Foundation: The Genetic Dynasty Explained | The Cleons

The Foundation Genetic Dynasty Explained. The clone dynasty of the Cleons in the Foundation TV series on Apple TV+. Brother Dawn, Brother Day, Brother Dusk, and Demerzel. Please Subscribe 👉 bit.ly/PetePeppers
The Cleonic Dynasty is made up of three different clones of Cleon I who are decanted 30 years apart. Brother Day (Lee Pace) is the Primary Ruler and sits on the Center Throne from ages 30 - 60. Brother Dusk (Terrence Mann) lives a life of retirement after his reign from ages 60 - 90. Brother Dawn is the youngest and is mentored by his elder brothers from infancy until age 30 when he becomes Brother Day.
Eto Demerzel is the closest thing the Cleons have to family. She was tasked by Cleon I to continue his legacy and protect his Genetic Dynasty. She serves as a mother figure, their top advisor, and can sometimes become a lover. Because she is a humaniform robot she outlives all the individual clones. When they reach the end of their life cycle they become Brother Darkness and she oversees their euthanasia.
Foundation’s creators created the Genetic Dynasty to solve a problem. Isaac Asimov’s books move through hundreds of years so new characters are introduced all the time. Showrunner David S. Goyer has said that no one was interested in making an anthology version of Foundation so he invented the clones to have recurring characters in multiple seasons that fans could warm up to. This has proved to be a great decision and fans of the Apple TV+ series all seem to agree that they are some of the most popular characters.
Apple TV+ released Foundation season 2 on July 14, 2023. The show is an adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation book series.
More than a century after the season one finale, tension mounts throughout the galaxy in “Foundation” season two. As the Cleons unravel, a vengeful queen plots to destroy Empire from within. Hari, Gaal and Salvor discover a colony of Mentalics with psionic abilities that threaten to alter psychohistory itself. The Foundation has entered its religious phase, promulgating the Church of Seldon throughout the Outer Reach and inciting the Second Crisis: war with Empire. The monumental adaptation of “Foundation” chronicles the stories of four crucial individuals transcending space and time as they overcome deadly crises, shifting loyalties and complicated relationships that will ultimately determine the fate of humanity.
If you want to leave me a tip for my work 💰 paypal.me/petepeppersYT
About Isaac Asimov:
Isaac Asimov was an American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University. He was known for his works of science fiction and popular science. Asimov was a prolific writer, and wrote or edited more than 500 books.
Asimov wrote hard science fiction. Along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke, Asimov was considered one of the "Big Three" science fiction writers during his lifetime. Asimov's most famous work is the "Foundation" series, the first three books of which won the one-time Hugo Award for "Best All-Time Series" in 1966.
Foundation books:
The Making of Foundation Seasons 1 & 2 amzn.to/3Poic6e
Complete Foundation series - amzn.to/3lpOUnd
🚀Foundation - amzn.to/3qNxv93
🚀Foundation and Empire - amzn.to/3tlUTML
🚀Second Foundation - amzn.to/3eHgU4n
🚀Foundation’s Edge - amzn.to/2Q4u8Ol
🚀Foundation and Earth - amzn.to/3eElYqm
🚀Prelude to Foundation - amzn.to/3bNzq9w
🚀Forward the Foundation - amzn.to/3vxD7YA
🤖 The Robot Series - amzn.to/3dgN59c
👑 The Empire Series - amzn.to/3dbWDT9
I would recommend reading the series in order of publication as they’re listed here. I would advise against reading the prequels first.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:02 How the Clones Work
3:34 The Imperial Palace
5:45 Genetic Dynasty History
9:31 The Individual Cleons
16:12 Final Thoughts
👉Follow me on Twitter - / petepeppers
👉Follow me on Instagram - / pete.peppers
👉Join me on Patreon! - / petepeppers
👉Like my Facebook Page - / petepeppersyoutube
Listen to my new podcast with Courtney from Courtney’s reviews. Growth Decay Transformation - A Breaking Bad Rewatch Podcast
You can find us wherever you listen to podcasts:
Bald Move baldmove.com/category/growth-...
Apple Podcasts podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Spotify open.spotify.com/show/1fQeEC5...
#Foundation #IsaacAsimov #AppleTV

[@PetePeppers1]

Respect and enjoy the peace, and also the Pace. The Cleons are the best non-book thing the show added and it's almost hard to imagine what the show would be like without the Genetic Dynasty at this point. Let me know what you think.

[@philipbanks7730]

Yep, definitely the best change the series has made. Very much in the tone and spirit of the books.

[@heartofdawn2341]

I'm actually surprised it's not as it fits in perfectly and really sells the arrogance and hubris of Empire. I love it when the answer to a production problem like "how do we keep the same actors for the entire series when it span several millennia?" fits perfectly within the story itself and actually makes it better. Regenerations on Doctor Who are the answer to a similar question (albeit reversed), and it's hard to imagine the show without them.

