Well it took me a while to find the time to watch part 2 of Syfy’s miniseries, Ascension. This installment was easier to follow. The plot still leaves me with many unanswered questions, but I found this second part to have fewer WTF moments.
*** SPOILER WARNING ***
At the end of the part 1, we learn that the Ascension mission was all a ruse. Those people on board for 50 years believe that they are in space, while they are really still on earth in a simulated interstellar journey. A sinister government agency (not sure which one), is running an experiment on the 600 people on board.
Where I become confused is when there are still references to how important the Ascension is to saving humanity. If it isn’t en route to a new planet and has been sitting on the ground for 50 years, how is this helpful to that goal? What is this nebulous threat?
I have to wonder whether anyone on board would really believe that they took off. I’m not sure how the project simulated the G-forces that would have been involved in a launch. If all of these super-bright scientists made up the original crew, was there an equal group of super-bright scientists that worked to ensure the voyage was accurately faked?
I did notice that two of the original scientists who are mentioned to have been on board the Ascension were really SF authors – Fritz Leiber and Alfred Bester. That was a fun tribute to throw in.
The project is being investigated by a special agent. I’m not sure what triggered this, but I like her, mainly because I don’t like the guy who is currently in charge of it.
The little girl on the Ascension looks like she is developing some psychic or telekinetic powers. It is hinted that one purpose of the project is to try to produce this effect.
Off to watch the last part!
Selection Error – a flash fiction story podcast by Utopia Science Fiction Magazine in December 2022