Greetings once again Arkhunters! Join Michelle and Ben as they share what must be some frontier truth; Sukar, Indogene Spirit Rider and MUPPET SLAYER! To hear all about this and more information on the 7th Legion speculation, have a listen passed the break!

Listen now:

Relive Defiance Ep 2 and 3 recap

Down In the Ground Where Dead Men Go

A Castithan willingly undergoes torture to compensate for his cowardice in the defense of the town, but Irisa stops the ritual. A traitor who destroyed the town’s field generator flees to a series of underground caverns in the ruins of Old St. Louis and attempts to force a nuclear reactor to explode, destroying the town above.

The Relive Defiance Twitter party has been pretty spectacular on both sides of the pond. Both US fans and European fans have been cracking me up on Twitter. Even a member of the cast has noticed the upsurge in Defiance tweets:

@karlyko @womenofdefiance @HellbugsInLove Sounds like fun! ;) Enjoy the show!! x

— Nicole Munoz (@NicoleMunoz94) January 21, 2014

This episode is particularly fun to rewatch because it’s the first time we really get a taste of the cultural differences among the races. It really tests the liberalism theory, which is a theme Grant Bowler continuously brings up in interviews. Where do you draw the line regarding what may be offensive to one culture or another? Clearly, bathing alone is offensive to Datak, and yet stretching a man to death for desertion is perfectly acceptable. They also bring up the backstory around Irathients and vaccines, which is alluded to later in the season during the plague. Speaking of cultural differences, one of the big ones is again revealed in a bath scene:

annnnnnd awkward naked mom hug :o #ReliveDefiance #CastiBathTime

— Daz Watford (@ThatsWhatUGets) January 21, 2014

In the clip shown at Comic Con, with Rafe and Stahma in the bath, Stahma explains why Casti women wear beads to bathe. It’s because only men are “allowed to be naked as Rayetsu made them,†and yet it certainly feels as if Stahma is always so much more naked than Datak, right? Not that I’m complaining about the bath scenes, but wow, Stahma is in a lot of bath scenes. I’m only saying this for feminism, but maybe we can see her in some different settings in season two.

We also get to know another character in this episode: Rafe. Who knew he was a photographer? And wouldn’t we like to see some of the bikini photgraphy he did back in the day?

I want to meet the young photographer Rafe McCawley #ReliveDefiance

— Karly (@karlyko) January 21, 2014

Rafe = As much a loose cannon as Nolan. #BestiesForever #ReliveDefiance

— Bo-Tan-O-File (@thebotanophile) January 21, 2014

Not only do we get to know more about actual characters in this episode, we also get to know a little more about the town, specifically Old St. Louis (which always makes me want to sing The Trolley Song by Judy Garland). Only the men head down into the old city, but something tells us Amanda could’ve held her own:

Think Amanda knows a thing out two about abandoned shafts #ReliveDefiance

— Hellbugs (@HellbugsInLove) January 21, 2014

Oooo, tough reference to Connor Lang, which we love. Stahma never disappoints in any episode, and this one she really starts to reveal how creepy she can be. The way she chats Christie up in the cafe not only shows her skill at manipulation, it also shows that she may (or may not) have been a murderer on her home planet – there was some discussion as to who exactly was to fault for her betrothed being sucked out of an airlock, but one thing is definitely for sure – BSG reference!:

Death by airlock? They totally watched BSG on Casti. #reliveDefiance — Jenn Russi (@jrussi) January 21, 2014

Judging by the way Stahma always has to spell things out for Datak, I think she’s definitely the one who pushed that unlucky betrothee out of the airlock – but some in the fandom think it was Datak, whose temper certainly does lead him toward risky behavior sometimes.

In the Pilot, we get a glimpse of Cougar Nicky as a villain, but as always, this episode throws a wrench in that theory and makes us identify a bit more with her.

“I take no pleasure I’m this…” – Nicky. Something tells me she needs a vibro. #AskAmanda #ReliveDefiance

— Bunny (@bunny_summers) January 21, 2014

And do I dream about Cougar Nicky stroking Amanda’s braid of justice at least once a month? Yes, I do.