[@harveybirdman593]

Wait Cleons / genetic dynasty isn’t in the books? That’s insane it’s essentially the cornerstone of the show

[@suzienkambule54]

I think they call them Exponents? Or did i get it wrong

[@blackgirlcouchreviews]

IA wholeheartedly. Fighting against oneself literally is just fascinating as all hell!

[@robertbaldwin5636]

Lee Pace IS Empire. His casting and his embodiment of Day, and the truth depth he brings to every iteration of him is one of my favorite aspects of this show. Exceptional casting is a true understatement.

[@DisentDesign]

mancrush

[@Sam-ey2ns]

yeah, watching that naked sword fight in episode one had me like, "Yup, I believe you could be the god emperor of mankind." damn, such a good actor with so much presence

[@robertbaldwin5636]

@@Sam-ey2ns I felt the same way.

[@erco9167]

He keeps surprising me somehow too. special stuff

[@shanedbunting]

​@@Sam-ey2nsmakes a mighty fine pie too!

[@dannyn.6933]

I was so surprised to find out that the Genetic Dynasty is an entirely original creation by the showrunner(s). The Genetic Dynasty and Empire parts of the show are so captivating. Every episode I eagerly await for their arcs.

[@PetePeppers1]

definitely added a dimension that would have been missing in a stricter adaptation

[@jroygbiv]

yeah it’s actually the most fascinating part of the show imo

[@PtolemyCeasar]

Asimov is like crack to a young mind.

[@Abmotsad]

So, here's what happened: Apple bent over at the waist, spread its ass cheeks, and gleefully sprayed the Foundation Trilogy with a firehose of soupy, chunky, blood-speckled, puss-filled diarrhea from its hemorrhoidal, fissure-laced, suppurating asshole. They should have simply - instead - exhumed Asimov and reburied him in a remote public park's septic pit so random strangers can shit on his corpse for a few decades. It would have been more respectful.

[@dash-x]

@@PtolemyCeasarcan attest this is accurate😹 Some of my favorite memories was my Da reading to me since I can remember, his collection of favorite Science fiction series. We’d discuss after each couple chapter of the books, and meanings. Of course I didn’t always fully grasp due to age, but as I got older and would return I just fell more in love with these worlds. He never feared introducing me to stories that may be out of my comprehension at the time. We’d even go to the waffle house where George rr Martin would meet with his friends each weekend to help each other with their stories in fact, and now he lives a block away from me😻🫶🏻 I’d never fathom bothering him, but I’d be lying if I didn’t confess to every time I went out and about I crossed paws that we may organically bump into one another lol ✨🖤✨

[@michaelhemara4887]

The Cleon's are 90% of the reason I watch. Observing the decline of empire and how they've contributed to it in a desperate need to cling to power is awesome to watch 😊

[@lawrencefrost9063]

100% for me

[@Chadius_Thundercock]

I always get bored when the show switches to anything other than the Cleons

[@mrxcs]

Same, that why I just liked the 3 last episodes of S2, I worried about S3, since it seems Empire will be gone.

[@michaelhemara4887]

@mrxcs In the books, Empire isn't mentioned much as the focus is mainly on the Foundation. The 'fall' just kind of happens in the background. In the TV series the showrunners know they're onto a winner by actually fleshing out the Cleon character and Lee Pace is definitely the sex appeal of the show, it would be a huge mistake to write Empire out in the coming seasons.

[@gyg8853]

Demezel is for me

[@rootregis]

There are times I think the show should be named “Keeping up with the Cleons”. This part of the story is so good that sometimes I’m more invested in it than all the Foundation stuff. Definitely a proof that when done right, some liberties with the source material can be taken.

[@Abmotsad]

They did not "take liberties" with Asimov's great work. They simple stole the title and wrote a tedious soap opera to gather ratings from the lower half of the intellectual spectrum.

[@homelessrobot]

can be, but if you are taking in the show as 'Keeping up with the Cleons", which the source material is not at all about, then this should suggest to you that you are not experiencing the original story. Im sure its a good story. It sounds like it. But it doesn't sound like its the same story.

[@Abmotsad]

Some?

[@0912sooli]

​@@homelessrobot I dont know why but the actual "Foundation" part of the series is kind of boring to me and too magical and unrealistic...Idk how it is in the books, maybe its more fleshed out or characters are just not intresting in both.

[@jeronimo196]

@@0912sooli well, when the best thing about the adaptation is not present in the source material, there are 2 possibilities: Either A) the screen-writers at Apple are that much better than Isaac Asimov, or B) they fucked up the source material beyond recognition.

[@grproteus]

On the name Cleon: As a Greek, I thought that Cleon was a reference to the Greek name "Cleon" (used in antiquity, Cleon was an Athenian General) - and the word cleos/kleos, which means glory in Greek. Further, cleos in ancient Greece was a hereditary property, meaning that it was considered bestowed by father to son and it was the son's duty to prove worthy of his cleos. Not only is it an anagram of clone, but the word and the name is charged with so many concepts that reflect the Cleonic dynasty. It is really amazing that this was not in the original trilogy, but an invention of the series!

