Air Date: Sunday, August 24, 2014 at 10/9c on TNT
Rating:
The 2nd Mass has dwindled down to only a few, and there is dissension among them. Bickering about what to do after hearing what appears to be a distress message on a continuous loop – is it another Espheni trap or is their continuing resistance futile? Tom (Noah Wyle) tries to carry the burden of flying to the moon to destroy the Espheni power source all on his shoulders but it’s his youngest son Matt (Maxim Knight) that suggests everyone “draw straws” to see who actually goes.
Meanwhile, Lexi (Scarlett Byrne) continues her training to hone her abilities but things aren’t as they appear with her Espheni teacher. Will her humanity prevail?
Top 3 Moments of “Drawing Straws”
L-R: Tom, Weaver, and Cochise try to figure out the mechanics of the beamer before they launch
Moment #3 — Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe. It appears everyone—including Anne (Moon Bloodgood) and Matt—wants to throw their name into the so-called hat (which is really a Skitter skull) to see who will be chosen to fly to the moon. I think we all knew Tom would somehow find a way to rig the drawing but what’s interesting is he draws his middle son’s name, Ben (Connor Jessup). Perhaps it is a fluke or a mistake, but either way, I think Ben is happy to go. With the drama going on with his brother Hal (Drew Roy) and their mutual adoration for Maggie (Sarah Carter), I think this mission is the much needed distraction everyone needs. And, of course, there is the surprise fight between Pope (Colin Cunningham) and Weaver (Will Patton). After Weaver makes the wrong assumption about what Pope is actually doing with the names in the skull, the two start throwing punches. I know Pope can be a bit of a tool sometimes but when you find out what he’s actually doing with the names, it’s endearing. With his Sara (Mira Sorvino) gone, possibly never to return, he’s got nothing to live for. He thinks no one will miss him if he goes away. I always knew Pope had a heart under that shabby exterior.
Moment #2 — Jedi Mind Tricks. You don’t need a gun or blow torch to take down an Espheni overlord. Well, at least Lexi doesn’t. She’s got mega Jedi mind tricks, and teaches her Espheni instructor a harsh lesson in betrayal. This is the moment I see the humanity return to Lexi’s eyes. After drinking up the Espheni Kool-Aid like it was the only thing to quench her thirst, Lexi finally sees the Espheni for who and what they are. I know many people have criticized Falling Skies this season, especially regarding Lexi and her purpose. But I think this is her purpose – that even though she has alien DNA, and seemed to go completely over to the dark side, once the truth is revealed, she sees the light, so to speak. Humans make mistakes and Lexi is, after all, part human, too.
Moment #1 — The Prodigal Daughter Return. Nightmares and a serious reality check put things into sparkling perspective for Lexi. What she so adamantly believed was the right path for the human race has been forever tarnished, and the Espheni plan for peace is all a charade. Lexi marks her return to her family in an epic way! As Tom and Ben plan to launch, a group of alien beamer ships approach ready to attack. Suddenly, each beamer in the sky is blown to smithereens by an unseen force. Then, from the cloud of dust emerges a red cloaked Lexi who walks toward Tom, “Hello, Father.” Finally, she gets it!
“Drawing Straws” has a couple of Star Wars references. Like Pope telling Tom, “Sorry, I forgot your master plan – hijacking the Millennium Falcon out there and fly it to the moon.” While there are some similarities in the premise of Star Wars and Falling Skies, what Falling Skies does in this penultimate episode is remind you of the human spirit. Even in the face of the most desperate times, hope prevails. Even when you shouldn’t have any hope at all, finding it is the triumph of the human spirit to win over evil. But let’s play Devil’s advocate – what if the Espheni aren’t really evil aliens? As humans, we think we are the most dominant and intelligent beings around. If we traveled to a distant planet and found life there, wouldn’t we try to sway them to our ways because it’s more comfortable for us? Perhaps the Espheni are trying to do the same. They’ve proven to be quite intelligent and their technology is more advanced. Who’s to say the Espheni are the bad guys? What is their plan for earth? We still don’t have a clear idea of what they are actually trying to do so it will be interesting to see how the two hour season finale next week plays out.
What are your top moments of “Drawing Straws?” I’d love to hear from you. Please leave a comment here or tweet me @judybopp.
Tune in to Falling Skies, Sundays at 10/9c only on TNT.
For more on Falling Skies, go to http://www.fallingskies.com/.
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Judy Manning
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