Summary
For All Mankindcreator Ronald D. Moore revealed duringSan Diego Comic-Conthat there were two original characters on the show who were supposed to survive, but who ended up getting killed off anyway due to changed plans. The alternate history show featured a large, often rotating cast of characters, many of whom are shown throughout decades as they continue their work on the evolving US space programs. WhileFor All Mankindseason 5will see some familiar faces return, others have died periodically throughout the show’s run.
Speaking withScreen Rantduring San Diego Comic-Con, Moore explained how, despite detailed plans during early seasons ofFor All Mankind, two original characters were killed off earlier than expected.The creator revealed Gordo and Tracy were supposed to survive for longer in their original plans, before it was decided they would sacrifice themselves at the end of season 2. Check out what Moore had to say about the decision below:
We had a fairly detailed writer’s guide at the beginning that had biographical sketches of all the main cast and then future projections of where they were going to go, as well as a general arc for the seasons that we follow. We always talked about how, in theory, it was a seven season show.
I would say that, more or less, we’ve tracked with that. But there were some variations along the way - we certainly didn’t anticipate that Gordo and Tracy were going to die at the end of season 2. It’s an amazing episode, but that was not part of the plan.
That was something that came up organically in the writer’s room, and we shied away from it at first because we loved the cast members and the characters. But it was kind of undeniable. We realized this was the best ending for their story, and it was going to be so perfect in the finale, so we made the change. And we had some future plans for both of those characters - not in any great detail, but we had ideas of what would happen to them down the line. That sort of tracks for all the characters [in] the main cast in season 1. Most of what we talked about, we’ve been able to track.
Why Gordo & Tracy’s Deaths Were Important In For All Mankind
In order to save the Jamestown base from a nuclear reactor that could have killed everyone there,Gordo and Tracy crafted makeshift astronaut suits that allowed them to perform the necessary tasks to keep everyone else alive.However, they died in the process, a heroic sacrifice allowing work in space to continue for the many decades that follow. Their deaths reflect what the show is about, chronicling how the decades-long work and sacrifice of many people can lead to major scientific progress for all of humanity.
The decisions people make throughout the series help determine the future, with Gordo and Tracy’s being just one of many key moments that become defining parts of the show’s history.For All Mankindseason 4 endedwith such a moment, asacquiring the Goldilocks comet ends up helping expand operations on Marsin a flash-forward to 2012. Since the show is planned to go until season 7, more events like this will likely transpire, with different plans and sacrifices pushing the history of this alternate reality forward.
10 Most Exciting Things To Expect From For All Mankind Season 5
From Ed Baldwin’s last stand to life on Mars, For All Mankind season 4 set up some exciting things to expect from season 5’s 2012 timeline.
While Gordo and Tracy surviving would have been interesting for the show’s evolution, its future seasons wouldn’t be the same without their memorable sacrifice.Their harrowing decision also helped lay the groundwork forStar City, the forthcoming, Soviet-focused spinoff, which could include characters making similar decisions in the pursuit of human progress. Even though othercharacters inFor All Mankindmay meet similar fates in the future, the show’s focus on the evolution of humanity overall means what happens to them will be an important part of that overarching idea.
For All Mankind
Cast
Imagine a world where the global space race never ended - For All Mankind is a thrilling “what if” take on history that explores what would have happened in the race to the moon between the Soviet Union and the United States, as well as the space programs and the race’s effects on the astronauts and their families in the aftermath. The Apple TV+ series hails from Ronald D. Moore and stars Joel Kinnaman as a NASA astronaut. For All Mankind also features historical astronauts like Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong.