[@peterg76yt]

It's truly beautiful how the genetic dynasty, although not itself the cause, perfectly symbolizes and personifies the stagnation of the Galactic Empire.

[@tirthdonda3891]

Cleon the 13th is my absolute fav Cleon. Sure he is ruthless and ambitious. He is not cruel, has the best character development, wants to be a real human. His whole arc is sad and mesmerizing.

[@alanpennie8013]

Yep. He's sympathetic as well as ruthless. It's upsetting to discover that many of his subjects don't think he's a real boy.

[@PetePeppers1]

What he did to Halima and Demerzel was absolutely cruel

[@janesgems7]

@@PetePeppers1 What Azura did to his 'son' was worse.

[@nadtz]

For a show that I think eviscerates the source material it's telling that I think Lee Pace is absolutely amazing as Cleon and the Cleons are 95% of the reason I'll probably keep watching the show. Even more amazing when you know they don't exist in the books and the Emperor is pretty much a side character.

[@Schlabbeflicker]

The longer this show goes on, the more obvious it becomes that the showrunners don't really care about the source material. I think of it as something akin to "Joker" where the producers just draped a Taxi Driver-esque character drama in a comic book guise in order to get name recognition and backing from a major studio.

[@clayongunzelle9555]

Honestly if it weren't for the genetic dynasty I probably wouldn't be as invested as I am right now. It adds to that's dystopian feel of an all mighty ruler. Everybody you know and will ever know can only speak of one leader.

[@GothPanda]

I've said it before: Asimov doesn't write stories. He has a story as an excuse to explore a concept and play with an idea. As a big-big-big fan of the books, I'm still amazed by the show, and how they're still able to change the details of the story completely, but keep the spirit of exploring the ideas present in the original work, updating them to work with modern audiences, and manage to keep everything fresh, while retroactively integrating all of the material from the original series. It's absurd how well they manage to pull it off. And, this is just the best example of that whole process.

[@braxxian]

Agreed. Foundation is a big ideas book not a character book. The characters a just there to push the story forward before they die off. Even Seldon himself is dead by page 30 of book 1.

[@eeyun5279]

A big budget episodic show was always going to be more character driven.. which is fine, adaptations are made to change things.. but I kind of wish they played more with the scifi concept of psychohistory. Just the general idea of it, big numbers of people reacting in predictable ways… as long as they don’t know about it. Cleon for instance knows about psychohistory, so it shouldn’t be able to predict his actions… but seems to anyway. I think there’s going to be a plot point where the current Day intentionally acts contrary to Haris predictions.. I certainly hope so anyway. And I really hope they make the Mule a 1 in 100 trillion genetic freak, so that he can truly be a threat to psychohistory by acting outside it as a true anomaly.

[@deangrubbs5376]

A genetic dynasty of Emperors is the ultimate narcissism. I like how the existence of the dynasty captures the internal decay of a seemingly perfect and all-powerful empire. Institutional narcissism is most often the core of declining countries here in Earth, Ultimately the invention of the Dynasty by the showrunners is doing a great homage to the Book Series.

[@carolbriscoe9337]

I like how the creation of the clones shows the stagnation occurring across the Empire. The clones aren't able to invent anything new. Nor can they suggest new fields of interest. Their minds are limited by what the original Cleon knew and experienced. By the second season we can see how the scientists of the Foundation have created knew methods of hyper space travel and moved beyond the Empire.

[@jeronimo196]

Great homage, indeed. The only greater homage I could imagine would be not maliciously butchering the source material beyond recognition - but the genetic dynasty is a close second.

[@chrissinclair4442]

Yeah, this cloning thing was something Jeffrey Epstein was working on at Zorro Ranch. God that sounds so disturbing to say, but it's true. The more you learn about JE, the more unbelievable it sounds.

[@ColoRADbro420]

The attention to detail on this show is top notch. I hope it doesn’t get canceled by the executive overlord genetic dynasty.

[@ryanconway2207]

I think the executives have suddenly realised they've got a hit on their hands with an attentive audience.

[@ryanconway2207]

Ironing is such an appropriate description right now !

[@ryanconway2207]

Hollywood must be like living in a Phillip K Dick short story right now.

[@ryanconway2207]

( apologies, I meant Irony ) lol !

[@Zotrax1946]

Seriously? Have you read the books???

[@wesleymons]

one of my absolute favorite aspects of the entire show!!! love the cleons!!! David Goyer and his team hit a home run with this one

[@CozumelTy]

Pretty ingenius!

[@clarkkent7973]

I agree that this is the best part of the show. The best part of the show is not in the books which shows the wrong people made this show. The writers are clearly more interested in telling "original stories" than adapting the existing books.

[@zakiya1635]

@clarkkent7973 sometimes books don't translate smoothly to television or movies without adjustment. What flows well in book form might need help to be a successful series. Looks like they made changes to help with the long passage of time that this covers. They did pretty well imo.

