Dominion (season 1)

Dominion (season 1)
DVD cover art
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	8
Release
Original network	CBS
Original release	June 19, 2014 – August 7, 2014

The first season of the American television drama series Dominion premiered on June 19, 2014, and concluded on August 7, 2014, and consisted of eight episodes. Syfy broadcast the first season on Thursday at 10:00 pm in the United States.

Cast

Main

• Christopher Egan as Sgt. 1st Class Alex Lannon: A young and often rebellious V2 soldier in Vega's Archangel Corps, Claire's lover and the father of her child and Charlie's surviving son (from Legion). He discovers he is the unlikely savior of humanity, known as "The Chosen One", and the central figure of Vega's dominant official religion, known as "Saviorism". Alongside the archangel Michael, Alex defends the city of Vega against Gabriel and other threats, while also deciphering the mysterious tattoos on his body.
• Tom Wisdom as Archangel Michael: A legendary warrior known throughout history as the greatest of the archangels, Michael was the only angel to take humanity's side during The Extermination War, turning against his own kind, and was instrumental in defeating his brother Gabriel and saving what was left of mankind. He now acts as Vega's protector; the first line of defense against Gabriel's armies of Possessed, and also commands Vega's Archangel Corps; an elite unit responsible for the protection of Vega's aristocracy. Always inscrutable, Michael has proven to be an invaluable ally; he is Riesen's chief advisor, Becca's lover and Alex's guide and protector – Michael has watched over Alex his entire life, and works to train him as "The Chosen One".
• Roxanne McKee as Lady Claire Riesen: A teacher to orphan children, believer in Saviorism, Riesen's daughter and Alex's lover who is pregnant with his child. Claire was originally Vega's princess and heir to her father's seat as ruler of Vega, and is deeply opposed to the hierarchical V-System. She is beloved by the people and always does her best to watch out for the city's lower classes despite her sheltered and privileged upbringing, defending their rights to the Senate. Claire fell in love with Alex after he saved her life during his assignment as a guard to House Riesen, though their secret relationship is forbidden. Claire is forced into marriage with William Whele, as a political move to defend her from his power-hungry father, David. Claire later ends her relationship with Alex to marry William, though she turned on William and had him imprisoned upon realizing he was a Black Acolyte, and she herself was expecting Alex's baby. Claire took over her father's position when he left town.
• Luke Allen-Gale as William Whele: Vega's Principate and David's son, William was the religious leader of the Church of The Savior, the religion that has grown since The Extermination War, all based around the concept of The Chosen One. Seemingly serving his flock with a kind heart, William was secretly loyal to Gabriel, archangel and enemy of mankind. William had an inferiority complex, deeply desiring his father's acceptance and pining for Claire's affection. William welcomes his betrothal to Claire, having been very much in love with her since childhood, but feigns reluctance due to it being a political move by their fathers. William also positions himself close to Alex, pretending to worship him as The Chosen One, but he secretly served as leader of Gabriel's Black Acolytes in Vega. William later married Claire, though she turned on him upon realizing he was a Black Acolyte allied with Gabriel. William was then banished from Vega.
• Shivani Ghai as Arika/Evelyn: The beautiful and wily Queen of Helena, a distant and mysterious fortified city, Evelyn comes to Vega as "Arika" – supposedly the consort and wife of Queen Evelyn, and a diplomat who is part of a negotiating party, and shared a clandestine relationship with David Whele. Evelyn's true agendas are deceptive, secretive and mysterious to the residents of Vega. Evelyn acts to maintain the peace between Vega and Helena, maneuvering throughout Vega's leadership with grace and skill.
• Rosalind Halstead as Senator Becca Thorn: One of the Senate's consuls, the head of House Thorn and Riesen's confidant, Becca is one of the most powerful leaders in Vega, overseeing all scientific and medical personnel in the city. She is David's rival in the Senate and defends Riesen – privately knowing he could die at any moment of congestive heart failure. Becca is also a close friend to Claire Riesen; and carries on a forbidden affair with Michael that involves stronger feelings than even she may be comfortable with.
• Anthony Head as Senator David Whele: Vega's Secretary of Commerce, one of the Senate's consuls, the head of House Whele and William's father. David is the chief of administrator of Vega and the second most powerful leader in the city, responsible for keeping every government department running while the Lord commands the military. A ruthless and cunning political operator, David is an ambitious power broker, and an utterly ruthless and narcissistic politician, who is always on the hunt to keep or grow his power by any means necessary. A former televangelist, he uses the "psychology of faith" to advance his and his son's positions. He is vehemently against Saviorism, and considers Alex to be his greatest threat in his pursuit of control of Vega, and that him being The Chosen One could bring ruin to their society. David maintains a dynamic and unpredictable relationship with Riesen – the only one who outranks him, and attempts to usurp him by making William the Lord of the City through a forced marriage to Claire, but this fails after William is exposed as a Black Acolyte, forcing David to leave his son to wander the desert.
• Alan Dale as Gen. Edward Riesen: Vega's Lord of the City, the head of House Riesen and Claire's father. Riesen is Vega's selfless ruler and military leader who remains a paragon of strength and duty, despite his failing health. 25 years ago, during The Extermination War, Riesen led humanity to victory – rallying and organizing survivors under his leadership, Riesen defeated Gabriel, destroyed his army and ended his ability to wage war on humankind. Afterwards, Riesen helped found the city of Vega, and imposed a rigid class system, known as the "V-System", as a way to keep order and ensure the city's survival. Riesen serves as Lord of the City for years and commands the military against angel threats, while also maintaining his hold on power and thwarting David Whele's attempts to usurp him.

