Foundation’sseason 3premiere sees Brother Dusk viewing holograms, raising questions about their meaning. Actor Terrance Mann plays Brother Dusk inFoundation’scast, bringing the third stage of the Cleons to life. Dusk is the version of Cleon who has already ruled, whose remaining days are spent reflecting on history.
Foundationseason 3’s storyis based on the second part ofFoundation and Empire, one ofIsaac Asimov’sFoundationnovels. This includes the rise of “the Mule,” a mentalic warlord with plans to conquer the galaxy. The Cleon plot remains original to the TV series, making them the most unpredictable characters.
Brother Dusk Watches Holograms Of Previous Dusks Dying
Brother Dusk Is Preparing For His Inevitable Fate
Brother Day’sFoundationseason 3 premiere scene is fascinating for multiple reasons, but first, it’s worth breaking down precisely what he’s looking at. The Genetic Dynasty’s three Cleons maintain similar variations of the same format, meaning that,rather than dying of old age, the versions of Dusk are replaced when Day comes of age.
Dusk is immortalized by the next Cleon every time, but their human impulse is often still to survive.
In season 3, we findBrother Dusk examining footage of previous Dusks preparing for their deaths. While some step into the incinerator, others attempt to flee. This current version of Dusk watches and examines the implications of either action, claiming that when the time comes, he wouldn’t have the heart to make a run for it.
The Cleons are meant to represent long-term stability and perfection, butthe issue we keep seeing is that each one is still profoundly human. They are raised for one specific purpose, with Brother Dusk’s job in all cases being to pass away so a new Cleon can replace him. However, when that time comes, they still desire to live.
Each Brother Dusk has gone through being Dawn and Day, meaning they were once the acting emperors of the galaxy. Their lives are planned out for them as if they aren’t human, but rather just spokes on a much grander wheel. Dusk is immortalized by the next Cleon every time, but their human impulse is often still to survive.
Why Brother Dusk Envies The Mule
Dusk Admires The Mule’s Freedom
Upon the Mule’s capture of the planet Kalgan, Brother Dusk and Dawn share a dialogue about the implications. Despite being a man who’s ruled the world and whose name will live on forever, Dusk somberly admits thathe’s envious of the Mule, a pirate who “lives and dies on his own terms.“Cleon is trapped by his destiny.
The Mule may just be treacherous scum to someone like Cleon, but having lived a whole, unfulfilling life, there’s something Dusk admires about him. Dusk has ruled, but he’s never been allowed to live.He has never experienced the freedom to choose, and that’s part of what makes the Cleons such fascinating antagonists inFoundation.
