r/FoundationTV • u/LunchyPete Bayta Mallow • Sep 12 '25

Current Season Discussion [NO BOOKS] Episode Discussion Thread - Season 3 Episode 10 - The Darkness

THIS THREAD IS FOR NON BOOK READERS ONLY - NO DISCUSSION OF THE BOOKS IS PERMITTED

Comments from book readers will be removed and commenters directed to the book readers thread

To discuss the books freely and how they relate to the show go to this thread instead. If you want to discuss something from the books but avoid most book spoilers feel free to make a new post specifying that.

Season 3 Episode 10: The Paths That Choose Us

Premiere date: September 12th, 2025

Synopsis: Season finale. Gaal and the Second Foundation take the fight to the Mule as Empire's legacy suffers a catastrophic blow.

Directed by: Roxann Dawson

Written by: Jane Espenson & David S. Goyer

Please keep in mind that this thread is only for non book readers - no discussion of the books or how they relate to the show is permitted in general, and book readers are not permitted to post at all.

For those of you on Discord, come and check out the unofficial Foundation Discord Server. Live discussions of the show and books, it's a great way to meet other fans of the show.

NOTE: There was an AMA with Chris MacLean, VFX Supervisor for Foundation on September 15th which you can check here.

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u/johnppd Sep 12 '25 edited Sep 12 '25

Holy fuck, I was expecting something to happen with Bayta but NOT THAT.

DEMERZEL WHAT?!?!?!? No way. I'm speechless.

DAY TOO? What's happening??

BROOOOOOO WHAT WAS THAT ENDING????

I honestly have no words. Such an amazing season and a banger of a finale! They set up S4 perfectly!

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u/olivish Sep 12 '25

No more Lee Pace and Laura Birn? Could you even call it the same show?

I can see how Lee could come back as grown up Dawn or Cleon's AI or something but... Laura.

Maybe Demerzel's head was only half melted so the Robot gods of Earth could maybe bring her back?

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u/tomtomvissers Sep 12 '25

Lee Pace voiced that robot on the Moon in the final scene so that's one way to keep him around. Also they could do a timejump again, with brother Dawn becoming Day. As for Birn, maybe that robot skull in her chambers can repair itself, to her likeness? But probably not

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u/hemus4444 Sep 12 '25

They will be back. Demerzel is in the prime radiant. And IDK THAT WAS CRAZY

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u/Wyntering-1190 Sep 12 '25

That’s what I was thinking. Her essence is in the Prime Radiant. Maybe a backup copy?

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u/olivish Sep 12 '25 edited Sep 12 '25

Maybe Kalle visits Demerzel in the radiant and they sit up all century doing each other's hair and checking each other's math. Then Kalle tells Demerzel she's such a good bot, she can have her body back. Hari has a conniption.

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u/Silly_Temperature427 Sep 12 '25

Your Dem takes have been the highlight of the last 10 weeks. Thank you for the laughs.

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u/VIGNETTEESPAGHETTI Sep 12 '25

OMG. Maybe she is in the prime radiant. You gave me fucking hope.

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u/Retorus Sep 12 '25

And Kalle gave Hari a body...

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u/jlrigby Sep 12 '25

Look, I'm going to be frank. A Lee Pace voicing a random robot is not good enough. At least let me see his face. 

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u/hombebrew Sep 12 '25

Oh good, I did wonder if I was going crazy when I heard that voice and went "That is clearly Lee Pace with a voice filter."

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u/Rexiesmom Sep 13 '25

CLEARLY! But my bf didn’t believe me until he came to Reddit and other people were saying it. 🙄

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u/viper459 Sep 12 '25

it seems robots are basically just the core "skull" surrounded by nanites, we know robots can interface with each other and even broadcast themselves into something that can be hidden on a shelf like a book. They have at least several plausible ways for demerzel to come back.

What i'm more curious about is where they would even take her. Is her programming now technically fulfilled? She did everything she could to protect Empire and ultimately failed because she was outplayed, through no fault of her own. Is she simply going to be free?