Dominion Season Premiere – “Heirs of Salvation” Retrospective. A New Hope.

Season 2, Episode 1

Airdate: Thursday, July 9, 2015, 10/9c on Syfy.

Rating: ★★★★★

After watching “Heirs of Salvation,” the season two premiere of Dominion, I’m reminded of a quote from Søren Kierkegaard: “The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.” Although Dominion is primarily an action driven fantasy series, the main theme, faith, is hard to ignore, especially in its season two premiere. The angels’ rivalry against mankind, and the search for God, their “Father,” becomes a critical focal point—particularly for Archangel Michael (Tom Wisdom), whose murderous rampage in the season one finale, “Beware Those Closest to You,” calls for a road to redemption.

House of the Riesen Sun

Claire and David join forces. Is it a match made in heaven or hell?

“Heirs of Salvation” examines the chaos left in the wake of Alex Lannon’s (Christopher Egan) departure from Vega (formerly Las Vegas), and the lives of those left to fend for themselves in the turbulent city. As the prophesied “Chosen One,” whose destiny is to bring peace or death to mankind, Alex no longer fights his calling, but instead embraces it. Meanwhile, Claire Riesen (Roxanne McKee) takes a trip to the dark side with her new position as the leader of Vega. She resorts to extreme tactics, which produce devastating results in order to protect her people. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about Claire’s transformation from a somewhat gentle character to a ruthless leader. After watching her progression in “Heirs of Salvation,” I wouldn’t want to see Claire any other way; she’s extremely cutthroat. Not helping matters is Consul David Whele (Anthony Head), who is always up to some sinister plot, and with Claire in his crosshairs, circumstances for everyone around them quickly turn bloody. What I love about this premiere is the way it adds closure to some of the loose ends from season one, yet also transitions to new aspects of the Dominion world.

Two for the Road

Noma and Alex journey to New Delphi does not go according to plan

Noma and Alex’s journey to New Delphi does not go according to plan

When we last saw Noma (Kim Engelbrecht) and Alex, she had been captured by angels, and he decided to accept his destiny by making a trek to the Archangel Gabriel (Carl Beukes). I appreciate how the continuity of “Heirs of Salvation” doesn’t stray too far into the future; instead, the episode picks up where season one left off.

After meeting Gabriel, Alex finds himself in another precarious situation. When Alex is unable to decode the meaning behind his mysterious set of tattoos, Gabriel takes hold of the situation, and poor Noma pays the price for his mistakes. But just when you think Alex and Noma’s situation hits its critical point, all hell breaks loose and lives are lost. The rest of the episode follows the two on a journey that explores their camaraderie. Even though the hint of romance was heavy between them at the end of season one, I really enjoyed seeing the two of them paired as allies in “Heirs of Salvation.”

Sweet Home Alabama

Michael ventures into uncharted territory.

Michael ventures into unchartered territory.

Who would have thought Alabama would play a big role in Dominion? My favorite part of the premiere is Michael’s discovery of a farmland paradise called Mallory. Described by its leader Laurel (Olivia Mace), it is a place for spiritual refugees who still find God in their presence. This is the part of “Heirs of Salvation” that stands out the most. Amid all the violence going on in Vega, and the dangerous journey Alex and Noma find themselves on, it is Michael’s story of finding faith again with the people in Mallory that defines the season’s overall concept. In season one, Dominion depicted life in the absence of God’s presence as hell on Earth; however, in Mallory it’s quite the opposite. Instead, the people there find hope in the face of adversity. A strange contradiction about Mallory is that although God remains MIA, there appears to be a benevolent presence protecting the town. So, is it God? Laurel isn’t 100% sure, and refers to it as a “mystery.” I predict Mallory will be a game changer this season in the battle between angels and humans. Still, it’s my wish that whichever way the cards fall, Michael comes to terms with his anger and finds some peace again while staying in Mallory. I find his disconnect from what little emotions he displayed in season one to be unsettling. Maybe spending time around goodhearted people will make him find his true calling again.

Overall

“Heirs of Salvation” successfully sets the tone for season two, giving me the feeling we are going to travel to a lot of new territories, as well as encounter new foes. We finally get to see major characters embark into places only spoken of previously, like New Delphi, and stumble across unfamiliar ones like Mallory. As the season opener, I expected “Heirs of Salvation” to have some surprises but even with that hope in mind, the twists felt like a punch to the gut. I’m impressed with the way many of the heartfelt scenes flow with the violent sequences, like Michael’s moment defending the people of Mallory, and then later walking into a church searching for his “Father.” It’s a great juxtaposition highlighting the series’ strengths in weaving a complex story. That said, it wouldn’t be Dominion if there weren’t some startling discoveries and harrowing events—as a matter of fact, there are some significant ones that will have a major impact on the core characters.

Overall, “Heirs of Salvation” sets the bar high, blending the action and drama necessary to keep you on edge. If the premiere is just a sample of what we’ll see this season, I can’t wait to find out what else is in store!

What did you think of “Heirs of Salvation?” Let me know in the comments below or on Twitter @conallen.

Tune in to Dominion on Thursdays at 10/9c, only on Syfy.

Follow the series on its official site at www.syfy.com/dominion, where you can also watch videos and clips of the episodes. Also, like the Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/DominionSyfy.