Nolan and Irisa make it back to Defiance this episode! Just in time for a case to be investigated. There’s someone planting bombs, and Nolan seems to be the right man for the job. A lot of Defiance has remained the same since Nolan and Irisa left, but some things certainly have changed. Josh provides this week’s recap. Following the recap both Josh and Violet share their thoughts on the episode. Let’s get into it!
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Episode Recap of Defiance, Episode 2
Guess Who’s Back, Back Again
On episode 2 of season 2 of Defiance, we see the E-Rep working on some propaganda to help convince Defiance they belong there. Meanwhile, Nolan and Irisa pull up to the wall, and Nolan is trying to talk Irisa out of it. Meanwhile Irzu tells Irisa to continue forward, and she does–pressing on the gas. The car stops at the guards, and they take their weapons. Berlin, the boss guard on the wall, begins asking questions. Irisa gets a little handsy, and a minor scuffle breaks out–enough to get both Nolan and Irisa arrested.
Stahma and Alak are bathing and they discuss business matters. Then we see that Christie is also bathing with them, but she seems uncomfortable with the situation. Christie begins asking questions about his business, and then accuses him of making smuggling runs. Alak accuses her of being “such a human”.
In the prison, Yewll and Datak begin plotting their escape. They have a “fanatic” they want to convince to do some dirty work for them. Datak begins making conversation with him.
Meanwhile, we see a mystery man who seems to be moving some sort of bomb disguised in some sort of decoration.
A Dirty Bomb Brings Nolan Back In
Meanwhile, the E-Rep mayor, Pottinger confronts Stahma, and tells her that her drug business is over. Stahma wants to make a deal to keep her selling drugs. Pottinger doesn’t seem keen on making a deal. He does offer to release Datak but Stahma decides it would be best not to–for his safety–so she says. Stahma asks what to do with the rest of the drug stock she has, and the mayor decides it should be brought to his office. Stahma and the major exchange on odd glance, he grabs an envelope from her basket, and walks away. Meanwhile, the bomb we saw earlier continues to tick away.
Tommy is at the station, when Irisa is brought in. He is confused, and tries to help her but ultimately allows her to be arrested. Nolan decides to pay the new mayor a visit to try to work all of this stuff out.
Meanwhile, Pottinger and Amanda are discussing some political strategies, and from the sound of their discussion, Amanda may be playing a little dirtier than when we last saw her making political decisions. Nolan shows up during their meeting, and Amanda is excited to see him. Pottinger decides to interrupt the reunion. Nolan demands Irisa’s release. Pottinger begins asking questions–such as why Irisa’s file is sealed.
Then suddenly outside, the bomb we had seen a few times this episode explodes. Nolan rushes to assist, and we see that the market has taken a pretty bad explosion. Nolan is concerned that this is just the beginning. Amanda volunteers Nolan to find the culprit in exchange for Irisa’s release. Pottinger warns Amanda playing him doesn’t work well–but he decides Amanda’s plan may work.
Tommy is a bit upset that Nolan is coming in taking over the place again. Nolan decides that Tommy should guard Irisa, but Tommy isn’t happy about it. Back at the station, Irisa and Tommy have a heart to heart, and Irisa moves in for a smooch. Tommy is into it at first, but then tells her that he has moved on. Irisa then tells Tommy that she has let something “dangerous” out–probably speaking of Irzu. Irisa tells Tommy he will show him the mines when she is free.
Datak’s Plan Misfires
Nolan meets up with Rafe, who has lost his own mines to the E-Rep. Nolan begins investigating. One of the miners reveals “someone” took some of the parasites used in the bomb that went off. The miner reveals who it was, and Nolan heads out to find him.
Back at the prison, Datak and Yewll begin enacting their plan for escape, but it is interrupted when Yewll is forced to see the mayor. The mayor begins asking her about Colonel Marsh’s involvement with Irisa. Yewll denies finding anything in Irisa. The mayor then asks about the safe in her office. When she denies having a safe, the mayor has a finger taken off of Yewll.
Nolan pays a visit to the bar, and Amanda serves him a drink. They talk about the case, and then Nolan asks about Kenya. Amanda doesn’t know that Kenya is dead, but has a sneaking suspicion. Amanda has decided to run the bar in Kenya’s stead. Nolan and Amanda get a little flirty, but it is interrupted when Nolan decides to chase someone down. That someone manages to escape, and in the middle of the crowd, everyone seems to recognize Nolan.
Yewll is released back to the prison, and Datak takes the blade, giving it to the fanatic to murder the mayor. Datak’s plan seems to be different than originally thought–as when the murder is about to take place, Datak saves the mayor and kills the person that he convinced to do the killing in the first place. The mayor seems grateful for the rescue. The Mayor talks with Datak, and seems to be concerned with the timing of the “rescue”, since Datak’s parole hearing is coming soon. Datak then tries to spin his actions to help get on the mayor’s good side. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to work.
