Since Final Space: Season Three has been all but confirmed to be happening through some very coy toying with emotions, I thought I would take this opportunity to both reflect on what we saw in season two and what I hope to see in season three and, since I know that Olan Rogers hangs on every word that tumbles out of my mouth on the subject, perhaps he shall use my immeasurable wisdom to improve his highly entertaining television program.
Spoilers ahead. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
So, here we go…
Preserve Nightfall’s Legacy
Although the finale of season two was filled to bursting with profound and emotional moments, the biggest and most emotional was when Nightfall, the future version of Quinn, chose to sacrifice herself, offering herself up as the Sixth Key to free Bolo the Titan and allow Gary to rescue Quinn from Final Space.
In every sense, she gave her life so that one Gary and one Quinn could be together the way that her Gary and herself could never be and, folks… that was both sad and beautiful. Nightfall completed her life journey, came to terms with her losses, and committed one pure selfless act for the happiness of others that was perfectly in line with her character.
The problem with this is that, within ten minutes, Quinn is rescued from Final Space and reunited with Gary. In a sense, Nightfall’s time-clone has returned to the ship like she never left in the first place.
This loss cannot and must not be softened and it must be firmly established early on that, although they are essentially the same person, they are not the same character. Quinn cannot be substituted for Nightfall, she cannot take on her personality quirks… there must be differences to keep Nightfall’s legacy intact beyond the occasional, “Gary, I’m not Nightfall.”
This must be felt. The sacrifice must be honored.
The Team-Squad Might have Screwed Up — Don’t Let Us or Them Forget That!
One of the biggest question marks raised in the last couple of episodes of the season was that of the imprisoned Titan, Bolo.
Bolo, an incredibly powerful individual was supposedly locked up by the other Titans because he wanted to destroy them for their evil ways, but Cheryl, Gary’s mother, got a completely different story from another Titan who informed her that Bolo was evil and wanted to destroy the entire universe.
When Gary and the crew of the Crimson Light learned of this, they, of course, question if they’re doing the right thing, but ultimately decided to continue with their plan and release Bolo so he could take them into Final Space and rescue Quinn.
Thing is… they might have screwed up. What if Bolo is bad? What if he’s the worst Titan of all and Gary just let him go?
This isn’t a question that should be resolved in one episode or pushed to the side, this needs to be an important point that keeps coming up. Maybe Bolo can do something questionable at one point that casts doubts on their decision? I’m not saying that Bolo has to be evil or has to be good. I’m not so full of myself that I presume to tell the writers of this show to do anything! What I’m saying is, there is too much dramatic potential and too must tension in the question of “what if” to just let it go.
Let’s twist the knife a little.
Let’s Make Things Scary
While I don’t recall actually seeing the words in an interview or video, word is that Season Three is going to be more horror-based and, personally, given the nature of Final Space so far as a mass graveyard filled with what looks like veins, organs, and other gross nasty unpleasant stuff, I honestly think that horror is the logical place to go.
Final Space went to some supremely dark places this season between the grisly fate of Ash’s sister and Invictus possessing Gary and Avacato, turning them against their friends be exploiting their fears, insecurities, and anger… horror works on Final Space and it works well. Given that the story has been relatively carefree (for the most part), the horror seems to pack an extra punch.
Final Space needs to go all out now that the crew is actually in Final Space. The audience must be reminded that this is not a friendly place, it’s not safe, and that the crew is in real and terrifying danger the longer that they are there.
Lord Commander is Out There Somewhere
If there was one thing in the second season I missed, it was a tangible villain, the role filled by David Tennant’s Lord Commander in the show’s freshmen year.
The little guy apparently met his end in the season premiere, shish-ka-bobbed by Nightfall before his body turned to ash, but what was pretty obvious from both dialogue and the animation is that Lord Commander didn’t just die… his soul or essence or whatever you call it was taken away by Invictus.
That means he’s in Final Space somewhere and that means that we’ve got to see a reunion.
I’m not saying he has to be the big bad… heck, knowing this show, he might even end up as part of the crew for a while… I’m just saying that Lord Commander is a lingering plot that has been lingering far too long. I’m more and eager to see more of his story unfold.
Honor John Goodspeed’s Legacy
One of the ways that the Titan’s turned Gary’s already terrible mother against his this season was the carrot that John Goodspeed, her husband and Gary’s father, was alive and in Final Space somewhere.
Folks… I’m going to probably make myself a lot of enemies by saying this, but… I don’t want that. I don’t want to see John Goodspeed alive and good as new.
I want him to stay dead.
Or, at the very least, I don’t want him to return permanently. Find a shattered shell of a man that might or might not be him? Sure. Find a body and have a funeral? Absolutely. A living, breathing, wisecracking dad for Gary and husband ready to forgive Cheryl? No way.
One of the strongest episodes in the first season was when Gary went back in time and interacted with his father. It was a poignant, important, and beautiful scene, full of heart and genuineness in which father and son parted and said goodbye… that does not need to be cheapened.
As for Cheryl’s closure, borrowing from a theme of Bojack Horseman, not everyone gets closure… some don’t even deserve it. Life doesn’t work that way, unfortunately and, while there are miles and miles of stories that could be told from her quest for absolution and forgiveness, I don’t think that bringing back John is the best way to do them.
