‘The Orville: New Horizons’ Recap – ‘Domino’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 309 of ‘The Orville: New Horizons’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Something that modern mankind has celebrated often throughout its history, is the creation of bold new weaponry. The kind that immediately give a particular culture/society a huge advantage over their enemies. For sadly, we are beings that still believe in war and conflict and when that comes to our doorstep, we are indeed willing to use science and innovation to create peace through war courtesy of those powerful weapons. But while those weapons do tend to create a stalemate of sorts and/or serve as a deterrent for those who might wish to do harm, there’s a lot of ugliness that accompanies this kind of innovation and outright celebration. For it tends to create an arms race. Where the other side wants the weapon as well, out of the fear that it might be used against them preemptively.
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Not to mention… the power of one creates enough fear to inspire unholy alliances and well, this has been the cycle for ages on end in our world. To the point where the two greatest superpowers of the world spent a half century in a cold war/nuclear arms race over the creation of the atom bomb. In addition to that, such superiority inspires more anger and hate, since there are always those who believe that new weapon could solve problems without question, regardless of the moral implication of their use. Which begs an important question. In that, how then, do we as species break this silly cycle of twisted innovation? Because clearly, it isn’t moving us forward like we’d hope and well… it just so happens that the next episode of The Orville: New Horizons, takes the time to answer that particular question in a bold and moving manner.

A feat that ‘Domino’ accomplished, by giving the Planetary Union quite the powerful weapon. One born from Isaac and Ensign Charly Burke’s unique skill set, which could destroy fleets of Kaylon ships with a single press of a button. A move that prompted chaos within the Union. Since the fear of the Kaylon inspired many to debate whether this weapon should be used to outright commit genocide, and while the Council eventually settled upon using this as a deterrent, which in turn led to a stalemate with a brutal enemy… more problems arose from the creation of this weapon. For Admiral Perry was in the genocide camp and he so vehemently disagreed with the Council’s final call, he handed the weapon off to the Krill and the Moclans, who were in the middle of forging a new alliance and they loved the idea of wiping out the Kaylon.

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Which in turn, created a desperate push to stop those two cultures from committing such a horrible act. To the point where Union and Kaylon stood together in a bold plan to either retrieve or destroy the device. A move that led to one stunning action sequence for certain, one that took our breath away and saw a powerful sacrifice come into play. For when the chips were down and the odds were against the good guys, Ensign Burke sacrificed her life for the Kaylons. A move that not only inspired an alliance at last between the Union and the Kaylon… but it also brought Teleya to justice since she made the mistake of battling it out with Kelly at the weapon’s home site. Giving rise to a better tomorrow for the Union, one where security was assured with a new bold ally at their side.
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Which is an ending, that speaks volumes to how we as a people, can finally break this cycle of madness that innovation has inadvertently created. In that, it is going to take the willing and the brave… to show our enemies that this is no longer the way. That the sum of the whole and the lives of those we call our enemies, matter more than ideologies or military superiority. Where we finally understand that we are all human, and all in this together and that this constant fighting over petty concepts and insignificant beliefs, is… a waste of time over what we could accomplish. Which was a powerful message to find here, one inspired by Ensign Burke’s actions, but it is the right message for the right time, since let’s be honest… our infighting, especially in America, is at an all-time high. Of course, it is difficult to say what specific act might start to wake us up and wake up the world to our foolishness… but maybe it isn’t one bold act or gesture, but instead… a series of dominos as spoken to here.

Where a conscious decision by some to let that old nonsense go, leads to others following in that stead, and so on… until we all agree that the fighting is dumb, and that compromise and debate should return, and peace can be made. Which may seem impossible to some, or too simple an answer to the problems that plague us… but it is an inspiring and hopeful answer none the less. But that, is what great science fiction does. It inspires hope and sees the best parts of us so we can believe in ourselves and well… in the end, one simply cannot go wrong with this show offering up such a beautiful challenge for all of us, one that came at a painful cost since Ensign Burke is now gone from the show. But such is the nature of bold storytelling and well, now that peace has settled into the galaxy once again, albeit imperfect, we can turn our attention to the show’s season three finale and the powerful concepts it will undoubtedly send our way. Until next time.

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