Warning: Spoilers ahead forFoundationseason 3, episode 6, “The Shape of Time.“Foundationseason 3, episode 6, “The Shape of Time,” ends with Hari Seldon (Jared Harris) having no idea who or “what” the Mule (Pilou Asbæk) is, and although it may seem confusing, there’s a perfectly rational - if not high-concept - explanation. Although the Mule isn’t one ofFoundationseason 3’s new characters, his increased prominence makes it seem that way.
Originally played by Michael Persbrandt, the Mule has haunted theFoundationtimelinesince long before season 3’s premiere. The space opera’s slow-burning storyline is what has helped it to become one of thebest sci-fi shows on Apple TV+. Still,there’s a lot to learn about the Mule, even for Harris' character.
First appearing in the 1950s among the pages ofIsaac Asimov’sFoundationbooks, the Mule is one of the most important villains in the literary saga.Apple TV+’s live-action adaptation is making the Mule equally important, although certain changes have had to be made to make him fit into the new version of the story.
That Isn’t The “Real” Hari Seldon At The End Of “The Shape Of Time”
It’s Only The Holographic Version Who Doesn’t Know The Mule
It’s important to remember thatthere are two versions of Hari Seldon inFoundation. The first is the flesh-and-blood iteration, who hasn’t been seen since his mysterious departure in season 3, episode 2, “Shadows in the Math,” and the second is the holographic Hari, who exists only within the Vault on New Terminus.
The human Hari knows about the Mule’s existence, and, thanks to the Mentalic abilities of Lou Llobell’s Gaal Dornick, he has known for a long while now that the villain would appear. Inversely,the holographic Hari in the Vault has never heard of the Muledue to existing in such a relatively restrictive setting.
Why Hari Seldon Doesn’t Know The Mule In Foundation Season 3, Episode 6
Psychohistory Can’t Predict The Arrival Of Individuals
To understand what the Hari hologram knows and what he doesn’t,it’s important to grasp the concept of psychohistory. The fictitious branch of science has been used to predict the coming darkness in the galaxy, which can’t be prevented. It can, however, be made shorter by centuries, which is what the Foundation was created to try and achieve.
Psychohistory uses data from huge groups of people from human history to accurately foretell the galaxy’s fate, so it’s understandable thatthe residents of New Terminus are surprised when Hari asks “What is the Mule?“The harsh truth of the matter is that psychohistory isn’t omniscient, nor is it magic.
The holographic Hari only has the knowledge he was installed with inFoundationseason 1, and the data he has since gleaned from his occasional emergences.Psychohistory also only deals with huge datasets, which can predict general political and socio-economic shifts that won’t occur for centuries.
What psychohistory can’t do is predict when and where certain individuals will appearand knock Seldon’s plan off course. There’s no way of knowing that the Mule was set to arrive for a digital character who hasn’t been told by a Mentalic like Gaal that Asbæk’s character will present a huge threat.
The Mule Subverting Hari’s Predictions Makes Him A Very Powerful Villain
Psychohistory has allowed Hari and the Foundation(s) to prepare pretty adequately for the coming darkness, proving how useful the Prime Radiant has been as a tool so far.Almost nothing has been able to throw Seldon’s plan off course, making the Mule’s arrival and the impact he’s been able to have so far especially terrifying.
The human Hari gave his hologram all the information he had, which has eventually been proven not to be enough to get ready for the Mule’s arrival. The sheer power of his Mentalic abilities, paired with his immense thirst for chaos, makes him a formidable opponent inFoundation, and it’s unclear how he’ll be stopped.
New episodes of Foundation season 3 release every Friday on Apple TV+ until the finale on September 12.
