Warning: Contains SPOILERS for the season 2 finale of The Ark.
The second season of The Ark differs greatly from the first, delving deeper into science fiction concepts such as alien planets and alternate realities. Along with new dangers came several tragic deaths, which served as a reminder that none of the characters are safe the dangers of space travel. The crew has finally landed on a habitable planet where they can coexist with other Ark survivors. However, humans may not be the only species to call the Trappist their home.
The final moments of The Ark season two sees Angus make a shocking discovery. While digging in the ground, he finds a slab with a mysterious message. The group is unable to translate the foreign language and their emergence suggests the possibility of a higher life. Co-showrunners Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner tease that although Trappist is an Earth-like planet, the potential third season will explore what other creatures might live among them.
Screen speech interviews Devlin and Glassner about Felix’s reunion with his daughter, Garnet and Ian’s relationship, and whether The Ark will continue to focus on space exploration.
The season 2 finale was the right time for Felix and Catherine to reunite
“It was starting to feel cruel to keep stretching it.”
Felix and Catherine finally meet again. Why did you feel the Season 2 finale was the right time to end Felix’s quest?
Jonathan Glassner: How long could the man have to look for his daughter, the poor guy? It was starting to feel cruel to keep stretching this out. If we ever found it, it would be on the planet.
Dean Devlin: Also, Strickland as a character probably has the strongest moral compass of anyone on our show, and he’s loved by the fans, and yet we put his character through so many things – such horrible things that he had to endure – that the character, the actor playing him and the fans rooting for him – they deserved it.
Kelly ends up rescuing Catherine and killing Maddox, which is a very different choice than the one she made in the last ending. Was this arc always supposed to close the circle?
Dean Devlin: Remember she’s not just saving her. She is saving her from her mother by doing what she did to her. It’s almost like she’s saving herself in that moment, which is, I think, what makes it so powerful.
Will the people at Ark One accept her from now on?
Jonathan Glassner: Maybe. At one point we tried that and discovered that I don’t think she’s earned it yet. She’s killed a lot of people and done horrible things, so she still has some work to do, I guess.
Dean Devlin: But she’s getting there.
Trappist allows Ark to continue exploring new science fiction concepts
“To a very real degree, all of Season 1 and all of Season 2 is the pilot episode.”
The crew finally found a habitable planet, but Garnet and a few other characters return to the ship in search of the other Arks. Given the title, is space exploration always intended to be the common thread?
Dean Devlin: To a very real degree, all of Season 1 and all of Season 2 is the pilot episode. That series proper picks up at the beginning of Season 3, because the Arc isn’t just a lifeboat, it’s a search and rescue vehicle, and now there’s a new home to take them to. But is the house everything they hope it to be? Are there problems in this house that they don’t know about?
And where are they going, where are they meeting people, and are they meeting who they’re supposed to meet? Or are they having other types of adventures? Who are they bringing back to the planet? So now we have a show that will be much less predictable than we’ve done before. It can’t be the “disaster of the week” and we don’t want it to be. It’s really going to be a series where whatever kind of sci-fi concept we want to explore, we’ll have a way to do it.
Eva, Brice, Alicia and Angus became very strong and stable couples. Is that why you chose to separate them and set them on different paths at the end of Season 2?
Jonathan Glassner: Remember, they are not permanently separated. The idea is for Arc One to rescue people and bring them back to their base. Then, barring disaster on both sides, they will see each other again. It’s just a matter of time. So we split them up just because it gives us a good conflict to play with next season and because you have to throw things at your couples in a drama. [Laughs] So that’s why, but they’re not separated forever. It wasn’t a permanent goodbye.
The last seconds tease the possibility of a higher life. What does this mean for the people of Trappist and its storyline in a hopeful third season?
Jonathan Glassner: I’ll tell you, frankly, for production reasons, we feel like we can’t afford to do a completely alien planet like we did in Episode 6 and spend some time there. 6 is the episode where we rescue the clones. So, because of this, it is an Earth-like planet.
There’s water, there’s a lot of vegetation. The chances of there not being some kind of life there are very small, so let’s focus on that. If that life is the creatures that made that sign and are still alive, who knows? We’ll find out.
Garnet’s feelings for Lane made her death more tragic
“We saw the chemistry last season, but they were so at odds that we weren’t able to play much.”
I want to go back to Lane’s death this season because it was difficult. Was it always planned for Garnet to fall in love with him or did that come from the actors’ natural chemistry?
Jonathan Glassner: Both. We saw the chemistry last season, but they were so at odds that we didn’t get to play much. So this season, we did it, knowing that it would make the death tragic when it came to it. So in that respect, yes.
When did Ian become part of the plan? Was it always there from the beginning?
Jonathan Glassner: One of Lane’s flaws was that he was a bit of a clone fanatic. And what’s more fun than making him discover that he himself is one? So that’s where the clone thing came from, and it gave us a way to keep Reece on the show because we love Reece.
What does this mean for Garnet and Ian’s relationship? She’s hesitant, but he’s clearly crazy about her.
Jonathan Glassner: Stay tuned!
Lastly, I loved that you introduced an alternate reality this season. Could there be other alternative realities and will we have the opportunity to explore them in the future?
Jonathan Glassner: Of course. We haven’t planned it yet, but things move very quickly in the writers’ room. So it’s certainly possible. It was a fun and fan-favorite episode.
More about Syfy’s Ark
Executive produced by Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner
“The Ark” is set 100 years in the future, when planetary colonization missions began as a necessity to help ensure the survival of the human race. In season two, after the brave crew of Ark One arrives at their destination and finds it uninhabitable, they must survive long enough to locate a new home for themselves and all the ships following them.
Check out our other interviews with The Ark Season 2 Cast:
All episodes of The Ark are currently available to stream on Peacock.
The Ark is a science fiction mystery series that follows the crew members of the Ark One, a spacecraft that seeks to find new places to colonize for humanity’s continued survival. When Ark One finds itself in the middle of a catastrophic event that results in a significant loss of life, the crew members must now survive with minimal supplies as they head to their destination and learn to fend for themselves as a team.