As our cadets return home for their first school holiday, they must choose between what their families expect of them and their own dreams for the future — including an aspiring captain who’s secretly willing to risk everything to re-write her own past, and an aristocratic cadet called to serve his planet way before he’s ready.
Written by: Alex Taub & Eric Anthony Glover
Directed by: Andi Armaganian
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We’ve known very little about Khionian society till now. Darem was competing hard with Genesis because his parents would, if we believe he was being truthful, leave when he made a mistake. That’s what that episode was about: him dealing with the insecurities caused by his parents’ neglect (and realizing there was another way). He and Genesis had a bonding moment over living up to their parents’ expectations. They wouldn’t even call him back, hence his going to Reno saying his PADD was broken as it wasnt receiving calls. And Reno saw through the situation and talked about people who do show up for him, referring to Genesis.
If he was a competitive asshole because his parents made him into one, why did Kaira never see that side of him?
You’ve written into your mind that he was a competitive asshole before the academy, but the entire point is he was not like that until he got to the academy. He had to be perfect for his parents, not an asshole. You’ve decided that perfect = asshole, but that is not supported. You can watch that episode again and listen to what he says about his parents.