Summary
Episode 9 is a typical penultimate chapter with plenty of twists and turns to excite viewers for the finale.
This recap of Apple TV+’s Foundation season 1, episode 9, “The First Crisis,” contains no spoilers.
Read the recap of the previous episode.
Welcome back to our coverage of Foundation. After reading recent comments, it appears that maybe this TV series is not accurate to the books, which would explain the lack of enthusiasm in some quarters. Hopefully, it picks up for the fans. Once again, please comment below if I have missed something important or made an error in this recap. I am not familiar with the source material.
Foundation season 1, episode 9 recap
Episode 9 opens up with Salvor asking her father where humans originally came from. He tells her that there are several theories and references earth as part of it. This is quite an incredible insight into how we may struggle to keep up with our history if humanity survives. Her father then tells her that millions died when the Star Bridge came down, but also, the Empire is responsible for the deaths of millions of Anacreons — no one won. Her father believes that violence is the last resort, and it isn’t constructive. I enjoyed this philosophical opening.
Episode 9 then moves back to the Invictus ship that is moving through a space jump — Salvor is awake and seems undeterred by it. As soon as it ends, Salvor looks for Lewis. She’s surprised to see that they arrived at Terminus. And then, she finds Lewis; he used the cognitive technology to bring them home, but in doing so, it killed him. Lewis sacrificed himself. The series hasn’t feared death since the start.
Salvor tries to radio to the Thespin Republic that got caught up with the space jump. She still has no idea how to stop the next jump. Salvor puts on a spacesuit and jumps through space to the next ship. She tries to contact the people on Terminus again, but there is no active comms. Suddenly, Hugo arrives on a separate ship.
Brother Dawn and Azura are still planning on escaping in episode 9. It’s high risk, but their love for each other is intense and guides their decisions, or so we thought. Afterward, Brother Dusk shows Day a historical mural. He’s finally been painted in, representing the time he hunted. Dusk tells Day that there is something else in him. When Dusk walks off, Day uses Azura’s cognitive device gift to look at the mural properly. He does not like what he sees and quickly packs in his room. By seeing what the mural presented gave away that Dusk knows that he is defective.
Before he can escape, Dawn is escorted by palace staff, but he uses his strength to fight off a guard. When he reaches outside, he’s surrounded. Remembering Azura’s advice, Dawn follows her plan. He comes across some homeless people and immediately barters for one of their coats and directions to his following location. Dawn is overawed by his travels through the town of level 33. He sees life for the first time and notes how alive it all is.
Dawn finally finds Azura at her home, and they kiss passionately. He wants to get his nanobots removed in case he has been tracked. Azura reassures him that a signal dampener is activated until they can get them removed. She comforts an upset Dawn. Azura suddenly attacks Dawn, so he runs away, but once again, he’s surrounded. Not all is what it seems in episode 9 for Dawn. He’s part of a much larger conspiracy.
Hugo and Salvor reunite, and they are ecstatic. Salvor tells Hugo that she didn’t sleep during the jump, and like The Vault, it didn’t impact her. Hugo wants to flee and ponders whether there’s a solution to their crisis, but Salvor wants to see it through. She tells Hugo that they need the Invictus because the Foundation needs that ship. Hugo meets up with the Thespin Republic, and they scour the Invictus.
Salvor lands on Terminus, and she sees her outpost is a ghost town. When she gets closer, she sees dead bodies everywhere. Eventually, she sees her mother, who is holding an object while unconscious. She picks up the object and faces The Vault with it. This is one of Hari Seldon’s devices. Salvor suddenly sees visions of Gaal speaking to Hari with the same device. The narration states that history is a weapon, and it harnesses time itself. Suddenly, The Vault activates in front of Salvor. Its grey outer layer turns transparent, and it splits apart. Salvor’s mother wakes up, and they embrace. The mother notices the energy field has stopped, and she sees a door has formed at The Vault.
Back to Dawn, and he faces an identical person of himself as he’s held captive. The other Dawn transfers nanobots into his blood from Dawn. He reveals himself as the Dawn clone. Azura enters the room, and Dawn feels betrayed and upset as she gets close to the clone. The clone tells Dawn that he is going to return to the palace and be him. Dawn tells him they will kill him, but the clone reveals he isn’t a defect, and he will now be part of the genetic dynasty. This has been a plan all along, and the clone states he needed to give Dawn a motive for escaping.
Suddenly, the clone and his people are attacked — clone Dawn is killed. Brother Dusk arrives, and he wants a full memory audit of all the dead. He thanks Azura for her performance and reveals he followed her the whole time. He shrouds her, and she is escorted away. Dusk calls Dawn stupid, naive, and gullible. He calls him an ugly embodiment of their vulnerability. Dawn tells Dusk that his logic is wrong, and he should try empathy — he wants to plead his case to Brother Day.
The ending of “The First Crisis.”
Back on Terminus, and Salvor walks towards The Vault door, but the Anacreons stop her. Suddenly, Hugo and the Thespin Republic arrive to stop the tension — the Anacreons put down their weapons. Another ship arrives and takes down the two Thespin Republic ships. It’s the Huntress. Salvor tells Huntress that the jump causes psychosis, and she isn’t thinking straight. She tells her that the Invictus is the most potent weapon they’ll get their hands on — she suggests that all three worlds work together and operate the ship. She talks about logic over emotions.
The Vault then conjures energy, and the Huntress attacks it. Leaving Salvor no choice but to kill her — the Huntress is dead. And then, walking out of The Vault is Hari Seldon. He tells them that seeing Thespians, Terminus, and Anacreons together gives him hope. He feels they may be able to “pull this off.” Whatever that may be…
What did you think of Foundation season 1, episode 9, “The First Crisis”? Comment below.
