"A More Perfect Union" Part Two

At the end of my last blog post I asked some questions about some of the mysteries left behind by that season two finale.  So let's explore one of the more salient points and that would be that ear piercing shriek that heralded the arrival of the new species of alien.

The Shriek.

Judging by the screen grab above that shriek that sounded off when the new aliens began their descent I would say it was pretty harsh.  Could it be just a mechanical by product of their retro rockets firing off or is there a real purpose behind that ear splitting noise?  I vote real purpose!  My first thought was that it was a way to break the telepathic link between the Overlords and their minions.  It may also serve to shatter the mental reservoir the Overlords use to store their knowledge since it was divulged by Karen that they don't use computers.  (Or was it Ben that spilled that little gem?)  This audio disruption may even serve to break the mental link between each Overlord or as I should say, "The Eshpeni".

When I saw how it effected Ben I drew the conclusion that is why he couldn't detect the alien parasite that now infects Hal.  Earlier in the episode Ben embraced Hal just before the events of the Continental Army's massacre of the Skitter camp.  I thought that was deliberately inserted as foreshadowing to the events that came later as in "post Hal infection".  By the way, can we all agree that Hal was infected by Karen when she planted that eerie kiss on Hal once they were captured by the Overlords during the "Super-gun" attack?

It could be that Ben's link with the Skitters was broken once "Red Eye" died.  But then again Ben sensed the Overlord just before the breach to access the Super-gun and so this may mean his harness networks him with all aliens concerned.  The "shriek" inconveniently disconnected Ben from the Overlords so Hals infection now goes unnoticed.  Way to go new species.

Anne's Pregnancy.

Speaking of networking, Karen discovered Anne was pregnant by merely touching her or at least being in close approximation to her.  Did Karen just tip the hand of the Espheni's machinations?  Maybe now we have learned what happened to Tom once he was released by the Overlords in the first episode of this past season.  Tom may have been manipulated by the Overlords at a genetic level as some sort of lab rat so that if he impregnated somebody (poor Anne) a new skitter species may be born or some sort of Espheni derivative.  I'm thinking the Overlords are looking into making new minions much like the Skitters but this time without all the messy work behind getting a harness attached.  Seeing that the Skitters can maintain an independence of sorts, a new birth of Overlord slaves may prove more reliable.  Perhaps the Overlords are having problems with replicating but I think rather that this is a new form of slave to do their dirty work.

Karen's Prophetic Warning?

Just before Karen "skittered" up the wall of the Super-gun base she called out to Tom, "It's not over Tom, you'll never win".  When I first heard this I assumed that the Overlords may have lost a minor skirmish and Karen was just taunting Tom and the 2nd Mass and there are bigger battles to be fought.  But she may have meant more than that.  Knowing that the new aliens now have a toehold thanks to the Super-gun destruction, she may have been referring to the new aliens being worse for Earth than the Overlords.  "You'll never win" because these "newbies" aren't any better than the enemy you know.  Personally, I hope not.  I'd rather see this new bunch as a "third option".  Wherein, they aren't  Space Police or a "rival gang" but a species that manged to throw off the yoke of oppression of the Espheni and are now seeking retribution.  Their numbers may be small so by allying themselves with Earth we may be able to defeat the Espheni together.

The Espheni

I'll have to admit I was pretty disappointed that Tom slew the alien Overlord "off camera".  With the past that these two shared you'd think we'd see them locked in mortal combat.  I can only imagine that with the Overlord being a totally CGI'd character a battle between Tom and the "Fish Head" leader would have been too difficult to capture on film.  Now that Doug Jones has joined the cast as the new alien I'm sure we'll be able to see a closer interaction between the various aliens and we earthlings.  Look how far the Skitters have come in the context of how they are depicted on screen.

What I found interesting about the Overlord alien is that he had a "blade" extension that protruded from his wrist when it came time to do battle with Tom.  It reminded me of the extension that came from the alien from the movie "Signs".  Both were meant to incapacitate their respective foes and I wonder if the show-runners behind Falling Skies drew their inspiration from the Signs alien.  They are both certainly ugly enough!

Come to think of it the Signs alien is a little more humanoid and may even bear a closer resemblance to the new arrival alien of Falling Skies.  What do you think?

More clues are sure to be dropped during this off season, when they appear and they have any link to the season two finale I'll be sure to blog something about them.  Til then keep your heads down and your eyes to the sky.  It could be falling!

Falling Skies News Flash!

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blog post of "A More Perfect Union Part Two" to bring you an important announcement.  The people at Falling Skies have alerted the media to the addition of three new cast members!

Pictured above is Doug Jones known for his roles in "Pans Labyrinth" (as Pan) and "The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" (as the Surfer himself).

 

 Jones will be portraying the new alien addition to the series which means this new kid on the block will actually have some acting to do.  I'm sure the new creature will be endowed with some personality now that a live actor like Jones will embody him and he won't be a strictly a CGI character.

