Plotlines

In the eighth episode, we’ve reached the finale, but nothing is going as it should.

Saul narrowly escapes an assassination attempt by self-driving cars, only to be interrogated and protected by Da Shi. It’s immediately clear that Da Shi knows more than the audience or Saul himself. Together, they travel to the United Nations, where Saul is appointed as a Wallfacer. This raises a lot of questions, even though they explain what a Wallfacer’s role is. However, both the audience and Saul barely have time to process this because, right outside the building, Saul is shot in an assassination attempt.

What I only understood after reading the books is the behavior of everyone around Saul after he becomes a Wallfacer. It was a big mystery to me, and honestly, a bit frustrating. People treat him differently because the status of a Wallfacer can never be taken away, so everyone assumes that Saul’s actions are just part of his Wallfacer role. On top of that, there was very little information given about the whole Wallfacer concept, leaving me feeling a bit lost. On one hand, this approach creates suspense, especially for those who haven’t read the books. But on the other hand, it’s risky. If there’s too much time between the first and second seasons, this confusion could become really annoying. It makes me wonder if people will even want to rewatch the first season before the next one arrives.

The second storyline focuses on launching the capsule and saying goodbye to Will, even though only his brain remains. In the book, this event happens much later, after a lot of time has passed, but in the show, it’s moved up significantly. I think that was a good choice, otherwise, it could have dragged on too much.

Everyone is devastated, and before Jin leaves Cape Canaveral, Wade whispers something in her ear. I would have loved to know what he said.

Jin and Saul sit in a motel, trying to drown their sorrows, until Da Shi shows up. He can’t stand seeing them so miserable, so he takes them to a lake or swamp full of insects. The San-Ti had referred to humanity as insects at the end of episode five, and Da Shi reminds them that humans have tried to get rid of insects too, yet the insects are still here. With these motivating words, the episode ends, showing the three of them getting back to work.

But that’s not quite the end—Sophon contacts Wade, telling him that she will always be there, and that she won’t leave his side until he dies. To make sure he doesn’t forget, she gives him a hallucination of his own death.

On one hand, after this episode, you want more—so much more—because it’s such a well-written and well-made sci-fi story. On the other hand, it’s a good ending, with enough loose ends to leave you really curious and excited for the next season.

And if you think I forgot about Auggie, I didn’t. There’s a brief scene where she uses her nanofibers as a filter to clean a water source. Even though she gets a call, she ignores it because what she’s doing now is what she’s always wanted, and at that moment, it’s more important.

If I’m not mistaken, this is also the end of Auggie’s (Wang Miao’s) character. He doesn’t play a bigger role in the book, though he’s mentioned a few times. Whether they’ll handle Auggie the same way remains to be seen, as all the characters have slightly different roles in the show compared to the book.

What am I looking forward to the most?

• How will they depict the future in the next season? This will surely take a lot of effort, and if an episode already costs $20 million, it could get even more expensive here.
• How far will the characters deviate from their roles in the book? How will the concept of the Dark Forest be portrayed?
• If I remember correctly, there are fewer Wallfacers in the series than in the book. So how will they handle the Wallbreakers, and will they also meet in the game?
• I’ll admit, even though her storyline is supposedly over, I’d love to see more of Auggie. Eiza González does a fantastic job, and I’m really happy she got a more demanding role here (I only knew her from Bloodshot). I know she was also in Alita: Battle Angel, but I couldn’t remember her (I looked it up, and she played Nyssiana. I would’ve never recognized her!).
• Much of the story will shift from Earth to space, and I hope they stick to the book here and maybe take some inspiration from the CGI series. But that’s wishful thinking, and I suspect they’ll come up with something new and innovative.