What happened in The Rig season 1? Full recap before season 2

As a seasoned movie critic with over three decades of experience under my belt, I must say that The Rig is a gripping and thought-provoking series that stands out in the crowded landscape of streaming television. With its unique blend of science fiction, suspense, and a dash of eco-horror, it’s safe to say that this Scottish production has left an indelible mark on my cinematic memory.

What sets The Rig apart is its unapologetic exploration of humanity’s relationship with nature. It’s no secret that we humans have been exploiting Earth’s resources for far too long, and The Rig takes this notion to a terrifying extreme. The idea that the planet might fight back in a bid to preserve itself is a chilling one, and it’s executed masterfully here.

The characters are also well-written, with each actor delivering a nuanced performance that adds depth to the story. Mark Addy’s portrayal of Coake, the Pictor researcher torn between his loyalty to the company and his belief in The Ancestor, is particularly noteworthy.

But let’s not forget about the stunning visual effects, which bring the underwater world to life in a way that’s both beautiful and terrifying. I must admit, I’ve never seen a tsunami quite like the one depicted in The Rig – it’s enough to make you think twice before taking that next shower!

In terms of humor, let me leave you with this: if you thought Jaws was scary, just wait until you see what The Rig has in store for you. It’ll make you think twice about going for a swim in the ocean ever again. But hey, at least we can still enjoy our showers, right?

In all seriousness, The Rig is a must-watch for anyone who loves well-crafted storytelling and thought-provoking themes. It’s a reminder that Mother Nature can be both beautiful and deadly, and that we ignore her warnings at our own peril. So sit back, grab some popcorn, and prepare to dive into the depths of The Rig – just don’t forget to keep one eye on the horizon for those pesky tsunamis!

**Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Rig season 1** 

In simpler terms, The Rig is coming back, and the ordeal faced by the Kinloch Bravo crew during season 1 is likely to continue.

At first, The Rig was stationed off the Scottish coastline, but it began in an unusual manner. What seemed like a peculiar weather event isolated team Kinloch Bravo from external contacts.

As it transpired, this issue paled in comparison to others when team members began exhibiting strange behaviors, transforming the situation into an ecological science fiction story, with far-reaching effects on their surroundings.

So how exactly did the story play out, and what does this mean for season 2? 

What happened in The Rig season 1

As a fervent enthusiast, I found myself in a state of turmoil when the oil rig I admire, Kinloch Bravo, belonging to Pictor Energy, was plunged into disarray. On the very day of an anticipated crew swap-out, a tremor struck the platform, leading to a blackout and severing our connection with the external world.

As a film enthusiast, I found myself in a gripping scenario where helicopters intended for our evacuation were re-routed, leaving me and my fellow workers stranded, longing for home. To make matters more intense, an ominous fog enveloped the rig, causing my colleagues to behave oddly.

Here are the characters who find themselves in a challenging situation: Pictor Rose, played by Emily Hampshire, HR representative Alwyn (Mark Bonnar), rig manager Magnus (Iain Glen), radio worker Fulmer (Martin Compston), workers Baz (Calvin Demba), Hutton (Owen Teale), Heather (Molly Vevers), Cat (Rochenda Sandall) and Leck (Emun Elliott).

In a surprising turn of events, Baz tumbles from a tower and manages to live, though his eyes have turned ominous and he utters a cryptic warning about something lurking in the sea. Meanwhile, ashes descend upon the platform, and later, he shouts about an impending wave and hints at rings of some sort.

In a heated moment, Hutton learns that Pictor intends to shut down all oil rigs in the vicinity, a fact they’d been concealing from the workforce to avoid mass resignations. Eventually, under the gaze of his colleagues, Magnus is compelled to verify this decision.

What is The Ancestor? 

The nickname “Ancestor” refers to an enigmatic kind of microorganism that’s been slumbering beneath the ocean for countless centuries. Now, it’s been reawakened, ascending both into the atmosphere and the mist enshrouding Kinloch Bravo.

One of its capabilities is rapid healing of bodily wounds, so swift that in Baz’s situation, it prevented what appeared to be imminent death.

Several members of the team are inhaling the spores due to the ash from the mist, which leads to their tattoos dissolving under the shower’s spray and dental fillings being dislodged. This is because their bodies are expelling inorganic substances.

In a sense, spores could bring advantages for mankind overall. However, if they’re deemed non-viable by The Ancestor, the impact it delivers could be fatal.

Among the initial casualties from The Ancestor, we find Leck and Alwyn. Leck perishes following a prolonged exposure to ash, later dying in a shower as the microbes expel and discard the tattoos that adorn his entire body. On the other hand, Alwyn meets his end at the hands of Baz.

Emily thinks it’s plausible that The Ancestor could have been the first life form on Earth, and is responding to the danger posed by the drilling of the oil rig into the planet’s crust.

For many years, human exploitation of Earth’s resources persisted unabated, despite numerous warnings. Now, a group known as The Ancestors has emerged to prevent oil workers from depleting the planet’s resources further.

Considering this, it appears that this event is poised to trigger a new wave of mass extinctions – the sixth such occurrence on Earth and the first in hundreds of years. All that remains is for it to complete the circular pattern on the ocean floor to set this into motion. Once achieved, it may eradicate humanity, paving the way for The Ancestor to begin anew, much as it has done previously.

Pictor knew about The Ancestor, yet chose not to heed its warnings. Instead, Pictor devised a plan to eliminate it. Neighboring facility Kinloch Charlie attempted to poison the ocean floor as part of their strategy to eradicate The Ancestor.

As I stood there, the enigmatic figure of David Coake, a researcher from Pictor, stepped into Kinloch Charlie. His past work had been intertwined with this place, and now he was assigned a new, ominous task: the poisoning. The corporation saw it as an opportunity to ruthlessly exploit the resources without interference, but Coake harbored a different vision – he believed that the key to saving humanity lay within these very grounds.

Coake deceived Murchie, Dunlin, and Hutton into assisting him by claiming that dispersing gas would benefit those nearby, not as a means to harm the Ancestor. However, when Garrow was killed upon the release of the gas, they understood their mistake. Later on, Dunlin sacrificed himself trying to save Garrow, only for Coake to block off the area and abandon him, leaving him for dead.

What happened in The Rig season 1 finale? 

In the final episode of season 1, the circular pattern was sealed off, suggesting the onset of the sixth period of mass extinctions.

Underwater avalanches take place, causing a tsunami that threatens both mainland Europe and Kinloch Bravo.

With the long-awaited Pictor helicopters finally appearing to rescue the stranded crew, it is Baz who chooses to stay aboard the ship instead.

Ever since his season-opening accident, he’s grown increasingly attuned to the Ancestor’s will and what it desires, and he now strongly feels that giving up his life would demonstrate that there exists a noble aspect of humanity worth preserving.

In a symbolic gesture, Baz steps into a brilliant light, coinciding with the arrival of the tsunami at Kinloch Bravo, which subsequently advances towards Scotland.

Baz enters a radiant light as the tsunami hits Kinloch Bravo and moves towards Scotland, symbolizing his offering to the Ancestors.

Among those witnessing the horrors unfold is Cat’s wife, Kacey. 

Instead of flying towards their home, the survivors, safe in their helicopter, allow Coake to direct them to an unknown destination.

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2025-01-01 22:35