[@Abmotsad]

So, here's what happened: Apple bent over at the waist, spread its ass cheeks, and gleefully sprayed the Foundation Trilogy with a firehose of soupy, chunky, blood-speckled, puss-filled diarrhea from its hemorrhoidal, fissure-laced, suppurating asshole. They should have simply - instead - exhumed Asimov and reburied him in a remote public park's septic pit so random strangers can shit on his corpse for a few decades. It would have been more respectful.

[@nula370]

Man... Lee Pace is beautiful. I watched for him, and I wasn't disappointed at all.

[@gosnooky]

One thing I've noticed is that the "It's not like the book" people have disappeared. I think by now, enough of them acquiesced and watched the show and actually enjoyed it (who wouldn't?). I think they realized as I did when season one came out that the original source is just way too abstract to be a practical TV series. Since TV is such a different medium, liberties had to be taken to make it something that people will actually enjoy watching. The Genetic Dynasty is one such liberty that was so well conceived and written, it's hard to imagine the show without it. It's a perfect way to realistically maintain a character over hundreds or even thousands of years.

[@berlindude75]

They may have become quieter here, but there are several of them still trying to bomb the overall rating of the show by submitting pointless 1/10-star "reviews" on IMDB (and probably other sites). Petty immaturity on display.

[@fredumstadt593]

Don't get me wrong, I like the show, but to me it has little more than familiar names and settings in common with the original. Foundation the books are all about how the individual has little to no bearing on the course of events, as he is powerless against societal forces. Foundation the TV show follows individuals that have transcended death (a genetic dynasty, a computer replica, an hibernating time skipper, an immortal robot, and a reincarnated psychic) and want to steer the galaxy.

[@jeronimo196]

"I think they realized as I did when season one came out that the original source is just way too abstract to be a practical TV series." - Imagine if Black Mirror didn't have a core cast of reoccurring characters. Who would even watch it. Cannot be done. "I think by now, enough of them acquiesced and watched the show and actually enjoyed it (who wouldn't?)." - Or maybe they were over it by the end of S1 and are no longer keeping up with Apple's escapades. A franchise dies when the target audience become apathetic - so the lack of angry fans is not necessarily the win you think it is.

[@ReRe-yl6dq]

first time I can think of where the show adds something better than the books. The genetic dynasty is the most interesting part of the story for me.

[@eduardopimenta280]

The Genetic Dinasty is the best part of the whole show. I would watch an entire show just about their palace intrigue and that decandent court ❤

[@Abmotsad]

I like cheap soap operas especially if they have spaceships...

[@saturnv2419]

The three actors, especially Lee Pace, did an excellent job acting the same yet different person.

[@janesgems7]

Seconded.

[@kaihaeyaert]

I would absolutely love a spinoff show about the Cleons and/or Dermerzel

[@PetePeppers1]

Goyer mentioned pitching the idea for a robot era show to fill in more of Demerzel's history.

[@kaihaeyaert]

@@PetePeppers1 i really hope so 🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@rachelcoleman4693]

​@@PetePeppers1I sure hope so, Laura Birn is fantastic as Demerzel.

[@alanpennie8013]

​@@PetePeppers1 I'm certainly up for a Demerzal origin story.

[@PetePeppers1]

He talks about it in the interview he did with Bald Move baldmove.com/foundation/foundation-s02-david-s-goyer-interview/

[@datdudeinred]

The actors alone are doing great job too(lee pace is epic). Just like the actors of The Expanse. Great show. Not best scifi that still goes to the Expanse but good enough (wish the Expanse is rebooted as its 2yr contract by prime ends soon). Not to mention the sheer quality of visuals & audio especially the episode 6 audio was best ever.

[@sunchaser999]

I have no idea what the books are like but to me this is by far the most fascinating concept in the entire show. having a mechanism in place to cheat mortality in order to rule a galactic empire is so intriguing. Then adding an immortal AI as a fail safe!. Clever way to rule time and space. Day plays the character very well.

[@watchman835]

I don’t see clones being any inferior than the original. Each clone is an individual, fully capable of making all decisions. The inferiority is purely psychological.

[@user-jj4pm2wr6o]

With the episode in season 1 with the maden planet and him not having a vision I’ve always liked the idea that seeing nothing was the vision, seeing nothing was meant to be a challenge to him to do better.

[@bbbl67]

Yes, I noticed that Cleon is an anagram for clone too, I wonder which writer came up wit the idea to make Cleon a clone whether they thought of it because of the anagram? The Cleonic dynasty is one of the most interesting aspects of this show, even if it wasn't part of the original books. I bet Asimov himself would've approved, if he hadn't come up with the idea himself. They also seem to be borrowing a lot of ideas from Dune, such as having an emperor that's nearly immortal, such as God Emperor Leto. But the fact that the Cleons are only immortal serially, allows for variations in characteristics that perhaps a truly immortal god emperor wouldn't have. The Cleons are evolving.

