Diksha Sundriyal
The second season of Apple TV+’s ‘Foundation’ introduces the Mentallics, living on Ignis. Gaal, Salvor, and Hari arrive there with the intention of setting up the Second Foundation but discover a society being run by a woman named Tellem. She is the most powerful of all Mentallics and invites the trio to join her people, but her intentions soon turn out to be something else. She sets her eyes on Gaal and doesn’t hesitate to inflict violence or even kill people if that’s what she needs to get what she wants. In the end, however, Gaal, Salvor, and Hari fight her to win their freedom. SPOILERS AHEAD
Tellem’s Nefarious Plans are Foiled in the Nick of Time
When we first meet Tellem, she appears to be a peace-lover who wants to keep her people safe. She doesn’t want Hari Seldon to create the Second Foundation on Ignis because it will draw attention from the Empire, endangering the Mentallics, who have been living on the planet unnoticed and safely. Soon, however, it turns out she has malicious intent and is focused on getting her hands on Gaal.
Tellem senses Gaal’s powers, especially her ability to look into the future. She asks Gaal to stay on Ignis and become the leader of her people because Tellem is dying. Later, however, it turns out that Tellem never cared about Gaal. She wanted to transfer her consciousness into Gaol’s body and take it over, repressing Gaal’s mind until it felt silent and Tellem had complete control over her. She had been doing this all these years to increase her life span.
By the time Salvor figures out that Tellem is not the do-gooder she pretends to be, she is caught and thrown in a prison cell. Tellem prepares to breach Gaal’s defenses and borrow her way into her mind. Meanwhile, Salvor figures a way out of her cell and finds Gaal just in time to save her from Tellem. Gaal and Salvor reach their ship, but Tellem finds them. However, Hari Seldon shows up just in time to catch Tellem off guard. He hits her on the head from behind. She’d already been weak from the ceremony stopped midway by Salvor, and it looked like she was dead.
With Tellem gone, the people of Ignis reveal that she’d been holding them captive, and now that they are free, they want Gaal, Salvor, and Hari to stay and lead them. As everyone catches their breath, they don’t realize that before dying, Tellem transferred her consciousness into the mind of an unsuspecting little boy. She tries to use him to kill Gaal, but Salvor intervenes just in time. As the boy shoots at Gaal, Salvor jumps in the way, taking the hit. She is hurt badly and bleeds to death, but not before putting an end to Tellem. She throws a knife at the boy, killing him and Tellem inside him.
The Season 2 Finale Wraps Tellem’s Arc on Foundation
Tellem Bond was one of the primary villains of ‘Foundation’ Season 2. However, she was not permanent, unlike the Cleons and Demerzel. Her journey was restricted to the second season, which takes a time jump at the end, meaning that the story in the third season will pick up 152 years after the events of the Season 2 finale.
Tellem’s death leaves Ignis free to become the base for the Second Foundation. All doors of her return are closed with the death of her body as well as her mind. Understandably, this must have been a creative choice made by the show’s creators, especially considering that the second season serves as a setup for the third season, which is set to introduce a new, stronger villain, which means there is no need for Tellem to return.
The role of Tellem is played by actress Rachel House, who is known for her roles in ‘Hunt for Wilderpeople,’ ‘Heartbreak High,’ and appeared in ‘Next Goal Wins.’ With her role in ‘Foundation’ wrapped up, House is preparing for the release of some high-profile and highly -anticipated projects like ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire’ and Taika Waititi’s adaptation of ‘Time Bandits.’
Read More: Is Salvor Hardin Dead? Did Leah Harvey Leave Foundation?
