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DRAMA IN DEFIANCE
EPISODE 4 “The Serpent’s Egg”
RECAP Amanda and Nolan cross the Storm Divide to deliver a prisoner to Vegas Prison and pay off the Maglev in Calexico but get ambushed by bandits, while back in Defiance Irisa runs into someone from her past and causes trouble.
Thoughts and Observations
- Alak Tarr seems to be a competent (and well liked) radio DJ. Who knew.
Irisa, Tommy, and Daigo, the man from the past:
- For me, Daigo was completely believable as a devoted family man and innocent victim… up until he tried to explain away the religious icon. After that I was team Irisa the rest of the way and wanted to smack Tommy for interfering.
- When Daigo finally reveals himself because “the snake brings clarity,” We learn a lot about his religion. He believes they were ordained to meet again. That he is supposed to be the supplicant she is to sacrifice in order to become Alakta, the chosen one. The Devouring Mother, possessor of both womb and grave. Whose religion is this? Why are Castithans and Irathients torturing female children to bring about a destructive force? Redemption? who’s redemption? (Does this religion have anything to do with Sukar’s religion?)
- Wow, Tommy has a dark side. I didn’t think the kid had stones, despite what we’ve heard about his background outside the show. Respect.
- Was that sex scene really necessary? And why isn’t the REST of her body orange? I mean she’s got the rubber forehead and the painted arms, how much does it cost the studio to just get some cheap tanning lotion that’ll turn her skin orange all over? Also, the obvious bored look is obvious and I’ll get to that in my predictions.
The Prisoner Transport
- I think Nolan made a show of putting up the gun on the top shelf for Rynn’s benefit
- Predictable, but fun. There’s a pen being flashed around and Rynn takes it. OBVIOUSLY she’s going to pick her cuffs. And who called the priest being the inside man?
- Why didn’t the bandits just kill everyone and loot after? Isn’t that what one does in a wasteland frontier to survive?
- Is this really the great Storm Divide? Seems pretty placid to me. No wild storms or arkfalls, landscape seems more like Hawaii or Vietnam than anything else.
- Rynn saves the day? I get that when she escaped, she didn’t have water or keys to a roller so Rynn has to stick around and figure out how to get one or both of those things, but taking her chain cuffs (that would’ve given her up when Nolan was searching for her) and using them as bolas? How did no one hear her twirling those and how did she get that distance?
- BAM! Triple cross.. Why does E-rep have to play so dirty? Is the mine that profitable that E-rep wants a part of it? Or do they know what’s really down there?
- Rynn is the unlikely hero of this episode, despite having tried to destroy everyone in town and having animosity towards Nolan, she (they) has a code. I still like Rynn and want to see more of her in the show, so I hope that I will later in the season or next. For right now I’ll join her in San Francisco.
Favorite scenes
- BEN – I’m a sap for a hero risking his life for his romantic interest in a western. The scene where Rynn makes Amanda realize (and probably Nolan, too for that matter) that Nolan is doing it for her, even if its not the best idea.
- CHRIS – Rynn’s final words to Nolan and Amanda, and the fact that she let them live, with the understanding that they wouldn’t go after her.
Dislikes?
- BEN – Honestly, nothing. This was a solid and focused episode that was heavy on action and lore, while light on romance and goofball-ery.
- CHRIS – Great episode. Didn’t dislike anything either!
Speculations for Next Week
Well we still haven’t figured out what Nicki and Mr Birch are up to, and at this point may already be forgotten by regular viewers. So we’re left with questions about the artifact (or artifacts) and cave mural in buried St. Louis and what it is the MacCawleys plan to do with that information, as well as new questions on E-rep. Was the Ambassador alone in her scheme to secure the Maglev contract from Defiance or was E-Rep behind it? Do they know what’s under Defiance?
Preview of next week’s episode “Brothers in Arms”
Looks like a buddy of Nolan’s Eddy Braddock is a bounty hunter chasing after a pyro serial killer who has alluded E-Rep for several years and is now in Defiance. My prediction is that this whole situation with the Pyro is a smokescreen for E-rep to move into Defiance.
[Show Predictions]
- BEN – Tommy scored, and he’s going to let it get to his head and think there’s something there, even though Irisa isn’t interested.
- CHRIS – Alek is going to continue to anger his father with his tendency to move to Human cultural norms, and Irisa is super interested in Tommy, but doesn’t have the emotional tools to hold a relationship.
OFF THE SET
Shooting the Shtako Episode 5 (parts 1 and 2)
http://www.defiance.com/en/series/video/2646434
Kevin Murphy and Stephanie Leonidas discuss Irisa and her torture.
- Viewers finally get to see how Nolan saves Irisa by killing her parents.
- Stephanie learned that her character is angrier now that she understand her past. The episode brought about clarity and strength for the character she plays, and for her as well.
