The Orville: New Horizons Season 3 Episode 9 Review - Domino

When we first see The Orville and her crew, they are a part of a large defensive phalanx of Union ships in position around Xelaya to fight an oncoming Kaylon force. When the Kaylons arrive, the Orville is the lynchpin of the defensive effort as they have developed a new weapon (simply called ‘the device’ for most of the episode) which triggers an overload in the Kaylon network’s relays. Powered by the Quantum drive, the device overloads the Kaylon ships and obliterates their vessels. While a new threat comes in the Moclan/Krill alliance, the Union can breathe a little easier knowing that they may have another threat under control. 

When the crew from the Orville, including Ensign Burke (Anne Winters), Isaac (Mark Jackson), and Captain Mercer (Seth MacFarlane) meet with the Union Admiralty, they discuss the implication of this weapon, once again addressing the issue of morality. Since the weapon’s range, if given a large enough energy source, is seemingly limitless, the Union questions whether it should be used as a deterrent, or to end the Kaylon once and for all. When Admiral Perry (guest star Ted Danson) suggests they eliminate the Kaylon, Mercer is the first to call that offense for what it is: genocide. 

After the Admiralty convenes, it is decided that The Orville and Admiral Halsey (Victor Garber) should attempt to meet with the Kaylon to discuss a ceasefire, since the race of artificial beings will have no choice but to agree to their terms. When The Orville arrives at Kaylon 1, they must use the weapon twice in a massive display of destructive power before the Kaylon agree to meet, and eventually, agree to the terms of a treatise. 

At approximately the halfway point of the episode, it does seem that “Domino” is going to lean towards being a more politically driven episode, despite seeing interludes of The Orville decimating Kaylon ships and reducing them to shattered pieces. Yet, the writers this season have proven time and again that “balance” was a word undoubtedly thrown around the writer’s room when they were drafting the scripts. 

Still feeling the uneasiness of the looming Krill/Moclan alliance, the Union, in a bit of dramatic irony perhaps, feels a little secure for the first time in years. That is, until the device is stolen from Union Headquarters and shuttled away into the depths of space. It is revealed that Admiral Perry and a small group of Union defectors are giving the weapon to Teleya and the Moclans to do what the Union could not, and eliminate the Kaylon permanently. 

As the Admiral boards his shuttle and begins to fly away, Teleya fires on the shuttle, citing the fact that the Union does not need to know about the new alliance or that they are the ones with the weapon just yet. It may be delaying the inevitable, but it still gives them more time to prepare the weapon.

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