Recurring

• Carl Beukes as Archangel Gabriel: An archangel, Michael's "twin" (in the hierarchy of angels) and leader of the angels in the war against humanity, Gabriel is responsible for pushing humanity to the brink of extinction – when God disappeared, Gabriel, having always been scornful and jealous of humanity's favored position, and full of hate for mankind at their abuse of the Earth that he believes is birthright to the angels, lead the majority of his brethren in a war to end mankind. Gabriel wants nothing less than to wipe them out entirely – believing this will bring his beloved father, God, back from his disappearance. Gabriel himself has a colorful personality – once a protector of humanity who was calmest and most collected of his kind, he is now extremely violent and unstable, but remains a master manipulator who wields truth and deception as masterfully as a sword. Gabriel seems to have lost all sacred, heavenly qualities except a love of his brother, Michael. Despite their ongoing conflict, Gabriel hopes to reignite his brother's hatred of humans to bring him over to his side. with the revelation of Alex as The Chosen One, Gabriel maneuvers through his disciple William to have Alex voluntarily join him, an effort that succeeds after he threatens Alex with Vega's destruction.
• Kim Engelbrecht as Sgt. Noma Banks: A sergeant in Vega's Archangel Corps, Noma is Alex's friend and fellow soldier. Noma always has Alex’s back and they trust each other implicitly – she knows about his forbidden relationship with Claire, with Alex trusting her to keep the secret. Noma and Alex also have a casual sexual relationship since their time as recruits. She is later revealed to be a higher angel who supported Michael to stand against Gabriel, and was assigned by Michael to watch over Alex.
• Katrine De Candole as Archangel Uriel: An archangel, Michael and Gabriel's sister and Raphael's twin. Uriel resurfaces after years underground, a new player of uncertain intentions and loyalties. At first she appears to be allied with Michael, but later swears allegiance to Gabriel. Her sly, scheming tendencies make her a bit of a loose cannon, and both of her brothers call her insane. Uriel's only clear agenda seems to be deciphering the tattoos on The Chosen One's body in order to bring God back.
• Jonathan Howard as Sgt. Ethan Mack: A sergeant in Vega's Archangel Corps who works as a guard for House Whele, and Noma and Alex's best friend and fellow soldier. Ethan cares for Alex like a brother, and is aware of Noma's attraction to him. Among the AAC soldiers, Ethan is infamous for trading rare goods such as whisky or perfume (apparently stealing these high-end goods from Vega's aristocracy and selling them to fellow soldiers). According to Evelyn, Ethan is secretly homosexual.
• Anton David Jeftha as Furiad: One of the higher angels who have joined Gabriel in his war against humanity, Furiad is Noma's former lover and leader of Gabriel's High Guards. Furiad belongs to the second sphere of angels (the “Powers”) who were born to be warriors to keep the other angels in line, and are far more dangerous than the angels who possessed mankind during The Extermination War. Like Gabriel, Furiad is among the angels who have always hated mankind. According to Michael, Furiad is vain and unintelligent, and can easily identified by the special red armor he wears.
• Langley Kirkwood as Jeep Hanson: Alex's adoptive father and Charlie's husband (from Legion), Jeep was a hero of Vega long presumed dead in The Extermination War, and known publicly as Vega's "prophet" for The Chosen One. Jeep, now a forgotten warrior, sneaks into Vega after 14 years, revealing his survival to Vega's leadership and bearing tactical news of Gabriel's stronghold. Jeep and Alex's relationship was rocky, as while his love for and belief in his son were unwavering, Jeep sacrificed their bond, on Michael's instruction, reluctantly abandoning his son on Vega's streets as a V-1 orphan. This was so, while Michael protected and watched over him secretly, Alex would gain the skills he needed to survive on his own, and eventually rise as The Chosen One – these efforts succeeded but left Alex feeling bitter and angry that his father who apparently loved him effectively left him to die. Jeep thereafter spent his long years alone attempting in vain to decipher the enigmatic tattoos, which he bore on his own body until the time was right for Alex to assume his birthright. Roan, a higher angel disguised as a human child, kills him shortly after his return during an angel attack on the city.
