This text incorporates spoilers for “Basis” season 3.
We’re three seasons into “Basis,” and the Apple TV+ present has lastly began to play its playing cards. After two gigantic seasons of setup, the Mule arrived and was revealed with a twist. The significance of the First Basis has additionally light into the background because the Second Basis has stepped out of the shadows. Massive issues are occurring — and but, we have barely scratched the floor of Asimov’s seven-book story arc (together with two prequels). As somebody who has learn and reread these books, I am having enjoyable connecting the dots between the supply materials and showrunner David S. Goyer’s inventive modifications, however there’s one character who stays as elusive as ever: Kalle.
Performed by Rowena King, Kalle was talked about in season 1. She popped into season 2, however was primarily busy with giving Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) one other bodily physique to hold on his work. Then, in season 3, Kalle appeared again and again, bookending the season with vital revelations and exhibiting up in clutch moments. And but, I nonetheless don’t know who she is. Nicely, that is not fairly the correct option to put it: I even have too many concepts about who she is.
Let’s begin with the plain: Kalle would not have a direct connection to Asimov’s books. Neither the Basis books nor the “Robotic” novels (that are in the identical universe) have a personality with this title or on this function. She was made up for the present, and technically, the character named “Kalle” is a mathematician from season 1 whose visionary work on the Ebook of Folding helped affect the Abraxas Conjecture — the advanced math downside that brings Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell) to Hari Seldon’s consideration. Since season 1, although, Kalle’s character has turn out to be veiled in thriller and complexity. Listed below are my present ideas on who Kalle is and the way she would possibly connect with the bigger Basis story heading into season 4.
Is Kalle a mashup of various characters from Asimov’s books?
There is a good probability that Kalle is a mashup of some totally different Asimovian characters — and all of my prime guesses for these are robots. The primary one which involves thoughts is Dors, or extra formally, R. Dors Venabili. (And sure, the “R” stands for Robotic.)
Dors is a serious character within the two prequel novels, “Prelude to Basis” and “Ahead the Basis.” She (and I will consult with her as “she” for causes that can turn out to be apparent in a second) is tasked with serving to the younger Hari Seldon develop psychohistory and create the Seldon Plan. Hari and Seldon fall in love and get married (Hari would not formally know she’s a robotic for a very long time, however he suspects), they usually undertake Raych Seldon (performed by Alfred Enoch in season 1) as their son. The intimacy and deeper conversations between Hari and Kalle on the present are the giveaway right here, giving sturdy overtones of this positronic component from the prequels.
Another choice is R. Giskard Reventlov. It is a robotic from the later “Robotic” novels. He’s particularly vital within the guide “Robots and Empire,” the place he helps Demerzel create the Zeroth Regulation of Robotics and divulges that he is developed the power to telepathically perceive and modify human feelings (key to the Second Basis’s later powers and talents).
Lastly, there’s R. Daneel Olivaw himself. That is the official title for the robotic referred to as Demerzel. Sure, within the books, they’re one and the identical (they usually produce other aliases, too). On this case, I am questioning if, within the present, they’ve cut up the function, duties, and story of Daneel into two elements. One could possibly be the plain and overtly named Demerzel (Laura Birn), however Kalle could possibly be one other facet to that coin.
Is Kalle from Gaia?
My “who’s Kalle?” thought course of has gone additional than particular person characters, too. I am beginning to marvel if she represents a bigger entity — and there are a couple of choices for what that could possibly be. The primary is that she’s the bodily, on-screen embodiment of the Prime Radiant itself. That is what Hari Seldon thinks when he first meets her, and she or he brings it up once more when speaking to Demerzel on the finish of season 3, in episode 9, “The Paths That Select Us.” In that dialog, although, she additionally says:
“I do know what you would like me to be. Like seeks like. Robots weren’t designed to face alone.”
Cryptic? Sure. It hints that she’s a robotic, and earlier in episode 2, “Shadows within the Math,” there are a number of further indicators that she’s positronic, not human. And but, her resistance to easily come out and say “yeah, I am a robotic” makes me suppose there’s extra occurring right here. Perhaps it is simply that she’s the Prime Radiant showing in several varieties to totally different folks. Then once more, possibly she actually is a robotic — and if that is true, I believe she comes from one among two totally different locations.
The primary is Gaia. It is a dwelling planet that’s vital within the upcoming a part of the “Basis” story. Gaia is settled by people with robotic guides and lecturers. Its folks have related powers to the Mule (who comes from there within the books) or the Second Basis, however in addition they develop a single, collective consciousness. Kalle could possibly be from that planet and could possibly be hardwired to the collective consciousness, therefore her cryptic discuss being greater than a single factor.
My different thought is that she’s a robotic from the Moon. That is revealed on the finish of season 3, and it’s a vital a part of the ultimate a part of the “Basis” story. I will not give a lot away, however suffice it to say that the Moon has a robotic colony on it. Kalle could possibly be a part of that group, once more feeding her “I am greater than me” narrative. Sadly, for all of the hypothesis, we’ll need to a minimum of wait till the greenlit season 4 arrives to get extra solutions.
“Basis” season 3 is streaming on Apple TV+.