Another addition to the cast for season three will be actor Robert Sean Leonard.  Leonard is best known for his work on TV's "House".  He will be portraying the "Rat King" AKA, Dr. Roger Kadar Phd.  Kadar sounds like a bit of a recluse as he lives with his pet rats as he operates the electrical grid for Charleston.  So the bad news here is that our hardy bunch of survivors will be stuck in Charleston S.C. for the foresseable future.  I'd rather see them is Charlestown if you follow me.

Lastly, the radiant Gloria Reuben will also be reunited with fellow ER alum Noah Wylie.  Reuben will portray Estelle Lasher and aide of sorts to Tom Mason.  Lasher will be known for her political and historical savvy.  Does this mean Tom will be running for office in Charleston after all?  How will this effect his relationship with Anne Glass?

"A More Perfect Union" Part One.

 We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

For a beginning let's start at the end.

When I say the end I am referring to the stunning conclusion to the season 2 finale of Falling Skies.  A new alien species has arrived (something I've been hoping for) and with this ending we have a new beginning.  But before I get too far let's take a look at this ending in the context of the this episode's title, "A More Perfect Union". 

There are two meanings to the episode title, (something that was drawn from the preamble to the Constitution), firstly, there is the literate meaning to to the phrase, "A More Perfect Union".  Our founding fathers realized that the idea of founding a more perfect union meant that it was an ongoing process.  That is why on the reverse side of the dollar bill we see the incomplete pyramid seal "Announcing (the) Concept" of a "Secular New Order".  In Roman numerals at the base of the unfinished and ongoing pyramid is the year 1776 when it all began.

Much of the inspiration of Falling Skies has been drawn from the American Revolutionary War.  The ragtag unit of the 2nd Mass mirrors the Minutemen that originally stood against tyranny and oppression.  Their struggle laid the foundation towards a more perfect union and the 2nd Mass has followed in their footsteps in rebuilding what or forefathers had wrought.  In fact, I would say it is their sacred mission.  The tyranny is the same only the faces have changed.

So is there a second meaning to, "A More Perfect Union"?  With the timely intervention of "Red Eye" and his rebel group of Skitters the 2nd Mass has destroyed the Overlord's "Super Gun" and apparently allowed the arrival of a new species of alien.  So does "A More Perfect Union" announce the alliance of this new species with the remnants of Earths population?  TNT flashed on the screen "Ally or Enemy" as the episode concluded.  With Red Eye out of the picture and the Skitters severely damaged the "Union" may well be a partnership between the new arrivals and we "Earthlings".  Will it be "more perfect'?  Or will this obviously superior race become our new masters?

The new alien did show his face (her face?) as he disembarked from his vessel and he held up no weapon despite being drawn upon by the 2nd Mass and the Continental Army.  We can construe from this that he means us no harm as these are universal peaceful gestures.  So the "More Perfect Union" could refer to the saving grace of this alien arrival.  I posited in my blog post. "An Overture From The Overlords" that the Overlords weren't the biggest fish in the pond.  That they were actually on the run from a bigger fish and their work on Earth was incomplete and hurried.  I was hoping that their incomplete victory was due to the fact that they were being pursued and whatever was chasing them wasn't far behind.  That "Whatever" is here now.

Are these new aliens a galactic police force looking to apprehend the Overlords for their interstellar crimes?  Or are they a rival gang looking to usurp their opponents gains?  Just because they seemingly come in peace doesn't mean that peace will last.  The "Union" could be just a convenient alliance until the Overlords, or the "Espheni" as we learned from Ben/Red Eye, are defeated and there is a new "Sheriff" in town. 

I'd love the "Cosmic Police Force" angle.  These new aliens seem to have come in force but the "Super Gun" only covered the eastern portion of North America so that may mean they need Earth's help before they they can develop their bridgehead to what is our Battleground Earth.  If they are a rival "space gang" the alliance will be a tenuous one until either the new aliens get what they want and leave or Tom Mason and his fellow earthlings will have a new enemy to fight.  If there is to be a fourth season of Falling Skies the safe money would be on the latter.

 I'd like to draw attention to one of the final scenes as the alien pod craft descended.  By the way,  I say, "pod craft" as it held only one alien so it stands to reason there is a mother ship in orbit around Earth that dropped all these single seater pods to Earth (I hope we get to to that "mother" next season!) (Are these new guys so bad ass they only need to land one at a time?)

Take a look to the right portion of the above screen cap. We see an American flag as graffiti painted on a concrete wall.  The words, "United We Stand" are partially revealed on the flag.  Do these words portend the arrival of the space cops and the new alliance or just "fighting words" in the context of the original invasion?  Also note the field of blue of our flag.  Normally, it contains stars representative of our Union's states.  Instead we find here alien "heads" possibly meant to depict our overthrow or perhaps a failed alliance between the Overlords and Earth.  The "failure" meaning Earth was duped by the Overlords and Earth accepted a Trojan Horse from the Overlords which allowed their easy victory.  The alien heads as stars could be a parody of our new government replacing our failed old one due to their naivete.