• Betsy Wilke as Bixby: A young V1 orphan, Bixby barely eked out an existence in Vega, but Alex watched over her like a big brother, and he hoped to take her and Claire out of the city so they will no longer have to live by Vega's strict caste rules. Bixby witnesses the revelation of Alex's true identity as The Chosen One, and was then granted the protection of House Riesen, as well as a greatly improved standard of living. After an angel attack leaves her injured, David Whele kills her while she is in recovery, to prevent her from spreading the news of Alex being The Chosen One – a revelation that had led to a hostage situation and near deaths of Riesen and David. Alex and all others believe Bixby succumbed to her injuries naturally.
• Kevin Otto as Louis: A neutral higher angel and a refugee from The Extermination War, Louis was a mild-mannered grocer living and working in Vega as a vendor in the marketplace. Michael, his long-time friend, is entirely aware of his location as well as other neutrals in the city and protected them from the Senate finding out about them, until Michael declares that he and the other undercover angels in Vega must finally choose a side in Gabriel’s war.
• Amy Bailey as Clementine Riesen: Riesen's wife and Claire's mother, now one of the Possessed angels, kept by Riesen living at the abandoned Luxor hotel. Clementine retained enough of her human memories to maintain a secret love with Riesen, but it was entirely forbidden and put her at extreme risk, as she would be condemned by both her own kind and the humans of Vega. Her only wish is to escape the shadows and live a normal human life, despite the fact that she knows this is not possible. Riesen's dangerous secret was later discovered by Alex, Michael and Claire. Clementine later dies as, while Alex evicts the angel from her body, it leaves her vegetative and catatonic, leading her daughter to kill her out of mercy.
• Tyrone Keogh as Lt. Vince: A security guard for House Whele.
• Kenneth Fok as Capt. Finch: A captain in Vega's Archangel Corps, and Alex and Noma and Ethan's firm and unforgiving superior officer.
• Danny Keogh as Senator Thomas Frost: One of Vega's senators, Frost is one of the leaders of Vega and is responsible for the city’s Agritowers, in which much of the food is grown. One of the city's founding fathers, Frost is a powerful believer in the coming of The Chosen One, and is an honest politician allied with Riesen and Michael against David Whele, valuing the truth above all else. When he accidentally learns the identity of The Chosen One is known to the city's leaders, his desire to reveal the truth leads Frost to take Riesen and David hostage and threaten to flood the Agritowers and destroy most of Vega's food supply if The Chosen One didn't reveal himself to the public. Alex defuses the situation by coming before Frost and proving he was his Savior with his knowledge of Frost's daughter, Abby, who died for him the first night of The Extermination War. Riesen killed Frost to keep Alex's identity secret, but covered up the truth – publicly declaring Frost saved the Agritowers from an accidental flood at the cost of his own life, and giving him a state funeral.
• Fiona Ramsay as Senator Blanch Romero: One of Vega's senators, Romero is one of the leaders of Vega and is responsible for the vitally important nuclear reactor that powers the city. A shrewd politician, Romero has aligned herself with David Whele and against Riesen (when the political winds dictate it). According to Ethan Mack, Romero has severe a alcohol addiction, possibly due to the loss of her family during The Extermination War.
• Luam Staples as Roan: Originally appearing as a mysterious child savant, Roan accompanied Arika and her retinue of women from Helena to Vega. Favored by Evelyn, the leader of Helena, the silent boy was suspected to be far more than he seemed. During an angel attack on the city, Roan revealed himself as a higher angel and member of the Powers, now joined with Gabriel, and killed Jeep before escaping. This incident damages relations between Vega and Helena.
• Julie Hartley as Felicia Aldreen: Claire's servant at House Riesen, Felicia was originally a neutral higher angel and a refugee from The Extermination War, though she later sided secretly with Gabriel. Felicia attempted to kill Alex, though she fails and is driven from Vega.

