Big questions were asked on this episode of Falling Skies:
(Of course, Tom isn’t going for any of that hogwash and, when Ben is threatened by the creature, he shoots it. *heheheheh* I didn’t really expect anything less.)
These things have me churning. Will the discovery of what the alien force is doing end up turning out to be moot where humans are concerned? Is it possible we could find the invasion is a big, fat, hairy, juicy mistake on the part of the otherworlders? Is it further possible mankind could be shown a mutual understanding between the two factions without pissing each other off? Or is there something more nefarious involved? (Why else would there be a coup building inside the alien machine?)
“Molon Labe” was an “in your face” episode that steam rolled along with intrigue and revelations providing more questions than answers. But in good ways. In addition to the above, we got some interesting “closure” between Tom and Ben.
The intense discussion between the two was a long time coming. Ben still harbors “alienness” within him — it wrestles alongside his innate fear of being a lackey of the invading forces who could still possibly use him for their own devices. With this in mind, it was a nice touch to see the almost ferocious love Tom spewed at Ben during their tiff about him leaving 2nd Mass. Tom’s love for his son is evident; Ben’s adamance about leaving is just as strong-willed. So it was the bow atop the package with the last good-bye between the two, their mutual understanding. Tom pulled back the emotion and paternal need to protect his son enough to let Ben go.
Earlier, with the “come and get us” attitude of the 2nd Mass, I had to tip my hat to what the writers did this chapter, effectively flipping the bird at the aliens while calling their bluff. Nice to have the ace in their pocket of a captured Overlord to bargain with.
Onward to Charleston …
Notes:
Quotations:
“We need to think about what we’re going to do if those things get in here …” — Lourdes
“That’s easy: Die.” — Anne
“No matter what you do or who you are, something terrible is going to happen to you … all we have to do is wait …” — Lourdes to Anne
I thought this was the best episode of the season so far. It was action packed and moved the story forward in interesting and unexpected ways. It also paid off on some of the intrigue building in earlier eps. I loved it when Tom shot the overlord, even if it wasn’t the most thought through action, as pointed out by Weaver.