[@berlindude75]

When they reviewed the source material in the writers room while developing the show and came upon the few mentions of an Emperor Cleon, one of the writers probably mistyped "Cleon" as "Clone" (auto correct?) which very well may have given them the idea how to tackle the Empire part over several centuries with the same three to five actors. That's my personal head canon at least.

[@BugRib]

@berlindude75 - Honestly, that probably really is how it happened. Maybe it was part of Asimov's plan all along. Maybe he was a real psychohistorian! (Okay, psychohistory doesn't actually work that way, but still...)

[@edbouhl3100]

Definitely a clever way to weave in the source material in a totally fresh approach. I also think Asimov would have approved. Just like the French author of ‘Planet of the Apes’ wished he’d thought of the twist at the end of the Heston movie.

[@bbbl67]

@@edbouhl3100 Oh really? I'd not heard of the Planet of Apes book having a different ending than the movie.

[@edbouhl3100]

@@bbbl67 Yes, in the book it really is a different planet and at the end the protagonist travels back to Earth with Nova and their little boy.

[@Antebios]

Lee Pace is a great actor!!

[@coreytaylor5386]

the genetic dynasty was such a fantastic addition to Foundation, it genuinely added so much to the story and made the universe feel so much more lived in

[@ronaldsantosjapan]

The Cleon story thread is the main reason why I watch this series.

[@carolbriscoe9337]

And it's in the 2 prequel books that Hari Sheldon was first introduced. The show has done a masterful adaptation of the books and creating the Cleon trilogy helps ground the history of the Empire

[@_Francis]

I never read the books but I like this show so much! Exactly what I needed to finally fill the GoT void. And Lee Paces's performance is simply unforgettable.

[@nationalsocialism3504]

It's hard to pick which of those two shows more utterly ruins the source material between GoT & Foundation... it would have been far better if they hadn't ruined Foundation to instead create something new to the Cleonic Dynasty in. That's the only good thing in the show and it's not Foundation at all

[@Dave_Webb]

I believe that if Asimov were alive today he'd approve and say that he'd wished he'd thought of that.

[@SlightlySaturated]

Please make a video about Demerzel. She's one the most captivating character in the show

[@PetePeppers1]

I plan on it. They’re has just been a lot of hints that we'll be learning about her history in episode 9. Wanted to wait so I could make it comprehensive.

[@isabellerunkledelavega556]

I'm a big Asimov fan, and have loved the Trantor story in season 1. The genetic dynasty, as you state, has contributed much, and was the best storyline of season 1. And I have been simply astounded by Lee Pace's acting skills, and his range - an actor I had not been familiar with until I watched the show. But the other Trantor actors have been marvelous as well. I'm wondering how long the series can HAVE a Brother Day around. Goyer has said until season 4, when we will see the taking of Trantor, if they are renewed. I am also enjoying the other story lines of season 2, and can only pray the show gets renewed - it is genuinely worth it.

[@benisrood]

If you like Lee Pace, you should try watching the series HALT AND CATCH FIRE.

[@hankthepatriot3733]

Having NOT read the book (by choice) when I heard this was going to be a series (didn't want to have any expectations going in) I am absolutely LOVING this series (my opinion) and this video does help me make the decision to read the books easier. It sounds like the source material won't exactly provide a ton of "spoilers" for the series, but could add to the world building. Thank you for your insights and work!

[@pikadasgalaxias306]

Don't worry about book spoilers. The series and the books are barely related.

[@Abmotsad]

You can just choose a random book from the library and it will be as closely related to the actual story as Apple's shitty series.

[@28sazid]

@@Abmotsad It is so shitty that you bothered to reply of comment on a video made made in the second season running of the show.

[@coreytaylor5386]

@@pikadasgalaxias306 but somehow, unlike all the other hollywood re-writes of old properties it works pretty well for the show and I dont mind most of the changes, though the whole planet of telepaths thing was a bit of a left field for me

[@roberttherrien352]

Read the books 50 years ago. Have to admit I could not see how this could be adapted to film. But lets face it its very well done and interesting. Goyer did it perfectly .

[@m3vm3]

I would have instituted protocols for inevitable change, meaning we cant expect the Genetic dynasty to last forever, so when things do drift there will be guidelines that will be introduced that will shape the next phase of the dynasty

[@braxxian]

The Cleon’s are the best part of this show by far.

[@Andy_Babb]

I love these Foundation explanation videos. I LOVE the series and _REALLY_ hope it goes the distance lol but it’s so, so, so deep and complex with so many moving pieces that it’s hard to follow sometimes. I _definitely_ do not want the creators to ever change that though. I love that there’s so much going on that I can still be entertained by following up with these kinds of videos. I know, I’m weird.

[@joso7228]

you are not alone in your weirdness brother

[@Andy_Babb]

@@joso7228 Thank you friend! It’s nice to know others actually share that opinion lol

[@kezzykizzy5386]

Never watch the expanse or battlestar galactica 😅 you will literally melt

[@berlindude75]

Excellent summary. As to the latest Empire developments, I am still somewhat stunned that there are no safeguards in this 400-year old clone system against a Brother Day deciding to end it all through marriage on a whim. Naturally, you'd think that Demerzel is the safeguard -- that is, unless she is complicit in its demise (which, however, seems contrary to the flashback scenes of her and Cleon the First in S1).