Episodes

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	1	"Pilot"	Scott Stewart	Vaun Wilmott	June 19, 2014	1.96[1]
In the outskirts of Vega, Alex searches for "8-balls", humans possessed by angels and led by the Archangel Gabriel. Alex finds three in an abandoned casino, and fights them, but back in Vega, Archangel Michael reprimands Alex for going on an unauthorized mission. Alex visits General Riesen's daughter, Claire, his secret lover, and they discuss fleeing Vega, but she insists that her father will let them be together. Jeep, a warrior who has been missing for over a decade, is unable to decipher his mystical tattoos, and Jeep reveals that he is Alex's father. Gabriel is alive, and he sends angels from his headquarters to fight those in Vega. Jeep gets stabbed by an 8-ball and dies in Alex's arms. Jeep's tattoos fade and then reappear on Alex. Michael tells Alex that he is the savior of Vega and that he must decipher the tattoos and use them to choose which course to take at critical junctures to end the war. Alex sees that a section of the tattoos has temporarily changed to read "Beware of those closest to you".
2	2	"Godspeed"	Rick Jacobson	Vaun Wilmott	June 26, 2014	1.45[2]
Alex mourns the loss of his father and wrestles with the idea of being the Chosen One. He tells Claire that they should leave the city, but she wishes to stay and help defend it. Gabriel and Michael meet and discuss why the angels attacked; angels were upset that God gave humans their form and the Earth to be theirs. Alex's new assignment is to protect the House of Whele. He reveals to Michael that the tattoos told him to stay away. Arika, being held a prisoner, blackmails David for her freedom or there will be war. General Riesen is shown to have congestive heart failure, and he wishes to hand control of the city over to Claire. After her maid, Felicia, sees Alex's tattoos, she attacks him. Claire is injured, and Alex kicks Felicia out of a window. She flies away, revealing that she is an angel. He decides that the best way to protect Claire is to leave the city. When he does, his arm tattoos change to dots. Felicia returns to Gabriel with the identity of the Chosen One.
3	3	"Broken Places"	Rick Jacobson	Dario Scardapane and Damien Ober	July 3, 2014	1.69[3]
William meets Gabriel to learn he must now help the angel army, to which William hesitantly agrees. Arika meets David to talk about their mutual needs. He wants an air force and she wants his nuclear reactor technology to take back to Helena. Out in the desert, Alex learns angels have been attacking out of nowhere from the sky. Claire and her father argue that the system he created is actually enslaving people and creating a dangerous social order. David Whele corners Becca to say he wants her to study Michael. He reminds her that sleeping with an angel makes her a pariah, and recommends that Becca start autopsies on higher angels. Alex is very resistant to being the Chosen One. Michael say he will leave him alone if he goes to one more location – Alex's childhood home. William tells his followers that it is time they start worshiping Gabriel and not Michael. Furiad tells Gabriel that he stabbed Michael, which angers Gabriel, who still hopes he can recruit his brother angel.
4	4	"The Flood"	Alex Holmes	Brusta Brown & John Mitchell Todd	July 10, 2014	1.62[4]
Alex is dragged to Vega's prison, and gets thrown into solitary confinement. While Michael and Becca are sleeping, a woman sneaks in and it is revealed she is Michael and Gabriel's sister, Uriel. Alex tries to convince Claire that it's probably best he stay in prison, but she frees him from jail. Alex visits Bixby, who tells him that her getting hurt is not his fault. David and General Riesen are summoned to Vega's agriculture center, where Senator Frost reveals a device that could flood the building killing the food supply and the three of them in the process. With David and Riesen missing, Becca appoints Claire the Lady of the City. Uriel tells Michael that if he teaches Alex how to decipher the tattoos, she will join him in the battle against Gabriel. Noma and Ethan tell Alex that all Frost wants is to meet the Chosen One. When Frost asks for real proof, Alex says "she died for you". He surrenders, but General Riesen shoots Frost. David visits Bixby in the hospital and turns up her intake of morphine, killing her.
