Welcome Back The Ark Science Fiction Lovers,
The nerve-racking ninth episode represents a major, and enjoyable pivot in the story arc as we move to the conclusion of the first season of The Ark.
Our heroes must contend with a a full blown mutiny aboard Ark-1 subsequent to William Trust (Paul Leonard Murray) and his wife Helena (Mercedes De La Cruz) who joined the crew and passengers after Security Chief Felix Strickland (Pavle Jerinic) discovered that Lt. Spencer Lane (Reece Ritchie) had been hiding them in a secret room that also contains a library of biological genetic samples discovered in the two previous episodes “Every Single Person Matters” and “A Slow Death is Worse”.
Spencer becomes a reluctant pawn in the mutiny who is motivated in part by his loyalties to William and Helena after he was demoted for keeping secret that William and Helena and the genetic library were aboard Ark-1.
Albeit crucial to the survival of the everyone on their arrival for a new life on the colony planet, when and if Ark-1 safely reaches their destination, Spencer was obligated to inform acting Captain Sharon Garnet (Christie Burke) and Lt. James Brice (Richard Fleeshman) at the very least, of the presence of William and Helena on Ark-1.
During “The Painful Way” we learn the identity of the real villain, Kelly Fowler (Samantha Glassner) who has infiltrated their ranks using deception and is working with the people on Ark-15 that attacked Ark-1 and killed everyone on Ark-3! Interestingly, the mutineers who have acted, could sincerely be doing what they think is best for everyone on Ark-1. Is this not how it is in real life when people make mistakes following what they think is the best course of action, only to find out that their decisions were made without all the information needed?
The Painful Way:
Written by John-Paul Nickel and directed by Orsi Nagypal, the episode opens with William Trust informing the command crew that the Faster Than Light (FTL) engine upgrade has recharged earlier than expected.
This seemingly stroke of good luck will allow Ark-1 to proceed on its journey to Proxima B, but what of Ark-15 and it’s attack on them and Ark-3?.
Suddenly Alicia Nevins (Stacey Read) bursts into the bridge with critical information; that she knows the location of Ark-15, the ship that attacked them and killed everyone except Kelly on Ark-3.
A command meeting is conducted in the board room including Eva Markovic (Tiana Upcheva) and Dr. Sanjivni Kabir (Shalini Peiris) where they discuss the options that are available to the,.
The navigational information Alicia provided proves that Ark-15 appears to be preparing to ambush Ark-1 when it arrives at Proxima B.
While the team discusses options, William and Helena have shared that they developed a theoretical shield based on the FTL wormhole warp bubble technology that they claim will protect them from being attacked by Ark-15. Not all are convinced the shield will work since it has never been tested.
Most favor avoiding Ark-15 and Proxima B, instead using the FTL to set a course for the alternate colony planet, Ross 128-B. Although this option will add at least two years time to their journey, Sharon gives the orders to do so, but is stunned to find out that William and Helena have taken control of the Ark-1 computers and locked the FTL drive from use until Sharon agrees to their plan!
The crew is torn over this factor, but Sharon has given genius tech wizard Alicia an order to override the Williams FTL lock out and proceed to the alternate colony planet Ross 128-B in order to avoid the murderers on Ark-15.
Alicia is resentful with William calling her a “child” is successful in this effort to take control of the computers on Ark-1.
This only serves to enrage William and Helena. Alicia tells brusquely that “I am not a child” returning control of Ark-1’s FTL to Sharon who dismisses William and announces James and her decision to proceed to the safety of the alternate colony planet Ross 128-B.
Helena has a meeting with William and Spencer stating that they tried to “do it the nice way” but will now be forced to do things “The Painful Way” recruiting Cat Brandice (Christina Wolfe) as well. Helena and William begin the mutiny by meeting with various groups of people who revere William Trust. This factor is coupled with those who have been suspicious of Sharon since they discovered she was an illegal clone earlier in the series.
Meanwhile Angus our “plant boy” genius (Ryan Adams) is apparently being seduced by Kelly in his bio garden. Kelly is heard telling Angus that he is “the most important man on this ship”.
