Salvation
The Plot Against America
Original Air Date: Sep 20, 2017
Vincent Chia – Staff Writer
vincent@thetwocentscorp.com
We end this season of Salvation with a definite cliffhanger. Looks like the creators were pretty confident about getting a second season for this show. We end with the asteroid Samson still continuing in it’s trajectory towards Earth. On top of that, we also get a man-made potential world-ending catastrophe. Two catastrophes for the price of one.
The episode begins with the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Pike being destroyed while it is sailing off the coast of Florida. The U.S. government has lost control over the gravity tractor since it was being controlled by the Pike.
In the Project Samson situation room, President Bennett is preparing military strikes against Russia. There were Russian submarines in the area near the Pike and military officials told Bennett that the Pike was sunk by a torpedo. Darius Tanz enters the room and interrupts Bennett’s order. Darius explains that the Resyst hacker collective managed to steal the Tess computer code and that code was used in a cyber attack against the Pike. Bennett (surprisingly) is convinced and stands down from striking Russia.
Grace, Darius, and Harris meet clandestinely with Grace’s dad. The four of them plot to kidnap President Bennett.
When Harris is back at the White House, he initiates his ploy to get President Bennett into the tunnels under the White House. Bennett is still planning to strike against Russia. He will not give Darius the 24 hours he had promised to regain control over the gravity tractor. Harris tells Rayburn that they should get Bennett into a secured bunker before Bennett announces publicly that he is attacking Russia. Bennett agrees.
Harris is able to get Bennett into the tunnels, where they are intercepted by Grace’s dad and a small team. It also appears that some of Bennett’s secret service detail were in on the ploy. Though, it wasn’t completely explained why Rayburn wasn’t with Bennett.
Darius arranges a cyber-meeting (or, an “augmented reality” meeting) with the leader of Resyst, who appears to be an elderly woman. However, I suppose that could just be some type of electronic disguise. The Resyst leader offers to return control of the gravity tractor to Darius if Darius allows Resyst to finish copying all of the Tess source code.
Darius restarts the Tess hard drives and Resyst is able to get the source code through the previous hack entrance. Resyst is true to its word and Darius regains control over the gravity tractor. However, Darius and Liam still have to figure out how to alter their plan to account for the fact that asteroid Samson has an iron core.
Harris takes Mackenzie to the Samson situation room and she manages to convince the ranking generals and admirals to recognize her as the true president.
Rayburn stays in the shadows and spies on Grace and Harris in the parking structure as they escort President MacKenzie to her limo. MacKenzie’s convoy drives away. Grace and Harris split up. Rayburn stalks Harris and holds him at gunpoint. Rayburn insists that what she did was necessary to protect the country. She calls Harris a traitor who has to die. However, Grace arrives and shoots Rayburn dead before Rayburn can shoot Harris.
A Russian aircraft carrier has exploded and sank off the coast of Finland. Russia believes the U.S. is responsible and Russia prepares for war.
Darius tells MacKenzie that Resyst’s plan is to have Russia and the U.S. annihilate each other. This plot is reminds me of the Vin Diesel movie “XXX” but I suppose there are plenty of movies with a similar plot. Darius also tells MacKenzie, Grace, and Harris about his salvation ark. He recommends that the top leadership go to the Ark and treat it as a bunker in case of nuclear fallout.
MacKenzie broadcasts a live speech to reveal that she is still alive and announces that Resyst is the true enemy, not Russia.
(Vice President?) Bennett is freed by unknown mysterious forces.
Before MacKenzie can tell the public about the asteroid Samson, her broadcast is cut off by an emergency message. The emergency message says that four nuclear missile launches have been detected and the missiles are heading towards Washington, D.C. The message recommends everyone in the D.C. area flee for their safety.
In the Oval Office, MacKenzie says that her sources have confirmed that there are intercontinental ballistic missiles heading towards the U.S. from three different locations. Harris says they can stay on the defensive, or they can launch their missiles too. Grace is disturbed by the suggestion of mutually assured destruction.
MacKenzie makes a call to the commanding general of NORAD and asks whether the missile launches could be fake information from Resyst. He says no. MacKenzie is taken to the command bunker but she orders Harris and Grace to take the Marine One helicopter to Darius’ ark. After Harris and Grace leave, the NORAD general asks MacKenzie what her orders are. However, we don’t see what her decision is.
People are filing into the entrance to the Salvation ark. They have 104 thus far.
Liam tells Darius that his profile was rejected for the ark. Darius says he knew. He also puts Liam in charge of the Ark. Darius says he will continue to work on the gravity tractor problem. Liam hugs Darius as they part.
Grace is surprised that Darius will not be staying in the Ark. Darius has a hereditary disease: Huntington’s. Grace cries and breaks down emotionally. Darius tries to comfort her. The two kiss. Grace returns to the ark bunker.
Darius plays a message to the people gathered in the bunker. In the event the planet becomes uninhabitable, there are enough supplies in the ark to last for 3 years.
Liam has a “Eureka!” moment while dancing and chatting with Jillian. She says that fear can’t paralyze them, it has to bring them together. Liam said “like magnets.” He apologizes to Jillian and says he has to tell Darius something. Jillian fears he will get locked out of the Ark bunker. However, Liam still runs outside. He tells Jillian that’s a risk he has to take.
Liam manages to catch up with Darius. He tells Darius that he has an idea about asteroid Samson’s iron core. There is still hope, although we do not hear what Liam’s idea is. (Except that it probably has something to do with magnets.)
So, we end the season with Liam and Darius in an elevator talking about Samson. It is similar to the first episode scene when Liam told Darius about the asteroid in the first place.
Will Salvation have a season two next summer? How will the plot be resolved? We’ll have to wait and see.
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