Topa was the Moclan child of Bortus and Klyden, hatched from an egg laid and incubated by Bortus. Originally female, the Moclan government surgically changed Topa's sex to male shortly after birth. Years later, Topa underwent a procedure to return to female.
Topa developed at a rate far faster than human children. By late 2420, she was at the physical and mental age of a human eight-year-old.[1]
She was portrayed by American child actor Blesson Yates in season 2, and by actress Imani Pullum in season 3.
History[]
Hatching[]
Topa hatched from an egg to Bortus and Klyden in late October 2419. Topa was born in space aboard the USS Orville, where she has lived her entire life.[2] Topa was born female, extremely rare among Moclans.[3] However, it was later proven that being born female was more common than originally thought along Moclans. This idea was strengthened by the fact that Klyden himself was once female.
After hatching, Bortus and Klyden declined to name their child until a sex-change operation could be performed to make Topa male. However, Bortus changed his mind after watching the film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.[4] Their disagreement led to a formal Tribunal on the planet Moclus. The jury found in favor of Klyden, and the surgery was performed by Moclan doctors the following day. Bortus then named their now-son Topa.[3]
Around February 2420, Klyden and Bortus took Topa to the Sick Bay for vaccinations. Bortus complained to Doctor Claire Finn that the baby cried incessantly.[5]
Childhood[]
By June, the now eight-month-old Topa had matured to the equivalent of a seven-year-old human. Klyden saw he could no longer spend the entire day entertaining Topa and had Bortus enroll her in the Orville's classroom under Cassius.[6] After Topa's first two days, Bortus reported that his son enjoyed school.[7]
By August, Topa reached the development of an eight-year-old human.[1] That same month, she attended Bortus' ja'loja on Moclus and reception in the ship's mess hall.[8]
In November, Topa and Klyden attended Bortus and First Officer Kelly Grayson's joint birthday party on the bridge of the Orville.[9]
In December, Topa and her parents attended the Union Symphony concert held in the Shuttle Bay. Just prior to the concert, Topa told Bortus that she liked his new mustache.[10]
Around December 2420 or very early January 2421, Locar, Bortus' former kodashik, joined the Orville to upgrade its Deflector Screens. Klyden divulged Bortus' prior relationship to Topa, much to Bortus' dismay. Topa met Locar the next day when Klyden invited him to dinner and asked if Locar and Bortus had made an egg.[11]
The Orville docked at Kaylon 1 in late January. Topa attended Isaac's farewell party with her parents in the Mess Hall. Topa and Klyden were in their quarters when the Kaylon stormed the ship. They were taken captive in the Shuttle Bay until Isaac and Ty Finn freed them. It is not known where Topa stayed during the ensuing Battle of Earth.[12]
Months later, Bortus and Klyden developed an intense addiction to cigarettes. Doctor Claire Finn had Topa stay with her sons, Ty and Marcus, while her parents quit.[13]
Klyden began teaching Topa the Moclan belief that females were inferior, which evidently influenced Topa. Topa shoved a fellow classmate named Olivia for her toy, insisting that, because females were inferior, their feelings could be disregarded. Bortus took Topa to the quarters of Toren and Korick to show him their daughter Mersa. Bortus made Topa promise not to tell anyone of Mersa, but Topa eventually told Klyden. Klyden told the Orville's command. Topa apologized to Bortus for breaking her promise. Later, after Bortus fought in the Battle of the Sanctuary, he observed Topa working well with Olivia and other girls.[14]
In 2422, Topa began preparing for the Union Point entrance exam under Kelly with approval from Klyden.[15]
While studying for the Union Point exam, Topa looked up to Kelly as a role model and confided in her intense feelings of alienation. Kelly and Bortus revealed that Topa had been hatched as a female and was surgically altered as male by the Moclan government. Topa underwent a second surgical procedure under Isaac. Her transition spurred Klyden to abandon the family. His last words to his daughter was to wish that she had never been born.[15]
Some time after, Bortus told Grayson that Topa had a crush on somebody, later revealed to be Malloy when she asked him out to dinner.
Topa is eventually kidnapped and tortured at a Moclan black site before being rescued by Kelly and Bortus. Topa refuses treatment until she can show the Union Council her injuries, causing the outraged Council to unanimously expel Moclus from the Union. After learning of what happened to his daughter, Klyden returns and makes amends with both Bortus and Topa, rejoining his family. Bortus and Klyden choose to renounce their Moclan citizenship and remain on the Orville with their daughter.
Topa was present with her fathers for Claire and Isaac's wedding.
Alternative timelines[]
In the original timeline where Pria Lavesque did not rescue the Orville from a dark matter storm, Topa was killed along with the rest of the crew.[16]
In an alternate timeline where Ed Mercer did not become captain of the Orville, Topa fled with Klyden during the Battle of Earth to Moclus. She and Klyden died when the Kaylon destroyed the planet.[17]
Production[]
Topa's rapid age progression from Season 1 to Season 2 was frequently discussed by actor Chad L. Coleman leading up to the Season 2 premiere. At the 2018 PaleyFest in March, Coleman revealed Topa would be eight-years-old and attending school on Earth. "I didn't know [before filming Season 2 that] he is going to be eight, so I wanted to see what his world [is], who's he engaging? I think once he goes to school and has to appropriate American culture and stuff, then as a father, I'm going to be able to engage that."[1]
Deleted scene[]
In April or May 2421, Bortus and Klyden agreed to celebrate Topa's upcoming birthday by getting Topa her first latchkum.[18]
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
- Episode 1x02: Command Performance (seen as an egg)
- Episode 1x03: About a Girl
- Episode 1x04: If the Stars Should Appear
- Episode 1x09: Cupid's Dagger
- Episode 1x12: Mad Idolatry (mentioned only)
- Episode 1.5x01: New Beginnings, Pt. 1
- Episode 1.5x02: New Beginnings, Pt. 2 (mentioned only)
- Episode 2x01: Ja'loja
- Episode 2x02: Primal Urges
- Episode 2x05: All the World is Birthday Cake
- Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain
- Episode 2x07: Deflectors
- Episode 2x08: Identity
- Episode 2x09: Identity, Pt. 2
- Episode 2x11: Lasting Impressions (mentioned only)
- Episode 2x12: Sanctuary
- Episode 2x14: The Road Not Taken (mentioned only)
- Episode 2.5x01: Launch Day, Pt. 1
- Episode 3x05: A Tale of Two Topas
- Episode 3x08: Midnight Blue
- Episode 3x09: Domino
- Episode 3x10: Future Unknown
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Topel, Fred. "SETH MACFARLANE ADDRESSES CRITICS’ HARSH TAKE ON THE ORVILLE STORY LINE". Rotten Tomatoes. March 19, 2018.
- ↑ Episode 1x02: Command Performance
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Episode 1x03: About a Girl
- ↑ National Broadcasting Company. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. NBC. 1964.
- ↑ Episode 1x09: Cupid's Dagger
- ↑ New Beginnings, Pt. 1
- ↑ Episode 1.5x02: New Beginnings, Pt. 2
- ↑ Episode 2x01: Ja'loja
- ↑ Episode 2x05: All the World is Birthday Cake
- ↑ Episode 2x06: A Happy Refrain
- ↑ Episode 2x07: Deflectors
- ↑ Episode 2x08: Identity, Pt. 1
- ↑ Episode 2x11: Lasting Impressions
- ↑ Episode 2x12: Sanctuary
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Episode 3x05: A Tale of Two Topas
- ↑ Episode 1x05: Pria
- ↑ Episode 2x14: The Road Not Taken
- ↑ Episode 2x11: Lasting Impressions deleted scene