Introduction

Captain Dylan Hunt and the crew of the Andromeda Ascendant set out on a mission to rebuild the Systems Commonwealth 300 years after its fall.

The series combines elements of hard science fiction and drama, while dealing with social and political issues such as drug abuse, death, bribery, and intergalactic politics.

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Outline

Season five starts with an unusual premise. Dylan finds himself transported into the Seefra System – 9 identical barren worlds with superstitious population and 2 suns. Technology (especially spaceflight) is shunned, and water is treasured because of constant drought. Flavin, a Paradine, meets Dylan here, giving him cryptic hints about Dylan’s destiny and what Seefra is before disappearing.

Dylan eventually finds Nietzschean warrior Telemachus Rhade, pilot Beka Valentine and super-genius engineer Seamus Harper on Seefra, and to his amazement, they all arrived in Seefra at different times and locations. Harper, in particular, arrived three years earlier with the remains of the android Rommie. He tried to repair her but failed, eventually building another Android, Doyle, with some of Rommie’s memories. Initially he convinces her that she is human, but later her true identity is revealed by a rebel android names Argent.

Trance is also found, but she is weakened by her attempt to transport Andromeda and its crew to Seefra. She does not quite remember who she is and what she is supposed to do. Trance underwent a metamorphosis yet again; she is still golden-skinned but appears younger, and her personality resembles her first purple incarnation.

Andromeda itself is transported to Seefra as well, but it has no power and no way to restore it. Trance partially recharges the ships generators, but Andromeda still cannot move, and the Andromeda Ascendant Artificial Intelligence requires reprogramming.

The first half of the season deals with three main themes: Dylan’s conflict with his crew, his attempts to restore Andromeda’s power and eventual discovery of the true role of Trance and the Seefra system.

Rhade, Beka and Harper are all angry at Dylan for leaving them behind in the Battle of Arkology and for throwing them to Seefra without any way to return to Known Space. Their loyalty is strained several times, but seems finally reaffirmed after the intervention by Prieus, a Paradine sent by Dylan from an alternate future.

Andromeda’s power is eventually restored with ancient Vedran artifacts, but it is still unable to leave Seefra. Seefra seems to be located in a Pocket Universe, and the only way out is the Route of Ages. Although some characters come and leave through it, Dylan cannot use it.

Seefra 1 turns out to be Tarn-Vedra, long lost capital of the Commonwealth. But Vedrans themselves left it long ago, disillusioned with humans. Seefra 1 is the original Tarn-Vedra and Seefra 2 to Seefra 9 are copies of it. Tarn-Vedra’s original sun was somehow replaced by two artificial constructs, Methus-1 and Methus-2. Methus-2 is now damaged and emits deadly flares, which are the reason for Seefra’s drought.

Trance remembers her identity when she meets Ione, avatar of the Tarn-Vedra moon. She is the Tarn-Vedra sun. When she realizes this, her sun enters the Seefra system, and Dylan has to find a way to fix Methus-2 and evacuate eight doomed planets to Seefra 1.

Trance’s “sisters” (who call themselves the “Lambent Kith Nebula”), however, try to persuade her to join them. In their opinion the fate of Dylan, Seefra, or Known Space is irrelevant. Trance stubbornly refuses, and the Nebula attempts to replace her (all Avatars of the Suns look alike). Real Trance is imprisoned inside Methus-2, and it takes some time for Dylan to realize the deception and rescue her.

Dylan proceeds with the evacuation of the Seefra planets, although his plans are hindered by General Burma, a religious leader from Seefra 5. Burma is later revealed to be under the control of the Spirit of the Abyss.

In the series finale, the Vedran sun is back in its place and people are safe on Seefra 1. Trance then contacts the Nebula – the Lambent Kith Nebula, supreme council of the galaxies which includes fifty Avatars. Trance was once the oldest member of the Nebula, but disagreed with their views of organic life as something insignificant and left long ago. Together with Dylan she appeals to the Nebula and its leader Maura, who plans to destroy the Abyss by expanding the All Forces Nullification Point until it consumes all galaxies. This incidentally will destroy everything alive in existence; only Seefra will survive.

Maura refuses to reconsider their plans, but allows Dylan and the Andromeda to return to Known Space. When the Andromeda slipstreams to Tarazed, Dylan finds out that only four days have passed since the Battle of Arkology, and the Magog World Ship is crippled but still operational. Rhade reunites with his wife, Jillian Rhade (only to return to the Andromeda shortly).

Andromeda visits Earth (where Harper secretly plans to stay), but as soon as the ship arrives in the system, the planet is promptly destroyed by the Abyss. A huge Nietzschean fleet emerges from behind the debris, and Andromeda barely escapes.

Dylan begins to suspect Maura’s motives and soon realises she is the Avatar of the Abyss and that all of the Nebula (with the exception of Trance) are under its control. Maura had destroyed all Paradines (except Dylan). Trance annihilates Maura in a fight.

After a massive battle with the Nietzscheans of the Drago-Kazov Pride, Dylan checks the Methus Diagram once again and discovers that Trance’s sun is capable of destroying the Abyss. Andromeda returns to Seefra through the Route of Ages, followed by the Abyss. Trance manages to pull her sun closer and plunge it into the Abyss, burning it.

The Abyss is finally destroyed, and Dylan’s battle is over. The Route of Ages transforms into a slipstream portal, allowing the Commonwealth fleet to return to Tarn-Vedra, meaning Dylan Hunt is finally home.

Andromeda Series

You can find a full index and overview of Andromeda here.

• Episode 01: The Weight, Part 01.
• Episode 02: The Weight, Part 02.
• Episode 03: Phear Phactor Phenom.
• Episode 04: Decay of the Angel.
• Episode 05: The Eschatology of Our Present.
• Episode 06: When Goes Around….
• Episode 07: Attempting Screed.
• Episode 08: So Burn the Untamed Lands.
• Episode 09: What Will be Was Not.
• Episode 10: The Test.
• Episode 11: Through a Glass Darkly.
• Episode 12: Pride Before the Fall.
• Episode 13: Moonlight Becomes You.
• Episode 14: Past is Prolix.
• Episode 15: The Opposites of Attraction.
• Episode 16: Saving Light from a Black Sun.
• Episode 17: Totalled Recall.
• Episode 18: Quantum Tractate Delirium.
• Episode 19: One More Day’s Light.
• Episode 20: Chaos and the Stillness of It.
• Episode 21: The Heart of the Journey, Part 01.
• Episode 22: The Heart of the Journey, Part 02.

Production & Filming Details

• Release Date: 24 September 2004 to 13 May 2005.
• Running Time: 43 minutes.
• Rating: 15.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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