5	5	"Something Borrowed"	Alex Holmes	Rebecca Kirsch	July 17, 2014	1.58[5]
Michael trains Alex in the desert to better fight angels. Michael mentions Bixby's death, forcing Alex to use his anger. Claire confirms to Alex that she's marrying William for the city's sake. Clementine secretly goes into the city, where she buys a music box. She kills the store clerk when he realizes she's an 8-ball. Alex vows to find the killer, as he believes it's still within the city walls. Claire asks William to stop his father, and he promises that he will ask David to back off. William visits his father, then remembers and tries to discard the scarf with eyes drawn on it. His attempts to destroy it prove futile, so he hides it in a nearby desk drawer. At the engagement party, Claire finds the eye-painted scarf. She mistakenly confronts David for working for Gabriel with the scarf, promising to out him as such if he attempts to depose her father. At the party, she gives a speech about missing her mother, who is revealed to be Clementine.
6	6	"Black Eyes Blue"	Larry Shaw	Todd Harthan	July 24, 2014	1.54[6]
Alex and Michael go to the vault where Clementine is, and Alex reveals a plan to perform an eviction of the angel possessing her. David reveals to William that the handkerchief was found in the house. Michael visits Uriel and tries to exchange a small Vermeer painting for a book called the Apocrypha, which helps evict angels from 8-balls, returning them to their human state. Uriel declines the offer, but hands the book over to him when he agrees to let her look at his tattoos. Alex takes Claire to meet with Clementine, and tells her that her mother is alive inside her possessed body. After a powerful incantation from the Apocrypha, the 8-ball leaves Clementine's body. In icy fury, Claire later confronts her father for keeping Clementine a secret. Finding the Black Acolytes murdered, William reveals to his father that he was their leader. After, William holds a ceremony with his few remaining followers, during which he tortures his father, crushing his ribs.
7	7	"Ouroboros"	Larry Shaw	Bryan Q. Miller	July 31, 2014	1.49[7]
Michael and Alex try to evict the angel from an 8-ball, so Alex can master evictions. He ends up having to kill the 8-ball. Meanwhile, Claire and William discuss moving up the wedding date. In the infirmary, Gabriel pretends to be Louis, a neutral higher angel, and tries to convert a few of the male nurses. They were other higher angels living quietly in the city like Louis until Gabriel found them. She confronts Michael to see if he knew other angels were in the city. David recovers, only to be apprehended by a guard. Noma confronts Alex, who admits to having doubts about Michael. Gabriel summons Alex to Michael's lair, and Alex is upset that Michael did not tell him Noma was an angel. Alex performs an eviction and pushes Gabriel out, and Gabriel comes back to his lair to find Uriel. Michael and Alex inspect the bodies of the dead angels that tried to flee the city. In a flashback to the Babylonian desert, Michael slaughters humans until Gabriel and Uriel show up to stop him.
8	8	"Beware Those Closest to You"	Allan Kroeker	Part I: Todd Slavkin & Darren Swimmer Part II: Vaun Wilmott	August 7, 2014	1.54[8]
Michael and Alex prepare to unseat Gabriel and put an end to the war. Claire and William marry. Michael confesses to Alex that he murdered humans, only stopping when Gabriel and Uriel beat him. Back at the Riesen compound, Claire meets Uriel, who confirms that Claire is pregnant with The Chosen One's baby. Uriel's plan is to translate the markings on Alex's body, use the knowledge to defeat Michael and Gabriel, and end the fighting. Gabriel knows that it is a trap and shows up at the gates of Vega to surrender. Michael and Alex arrive; Claire forbids them from talking to Gabriel, but they do anyway. Gabriel convinces Michael to hate humans again, before escaping. Gabriel tells Alex that the only way to end the war is by them working together. Claire then realizes William is an acolyte for Gabriel. David drives William to the desert, and drops him off with a pack full of supplies. In Vega, Claire reads a letter from Alex, as he climbs the rocks to Gabriel's temple.

