Network: Syfy
Episodes: 38 (hour)
Seasons: Three
TV show dates: April 15, 2013 — August 28, 2015
Series status: Cancelled
Performers include: Grant Bowler, Julie Benz, Stephanie Leonidas, Jaime Murray, Tony Curran, Graham Greene, Mia Kirshner, and Fionnula Flanagan.
TV show description:
This TV series takes place in the year 2046. It’s a new Earth and there are new rules. It’s been more than 30 years since various alien races started arriving on our world. The landscape has been completely altered — terraformed nearly beyond recognition.
The mysterious Nolan (Grant Bowler) and his charge, Irisa (Stephanie Leonidas), come to the town of Defiance (which used to be St. Louis). As they settle into the town, events begin to unfold that threaten the fragile peace this border town has fought for.
Defiance is overseen by Mayor Amanda Rosewater (Julie Benz) and filled with residents like powerful Rafe McCawley (Graham Greene), enterprising lounge owner Kenya (Mia Kirshner) and the ambitious, alien Tarrs (Tony Curran and Jaime Murray).
Episode #38 — Upon the March We Fittest Die
So anyway, Kindzi killed Andina, knocked Alak out cold and brushed Stahma aside to get at tender little veal-like Luke. Now that Kindzi has the screaming ball of chubby in her hands, Stahma offers herself as a slave (sex slave, friendship slave, food slave, all the kinds of slave) in return for the baby. Alak rouses long enough to hear his mother’s sacrifice and be truly moved. He also hears Kindzi’s rejection of the offer.Fortunately, Datak has been hiding in the bushes with his fist-blade drawn, waiting for the most dramatic moment to enter. That moment is now. He stabs Kindzi through the neck, pinning her like a to-do list against the doorframe. She’s not dead, of course — just stuck — so the family Tarr decide it would be best to run like hell before she gets free. Hesitantly, wary that this could still be a trap, Alak begins to forgive his parents as they all drive toward town to stop the influx of Omec.Yewll, who knows a thing or two about Omec warships, devises a plan that requires four volunteers, including herself. Requirements: You must love Defiance, have a karmic debt to settle, be a little bit crazy, and/or have a little bit of a death wish. The obvious choices, in that order, are Amanda, Datak, Yewll and Nolan. And yes, Nolan has a little bitty death wish –- remember, it’s only a matter of time before the Votanis Collective gathers their resources from down south to scoop up the man who assassinated their beloved leader, so he’s mostly dead already.
Even if no Omecs kill them while they board the ship, set an explosion, and run away, they still have to pray that the transport pods are operational in the “Down” direction. But as they prep for the mission, Kindzi whips her earthbound crew into beast mode, and one of her soldiers slashes Amanda in the stomach. Yewll can’t let her sweet little crush bleed to death, and Nolan won’t leave her side, but when she revives and orders him to finish the mission that holds the town’s only hope, he complies. She knows he’ll be back and seals that certainty with a kiss.
Irisa says she’ll take Amanda’s place, and when Nolan objects, she hits him with that “Live or Die Together” mantra they’re both so fond of, thereby steamrolling any objection he may have. Once aboard the ship, Nolan gets googly-eyed at the sight of Earth from space, and Irisa has to be like, “Yo, moon boy, time to save the world.” She and Datak assist Yewll in hooking up her brain to the ship’s ark brain (bow chicka bow bow! Can we show that on basic cable?) while Nolan heads to the engine room to manually override the heating system, redirecting all of the heat into one strategic spot to get it to go BOOM.
But look out, the ship’s drones try to kill him! Yewll overrides them and saves him. But look out, Kindzi realized someone had been using her transport pods and got really mad and tries to kill him! Yewll can’t override this one; Nolan has to initiate a different kind of manual override –- with his fists! Luckily, he brought them along. They almost give up, but at the last minute, the fists throw Kindzi into the conveniently open hatch above the seething mass of gulanite that powers the ship, which vaporizes her like the cherry vanilla tobacco juice in those e-cigarettes the kids are so fond of these days. Poof goes the lady villain.
