Rarely is it that a one-off guest character, who was never mentioned prior to this episode, becomes the one to lead the story along its path. That was a bold choice, to say the least. Paul is used at a nauseum for this episode, to the point where Read, a guest star, actually has to carry it. Eventually, Claire reveals to Kelly that she was once married, and sure enough, it was to Paul. The pair rarely get a chance to interact, so it was refreshing to see the friendship develop a little. Things become even more awkward when Christie, ever the charmer, toasts the new alliance between the Krill and the Union, while staring directly at Claire while toasting to вЂњa better future.вЂќ Claire, feeling that once again Paul has crossed the line, asks Commander Grayson (Adrianne Palicki) to come to her quarters to finish off a bottle of wine she took from the reception, as she just needs to get out of that situation.ДЄs Claire and Grayson share the bottle, Claire shares an idiom with Kelly about memory being either вЂњa prison or a gallows.вЂќ It is a great moment between Finn and Grayson, as the two women begin to bond over their past mistakes in love. The Krill, not accustomed to human niceties, make the evening as humorously awkward as they can. Their exchange ends with Claire telling Paul outright that itвЂ™s best they donвЂ™t complicate the mission with anything but a working relationship.ДЄs the night continues, there is a diplomatic reception where the crew of The Orville and two Krill delegates converse. ClaireвЂ™s purposefully open with the fact sheвЂ™s spending the night with her sons, which surprises Paul as it had been some time since they last spoke, and he wasnвЂ™t even aware she had children.

Christie tries to turn on the charm and ask Claire to dinner, but his advances are shot down fairly quickly. At first we can only glean that Claire was once PaulвЂ™s student while at University, but itвЂ™s glaringly obvious there is more to their relationship. We quickly discover that the two not only know each other, but quite intimately, at that. Keyali asks Finn if sheвЂ™s ok, but the doctor merely shrugs it off as being overtired.ДЄs soon as Admiral Christie comes aboard, he immediately visits Claire in sickbay. As Captain Mercer (Seth MacFarlane) briefs the bridge crew, Lieutenant Keyali (Jessica Szohr) notices that Doctor Finn (Penny Johnson Jerald) is visibly deep in thought and distracted. The Union wants to use a path of Krill space on a regular basis, but the crew of the Orville are most excited that this means it will open vast light years of unexplored space. The crew are rednevouzing with Admiral Paul Christie (Guest star James Read) who is to serve as chief negotiator with the вЂfrenemyвЂ™ alien species, the Krill. While вЂњShadow RealmsвЂќ has its share of darkness, it is a slow character burn for the entirety of the first act.

Shadow creature