Kevin Murphy and Jesse Rath discuss Alak being the DJ for Raider Radio. While it wasn’t necessary to see Alak Tarr in this episode, it was refreshing to see him as a kid with a hobby and not some arrogant punk gambling away at the brothel. He also talked about fighting with his sister Meaghan Rath, who plays ghost (and more recently a zombie) Sally Malik in Syfy’s Being Human.
Reviews Across the Web
Den of Geek – Jen Johnson
http://www.denofgeek.us/tv/defiance/115372/defiance-the-serpents-egg-review
- The land coach gets hijacked, and the culprit is…the priest? Figures. You just can’t trust those guys.
- Tommy sees Irisa carrying a bag through the market and follows her to her prisoner, but she is still insistent on tormenting and then killing her hostage. Inside the bag is a boa constrictor, similar to the one used to torture her years ago, while her parents watched. But…a boa constrictor? She has it bite the Castithan guy, and yes, I realize it would hurt, but boas aren’t poisonous. It would be scarier if she wrapped it around his neck…THEN you would have something to worry about.
- Oh, and Rynn has escaped, again, using a handy paper clip to open up her handcuffs and padlock. Are handcuffs and padlocks really that flimsy? Paper clips and pen caps? I’ll have to remember that next time I get arrested in a barfight.
- He (Nolan) carries her away, just like he did in the pilot when she was shot, and we finally see how they met and under what circumstances. It’s an emotional scene; she practically jumps into his arms, trusting a total stranger after being subjected to so much pain from her parents, who stood by and did nothing.
- Final review: This is one of my favorite episodes so far, with some truly heart-pounding moments. I’d been looking forward to finding out how Irisa and Nolan met, and it didn’t disappoint. The show can be both emotional and suspenseful, which is going to keep people watching into the next season. Are there clichés? Yes. Are there improbabilities? Yes, but like most other shows on television, it’s not just fiction, but science fiction.
Io9 – Rob Bricken
http://io9.com/defiance-may-be-turning-into-the-great-scifi-series-we-505791957
- I’m not going to pretend this is Masterpiece Theater here, folks. The train/transport is a pretty standard plot device, and getting the prisoner and Amanda and the money is pretty damn contrived. But once you accept the set-up, the story plays well, thanks to good plotting, good writing, and solid performances. The twist with the Ambassador is a wonderful touch, which not only hints at a new enemy for Defiance, but of the rest of the world.
- I like that the guy seems completely innocent and confused — and when he finally reveals himself, he isn’t diabolically evil, but an enthusiastic — almost happy — cultist. I like that the only thing that stops Irisa from killing this dude is how much he genuinely wants her to kill him, and not some kind of moral code. I like how Irisa is revealed not as a spunky heroine who’s good with knife, but extremely damaged goods.
- Defiance is now expanding its world while simultaneously raising the stakes, bringing nuance to its characters, and simply telling stories better. These last two episodes have been strong, and more importantly they’ve felt fundamentally strong — like we can reasonably expect this level of quality going forward.
- Whether you’ve been enjoying it or not, Defiance has been doing pretty well for Syfy, and they’ve renewed it for season 2. After tonight, I have zero qualms about that at all… unless Syfy decides they need to start slashing the budget. Although since the episode with the least CG have invariably been the best episodes so far, maybe Defiance can afford to lose a few bucks.
- So what, every other week has been talking about what crap Defiance is, and now, they’re saying they’ve always thought it was amazing? WTF?
NEWS FROM THE BAY AREA
[What we did in game]
- BEN – Well, I’ve completed the Main Mission line and all Side Missions at an EGO rating of 1000. I’ve also completed all the “special” episode pursuits for Most Wanted and Hellbug Season. Now I get to focus on Time Trials and Skill Challenges to complete those area pursuits.
- CHRIS – Finished the Episode missions and working on the Contracts. Had an interesting moment while playing the game and watching the show.
Across the Badlands Episode 5
Greg Laabs and Elizabeth Tobey give us a quick recap of the show and discuss their favorite scenes before getting to what the Gamers want to hear. Rynn is in the Bay Area!
- New Episode Missions and Data Recorders are now in game that have players chasing after Rynn
- The story is that E-rep learns Rynn can control Hellbugs with pheromones and they want to use her to create a Hellbug Army.
- The last mission is a single player instance rewarding in an “infector grenade.” (Ever notice that those creatures are actually infant hellbugs without their chitinous hide?)
Fan Find of the Week
The fan find this week was a really slick looking skin for the 360 that displayed the graphic of both the show and game on either side of the console. Cool, clean, and unfortunately not available for sale. A skin for the PS3 and more focus from Syfy and Trion though, and I’m hopeful one day it will be.
UPCOMING DLC!
- Dueling. Players can complete in a one on one match until health reaches 0 or a player withdraws. There is no penalty for losing, but no mention of a reward for winning.
