Twilight of the Idols

Andromeda Episode Review

In which Dylan needs new friends.

What Happened

Dylan and Tyr go looking for a lost Nietzschean Pride, only to be ambushed by the Knights of the Genetic Purity, those wacky bigots who want to wipe out all Nietzscheans everywhere. They are saved by a Templar assault squad lead by Constantine Stark, who claims to be the descendant of Dylan's mentor and almost in-law, Admiral Constanza Stark.

Stark invites himself back to the Andromeda, where he offers to let Dylan in on his next attempt to annoy the Genites by destroying one of their research stations and the deadly virus they are concocting. Mid-mission, Rommie tells Dylan that Stark left out some vital info: the virus only kills Nietzscheans.

Tyr finds proof that the Genites were once part of Stark's army, and Dylan confronts Stark about his lies. Stark admits that he and the truth are not exactly friends. Then he drops another bombshell: he isn't descended from Constanza Stark. He is Constanza Stark. He's been body-hopping for three hundred years, watching the Nietzscheans tear the Commonwealth apart and is determined to see them all dead.

Dylan sends Andromeda to lure some Genite ships into following them back to the station to attack the Templar fleet. He and Stark face off in the lab, but neither one is really in the mood to kill the other. Stark initiates the self-destruct sequence in the lab to prevent it from falling back into Genite hands, then makes his escape.

What We Learned

• Dylan hates ambushes.
• Tyr needs to remove his head from the gift horse's mouth.
• Michael Ironside is so cool... and he's Dylan's new best friend.
• Dylan needs new friends.
• How about that? They have the full blessing and support of the Commonwealth.
• Dylan got all his platitudes from Admiral Stark. Except the one about the one-legged Vedran; that one he got from Harper.
• Just over 92% of the human race has been genetically enhanced in some way.
• Tyr will try to contain his disappointment.
• Rommie needs to wait for Dylan's order before she's starts doing what he's telling her to.
• The cat's away and the mouse is on a revenge trip.
• Andromeda can fire 3600 missiles in fifteen seconds.
• We don't choose our duties, our duties choose us.
• Stark isn't in the business of destroying assets like Dylan. (Old Soldier Rule.)
• You can never have too many Genites inbound.

What Did I Think?

I love how just about everyone Dylan knew pre-Fall somehow survived the next three hundred years.  Seriously, what happened to all his boo-hooing about being the sole survivor of the Commonwealth?