References

1. Kondolojy, Amanda (June 20, 2014). "Thursday Cable Ratings: World Cup Soccer Leads Night + 'Pawn Stars', 'Kate Plus Eight', 'American Restoration' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
2. Bibel, Sara (June 27, 2014). "Thursday Cable Ratings: World Cup Soccer Wins Day, NBA Draft, 'The Challenge', 'Loiter Squad', 'Defiance', 'Dominion' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
3. Kondolojy, Amanda (July 7, 2014). "Thursday Cable Ratings: 'Loiter Squad' Wins Night, 'Beyond Scared Straight', 'Dominion', 'Defiance', 'Impact Wrestling' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
4. Bibel, Sara (July 11, 2014). "Thursday Cable Ratings: 'Pawn Stars' Wins Night, 'Pawnography', 'Ridiculousness', 'Mythbusters', 'Defiance', 'Dominion' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
5. Kondolojy, Amanda (July 18, 2014). "Thursday Cable Ratings: 'Pawn Stars' Tops Night + 'Loiter Squad', 'Married', 'Pawnography' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
6. Kondolojy, Amanda (July 25, 2014). "Thursday Cable Ratings: 'Pawn Stars' Tops Night + 'Pawnography', 'Loiter Squad', 'The Daily Show' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
7. Bibel, Sara (August 1, 2014). "Thursday Cable Ratings: 'Love & Hip Hop Atlanta' Wins Night, 'Pawn Stars', 'Pawnography', 'Loiter Squad', 'Beyond Scared Straight', 'Dominion' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
8. Bibel, Sara (August 8, 2014). "Thursday Cable Ratings: 'Black Jesus' Wins Night, 'Pawn Stars', 'Project Runway', 'Dominion', 'Defiance' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 9, 2014.