The votes are in and the next Mayor of Defiance is….. the Earth Republic? And is there trouble in paradise for the Tarrs? Maybe, but just remember, the family that kills together, stays together. And finally, Trion Worlds has set up the contest for players to appear in the next season of Defiance! Tune in to Episode 17 to find out the details on how you could win.

Listen now:

EPISODE 12 “Everything is Brokenâ€

Recap

EVERYBODY IS DEAD! Everybody died, Defiance is empty, and Earth Republic is taking over. Well… almost. While not everyone is dead, Defiance sure pulled a George RR Martin on the fans. The votes are cast, the winner is announced, and the winner is the Earth Republic.

Thoughts and Observations

• 
  
• Winner of the Most Wanted contest, Zachary Prast, had his likeness in the show for a few brief seconds on a Wanted poster inside the Arch. Congratulations again Zac!
  
• A horse jab at Trion Games from Syfy? Totally! Hah! Colonel Marsh misses horses and reflects fondly on them for a few minutes, jabbing at the fact that Trion Worlds didn’t want to put horses in the game due to them being difficult to animate and pull off the appropriate look for the game/show.
  

Nolan, Irisa, and the Kaziri

• 
  
• Something I almost missed.. Colonel Marsh is working independently of the E-Rep’s major goal! E-rep at large wants the Gulanite Mines but Marsh is after the Kaziri, the Votan ship with an extremely powerful weapons system, thats underneath those mines. The one that the Indogenes have been searching for for the last 3,000 years! What happened to the original passengers of the ship? Why Were They here so early in our past? Is Marsh working without the knowledge of E-Rep or is he doing it FOR E-Rep?
  
• You know the Irzu COULD be a terraforming AI. One that maybe Von Bach Industries based their EGO tech off of. Just some wild speculation.
  
• The Kaziri needs two keys, just like our nukes.
  
• “Black Jonah†Keller is rumored to be “the best†Echelon mercenary, sent by Former Earth Republic Senator Cofer Gray to take care of Nolan and Irisa for their client, Varus Soleptor (revenge for stealing the Libra Nova Gem from him). There’s quite a backstory on Ex-Sen. Gray. Question is, why is Black Jonah working for Colonel Marsh instead of trying to find the Gem?
  
• “You’re getting soft in your old age Doc. Word is you used to dissect humans while they were still alive and kicking.†I wonder what it is Black Jonah knows about doc and if we will ever find out?
  
• Did no-one else notice the Kaziri did not JUST take the form of an Iratheint girl, but THE Irathient girl Nolan rescued all those years ago?
  
• Does Doc Yewll turn up the juice on Irisa to HELP the Kaziri come out and attack everyone in the room or for her own selfish reason? And is that what happened? The Kaziri tentacles attacked everyone? Why do you hide these things from us Syfy? Why!?
  
• Also, why was Rynn helping rescue Irisa?
  
• Sukar. Nothing can keep that old boy down. But is that really him, or a vision?
  
• Finally we meet the Kaziri. Two keys that turn on a great destructive force with the power to end life, and to bring it back. Irisa, with little hesitation, gives herself to the kaziri in return for Nolan’s life.
  

The Tarrs and Rosewaters

• 
  
• Datak and Stahma steal the show once again. This time not only playing the town of Defiance to gain power and respect through ruthless manipulation, but against each other.
  
• At first I thought the Tarr sex scene was a bit out of place, but it quickly made sense as Datak connected the dots and discovered his wife’s betrayal. Stahma, being caught and threatened with death, is rightfully scared and we as an audience get to glimpse Stahma lose some control, showing how vulnerable she CAN be (but only to one her equal).
  
• I think that Stahma has so many people seeing her as devious and manipulative that when she looses control, no one actually knows it.
  
• “The poison was on the flask†Clever Girl.
  
• Mia Kirshner had her best performance in that forest. You could SEE something was wrong with her just ask she was demanding Stahma to drink from the flask at gunpoint.
  
• I STILL don’t know if she ever loved Kenya at all. Excellent. Life rarely affords us all the answers and while its interesting, its not necessary. Its a secret Stahma will keep, making her just a little more real to me.
  