It's not the first time we've seen iconic imagery from America's past similarly transfigured.  The above picture from season one shows the "Uncle Sam, I Want You For The U.S. Army"  poster painted on a wall.  Was this a form of protest, as graffiti normally is, to show how Earth was duped and America usurped by the Overlords and we have to answer to a new master and due his bidding? Was the artist making fun of this new/old alliance?

So, with the inclusion of the flag graffiti with the alien heads as stars at the end of this episode, was it meant to tell us that we are to be duped again and as the "The Who" once sang meet the "new boss same as the old boss"?

"A More Perfect Union"  Have the "police" arrived?  A rival space gang? How perfect will this new union be? Join me in my search for answrs!


Next up on "Battlin' Boston".

• Karen's "prophetic" warning.
• Hal's embrace with Ben.
• Anne's pregnancy.
• The Skitter alliance broken?
• What was that sound?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

The High Cost of "Greatness". Our Foundering Fathers?

From the get go I wondered if Falling Skies was going to pursue some sort of political allegory in their most recent episode, "The Price of Greatness".  After all, the special guest star, Terry O'Quinn, played former Boston College chair of the History department, Arthur Manchester, (whose name harkens to the mythological King of England and the renowned historian William Manchester who wrote "American Caesar" the story of General Douglas McArthur.)  This would peg him from the liberal Northeast and with his keen sense for history, lend him a unique perspective of founding a new democracy.  His character even wrote a book, "From Darkness: Democracy".

In opposition to this perspective we'd have the military wing that was champing at the bit for a fight and headquartered in the conservative South but felt helpless because they weren't in a position of power.  Quite similar to the conservative Republican party of today that is waiting in the wings for their chance to take over the reigns of power.

Political or social allegory is a common device for the writers of science fiction.  The great champion of which was the original Star Trek and to a degree followed by "The Next Generation".  This was not to be for this episode of Falling Skies.  Perhaps the writers flirted with it tangentially but not to any great degree as evidenced by Manchester's despotic pursuit of power.  It seems the this fictional author had forgotten the lessons of the Revolutionary War. The Continental Congress went to great lengths to share power and worked tirelessly to form a representative government that eventually produced a Bill of Rights and the Articles of Confederation.  For its part, the military, led by George Washington, eschewed politics and completely trusted the Congress despite its difficulty in levying taxes and begging the states/colonies for soldiers that often returned to their farms.  Too bad General Bressler didn't follow the example of Washington, who was a rock star of sorts for his period and upon assuming the Presidency wanted nothing to do with a lifetime monarchy and stepped down after two terms.  Instead Bressler declared martial law.

Two men not worthy of the status of "Founding Fathers" to this new democracy. 

Perhaps this is why Tom Mason was thrust unceremoniously into the role of leadership once Pope declared that Tom had landed them squarely in the middle of a coup.  Surely this isn't something wanted for his friend Manchester (despite not backing him) or himself as he looked positively aghast once Bressler told him his little alliance with the Skitters better work.  (Are the Skitter taking the role of the French?)  I'll credit for General Bressler for that much.  The original Continental army never ran from a fight although they were soundly beaten more than once.   I'm sure poor Tom is all for the proper political process but not at the point of a gun.  There is no doubt he must feel entirely responsible for these events.  There is an old saying, "Some people are destined for greatness, others have it thrust upon them".  Tom had greatness thrust upon him and the price was the democratic process.

Is there added cost?  The Army is spoiling for a fight as is the 2nd Mass but even the Revolutionary War army had its Valley Forge where they were allowed to rest and refit.  Is this new fighting force truly ready and can the Skitters be completely trusted.  I wonder if the Skitters have a religious fervor that might run counter to the Humans ideals.  Maybe the Skitters will remind them about the lesson of "One Nation Under God."

Other observations.

• Best line of the night goes to Pope for wishing his opposite number "to the cornfield" from the classic Twilight Zone episode "It's A Good Life".  Someone's done their homework.
• Always good to see Tom and Anne share a bed.  They are so mature and comfortable with each other despite the chaos around them.
• Hal owning up to his "Teenage silence".  Maggie called him out, Hal had a speech ready, it worked and now they have each others back again.  Hey, that's mature also!
• Anybody else wonder how Tom and the 2nd Mass' reputation preceded them?  It can't be all from the aviator Churchill?  Where is she by the way?
• The Skitter "Red Eye" has followed Tom and his group to Charleston, have the Skitters been followed also?  That would lead to a climatic cliff hanger.  Before Washington had his victory at Yorktown he also had his battle at Brandywine Creek and it was pretty much a disaster.

I hope everyone is ready or the cost could be even greater.

What is the Price of Greatness?

Mild spoilers ensue.

Tonight is the penultimate episode of the second season Of Falling Skies.  It's been titled "The Price of Greatness".  Pictured above is a familiar face especially to those that followed the TV show "Lost".  Terry O'Quinn will appear in the last two episodes of Falling Skies and with this addition let's hope the stakes are raised for our hardy band of survivors.