Let him rest, honor his sacrifice.
The Gay Character: Make it Different, Make it Special, Make it Surprising
Again, I’ve never seen the interview or video where Olan Rogers has said this, so I can’t vouch for the accuracy, but the rumor mill has it that a gay character is being introduced in season three and that there is a strong possibility that the gay character is one we have already been introduced to.
Time to put on my Sherlock Holmes hat.
Putting aside the real possibility that one of our characters might be bisexual, we already know that Quinn, Gary, and Ash are out of the running. Ash has expressed interest in Little Cato, Gary and Quinn are an item, H.U.E. and Ava have a thing, Cheryl is looking for her husband, and Tribore is in love with himself. That leaves Fox and Little Cato.
If a gay character is revealed, as I said in the title, it needs to be different, special, and surprising. Very little has been revealed about Fox’s backstory, but given his soft-spoken, highly sensitive nature, he would be the – in my opinion – worst character to give the role to, making him a stereotype. Besides, can’t a straight man be sensitive and empathetic without questioning his sexuality?
This leaved the obvious choice as Little Cato. He’s never, to my knowledge, expressed thoughts about women, he seemed genuinely uninterested/slightly repulsed by what he saw in the strip club in “The Set Up” and, frankly, I’ve seen enough fan art to know that this is what the Fantrexian community thinks as well. He’s a 14 year old kid, questioning his place in the world and who he is…. Little Cato would be the perfect candidate for such a story.
But, honestly… we’re forgetting someone.
Avacato.
Just like Little Cato, he’s never expressed interest in a woman, never made a comment towards a woman that indicated attraction, and seems oddly nonsexual towards them.
Yes, he’s got a son, but his son looks nothing like him. It would not be a stretch to reveal that Little Cato was adopted or, given Avacato’s history, even stolen during a battle.
We know nothing of Little Cato’s mother, she’s never been mentioned, Avacato has never even had a lonely moment looking out into the stars thinking of her.
It would be surprising to the entire audience if Avacato was revealed to be the gay character and, when it comes up on the show, it’s mentioned in passing and no one thinks twice about it.
In the future world of Final Space, something like that doesn’t matter and is seen no different than a guy being attracted to blondes over redheads. No one watching would see it coming.
Just a suggestion.
In any case, let’s not do what studio after studio has done… promise an LGBT character, make it vague to the point of barely existing, and then clap themselves on the back for diversity that never really existed.
I know a lot of very secure people are out there making the “why does every TV show have to have a gay character” argument right now, but I can assure you as a 13 year teacher who has had the pleasure/displeasure of getting to know dozens upon dozens of LGBT teens over the years, that kind of representation is very damn important to a lot of vulnerable people.
Bu so help me Glob, if it’s revealed that Clarence was the gay character, I will be so pissed.
There’s a Very Strange Family Dynamic in Place and It’s Glorious… Let’s Keep it Up!
When Avacato was apparently lost (again) after being possessed by Invictus and then shot, Gary – in a very moving gesture – offered to adopt Little Cato as his own son, making him and Little Cato a very hastily assembled mixed family. With Avacato’s return in the season finale, Little Cato makes the joyous statement that he now has two dads much to Avacato’s glorious confusion.
Please, please, please, please… don’t let this new dynamic fall to the wayside. Gary has put a lot of time into taking care of Little Cato and, in my mind, has every right to call him his son. Same with Avacato who literally died for him. Gary and Avacato has got to co-parent this kid… they’ve got to disagree, have squabbles, and accept the fact that they are all now part of a family that they can’t escape out of.
I’ve spoken before how, one of the things I enjoy most about Final Space is that the crew – many of whom are from broken backgrounds of trauma and abuse – have come together to form a family of their own choosing… this strange family dynamic just seems like the next logical and amusing step.
Fox Needs a Origin Story… Desperately
I’ve got nothing against Fox. He’s a nice guy, I like the idea of a living weapon crippled by greater than normal empathy and his injury in “The Set Up” and his subsequent struggle to sound the alarm despite his injury, put me on his side. What I am about to say is not a reflection of his character at all.
But, we’ve got to get some backstory on this guy.
Everyone on the Chrimson Light… is a fleshed out three-dimensional character with motivation, goals, and history… except Fox. Fox is a nice guy, but he is literally nothing more than a guy who exists at this point… a question mark with an arm cannon. Beyond the fact that he was adopted by Clarence and his people were at war with the Ventrexians, we know nothing about him.
I don’t know if anyone has realized this or not, but things are going to get very awkward with Fox in the third season with Avacato back on the ship… his hatred of Ventrexians is going to be more of hindrance with two of them — one of them a master assassin and former evil general — on board.
I want to know why he feels that way. I want to know where he comes from. I want to know what the heck his deal is.
For Goodness’ Sake, Give Avacato a break!
The dud has been killed, resurrected, given amnesia, possessed, forced to stalk and kill his friends, shot, and then resurrected again.
Can we please live him alone for five minutes?
Keep the Optimism, Fight the Nihilism
Yes, between The Venture Bros, Bojack Horseman, and Rick & Morty, nihilism is all the rage, but Final Space fights the trend by focusing on optimism. Forget that your friends are dying, lost, or possessed, and that your mom is your worst enemy… positivity is your greatest ally.
Don’t lose it!
Jason Gaston 