Defiance - S3E4 - Dead Air
Previously on Defiance, ‘The Broken Bough’
Grant Bowler, Julie Benz, Stephanie Leonidas, Jaime Murray, Tony Curran, Jesse Rath, Anna Hopkins, Trenna Keating, Lee Tergesen | Director: Larry Shaw
Despite the recently deceased McCawleys, approaching Votan death squad and destroyed armory, Amanda Rosewater tries to quell any concerns with a speech on the radio, expressing how things are getting better. Winter is fading, power is back, and they’ve regained most of their resources… that all goes to pot when Datak’s bomb hidden inside the Gateway Arch goes off.
Don’t worry, Amanda left minutes before it detonated. The mission proved to be more successful than Rahm Tahk could have imagined, as his pre-recorded hologram gloated about his spies running rampant through Defiance. The recording gives the Votan community an ultimatum: surrender before the VC arrive, or every human sympathizer dies along with their pink-skinned compatriots.
Soon after the explosion, Nolan informs Amanda about a potential weapons cache he discovered in abandoned E-Rep files, called Station Arrowhead. Although the status of the facility is unknown, Nolan and the Mayor decide it’s worth the trip, while Irisa and Berlin are ordered to investigate the attack and scour the debris to find evidence.
Datak and Stahma are shown skulking in their own home, simultaneously worried about being caught and getting their son killed despite doing all General Tahk demands. The devious pair receive word from The Beast that he wants the Omec killed, for fear they may be allied with the humans. Unsure how to take down a race known for being the ultimate killers, Stahma devises a plan to murder him with her sex. Well, technically, poison him while having sex. Datak definitely isn’t on board with this plan, but at this point he’ll agree to anything to keep Alak alive.
Nolan and Amanda make it to the coordinates in the E-Rep file and find a barn where some sort of fortress is supposed to reside. While searching the property, Nolan has a buzzing headache that appears to originate at the head wound he shares with Irisa. His head clears in time to find a hidden entrance and the pair are greeting by a bioman wearing an embroidered shirt that reads George. He welcomes them inside, where they are taken underground where hundreds of thousands of items are stored. The lift reaches the bottom floor where Nolan and Amanda are greeted by none other than Niles Pottinger (James Murray)! Oh lawd, here we go again…
Meanwhile, Stahma engages Operation: Hump and Run, trying to charm the multi-talented Omec T’evgin (Conrad Coates) while he paints and does a bit of horticulture. Who knew? T’evgin can sense that Stahma is obviously up to something yet plays her game and decides to get a bit of Castithan nookie. In the throes of passion, Stahma injects the poison, but it has no effect. Poor thing, now she has to follow through with all that humping.
Shocked and disgusted to find Pottinger alive, Amanda and Nolan listen to his tale and take it all with a grain of salt. After the disaster in New York City, his company of E-Rep soldiers were recalled and picked up refugees along the way. Unfortunately they experienced a number of hardships that somehow resulted in Niles being the sole survivor. Yeahhh, that’s not suspect at all. Despite the shady history they have, Amanda asks for any weapons Niles could give them and agrees. Nolan is escorted to the armory by George but is confronted by John Paul and Ringo along the way. He’s knocked out for good measure and thrown in a cell as Pottinger attempts to woo Amanda again by playing some Spandau Ballet. I wish I was making that up.
Amanda plays along to stay in Pottinger’s favor, stating that she’ll stay with him if he gives up every weapon in Arrowhead’s armory for Defiance’s defense. Niles lowers his guard long enough for Amanda to draw his sidearm and demand to see what’s inside the screening room. Pottinger reluctantly opens the door, which is a museum for all things Amanda Rosewater. All sorts of “mementos” are on display, from a portrait of her former beau Connor Lang and her rapist’s ski mask and flashlight, to surveillance vid chips of her in the NeedWant! What the hell, man. Understandably distraught by Niles’ creepy behavior and morbid collection, Amanda threatens to kill him. Niles however can’t keep his demented trap shut, admitting that he watched Amanda get raped, but killed her attacker soon after. Why not intervene, you fool?! Sensing Amanda wants to shoot him more than ever, Pottinger tells her about the switch implanted inside him. Of course that’s not enough to stop Amanda from putting a slug in his leg.
At the same time, Nolan breaks out of the cell with a refugee named Samir (who was forced to implant the dead man’s switch inside Niles) but they’re confronted by Ringo. The two hold their own against the bioman yet Joshua suffers another super-migraine during the fight. Samir uses a bit of ingenuity, gravity and industrial steel chains to subdue the big guy. Samir and Nolan race to Amanda’s aid after hearing gunshots; they rush inside the screening room to find her using Niles’ limbs as target practice. The guys try to make her stop but Amanda is enraged; before each shot she demands that Pottinger admits to raping her. All he can claim is that he loves her and that’s enough for him to earn a shot to the chest. Samir attempts to keep him alive, alas he’s done for. So long, weirdy! It isn’t long before the singularity bomb activates and makes an immense crater where one of, if not the last sanctum of human culture on earth was hidden.
Inside the McCawley Mines, Stahma is finally waking up from being worked out and T’evgin has pancakes at the ready for her. How sweet! Too bad he also found the needle she used to poison him. Confident Omec that he is, T’evgin isn’t even mad. Considering no one truly knows anything about Omecs, Stahma’s chances of succeeding at her mission was extremely slim. Stahma admits why she tried to murder him and T’evgin seems to respect why she tried. Before she could scheme another means to free herself from VC influence, Stahma and T’evgin do the nasty again. Oh, those scamps!
Amanda apologizes to Nolan for risking their lives, however he understands why she did what she had to. The odds of finding weapons for Defiance will be more difficult than ever, but at least they could live to find them another day. That is, if Nolan will stop experiencing his worsening headaches. That exact moment in Defiance, Irisa suffers the same crippling pain while in another argument with Berlin. Both begin to seize and show no signs of stopping. While Amanda and Samir attempt to save Joshua, Berlin stands over Irisa as she begs for her help then leaves her in the alley. Damn.
