learn her own power, because what she sees at the moment is filtered through Hari's perspective.
A commercial jumpship arrives at Trantor, carrying Poly Verisof and Brother Constant among many others. As Constant is released from the jumppod, she strikes up a conversation with the Spacer, She-Shines-Brightly. Having never met a Spacer before, Constant remarks that she had no idea that genetic engineering could be so elegant. Out of the pod, she stands with Poly, viewing Trantor through a viewport. Constant finds it hard to believe a place like Trantor could fall. As they enter Trantor Station, Constant says she never thought she would again see this sight, noting that she dreamt of something like this as a child. Poly is first to enter customs, talking to Agent Timandra, telling her that he is an envoy from the Outer Reach arriving to open diplomatic negotiations. When Poly is told that the Empire no longer recognises some of the planets in the Outer Reach, he points out that is the situation they are there to address. Poly and Constant are granted a provisional visa and allowed to enter the station. Constant looks up their hotel, but Poly has other ideas; at least for tonight, they are on the Prophet's expense account.
Hari and Salvor talk on the beach, with the conversation again turning to Hari's resurrection. Salvor is still unsure why Kalle did it. Hari believes that it is part of the messianic side to his story, about death and resurrection. Salvor points out that already happened with the version of Hari on Terminus. Her theory is that someone was worried that Hari would reduce everything down to numbers so wanted him to have some actual skin in the game. Hari knows that Salvor thinks he is a bad influence on Gaal, but all Salvor wants to for Gaal not to forget that there are actual people on the planets to be saved. Hari reveals that he didn't know about Gaal and Raych's relationship until the night he died and that Gaal is angry at him rather than face the truth: Raych knew everything and still went along with the plan. Salvor is worried that Gaal will turn into Hari.
Tellem visits Gaal aboard the Beggar's Lament, apologising for the way she treated Hari. During their conversation, Gaal finds that there are times when Tellem appears to shift position without her noticing the movement, just the aftermath. Tellem tells Gaal about their recruitment methods, how they have a few ships and the mental beacon to rescue others. Using water thrown in her face, Tellem manages to convince Gaal's mind that she is back on Synnax. Tellem worries about who will lead her people when she is gone and offers to train Gaal, give her the Second Foundation she wants and the power to save Salvor. But it comes with price: Hari cannot be involved.
Hober Mallow and the Spirit Rising emerge from a jump at the coordinate that Hari uploaded into the system. As Hober wakes, he finds nothing at the coordinates. Beki is uneasy as the ship seemingly stalls; while Hober is attempting to calm her, a massive ship approaches, dwarfing the Spirit.
As Hari and Salvor fish, he realises that it must be hard on Salvor. Salvor admits that she feels like she is raising an army to fight the Foundation. Hari clarifies that the Second Foundation is not meant to fight the First, but to nudge it where necessary. The other version of Hari was edited and doesn't know the full plan, and has no idea about this Hari's existence or the intent to create a Second Foundation. Salvor realises that for that to work, Hari would need to be able to monitor his other self and realises that the Vault and Prime Radiant are connected. The Prime Radiant is a single object outside of space time, existing in two places at once. Gaal arrives with Tellem to reveal their arrangement; Hari wants to know what Tellem offered and points out that Tellem can put anything into her mind. When Tellem refers to an incident on Macoda Mesa in Hari's youth, Hari angrily tells them if they can't trust their own minds, then what else do they have?
Poly and Constant arrive at their hotel, with Poly feeling a little worse for wear. As they talk, Poly asks Constant to flush his supply of vordaline dust. Having been a drunk and an addict for over a century, his encounter with the Prophet has made him want to try something new. Poly tells Constant her faith is pure because of the difference between belief and faith. Poly believes, because he saw Seldon emerge from the Vault with his own eyes. Constant had only second and thirdhand accounts, but it was enough to give her faith. The moment is interrupted by Imperial forces led by Timandra, who arrest and sensory shroud them, telling them their stay has been extended indefinitely.
Cleon XVII assembles the Galactic Council and addresses a crowd of citizens in an arena on Trantor. He dedicates a new statue to Winoset, mother of Cleon I and the last galactic Empress. During his speech, Brother Day announces his intention to wed Sareth I and end the Genetic Dynasty. To the applause of the crowd, Sareth addresses them as well and promises that they will rule as servants to the people, and that their concerns would be their agenda. The crowds cheer as Day looks on, annoyed at what his bride-to-be has promised the people.
Hober Mallow docks the Spirit Rising with the larger ship. Walking through its corridors, he enters a large chamber where he is surrounded by Spacers. He is confronted by She-Is-Center who asks him who he is, and why he has defiled the Home-Swarm.