And the ending just goes to show that Godfathers exist on all planets, not just Earth. Datak definitely pulls a Corleone move at the end of the episode. In the Pilot, we generally know whose side we’re on, but this episode really muddles things, and that’s what makes it brilliant.

The Devil In the Dark

Two humans are attacked and killed by Hellbugs; Nolan, Irisa and Yewll discover that they were actually murdered by an Irathient whose parents were murdered by the victims many years earlier in order to steal their land for mining. One of the Irathient Riders, Sukar, learns that Irisa has “The Sight” (an extrasensory ability to see the past, present and future without actually being present for the events seen) and helps her to tap into its potential to discover the murderer, another Spirit Rider named Rynn. Nolan, Irisa, Deputy LaSalle and Sukar follow her into the hellbug nest, capture her, and destroy the nest. McCawley deeds the stolen land back to the Irathient Spirit Riders.

This episode was especially interesting to watch, especially for those who do not play the game and are used to hellbugs that come only in plushy form. It’s easy to forget the teeth on those bugs. The hellbug fight in this episode reminds me of the pilot in a way, because the action scenes are very much similar to what happens in game. Rather than a bath scene or a dinner scene, per se (I know all you gamers out there can’t wait for a bath scene in-game). And, combining both of these topics in one single tweet is Phaius:

I’m really glad they chose to go with clear for Hellbug Shtako. I mean, imagine if it were doodoo brown. #ReliveDefiance

— Bo-Tan-O-File (@thebotanophile) January 28, 2014

Aww, hellbugs are so cute! Mine had less teeth. #ReliveDefiance

— Bunny (@bunny_summers) January 27, 2014

This episode is also has an extra squirt of awesome in it because Noah Danby is all over the place as Sukar. There was a ton of love for Sukar and his fashion sense during the rewatch:

Sukar slayed a muppet to get that jacket #ReliveDefiance

— Karly (@karlyko) January 28, 2014

Sukar the Muppet Slayer also opens the audience up to his relationship with Irisa – in this episode, she really explores a potential mentor/father/godlike relationship to him, which is fun to watch, but also painful, seeing how Nolan takes it (especially that intense flashback scene). In fact, Jenn gave us another idea for a song in this episode – a little Steve Miller Band would have fit right in:

Irisa right now: “I’m a joker, I’m a smoker, I’m a midnight toker. I don’t want to hurt no one…” #reliveDefiance

— Jenn Russi (@jrussi) January 28, 2014

Another cultural difference, spotted by the hellbugs this time:

Are we ever going to see a buff Castithan? (Plot twist: subsect of Castithan women who bodybuild = highest liro) #ReliveDefiance

— Hellbugs (@HellbugsInLove) January 28, 2014

And lastly, Rynn is a major character in this episode, and one of the first times we really see her develop as a character. She is a favorite in the fandom, and it reminds us how much we like her. I wish she would pop up more often in the show. She also tests us morally, as Daz points out:

Oh Rynn, so you went evil & tried to kill the whole town, but I just can’t stay mad at you :D #ReliveDefiance #RynnLove

— Daz Watford (@ThatsWhatUGets) January 28, 2014

Although, I still stick by the idea that Rynn could have found a much easier way to exact revenge upon her enemies rather than invoke the wrath of the hellbugs, but of course that would not have made for as much fun of an episode.

One of the best parts of the episode, though, is all about the world-building (this applies throughout most episodes). This time, it’s sifting through Rafe’s paper records. To think that we’re all on this digital path today, connected to our devices constantly, ready to order our prescription Google glass lenses, it really makes you stop and think what could happen if that were totally destroyed and we had to go back to paper, parchment, etc. To remember the digital age as the “good ol’ days†is just really amusing and a well-played theme throughout the season.

