‘The Ark’ Recap: ‘A Slow Death is Worse’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THE ARK -- “A Slow Death is Worse” Episode 107 -- Pictured: (l-r) Shalini Peiris as Dr. Sanjivni Kabir, Pavle Jerinic as Felix Stickland -- (Photo by: Aleksandar Letic/Ark TV Holdings, Inc./SYFY)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Seven of ‘The Ark’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Over the course of the past few weeks, we’ve discussed at length how the SYFY series, The Ark, has been putting on a masterclass in surprising its audience and understandably so. After all, every single week, this series has offered up some stunning surprises, the kind that have left us buzzing on social media and dying to know more about what is to come, and the show is showing no signs of slowing down when it comes to dropping our jaws, as evidenced by this week’s story. For ‘A Slow Death is Worse’ is a story that featured more shocking moments. The kind that actually managed to top the reveal, of another Ark ship floating about in the void, and it accomplished that feat… by having the crew of Ark One, board Ark Three and make some troubling and wondrous discoveries in ‘A Slow Death is Worse’.
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The troubling stuff came about from the sheer state of the ship. Since most of the crew of Ark Three was dead, and it was discovered that their passing came about by way of the same substance that brought the crew of Ark One out of stasis, and we came to learn… that some familiar faces were among the dead on this ship. Such as Felix’s beloved husband, Robert. Who clearly was trying to make his way to Felix. Which broke the normally strong man, since it meant that something bad happened back home since there was no way that Robert would abandon their baby girl to make the long, long trek through space, and sadly… the arrival of the lone survivor of this doomed mission aboard Ark One, confirmed that. Since Kelly informed him that his daughter took a stray bullet in a riot, and she had more bad news to produce as well.

Such as how Earth was at its lowest when she and her crew left. Simply because fires were raging all over the world, the kind that could not be put out, and that the World Government had collapsed. Leaving everyone to wonder if by chance… the Earth was gone, and that the Ark crews were the last vestiges of humanity. Which were some sobering possibilities for certain, the kind that Captain Garnet did not want the crew to ponder upon, and she put them back to work in a positive manner. By having them grab everything not nailed down on the ghost Ark, and by pondering upon the reality that perhaps this voyage would not take decades after all. Since Kelly informed the bridge crew, that Ark Three was carrying a faster-than-light drive.

So, it took little thought and hesitation to order that drive to be moved aboard Ark One, but that order… came with trouble as well. Since the FTL drive was booby trapped to keep it safe, and well… that meant Lane had to wake Trust to save everyone on the other Ark. A move that was also stunning in nature, since it changes the course of the mission and believe it or not, that shocking twist was overshadowed by another. For Alicia and Angus were tasked with trying to learn how Ark Three came into contact of the same substance that nearly ended the mission for Ark One, and what they found… was horrifying. Since video footage made it clear that a rogue Ark, Ark Fifteen, is out there, and it is firing that weapon into rival Arks for reasons unknown. Making the real threat in the stars, humanity, instead of something extra-terrestrial.

All of which made… for one stunning tale. Because goodness, it really featured one big surprise after another, and some heavy moments as well. Since Kelly’s debrief on the state of Earth was horrifying and one cannot help but feel for Felix. For he really has lost everything at this point, and this revelation will have a great impact upon a great man. But on the more positive side, how amazing is it that they have an FTL drive now? And that the brilliant mind behind this all is awake and able to advise and fill in more gaps. Provided of course… they don’t run into the unsavory human beings that seem hellbent on taking out anyone that stands in the way of clearly nefarious goals, and well… now that this epic tale has come to a close, we are once again left counting down the minutes to next week’s adventure. To see what other surprises and shocking moments await us from the most epic sci-fi series on the air right now. Until next time.  

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