‘Foundation’ Recap: ‘The Leap’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season one finale of ‘Foundation’.
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Something that has become a staple of the science fiction genre, is the epic cliffhanger ending. Wherein every storyline in a sci-fi tale, comes to a head in an explosive, adventurous and action laden finale… that ends in such an epic manner than we are immediately left hungry for more. Which is of course, a result of audience demand since viewers and readers have made it clear that they want to be wowed when they pick up a science fiction story. But what’s truly amazing about this, is that stories in this vein… rarely to use to feature this kind of ending. For back in the day, a sci-fi story simply ended, in the most logical manner possible and that meant either an epic ending or a low-key one awaited the reader/viewer, and few complained about that. Since it was simply the way of the genre. 

If anything, that old school ending is of relevance today, simply because… it’s precisely the type of finale that the AppleTV+ series Foundation opted to go with for its season one finale. For ‘The Leap’ was quite the low-key affair, one that brought about a prompt and foreboding resolution to the Cleon Crisis on Trantor. One where Dezmerel decided the fate of Brother Dawn to prevent further conflict between Day and Dusk, since they disagreed on how to best handle this aberration and once Dawn’s fate was sealed… the foreboding nature of this journey came into play. Since Dezmerel is deeply broken and conflicted over her actions in the past few episodes and because we came to learn that the current line of Cleon’s are all genetically tainted and altered, leaving the future of the throne up in the air.

Yet that wasn’t the only powerful storyline resolved in a simple manner in this tale. For back on Terminus, the return of Hari Seldon led to some very intriguing revelations and resolutions. For instance, we came to learn that shortly before Hari died, he ingested a colony of nanobots that transformed his body into The Vault. Which was sent to Terminus to prepare for this very moment. Because Hari knew that conflict would arrive between these three factions and that the Invictus would be discovered. Which is why The Vault allowed for Hari to appear at the right time. To reveal these facts and to broker a peace deal between these peoples. For despite the promises made by Empire to let the Foundation thrive, Hari knew eventually… they’d have enough of giving freedom to outliers and a fight would come and well… Hari’s wishes for peace and a time to build were granted by the people of Terminus and someday down the line, they’ll be ready to face a resurgent Empire. 

But truly, the most relaxed and fascinating resolution in this story, involved Salvor and Gaal. Because after weeks of trying to figure out the genesis of her visions and whether or not The Vault generated them, she finally came to realize they were the product of another source. Her true mother to be exact, who as it turns out… is Gaal. Courtesy of the embryo exchange that happened long before Salvor was born. And coming to realize that mom was out in the void and lost to the solar winds, motivated Salvor to board Hugo’s old ship, since he was now the skipper of the Invictus, and search the stars for her mother. A voyage that ended in quasi-disaster. For Salvor’s quest brought her ship down into the oceans of Synnax, wherein she was forced to go into suspended animation and wait for a rescue. One that did come some 138 years later, when Gaal returned home as well and discovered Salvor’s watery ‘grave’ and rescued her from an eternity of sleep. Which in turn allowed for mother and daughter to meet and face an unknown future. 

One where the Foundation is likely a force to be reckoned with and one where the Empire might be a shell of its former self thanks to the variations of Cleon that now exist and well, that really is the most relaxed way to end to a season of epic storytelling. Since it signals to the viewer that the story doesn’t need a powerhouse space battle or lessons in morality to prepare us for more. Because Foundation is truly a marathon and not a race and every moment and lesson, we experienced here was part of a bigger plan. A tapestry of sorts that is slowly unfolding before our eyes and the best part of this finale is knowing that a second season of this series already awaits us. Which means we don’t have to worry about not seeing this story grow, we simply have to wait patiently to see what the future looks like and what Hari Seldon’s predictions will reveal about the true fate of the galaxy and whether or not mankind can in fact… save itself from its own stupidity. Until next year.

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