Bel Riose

**Bel Riose** is a recurring character in the Apple TV+ series, *Foundation*. A general serving the Galactic Empire, Riose is portrayed by Ben Daniels. Riose first appeared in the episode "King and Commoner."

## Biography

Bel Riose was a celebrated general of the Galactic Empire, serving fifteen years in the Superluminal Armada and ten years in Intelligence. During a conflict in the Lemul Cluster, Riose disobeyed the orders of Emperor Cleon XVII and seemingly retreated under fire. He executed a flanking maneuver that allowed him to defeat his enemies with minimal loss of life. While Riose's troops praised him as a hero for saving their lives, Cleon XVII imprisoned him for defying him. Riose was sentenced to the opalesk mining prison camp on Lepsis. During his time in prison, he was told his husband, Glawen Curr, had been executed.

When it became clear that the Foundation had not been destroyed as previously thought, Demerzel proposed sending Riose to deal with the situation. Cleon XVII intitally baulked at the idea, but came to see the logic in it. However, he mandated that Riose be killed if he refused the assignment.

On Lepsis, Riose is held prisoner as a slave, watched over by guards. As he tries to save a prisoner who is struggling with work, he is unsuccessful as that prisoner is executed for not being able to pull their weight. As he works, Demerzel arrives and interrupts him, giving him a deal to come back to serve Empire, on the grounds that he can go free afterwards. He attempts to bargain for the freedom of his fellow prisoners along with a claim that he will only go with her to discuss what she wants him to do. Demerzel promises the prisoners will be better treated, and Bel goes with her after learning the Empire lied about the death of Glawen.

Back at the Imperial Palace, Bel refuses to clean up to meet Cleon XVII, saying he wants to meet him as the person Day made him. Bel greets Day and his brothers and upon hearing the issue they want Bel to solve, he asks for a private meeting with Cleon XVII which is granted. Bel tells Cleon XXVII exactly what he thinks of him and In response to accusations that he has never seen battle, Cleon XVII demands Bel strike him. Bel will not do this, due to him taking an oath to his Emperor. His continues to refuse, despite his husband's life being on the line. Cleon XVII lets Glawen live due to this decision.

Bel is reunited with Glawen and gets emotional at seeing his husband alive. Glawen helps Bel get cleaned up and the pair embrace. Later, as Bel stands beside Glawen, preparing to board the *Shining Destiny*, they discuss their future. Despite Glawen wanting Bel and him to disappear, Bel argues that he wants to stay as he is in a favourable position inside Empire and could make a positive difference. Bel boards the ship and greets his old crew, happy to be back, and sets a course for the outer reach.

The *Shining Destiny* arrives at Siwenna to meet with a local contact about the Foundation's actions on the planet. Riose and Glawen stealth insert into the planet using wingsuits, diving down and attempting to pick up the extraction package dropped by engineering for their eventual exfiltration. The package was recovered by locals, prompting Riose and Glawen to go after it. After attempting to obtain the package peacefully, violence ensues and they win, obtaining the package - though Glaywen does not agree with Bel's tactics. The pair later meet Ducem Barr, their informant, to discuss the Foundation's work on Siwenna. There, Ducem shows them a video of Brother Constant performing magic and explains how her and Poly Verisof used auras during their show. As Ducem explains more, the locals pound on Ducem's door, wanting to apprehend Riose and Glawen. Before they leave, Ducem asks Riose to shoot him as he will be tortured otherwise. Bel reluctantly agrees to do this and the pair escape to their ship.

Aboard the *Shining Destiny*, Riose and Glawen spent time together; Riose watching the recording of Cleon XVII ending the Genetic Dynasty while Glawen reads the book he was given from Ducem Barr. Air Officer Kress arrives, requesting their presence as She-Bends-Light would like to see them. She-Bends-Light shows them footage of the whisper-ship jumping away from Siwenna, noting that it is the smallest jump singularity-fold she's ever seen. At that moment, She-Bends-Light receives a communication from the Home-Swarm; the whisper-ship they are looking for is in their custody and the Home-Swarm is coming to them.