• “Come morning everyone will be asking themselves, ‘Who is running this town: Datak Tarr or the Earth Republic?’â€
  
• “Yes, Castithans love money, can’t get enough of it. Amusing. Now I suggest you dig deep and afford me some courtesy!â€
  
• Let it never be said that Datak is a pushover. Every time you have a beef with Datak and are alone, expect to be dead. Just ask Elah Bandick, Connor Lang, The Elder Irathient Priestess, or Colonel Marsh.. OH WAIT!
  
• This will be the SHORTEST Mayoral term for Datak Tarr. E-Rep now has reason to move in and take control of Defiance.
  

The Final Death Toll

• 
  
• Kenya, Colonel Marsh, Nolan, and Irisa? Does anyone else remember Jamie Murray that no one would die during the 2012 Comic-con panel? (multiple times from 35:03 onward) http://www.gamespot.com/defiance/videos/defiance-panel-comic-con-2012-6387130/
  
• Of Course this isn’t counting the deaths of Elah Bandick, Pol Maddock, Bioman Ulysses and Miko, Cooper Lang, the Elder Irathient Priestess,  Jared, Nikki, and a number of other cast members affected from the plague and whom I’ve forgotten.
  

Favorite scenes

• 
  
• This is a small scene that probably not many people would peg as a “favorite†but when Nolan found Irisa in the Irath camping ground, I loved hearing Irisa, Rynn and even Nolan speak Irathient. Sounded like Nolan was struggling to speak, but his delivery had presence. Rynn’s fierce intensity due to her concealed wrath against Nolan is very evident and she delivers her lines quickly and angrily, without breaking her searing glare.
  
• Doc Yewll is as snarky as ever in this episode and I LOVE IT.
  
  • 
    
  • “You ever hear of knocking?â€
    
  • “What’s a golfball?â€
    
  • “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was a monster.â€
    
  
  
  
• Nolan and Irisa in the field talking about Irisa being the Devouring Mother/Destroyer/Bringer of Death. I love Nolan’s line “No, you are a little girl caught in a bad situation.
  
• The Datak Tarr and Colonel Marsh confrontation. Datak Tarr does NOT want to go back to becoming a nobody.
  

Dislikes?

Ben

• 
  
• Come on Irisa! You’d let one of your own people die, but when Tommy’s life is on the line, you surrender!? Equally: really Nolan? You had a moment with Tommy and now you’re willing to throw his life on the line? Your daughter’s boyfriend? Terrible Father move! This shows that BOTH Nolan and Irisa are idiots.
  
• This is more of a personal thing for me.. Datak’s frustration during the election campaigning was a bit more than I could tolerate. People with such privileged, better-than-you attitude just piss me off. If the castithan liros are just basically the rich and the beggars, then I have no further interest in them as a race.
  

 

Speculations and Loose Ends

• 
  
• Are Kenya and Irisa really dead?
  
• How deep does the knowledge of the Kaziri go within the ERep ranks
  
• What will happen to the town of Defiance under ERep control?
  
• Is Defiance  turning into another Battle of Yosemite?
  
• What will the Kaziri do now that its turned on? Does it have a mind of it’s own as evident by Irisa’s visions and how advanced the ark brain’s are (it is a ship after all) or does it need Irisa to control it?
  

Preview for next episode “Everything is Brokenâ€

http://youtu.be/YHSQ412oSaE

• 
  
• Is Datak threatening disembowelment to Stahma?
  
• Everyone looks so depressed this episode. Guess that means major drama happening next week. Hope its not a cliffhanger… OH WAIT  >:|
  
• Who’s that E-Rep dude and why does he have a gun to Tommy’s head?
  
• Wait, go back. Did I see what I think I saw?
  
• NOOOO!!!! I saw Nolan get SHOT!  :(
  

[Finale Predictions] How’d We Do?

Ben

• 
  
• 
  

  So I was WAY off.. Only got one and a half right out of my many predictions: “Lets take the drastic route. Stahma and Datak split up, Alak runs away with Christie, Nolan gets shot and we won’t know if he lives or dies (hint, he lives), Irisa combines the two alien tentacle pretzels, Kenya is in full breakup mode and hooks up with Doc Yewll, and Quentin comes back to town to save the day. “

  
  
  

Chris

• 
  
• OF COURSE I meant: Who is Datak going to stab? Why would I think anything else? Who shot Datak? I’m doubling down on this. It’s going to happen!
  

