Defiance – Best Moments from the Season 3 Finale

Defiance is a show that people were wary about way back when during Season 1 but after three seasons it’s grown into what many consider a sci-fi powerhouse on par with Battlestar Galactica or Star Trek. Whether or not you agree with these beliefs is irrelevant as three seasons has allowed the Syfy series to speak for itself. A lot happened more happened on last night’s finale, but I wanted to take the time to talk about what I feel were the top nine moments from Episode 313: “Upon the March We Fittest Die”. If you haven’t seen the finale yet, I recommend checking it out before reading further as the following contains LOTS of spoilers.

“You’ve upset my wife.”
Datak continues to impress this season as we pick up where we left off. Kindzi has Baby Luke firmly in her grasp ready to eat the child as Stahma begs for her grandson’s life, offering up her own life in exchange. Despite Kindzi finding this a good offer, she resolves to eat the baby too. That is, until Datak Tarr badasses his way in and impales Kindzi’s head to the wall, breaking off his arm blade in the process.

“Here’s the plan, kids.”
As Datak barrels into the Lawkeeper office ready to go out guns blazing, everyone reassures him that Doc Yewell is back on their side. Just in time, of course, as the Doc dredges up what can only be considered suicide mission to wipe the Omec out for good. Sending a small team up to the ship using the Omec pods, they’ll be able to overload and blow the engines, but at what cost?

“You’re good with him.”
Irak or Alisa? I never know which. It’s no secret that Irisa’s been taking care of Baby Luke when Alak’s busy and we’ve seen hints that Alak is starting to get over Christie by falling for Irisa. Seeing her in the mission briefing entertaining his son pushes him to confront her and offer for her to spend more time with Baby Luke if she’d like. She does. Let’s hope they take this relationship further next season. It’s a good one for both of them that’ll help them both continue to heal.

“Drop the knife!”
While tying up loose ends before the mission to take the Omec ship, Amanda and Berlin come across an Omec hunting party seeking to take a few of Defiance’s citizens out for a meal. Literally. One of the Omec threatens the citizen if Amanda doesn’t put her gun down and Mayor Rosewater obliges, dropping her weapon. He responds deftly by stabbing her and quickly receives a bullet in the brain from Berlin.

“I’m sorry.”
While being treated by Doc Yewell, Nolan and Amanda again share a moment and a kiss three seasons in the making. Now off the team, Irisa resolves to take Amanda’s spot. Later, after the strike team leaves, Stahma and Amanda share a moment of their own where Stahma sincerely apologizes for all the bad things she’s done. Unfortunately, Omec break in, kidnap Stahma and Luke, and refuse to take Amanda due to her wounds. Fighting through the pain, Amanda picks up a gun and follows after, killing the Omec, and saving everyone, but not before collapsing from the blood loss.

“You’re a real person with enormous honor and infinite soul.”
After breaking into the strangely undefended Omec facility within the tunnels of old St. Louis, Nolan and the strike team (consisting of Doc Yewell, Irisa, and Datak) zoom up the ship in the coolest way possible. But that’s just where the fun begins. Nolan separates from the team to hit up the engine room where they’ll overload the engines and the other three head to the control room where Doc Yewell integrates with the ship’s systems by shoving huge cables into her artificial flesh. In one of several epic heart-to-heart moments made awesome by Doc’s one-liners (“Just stick it in me, sailor.”) the Indogene lets the pack know she won’t be coming back from this. Bidding a heartfelt farewell, Datak and Irisa rush back to the escape pods, awaiting Nolan’s arrival.

“When you’re right, you’re right.”
What sort of finale would this be if Kindzi hadn’t escaped her Datak-forged prison? Seeing the strike team blast off, she heads them off by returning to the ship and confronting Nolan one-on-one. Despite getting tossed around like a ragdoll, the old soldier puts up a helluva fight until Kindzi pins him the edge of an interstellar wood chipper, goading him with the standard, “You’re a killer like me.” Proving her somewhat right, he manages to stab Kindzi (again in the head) with T’evgin’s blade and flings her into the ship’s interstellar wood chipper for extra assurances.

“We’re going to Jackson.”
With Kindzi out of the way, Nolan meets up with Irisa at the pods. Datak takes lead and drops back to earth, but Irisa takes a step back much to her dad’s surprise. Irisa’s heart shows yet again as she vows that she can’t kill the Omec. With Kindzi dead, they can be saved, just like T’evgin wanted. Nolan agrees and they modify the plan. Cancel the explosion and save the Omec. But to do so, they’ll have to vent the engines the only way possible – by blasting off to space unknown. Stunning Irisa and tossing her into the escape pod, Nolan whispers an “I love you,” to his daughter before she’s transported back to earth and he takes his place at the helm of the Omec ship, blasting off into deep space.

“His other wish, of course, was to be a good father. Wherever he is, I hope he knows that dream came true too.”
Weeks after the event, Amanda (still alive, folks!) and others have erected a memorial for Nolan and the members of the militia who staved off both Rahm Tak and the Omec. Heralded as a hero by the people of Earth, they restore the arch to its former glory and rename it in Nolan’s honor as the newly-minted Lawkeeper Irisa narrates, letting us know that all of her father’s dreams have come true – getting his big space adventure that he’d dreamed about since he was a kid and becoming the kind of father Irisa could be proud of.

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