Salvor goes after Hari, knowing that what Tellem said about Macoda Mesa got to Hari. Hari realises that all day he could not shake the memory, and that Tellem was gouging it from his mind. Hari tells Salvor that they are after the Prime Radiant, and that it is hidden on the Beggar and doesn't look like itself. He implores Salvor to protect it and Gaal before hurrying away. Salvor finds Gaal, who gives her a present - a piece of fruit - after learning from Tellem that it was her birthday. Gaal is glad that Salvor had Mari and Abbas on Terminus. As they hug, they hear the Beggar taking off; going outside to see, they watch as it flies away with Hari at the controls.
Except it was not Hari flying the Beggar; Hari is chained up in a tide pool, held prisoner with water up to his neck. Tellem Bond stands over him, telling him that Loron will fly the Beggar out of range so they can continue their search for the Prime Radiant. Tellem intends to let Hari drown, an act that she does not consider to be murder since they would never kill one of their own. She tells Venik to stand guard until his drowns.
On Helicon, in Hari's youth, he sits on a rock as his parents ranch the local moonshrikes using sheepdogs. As one herd launches from the surface to the moon above, Hari walks into another stampede of them and is not hit by any of them. Using math, he worked out the pattern and knew where it was safe to be. As the stampede passes, his mother is worried, but his father is angry and hits him.
Hari, now a younger man, talks with Dr. Tadj at a university on Helicon about pyschohistory and his predictions. She is worried that his work is undermining confidence in Empire, but Hari is incredulous that she is essentially saying that it is treason to say "all empires fall." They are interrupted by the arrival of Dr. Yanna Kine, transferring from the University of Calda. She ends up sharing an office with Hari and says his work is brilliant and they will do wonderful things together.
Hari and Yanna's relationship progresses as they work on psychohistory. Hari becomes more and more suspicious of Dr. Tadj after observing her talking to someone in the stairwell. Hari manages to create a prototype of the Prime Radiant and presents it to Yanna. In return, she reveals she is pregnant with their daughter. Yanna gifts Hari a necklace that allows him to feel both Yanna's and their unborn child's heartbeat. At the university, Hari and Dr. Tadj argue over an offer for him and Yanna to go to Streeling University on Trantor to continue their work; if he refuses, Tadj has orders to terminate his research and confiscate his prototype. While Hari refuses to go, Yanna says they need to consider the decision for their own safety.
Tadj abducts Yanna at gunpoint, and offers Hari a deal: give her the prototype and Yanna will be released unharmed. At the meeting, Tadj has a car waiting to take Hari to Yanna once he gives her the protoype. Instead, Hari hacks the car and it takes them both to Macoda Mesa. Hari reveals he knows the truth - Yanna is dead, he felt her heatbeat stop through the necklace. Using sheepdogs, he calls the moonshrikes towards him. As he did in his youth, Hari stands in the stampede holding Tadj tight. As the moonshrikes surround them, Hari pushes Tadj into their midst. Hari arrives on Trantor, taking up the post at Streeling University. He talks with Jerril, who greets him and gives him a book by Gorik Tarka that he requested.
On Ignis, Hari eventually drowns as the waters rise.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Jared Harris as Hari Seldon (Raven)
- Lee Pace as Brother Day (Cleon XVII)
- Lou Llobell as Gaal Dornick
- Leah Harvey as Salvor Hardin
- Laura Birn as Demerzel
- Cassian Bilton as Brother Dawn (Cleon XVIII)
- Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk (Cleon XVI)
Guest Starring[]
- Nimrat Kaur as Yanna Seldon
- Isabella Laughland as Brother Constant
- Dimitri Leonidas as Hober Mallow
- Ella-Rae Smith as Queen Sareth I
- Sandra Yi Sencindiver as Enjoiner Rue Corintha
- Rachel House as Tellem Bond
- Kulvinder Ghir as Poly Verisof
Co-Starring[]
- Isaac Highams as Young Hari - Age 7
- Elsie Bennett as Kariel Seldon
- Sean Rigby as Nolan Seldon
- Evelyn Miller as She-Shines-Brightly
- Isabel Adomakoh Young as Timandra
- Petra Van Der Voort as Councilor Twer
- Brucella Newman-Persaud as She-Is-Center
- Mikael Persbrandt as The Mule
- Haqi Ali as Handman Hahn
- Kit Rakusen as Josiah
- Fiona O'Shaughnessy as Dr. Tadj
- Reece Shearsmith as Jerril
- Michael S. Siegel as Councilor Garrow
- Emily Stott as Oreen
- Winslow Iwaki as Running Man
- Martine Babišová as Woman With Noose
- Valentina Umpierrez Cedres as Little Girl
- Eric Goode as Bridge Jump Man
- Alejandro Marote as Venik (Stunt)
- Mahmoud Aldachan as Ferzan (Stunt)
Appearances[]
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