O'Quinn apparently plays an authority figure of sorts in the surviving underground US government.  He also seems to have ties with Tom Mason judging from some of the internet spoilers that have been circulating.  A former mentor?  Perhaps an academic superior or even a former professor of Tom's?  If so, this figure could exert a certain amount of influence on Tom.

So what would the price of greatness be for Tom?  It seems Tom's reputation has preceded him as they enter Charleston.  Will his former mentor thrust greatness upon Tom in the form of an exalted leadership position in the underground government?  Will he have to sacrifice his time to his sons with new responsibilities?  Looking at the picture above, Tom has been asked to speak for the 2nd Mass and to the collected survivors of the collective resistance.  Note the backdrop to Tom, excerpts from the Constitution or Declaration of Independence?  I actually hope its from the Gettysburg Address, that way Lincoln's phrase from that passage, "the last full measure of devotion" would resonate more clearly as it refers to those that died for the cause to preserve the Union.  This scenario also serves to illuminate some of my suspicions of the new government in Charleston.

If we take a look at the promo picture above we see the Southern United States in the background to O'Quinn.  We already know the new seat of government is in Charleston which also happened to be the birthplace of the American Civil War.  (It also reflects where the war has moved to much like it did in the American Revolutionary War.)  If you read my last post you are familiar with this information.  I also noted the introduction of the skitter character of "Tyler" who was a US president that was sympathetic to the Southern cause and actually served in the Confederate congress.  

With these tie ins can we suppose that the "price of greatness" is to join a US government that is complicit with the Overlord invasion?  Are they to betray the basic tenets of the Union and compromise their ideals much like the Confederacy did.?  Does this new government owe their refit and reconstitution to the world's new masters?  So why hide underground?  Well, if they do owe the Overlords with their resurgence if could be because as the proxies of the Overlords they would be extremely unpopular with any survivors especially if they act as a human police force or army with semi-autonomous power as long as they keep the rest of the resistance groups in line.

Would Falling Skies as a TV show be willing to go to this extreme?  I'd love to see it but it would be a gutsy leap.  Humanity has a long history of collaboration.  See Vichy France, the Holocuast and those who serve with the US Army during the American Indian Wars.

Another scenario would be that this government is working with the Skitter resistance.   This would be fun also.  It would paint the new US government in a better light and would be in keeping with our collective American mythology of fighting the oppressors and joining forced with those that are similarly oppressed.  As a "Mason" Tom would naturally fit in as one of the new founding fathers and help form a new goverment representative of the people.  Unless, of course, this new government is much less than representative and that is the "price" Tom has to pay is to join a government that doesn't truly reflect his ideals.

Whatever the latest iteration of the US government is, it looks as though Captain Weaver is on board.  In the above picture he is sporting a brand new uniform of the military.  Tom however as Weaver's number two is still in his civvies.  Was he not invited to join the fighting forces despite his fighting for the resistance?  Or is the "price" Tom has to pay is quitting the armed faction and joining the civilian government?  This would be more in line with the way Falling Skies is written.  Safely.

Whatever Tom's decision is, to quit the military faction and or join the new government, there are people that still look up to him.  Maybe the cost will be too high and the 2nd Mass will decide to leave Charleston if it doesn't fit in with the way they feel.  We may even see the civilian faction break away and the military unit stay behind.  There are only two episodes left and since we are getting a third season I suspect another cliffhanger is in order.  They have their work ahead of them if they can top last years.

So there you have it, what is the "price of greatness"?

Death March?

When I read the title of the last episode of "Falling Skies" was going to be "Death March" I had visions of historical references to the Bataan Death March that U.S. servicemen had to endure at the hands of the brutal Japanese Army in World War II.  Or, perhaps we would get a reference to the Trail of Tears that American Indians were forced to undergo and remains one of the darkest moments in American history.

In doing so I believed we would bear witness to the near death of the 2nd Mass as they struggled to reach Charleston and the excruciating torture they would encounter at the hands of the Overlords along the way.  This was not to be.  Unless, of course, you count the tragic radiator hose break that Hal, Maggie and Pope suffered as they blazed the way south.

So what did I miss?

Why call an episode "Death March", a term with such grievous historical significance, if the worst thing that happened was the aforementioned hose leak or the death of some anonymous poor soul from dehydration.  (Hmmm, an engine bereft of water and a human in the same condition, no that can't be it!)

I don't mean to deviate from the actual events of "Death March" but I thought the title so compelling that there must have been more to it.  Apparently I am mistaken.

So let's get to some of the events of Death March and the things we learned fro it.

