The Ark 2×08 Review: “We Don’t Kill Our Own”

The crew of Ark-1 must work together when the clones hijack the ship in “We Don’t Kill Our Own.”

The crew of Ark-1 doesn’t have much time to process “It Can’t Be True’s” revelation that Eva (Tiana Upcheva) is an Eastern Federation spy, as the recently rescued Ark-8 clones attempt to hijack the ship in “We Don’t Kill Our Own.” Though we don’t get any more answers about Eva and her mission, we do discover a shocking revelation about James (Richard Fleeshman) that creates tension between him and Spencer (Reece Ritchie).

Despite much of the episode focusing on the clones, it seems strange that nobody seems interested in questioning Eva about her mission and why she joined the Eastern Federation. If the Eastern Federation is truly as threatening as we’re told, wouldn’t questioning a confessed spy be at the top of the priority list? The show makes it clear that Eva’s role is a huge betrayal but doesn’t really seem interested in exploring what that means for the crew outside of James.

Instead of questioning Eva, Sharon (Christie Burke) demands that Kimi (Diana Bermudez) reveal if there are any more suspected Eastern Federation spies on board. Kimi tells her of her suspicions about James, citing that he was the only survivor of a mission against the Eastern Federation. James denies being involved with the Eastern Federation but confesses that he disobeyed orders for a suicide mission when he was unexpectedly assigned a co-pilot for the mission.

Though Spencer is furious that his actions led to his father’s death, Sharon insists that his subsequent demotion is enough punishment. It will be interesting to see how this revelation will affect their friendship going forward, but it feels like this storyline could have waited another episode, as there is no follow-up on the tension later in this episode and there should be more time to properly deal with the fallout of Eva’s confession.

There isn’t much time to deal with anything else, as the clones take over the engineering bay and disperse a sedative gas throughout the ship. Sharon is able to activate Kelly’s (Samantha Glassner) implants before she passes out, giving her autonomy and making her the one of the few who aren’t affected. Felix (Pavle Jerinic) and Angus (Ryan Adams) are also unaffected, as the gas doesn’t reach them in the greenhouse.

Kelly awakens Dr. Kabir (Shalini Peiris) with a shot of adrenaline, and they wake up Alicia (Stacey Read) and Dr. Marsh (Jadran Malkovich). Upon assessing the situation, Dr. Kabir figures that an antidote dispersed through the air will awaken the crew and tasks Alicia and Kelly to wake up and help the engineering crew hack into the bridge. Dr. Kabir later finds that they are missing an ingredient for the antidote, but Felix and Angus save the day by delivering the needed plants.

Though Alicia is hesitant about Kelly helping her, she proves to be a good ally. Kelly takes out the clones that try to attack Alicia, and the two form a tentative alliance. The show has done a good job in Kelly’s redemption arc, and it’s hard not to be concerned when Kelly’s extended use of her implants causes her to collapse by the end of the episode.

Meanwhile, the leader of the uprising, Milos (Kieran Mortell) wakes up Sharon and brings her to the bridge. He reveals himself as the person who blew up the left-behind clones and explains that he is taking Ark-1 to a planet where clones can live free of prejudice. Despite experiencing prejudice as a clone herself, Sharon remains loyal to her crew and Spencer’s clone Ian covertly helps her retake control as Dr. Kabir’s antidote wakes the remaining crew members. The conflict and the heroic efforts of the crew make the action of the episode satisfying.

Ultimately, James decides to forgive Eva and tells her that he loves her regardless. While it is a significant step forward in their relationship, the execution is flawed. James comes to this decision after a conversation where Sasha (Milos Cvetkovic) insists that Eva is a good person, but he doesn’t talk to Eva or ask her any questions. If the Eastern Federation is truly as bad as we’re led to believe, he is really quick to forgive her, and she really doesn’t get to express her perspective in a meaningful way. The conversation ends up feeling like a wasted opportunity for a more emotionally satisfying moment between the two.

Though the crew overcomes the attempted hijacking in “We Don’t Kill Our Own,” there is yet another impending crisis heading their way. As the group drinks Angus’ newly brewed vodka and toasts to their success, they are horrified to see that an Eastern Federation ship is aiming at them. Hopefully, we will finally get some much-needed clarity about the Eastern Federation, and Eva’s role in it.

Author: Jessica Wolff

Jessica Wolff is a graduate of Drexel University with a BS in Film/Video. She has a passion for entertainment and representation in entertainment. She currently resides outside of Washington, DC.

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