The Ark Visits Its First Alien Planet – What Happened, and How Is [SPOILER] a Clone?

As a lifelong fan of science fiction and space exploration, I must say that the latest episode of The Ark has truly taken my breath away! The way they’ve utilized VFX to place both characters into the same scene all at once is nothing short of remarkable. It feels like we’re finally getting a glimpse of what it would be like to explore the cosmos ourselves.

At long last, they stepped out! For over a season, the crew of The Ark had been confined to narrow spaceship hallways. In this week’s latest episode, however, Captain Sharon Garnet (Christie Burke) and her team from Ark One were finally able to step outside for something more than just a space walk. To put it simply, they walked on the solid ground of a real planet this week – a feeling that must have been truly exhilarating!

As a longtime fan of science fiction and someone who has closely followed “The Ark” since its premiere, I must say that this week’s episode entitled “A Pretty Big Deal” was undoubtedly one of the most exciting and thought-provoking installments yet. Having invested countless hours in the show, I was eagerly anticipating the crew’s long-awaited exploration, but what unfolded surpassed even my highest expectations.

For more on The Ark: 

1. Choosing Destinations for the Ark: Top Exoplanets Within 25 Light-Years

Which key character on The Ark just found out he’s actually a clone?

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Initially, the Ark One and its team appeared to be sailing smoothly at the beginning of this week’s episode, as they successfully repaired their damaged parts using spare materials from the deserted Ark Three. However, just when everyone was settling into a peaceful rhythm, a troubling distress signal emanated from the cryptic Ark 8 – an Earth spaceship that had launched into space when communication with Earth was lost by the Ark One.

That signal points to a rocky red planet known as Raynick-J, a radiation-soaked orb with a breathable Earth-like atmosphere. It might just be the final resting place of the Ark 8 crew, too, if Garnet and the rest of the Ark One squad can’t stage a super-timely rescue. As it turns out, the Ark 8 team is very much alive on the surface — though they’re hiding a huge twist that promises to turn life totally upside down for the ever-twitchy Lt. Spencer Lane (Reece Ritchie).

It’s quite fascinating to witness Lane’s startled response when one of the stranded Ark 8 crew members, named Ian, uncovers his mask, revealing an uncanny resemblance to Lane himself. Indeed, Lane is taken aback to find out that he has a clone, and what’s more, learns that he too could be a clone! While Ian appears thrilled at the prospect of reuniting with his long-lost lab sibling (considering he’s had an entire lifetime to accept his own cloned existence and is now being rescued, yay!), Lane experiences a profound existential crisis instead.

Ritchie observed during this week’s After the Ark aftershow webcast that Ian appeared to be extremely cheerful and lively as soon as he met Lane. If Ritchie had encountered an unknown clone of himself, he would have been quite taken aback and serious about it, but Lane seemed almost overwhelmed when he discovered that Ian was present!

A more suitable alternative is that, unlike what could have been an effortless plot choice, The Ark doesn’t eliminate Ian or abandon him. Instead, Ian along with the rest of the Ark 8 team (excluding the violent ones, at least) manage to board the Ark One as thankful refugees. This situation forces Lane to grapple with the challenging reality of adapting to life as a clone himself.

Though they may seem identical, the contrast between serious Lane and free-spirited Ian is striking. As revealed during this week’s broadcast by writer/co-executive producer JP Nickel, Lane is secretly a clone, while Ian just appreciates having a place to live. The creative team enjoyed exploring who Ian could become to irritate Lane without intending to, as Nickel put it.

Indeed, Ritchie took on double duties this week, portraying both Ian and Lane in various scenes where advanced visual effects merged the two characters together. Speaking with After the Ark, Ritchie explained that he approached Ian as the polar opposite of Lane, making each character unique. He also shared that playing Ian was like turning the world upside down a bit, but as long as he had his basic necessities – food, drink, and clothes – he was content and happy.

Time to explore: More about Raynick-J, The Ark’s first planet

Raynick-J could be quite a welcoming location if it weren’t for the persistent radiation, which severely restricts human life span to just a few days at best. It resembles Mars with its red rocks, but boasts an atmosphere that lets people discard their life support systems and roam freely while inhaling the wind-swept air. Although there isn’t much else apart from the remnants of Ark 8’s crash site, the breathtakingly stark landscapes make it an intriguing sight to behold.

In an initial scene, Lt. James Brice (Richard Fleeshman) demonstrates what it’s like when The Ark, after a long time, actually lands on an alien planet in a scene that vividly conveys the significance of this event. According to Nickel, he wrote something like, “Let’s all pause for a second and take note – we’re on another world!” Nickel also hinted that now that The Ark has breached one of its major narrative barriers, there’s no telling where the story might go next.

He playfully hinted, “This episode marks a fresh direction for the series,” and it seemed as if, if we could successfully pull off this episode, the possibilities for the rest of the season and future seasons would be immense. I believe we’ve raised the bar for ourselves now, during post-production, that they may end up hating us for the bold moves we’ll be able to make!

Wondering where the story of “The Ark” might head next, given its enhanced special effects in Season 2? This week’s episode added layers of intrigue: Kelly (Samantha Glassner) finally had a bomb removed from her brain, while the entire crew discovered a cache of Earth artifacts hidden on the dilapidated Ark 3 – including Brice’s new acoustic guitar. Moreover, the recent appearance of the Ark 15 crew members seems suspicious, particularly their interest in Eva (Tiana Upcheva). This developing storyline is bound to intensify as Season 2 continues.

Additionally, let’s delve into a few intriguing aspects from this week’s episode. The Ark One witnesses a catastrophic nuclear explosion at Raynick-J, which was meant to be the site of their second surface rescue mission. One might wonder if anyone could have survived such an event and if the genetically altered remnants of the remaining Ark 8 clones are safe to interact with. Will Lane manage to reconcile with his clone or will he continue to grapple with his angst? Lastly, what’s in store for Angus (Ryan Adams) and Alicia (Stacey Read), as they have just solidified their romantic bond with a passionate kiss on the show?

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2024-08-23 00:32