There was a promotional Facebook post touting Maggie's big reveal and what did everyone think of it?  I saw the post but didn't read it not wanting to spoil the episode that I had scheduled to watch Monday night.  To tell you the truth I thought she was going to come out as a murderer.  Especially after watching the episode unfold and Pope taunt her with the "truth".  As it turns out she had fallen into despair after her bout with cancer, taken to drugs and drifting and experienced an unwanted (?) pregnancy.  While sad this is hardly Earth shattering.  Did Pope and Maggie think this tale of woe would doom any relationship with Hal?  Is Hal so naive that a woman that ran with Pope's armed thugs would be chaste?  At the very least he should have reached out to her upon hearing this revelation despite the fact that it was a lot to take in.  Maggie's problems are pretty miniscule when taken in context with 90% of the Earth's population being wiped out.  Aren't these people battle hardened yet?

Let's deal with another reveal of sorts and that is the introduction of the character, Jenny.   Tector (how's that for a great name? "Tector" is also a class of Star Destroyer from the Star Wars movies. I wonder if his parents were big fans?) gave her a good thump when she jaywalked in front of the convoy.  Being part skitter makes you pretty tough and it wasn't long before she was on her feet and asking questions.  And she had a lot of questions!  Isn't there and old saying if something smells like you know what it must be "you know what."  Weaver caved once again and it wasn't long before Jenny started pumping Matt for information.  Didn't they learn anything from Karen?  How naive are these people?  I would have screamed, "She's a spy!" at the TV if I didn't know how dense these people are already.

At least Jenny had some information of her own to spill and it provided us with more insight into the background of the skitters.  She refers to them as "Guardians" and the harnessed kids the Guardians care for refer to themselves as family with each being brothers or sisters.  Additionally the skitter that cared for Jenny's brood was a female, so at least you don't lose your sexuality once undergo full skitter conversion. I wonder if the male skitters are hunter gatherers and they rely on that primeval structure in order to survive or bend to the will of the Guardians?

Jenny's "brother" was named "Tyler" which made me think of the tenth president of the United States and who was also sympathetic to the Southern cause prior to the Civil War.  Tyler also served in the Confederate congress and with the 2nd Mass heading towards Charleston South Carolina where the Civil War began I thought the historic symmetry and symbolism looked rather gloomy for Boston's best.  (More on this in a future post.)

This being a science fiction show I also thought that the character of "Jenny" may have been a nod to the character "Jenny Hayden" of "Starman" renown.  Anyone else see that movie?  The Starman played by Jeff Bridges responded to the invitation recorded on Voyager 2.  I wonder if Earth accidentally beckoned to the Overlords.  The military did seem to be taken off guard in what little evidence we learned from season one.  We'll have to keep an eye on this to see if Earth dropped the ball and brought doom upon themselves by inviting the Overlords here and then had their welcome betrayed.

The last revelation of Death March was that Charleston wasn't a burnt out cinder after all.  Psych!  Either ending to this episode had to be a bit cliche.  We either get the "march for nothing" or we get "Kidding!"  "Charleston's alive and well underground."  Both are derivative of the way Battlestar Galactica ended.  So what is the other shoe that has yet to drop?  As we approach the Death Star that is Charleston all I can think is,  "I have a bad feeling about this." 

Next up, how bad can it be and what is the price of greatness?

"Come and Take Them"

We're talking about the children right?

The famous two word quote, "Molon Labe" is attributed to King Leonidas in response to the Persian demand to lay down his arms during the battle of Thermopylae.  "Come and take them" is the translation.  It is also the title to our most recent episode of Falling Skies.  So, its safe to assume the Overlord invaders aren't after the weaponry of the 2nd Mass.  They're after the children specifically Ben Mason.

Before I get too deep into this episode let's talk about a child they already have, Karen.

Don't you just love her now?  I used to think she was so vanilla.  A simple two dimensional adolescent.  Not anymore!  Now she is deliciously evil.  Her speech is wicked and cutting, not to mention arrogant.  She still exudes a teenage charm with her placid pale face and pulled back blonde hair.  The perfect cupie doll.  Or rather than doll, puppet to the Overlord "Master" that pulls her every string.  How about her little performance in front of Ben when she dangled the neck hugger with its opiate like effect.  Creepy!

But one child like her isn't enough.  Thanks to Ben's brief link with the Overlord master he knows they are afraid of the nascent rebellion.  With that there is renewed vigor to his capture.  There have been many solid themes to this seasons Falling Skies, family, home and the importance of children.  This was definitely a "child" episode.  One minor case  in point were the heroic actions of Matt Mason.  No panic or infantile mewling this time.  He took charge of the situation with Anne and Lourdes and even was willing to sacrifice himself and gave up his weapon.  Impressive.  Speaking of Lourdes, despite her adult responsibilities, I still count her as one of the children.  She learned a cruel and bitter lesson about love and war.  Her demeanor thereafter was dark and broken much like her newly wounded heart.  A laceration a child should carry forever.