[@HannahFortalezza]

Somehow I think it'll be shown that she's become corrupted through general degradation or through some other group who have altered her.

[@marcofava]

At this point Demerzel is closer to the original Empire than any Dawn, Day or Dusk that have been kicking around

[@BugRib]

True. I mean, if you think about it, Demerzel is the one who's really running the Empire!

[@marcofava]

@@BugRib maybe not necessarily running it but the one that always keeps Empire Honest, as it was only after she bowed to that priestess in the first season that Empire believed her and took the walk, she killed a day to prevent his freedom from being a threat to Empire and she told the Dusk we are sure never treated her as a sex object/love interest what was really going on with the current Day, plus we rarely see her expose her emotions (which we must give credit to the actress to for being able to act as an Android while still showing emotion when it counts) except when something far out of the ordinary with the Genetic Dinasty is coming up (as in killing a Dawn or tattling to a Dusk) which is why I say at least in the TV show Demerzel is to me the most interesting character as she's seen them all, and as an Android she did say her memory never fades and can never be altered so she's the only one who would know when to act or when not acting would be better. She's essentially a mother, teacher, lover, carer and she's ready and/or willing to take all those feelings and projections from several iterations of Cleons while still serving all of them fully obedient up to the point of her destruction (as the last known member of her race as well) without question so, she's the one that know what the true dreams of the first Cleon were and I believe she's acting accordingly, she swore allegiance to Empire, again as an Android I do believe she chose her words carefully, she's loyal to the idea of Empire not to Dawn, Day or Dusk. Still great show and the performances by the actors are amazing

[@SlightlySaturated]

I love how in every image of power, centered on Empire, there is Demerzel on the side. This symbolism is really important.

[@arctan2010]

Well done, Pete. I only wish they provided more hints on who were really responsible for the Star-Bridge destruction. A one-and-done attack on empire just leaves us hanging. It’s subtle but clear Demerzel is playing a long endgame.

[@xmeng137]

Pete really top notch dive into the Cleon’s! I really appreciate that your videos are careful to not mention book spoilers, as I’m encountering the Foundation series for the first time via AppleTV+

[@PetePeppers1]

glad to hear it

[@jportega9404]

Yes the Cleons are the most interesting element that wasn't in the books. I'd like to see if one or some of them would become the ultimate villains. I like the Game of Throney vibes from them

[@raymondleonard5111]

It's such a great way of staging the show, keeping the story personal over hundreds of years, but the idea isn't completely orginal. In his 1975 book 'Imperial Earth' Arthur C Clarke writes about Titan being ruled by 3 clones of different generations. I'm not sure if the showrunners came up the the idea independantly or borrowed it from this book (the Novel is definietly worth a read for SF lovers)

[@venomousspecifics45]

What if Demerzel is behind the corruption of the genetic dynasty? After hearing Harri’s prediction that eliminating the genetic dynasty will postpone the fall of the galactic empire, maybe she decided that this was the best way to preserve the dynasty.

[@dalazul9711]

Except that robots aren't supposed to be able to kill humans.

[@SlightlySaturated]

@@dalazul9711Robotic laws are different in the Foundation show. Demerzel is now only bound by one law, “serve Empire.”

[@WegrennerX]

@@dalazul9711they are if it will save humanity as a whole. That is the fourth law. So let’s see.

[@marijapokrivac1582]

Or zero law: A robot must not harm humanity or, through its passivity, allow humanity to be harmed.

[@Gleipnir31]

​​​​@@dalazul9711She could by law zero break others, so if she think the genetic dynatie to be essential for humanity survival she could. ’’loyal to the empire’’ maye her law are alterated. Or a trick, she only see the genetic clones as true humans, with the genetic drift this can bring a big problem if they reach the point she didnt see them as true human.

[@jamesabernethy7896]

I've watched a couple of other short pieces on Foundation but the concept never really gripped me. Those touched on the show but were mostly explaining the books. This has been very different an very interesting.

[@waranghira]

There was no Cleon-Clone Dynasty in the original? Genius invention by the writers/creators.

[@Thoxxxik]

Lee Pace as Brother Day has the same lighthouse performamce within this show like Anthony Starr hits it out of the park as Homelander in "The Boys". Damn do I want to see them together in a show or a movie!

[@Turrican]

Best show around right now. Love it

[@sarahhandylamb1701]

Thank you for always putting out the content. Helps me to understand things about the show that i didnt know before. I always eagerly wait for your vids so thank you on fresh take on these scenes and conversations and relationships 😊

[@PetePeppers1]

Glad to hear it!

[@thomaswayne1852]

Thank you, Pete. Immensely useful and enjoyable. Highly recommend for fans of the show. I didn't spend the time retracing all the Cleons. Your effort here greatly improves my understanding and appreciation for the show. Again, thank you. Keep up the great work, brother. Peace.

