The Planetary Union Council was the deliberative body of the Planetary Union. Seats on the Council were filled by representatives from various Union member worlds, and headed by the council chairperson.
The Council met at Union Tower in New York on Earth.
Description[]
The Council had the power to decide whether to admit a colony as a sovereign state, afforded all the rights and protections of the Planetary Union.[1] The Council hosted a Central Library, which in 2423 was headed by Doctor Emmanuel Saadia.[2]
Members[]
- Dojin - Moclan ambassador to the Council[1]
- Tom Halsey - Representative from Earth during the hearing over The Sanctuary[1]
The Xelayan Chairman of the Union Council.
A Xelayan delegate.
Delegates of an unidentified species.
Dakeeli delegates.
Delegates of an unidentified species.
Delegates of an unidentified species.
Retepsian delegates.
A Moclan delegate, in front of two unidentified delegates.
Delegates of an unidentified species.
Delegates of an unidentified species.
Delegates of an unidentified species.
Delegates of an unidentified species.
Delegates of an unidentified species.
Delegates of an unidentified species.
Delegates of an unidentified species.
Hearings[]
Isaac[]
In the aftermath of the Kaylon conflict over Earth, the Union Council met to discuss the matter of Isaac, the Kaylon emissary who chose to stand with the crew of the USS Orville against the Kaylon campaign to exterminate all biological life in the galaxy. Admiral Tom Halsey explained, the Council deliberated whether to deactivate Isaac permanently or to find a way to extract information from his memory core on Kaylon technology to build a defense in the event of a second attack. Under Captain Ed Mercer and First Officer Kelly Grayson's advice, Isaac was allowed to remain as a member of the Orville.[3]
The Sanctuary[]
Months later, the Council approved a hearing petitioned by Ed on behalf of "The Sanctuary," a secret refuge for Moclan females who did not wish to have their sex changed to male by the government. The hearing was a bold attempt by Heveena, a leader of The Sanctuary, to gain the Union's protection. The Moclan government's representatives were outraged and demanded to know The Sanctuary's location.[1]
Heveena asked the Council to be recognized as a sovereign state. The representative from Moclus, Dojin, argued that The Sanctuary was part of a child-trafficking operation and threatened to leave the Union to form an alliance with the Krill. At the time, the Kaylon had declared war against all biological life, and the Union actively sought the Krill's help against them. Moclus had been the primary weapons supplier to the Union.[1]
Meanwhile, Captain Jakohn of the Moclan Fleet found the colony, claiming to monitor the colony to ensure the Council's decision would be peacefully fulfilled.[1]
In private deliberations, the human delegation leaned toward capitulating to Moclan demands in light of the Kaylon threat, though Ed vehemently disagreed. He said he had told the Council for years not to rely so heavily on Moclus for weapons manufacture. Admirals Perry and Tucker worried that protecting the rights of The Sanctuary and losing Moclus' support would be meaningless if the Kaylon killed all of them. Admiral Ozawa added that they were judging Moclans by the standards of human culture.[1]
The Moclan government unexpectedly ordered Jakohn to apprehend the colonists, quickly igniting the Battle of the Sanctuary and creating a crisis within the Council. Halsey subtly suggested to Ed not to send orders to the Orville to stand down, so Acting Captain Kelly Grayson and Second Officer Bortus went to the surface to aid the women in their fight.[1]
In the Council, the Xelayan and Dann's species representatives argued that the matter was an internal Moclan affair. When Ambassador Dojin of Moclus re-iterated that they would leave the Union, Ed rebutted that Moclus (and the Union) would be destroyed but The Sanctuary would likely survive, well hidden inside the nebula.[1]
To end the battle in light of the Kaylon threat, under Halsey's suggestion, all sides agreed that Moclus would not touch the colony, the Union would not recognize The Sanctuary, and the The Sanctuary would disestablish its clandestine emigration network.[1]
A year later, Heveena came before the Council and revealed that she had restarted the network while also accusing the Moclan government of abducting Topa. With no hard evidence of this, the Moclans nearly got the Council to drop the charges before Kelly Grayson and Bortus brought a bruised Topa before them. Seeing the torture that the Moclans had subjected the girl to, the Union Council unanimously voted to eject Moclus from the Planetary Union while recognizing the Sanctuary as a sovereign state.[4]
The Kaylon[]
Following Moclus' ejection from the Union, Isaac and Charly Burke created a weapon that could target and overload any constructs connected to the Kaylon hive mind. After the admiralty was informed that the weapon could theoretically render the Kaylon extinct, the Council voted to deploy it only as a last resort, first offering the Kaylon a chance to peacefully surrender. When the Kaylon did so, Admiral Halsey invited them to speak before the Council to discuss terms of surrender.
A day later though, the weapon was stolen by Admiral Perry and given to the Krill-Moclan alliance, forcing the Union to ally with the Kaylon against them. Following Ensign Burke sacrificing herself to destroy the weapon, Kaylon Primary understood that the Union were not like the Builders. Opening diplomatic channels, the Kaylon were subsequently awarded a provisional seat on the Union council.[5]
Anniversary of the Union[]
In 2423, the Council celebrated the foundation of the Union with a speech given by Doctor Saadia.[2]
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
- Episode 2x09: Identity, Pt. 2 (mentioned only)
- Episode 2x12: Sanctuary
- Episode 3x08: Midnight Blue
- Episode 3x09: Domino
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Episode 2x12: Sanctuary
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 André Bormanis. The Guide to The Orville. Dark Horse Books. Sept. 2024. Pg. 8.
- ↑ Episode 2x09: Identity, Pt. 2
- ↑ Midnight Blue
- ↑ Domino