Falling Skies - S3E10 - Brazil
Previously, on Falling Skies: “Journey to Xibalba”
Weaver, Pope, and Anthony are driving a train (with no cocaine in sight) apparently en route to attack the Espheni grid tower. (The Espheni don’t notice a train?) Tom’s team, consisting primarily of himself, Dr. Kadar, and Cochise, are playing with the Volm weapon controls inside what appears to be a large shipping container. It seems the weapon survived the attack on Charleston, and Dr. Kadar and Cochise figured out how to operate it with no problem (which is a huge relief, because either of those things could have been disastrous for the plot if the process had been in any way difficult). In a quick cutback, we see that Weaver has brought along Lourdes as bait. (The Espheni can’t track where a girl full of eyeworms is?)
Inside another shipping container, Hal and Maggie, with a large contingent of the 2nd Mass, prepare for the coming battle. They disagree on whether to be optimistic about the outcome of the mission, and what their life after should be like. Just as things are getting uncomfortable, the train is ambushed by mechs. It appears to be night. As the attack commences, Tom rounds up his team, and leads them outside… into light?!?
We discover that the Volm weapon, as well as the shipping containers, are actually all onboard a large shipping tanker, which is now floating into what appears to be Boston Harbor. (The Espheni don’t notice a large shipping tanker with a huge gun mounted to the top floating into Boston Harbor?)
Boston and the tower appear to be largely unmanned, and it is revealed that Weaver and his train apparently have successfully convinced the Espheni that Chicago is in fact the real target. Tom orders Dr. Kadar to fire the Volm weapon on the Boston tower, and though hit, the tower does not fall. Cochise announces that the weapon will need 10 minutes to recharge before firing again, and the Espheni tower launches a small group of Beamers in defense. Hal and Ben quickly shoot the Beamers down, and shortly thereafter, the tower graciously collapses on its own. Everyone takes a moment to celebrate as they watch the grid blink out of existence, but this quickly turns to an awed silence as a fireball descends from the heavens only to reveal itself as an enormous Volm mothership planting itself with an unnerving finality over the remains of the tower.
Later, as the majority of the group celebrate in their hastily assembled shantytown, Tom and Ben discuss the Volm. Ben mentions that the rebel skitters have left the camp due to nervousness regarding the Volm. Tom claims to be fine with everything, but his mannerisms belie a bit of nervousness on his own part. A sudden increase in the volume of the cheering outside signals the return of the decoy party. Weaver and Pope arrive, singing the praises of Cochise and his soldiers who arrived just in time to turn the tide of their battle. Cochise informs Tom that Volm scouts have reported the Espheni are in full retreat to the north, and that the Volm commander wishes to meet with Tom the following morning. Tom, Pope, and Weaver, finally caught up in the excitement, share a toast with the energized crowd.
Cochise takes Tom and Weaver to meet the Volm commander and his ridiculous cape, where it is revealed that he is also Cochise’s father. What begins as a respectful congratulatory meeting between the parties quickly turns ugly, when the commander informs Tom and Weaver that their assistance will no longer be required in the war, as the Volm plan to completely take over the war effort. He informs them that the humans and their inferior technology will only be in the way. The meeting degrades further when he informs them that the Volm plan to relocate their entire group to Brazil. Tom and Weaver decry Captain Capeman’s decision with increasing fervor, but to no avail. The commander puts his foot down, saying something to Cochise in Volm. As he turns to walk away, Tom grabs his arm, and is bitchslapped across the room for his toubles.
Weaver storms back into camp, Tom having been taken into Volm custody for his insolence. He informs everyone that they have one hour to be ready to leave, in order to avoid the Volm roundup. Stumbling into his tent, Weaver’s heart tries to give out. Luckily Jeanne happens into the tent and helps him take his nitroglycerin. He is forced to tell her that he has secretly been taking them for months, but doesn’t want anyone to know. A commotion outside heralds the arrival of a party of heavily armed Volm, led by Cochise. He seems regretful, but forces the 2nd Mass to lay down their weapons and prepare for transport to Brazil.