[@konstantinkrastev4478]

best show on telvision in a long long time frankly foundation has the sad misfortunate of being on apple, imagine if it was on HBO

[@justin___]

These are really great; I'm happy I found them. It's quite the show to completely absorb and your summaries (and connections) make it a much better and satisfying experience. They've definitely made Foundation one of my favourite shows in the last few years. We'll see if the (currently striking) writers can keep it going! Kudos to them so far. I haven't read the books, but from what I can gather, even though the show is significantly different, it's merely an altered clone (if you will :) ) that stands up on its own.

[@jaybain4337]

This breakdown and ID of each generation of Cleons as they appear across the episodes is super helpful. Thanks! Love this series ;)

[@PetePeppers1]

no problem

[@CozumelTy]

Great work! I hope I don't sound crazy but your break downs are so good and I am so busy that some times I skip episodes and watch your break downs instead. Thank you and please keep them coming. :-)

[@ugoeze7360]

Ending the breakdown with the freeze frame of Brother Day is just *chef’s kiss*

[@gustavoboscardin9351]

Personally, I like to call the ascension ceremony "ashcension"

[@PetePeppers1]

haha

[@alexandrasandu3947]

This made me laugh a lot more than it should have. Especially b/c I keep trying to pronounce it and I CAN"T LOL

[@bioglassmusic]

great recaps. just about to read forward the foundation. I am glued to the tv show though. The quality of production and writing Goyer has given in his interpretation has exceeded anything I could have hoped for.

[@djash7161]

OMG we needed this episode of Pete Peppers Brilliantly Presented

[@SwamiRabbi]

This video is awesome. One of the best breakdowns of any show I've seen, keep up the amazing work..

[@naomiseedberg2245]

I haven't seen the series. Re-reading the entire series in order. Enjoying these videos. Demerzel is male in Prelude to Foundation.

[@jkris1947]

this is the best sci-fci show analysis on youtube! Thanks for your videos!!

[@alanpennie8013]

Asimov provided the template by giving us holo - Hari. But the genetic dynasty is definitely a fun extension of the idea

[@aRED_wheelbarrow]

OMG this is perfect to tide me over until the next episode.

[@slypear]

Thank you for this! Up to S02E07 now, and this recap is awesomely informative~

[@jp3dro]

Thank you for your videos, incredible editing and research work. 🙌🏻

[@Spaceman_Spiff]

Your videos are always super helpful. Keep it up!

[@gr8tbigtreehugger]

Many thanks for this excellent and insightful character analysis!

[@GordonChil]

Thanks for this. I didn't realize that Cleon was an anagram for clone. Wow!

[@Lightwish01]

@Pete Peppers - I am making this post a few days after you posted this video, and I must say its fantastic! Foundation is hands down my new favorite tv show by far!! It doesnt seem like any other KZbinrs have decided to make content like this beyond yourself and I am grateful for it!! I even showed up to watch your Mid-Season discussion the other day and that was amazing also! Since you seem to be leading the charge on KZbin with this show, I am hoping that you will continue to give it the attention and priority it deserves by continuing to do so! Really I can seem to get enough of Foundation content, be it from Apple or from yourself on KZbin itself. I suppose I should subscribe to your channel now (done) so that I can continue to watch your content. Raised by Wolves was my favorite show up until the surprise by the makers of the show who in their misplaced wisdom cancelled it. I would hate for Foundation to receive that same treatment. I for one will be looking for more Foundation Content on your channel!! I will keep my eyes peeled for it since I dont like notifications. Thank you for your efforts on this one and please keep going strong with Foundation!!

[@artboymoy]

Not being a book reader, I really enjoy this series. The Genetic Dynasty is a great concept and htey've been making it work for me.

[@triciaelder0517]

Just realized... how did they not know or find out that the one dawn cleon was color blind when he was a child? Isn't colors something all kids learn early in their childhood? There's no way they shouldn't have noticed

[@berlindude75]

It may have been a gradual development that only fully manifested after childhood. Also, I think he wasn't entirely color blind, just couldn't distinguish the color red in particular (cf. real-life deuteranopia, the most common red-green color vision deficiency).

[@janetgriffin7779]

This is great, you really explained some things I was missing since I haven’t read the books yet. Thanks!!

[@maerchenstunde8046]

Your videos about this stuff makes it all so more interesting, can`t wait for the next one!

[@PetePeppers1]

Hopefully I'll be able to do a fairly comprehensive Demerzel video after the next couple of episodes.

[@markusk2289]

The cleonic scenes are my favorite ones in pretty much every episode.

[@erwinthedodo9205]

The genetic dynasty is such a cool concept

[@fashb2k]

I was intrigued by this show from the beginning till end. That rarely happens...I rarely watch TV but this was just intellectual stimulating

[@jimmyolsenblues]

this video is so good Apple should hire you. No exaggeration. Great job of editing.