Nolan Saves the Day, and Gets His Job Back
Nolan visits Berlin in the surveillance building, trying to figure out where their mystery man fled to. As Berlin looks for this, she accuses Nolan of enjoying the new world order that has taken over. Berlin reveals some of her backstory as well–her family was murdered so she decided 24 hour surveillance would be the answer to stopping crime.
Berlin locates where the mystery man went, and demands to know where the second bomb is. We see that it is attached to the underside of Stahma’s car. Nolan makes a break for Stahma’s vehicle, and pulls her from the vehicle. Nolan moves under the car, and manages to disarm the bomb.
Stahma welcomes Nolan home, and he receives a grand welcoming back to Defiance from the people of the town.
The Mayor pays a visit to Amanda, and everyone comes to the bar to celebrate the capture of the bomber.
Back home, Stahma is unhappy with Alak, blaming him for Skevur’s involvement with the bombing. Stahma demands that Alak make things right, and so he goes to kill Skevur. He does so after Skevur is nearly able to take him down.
Irisa is freed from prison, and decides to meet up with Tommy. Pottinger invites Nolan to become lawkeeper again. He refuses, and Amanda decides to try to convince Nolan herself. She makes a good argument, and he says he will think about it. He thinks shortly about it, and decides to head into the bar to meet with Amanda–for some extra-curricular activities. Meanwhile, we see the creepy mayor watching them.
Irisa goes to meet up with Tommy, but finds that he is with Berlin–as in going out with. She is disappointed, and decides to leave them be.
Josh’s Thoughts: Defiance, Season 2 Episode 2: In My Secret Life
This season of Defiance is pretty interesting so far. This episode has the reunion of Tommy and Irisa, but it doesn’t have the fairy tale ending that Irisa was hoping for. Meanwhile, Nolan and Amanda seem to be picking up where they left off.
Amanda though, seems to be under the thumb of Pottinger, and perhaps might be selling herself out a little bit. While last season she seemed to be on the straight and narrow, this season she seems much more willing to play the political “game”. Now she seems to be bringing in Nolan to the fold, but I have a feeling Nolan will not be so easily swayed to put his ideologies aside.
Stahma continues to be as crafty as ever, but seems to be running into a few more walls that she was last season. I am still unsure what the relationship between Stahma and the mayor is. Was his confrontation of hers just a ruse, and he will permit her business to continue? Or was it more that he was trying to take her down permanently, and just happened to have a use for the rest of her drug supply? I still am not sure how that was intended to play out. My last question about Stahma is this: Is she purposely keeping Datak locked up so that she can remain in power? Or is it more of a concern for his well-being as she has so told the mayor? So far I think that it might be the former reason. I think that she is enjoying the newfound power she has gained.
Meanwhile, Datak has tried to make some clever moves, but so far the mayor isn’t buying what Datak is selling. It will be curious to see what Datak’s next move is.
So what I would really like to know next is, what is the next move for the show? So far everyone seems to be working with the E-Rep besides a few outliers. Is this going to change? Are we going to see an E-Rep crack down which will spark more riots? I guess we will be finding out in the near future.
Violet’s Thoughts on Season 2 Episode 2 of Defiance: In My Secret Life
Well, that didn’t take long for Nolan and Amanda to hook up, now did it? I’m sure viewers were wanting that to happen all season last year, and they pretty much fall into bed together almost as soon as Nolan gets back to town! I guess it was a bit taboo last season for her to hook up with him, being not only that he and her sister dated, but also that she was the mayor. But now Kenya is gone, and her situation is very different, so I guess she figures, why not?
I feel bad for Irisa. I thought she and Tommy made a good couple. So did Nolan, apparently. But, Tommy has moved on and is now with Berlin. Guess we know Tommy’s type. Tough, strong women. Now that Irisa knows that Tommy has been stolen away from her, this can’t be good for her crazy, murderous streak.
I also feel bad for Alak. He seems like a good guy that just wants a normal Earth life. Unfortunately, he is stuck carrying on the Castithan mob business, which makes him have to do things he doesn’t really want to do, forcing him to do things he would never do otherwise. I wish there was some way out of it for him, but with Datak in prison, and Stahma unable to run things due to her being female (lame), it doesn’t look like there’s anything he can do about it.
With Nolan back in his rightful place as Lawkeeper, I guess things are getting back to almost normal in Defiance. Or at least back on track to the Defiance that we recognize from last season. Well, except for the E-Rep being in charge. I’m curious to see what happens next.
Scenes from Defiance, Season 2 Episode 3 titled: The Cord and the Ax:
Click here to watch the scenes from The Cord and the Ax