“The Decision” is episode twenty-two of season one of First Wave and the season finale.
The episode opens at night with limousines pulling up at Tara Gentech and Gua getting out. They enter a room and some sit behind a table and others on balconies. One of those at the table, Karl, welcomes their elite operatives, the leaders of the three divisions; Acolytes, Empiricists and Osmocists. A political movement back home necessitated this meeting as some are calling for peace as invasion would be too costly. They need a recommendation as to the advisability of launching an attack. Karl introduces another Gua, Maya, who has been coordinating the results of their experiments worldwide and will present her analysis.
According to Maya, after almost four decades and 1,800 experiments, they have learned a great deal. Many experiments are still in progress but they’ve learned a great deal. Humans are weak, motivated by personal gain and blinded by lust and greed. They will be unable to mobilise quickly and they will not be able to mount a defence or withstand the Gua’s forces once the assault begins. She recommends a launch. According to the articles of conduct, each member of the Assembly and the division leaders have the right to object. Does anyone oppose the launch? Speak now.
Joshua speaks. He says that a launch risks a protracted war with heavy losses on both sides, and their possible defeat by the human race. They are surprised he would oppose military action. Joshua says it’s too early. Their work is incomplete. Maya doesn’t think it is. Joshua urges caution. No, moderates haven’t been getting to him. This is based on his own observations.
He asks if they are familiar with Cade Foster and the experiment of which he was a part. Yes; Subject 117. The experiment was designed to test human will. 117 psychological profiles were identified. Each was tested. The experiment drew out the warrior in Foster. The objective was to find out who would fight back and they got more than they bargained for with Foster. During this, there are clips from “Subject 117”. Joshua says that Foster’s path lead him to Emmet Mayhew and a long-lost book of prophecies that may have foretold their invasion.
Foster has been using this book to track their experiments. To the objection that there is no proof, Joshua believes there is. To understand Foster, they have to understand the atrocity he was subjected to. His wife was dead but he didn’t go insane like the other subjects. Foster is a worthy adversary and it would be foolish to overlook his example. Maya says the other 166 subjects crumbled. Those don’t concern Joshua. What concerns him is that one out of every 117 will be a Cade Foster, a fighting force far stronger than they expected.
Foster knows they are there and is letting others know. Maya says Foster is just one man. Joshua has studied human history; one man can create an army of believers. Maya thinks that Joshua is putting too much weight on one experiment. The others show that the human race reached their apex long ago and is rotten to the core, ripe for takeover. Joshua agrees that the human race is weak, but with the right leader, they can be strong. Maya doesn’t think Cade will be that leader. He’s an ex-con framed for murder. Joshua explains how Cade met Eddie in “Crazy Eddie” and how he is attracting followers. The Gua have their own oracle about the one who will defeat them Joshua thinks Cade is that one.
This is an important episode, so it’s a shame that a significant portion of it is taken up by clips of other episodes. Neither Cade or Eddie appear apart from in these clips. Some of which are to events that Joshua had no personal direct knowledge of. There are more episodes with clips; “Speaking in Tongues”, “Marker 262”, “Blue Agave”, “The Box” and “Undesirables”.