- Charged Weapons (ranged). Sniper rifles, pistols, and break action shotguns that “charge” when the action button is held down for extra damage. Precision is key here.
- Arena Missions. An underground fight arena that re-configures after each challenge and includes traps.
- Castithan Blades. On completing the arena mission line or being lucky enough with a lock box, you can have a charged castithan blade.
- 4 person vehicle. No more group caravaning.
- Voice patch coming to the game. You can chose one of 6 voice packs for your arkhunter.
- Volge Sieges. All new world event where the Volge will attack key locations in the world. The better the team does, the greater the rewards.
Challenge Hour
Across the Badlands has had a Challenge Hour since its second episode and now to include those viewers in other time-zones, Challenge Hour is evolving into a web app and Facebook app to push out different challenges at different times.
Community Questions
- Is Rynn coming back to the show? Yes, Rynn and other characters will be making crossovers in the future.
- Will the Elemental Hellbugs stay with us forever? Yes, while not as frequently appearing as they are now.
- Sidenote: they are kicking off their rewind weekends soon (next couple of weeks). More on that later.
- Are we ever going to see Cass in the show. No promises.
- Are there Castithans that vary in skin tone and hair color other than the pasty and powder white ones we see? Its the eyes that are the differentiator of families
- Will new missions be repeatable? Episode Missions are repeatable. More info on that later.
- Will there be any more enemy types added to the game? Yes. We heard about the Volge Sieges already and there will be even more enemies in future DLC.
- What are the chances of adding an in-game bank, auction house, or game housing for players? We dont have a promise, date, or time, but it is top priority.
Trion Lays Off Staff
http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/17/trion-reportedly-undergoing-massive-layoffs/
- First reported at 80%, but later shown to be a much smaller number (though no new number was given)
- Not a sign that the game is a failure, as this is fairly normal in the industry (although it shouldn’t be!)
Dodge Defiance Challenge
Register to win a trip for two to San Diego for the “world’s biggest pop culture convention” (Comic-con is my guess). Register before the first arkfall in a few days and get extra entries in the contest.
Community Spotlight
Each episode we try to find gamers who go above and beyond to create a more immersive experience for the Defiance Community. This week we want to shine our spotlight on
Defiance Game Resources
http://www.etaew.net/defiance/
A vastly growing database for all things Defiance. If you need a few maps, want to know where the best area to complete contracts is, or struggling to find all of those Data Recorders in game, turn to Etaew’s Defiance Resources site.
Remember, if you want us to feature your clan or community site on Defiance Reporter, tweet us, leave a voicemail, or send us an email at defiance@mmoreporter.com.
Listener Letters
Ken from Chicago writes:
Hi, Ben and Chris, this is Ken from Chicago (so you don’t have scour the bottom of the email if you’re reading this on the show).
First, great show about DEFIANCE the tv show and the game. Keep up the good work.
Second, about last week’s ep: I agree with Ben, if after a few years you don’t have animal attacks in a certain area, you don’t expect it when you go running. I could see how after 5,000 years on starships, most of which blew up after arriving, I could see how the survivors might a) have few of their own clothes and b) might prefer human-style as a fresh new fashion. Please, please, please refer to the castithens’ bathing scenes as “bathing” not “bathroom” scenes. For those who hadn’t seen the ep, you’re creating a totally wrong mental image. Btw, the HBO series, ROME, began with Polly Walker’s character welcoming her son to join her in bath, while standing up fully unclothed–and I’m sure some naturalists have little problems with being nude around their own kids at home. Altho, yes, I and my family are far more fully-clothed.
Third, about last night’s ep: I’d had trouble believing Kenya never had a problem with “night porters” stealing from customers, or vice versa–how else to explain her lack of enforcers or even other employees she could delegate chasing down whatshername? Also it would have been nice if young Kenya was NOT blythely ignoring the explosion right by her. On the flipside, loved Datak refusing Amanda’s help, and after his wife, Stahma explains how to convince him, how Datak explained the community of Defiance to Nolan–very nice. Meanwhile nice showing Nolan sussing out how Datak’s thugs “prepped” the witness to embarrass Nolan while making Datak the hero.
Finally, Also I hope they toughen up Amanda quicker (assuming that’s her arc). She comes across as far too weak for her role as mayor and as someone who had to raise her baby sister thru a decade of the Pale Wars. I could see her being a quiet assistant to the previous mayor who got promoted after the previous mayor retired early, even so, surviving a global war … she should be a lot tougher IMHO, more like Darla and less like Rita (to cite previous Julie Benz roles).
LAST MINUTE ANNOUNCEMENTS
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No registration required, just look for one of these officers in-game, Corso Vanlocke, Jack Thundersteele, or Almazar to get an invite!
iTunes 5 Star Reviews
We’d like to thank the following reviewers for giving us a 5-star rating on itunes:
- Dannyboy431980
CONTACT US!
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