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?
come back Nolan .Best show on syfy
I want Defiance to continue, Syfy has a terrible habit of cancelling the best shows. Come on “Face Off” is still on??? Puleese, you cancel the best and leave the chaff. Shame on you if you cancel as I will cancel my ability to watch Syfy. If I want to watch Wrassling I will put it on USA on Monday.
renew it
We just discovered Defiance, having bought the first two seasons on DVD on a friend’s recommendation. We viewed the third on streaming video. I haven’t been this involved with characters in a long time. The detail is fascinating as are the premise, variety of species, special effects, and science underlying the plot. Beyond all this, the actors have rich material and rise to the script and beyond. Definitely rare. The dialogue offers so much insight into the multidimensional characters. The humor balances the tension and horror. I can’t imagine killing such a vibrant show. The actors are having so much… Read more »
I look forward to each week and would really be sad if it was cancelled
Love, love this show. So saddened when Nolan left with the doctor to find a new home for the blue monsters. Please renew it for more seasons. It cannot end this way. There are many other stories to be told. A great series.
i love the show and think it should continue even though it looked as the season finale was the end of the series. This is an innovative sci fi show and there are very few shows if this quality. So more episodes please, more characters, more aliens and please vary the themes.
Have just watched the final and can see this going in another direction with the characters. I actually loved the way the ending happened. And everyone going though there own personal issues and having their own human /alien growth.
I loved how the doc always plays a part of being a baddie turned good.
Dont cancel I love syfy
This show should continue. Great stories and characters. One of the best shows that we watch. Why do the good ones get cancelled (like also Warehouse 13)?
Dad needs to come home from the intergalactic bar and get the group going again.
Please renew series. I hope Nolan is not out of the series, but they have changed characters fairly regularly. Keeps it interesting.
There’s plenty of story to tell yet! We spoke to Kevin Murphy, The Defiance Showrunner, the day after the series 3 finale episode on the Voices Of Defiance podcast. He laid out many of the stories he wanted to pursue in a season 4 if the show was renewed. Doc Yewll and Nolan were going to return to earth with some time travel and Doc was going to become a skin job (You might have seen Trenna Keating already this year as the scared mother “Laura” defending her kids from Rahm Tak’s invasion). If you are interested you can check… Read more »
EXCEPTIONAL SHOW. LOOKS LIKES LIKE A SERIES ENDING THE WAY THE SEASON FINALE UNFOLDED WITH A LOT OF KEY PLAYERS BEING WRITTEN OUT. NEED TO FIND THE STORY LINE TO KEEP IT GOING. SO FAR THE BEST SY FY SERIES.
I watch and read a lot of sci fi. I feel Defiance is the best show you have on Sci Fi at this time can’t believe you’re going to end it. It has the best characters on any show.
Do not end this show. Nolan has to return. Him and his daughter have a pack to die together. He could come to some agreement with the omec and in return they could help him get home. And Irisa, Doc, Datak, Stahma, and alak keep the show going. This is one of the best SYFY shows on. At least 6 more seasons.
This is the best show. I agree that Nolan needs to come back. So many more stories to be told.
great show need more please don’t canclel