As a longtime fan of “The Orville” and someone who has followed Halston Sage’s career with great interest, I must say that Alara’s departure from the series left a void that hasn’t been filled yet. Her unique blend of wit, strength, and vulnerability made her one of my favorite characters on the show, and I still miss her eyebrows!
Just as “Star Trek” series I admire, Seth MacFarlane’s show “The Orville” beautifully echoes its spirit by celebrating the optimistic universe of space exploration. One aspect that truly captivated viewers, unfortunately short-lived, was the cast, and among them, none stole our hearts more than Lieutenant Alara Kitan, the original chief of security, played brilliantly by Halston Sage.
Originally from the high-gravity planet Xelaya, Alara boasts superhuman strength in gravities similar to those common among species in the Planetary Union. This makes her an excellent fit for security roles within the Union. As detailed on “Old Wounds,” at only 23 years old, Alara holds a senior position on the Orville before Ed Mercer (Seth MacFarlane) assumes command as captain.
Over the course of her tenure aboard Mercer’s team, Alara demonstrated not only her exceptional officer skills but also became an integral part of the Orville crew – making her departure during Season 2 all the more poignant. This farewell was made even more aggravating as both the show’s creators and actress Penny Johnson Jerald have been vague about the reasons behind it. Yet, with a fourth season of “The Orville” coming up, there’s hope that we might be reunited with our beloved character Alara again in future episodes.
Lieutenant Alara Kitan was a big part of what made The Orville so great
At Paleyfest when Halston Sage spoke with a journalist around the time Season 1 of “The Orville” debuted, she expressed her deep affection for playing Alara. “What stood out most to me about the script,” Sage shared with Shine on Media, “was that I had never encountered a character like Alara for someone my age before.” Highlighting Alara’s role as protector of the ship’s crew despite her youth and petite stature, she continued, “I think it’s everyone’s dream to portray a kind of superhero in some way.
In many instances, Alara’s extraordinary strength helps the team bypass unyielding doors. However, she demonstrates much more than just being a useful tool for opening pickle jars; her heroism is evident, as shown when she received the Sapphire Star for bravery after rescuing Ed and Kelly Grayson (Adrianne Palicki). Despite her valiance and wisdom in her duties, Alara struggles with self-doubt and remorse, such as when Officer Payne perished during “Firestorm.” With the encouragement of her Orville family, she manages to conquer these emotions and reaffirm her dedication to her position. It’s poignant how Alara ultimately has to depart due to health issues, making her eventual departure all the more heart-wrenching.
Alara left The Orville for a touching storyline reason
In the second season, fans of “The Orville” were saddened when Alara (played by Penny Johnson Jerald) had to abruptly depart from the ship, returning to her homeworld. This followed an injury sustained during Season 2’s episode “Home”, where she broke her arm, which was surprising given her Xelayan physiology. Upon investigation, it was discovered that Alara had been experiencing a severe decline in muscle mass, bone density, and overall strength. Dr. Claire Finn diagnosed this as atrophy caused by prolonged exposure to human gravity. Remarkably, Alara’s condition appeared to be significantly worse than usual, likely due to her young age when she left Xelaya. According to Dr. Finn, the only way for Alara to recover her strength is by returning to her homeworld and gradually readjusting to Xelaya’s gravity.
The Orville team experiences heartfelt news, however, it’s crushing for Alara. Although she is intelligent by human standards, she is seen as intellectually inferior among the Xelayans. For years, she defied her disapproving, anti-military parents who thought she joined the Union because she wasn’t good enough for a Xelayan education. Now, due to circumstances, Alara must abandon her aspirations and go back home.
Initially intending to focus all her efforts on recovery and returning to the Union promptly, Alara chooses instead to remain on Xelaya following her reunion with her kin. In a poignant farewell to Captain Mercer, she confesses, “You were my family, along with every member of this crew. But I’ve discovered something extraordinary in Xelaya,” explaining further, “I’ve already missed out on so much by being away, and now I have the opportunity to live it firsthand.
