‘Moonhaven’ Recap: ‘The Envoy’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Three of ‘Moonhaven’. To revisit the previous two episodes, click here.
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There is a prevailing belief in our world, that unity and harmony amongst all of mankind, can only be achieved by way of an incredibly harrowing event that all of humanity needs to take part in. For that moment should help us recognize the importance of who we are and how precious life on planet Earth actually is, and this belief exists for a surprisingly simple reason. For when tough times happen in our world, there is a moment of bonding and kindness. Where people stand up and do their part to help others in need, making it clear that we are indeed capable of incredible unity and kindness and that a great disaster might finally allow for us to shine as a species and accomplish wonders untold and make our current violent state, nothing more than a lesson in the history books. 
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But at the same time… one has to wonder if that particular belief/hope would actually hold up and it is reality that is currently making us ponder upon otherwise. Since there is a global crisis with our climate right now that isn’t unifying us in the slightest. Instead, it is dividing us out of some foolhardy beliefs in economic concerns and anti-science rhetoric, potentially putting us on a path where survival of the richest nations becomes the new norm and where one has to wonder if Earth saving technologies developed down the line, would even be shared with other nations. Because of the fact that our survival instinct might compel some nations not to share and stand put and well… that could lead to strife and uglier moments. If anything, this uncomfortable possibility is top of mind today, simply because it was explored in great detail in the next episode of Moonhaven on AMC+.

For when we return to Luna in ‘The Envoy’, we come to learn that the situation between Earthers and Mooners is becoming far more dire than we ever knew. For two key reasons. First and foremost, because a rebellion is quietly brewing on Earth’s only moon. Because a great deal of the people that have lived here for generations, are now questioning IO’s grand observation experiment and are wondering what life might be like if by chance… they were free of their tracking devices and thusly free to explore their own beliefs and desires. Giving rise to a group of mooners that firmly believe… if they can have that freedom, then they should no longer be tied to Earth and free to explore their own future and fates and that reality is further exacerbated by the actions performed by Maite Voss in this particular tale. 

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For when given the opportunity to let the first wave ships land and bring colonists aboard to return to Earth, she promptly decides to deny those ships clearance to land. A stunning move that hammered home quite the frightening reality. In that, clearly, those that live on the moon, see those that live on Earth… as broken and lost. Which in turn makes those on the moon, superior in nature (in their minds) and the true future of humanity. So why share with doomed cousins that are violent and unwilling to seemingly yield to generations of a better way, when they can just sit there and let nature handle the rest? Which is a powerful twist to inject into this particular tale, one that explores the duality of man, all while pondering upon quite the important question for certain. In that, can we be saved then, if our survival instincts and our ego come into play?
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Because despite being a utopia and a place of refuge from the worst parts of the human condition, clearly Moonhaven is nothing more than a chance for people to get away from their darker demons and not indulge them… until they need to be indulged. Since the violence present here and the decisions made by Voss, show that our worst elements traveled with humanity to the moon after all, and cannot be bred out or easily shed. For we are complex beings that stick to our convictions and well… that does indeed reflect humanity as it stands now and reminds us of how far we need to go, and it truly poses some frightening questions regarding where we might be heading in the interim because of our inability to let those darker instincts go and do right by our fellow man over what we think is right in the moment.

But the best part of all, is that this powerful exploration into our failings and our inability to unify under the guise of what some see as the greater good and what’s right, is that it offers no easy answers to the big questions. It simply presents us in the raw, with all of our flaws and doing so in a setting where a utopia should exist… simply gives one pause. Since it forces us to ponder upon what it would actually take to save humanity and put us on a path toward unity since clearly, disasters aren’t the key we’ve been hoping for. And one does have to wonder, if this show is going to offer any answers at all as we move into the second half of season one, or simply show us at our worst… both of which are impactful of course, but both paths come with their own trappings. Either way, this is just… a fascinating exploration of the human condition and its complexities and pratfalls and it will be truly interesting to see where the show goes from here, now that it has made it clear that it is going to ask the hard questions and leave no stone unturned regarding that all-important question on what we deserve as a species. Until next time.

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