What’s next for the show

• 
  
• Defiance is scheduled to come back June 2014. Will we come back to the show a few months later or a year later?
  
• What does that mean for the game? Will everything we do in game mean nothing for the next year?
  
• Will the show develop off camera in the game universe with the release of the 5 DLC? (with a bi-monthly release starting in August, we could easily fill that year wait with lore and events, as long as it is a hefty, substantial DLC)
  

Shooting the Shtako Episode 12

http://youtu.be/qZ1ThKzoi_0

Kevin Murphy is joined by Stephanie Leonidas and Grant Bowler to discuss the father/daughter relationship this episode:

• 
  
• Kevin asked “How do we go from rebels, scoundrels, and singing duet to finding a town that turns your life upside down?†Reluctantly. Irisa still doesn’t want to be there but there are a few things that will keep her there.
  
• Why does Irisa jump? For him and everything she believes in. “She will stand up for what she believes in and she believes in him.â€
  

Yahoo TV hosted Twitter Chat with Grant Bowler

http://tv.yahoo.com/blogs/tv-news/-defiance–star-grant-bowler-previews-season-2–will-nolan-and-irisa-end-up-in-antarctica—yahoo–tv-exclusive–221606288.html

Defiance star Grant Bowler sat down for an exclusive Yahoo! TV Twitter chat with fans! He dished on the finale, spilled a few beans about next season, and shared some awesome insights about the Syfy drama.

• 
  
• What happened to Irisa? GB:She went back to England to have a break from shooting ;D She’s gone into the abyss, who knows what comes of that
  
• @womenofdefiance Grant, what do you hope for most for Nolan in season two? GB: I want to see him have a shot at love. And I’d like to see the father/daughter relationship continue to evolve
  
• what happen with the rest of the Earth?? there are people alive outside US?? GB: Yes, there are survivors worldwide. As we go along, we’ll start to see more of that influence.
  
• Is he going to avenge Kenya Rosewater’s death? or Irisa’s sacrifice? GB: Nolan has never left a grudge not settled.. There’s going to be more than one reckoning in Season 2
  
• @defiancepodcast Will you develop alien power now that you’ve been brought back from dead by alien spiritual mumbo-jumbo? GB: Hopefully the power to keep a girlfriend on the show!! Why is Nolan the only one without lurve!!
  
• @Javel_Remois Do you think Nolan regrets his past or is he like @DocYewll – it was war, you try to win? GB: I think the reason Nolan lives now is to atone for the past and find redemption
  
• Which characters would you like your character to work more with in season 2? GB:I’d like to do more with the young cast members, don’t see enough of Dewshane Williams Nicole Munoz, or Jesse Rath
  

Reviews Across the Web

Billy Grifter of Den of Geek!

http://www.denofgeek.com/tv/defiance/26355/defiance-season-1-finale-review-everything-is-broken

• 
  
• Billy opens up with “I’ll admit from the outset that Everything is Broken started very well, and showed some real ambition that has been sadly missing up until now, but ultimately, annoyed the hell out of me. I said last week that the penultimate episode was really the first part of an extended story, only to realise this week that it was only a third. The final part’s conclusions we must now wait eleven months for, frustratingly.â€
  
• All along, Datak has been all about respect, and the getting of it. When he discovered that he’d inherited a title where the E-Rep had taken all his power, the results weren’t pretty. To me, this highlighted the nature of the senior Tarrs, who each represent two sides of a single personality. Stahma is cerebral and sensual, where Datak is primal rage that’s barely contained. Great acting from both, and a lovely line, “I miss home”, to underline how out of place they really are on Earth.
  
• What we were left with in the end was almost no resolution whatsoever. What happened ultimately to Kenya (who may or may not be dead), Tommy, Doctor Yewll, Irisa, Sukar, Stahma and Datak? No idea. Anything is possible…
  
• The first season of Defiance has been a somewhat bumpy ride, like a long distance roller expedition with only three wheels. When it’s good, then the characters are engaging and their motivations interesting, but somehow it’s failed to so far join all the dots. The arc of the golden pretzel was rather weak, and needed more explanation of what the ship in the mine might do once Irisa became its ‘weapon’. Without exception, the Tarrs had all the best scenes and dialogue..
  

