In The Word Of Avis Part 1 Lieutenant LaMaar meets up with an old acquaintance, which let’s be honest, rarely turns out well, especially in SciFi but hey we’re still rooting for him. Photo courtesy of comicsbeat.com
In entertainment, there’s always a fear that your favorite saga is going to trip at the finish line (no need for Star Wars references thank you) and leave you feeling like you’ve wasted a fair amount of time and energy supporting the wrong franchise or even the wrong fandom. Refreshingly, The Orville Comic series finishes on just the right foot and fills all the plot holes you needed, and then some.
When a rogue group of Zenoanthropologists is allowed on The Orville due to technical difficulties regarding their own vessel near Krill territory, their behavior and overzealous interest towards the Krill’s religious beliefs in Avis, the Krill’s holy book called the Ankhana, and the crew’s interaction with the Krill, takes a strange turn, with the Orville commanders finding themselves in another compromising position of either following Union protocol or following their instincts to decide what’s right for all those aboard The Orville, including the increasingly confrontational scientists. It’s a battle that resonates with us today, and an interesting way to discuss the aspects of religious inclusion when the fear of zealotry can paint a less than perfect picture of differing cultural beliefs.
The Word Of Avis Part Two Photo courtesy of Dark Horse Comics
Part Two opens with the crew scrambling to avoid a confrontation with The Krill that was set into motion by the new arrivals, with every move being countered by the enemy and being hailed as divine intervention by Avis according to the converts locked away in their cell. A final push with some not-so-divine help allows The Orville to escape, although not unscathed. That doesn’t mean I just gave away the ending, but what is really interesting about the ending is how unchecked religious zealotry that wants to intimidate and overtake society is approached. Not in a superficial way nor does it target one particular religion, but in a way that invites discussion, which seems to be the point of The Orville TV series as a whole. The comics do the series a great solid by not only building a bridge between season 1 and 2 but also fill in the gaps with brief side stories that don’t detract from the overall storyline. That’s a hard feat to pull off, but the writers aced it with this whole series with ease. (OK I’m assuming the “with ease” part but they still nailed it.)
Now, onto season 3…
Missed out on The Orville? Seasons 1 and 2 can be watched, or rewatched, right here on Hulu
The Orville IMDb