Defiance - S3E8 - My Name is Datak Tarr and I Have Come to Kill You
Previously on Defiance, ‘The Beauty of Our Weapons’
Starring: Grant Bowler, Stephanie Leonidas, Julie Benz, Jaime Murray, Tony Curran, Jesse Rath, Trenna Keating, Nichole Galicia, Conrad Coates, Lee Tergesen, Billy MacLellan | Director: Mairzee Almas
The episode begins on Daribo – the Castithan homeworld – with a 10-year-old Datak practicing his stabbing and idle threats in a mirror with his father’s charge blade. Father Tarr chastises his behavior and tells him he’ll never earn a blade if doesn’t become an honorable man.
Datak wakes up to the pain of his limbs being pulled to the limit. Castithans continue to pile rocks at the shaming rack while Bebe (Billy MacLellan) watches. He convenes with the rest of the infiltrators, reiterating the plan and equipping themselves with armor and weapons.
Stahma begins exploring the Omec ship, occasionally calling for Kindzi (Nichole Galicia), who I think would be the last person she’d want to see at the moment. Every room Stahma enters becomes illuminated to display the enormity of the vessel where she was stranded; one of which is filled with all manner of Omec statues and artifacts.
In Defiance, Nolan and Amanda have breakfast inside the NeedWant, sharing their opinions on which of their former friends was more disappointing: Datak (meh), Stahma (bleh) or Berlin (ugh). The conversation is quickly interrupted by a group of VC decked out in body armor with guns blazing. In no time flat, Amanda is taken hostage, Nolan is disarmed and all humans are huddled together at gunpoint.
A sphere – brought to you by Von Bach Industries – is activated on the bar counter and a Rahm-a-gram appears. This time, General Tak is a fully interactive projection capable of talking directly to Madam Mayor herself. In his typical gloating fashion, The Beast says he no longer wants to kill all humans no matter how good it’d make him feel. Rather, if Defiance lowers its stasis net and all pinkmeats leave willingly, no harm will come to any of them.
Of course Amanda thinks Rahm is full of shit, and she’s right because seconds later he orders an innocent woman shot. Way to convince the locals that you want a bloodless coup! Again, Amanda tells General Tak to go to hell and he tells his soldiers to kill them all. Nolan undoes his cuffs to take out the closest gun and an unknown passerby makes the other VC troop eat a bullet through his helmet. The threat has been neutralized (for now), but at great cost as 10 townspeople lie dead at their feet.
Nolan becomes acquainted with his savior, a “human” named Christopher Beckman. Pretending to be a hired gun looking for work, Bebe has no problem earning Nolan’s trust since he needs all the gunhands he can find. WHICH IS STUPID BECAUSE NO ONE SAW HIM IN TOWN UNTIL TODAY. What the heck, man. Anyway, Alak swears he’s seen Beckman before but can’t place the face.
At the diner, T’evgin (Conrad Coates) orders his usual – pancakes with fruit – but the Casti owners are afraid to do anything while the VC are roaming about and killing humans on sight. Papa Omec believes he doesn’t have a dog in this fight, but perhaps these townsfolk have affected him more than he knew. Hm. HMMMM.
Automatic gunfire is popping off in various locations as families feebly attempt to hide in their homes. An Irathient busts his way through a domicile and is about to gun down a mother and her two children until T’evgin snarls “You have no honor!” and swiftly rips the man’s throat out.
Nolan and Beckman rush in the home to find T’evgin drenched in the blood of his prey. Nolan asks, “You did that with your teeth?” T’evgin replies matter-of-factly “I had no other weapon.” Nolan attempts to convince T’evgin to join them but the giant grape continues to abstain from taking any sides. During this exchange, Beckman stares wide-eyed at the Enchanter, realizing that a single Omec on the side of Defiance would ruin the Votanis Collective’s operation.
On the ship, Stahma finds the thousands of Omecs in stasis. Kindzi suddenly appears behind her explaining that she wanted to see why they’re really on Earth: to conquer the planet. The scene changes to reveal the two aren’t on the ship at all but in a simulation via Omec probes. Clever, clever! In her best impression of a Bond villain, Kindzi further explains to Stahma that all those preserved Omecs she sees are the rest of her family and how they’re pretty much going to tear Earth a new a-hole once they have enough gulanite to power the ship.
T’evgin returns home, clicks his tongue twice and the probes cease transmission. Of course, Papa Omec is pissed at his daughter yet again, this time for revealing their hidden agenda. Stahma, in an oddly unselfish demeanor, states she won’t allow their invasion to happen. Not after losing her first home and establishing a bond with others in Defiance. NOW Stahma is concerned about others?! Guess she forgot for a hot second why she’s hiding out with the purple cannibal people. On the opposite side of T’evgin, Kindzi is basically clowning her own damn father, asking when he lost his backbone.
Ultimately, the elder Omec reveals the path has changed and he has come to appreciate the diversity of life inside Defiance, not to mention those delicious fruit-topped pancakes he fiends. Kindzi doesn’t take to this news kindly and SPITS IN HER FATHER’S FACE before bouncing out of the mines for god knows where. The estranged Ms. Tarr immediately begins suggesting some action to remove Kindzi, knowing how dangerous she can be for all (most especially Stahma). “Tread lightly, little Castithan”, T’evgin growls. Papa Omec may not like what he’s hearing but he knows Magic Chivo isn’t wrong either.