[@harvey1965]

Watching this excellent video essay highlights how spectacular this production looks and the thought, effort and money which has gone into its creation.

[@coolkoreamag]

Fabulous video to resume what the show is about : as a videographer myself I can't imagine how many hours you must have worked on this : just brilliant man !!!

[@SimpleGeekReviews]

I'm glad you're okay with the book changes. So many people get upset that a book turned into a TV series or movie ends up 'wrong' in their opinion. Its two different mediums, rarely can you actually get it to translate well (and even then, you have to have the right people doing it - see Good Omens). But with Foundation being a series of stories and novels, written decades ago, and the creator no longer with us, we have to just enjoy what these showrunner and writers are giving us. I think they are paying great homage to the books, with their changes actually working out for the best. We get better understanding of characters, settings, different time periods. And the Genetic Dynasty is an amazing addition. Plus it prevents the whole 'oh hey everyone in your family resembles you' trope that happens in a lot of shows that utilize the same actor to portray different characters within a family. Plus Pace. C'mon man. Look at him!

[@nationalsocialism3504]

It's fucking awful and a travesty to pretend that this show is actually Foundation... the best part and only redeeming thing in the show is the Cleonic Dynasty & that has nothing to do with Foundation series. Ruining Foundation just makes the show bad since all the parts devoted to doing that is taking away from the far more interesting dynamics of Cleon/Empire that the showrunners have created.

[@zachhoff9876]

Love the video! Thanks Pete

[@micronoid]

Holly crap i didn't even notice Cleon is an anagram for clone, I was just thinking Cleon from ancient Greece.

[@Chris-gn3bo]

Good breakdown man, thank you!

[@aperson22222]

It would be interesting to see the final Cleons on Neotrantor in the same role as the final Dagoberts. Maybe only two of them escaped the Great Sack so there’s no longer a Dawn; or rather, the elder insists on continuing to be Day when he’s past sixty since they can’t go through the succession ritual. You could have Mann playing the doddering old fool and Pace seething with resentment at being held back. Unlike the last emperor, the crown prince in F&E accepted that the empire had fallen and he would inherit only a rump state, and tried to take the world as he found it. It would be interesting to see Pace finally accept that the fall of Empire had indeed occurred as promised, with the added irony that it was deviation from the Seldon Plan that finally did them in. Of course, it would be a rather bitter thing to leave off the show’s breakout character on a note of being killed while attempting to rape someone. Nor does the show’s version of the Mule strike me as someone who would risk exposing his Achilles heel in order to protect a would-be rape victim.

[@TheCorrodedMan]

My assumption was that the genetic dynasty was meant to be Demerzal’s “family,” since she can’t have children of her own and Cleon the first clearly loved her and wanted to give her a family, so he created the genetic dynasty to kill two birds with one stone; on the one hand, she would always have a family with children to love her and to take care of, and on the other, cleon would always be there with her, meaning she would never forget the man she loved.

[@PetePeppers1]

I suppose we'll be finding out before this season is over. It sounds like Episode 9 will provide some details about Demerzel's origin story.

[@jguo52]

Great video as always. Thanks Pete ❤

[@PetePeppers1]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@BonChanSama]

This is one of the best parts of the show imo

[@MretMaung]

Thanks for the explanation.

[@thatsminger9433]

Great video!

[@Harkness197]

This show looks bloody awesome!!

[@toffylikesgames]

The Empire in the series is absolutely fascinating. It's so well done, and I think it builds a great bridge from the sentiment of the Robot series to Foundation series in the books. It was all about the decay and stagnation, on the side of Spacers as well as people on Earth. And the cycle repeats itself here and ***SPOILERS FOR THE BOOKS*** . . . . Demerzel, aka Daneel, has to watch this happen over and over again. I think about it often, the way Demerzel has to carry that knowledge, that lesson, into a new age. And how many new ages have there been already. After all, Elijah Bailey's final words about the importance of humanity as a whole were a huge accelerator to Daneel's consciousness and choices to help humanity keep on living - and live a better life. I think about this so often, and especially when watching the episodes. I really like the way Foundation series went about this. I hope we get to see even more.

[@yukie_tn]

Thank you for your recaps and summaries, it really helped to get me through S1. I can't be the only one who is fast forwarding through all the foundation parts of the show (and it was really easy to do as well with the two storylines completely separate for now). I'm curious if that will change in S2 but so far I'm only interested in the Empire side of the story.

[@Galbex21]

I read some of the books. This is really brilliant. It adds an extra layer not seen before.

[@ginomo80]

I could watch a whole show just about this!

[@MarekMoowi]

I love the books, and I hate what they did to the plot in the show. Lee Peace is the main reason for me to watch it 😍

[@rodesvilobo8670]

13:06 We never get an answer of how the shadow master lives the first time jump of 115 years without aging and never comes up again..maybe it was a continuity mistake

[@jean-marcdejonghe5115]

Great content! Thank you.

[@VincentAubry]

I love so much your content!!