Foundation season 3 episode 3 recap: a unexpected alliance and an illegal religion

The gripping story of Foundation season 3 continues with episode 3, called 'When a Book Finds You', which released onto Apple TV Plus on Friday, July 25.

This third season of Asimov-inspired sci-fi epic Foundation is set over 150 years from the past one, and follows the rise of new villain The Mule against the Foundation, which enters its trading era, plus the Empire continues its fall as the forces at its heart continue to try and keep it running.

In Foundation season 3 episode 3 we're about to learn more about that 'twist' at the end of episode 2, in which we learn that one of the Cleon emperors is in contact with main character Gaal Dornick, and will also see the Empire fall further and plots against The Mule take shape.

So here's our recap of 'When a Book Finds You'. This article will contain plenty of spoilers, not just for this episode but for past seasons, so you've been warned. No spoilers for future episodes though!

An unexpected alliance

The beginning of the episode takes place three years prior to the rest of Foundation season 3, as Brother Dawn (Cassian Bilton) travels to the Empire's library to read about psychohistory, especially Kalle's banned work. He is surprised it's in the library (it's the text that Seldon gave Dornick in season 1, so it should be lost in space) and the librarian sets up a mysterious meeting between him and the person who returned it.

Dawn disguises himself and goes to a cafe and meets Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell), who returned Kalle's work to the library to act as a lure for like-minded individuals, though she wasn't expecting a Cleon to be drawn in. She reveals to Dawn the impending risk of The Mule, and lays the groundwork for a secret alliance between her and Dawn. She's also surprised to learn that Empire is in possession of the Prime Radiant.

Then we return to the present day, to the conversation between Dornick and Dawn that ended episode 2. Dornick asks the emperor to form a military enclosure around Kalgan, and she'll stop Foundation from seeing it as an act of war. She also tells Dawn that The Mule has psychic powers, so all communication with him should be done via hologram.

Getaways on Kalgan

Over on Kalgan, Bayta and Toran Mallow (Synnøve Karlsen and Cody Fern) go to the party of The Mule (Pilou Asbæk), taking Foundation agent Han Pritcher (Brandon P. Bell) as their +1. Also at the party is The Mule's entertainer, called Magnifico, playing a sci-fi instrument.

Han immediately approaches The Mule but finds this foe reading his mind for information about Dornick. He quickly flees to his ship and flies off the planet, but Bayta and Toran decide to stay. Magnifico finishes his set and The Mule mistreats him so he flees for the bar.

Bayta approaches Magnifico to try and get information from him, and Toran talks to The Mule to distract him. However the warlord starts to torture Toran at the party by using a fruit peeler to remove skin from his hand, so Toran flees and finds Bayta did the same... and took Magnifico with her. The trio board the couple's ship and fly away, under fire from The Mule's henchmen.

Negotiations on Trantor

Now to Trantor: Brother Day (Lee Pace) and his girlfriend Song go to the Empire barracks to ask the former's friend for help getting them off the planet, and fleeing his Cleonic responsibilities. In exchange he offers to get the soldier's family off the planet too, and also give up his nanobots to the soldier which he can use to heal his ailing daughter. Leaving the barracks, Day also tells Song the truth about Demerzel being a robot.

Demerzel (Laura Birn) sets up a line of communication to The Mule and before the call, Dawn warns her and Brother Dusk (Terrence Mann) about The Mule being psychic. On the call, Dawn asks The Mule to become suzerain of Empire, but despite threats of war, the psychic warlord refuses. We then see that The Mule has attacked an outpost of Empire.

Day and Song are deciding where to flee to but she's quiet, and wants to talk about Demerzel. She doesn't think that they should leave because if Empire really is falling, being at the center will be safer. Then Demerzel visits and tells Day that Dawn wants to speak to him. As they leave, the partner gives Demerzel a secret signal, to the confusion of the majordomo.

Dusk implores the other Emperors to agree to a military blockade of Kalgan but they refuse. Day then remembers that he forgot Dusk's robing ceremony, and they begin to share a drink in a rare moment of bonding.

Later, Day's soldier friend returns and explains a plan to get them all out, as he's agreed to leave. Upon returning home Day finds Demerzel there, but not Song. Demerzel explains the secret signal: it was a sign of faith from an illegal religion which worshipped robots. Practicing it carries the death penalty but in an act of charity, Demerzel only wiped her mind and sent her back to her homeworld. Day is, as you'd imagine, not too happy.