Our next episode will be A Well Respected Man, which is a favorite of mine because it’s the first time we see Stahma and Amanda have an in-depth conversation. Tune in with us: Mondays at 9PM EST and Tuesdays at 4PM EST. Tweet along with #ReliveDefiance

Dallas Sci-Fi Expo

http://www.scifiexpo.com/DCC/Home.html

The Dallas SciFi Expo (not to be confused with Dallas Comic Con) will take place February 8-9 at Irving Convention Center in Dallas. Tickets are still available for the entire weekend or for one-day only. For those of us on the East Coast, it’s a great excuse to get to someplace warm. Those of us in Atlanta, however, may not be able to escape The Walking Dead episode that we’re all living through, so we hope to hear from those of you who are going!

Defiance Cast Members Attending

Both Jaime Murray and Tony Curran are scheduled to attend. Several Twitter fans will be there – Hellbugs and Karly are going, as well as a few other fans (like Angeleeta who didn’t give me permission to shout them out on the show, but oops) that we’ll be following, so you can tune into their feeds to get real time information and updates.

FYI Dallas Sci-Fi Expo attendees: #Defiance Q&A is now Sat. 2/8 at 1pm & #Warehouse13 Q&A is Sun. 2/9 at 2pm

— Hellbugs (@HellbugsInLove) January 29, 2014

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  Photo Ops of Jamie and Tony on the 3rd floor at 3:50 pm and at 11:45 am on Sunday.

  
  
  
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  $30 per autograph and $40 for photos with the actors.

  
  
  
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  And as Hellbugs said, the Q&A Panel will be on Saturday at 1:00 pm on the 4th floor.

  
  
  

Why is it important that those of you going make sure to tweet about it? Because this is the first panel since the second season wrapped, and we want to hear all of the juicy details you manage to squeeze out of Jaime and Tony. Don’t be afraid to beg, and remember never to take a drink from Jaime Murray.

One last detail to share from Tom Lieber in case anyone missed it:

Finally, in season 2 of #Defiance, we get a nice tense, juicy scene between @juliebenz & @jesserath! (Blue Braid of Justice, perhaps?)

— Tom Lieber (@tommyleeba) January 21, 2014

Aaaaand, let your brain start spinning. I imagine Amanda is purchasing her fancy new incense drugs from Alak. Also, I don’t want to imagine anything too racy between the two of them, because we all know Alak only has the hots for his mom. On that note, hope you all have sweet dreams tonight!

The 7th Legion

http://community.defiance.com/en/2014/01/23/preview-7th-legion-dlc/

http://community.defiance.com/en/2014/01/28/inside-trion-7th-legion-dlc/

At first, we only helped Humans. Soon, though, we took all kinds. We kept marching, like a city with feet, toward Calgary and Winnipeg. Both were gone. Finally, as we neared Chicago, we found her signal. Funny – we probably would have stopped there, settled down … and missed Azumi. Left her holed up with the staff at VBI, transmitting into the dark, hoping that her father would come. Now and again she’ll laugh about bushido, the code, the “samurai†nickname (something the troops first used, for all things, to mock my pride). But it stuck – not just for me or the others with roots in Japan. It’s a way of life that fits this world. It got us through the wastes, after all. It will carry us to the New Frontier.

– Yoshida Hiro, New Frontier Radio “Hiro’s March Retrospectiveâ€

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  Azumi, is she Von Bach’s daughter?

  
  
  
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  Going from Calgary to Winnipeg and onto Chicago means an eastward march, but to we get to meet Hiro, Azumi, or anyone in the 7th Legion in Defiance? St. Louis is only a week’s march from Chicago. (About 300 miles, or 96 hours walking).

  
  
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    Potential to meet them in the show? That would be amazing – VBI isn’t touched on very often in the show.

    
    
    
  
  
  

From a prior description written by Trick:

Guided by the teachings of the Code of Bushido, the soldiers of the 7th Legion marched across Canada gathering survivors as they went. From one outpost to another they marched until finally they found a city which did not fall: Manhattan. There, they made their stand against the darkness, and Commander Yoshida Hiro called an end to their long journey.

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  They marched all the way to Manhattan? A small island of New York that survived? And what was this “darkness†they stood and fought? Is it what made them legendary?

  
  
  

A behind-the-scenes Q&A with Creative Lead Trick Dempsey was posted on the Community site which provides us with the background and inspiration for the latest Defiance DLC.

