A Tale of Two Topas

Season	Episode
3	5

Air date

June 30, 2022

Writer

Seth MacFarlane

Director

Seth MacFarlane

Composer

Andrew Cottee

Production Order

Previous episode	Next episode
Gently Falling Rain	Twice in a Lifetime

A Tale of Two Topas is the fifth episode of the third season of The Orville. Buried secrets resurface when Topa prepares for the Union Point entrance exam and begins to question himself.

A Tale of Two Topas was written and directed by Seth MacFarlane. The title is generally accepted to come from the 1859 historical novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. Music was composed by Andrew Cottee.

The episode officially premiered on June 30, 2022, although it aired in the western United States on June 29.

As of August 20, 2022, the episode holds a 7.8 rating on IMDb, the third lowest of the season.^[1]

Plot[]

Act 1[]

On the surface of a dry, desert planet, the crew of the USS Orville explores a large Hemblicite burial tomb for treasure. First Officer Kelly Grayson finds Captain Ed Mercer writing personal letters to Anaya in case she sees him again. Navigator Charly Burke arrives and guides the two through a maze of tunnels to a hidden door. Isaac safely triggers a booby trap then opens the door to a vault of ancient treasure.

On the ship, the crew studies the relics. The oldest artifacts date back around 70,000 years, and fascinate them. In the Environmental Simulator, Topa plays captain of a Moclan ship in a battle against the Kaylon. He loses after seven minutes of fighting. Frustrated, he slams his fist into the glass and injures his hand. Kelly enters, and Topa says that he was playing because he would like to take the Union Point entrance exam one day. Commander Grayson tells him that if he wants an early start, then she could give him some guidance. She asks him to shadow her a few days a week to get a sense of what serving in the Union is like. Topa agrees.

Act 2[]

The next day, Topa links up with Kelly, and she shows him the daily operations of the ship. Topa and Kelly enter the armory and find a naked officer, Ensign Bolobar. He says in his Belkarian faith, it is considered a sin against the Spirit Lord to wear clothes on the first day of the month. Kelly and Bolobar compromise, and Bolobar agrees to wear pants.

Kelly and Topa go to Engineering. Topa asks why Kelly decided to join the fleet. Kelly answers that she derives satisfaction from being a leader to help others, then asks Topa why he is interested in joining. Topa says he has always felt incomplete and hopes to discover who is truly is among the stars, then confesses that he has never felt happiness.

Later, Kelly goes to Ed and Doctor Claire Finn and reports that Topa may be experiencing dysphoria. Claire suggests performing a casual medical evaluation, but Kelly says she just wants guidance. Ed says it may be time to speak with Bortus.

Kelly unexpectedly joins Bortus and Klyden for dinner and asks if they have discussed Topa's past with their son. Klyden lashes out, but Bortus says they have considered having the conversation. Kelly encourages they talk to him, and Klyden dismisses her. When she leaves, Klyden and Bortus argue bitterly. "Topa may be unhappy," Klyden says. "But unhappiness is better than despair."

The next time Kelly and Topa are scheduled to meet, Topa arrives late and says that his father has forbidden studying under her. Topa continues that Kelly is an inspiring figure, and he feels deep sadness and uncertainty.

In the Astrophysics Lab, Topa watches two officers reconstruct the appearance of ancient Hemblicites then walks over to Isaac. Topa asks him what death feels like. Isaac says he experienced nothing. Topa says he was just curious and leaves. Isaac finds Kelly in her quarters and reveals Topa's disturbing questions.

Act 3[]

Kelly approaches Topa, who is sitting at a booth in the Mess Hall. Topa says he is fine and says he should not be speaking to her. Kelly turns to leave, but then cryptically suggests he should look up recipes for kimbok, a Moclan Oppsada cake, in the ship's database. Topa goes to his quarters and looks up kimbok recipes. Then asks the Computer if there are any other files with that name and finds one designated Kimbok33, but it is protected with a password. Defeated, Topa orders kimbok from the Food Synthesizer. A message arrives on the Computer display: Gomaskah488. He uses the text as a password which unlocks Kimbok33, and he begins to read.