[What we did in game]

Ben

• 
  
• Woohoo! I’ve started a character on the 360! Only at EGO 100 and haven’t gotten to my first instance play, but I’m nearly there.
  
• I’m trying to rush through so I can snag the rewind content before its gone. I sure do miss my red Dodge Challenger, though.
  
• On PC I’ve reached EGO 1565 and only have to complete two co-op maps for completion of the rewind content.
  

Chris

• 
  
• Arkfalls, arkfalls, arkfalls.
  
• Moved the story story quests along
  
• Played XBox version just past K-TAM.
  

Defiance PC Trial is Now Available

Starting today, you can access our Defiance PC Trial by logging in to your Trion Account or by creating a new account.

With the FREE PC trial you get the following:

• 
  
• Time limited access to the full game! (72 hours starting from account creation or log in)
  
• 200 EGO rating cap
  
• Ability to carry over all progress, rewards and purchases made in the Defiance Store to the full game once purchased (only for PC accounts)
  

Your free trial will start as soon as you sign up, so make sure to download the client immediately after signing up.

Defiance: Across the Badlands Season Finale Episode

http://youtu.be/Wpca5eOYQlY

Dev and Narrative Designer Trick Dempsey joins Greg Laabs on the last Across the Badlands this season. They discuss the significance of Black Jonah of the Echelon Mercs, Seeing Rynn in her new badass Arkhunter Garb, and what its like working with Syfy.

• 
  
• 
  

  Sidenote: Trick talked with Grant Bowler last E3 and Grant mentioned that his father was a gunsmith. After watching the finale, it is evident that Grant knows how to use firearms with proper etiquette. Just something cool to notice.

  
  
  

Fan Find of the Week

https://www.facebook.com/groups/defiancedragoncon

Really cool site for people part of Tricks Defiance Larping Group and those wanting to cosplay as Castithans or Irathients. The site has attracted the likes of some of the costume designers and prop makers from the show to talk to help the community design their costumes.

Play the Game – Join the Show

http://community.defiance.com/en/2013/07/08/play-the-game-join-the-show/

Replay all of the Defiance cross-over content in the game from July 8th through July 30th  and enter for a chance to have your character written onto the TV show.

• 
  
• 
  

  How will the winner be chosen?
  
  The top 10 ark hunters who complete the most arkfall events during the time period July 8th 10am PST to July 30th  10am PST will qualify to have their character written onto the show. The top 10 players will have their characters submitted to a Facebook voting contest. The top 5 players from this vote will then be submitted to the writers staff at Syfy. The final winner will be selected by Kevin Murphy, the lead creator the TV show.

  
  
  
• 
  

  How do I enter?
  
  Follow the contest registration steps above, then complete the most arkfall events during the time period July 8th 10am PST to July 30th  10am PST will qualify

  
  
  
• 
  

  What are Arkfall events?
  
  Arkfalls happen in the game daily and are random events where players can salvage the most loot.  When the event occurs the player will be notified on his player map.

  
  
  
• 
  

  What can I win?
  
  The winner will have his/her character appear on the next season of Defiance the TV show. The writing staff will create the characters back story and give the character an appearance on one of the episodes.

  
  
  
• 
  

  When will winners be announced?
  
  Top 10 finalists will be notified by email on August 2nd. The finalists will then be announced via Facebook on August 9th. Final Winner will be selected By September 15th

  
  
  

Now here’s the bad:

• 
  
• The contest is US only,
  
• You have your name taken to use in the show,
  
• Your likeness may not even be used,
  
• Your backstory is written FOR you,
  
• The contest becomes a popularity contest, and
  
• The final selection is up to Kevin Murphy.
  
• Do these contest s have to be such a grind fest? Is that really fair for the diehard fans who have little or no time to grind?
  

Rewind Content

For a limited time (until July 30) you can play most of the content from Season 1 crossovers. Content from Nolan, Hellbug Season, Rynn, Plagues, and more will be live. Completion of the content for the second time will reward players with EGO, keycodes,and a new title!

