Final Space Review: The First Times They Met

"Here. It. Comes."

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There's been a fair amount of hype surrounding this episode; after all, it's a network favorite, and an episode that Olan himself has sung his praises of in as vague a way as one can manage. It's always hard to predict what could come next from Final Space, a show always ready to nail you with a curveball without a moment's notice, and "The First Times They Met" does exactly that, allocating half of its time to one of the series' silliest subplots yet and the other half to one of its most intimate narratives yet, a delightful and heart-breaking showcase for Nightfall.

Season 2 has been a mixed bag in regards to its subplots, but this episode manages to find a great sweet spot between adrenaline-packed drama and lovable insanity in the form of a K.V.N. uprising. Apparently, Clarence, being the unscrupulous businessman he is, bought a surplus of K.V.N.s on discount because they had a derangement virus, and deeming them collector's items, locked them in the Crimson Light for decades, and once our K.V.N. breaks them out, they all conspire to murder Clarence and take over the ship. It's a hay-wire idea that turns its portion of the episode into a thriller of ungodly proportions.

Perhaps its best quality, though, is that it's also a great showcase for the rest of the cast, especially Fox. He's the crew's sweetheart, but he's also a short fuse in equal parts, and it allows for some fun and exciting chemistry with Lil Cato, beginning with the two getting into a fight about boundaries and ending with a recognition that they both secretly kinda like each other, even if they're destined to butt heads. While nobody else gets that same level of development, every character is in their prime, with Clarence's assholery and Ash's unhealthy love for mass destruction rounding their side of the story out nicely.

It's also a great way to counterbalance the intensity of the the episode's focus. I was wondering when we'd see something more substantial from Nightfall, who's served the utility of shelling out encouragement to everyone else for the most part, and it's great to see that the series' most all-knowing, resilient character has sore spots just like everyone else, and arguably ones that run deeper than the others could fathom. "The First Times They Met" demonstrates that by, after misreading a cue from Gary and believing them to be on the verge of kissing, having her run off to the ship's Virtulasium, a massive simulation machine, to relive her old memories. Unfortunately, the level of electricity her simulation requires causes the ship's power to shut down, trapping her and Gary, who had rushed over to talk to her about the earlier incident, in the same room.

Instead of letting the initial awkwardness fester, "The First Times They Met" takes the opportunity to have Nightfall guide Gary through her timeline, and introduce him to the Gary that she knew. The Virtulasium transforms into the locations of all of Nightfall's memories, and for the first time, the mysteries of her character start to undo themselves, and even though Gary recognizes her anguish, he also recognizes that he's not her Gary, and she's not his Quinn. There have been moments that alluded to that strange degree of nostalgia and separation between the two—a brief moment in "The Other Side's" memorable Footloose sequence shows him imagining her as his Quinn—but this is the first time Final Space has really dedicated itself to exploring that gray area, and it's the show dealing in the art of emotions at full cylinders.

There's a quick bit of silliness in Nightfall creating a physical manifestation of her Gary and having a quick, sloppy make-out scene (mercifully-obstructed, of course), but when his presence threatens to cause serious damage to the Crimson Light, she has to make the tough decision of letting him go and accepting that they were never meant to be. She's endured hundreds of alternate timelines and seen the destruction of the universe in every imaginable way, but she keeps fighting for some happy ending, and after Gary confronts her one final time, the shoe drops: this timeline is the only one where Quinn was the person to destroy the breach, with every other instance ending with Gary sacrificing himself. Nightfall realizes that there is no ideal world for her, and no happy resolution: even when she manages to spare a Gary, it's not her Gary, and for the first time, Gary never tries to rebut it.

Tragedy plays a crucial role in Final Space, and it's something that the series always manages to get right. It recognizes the significance of loss and that time's arrow keeps marching onwards, but what matters even more, and what keeps it from feeling like an onslaught of sadness, is that it recognizes the importance of healing, too. Sometimes deep-set problems can't simply be resolved with a word of encouragement, but tragedy creates unity, and unity creates power. It's a reminder that we're all human in our own sad ways, but more importantly, we're here for one another. Final Space knows that actions speak more clearly than words, and the two characters embrace before turning to the window and witnessing a jaw-dropping sight:

And so the healing process begins.

Notes and Quotes:

-This episode was dedicated to Caitlin Alexander Burcham, a veteran of the animation industry who, aside from working as a line producer throughout Final Space's first season, has worked on countless other animated projects, ranging from Rugrats to Family Guy. Thank you for your contributions to Final Space and television as a whole.
-Balloonshop Olan Sketch Reference of the Week: Fox complains that Lil Cato has been sticking his paws into his mouth while he sleeps, as Starscream purportedly does per her morning routine in "Cat Day."
"We're gonna cut off your junk and wear it as a necklace!" "I don't want to be your ample necklace!"
-"H.U.E., do not touch my wiring again or I will make you even stupider." "I think what you meant to say is, 'Who's your daddy now?' Me. H.U.E.. That's who. I am your daddy now. Not in the parental sense, but in the sense of owning you."
-Alright, I'll say it: Ash's sadistic delight from mowing down K.V.N.s with a flamethrower was adorable.

FINAL GRADE: A+. While far from the dramatics of a lot of the series' other hard-hitting episodes, "The First Times They Met" is no less poignant, elaborating on Nightfall's origins and finding the emotional core of her character in a legitimately profound way. Balance that out with its silly, balls-to-the-wall sub-plot and a healthy serving of sweetness, and you've got the cream of the crop, a certified heartstrings-puller that hits all the marks in all the right places.

For my last Final Space review of "The Arachnitects," CLICK HERE.

Additionally, you can access every Final Space review I have ever written HERE.

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