By this time, Datak and Irisa have plugged so many pointy cords into Yewll’s body and seen her lose so much vital fluid, they know she’s not making it back to Earth with them, a fact she knew all along but didn’t tell anyone so they couldn’t try to stop her. She’s part of the ship now, and knowing they can’t do anything about this, Datak and Irisa thank her for her sacrifice, say their final goodbyes and head for the transport pad.
Datak beams down, but Irisa waits for her pops. She tells him she’s not leaving — the people on board this ship are just that, people, no more monstrous than she or Nolan have been, and she chooses to save them. Nolan grumbles. Why does she have to be so damn ethical? He asks Yewll to redirect the energy from Explosion Mode to Propulsion Mode so they’ll blast into unchartered space to find a home for the li’l Omecs. Yewll hates this idea, but her prospects are severely limited, so she might as well.
Irisa runs to her dad to give him a big bear hug for doing the right thing. He returns the embrace with a blast from Kindzi’s Space Taser (our new band name) and places his daughter on the transport pad. He’s just a used-up war hero on the lam from the VC, but she has a future that he won’t let her waste. If she could move, she would surely fight back, but she can only listen as he tells her how much he loves her and how incredibly proud he is of her before he sends her back to Earth. Nothing like a father-daughter goodbye to kick up the dust in the room and make our eyes water!
Nolan makes for the captain’s chair of this incredible vessel, missing his family but filled with purpose and excitement at exploring the cosmos. Yewll will be his co-pilot as they sail through the inky blackness of cold space — remembered, loved, and thanked by the people of Defiance. (Courtesy Syfy.)
First aired: August 28, 2015.
What do you think? Do you like the Defiance TV series? Do you think it should be cancelled or renewed for another season?
unbelievable ending. Nolan saves the people who live by eating humans ? He thinks he can change them ?
Incredible series that could have easily went 6 or 7 seasons. Syfy network was too cheap to continue this amazing show.
Syfy really needs to do a reboot of Defiance. There was so much more to explore in that world. Even the video game launched ‘Defiance 2050’!!
This was a awesome tv show. I was so sad when it was cancelled. Wish it would be renewed.
I love my sci-fi series But really hate when they are cancelled! especially when you get really into them and all of a sudden they are canceled! please bring Dominion back
So sorry that this was cancelled. Agree with the other fans, doubt very much if it will come back gang, disposed of all characters, and they are now showing up on other shows or series. Alas, too sad
Seems to me that the people who watch SyFy in the first place want this show to continue so I think it should have another season to show the ratings are there. It does no good to disappoint fans who love watching this show and this channel so if the people in charge read these comments please rethink your decision as this is one of your best shows and I and many many others would love to see it continue.
Absolutely outraged that this terrific, entertaining, well developed and acted program was cancelled. REALLY!!! With the other trash that is out there, I was so excited for the new season. Totally disappointed and surprised. I had a reminder on my phone to make sure to set up a recording option on my new DVR. I love SyFi station shows and am VERY shocked by this decision. SO disappointed.
A shout out to the people at Syfy: PLEASE BRING BACK DEFIANCE!! This series was just too good to cancel so abruptly. I don’t care if it’s only a mini series or tv movie, just give us something Defiance!!!
Yes bring it back
Yes I love the show and yes bring it back
Please bring back Defiance it was truly the only show my husband actually would watch with me.
Defiance had the highest ratings of any show on Syfy at the time it was cancelled. So, why was it cancelled? The reason is because the Syfy network was too cheap to support the production costs! So, why didn’t they work out a cheaper budget to keep the series going? I have no &%$!ing idea!! Maybe they thought Sharknado movies were more worth it. Who knows. I would have to say that it was a colossal mistake in cancelling this show. Defiance had a huge and passionate fanbase. Out of all the shows on Syfy now, The Expanse is the… Read more »
I became totally immersed in this show early 2017 and could not stop watching.
I envisioned a new season with more character drama in the town, and finally
Nolan returning, with perhaps a ship of new ‘Aliens’ to introduce…the writers could of continued and fans to support, but alas………….so sad to end
I can’t believe it was cancelled. It was a very well done & thought out. It’s a shame to discontinue such a brilliant show. The characters are so different & complex with the story line of no other show. Syfy has missed out on a great opportunity of bringing in new viewers. We dressed as the Tarrs for Mardi Gras.
This show was so cool. How could they cancel it! Horrible decision.