Alara did return on The Orville Season 3 – but could she come back again?
Even though Jessica Szohr’s character, Talla Keyali, takes over as Chief of Security in Alara’s place, her absence will still be felt. However, Alara’s appearances in the Season 2 finale and again in Season 3 have ignited excitement among fans about the possibility of her reappearance on the show when it returns for its 4th season.
In the Season 2 finale “The Road Not Taken,” the Alara we encounter isn’t the one we’re familiar with. Instead, this Alara is from an alternate timeline, resulting from a younger Kelly choosing not to go on a date with Ed, as first hinted in “Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow.” This alternate timeline is set in motion when Isaac’s time travel research brings a younger Kelly into the present, forcing her to confront choices she hasn’t yet made. In this darker timeline where the Kaylon have taken over, Alara appears as a Resistance fighter. Though the timeline seems to be resolved thanks to Claire’s paradox-solving abilities, since it’s one of two alternate timelines in the series, it leaves room for speculation that another Alara from the Rebellion could cross paths with the Orville crew at some point in the spacetime continuum.
It’s also plausible that Alara might rejoin her previous team, considering her vigor and well-being at the end of Season 3 during Claire and Isaac’s wedding (“Future Unknown”). While Claire notes that Alara can only endure human gravity for a restricted period annually, and Alara has accepted a position in Xelayan outpost design, much can transpire within such confined timeframes each year.
Alara’s actor Halston Sage said the decision to leave The Orville was not hers
Even though Halston Sage’s departure from Alara was unexplained, fans were quick to speculate about potential involvement between her personal life and the show. Many found it difficult to believe that her relationship with MacFarlane, who played a significant role in her exit, wasn’t a factor – whether she chose to leave or was asked to do so by the production. In 2019, there were rumors suggesting that despite their age difference, they had been dating for a brief period.
Despite speculations, it appears there was no strained relationship between the duo. No indications point towards Sage being forced out unkindly. In fact, Alara’s farewell episode was filmed prior to her public appearances with MacFarlane. Even when announcing the actress’ departure, Fox hinted at a possible future return for her character. Later in 2019, co-executive producer David A. Goodman stated to TrekMovie.com that they would welcome Sage back whenever it suited the narrative: “Halston is a friend of the show. We admire her and would definitely try to find ways for her to return.” Such statements suggest that Sage’s departure was not due to conflicts with the show creator. Sage herself debunked rumors that she left the series to accept another role on “Prodigal Son.” According to Sage, after the end of “Orville,” she was simply auditioning like any other actor.
Similar to how Alara’s eyebrows were altered before her prosthetic makeover, it seems that the creators of The Orville chose to take a different path with the character of the security chief. According to Sage, this decision was made with the best interests of the show in mind at that particular time.
Where has Alara’s Halston Sage been since The Orville?
After departing from “The Orville,” Halston Sage has not struggled to secure continuous roles. Right after saying goodbye to the sci-fi show, the actor was cast as Ainsley Whitly, the daughter of an ambitious serial killer, in “Prodigal Son.” In this series, she shared screen time with Tom Payne, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Michael Sheen.
Since her departure in 2019, Sage has made appearances in various films such as Mindy Kaling’s comedy-drama “Late Night,” a romantic comedy titled “The Last Summer,” and a brief role as Dazzler in the X-Men film “Dark Phoenix.” In 2023, she starred as the lead character in “Daughter of the Bridge,” alongside Marcia Gay Harden. That year, she also executive produced and acted in an independent film called “The List,” which revolves around a couple getting married who decide to fulfill their ‘free pass’ lists before the wedding. According to Deadline, Sage will also feature in an upcoming romantic comedy focusing on pets, titled “The Pet Nup,” alongside Jaime Pressly, famously known for her role in “My Name is Earl.
Given Sage’s tendency to repeatedly appear in rom-coms portraying powerful yet flawed queens, it only makes sense to reintroduce Alara on “The Orville.” With a spaceship as vast as the Orville, there’s always space for another Xelayan character.
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2024-11-29 22:30