Let's get back to Ben.  He was duped (seduced) by Karen but in that short lived relationship he (and we as the viewing audience) learned two important facts.  The Overlords have a "task" before them and they will eventually move on.  Secondly, the Overlords attack populations that they perceive as at war with each other.  Karen divulged this through her parroting of the Overlords taunts.  The planets they attack are always divided and weakened by historical/tribal feuds.  I think its safe to extrapolate from this that the Overlords target planets in a weakened state.  I take from this they aren't as powerful as they seem and may well be very few in number.  Hence they need for children to increase their number even if it is in the form of slave labor.  My hope is that this is linked to my original theory that the Overlords are on the run from something bigger and badder than they and need to accomplish the "task" at hand and move on quickly.

So what is this task?  The secret of the Universe of course and the miracle nature of sub-atomic particles!  (Too bad for Falling Skies we discovered the Higgs Bosun in the real world.) Another telling gem provided by Karen.  Let's hope we get more information into the useful nature of these sub-atomic particles.  I have a suspicion they have something to do with altering time.  Whatever the Overlords are guilty of they want to flee from it's protectors.  Hopefully, the Galactic police are after them and they need these particles to escape their prosecutors.  Not that the Overlords harbor any remorse for their crimes, they are just looking for the ultimate getaway.  Time.

In closing, did anyone else get a Battlestar Galactica vibe at the end of this episode?  Especially after Lourdes bitter outlook for the future.  What happens if Charleston is a smoldering cinder much like the first Earth the Humans and Cylons discovered near the end of that SyFy series? (Spoiler alert!)  Things did not bode well despite the 2nd Mass getting away. (Did anyone else yell "Shoot him" at Tom when he had the Overlord at gunpoint and Ben was being tortured?).


Oh yes, Ben.  He's gone and he had to go.  This will breathe life into the rebellion storyline and we should learn more about the Skitters and their past. But I still can't get Lourdes recriminations out of my head.  Her loss of hope was harsh and acrid. 

Is there no hope for the future?

A Homecoming of Sorts?

Falling Skies is now officially more than half way through it's second season and with it we get the episode, "Homecoming".  As I have often blogged before the test of family unity is often explored in Falling Skies and that theme is no different in this particular episode.  The title, "Homecoming" suggests an end of trials of sorts and a return to normalcy that one should get when one "comes home". 

Unfortunately, that is far from true for the 2nd Mass  and the word "normal" rarely applies. 

Let's start with the relationship between Tom and Anne.  (Above image courtesy of VaginaCon.com and is perfect for my discussion.)  It seems Tom and Anne's relationship has moved to the next level.  They have built a "home" of sorts despite the vagaries of war and find solace in each others company.  I'm all for this because I find nothing wrong with two mature people with common needs seeking the reassurance of love amidst the turmoil of war.  Sadly, this seems tenuous at best when the stress over how to treat the infected Capt. Weaver spills over and Tom reverts to his prior relationship and calls Anne, "Rebecca".  This shatters the illusion of this relationship and despite Tom's efforts to patch things up later and uneasy truce is settled upon.

Homecoming denied.

The most overt example of a "Homecoming" is the return of Karen to the fold.  In my previous blog post I wondered if the return of Rick as a "reborn" or Lazarus like figure was portentous of the return of the other children (Read A Skitter Call to Prayer.) and that seems to be the case as many of the harnessed children were found in the woods with Karen the only survivor. (Not much of a homecoming for those other children!)  Yet despite the obvious affection that Hal still has for Karen, we eventually find it all a ruse as Karen is linked to Ben instead and she not the person she used to be.  She's a Trojan Horse of sorts and her inclusion into the fold is also illusory and short lived.

Homecoming denied.

 The character of Ben has been a conflicted one ever since he returned to his family and the 2nd Mass.  The group as a whole is suspicious of him and their trust in him is at a pitiful low.  He's mostly reviled and insulted behind his back.  Even Ben is suspicious of himself and is well aware he is not the person he used to be.  His harnessed enhanced body sets him apart and he is uncomfortable in his own skin and with the others.  Even in within his own family.  When we learn of the connection between Ben and Karen and we, as the audience, become suspicious of Karen's motives we suspect Ben is a short timer in his familial surroundings.

Homecoming denied.

 Ironically, the most authentic homecoming belongs to the prodigal son Pope.  (Above image courtesy of Wormholeriders.net) At one time reviled and banished from the group, he returns with a crucial piece of information that the 2nd Mass has been duped by Karen and her Overlord masters.  Pope's return marks the most truthful part of the episode and instead of being illusory it exposes the facade that the 2nd Mass has been living behind in their stay in Richmond.  This is what Weaver may have been alluding to when he told Tom and the militia that they have become complacent and need to pull up stakes.  The illusion in that message turns out to be the very low stockpile of fuel.  Something that Weaver didn't confide in with Tom.

Homecoming realized with Pope but denied to Tom and the rest.

So once again we find the family unit tested and the sense of home broken.  Our hardy ban hits the road once more with none of the comforting solace they should find in their relationships, family or sense of roots.  The diaspora continues and the promised land is no where in sight.  What does the future hold?