How’d you choose the 7th Legion, and where did they come from?

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  The 7th Legion dates back to the Arkfall

  
  
  
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  As an event, the Arkfall is both incredibly important to Defiance and one that’s hard to imagine (together with our partners at Syfy, we’ve crunched the numbers on just how catastrophic the Arkfall was, and it’s pretty grim).

  
  
  
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  The group of frontiersmen who became the 7th Legion were camped in the Yukon when the arks exploded. They watched as the Votan ships fell to Earth, thinking all was lost, hoping for a last chance to see their families. Of course, it was a chance that would never come.

  
  
  

What did they do after Arkfall?

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  The entire group rallied around Yoshida Hiro and the code of bushido. At first, it was an easy way for members to relate to Hiro’s ancestry, but as they moved south and east, inland from the irradiated coast, survivors flocked to the group and legend of a new “7th Legion†spread.

  
  
  

What sets the Legion apart from other survivors?

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  It’s a group that’s distanced from other factions like the Earth Republic, the Votanis Collective, and Von Bach Industries.

  
  
  
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  Talking bigger picture, the Legion reminds us that this world is “post-post-apocalypticâ€: enough years have passed since the Arkfall that factions are more worried about emerging alliances, identities, and politics than basic survival.

  
  
  

What’s next for the Legion?

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  They’ve come to Paradise, and Hiro himself is on the coast to recruit ark hunters to carry on their mission. His connection with the Earth Republic and VBI allows him to bring in new weapons and defenses augmented with some of the Legion’s mythic flair. Of course, he won’t trust just anyone with 7th tech. Ark hunters hoping to join the Legion will have to prove themselves worthy!

  
  
  

KEY FEATURES

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  JOIN THE 7th LEGION. Yoshida Hiro’s 7th Legion marches for the Bay Area armed with the latest E-Rep  weaponry and defenses. Prove your worth to join their cause, battle against the enemies of a unified Earth, and reap new rewards.

  
  
  

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  SPECIAL RECRUIT KIT. An outfit, gear, and title start your path to becoming an honored member of the 7th Legion.

  
  
  

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  EXPAND YOUR ARSENAL. The 7th Legion has developed a unique fighting style expressed in its new weapons and synergies.

  
  
  

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  SHIELD UP. Wield hybrid Human-Votan tech shields designed to take down enemies on the New Frontier.

  
  
  

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  GET CHATTY. A new chat system debuts with 7th Legion DLC with some major improvements

  
  
  

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  INCURSIONS. A new kind of dynamic content invading the bay area! Incursions are a series of emergencies leading you to a siege at the end.

  
  
  

 Looks like Trick and Trion are trying to make this game about gathering together and participating in events rather than having a large explorable single player world. This is good!

LAST MINUTE ANNOUNCEMENTS

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  Join @WomenofDefiance and @HellbugsInLove on twitter every Monday night at 9pm EST while they explode all over your timeline with their #ReliveDefiance rewatch event!

  
  
  
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  If you want to join in on the #ReliveDefiance fun but don’t have the Defiance Season 1 DVD or Bluray, you can now view the entirety of Season 1 on the web or on your mobile devices with Syfy Now (Android and iOS only). While this is a free service, it does require you to have a subscription to a premium tv service like cable or satellite to sign up and is only available in the US. Head over to syfy.com/now/ to get started.

  
  
  
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  And those of you who want to complete the rewatch experience, you can play all of the Season 1 Crossover events IN THE GAME. Meet Nolan and Irisa before they leave for the New Frontier, then follow (and take part in) their adventures as you watch and play Defiance Season 1 side-by-side. Its the perfect time for new players to experience Syfy’s transmedia adventure as it was intended, so download the free trial today!

  
  
  
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  Join our PC 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

Website: defiancereporter.com

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

Facebook: facebook.com/defiancereporter

Youtube: youtube.com/user/mmoreporternetwork

Twitter: twitter.com/defiancepodcast or @defiancepodcast

Michelle: twitter.com/womenofdefiance

Ben: twitter.com/nebsinsane