Sanctuary - Episode One: Awakening on Mars

Podcast Information:

• Title: Sanctuary
• Host/Author: Voyage Media
• Description: Starring Lily Rabe (American Horror Story). A woman wakes up on a future terraformed Mars, only to discover her husband has become the dictator of Mars, and the only way she can secure a free and peaceful future for the planet is to kill him.
• Episode: Episode One
• Release Date: June 25, 2024

1. Awakening on Mars

The episode opens with Rhea Williams (Lily Rabe) regaining consciousness after a prolonged period in cryosleep. Disoriented and struggling to breathe, she is helped by her husband, Christopher Williams (Albi Robles), and Nan (an AI overseer):

• Christopher: "Rhea, baby." [00:14]
• Nan: "Blood pressure is normal. Brainwave activity is normal. EKG is normal. Blood oxygen is normal." [00:49]

Rhea gradually comprehends her new environment:

• Rhea: "Where am I?" [01:00]
• Christopher: "Mars. Rhea. We're on Mars." [01:04]
• Rhea: "We made it. I thought we were dead. We're really on Mars." [01:15]

2. Introduction to the New Martian Society

Rhea learns about the terraforming success and the establishment of a new society on Mars:

• Rhea: "How long did the terraforming take?" [01:29]
• Nan: Provides a detailed explanation of the terraforming process, highlighting the transformation of Mars over 1,000 years and the role of nanobots in creating a habitable environment. [01:35-02:23]

Christopher reveals the state of Martian society:

• Christopher: "Sanctuary only has a quarter of a million citizens in total." [03:34]
• Rhea: "Sanctuary? Is that the one we said we'd create?" [03:42]
• Christopher: "Sanctuary this is the dream, baby. Everyone is equal. People don't need money. Oh, and I'm president." [03:44-03:58]

3. The Role of Nan and Misha

Nan, the Neural Artificial Network, oversees Martian systems and plays a crucial role in Rhea's revival:

• Nan: "Give her space. She's been in stasis a long time. Confusion is normal." [00:19]
• Rhea: "Nan sounds like my grandmother." [02:23]
• Nan: Explains her function and the care taken during Rhea's revival, including regrowing vital organs. [04:06-04:25]

Introducing Misha (Veronica Warner), a 16-year-old prodigy with combat skills:

• Misha: "Another bombing." [04:44]
• Rhea: "Who the hell are you?" [04:44-04:45]
• Misha: "Mrs. Williams, is everything okay?" [19:02]

4. Political Tensions and Unrest

The episode delves into the political landscape of Mars, highlighting threats from other nations and internal conflicts:

• Christopher: Discusses the race to find the Martian power source and the aggressive moves by other nations like the Cossacks and New Albion. [11:37-11:54]
• Senator: Advocates for executing prisoners to show strength. [12:03, 12:45]
• Rhea: Opposes the death penalty, emphasizing Sanctuary’s commitment to equality and peace. [12:56-13:14]

5. The Attack by Sergey Mallon

A pivotal moment occurs when Sergey Mallon (a former associate) infiltrates Sanctuary with malicious intent:

• Nan: Alerts Rhea about Mallon's presence. [18:14-18:26]
• Sergey Mallon: "You should have died on Earth. You took everything from me." [18:32]
• Rhea: Attempts to protect herself and Misha, leading to a violent confrontation where Misha swiftly neutralizes Mallon. [19:00-20:02]

Notable quotes during the confrontation:

• Rhea: "I'm the last person from Earth to be awakened on Mars." [02:43]
• Rhea: "Holy shit." [20:17]
• Misha: "She's something else. Did you see the way she moved over the wreckage to find survivors?" [14:35-14:50]

6. Personal Dynamics between Rhea and Christopher

The relationship between Rhea and Christopher is strained by their new roles and the challenges they face:

• Rhea: Expresses frustration over being treated as a symbol rather than an individual. [09:15-09:22]
• Christopher: Defends his position, highlighting the necessity of leadership for Sanctuary's survival. [09:24-10:03]
• Rhea: Confronts Christopher about his authoritarian stance and the secrets he's kept. [15:30-16:44]

Significant interaction:

• Rhea: "Twenty years didn't seem to have mellowed out that temper." [10:37]
• Christopher: "Sometimes at my lowest moments, I even thought about letting you sleep forever." [16:13]

7. Conclusion and Cliffhanger

The episode concludes with lingering tensions and unresolved conflicts, setting the stage for future developments:

• Rhea: Questions Nan’s integrity and uncovers potential manipulation within the AI. [17:19-18:07]
• Christopher: Orders increased security measures following the attack. [20:41-20:44]
• Rhea: Realizes the extent of control exerted by both Nan and Christopher, hinting at deeper conspiracies. [21:26-21:34]

Final interactions hint at ongoing power struggles and the fragile state of Martian society:

• Misha: "I've done worse." [22:18]
• Rhea: "What do a husband and wife do when they haven't touched each other in over a thousand and ten years?" [14:11]

Key Takeaways:

• Transformation and Survival: The successful terraforming of Mars showcases human ingenuity and resilience, albeit marred by political turmoil and external threats.
• AI Governance: Nan's role is pivotal, balancing care with surveillance, raising questions about autonomy and control.
• Leadership and Power: Christopher's presidency is both a stabilizing force and a source of tension, highlighting the complexities of leadership in a nascent society.
• Human Relationships: Rhea and Christopher's strained relationship underscores the personal costs of survival and governance in an unforgiving environment.
• Emerging Threats: The attack by Sergey Mallon illustrates the persistent dangers and the fragile peace within Martian society.

Notable Quotes:

• Rhea: "We can breathe air, water, vegetation, crops, food. You name it. We can walk like it's normal." [01:21]
• Nan: "I give them options based on the available data. It's up to them to choose. Human agency is still needed to make human decisions." [17:54]
• Christopher: "If Sanctuary is gonna be better than they are, then we have to prove it." [13:14]
• Rhea: "You and I were supposed to build Utopia, only to be the last one to wake up and find out it was just the same old shit again." [05:17]

Stay tuned for Episode Two as Rhea navigates the complexities of leadership, trust, and the quest for peace on Mars.