Inside the Volm compound, the commander visits Tom in his cell. He apologizes for Tom’s treatment, but claims confusion as to why the humans would resist relocation. He says that all species on the previous planets on which they have fought the Espheni had been docile and welcomed the relocation. Tom uses the moment to pontificate on human views of freedom and tyranny, and asks again for the humans to be allowed to fight. In a what seems a strange reversal of his earlier attitude, Commander Cape reasonably absorbs Tom’s arguments, seemingly affected by them. Ultimately he leaves Tom in his cell, promising only that they will talk further in the future.
Back in the shantytown, Hal and Maggie sneak in to see Lourdes. Her eyeworms are going crazy, keeping her in extreme pain. Maggie points out that they may have to put her out of her misery.
Cochise returns to escort the camp to the transport. Weaver and the rest grudgingly allow themselves to be led away. They encounter Tom being guarded by another Volm. Cochise speaks to the guard in Volm, and the guard leaves. He then leads the humans a short way through the surrounding debris, stopping in front of a small mound covered by a tarp. Lifting the tarp away, Cochise reveals a pile of weapons. The same weapons the 2nd Mass were forced to give up earlier. He then tells a confused Tom Mason that the group is free to go wherever they please, but they should evacuate Boston immediately. Everyone grabs their weapons and prepares to leave. Cochise gives Tom one Volm rifle and sends them on their way. As the humans file off, Commander Cape appears out of nowhere, like only an alien with a cape can, and he and his son marvel over the strangeness of this species that does not wish to be protected.
As the group wanders off into the night, engaging in idle chatter, overwhelmed with relief at not being condemned to Brazil, Ben suddenly calls the group to a halt. He senses ‘something big’ headed their way. At the same moment, Lourdes begins to spaz out, falling to the ground in an epileptic fit. An Espheni ship flies out of the night sky and lands nearby.
Karen appears out of the woods, white flag in hand, trailing a small group of skitters and a megamech, requesting parley. She attempts to plant further seeds of doubt about the Volm, claiming to want to reconcile the differences between herself and the Masons. She claims to have brought a gift for Tom. Tom informs her calmly that he also has a gift for her, then calmly shoots her in the gut. Bullets fly as the groups collide. Ben takes out the megamech with the Volm gun, and the rest of the group quickly dispatch the skitter contingent.
In the silence immediately following the firefight, Tom hears a familiar voice calling his name from the forest. He dashes off into the woods to find Anne. Meanwhile, a dying Karen, perhaps once again in control of her mind, reaches for Hal. Hal takes her hand as she apologizes for what the Espheni made her do, and is shocked as Maggie immediately walks up and puts two in her skull.
Tom is startled as the Espheni ship takes off, and turns to find Anne! They embrace the embrace of a thousand missed embraces, and he asks about Alexis. Anne says she’s fine but… Tom turns to see his child, standing behind him, about 5 years older than the last time he saw her. (Holy shit! She’s not an alien, she’s a fairy!)
Cut to the next morning, everyone is loading up a convoy of vehicles they’ve scavenged. Hal and Maggie’s relationship is starting to fray around the edges, as Maggie can tell, and doesn’t like the fact, that Hal was bothered by the way she handled Karen. Tom discusses Anne and Alexis with Dr. Kadar, and comes to no immediate conclusions. Plans are made to return to Charleston, and then attempt to meet up with what remains of Hathaway’s group. As the group is ready to leave, Little Lexi Bellefleur wanders over to the cage in which Lourdes is being kept. Smiling the entire time, she touches Lourdes’ face, and then holds out her hands. Twenty or so eyeworms proceed to crawl out of Lourdes’ face and curl up in the cup of Alexis’ hands. As Tom and Weaver look on in amazement, she squishes her hands together and when she parts them, only a silvery dust remains.
And so the third season of Falling Skies ends with whimper. Now two full sets of aliens are occupying the Earth, and the 2nd Mass are left wandering with no clear direction or enemy. I’ve not given up completely, but they’ve got about three episodes next season to hook me good, or I’m gone. See you guys next season!
