‘For All Mankind’ Recap: ‘Don’t Be Cruel’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘For All Mankind’.
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The last time we settled in to discuss the wondrous AppleTV+ series, For All Mankind, we talked at length about how the show was suddenly sending a great deal of hope our way. Because for the first time ever, the United States and the Soviet Union were working together toward common goals, a feat that seemed impossible during the Cold War in our corner of the multiverse. But such a miracle was actually and finally happening, and it likely meant that the series was about shift gears and start moving the story in quite the magnificent and uplifting direction. One where space travel would become less about competition and flags and more about humanity’s place among the stars. Or rather, that’s how it seemed.

For the next episode in this fascinating series, took the time to quickly remind the audience, that such acts take a great deal of time, and in order to properly achieve a space faring utopia, one akin to Star Trek, a few things would need to fall into place. Such as removing any inklings of fear, the kind that would say... lead a superpower to believe they were being muscled out of a future in the heavens, and it just so happens, that the next episode of this series, opted to explore that fear, and that made ‘Don’t Be Cruel’ quite the incredible tale. One that shocked us all right out of the gate. For while Tom was on his way to Korea to speak with the leaders of that country, about forging a massive, multi-nation space alliance with them, the Soviets opted to blow his plane out of the sky in the name of space faring superiority, and that changed everything.

Because just like that, relations between both the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A. went to an incredibly intense place. One where both sides were closely monitoring the brilliant scientific minds that came to America and Russia in the hopes of making Soyuz-Apollo a rousing success and well, while eventually there was enough calm to get everyone to return home safely… the damage had already been done. For President Reagan and Ellen, who took over as NASA’s Administrator, were concerned that this particular attack on a plane that was carrying American citizens… would make the nation appear to look weak, if some kind of response in kind wasn’t brought forth and well, what they came up with was quite stunning to say the least. 

For it was decided that Pathfinder was going to be transformed into an armed stellar escort and to top it all off, the President finally decided, on Ellen’s advice of course… that the time had come to reclaim the mining site on the moon. Which meant that for the first time in the history of humanity, armed soldiers dropped into a combat zone on Luna and thankfully, were able to re-take the site without firing a shot. And while that is a perky way to end a harrowing tale, let’s be honest… everything that happened here is troublesome for certain. Simply because, escalation is underway and it has already brought about the death of innocent civilians and to make matters worse, all of this tension could lead to more mistakes and a complete and utter disaster, the kind that could bring about the epic conflict that the United States and Russian avoided in our timeline/universe.
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If anything, all of these elements made this quite the intense episode when all is said and done. For this one put us on the edge of our seats and left us worried about what comes next for this world. But the good news, is that this episode wasn't totally mired in concern, for there is a chance that the fear in question can be conquered and a way forward for a united world can come about. Since Margo took the time to offer Sergei an olive branch, by way of a little scientific intel on defective O-rings and well, hopefully that gesture of goodwill and the bond they share will come into play before things get out of hand. And it will indeed be quite interesting to see where this powerful twist takes us, because the world now stands on the brink and it will take some incredible effort to keep the peace between two nations that still believe, that only one of them can rule the stars. Until next time.

‘For All Mankind’ is streaming now on AppleTV+.

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