Last week on Foundation, Salvor gained control of Invictus, and she and the Anacreons are back on Terminus. Brother Dawn faces a hefty betrayal from Azura, and Hari Seldon returns. This episode, we learn how Hari wound up in the vault. Dawn faces consequences, and Salvor decides to pursue a major revelation. Read on to find out what happens in “The Leap.”
Warning: Spoilers beyond this point.
Hari Seldon Lives Again
The episode opens with Hari’s casket heading towards a sun, where it’s disintegrated then reassembled, transforming into the vault. On Terminus, he comments on the Anacreons and Thespins not attacking each other. Everyone should work together. He brings up their history (much to their annoyance), revealing that what they thought caused their conflict was orchestrated by the second cleon. He mentions the advantage Invictus gives them, and they can use it. Hari also learns Gaal never made it to Terminus. And shakes Terminus’ faith in him.
Hari assures all the work hasn’t been in vain. The Foundation is about people, not knowledge. He wants them to make the stories the Empire suffocated breath once more. He tells them how to use Invictus to stop the Empire’s investigations. However, it’s not a permanent solution. War is inevitable.
Before he goes back to the vault, the kids ask him if he’s the ghost. He explains how the casket and a pill he took several episodes earlier allowed his being to be destroyed and recycled. In turn, the vault was created. But he was still asleep. He woke up when the Anacreons came, and the null field expanded. He turns to leave and Salvor stops him. She wants to know why he sent her the visions. Hari doesn’t know her though, and he admits it wasn’t him.
A Legacy Destroyed
In the replacement clone room, Dusk and Day briefly discuss Dawn. Day goes to talk with Dawn, sharing how the rebels sabotaged his nanobot regiment. Dawn explains the ways he knew he was different from the others. Despite his sadness over this, he thinks there’s more to their lives than being perfect replicas. Day disagrees and leaves.
Day heads to where they’re keeping Azura. He frees her from her restraints, and they walk through the garden. Day tells her why he rules the way he does. He also shares that he wants to be better than the cleons that came before him. Day continues, asking about legacy, mentioning his and how he also views Dawn as his son. He says Azura ruined his legacy with her betrayal. He reveals that the Empire tracked down over 1,000 people connected to Azura. On his signal, they’ll all be dead, and so he makes the signal. He closes the conversation by telling Azura she’ll be locked in a cell, restrained and sensory shrouded for the rest of her life.
Rebuilding the Foundation
Mari and Salvor talk about Hari. Mari is upset that Hari withheld information and outright lied. Regardless, she still believes in the Foundation. Similarly, Salvor is also disappointed about Hari. If he wasn’t giving her the visions, then who? She feels that all this time, she wasn’t special. Mari reassures her.
Then Salvor finds Rowan, who’s working on a small memorial for Phara. Salvor apologizes and voices her respect for Phara. Rowan isn’t sorry, though. He offers Phara’s bow to Salvor, saying Phara also respected Salvor in her own way. He then asks Salvor to help plant an Anacreon tree, and she agrees.
A time-lapse shows the tree growing. Around it, the Foundation expands. The people really did take Hari’s words to heart. In space, a crew works to repair Invictus, and Hugo is their captain. They set the flare as Hari told them. For now, Terminus is free from the Empire.
Salvor Needs Answers
Hugo and Salvor sleep and Salvor has a dream of herself in Gaal’s body again. She wakes and heads out to examine the vault from a distance. A girl runs towards the vault, and Salvor chases after her. When the girl turns, it’s a young Gaal. She dives into the ground (simulating water), and Salvor approaches the vault. She wants to know who is giving her the visions.
Salvor goes to talk with Mari. The two briefly reminisce about Salvor’s father before Salvor rips the band-aid off and asks about “the girl from the water planet.” Mari reveals she only carried Salvor, but her DNA comes from Gaal and Raych. Salvor shares that she thinks the ghost kids are Gaal and Raych; she’s seeing their memories. If one of them was special, it would explain why she is too. She asks about Gaal’s cryo pod, but Mari can’t give an exact location. So, Salvor decides she’s going to go find Gaal. Tonight. Before she leaves, Mari gives her a whistle and the prime radiant.
Salvor reaches her ship, about to climb aboard. Hugo finds her just in time, though. They share a teary goodbye and Salvor is on her way.
Breaking Dawn
Demerzal summons Dawn and brings him to the throne room, where he faces Day and Dusk. Day shares about his trip to Maiden. And, as it turns out, he did learn something after all. He admits that perhaps it is time the Empire bends. This infuriates Dusk. The two get into a shouting match. As they argue, Dawn turns and hugs Demerzal for comfort. Just as Dusk declares the Empire bends to no one, Demerzal snaps Dawn’s neck, which silences Day and Dusk. She reminds the brothers that she’s loyal to the Empire. Dusk orders a replacement clone to be ready by breakfast. He and Demerzal leave Day to mourn at Dawn’s side.
Later, Dusk throws his tray of magic paint sand at the mural he painted of Dawn’s hunt, ruining it. Meanwhile, Day brings Dawn to be disintegrated. As he begins to cry, the Shadow Master finds him. He shares that there’s more information on the rebels’ DNA theft. They go to where the first cleon is, and Shadow Master reveals this plan has been in action for much, much longer, implying since as early as the first cleon. All replacement clones were sabotaged. Day realizes it means he and Dusk are both impure. When he’s alone again, Day uses a large candlestick holder to smash the first cleon’s case.
The Fate of Gaal Dornick
In the Blue Drift, 138 years later, Gaal reaches Synnax. Her cryo pod lands in the ocean, and she deploys a rowboat. As she does, she realizes only ocean surrounds her. The only trace of the planet she once called home is underwater, save for a partially submerged structure. Gaal begins to mourn when a flashing red light underwater catches her attention. She dives in to investigate. The light is coming from what appears to be a ship. Soon, she finds an inhabited cryo pod. She frees the person (who can only be Salvor) and brings them up to the structure.
The person stirs, and we see Salvor. But she doesn’t spot Gaal just yet. Salvor explains she crash-landed while she was looking for someone. Gaal asks who. Salvor sees her, and says, “You.” Gaal is wary of this stranger who was looking for her. Salvor introduces herself, reveals Gaal is her mother, and presents the prime radiant.
Foundation season 1 is streaming now on Apple TV+. Keep an eye out for season 2 news. In the meantime, find the rest of our recaps here, and check out our Beyond article for star Lee Pace (Brother Day) here.
