Summary
“Why the Gods Made Wine” is a prime example of Foundation’s strengths and its weaknesses. The show includes some truly stunning visuals and ends with intrigue, but the majority of the installment is still weighed down by a lack of drama and some rather dreary expositional dialogue.
We recap the Apple TV+ series Foundation Season 2 Episode 6, “Why the Gods Made Wine,” which contains spoilers.
The second season of Foundation continues with “Why the Gods Made Wine.” In this installment, the Mentalics’ leader Tellem Bond (Rachel House) , plays Salvor (Leah Harvey) and Gaal (Lou Llobell) against Hari (Jared Harris).
Brother Constant (Isabella Laughland) and Poly (Kulvinder Ghir) head to Trantor, Hober continues his solo mission, and Brother Day (Lee Pace) announces his engagement to Queen Sareth (Ella-Rae Smith).
Foundation Season 2 Episode 6 Recap
We start on Ignis. The psychics, known as the Mentalics, are using their powers to infiltrate Salvor’s dreams and Hari’s thoughts.
Salvor meets a child on the beach called Josiah, who uses his telepathy, which they call unvoices, to show her his history. It appears Tellem saved all of her followers from death and destruction.
Tellem discusses her life’s work with Hari, Salvor, and Gaal later that day. She says that the sighted are either seen as Gods or villains; they choose to keep to themselves to avoid further persecution.
Hari asks for the Mentalics’ help. They were drawn here to find the Second Foundation to save the world. They feel like they need this group’s support.
Of course, Tellem doesn’t want to be involved in this fight at all. Hari tries to convince Tellem, talking of the Mule and the destruction of everything.
Gaal even shows Tellem her premonition to prove the dangers they’ll one day face. Tellem is shocked by Gaal’s sights and her unprecedented powers.
Why does Tellem want Gaal as their new leader?
This demonstration opens Tellem’s eyes to new possibilities. She wants Gaal to be the Mentalics’ new leader because of her unique powers. Tellem informs Gaal that she is dying and wants Gaal to take over. She promises to train Gaal up and keep Salvor safe, but Hari cannot be a part of this plan.
Meanwhile, Brother Constant and Poly arrive on Trantor. They explain the purpose of their journey. They want to open diplomatic channels.
Both clerics are handed a provisional visa. That night, Poly finally gives up his drugs, and Brother Constant flushes them down the sink. While they discuss their faith, the clerics are arrested.
What is Brother Day’s announcement?
Brother Day makes a grand speech to his people. He unveils a statue of Winoset, the mother of Cleon I. Then he introduces Queen Sareth to his citizens, announcing her as their new empress. Brother Day states that this will mean the end of the genetic dynasty. Queen Sareth goes against protocol and makes her own speech, though. She says that they will serve the people first.
Hober Mallow reaches his destination but finds himself in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly a gigantic spaceship appears out of the darkness. Hober is then taken onboard, where he finds Spacers. They are just as surprised to see him.
Back on Ignis, Hari updates Salvor on his discoveries. He now knows that Tellem is after the Prime Radiant.
Hari had Gaal hide it, but he doesn’t know where it is. He asks Salvor to search for it.
Later, Salvor and Gaal witness Hari escaping in Salvor’s ship, but this is just a ruse. The real Hari is in chains. He is being drowned to death by Tellem. She tells Hari that she will find and destroy the Prime Radiant no matter what.
What does Hari see while he is drowning?
As Hari begins to drown in the water, his entire life flashes before his eyes. He has visions of his childhood and then his romance with Yanna as an adult. They are expecting a child together in this flashback, but Empire worries about what Hari’s psychohistory and the Prime Radiant could do to his reign.
Hari is offered a position on Trantor, where Empire can keep a closer eye on his research.
Dr. Tadj pressures him to accept this job, but Hari refuses. Then Dr. Tadj takes Yanna hostage, and Hari is forced to hand over the Prime Radiant. He, of course, refuses to be manipulated here again.
Foundation Season 2 Episode 6 Ending Explained
What happened to Yanna?
The flashbacks end with Hari realizing that this is all just a trap. He knows Yanna is actually dead. She was killed by Dr. Tadj. In retaliation, Hari kills Dr. Tadj, pushing her into a stampede of moon shrikes. We next see Hari on Trantor, in Streeling University’s library. It looks like he has accepted Yanna’s plan, after all, to bring the enemy down from the inside.
Back in the present, Hari passes out, drowning underwater. It doesn’t look like anyone is going to save the great Hari Seldon this time around.
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