The Emperor's Peace

**The Emperor's Peace** is the first episode of *Foundation*'s first season on Apple TV+. It aired on September 24, 2021 alongside the second episode, "Preparing to Live." The episode was written by David S. Goyer and Josh Friedman based on the novels by Isaac Asimov. Rupert Sanders directed the episode.

## Synopsis

*Gaal Dornick leaves her life in Synnax behind when the galaxy’s greatest mathematician, Hari Seldon, invites her to Trantor.*

## Plot

On the planet Terminus, a group of children dare each other to see who can get closest to the Vault, a floating structure that projects a field that discourages people from approaching. Poly tries to get as close to the Vault as he can, but is rendered unconscious. While his friends go for help, Poly is rescued by the Warden of Terminus, Salvor Hardin.

Thirty-five years earlier, Gaal Dornick travels to the planet Trantor from her homeworld of Synnax at the invitation of the famed mathematician, Hari Seldon. On the trip, she meets Jerril, who helps her adjust to being off-planet for the first time. Arriving at Trantor, Gaal is met by Raych Foss and taken to Hari. He congratulates her on solving the Abraxas Conjecture using Kalle's Ninth Proof of Folding and then tells her they will both be arrested by the Galactic Empire the next day.

The ruling Cleons, Brother Day and Brother Dusk, educate their younger clone, Brother Dawn, on the subtleties of ruling the Galactic Empire along with their aide, Demerzel. As part of their duties, the Cleons meet with delegates from the planets Thespis and Anacreon, two worlds embroiled in a mining dispute. Imperial appraisers were caught in the crossfire, forcing the Empire to act to maintain the peace.

At a tribunal, Hari reveals that through psychohistory, he predicts the Empire will fall within five hundred years and enter a period of barbarism that will endure for thirty thousand years. However, Seldon proposes the creation of a Foundation to create an Encyclopedia Galactica to safeguard science, civilisation, and the story of the human race. With these in place, Seldon hopes to soften the blow and reduce the dark ages to merely a thousand years. Gaal is asked to debunk Hari’s predictions but she cannot and confirms his theory. The moment she does, Brother Dusk orders that they both be executed.

As the tribunal concludes, a terrorist attack on the Star Bridge decimates Trantor and leaves millions dead. In the wake of the terrorist attack, Brother Day seeks out Hari and Gaal. Instead of killing them, Day exiles them to Terminus to establish their Foundation. Hari sees Day's intent; if the predictions are wrong, then the Foundation will be forgotten at the edge of the galaxy. If they are right, then the Empire will be able to take credit for assisting the Foundation.

On Terminus, thirty-five years later, Salvor Hardin approaches the Vault and reaches out to touch the artifact. She is completely unaffected by the null field.

## Cast

### Starring

* Jared Harris as Hari Seldon
* Lee Pace as Brother Day (Cleon XII)
* Lou Llobell as Gaal Dornick
* Leah Harvey as Salvor Hardin
* Laura Birn as Demerzel
* Terrence Mann as Brother Dusk (Cleon XI)

### Guest Starring

* Alfred Enoch as Raych Foss
* Jairaj Varsani as Poly Verisof
* Buddy Skelton as Keir
* Chloe Lea as Gia
* Joni Morris as Laylo Fulham

### Co-Starring

* Jade Harrison as Bayla
* Chris Jarman as Jarko
* Reece Shearsmith as Jerril
* Carolina Main as Ambassador Shae Un Shae
* Antony Bunsee as Ambassador Xandem
* Joyce Grey-Carter as Synnaxian Stone Remover
* Brian Bovell as Trantorian Seer Priest
* Nikhil Dubey as Bomber #1
* Connor Dudley-Fergus as Bomber #2
* Proschat Madani as Lors Avakim
* Vanessa Ifediora as Imperial Herald
* Kirsten Block as Chamberlain
* Samir Fuchs as Prime Magistrate
* Jerry Kwarteng as Imperial Guardian Suit
* Anne Gill as Teacher
* Thomas Lappin as Customs Officer
* Barry McGovern as Orlio
* Abby Dunlavy as Spacer
* Rachel Lynch as Little Girl
* Cooper Carter as Dawn (Cleon XIII)
* Alexander Siddig as Advocate Xylas
* Mido Hamada as Shadowmaster Obrecht