A Skitter Call to Prayer

 

There were some significant devlopments in the last episode of Falling Skies not the least of which was the skitter "Red Eye" telling Tom Mason that there was a skitter rebellion fomenting and that Tom could become a crucial part of it.  With this information we learn why Tom's life was spared in the second episode of this season and we also learn that Red Eye is definitely "off world" and not someone that Tom formally knew perhaps as a student or family member.

This is significant information.  It means we'll possibly learn of the other worlds the Overlords have visited, not to mention the back story of Red Eye.  If you'll pardon the term, this will tend to "humanize" our favorite skitter and make he or she a sympathetic figure not just a rapacious tool of the invaders.  We may even find out if Red Eye was also taken as a child and if the "harnessing" of children is true to all worlds.  I'd be curious to know if one can mature as a skitter despite being taken as a child or if you are "frozen" at the age you are harnessed. 

What was also fascinating was the skitter "call to prayer" that opened up this episode.  It reminded me of the Islamic practice of "Adhan" where a "Muezzin" leads and recites the call to prayer.  It seemed as though the skitter, "Red Eye" as  fulfilling this role and that others skitter echoed the practice which also included Ben Mason.  Islam is known to be intolerant of any parody of their religion and it seemed strange to me that Falling Skies and TNT would be unaware of any parallels.  It was pretty obvious to me.

The skitter "call to prayer" could be just an innocent recognition of the sun rising or the Sun could even be the focal point of worship if not the embodiment of the skitter deity in the form of our sun or perhaps any star.  Either way I would like to hear TNT's explanation and if there has been any backlash towards this scene.  

In addition, Ben was heard to exclaim to his father that, "He is here!"  Is Ben referring to the deity that the skitters were supposedly calling to or was he simply referring to Red Eye?  It seems the latter but you never know as TV shows these days love to drop clues or place Easter eggs.  (See Lost, Fringe etc.)

If I was to extrapolate upon this further one could argue that Rick was "reborn" as in the Christian faith only to be sacrificed again.  Better yet, Rick's return in "Love and Other Acts of Courage" is closer to the story of Lazarus coming back from the dead only to die again.  Does this portend the return of other children and can we extend this parallel to the harnessed children?

 Questions answered and many new ones asked.

We Aren't Family...

It seems to me one of the major themes that Falling Skies is pursuing this season is the disintegration of the family unit and the desperate attempts by Earth's survivors to preserve this fragile entity.  Yet, at times, Earth's human inhabitants are their own worst enemies.  Witness last Sunday night's brain puzzler.  Fresh after the events of "Young Bloods" where Capt. Weaver is reunited with his long missing daughter, he confronts Tom Mason in, "Love and Other Acts of Courage" and basically tells Tom that his son Ben is a liability and should be put down.

Huh?

Didn't Weaver learn anything about the cost of war, the pain of separation, bittersweet reunion and the agony of being separated again?  I guess not.  Weaver even went so far as to threaten Mason with mutiny and  death not long after saying he couldn't do without his number Two just a few episodes ago.  Maybe Weaver isn't cut out for command.  He certainly doesn't portray much of a father figure.  (Also after realizing he wasn't much of one to his daughter.)

Weaver isn't the only one bent on destroying the nuclear family.  Take the case of Maggie and Hal.  I think we all know that future lies with the children and what better way to produce children than to, well, couple!  After some serious cuddle time with Hal in a damaged car  Maggie flashes her best bedroom eyes and then spends the rest of the episode pushing him away.  Good grief.  Granted, Maggie's is a bit damaged.  What with Pope's entrapment and servitude not to mention her bouts with cancer.  But, really, Hal's old girlfriend, Rita, may have had Jazz pants but the way Hal looks at Maggie she is Jazz all over!  C'mon Maggie I thought you were made of finer steel.

Here's another way that Falling Skies has contradicted itself.  Another one of the children (the future, remember?) returns to the fold in the form of Ricky and by episodes end he is dead.  It wasn't that long ago that Jimmy met a similar fate (Another lesson lost on Weaver) in the episode "Compass".  Maybe that's the point, these people have no compass and they have lost their way.  They can't even preserve and protect their future. 

It could be that the writers want to beef up the maturity of the show and do without so many "child" story lines.  I can understand that.  Jimmy wasn't much of a character anyway.  I was thinking it would be interesting to introduce a pregnancy into the show and replicate some sort of "Flight to Egypt" type of biblical analogy as they flee their oppressors.  Then again we had a pregnancy in season one and we haven't heard from that again!

Strikingly, the Overlords and the skitters seem to understand the value of children.  If it wasn't for the harnessing of the children the Overlords would have no one to impress into slavery.  So do you see what I mean by a contradictory message delivered by Falling Skies?

OK, one last example.  Tom Mason, as in Masons being the founding fathers of our country and our aptly named Tom as the new leader of a new world?  Nope, children are dying all around him.  What are we to think Falling Skies, should Matt be watching his back?