• 
  
• Up to 35 EGO points and 56 Keycodes
  
• Exclusive title “Marathon Hunter†only available during THIS event only.
  

After the rewind event/contest, the first DLC  will drop.

• 
  
• creepy mission like with the battle arena
  
• deals heavily with castithan culture and rebellion against the culture
  
• then regular episodic updates will follow that lead up to things happening in the show for season 2
  
• Nolans search for Irisa
  
• More Echelon presence in the Bay Area
  
• and E-Rep shenanigans
  

Player Submitted Questions:

• 
  
• Will charged swords count as melee damage or weapon damage? Yes. Charged Swords will have a new weapon skill track and operate like normal, but it will have a melee tag attached. Anything that says “this affects melee†affects the swords as well.
  
• Is there anyone looking into spawning with half life and no shield in PVP? This is an embarrassing bug, but we have a solution and we have a fix in place. We have to wait until we patch the client which won’t happen until the first DLC.
  
• Will we continue to get little content update every two weeks? Will there be more Data Recorders or will there be nothing until DLC? Will not be able to maintain the two week schedule but we will be adding episodic content and more data recorders.
  
• What enemies will we be facing in the new type of arkfall? Dark Matter and the Monolith. Dark Matter troops also have EGOs. We also have new events tying in with the Volge.
  
• What lore can you reveal about the diggers used by some enemies? Its mining equipment designed for the miners and adopted by the raiders. It loosens soil in from of them and fills in dirt behind them to prevent many tunnels and unstable land.
  
• During time trials it can be frustrating to have an emergency or arkfall spawn in the middle of the time trial. Are there any plans to make it so that players participating in a time trial play in their own phase?  Time trials used to be phased but they felt detached from the world. What we’ve done instead is moving emergencies largely out of the way so that you go nearby but not through them.
  
• If an enemy gets killed by the weapons nano effect counts towards that weapons xp? Yep.
  
• Are there new co-op maps set for higher EGO ratings with more difficult enemies? Yes and no. We are creating new content for large groups and people with higher ego ratings that will draw you into a contained environment. No new co-op maps. (Sounds like raids)
  
• Will the battle arena have a time limit, a level cap or infinite rounds until everyone dies? More like if sieges and rampages had a baby. There is a set number of rounds that increases in difficulty (strong escalation) and half the challenge is just making it to the end.
  

Patch Day – Patch 1.024

• 
  
• Lowered the rating requirements for unlocking perk slots. We want everyone to be able to focus on adding variety to their builds when additional loadout slots are unlocked.
  
• Fixed a display error in the details pane after buying keycodes in the store.
  
• Challenges: Rampages: Hamburger Hill: Fixed an exploit that allowed the weapon to be used outside of the rampage.
  
• Challenges: Rampages: Hamburger Hill: Made it so that you will no longer run out of ammo before the rampage has ended.
  
• Co-op: Mine 99: Fixed a rare issue that would case the Motherlode to go invulnerable and make the encounter impossible to finish.
  
• Arkfalls: Changed Hellbug Arkfall so that weak spots appear even if all of the Skitterlings are killed. No more need to yell at the new people!
  
• Arkfalls: Fixed an exploit that would allow a player to destroy the satellites or the central core before the Scrapper Arkfall begins.
  
• All enemies in arkfalls now grant weapon experience.
  

 

LAST MINUTE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Steam is having their annual summer sale and for a limited time you can get Defiance for a fraction of the cost. As of recording time, Defiance is up at $13.57 for 48 hours only so grab it quick. Keep an eye open for further discounts until the sales end July 22.

Join our clan IGNI FERROQUE! <defiancereporter.guildlaunch.com>

No registration required, just look for one of these officers in-game, Corso Vanlocke, Jack Thundersteele, or Almazar to get an invite!

CONTACT US!

Email: defiance@mmoreporter.com

Twitter: twitter.com/defiancepodcast or @defiancepodcast

Website: defiancereporter.com

Voicemail: 616-666-6778 (and our new widget on the right hand side of the page)

Youtube: youtube.com/user/mmoreporternetwork

Facebook: facebook.com/defiancereporter

Ben: twitter.com/nebsinsane

Chris: twitter.com/almazar

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