The previous episode of “For All Mankind” ended on a concerning note with the failure of the Russo-Helios mission as a result of Danny’s mental state. In our Episode 7 article, we mentioned how the destruction of the MSAM could be devastating for everyone on Mars since it was the only way back home. As it turns out, the MSAM is destroyed, implying that the astronauts and cosmonauts have to stay longer on the red planet than anticipated. The landslide buried Hab1, leaving Danny and Ed stranded underground with a limited oxygen supply. Nick and Isabel lost their lives due to the catastrophe. Alexie Poletov manages to pick himself up from the debris. He and Louisa were the only ones who managed to return to the NASA base unharmed. “For All Mankind,” Season 3, Episode 8 deals with how the United States, Soviet Union, and Helios Aerospace get together to rescue human lives on another planet.
Spoilers Ahead
Ellen And Pam
When Ellen got to know the real reason why Pam chose to break up with her, she decided that she was going to meet her. As a President, it was difficult for Ellen to make such impulsive decisions, but she managed to find a way to reach out to Pam. It was a pleasant surprise for Pam, who now lived alone in the suburbs. Ellen wanted to know why Pam decided to leave her. Ellen believed that she would have chosen Pam over everything else, but that was what Pam was afraid of. She knew that if Ellen chose to be with her, sooner or later, she would regret the sacrifice she had to make. Pam knew that Ellen was meant to achieve greatness, and she did not wish to jeopardize her career. Also, she believed that Ellen’s success would benefit the queer community, but she was left disappointed. Ellen explained that she could only do what was possible instead of aiming for the unachievable. Pam felt that she was no longer the Ellen she knew, who was driven by a fire in her to bring about a change. Ellen had to leave, but what Pam said stayed with her. After returning to the White House, she chose to make her own decision about the rescue mission, leaving Larry out of the meeting. Larry shaped Ellen to the point where she was no longer herself. Perhaps after meeting with Pam, she felt closer to the person she always wanted to be.
Danny And Ed
The Hab1 was buried under a pile of debris, and Danny lost all hope of being rescued. He took care of Ed’s wound to temporarily stop the blood flow. The pain from the wound was almost unbearable for Ed, but he was hopeful that NASA would come to their rescue. Danny could not give in to his impractical hopefulness. He knew that they had a limited oxygen supply and that in six hours, they would suffocate and die. He stated that he would not wear the astronaut’s suit, knowing that there was barely any chance of survival. Ed made it clear that if required, he would forcefully make Danny wear the suit. It was Ed’s dominance that Danny could not put up with. He blurted out how Ed’s son, Shane, would complain of his father’s forceful nature as a kid. He was terrified of Ed, and he would only be at peace when Ed went away for space missions. This enraged Ed, and he attacked Danny and received a blow. His wound got severe, and Danny helped him cope. Somehow, being trapped in close proximity helped the two understand each other better, even after the violent outcome. Ed realized how Danny blamed himself for Shane’s death since he was often the reason Shane would get into trouble. He believed that had he not been mischievous, Shane might have survived. He decided to be an astronaut for Shane, hoping that by living his dream, he could make up for his past mistake, but he messed up the plan. As a kid, it must have been a lot for Danny to go through. Shane was his best friend, and after his death, he concluded that he was the reason behind the accident. He lived with guilt all these years, even though Shane’s death was fate, and he could not have changed it. Ed comforted Danny, knowing how he had drained himself emotionally over the years. A sudden realization hit Danny. If he failed to survive, then his daughter would be left without a father figure, just like he and Jimmy were left to survive on their own after the death of their parents. He believed the space mission was not worth losing his family; this realization might lead to Danny retiring from his role as an astronaut though it remains speculation. Since he thought they were going to die, he decided to confess his truth about Karen but luckily, help came their way, and his past relationship with Karen remained a secret from Ed.
‘For All Mankind’ Season 3, Episode 8: How Were Danny And Ed Rescued?
Members of Helios Aerospace and the Russian program gathered together at the Johnson Space Center to discuss how they could work together to help Danny and Ed. The team narrowed down the location where they might be trapped after they were last spotted. With the help of the ground penetrating radar, Danielle Poole hoped to pick up any signal during the rover search. Kelly and Alexei were responsible for operating the rover and thoroughly searching the location for Hab1. Kelly worried for her father’s life; she had grown up fearing the worst whenever he went on a space mission. While she discussed her childhood days with her lover, Alexei, he received a beacon signal. Even though the signal was weak due to the debris, it indicated that Danny and Ed were trapped in that exact spot. Their option was to manually dig a hole to rescue the men, but owing to the temperature drop, Margo knew that it would take longer than usual. She realized that Ed and Danny did not have much time on hand; therefore, they had to come up with something better than manual digging.
Dev Ayesa came up with an alternative. He decided to deal with the problem as an engineer and not as the leader of his company. He proposed that they enter the lava tube through the surface of the debris that was closest to it and place a bomb that would help them displace the debris and expose the Hab to the surface. The only issue was that the explosion had to take place at the right spot; otherwise it could even destroy the Hab. Luckily, the plan was a success, and Ed and Danny were rescued from their miserable situation. Though it was not a happy ending for everyone, Kelly was glad to have her father back, but she lost her lover in the process. After surviving the landslide, Alexei experienced a terrible headache and started to lose his senses gradually. It was believed that he suffered from a subdural hematoma and that he lost his life to it.
In the end, it is revealed that Kelly is carrying a child. The Russian commander decides to inform Moscow and also Daniel Poole regarding it, knowing the risks involved in having a pregnant woman onboard. Kelly was carrying a child who would be both an American and a Russian, nothing short of a miracle in the “For All Mankind” universe. The rescue mission also allowed all the teams to realize that, even though they were at one point competing with one another, the space missions were more than their selfish interests. It was the success of mankind that was important. Therefore, the geniuses gathered together one night to help save two individuals on another planet, representing how humanity surpasses all differences.