Unfortunately, Alicia comes to visit Angus and learns that Kelly has moved in on Angus who she has grown attracted to. We can see the pain on Alicia’s face even though innocent Angus is unaware of what is transpiring. Just what is Kelly really up to? Nothing good most likely!
The mutiny grows in scope with many aligning themselves with William and Helena. The situation degenerates with crewman William Mulcahy (Steven William Moore) and his aide attacking Sharon in a hallway. Sharon does not relent in her resolve forcing Cat, who has taken control of all the drugs in Dr. Kabir’s Med Bay, to help her deal with her addiction, grabs all a bunch of barbiturates using them to spike water and drug anyone who opposes William and Helena.
Naturally, the situation created by William and Helena tears the crew apart. Felix’s trusted aide Jelena Griff (Tamara Radovanovic), Cat, and even Eva, James lover join the rebellion is concerned Ark-1 will not be able to make the multiyear journey to Ross 128 B without a major breakdown.
The mutiny comes to a climax subsequent to key members of the command team being drugged. Felix by Stella, James by Eva, and Sharon by Cat during a therapy session who is forced to inject Sharon to overcome her clone enhancements. Spencer takes command of Ark-1 with Helena in real command in the captain’s chair.
Helena is with Cat in her quarters where we learn that they were best friends on Earth and still are. This changes when William enters unexpectedly and Helena reads the body language and uneasy talk about procreation couples with Cat have apparently scheming to mate with William to maintain biodiversity since Cat’s partner was killed in the initial episode. It becomes quite clear at this point that Helena, who has long known of her husband’s various infidelities, now realizes that Cat and William were lovers on Earth too! Cat goes to Dr. Kabir confessing she helped drug the crew.
In the meantime, we find Sharon, James and Felix locked in a space suite storage closet with Sharon promising James “if we get out of this, you get to be the one to lay Trust out on his ass”.
On the bridge, William is unable to control Ark-1 because Alicia has remained loyal to Sharon and locked down the computer systems. Furious, Helena encourages William to purge the oxygen in the space suit holding cell threatening to kill Sharon, James, and Felix unless Alicia releases the lock she has placed on the Ark-1 systems.
Alicia relents, calling William a “power hungry monster”.
Unknown to Helena, Stella unlocks the space suit holding area. On the bridge Helena tells William they need to make an example of Alicia by sending her out an airlock along with Eva and anyone else who opposes their plans. We are greatly relieved when Sharon, James and Felix arrive to retake the bridge arrest the lead mutineers and have them locked up.
Thank goodness that Helena’s time in the Captain’s Chair has come to an end peacefully with no one killed in the process of restoring order on Ark-1!
We move to Sharon, James and Felix who are in the board room deciding how to deal with the mutineers. Unexpectedly and completely out of nowhere, Ark-15 materializes from FTL directly in front of Ark-1.
Sharon orders the “Trust FTL Shield” activated but it fails proving that going to Proxima B to assault Ark-15 would have a suicide mission!
As we move to the conclusion of this nerve-racking episode, we have learned Kelly mades her move on Angus who has helped her repair an Ark-3 (actually an Ark-15) communicator that comes into play. Kelly has contacted Ark-15 and given the position of Ark-1 to them. Kelly uses the communicator again stating “Ark-15, I have him” using the pistol she appropriated on Ark-3 to hold William, Helena, Spencer and Cat at gunpoint to end the episode!
Next on The Ark is episode ten “Hoping for Forever” which occurs after Kelly’s true allegiance to Ark-15 has been revealed and the Trust’s are taken hostage for whatever nefarious purpose. Can anyone say Evelyn Maddox?
We will be back in the near future with more of The Ark as well as our favorite television series and movie analysis. In the meantime, please feel free to share this article with your friends, co-workers and or family and leave your comments! We look forward to you visiting our dedicated review and analysis web site here in the future! Or as many of our readers and visitors often do, visit TeamWHR on Twitter, or visit me on Twitter by clicking the text links or images avatars in this news story. I and TeamWHR look forward to Seeing You on The Other Side!“
Thank you. 
Best Regards,
Kenn of #TeamWHR
