7 ways Lost in Space season 2 sets up an epic third season on Netflix
The pieces are now in place for an even bigger third season **CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Netflix once again blasted off into regions unknown with Lost in Space season two. The sci-fi spectacle took the Robinson family further than they’ve been before and picked up after the cliffhanger ending of season one.
While the second run of episodes saw the brave brood catch up with the crew of the Resolute, it was another case of them being literally ‘lost in space’ when the finale split the family apart and put the pieces in place for an even bigger third season. Prepare to kick-start the engines as we check out how Lost in Space season two sets up season three...
Alpha Centauri is where the heart is
The whole modus operandi of the Resolute was to take the families to a new life on Alpha Centauri. The question remains whether anyone will ever get there. With a name like Lost in Space, it's clear things were never going to be that simple for the Robinsons, but is Alpha Centauri even the paradise that is promised?
Although the series claims Alpha Centauri is already established with various colonies, it seems a little too convenient this suped-up Center Parcs is just around the corner. The Robinson kids won’t be making it there just yet, however, that doesn’t mean John (Toby Stephens) and Maureen (Molly Parker) won’t make contact in season three.
Judy’s daddy issues
The faux Alpha Centauri signal drew the Robinson kids to a half-destroyed planet and floating wreck the ship Fortuna. For anyone who needs a refresher, the Fortuna was the lost spacecraft that contained Judy’s real father - Grant Kelly.
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It’s a safe assumption that Kelly has somehow survived and will play a major part in season 3. Having Judy’s daddy in the mix is guaranteed to play with the family’s dynamic, but the question on everyone’s lips is whether Grant Kelly will be friend or foe?
Dr. Smith’s survival
Is anyone really buying the fake-out death that Dr. Smith kicked the bucket before the credits rolled? With Parker Posey’s Dr. Smith, aka June Harris, continuing to be an easy highlight of the series, it’s doubtful the character died when her crushed suit was jettisoned into the abyss.
For a start, the OG Robot discovered Smith’s scarf and blue ball she picked up earlier in the episode aboard the ship. Importantly, this would make Smith the only adult looking after the Robinson kids as they find themselves in unknown territory.
Even if Smith seemed to turn over a new leaf and sacrifice herself to save the Robinsons, it’s unlikely this leopard has changed its spots forever.
How many robots?
If battling one super-powered robot wasn’t enough, the Resolute survivors were faced with a whole army of those metal monsters in the finale. It seems Ben Adler’s tinkering with Scarecrow summoned a fleet of robots - all of whom were pretty peeved at the humans.
Everyone has escaped to distant reaches of the galaxy (for now), but the robot/human conflict is sure to continue growing in season three. Interestingly, they aren’t the murderous 'bots fans were led to believe. The robots are simply in search of motors to keep themselves going. Well, that's before the Resolute declared war on them.
Someone playing God
Sticking with the robots, where did they come from? Season two conveniently skirted around their origin story while still leaving a trail of intrigue.
The home system of the robots included a number of planets acting like giant chargers to power them. There’s also the weird rings the robots live inside that also corresponded to the markings on their bodies.
It definitely seems the writers are setting the robots up for some sort of Prometheus-style reveal with their mysterious creators. Who knows, maybe a time-travelling Will Robinson (Maxwell Jenkins) is behind their construction in a sci-fi chicken and egg scenario?
Is Ben Adler really dead?
Captain Adler (JJ Feild) went full Dr. Smith and took one for the team as he floated out into the rings to save the mistreated Scarecrow. While it looked pretty definitive that Adler had been fried in the lightning storm, his final line teased a miraculous survival.
Before his heroic demise, Adler uttered, “Next time we meet, how about we do things differently from the start?" – those who’ve seen the previous versions of Lost in Space will know time travel came into play in both the campy ‘60s series and the 1998 movie flop.
Adler gave Smith a run for her money as misunderstood villains in season two, and although it might be a bit of a cop out, he could be back for more.
More than just man and machine
The final mystery poses how only some humans have a connection with the robots. So far, only Will and Dr. Smith have forged a bond with the machines. Adler originally looked like he had something with Scarecrow, but the pair went through the ringer in season two.
At the centre of it all appears to be Will. The plucky young Robinson has managed to turn two robots against their more villainous counterparts, and let's remember Penny's saying to her little brother, “Maybe one is an anomaly, but two? Maybe it’s the start of something big.”
All of this ties back to the idea that Will, in particular, is more than just another human in the way of the Robot race’s endgame.
With Netflix keeping its cards close to its chest when it comes to Lost in Space season three, fans will have to wait a little bit longer to find out whether there’s more ‘danger’ for Will Robinson or if the family is destined to be marooned in depths of space alongside the likes of The OA...
Lost in Space season 2 is streaming now on Netflix