Claire treats Helmsman Gordon Malloy in Sick Bay, whose face is swollen after eating a Baliddian tart. Kelly comes and pulls Claire aside to discuss Topa. In a hallway, Klyden runs into Bortus while looking for their child. They find him in their quarters. Topa immediately asks whether he was born female. Klyden lies, but when Topa reveals that he has read Kimbok33, Bortus admits it. Klyden insists that the surgical procedure made him male and corrected his abnormal birth, but Topa says that no procedure can change who he is inside.

Klyden bursts into Kelly's office and erupts in anger. Kelly admits revealing the file Kimbok33 but denies sharing the password. Kelly concedes that she may have overstepped, but Topa is in a crisis and he needed help. Klyden lunges at her, but Kelly pins him to the wall then kicks him out of her office.

Act 4[]

Later that day, Kelly retires to her quarters when Bortus enters and says that his son will not speak to them. Kelly apologizes, but Bortus insists she is not responsible because he gave Topa the password. He starts to cry because he does not know how to help him.

Claire tells Ed and Kelly that she has evaluated Topa and determined he is not at the risk of self-harm. Kelly speaks with Topa. Topa does not know what to do, and he wishes he could meet a Moclan female. Kelly takes him to the Environmental Simulator and pulls up the visual file data for Kimbok33 to create a simulation of the Tribunal. She pauses just before Heveena speaks at the trial, and Topa observes her face. Kelly resumes the simulation and Heveena testifies about her past, where her parents raised her as a woman hidden in the mountains, and insists that Topa (at the time an infant) not be surgically altered. Topa and Kelly go to Claire, and Topa tells the doctor, "I am female."

Klyden, Bortus, Kelly, and Claire convene in Ed's office. Klyden adamantly refuses to allow the procedure, but Bortus agrees Topa's wishes must be respected. Claire states she believes the procedure would be ethical. Klyden turns to Bortus and threatens to leave him. Regardless, the Moclan government would be outraged, so Ed and Kelly consult with the Planetary Union. After nine hours of deliberation, the admiralty refuses the procedure because it would imperil Moclus' support in the middle of the Kaylon conflict.

"It is not fair," Topa cries after learning the request for the procedure has been rejected. Bortus and Kelly say they will continue to fight the decision, but Topa demurs. "If they insist that I am male, then that is what I will be."

Act 5[]

Back on the Hemblicite planet, the Orville's crew wraps up its research as a replacement team from the USS Newton will be arriving. Claire offers to resign her position in the Union to perform the procedure, but Isaac offers another solution: Since he has never been a Union officer and is capable of learning all the medical data required, he can perform the procedure safely and without fear of reprisal. The group concocts a plan where Isaac can operate on Topa in Sick Bay while the entire crew is distracted, thus giving the senior staff plausible deniability; Ed announces from the Bridge that Bortus will perform a concert of songs from 16 different planets.

Practically the entire ship attends Bortus' concert. Bortus sings "Nature Boy" with Ty Finn on piano. Isaac finds Topa in the Briefing Room and the two go to Sick Bay. Topa is initially afraid, but Isaac insists the surgery will be safe. Klyden enters and attempts to forcibly remove Topa from the room, but Isaac easily overpowers Klyden. Klyden exits in a fury, and the procedure begins. Bortus concludes his performance, and Topa awakes. She walks to a mirror and gazes upon herself.

The Newton arrives, and Admiral Howland orders a meeting with Ed and Kelly. Howland is outraged that her orders were disobeyed and the alliance with the Moclans was jeopardized. Fortunately, Moclus has decided not to withdraw its membership due to the Kaylon threat. They have, in fact, strengthened their resolve due to the fact that the operation was done by a Kaylon. She declines to punish them but warns them never to step out of line again. While leaving, however, she asks them to extend her best wishes to Topa.

