Diksha Sundriyal
In the third season of Apple TV+’s ‘Foundation,’ the stage is set for the latest crisis in the galaxy as the forces of the Foundation and the Galactic Empire clash with each other, as a greater threat emerges in the form of the Mule. The first episode opens 150 years after the events of the Season 2 finale and introduces a set of characters who are to become important players in the new conflict. One of the new characters is Randu Mallow, whose surname reminds one of Hober Mallow, a major character in the second season. Interestingly, the connection between them is just the tip of a massive plot iceberg this season. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD.
Randu’s Connection with Hober Mallow Sets Up Toran and Bayta’s Story
Randu Mallow is introduced as the leader of the Traders in the New Foundation and is an important figure in the impending crisis, as he has found allies in the Galactic Empire, which is keen on breaking up the Foundation and getting back its monopoly on the galaxy. His surname confirms that he is connected to Hober Mallow, who died last season, but not before impregnating Brother Constant, who survived the catastrophic events that destroyed Terminus. Clearly, Constant gave birth to the baby, who carried their father’s name, becoming a prominent family in the New Foundation.
While Randu Mallow is introduced as a major connection to Hober Mallow, they are not so in Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series. In the books, Randu belongs to the Darell family, who are one of the more influential Traders, which puts them in an important position with the increasing conflict between the Foundation and the Traders. It seems that the Apple TV+ series has turned Randu Darell into Randy Mallow because of his extended connection to two characters who are going to play incredibly important roles in Season 3.
According to the books, following his takeover of Kalgan, the Mule embarks on a journey to locate the Second Foundation. In this, Toran and Bayta Darell become his companions, though they remain in the dark about his true identity for a while. While Toran is a Darell with Randu being his uncle, Bayta is a descendant of Hober Mallow. The show twists this connection to give Randu and Toran the surname Mallow. Considering the time jump between the two seasons, a familiar surname helps keep the connection alive without confusing the audience with a bunch of new names. This effort to make Randu, Toran, and Bayta stand out to the audience is because of what’s in store for the latter two.
Toran and Bayta Mallow Will be Major Players in the Fight Against the Mule
According to Isaac Asimov’s books, the newly married Toran and Bayta go to Kalgan after they discover that the Mule has taken over the place. They wish to look into it further, but are forced to leave, joined by Magnifico Giganticus, the Mule’s former court jester. The trio is joined by Ebling Mis to find the Second Foundation, as it seems to be the only thing that can stop the Mule’s spree of conquering the galaxy one planet at a time. Their search brings them to Trantor, where Mis ends up discovering the Second Foundation’s location, which is when it turns out that Magnifico has been the Mule all along.
It also turns out that Ebling Mis and Toran had been under his spell all along, but not Bayta. Because of her compassion and real feeling of friendship for Magnifico, the Mule did not use his powers on her. Eventually, however, Bayta uses this to her advantage by foiling the Mule’s plan and preventing him from finding the Second Foundation to make sure that they have more time to deal with him, though she tells the villain they are already prepared for it.
While the show is expected to make some changes to the storyline, the story cannot play out without Toran and Bayta taking over a major part of the spotlight. With them being such critical characters to the storyline, it makes sense that the show’s creators would want to establish their importance by connecting them with one of the major and memorable characters from the previous season, while also maintaining a sense of continuity in a story that otherwise jumps centuries at a time to further a narrative that is to unfold over the course of a thousand years or so.
Read More: Do Bel Riose and Hober Mallow Die? Did Ben Daniels and Dimitri Leonidas Leave Foundation?
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