Dhruv Trivedi
‘Foundation’ follows the epic struggle for the fate of the galaxy between the followers of philosophical mathematician Hari Seldon and the Galactic Empire. The saga continues in episode 6, titled ‘Death and the Maiden,’ which sees the vengeful Anacreons put their plan in motion after a shocking move against the Galactic Emperor in the previous episode. This episode also (finally!) gives us some clarity on Hari’s death but opens up another deep mystery that promises to have widespread repercussions in the future. Let’s dive into ‘Foundation’ episode 6 and get better acquainted with its many delicious sci-fi secrets. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Foundation Episode 6 Recap
The episode opens with Emperor Day on his way to a distant planet that threatens religious upheaval against the Galactic Empire. He prepares for his diplomatic meeting aboard his ship, and we learn that the religion whose leaders he is going to meet has three trillion followers and is over fifteen thousand years old, predating the Empire. Upon his arrival on the planet, Emperor Day is not greeted by a welcoming party, as is custom, but by the religious leader who opposes him. The more time the Emperor spends on the planet, the more he realizes that his position as ruler in the eyes of the people is in jeopardy.
Back on Trantor, Brother Dawn opens up to one of his gardeners and begins to reveal his thoughts and secrets. He is then summoned by Brother Dusk, who takes him hunting and is impressed by the young clone’s skill. Unbeknownst to Brother Dawn, however, the older clone later uses a concubine to spy on him. However, she is unable to learn anything from Brother Dawn since he remains aloof with her and sends her away.
Meanwhile, the battle on Terminus has largely ended, with the Anacreons in control. The Foundation team seems to have suffered some casualties, and the attackers also manage to capture the commander of the Galactic ship sent by Brother Dusk. Salvor eventually escapes and attacks the Anacreon camp. Though she successfully destroys their ships, her father is killed in the process, and the Terminus Warden blames herself for his death. Her friend, Hugo, then convinces her that she is, in fact, the Foundation’s last hope.
Foundation Episode 6 Ending: What is the Anacreon Plan?
Eventually, Salvor and Hugo are captured, and the Anacreons plan to use the latter’s ship to escape the planet. Before leaving, they select specific engineers from the Foundation team to take with them and, along with the commander from the Galactic ship, climb aboard Hugo’s ship. The episode closes with Salvor, under the orders of the Anacreons, taking off from Terminus and leaving the helpless Foundation team stranded on the planet.
So the Anacreon plan seems well and truly underway, and they have the upper hand at the moment. From what we can tell by their leader Phara’s orders, they have multiple ships waiting to rendezvous with them. The Anacreons then plan on commandeering an as yet unknown piece of space technology referred to as “Invictus,” which is why they needed to kidnap the engineers from the Foundation.
Though not elaborated on, Invictus is most likely some form of powerful weapon or spaceship that the Anacreons want to control. Considering their overarching plan is to eventually destroy the Galactic Empire, this move seems to be in keeping with their motives. As a backup and to ensure the obedience of their prisoners, the Anacreons have also left part of their army on Terminus, holding the remaining Foundation team hostage.
Are Gaal and Salvor Connected?
It is difficult to imagine things getting even more complicated than they already are, but the masterful and layered narrative of ‘Foundation’ throws out another intriguing gem when it is hinted that Gaal and Salvor are somehow connected. During her attempt to flank the Anacreons and destroy their ships, the Warden of Terminus stumbles too close to the Vault and loses consciousness.
She then has vivid hallucinations where she seemingly embodies Gaal, and we see Salvor inside the mysterious spaceship that Gaal is in. Salvor also sees herself on the Foundation spaceship thirty years ago, when Hari Seldon was murdered. So far, no explanation is provided for why Salvor sees herself in Gaal’s memories, but it is likely connected to Salvor’s connection to the Vault on Terminus.
It is worth noting that Gaal was one of the initial leaders of the Foundation, and now Salvor, as Warden of Terminus, is one of the current leaders of the Foundation (albeit in a different capacity). Seeing Gaal’s memories could also finally convince Salvor of Hari’s genius and make her believe in the mathematician’s plan.
Why was Hari Seldon Killed?
In the flashback during which Salvor embodies Gaal aboard the Foundation ship, we see what happened in the moments before Hari’s death. Contrary to the widely held belief that Raych killed him out of anger, it is revealed that the mathematician forced his understudy to commit the murder.
According to Hari, the fate of the Foundation rested on Raych and Gaal, and the plan would not succeed if the two fell in love and remained together. Therefore, it seems like Hari realized that the best way to separate them was to make it seem like Raych had committed a heinous crime and force him to run away. However, as we see in episode 5, Raych was eventually executed for Hari’s murder, and it remains unknown whether that was also part of Hari’s plan. However, the late mathematician, through his death, does successfully separate Gaal and Raych.
Read More: Shows Like Foundation