Meanwhile, Topa and Bortus plead with Klyden to stay. Klyden packs his bags in silence and bristles when Bortus touches his shoulder. As Klyden walks out, Topa says she loves him. He utters, "I wish you were never born," then departs. Now alone, Bortus places a hand on her shoulder and says she is perfect.

In the Astrophysics Lab, Isaac tells Claire that he did not perform the operation for Topa's sake, rather, he performed it to improve his standing among a crew that dislikes him. She calls him honest and invites him to dinner.

Topa enjoys a piece of kopik but is invited by Kelly to the Bridge. Ed lets her sit in the captain's chair. The crew reports all systems are ready for departure on her orders. "Engage quantum drive," she commands. The music swells, and the Orville sails into the stars.

Production[]

Filming was considered completed by March 13, 2020,^[2] although some filming took place during the week around December 19, including a scene coded "V16J."^[3]

Actor Peter Macon found singing as Bortus to be challenging because English would not be Bortus' first language. He studied Nat King Cole's rendition of Nature Boy for months, but ultimately rejecting it when he concluded that Bortus' style would be very different from Cole's. Macon decided that if Bortus were to learn how to sing, he would have done it for an hour or two in his free time. Macon created a style of singing to reflect his interpretation.^[4]

Post-production[]

Post-production of A Tale of Two Topas was considered complete by July 22, 2020,^[5] although a week later, editor and associate producer Tom Costantino said that parts remained unfinished.^[6]

Trivia[]

This episode runs approximately 76 minutes long, including all credits, but not commercials. This places it as both the longest episode of the season and the series to date, eclipsing the season premiere Electric Sheep by approximately six minutes.
This episode introduces the Planetary Union's calendar, called "Union Standard". Union Standards might be a parody of Star Trek's stardates.
- The file Kimbok33 was created on the Union Standard date of 7352417.
The episode is Brandon Fayette's favorite of Season 3.^[7]
Adrianne Palicki (Kelly Grayson) considers this episode to be the high point of both herself and her character:

Kelly’s [relationship] with Topa, I thought, was really powerful and told in a really beautiful way. The stories that I’ve heard of people transitioning or just trying to find themselves, and how important it is to have somebody in their corner. I’m getting emotional just talking about it. Just what people have to go through, and they have to do it themselves. They have to go against everything. To be a part of that, I was just so honored.^[8]

Music[]

The songs that Bortus performs are Nature Boy (originally by Nat King Cole) and You'll Never Walk Alone (originally by Rodgers and Hammerstein, a popular version is by Gerry and The Pacemakers)

Timeline[]

The episode probably takes place in 2422 over the span of no more than two weeks.
- Given that the episode Mortality Paradox probably took place in June or July 2422, this episode probably takes place around August or September.
The oldest recovered Hemblicite artifacts date back to roughly 67,500 BCE.
The Hemblicites died out around 47,500 BCE.
When Kelly Grayson finds Topa in the Environmental Simulator, she had just completed a 12-hour shift on the planet.
- Topa shadows Kelly around the USS Orville the following week, not the same week.
- On the first day Topa shadows Kelly, Bolobar states that it is the first day of the month.
One week passes between Topa's first day shadowing Kelly and the arrival of the USS Newton.
After Ed Mercer submits a request to the Planetary Union Council to approve a Topa's procedure, the admiralty deliberates for nine hours before rejecting the request.
Bortus performs his concert at 2100 hours (or 9:00 p.m.), which Isaac performed the procedure on Topa during this window of time.

Mistakes[]

Isaac says that he was never an officer, which is why he can perform the procedure on Topa without violating the admiralty's decision. However, in Old Wounds, Ed said Isaac is "our Science and Engineering Officer."