## Appearances

**By type**

Characters

* Lors Avakim (First appearance)
* Bayla (First appearance)
* Cleon I (First mentioned)
* Cleon XI (First appearance)
* Cleon XII (First appearance)
* Cleon XIII (First appearance)
* Demerzel (First appearance)
* Gaal Dornick (First appearance)
* Raych Foss (First appearance)
* Laylo Fulham (First appearance)
* Gia (First appearance)
* Salvor Hardin (First appearance)
* Jarko (First appearance)
* Jerril (First appearance)
* Kalle (First mentioned)
* Larken Keaen (First mentioned)
* Keir (First appearance)
* Hober Mallow (First mentioned)
* Obrecht (First appearance)
* Orlio (First appearance)
* Hari Seldon (First appearance)
* Shae Un Shae (First appearance)
* Synnaxian Stone Remover (First appearance)
* The Mule (First mentioned)
* Thespin Bomber (First appearance)
* Trantorian Seer Priest (First appearance)
* Poly Verisof (First appearance)
* Xandem (First appearance)
* Xylas (First appearance)

Creatures

* Ice lune (First appearance)
* Sea siren (First appearance)

Events

* Bombing of the Star Bridge (First appearance)
* The Cleanse (First mentioned)
* Tribunal of Cleon XII (First appearance)

Locations

	+ Trantor (First appearance)
		- Star Bridge (First appearance)
		- Trantor City (First appearance)
			* Hyper-loop transport (First appearance)
			* Imperial Library (First appearance)
			* Imperial Palace (First appearance)
				+ Imperial Gardens (First appearance)
				+ Mural of Souls (First appearance)
			* Level 22 (First appearance)
				+ Trantorian Seer Church (First appearance)
			* Level 64 (First mentioned)
			* Scar (First appearance)
			* Streeling University (First mentioned)
			* Trantor Station (First appearance)
		- Trantor Station (Orbital Platform) (First appearance)
* Star's End (First mentioned)
	+ Helicon (First mentioned)
* Synnax (First appearance)
	+ Synnaxian Village (First appearance)
* Outer Reach (First mentioned)
	+ Periphery (First mentioned)
		- Anacreon (First mentioned)
			* Tallyn Forest (First mentioned)
		- Anthor Belt (First mentioned)
		- Thespis (First mentioned)
		- Terminus (First appearance)
			* Salvor Hardin's home (First appearance)
			* Terminus City (First appearance)
			* Vault (First appearance)

Organizations and titles

	+ Warden (First appearance)
* Galactic Empire (First appearance)
	+ Genetic Dynasty (First appearance)
		- Brother Dawn (First appearance)
		- Brother Day (First appearance)
		- Brother Dusk (First appearance)
	+ Shadowmaster (First appearance)
* Seer Church (First mentioned)
	+ Seer (First appearance)
* Outer Reach Trade (First mentioned)

Sentient species

	+ Clone (First appearance)
* Robot (First appearance)
* Spacer (First appearance)

Vehicles and vessels

* Jumpship (First appearance)
* Slow ship (First mentioned)
* STO Transport (First appearance)
* Synnaxian Canoe (First appearance)

Weapons and technology

* Blaster (First appearance)
* Jumpdrive (First appearance)
* Jumppod (First appearance)
* Larken Keaen's Bow (First appearance)
* Nano-lace explosive (First appearance)
* Null field (First appearance)
* Perimeter fence (First appearance)
* Prime Radiant (First appearance)
* Railgun (First appearance)
* Sensory shroud (First appearance)

Miscellanea

* Anthor Belt Agreement (First mentioned)
* Book of Ablution (First appearance)
* Book of Folding (First appearance)
	+ Ninth Proof of Folding (First appearance)
* Chroma (First appearance)
* Encyclopedia Galactica (First mentioned)
* Faith of the Awakening (First appearance)
	+ Sleeper (First mentioned)
* Prayer stones (First appearance)
* Psychohistory (First appearance)
* Thraxian (First appearance)

## Behind the scenes

* Gaal Dornick's opening narration mentions Hober Mallow and The Mule, two characters in the *Foundation* series. She notes that they are among the heroes and villains fighting for the fate of mankind, although neither appear in Season One. Both characters would appear in Season Two.
* When describing the Genetic Dynasty, Gaal Dornick describes the three brothers as being clones of Cleon I "decanted at different ages." Each Cleon is grown naturally from an embryo in suspension as is established later in the series. Decanting therefore appears to refer to the moment when a Cleon is removed from his fluid suspension.
* During the dinner scene featuring the three Emperors, Brother Dusk is sitting in the middle position, with Brother Dawn to his left and Brother Day to the right. In all subsequent dinner scenes in the series, save for the dinner before Brother Dusk's ascension in "The Mathematician's Ghost", Brother Day will occupy the middle seat, with Brother Dusk on his right.