Foundation Season 3 Episode 2, titled “Shadows in the Math,” updates us on the activities of Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell) and her mentor Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) as they work on Ignis. Since their victory over Tellem Bond (Rachel House) in Season 2, Gaal continues to undergo periods of cryosleep, periodically awakening alongside Hari to monitor the progress of her Mentalics. In this episode, Gaal and Hari discover that a new crisis is approaching more quickly than anticipated.
**Spoilers for Foundation Season 3 Episode 2 “Shadows in the Math,” now streaming on Apple TV+**
They understand the solution requires someone to remain awake, aging through the decades instead of using cryosleep, in order to dedicate their remaining time to finding a solution. To Gaal’s surprise, Hari insists that he should be the one to take on this responsibility.
Meaning, Hari will sacrifice himself to do the math that will help Gaal lead the Second Foundation through the Third Crisis.
When DECIDER interviewed Jared Harris, the show’s star, about Hari’s decision to relinquish control and sacrifice himself for the greater good, he confessed that stepping aside was actually the more challenging part of his character’s choice.
“This version of Hari has already sacrificed his life once,” Harris said. “He’s sort of demonstrated that he’s willing to sacrifice other people in pursuit of the plan and he’s also been willing to sacrifice himself. So that part, I say, it’s less a surprise.”
Harris went on to describe that the journey Hari and Gaal have taken together on Ignis has deepened their bond like never before. “He’s come to fully trust Gaal and fully understand that her abilities are at least an equal to his. She also has this other sort of magical ability, as well, that he can’t explain.”
“He recognizes that she’s somehow that all-important component,” Harris said. “That’s why her life span has to be extended. He has to make sure that he can get her to where she needs to be so that she can take over.”
When DECIDER asked Harris about the challenges playing two different reincarnated version of the original Season 1 Hari Seldon, he revealed there’s one he definitely likes playing more.
“I call him the ‘Raven Hari,’ the one that’s with Gaal,” Harris said. “You know, in a way, because he’s fully human, he’s easier to play, but also more satisfying to play.”
Elsewhere, on New Terminus, we’ve seen the vault version of Hari is getting ready to return to tackle the next Crisis. What we’ve seen of him so far is as cooly confident as ever, safely ensconced in his virtual world.
“The other Hari, you’re constantly navigating certain rules that have been put in place about what he’s able to do, what he’s able to perceive. What he knows, what he doesn’t know,” Harris said.
“You’re also bumping into this sort of idea that he’s a kind of all-knowing, you know, ‘Wizard of Oz’ character, which is not interesting to play. You’re always trying to figure out what’s a surprise to him, what doesn’t he know, what information is he misguided about?”
“Because that’s the sort of things that make somebody relatable, that makes them human.”
Foundation is a show that certainly stretches our notions of what makes someone human. Whether we’re dealing with the genetic dynasty of cloned Cleons or characters who sleep centuries away.
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