Riose, Glawen, and She-Bends-Light board the Home-Swarm to meet with She-Is-Center. She-Is-Center and She-Bends-Light communicate silently and then She-Is-Center turns over Hober Mallow for attempting to broker the Spacers' betrayal. Hober attempts to escape by assaulting Glawen but is stopped by Riose. Hober opens the whisper-ship for the Empire. However, Beki is still onboard and she knocks down Riose and Glawen, allowing Hober to escape with the *Spirit Rising* by jumping in the hangar bay.

Aboard the *Destiny*, Bel visits Hober and Constant and explains that they’re not dead as they’re not his to kill. Hober tells Bel about the casting device that they confiscated and Hober tells them about it, helping them realise the Foundation has some advanced technology. Constant further explains how she sees the war ending. Hober hears Bel give his assessment of how Empire is faring and how stupid they are for attacking Empire. He believes that Empire will fall - just not yet. Bel is called away as Day has arrived. On the bridge, Bel tells tell he believes they can win without firing a single shot. Day concurs and wants to go down to the planet to talk.

Upon receiving orders from Day to take Terminus and the *Invictus*, Bel scans the ship and agrees with Glaywen to take a boarding party. However, the *Invictus* becomes operational and a fleet of Whisper ships approaches. Bel orders fighters to scramble and intercept the Whisper ships. With Glawen able to disable the *Invictus* during the battle, the Foundation retreat and Bel sends word to Demerzel. However, Glawen’s ship is damaged in the explosion and is sent towards the planet, to the dismay of Bel.

Later, Day orders Bel to send the Invictus on to the planet, consuming it which is a tough order for Bel to action. As Day makes his way to the bridge, he orders Bel to begin the attack on the *Invictus* when he gets a comm from Glawen who survived the crash. Despite repeated orders from Day, Bel takes the time to talk to his life partner privately and fill him in on the situation. Glawen tells him to carry out the order as he can still take down Empire from the inside. Through tears, Bel sends the *Invictus* crashing down onto the planet - on to Glawen.

After what happened on Terminus, Bel is ordered by Day to prepare for the fleet to jump to seven planets the Foundation has a foothold on to show them Empire is still around. Bel disobeys this order - the first since before he was imprisoned - citing that it would be the moral ruin of Empire. but the Spacer agrees to carry out the order, but notices an anomaly with the jump sequence as ships start jumping into each other. They cannot be stopped, and Hober tells Day that being captured by the Spacers was a ruse - they made a deal with Hari. They baited Day to Terminus with his entire fleet due to how predictable Day is. As Day and Hober fight, Bel intervenes and finally gets to hit Empire after all these users. The pair fight as Day insists he wants no help from his guards. As the fight continues, Day thinks he has Bel beaten and in the airlock, but Bel uses the castling device to switch bodies. Day is launched into space, to Bel’s satisfaction.

With the command lockdown preventing their escape, the ship is stranded. Bel and Hober are able to find a cleaning module with enough air for one person for a day. Bel watches Hober and Constant exchange words, saying how Constant should be the one to use it which she duly does. Later, the fleet continues to be destroyed as Bel shares the wine Hober has wanted to try for so long. The pair discuss endings and how there is honor in death. With the wine tasting terrible, the pair laugh as the ship explodes.

## Appearances

* Season Two
	+ "A Glimpse of Darkness" (First mentioned)
	+ "King and Commoner" (First appearance)
	+ "Where the Stars Are Scattered Thinly"
	+ "A Necessary Death"
	+ "The Last Empress"
	+ "Long Ago, Not Far Away"
	+ "Creation Myths"

## Notes and references

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "King and Commoner"
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "A Glimpse of Darkness"
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Creation Myths"
4. ↑ "Where the Stars Are Scattered Thinly"
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "A Necessary Death"
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Long Ago, Not Far Away"