Nolan and the militia find the entry point the Votanis Collective drilled into town and the Lawkeeper is jonesing to take the fight to General Tak. Amanda, naturally more concerned about the safety of Defiance’s citizens, recommends a more prudent plan to shore up defenses and be certain the town is clear of raiders. Nolan and Beckman counter that if they go now and coordinate an assault on Rahm in the basin, they won’t ever have to worry about another siege.
Mayor Rosewater reluctantly agrees and the troops make their way through the tunnel. Zero’s father (Tony Nappo) has a bad feeling about this plan and demands his son not go with them. As stubborn as his old man, Zero stands his ground and insists he remain part of the squad. Dad leaves to defend his position, yet not before giving Nolan a quick glance of concern. In the middle of the formation is Beckman, most likely smiling inside as Nolan is unknowingly leading everyone to their deaths.
Nolan and Irisa reach the end of the tunnel and scout ahead for any guards or traps. Beckman, sneaky git that he is, tells the rest of the squad to stay put in the tunnel and don’t come out until his command. Why are these people following this new guy’s orders??? Before Alak, Nolan and Irisa could even ask Beckman why he’s not in position, he disarms Irisa and Joshua, shoots Alak almost center mass and leaves Irisa’s own blade in her chest. Bebe, with the situation entirely in his control, casually flings a grenade into the tunnel. It bounces practically into the lap of a hapless Zero as he and the company are blown to smithereens.
Bloodied, crushed by Beckman’s betrayal, and distraught from watching his friends get incinerated, Nolan feebly attempts to fight Bebe, who never loses the upper hand. Joshua is mere seconds away from having his head detached from his body… a gift General Tak so desperately desires. Irisa springs to life in time to stab the Indogene infiltrator – a friggin lot of times – and save Joshua’s neck once more.
Meanwhile in Datak’s head, he recalls the time he attacked a Shanje Oathtaker with his father’s charge blade. Severely disappointed in his son, he worries Datak is not concerned with living an honorable life. Young Datak insists that he was only defending himself and will do so whenever threatened. The elder Tarr recognizes his lectures have fallen on deaf ears and gives his son a lesson he’ll never forget by stabbing his left hand. The violent memory shakes him to consciousness and he instinctively clinches his scarred fist.
Nolan and Irisa, wounded and weary, head back to Defiance the way they came by passing the charred remains of their compatriots. Alak is conscious and stable in Yewll’s care; Irisa attempts to console poor Nolan whose hubris is basically responsible for killing half their fighting force. With no options on the table, Yewll suggests a strategy that could annihilate the entire VC camp in one swoop. The catch? It would be a suicide mission.
The stasis net is comprised of tenser particles that become extremely unstable if the EM field is reversed. According to Yewll, doing so would cause a really REALLY big boom. In order to achieve maximum effect, someone needs to be inside the Collective stronghold with a targeting device implanted in them before detonation. Nolan volunteers, still racked with guilt about those he lost. Amanda rejects the idea as Joshua is best suited to keep Defiance safe in case they need a Plan B. In turn she volunteers and both Nolan and Yewll immediately dismiss her solution.
Enter Alak, who suggests the one person they should have thought about using all along: his traitorous daddy, Datak.
In the final flashback, Daribo is falling apart and multiple arks are scattered across the sky. Datak races home to tell his father he won passage for two on an Ark. Tarr has no plan to leave his home and is at peace with himself. He gives Datak his charge blade and imparts his last, profound lesson: “Only honor endures: And when honor dies, the spirit dies with it.”
Datak wakens to discover Amanda standing below him, ready to provide an offer of redemption she hopes he’ll accept. In accomplishing his mission both he and Stahma will be pardoned of their crimes, and if successful, will be comforted in knowing his son and grandson will be safe from harm. Datak sees Alak a final time before departing for Tak’s camp with terms of surrender.
General Tak is intrigued to see Datak alive despite reports, and toys with the man’s ego knowing he’s a bad penny no matter where he turns up. Tak doesn’t want Tarr anywhere near him as he’d likely attempt to murder him any chance he gets. Datak pleads to Rahm that he must stay with the Votanis Collective because he’ll surely killed in Defiance soon. To prove his loyalty, he’s willing to give up his body, including his left arm.
“That is some gangster ACTION!” Like the rest of us watching at home, General Tak loses his shit as Datak lops off his own limb. After it plops on Rahm’s Persian rug, Datak quietly slinks out of the tent before anyone notices the device embedded in his arm. The Doors’ ‘When the Music’s Over’ plays as the stasis net explodes and its particles wash over the encampment, killing everyone in the basin. All except Stumpy, of course.
Look at him, smiling like the pale devil he is. Way to go, Datak! We’re proud of you, B!
*phew* If you made it this far, I congratulate you.
Now that everyone believes Datak Tarr is dead, what will he do now? How will Defiance recover? When will Zero’s dad confront Nolan? Will more VC arrive now that an entire platoon has been vaporized? Where’s Kindzi?
The adventure will continue Friday July 31 at 8pm with “Ostinato in White”.
