Falling Skies – Hope, but at what cost?

Death is a constant for the members of Falling Skies’ 2^nd Mass, but “Compass” was the first time that the audience really saw that explored on screen. To be sure, Jimmy was not the first character that we have lost; several important characters died over the three-month break between seasons, and others last season. But I believe this is the first time that a death played out in this way, allowing us to see how it would begin to affect characters for a good while. In an episode where the fighters and civilians were given so much reason to hope, this loss served to balance things out.

When Jimmy was hurt early on in the episode, the idea that he would eventually die from his wounds didn’t even enter into my mind. Jimmy served many roles in both the 2^nd Mass and on Falling Skies, but greatest of all he was the representative of fact that in this war, soldiers are born at a very young age. Hal is nearly a man grown and Ben’s story is much more about his time with the Skitters. Jimmy, on the other hand, was the boy who needed a compass to find his way back to base and that needed Maggie to get through the final battle at the school last season. He was also bonded with Weaver, and helped him through his challenges. Jimmy will be missed by all, but by Ben and Weaver most of all.

Ben had a rough go of things; not only did his drive for vengeance lead to Jimmy’s death, he also had several curious interactions with his father’s old buddy Red Eye. As I mentioned last week, I’m digging the idea of a specific alien antagonist to focus on, even moreso now that he has this connection to Ben. Obviously, Red Eye attempted to do something to the boy via the remnants of the harness, though it looked to me like he was successful – both times. He will undoubtedly be back for more.

Red Eye will have to turn his travels south, though, if he wants to follow the Masons and the 2^nd Mass – save Pope and Anthony. There was something just a little too Jericho about the sudden appearance of Avery Churchill and her stories of a new government in Charleston. That’s not necessarily a criticism; eventually one would hope that the 2^nd Mass would become a part of a greater group of people. But there’s something about this band of citizen soldiers and their charges, working their way across America that has appealed to be about Falling Skies. If Charleston exists – and the 2^nd Mass ever reaches it – will the show lose that feeling?

Now that I’ve finally become a fan of Maggie’s character, can we please give something for Sarah Carter to do other than flirt with Hal and follow him around pensively? She’s a badass, a phoenix risen from her time with Pope. She deserves better. Also deserving of more? Several years ago, Battlestar Galactica cast Luciana Carro to be a minor character. What her character Cat turned into was obviously a great deal more important. Can the folks at Falling Skies find something more for her to do than stand in the background of the Berserker scenes?

Notes & Quotes

• It was interesting – though I’m not sure how relevant – that the skitters looked after their dead.
• “Your boys will be looked after as if they were my own. That’s a promise. Even the spikey one. Unless, of course, he goes full skitter and then all bets are off.” – Pope to Tom during the kidnap attempt
• “Are you insane?” – Pope
  “I don’t know, but if I am we’ll have that in common.” – Mason

Clacked by Ivey West
on Jun 24, 2012 @ 22:00 EST5EDT