I think I've made my point no matter how fractured my presentation.  Perhaps the first half of the season is all about the splintering of the family unit and the second half will be about it's re-integration and preservation.  One can only hope.  At least Tom and Anne have the right idea, judging by their off camera "room exploration".  Remember you two, the children are our future!!!

Next up:  A skitter call to prayer?

The Road to Victory

In my last blog post for "Battlin' Boston" I promised you that I would divulge the "secret" behind the "Red Eye" skitter or as some would call it in the blog-verse "Scarface" for the scar that runs down the face of our favorite skitter.  Well, I guess it isn't much of a secret if in my first feedback response to this blog is thinking along the same lines as I am.  Thanks Lynne, great minds think alike!

I would dearly love for this skitter to be the "deceased" wife of Tom Mason.  But as most skitters seem to be evolved from harnessed children that would seem to be impossible.  The rules would would have to be broken as we understand them.  But since we don't fully know all the rules there is always an outside (waaay outside) chance that Red Eye could be Tom's wife that was flipped to the other side.  If Lynne and I have any chance for this to be true it would be evidenced in the scene from last season where we saw a skitter involved in some sort of nesting ritual with the newly harnessed children one of which I think was Ben.  Awfully maternal don't you think?  That skitter was also seen to be stroking and cooing to the children.  It was a little creepy but it does support the theory to some degree.

As Lynne also speculated in her feedback, the Red Eye skitter could also be a former pupil of Tom's.  I like how Red Eye let Tom go in the first episodes of this season.  Sadly, everyone else was gunned down but Tom was allowed to live.  Does Red Eye owe Tom a favor?  Did she slip from the monkey bars and get a nasty scar over her eye ( I say her but I really don't know what "sex" this skitter is or used to be) and was Tom the first to render assistance? I'm sure we will finally get an answer to the identity of Red Eye.  The eye and the scar are just too obvious a marker to let go of.  Tom is bound to notice the red eye and scar and make the connection.  I bet it will be in a face off that will determine the fate of Ben.  Tom and Red Eye will make a claim to the permanent "ownership" of Ben and the truth will come out then.

Here's some observations from the most recent episode of "Falling Skies".

• Wouldn't you know I title this blog, "Battlin" Boston" as a tribute to the locale of Boston and Falling Skies and the 2nd Mass promptly marches out of Boston and Massachusetts altogether to start season two of this series.  The show-runners must have thought a beleaguered band of fighters on the run is more dynamic than staying in one place.  They're probably right but I'm going to miss all the local reference to the Boston area.  I know those places!
• Many on the internet have noticed (as have I) how the events of Falling Skies mirror those of the American Revolution.  The Revolution started in the Boston area but the fighting eventually moved south.  The 2nd Mass seemed to be in the Virginia area as of the last episode judging by the Robert E Lee wall mural seen in the episode "Young Bloods".  If that's true the show-runners missed a chance to follow the fighting that took place in New York, Trenton and Princeton during the Revolution.  But as winter is coming they still have the opportunity for a "Valley Forge" type of episode for the 2nd Mass and maybe we will even get another river crossing that leads to a skitter defeat much like Washington crossed the Delaware and defeated the Hessians on Christmas day. 
• In addition to continuing the theme of the war moving to the South, I'll be looking forward someone to be named "Francis" or "Marion".  The "Swamp Fox" of Revolutionary War fame was named Francis Marion and was credited with harassing the British of that time period in Colonial South Carolina so it fits.  You'll be able to pick out a lot of nods to historical figures in this show.  Even though Winston Churchill wasn't a figure from that era, we did get a nod to that inspirational figure and ally of America when we met the pilot "Andrea Churchill" of the South Carolina resistance.  Tom Mason is also a shout out from the Revolution as all the founding fathers were Masons from that period such as Washinton etc.  Keep an eye peeled for more of these names!
• Don't you love how the CGI has evolved for this show?  The success of the first season must have afforded the show some extra bucks.  Case in point the skitters that chased down Matt in the last episode weren't animatronic anymore. The the one that was hanging from the ceiling was far advanced than anything they did last season.  A very nice closeup of them in action.

• BTW, the trap Matt was involved in was classic guerrilla tactics and the same fighting was employed by the revolutionaries during the Revolutionary War.  The British hated it as they wanted set piece battles to confront the Americans.  Those battles eventually came about but like the Minutemen of yesteryear the 2nd Mass isn't ready for that yet.  The British did counter with Banastre Tarleton (seen above) who was infamous for "Tarleton's Quarter" which is to say no quarter or prisoners at all.  A vicious fighter that had no mercy for the Americans.  We may see a skitter figure of the same nature in the future.
• Oh, and speaking of Revolutionary War figures, do you suppose John Pope will take on the role of Benedict Arnold?  Arnold started out the war as a hero of the early New York battles but felt unappreciated by Washington et al.  Now that Pope is on the outs do you think he'll turn traitor on our hardy band.  Benedict Arnold is synonymous with treachery.  In real life he gave up the plans to Valley Forge to the British.  Like I said, "Winter is coming" and it may be Pope's time to betray or heroes.