Welcome to another Orville Recap. We have another doozy of an episode. Thankfully it’s one storyline with no subplots but this episode was an hour and a half! So strap in and get ready for another great episode!
Our episode opens with Kelly sitting in the mess hall waiting for Bortus. He has been having some issues with Topa. He thinks she has a crush but she won’t talk to Bortus and locks herself in her room. Kelly just says she’s being a teenager. Bortus enlists Kelly with talking with Topa, as Topa looks up to her. When Kelly talks with Topa she asks how to know if someone likes you. Kelly tells Topa to just tell him how she feels. We then see LaMarr and Gordon in engineering and Topa walks in. She asks Gordon if he would come to dinner. It’s now clear that Topa has a crush on Gordon, he dismisses it and tells her he thinks of her as a friend.
(Topa asks Gordon out on a date.)
Later on, we see Admiral Halsey informing the Orville that they are to visit Haveena, the female Moclan, and her sanctuary for other female Moclans. As Kelly and Bortus gear up to visit the Sanctuary, Topa comes in and asks if she can join them. They both agree and prepare to meet the Moclan ship at the rendezvous point. Once on the planet they see that the Moclans have already completed their survey and will remain until Kelly and Bortus are done just to make sure they don’t try anything. They arrive at the sanctuary and head to Haveenas house. When they enter Havenna is enjoying some Dolly Parton.Topa is excited to meet Haveena. Kelly and Bortus leave Haveena and Topa to spend some time together. As Topa enters Haveenas's writing book she sees lots of pictures of Dolly Parton. Haveena thinks of Dolly as the voice of their revaluation.
(Topa admire the many pictures of Dolly Parton in Haveenas writing nook)
Later that night at a ceremony, the female Moclans are dancing to a version of “Jolene” this scene is interesting because there seems to be some chemistry between Bortus and Kelly. Topa goes over to a swarm of Lumanites where she is met by Haveena. Haveena gives Topa a necklace and asks her to keep a secret. She asks Topa to use the Orville to communicate with Moclas so that they can continue to smuggle more female infants off the planet. A huge task to be placed on the shoulders of a teenager. As Haveena leaves a blue Lumanite appears and Topa follows it deep into the jungle. Suddenly she hears something. After some looking around someone grabs her. It’s one of the other Moclan who was surveying the sanctuary. They take her to their ship and leave the planet. After a few Bortus starts looking for Topa. No one has seen her. Eventually, they find the necklace that Haveena gave her. They ask Haveena but she only tells them that they talked and then Haveena left her. They return to the shuttle only to find that it’s been tampered with they eventually make it off the planet and follow the ion trail from the Moclan ship.
(Topa plays with the lumanites)
Meanwhile back on the Orville, they haven’t been able to contact the shuttle. Ed brings Haveena aboard the Orville and asks if she knows anything she should tell him now. Haveena eventually tells Ed everything. They call Admiral Halsey and after they ask to question the Moclan but the Union has no grounds to do so unless Haveena admits to violating the treaty. Haveena disagrees. Back on the shuttle Kelly and Bortus track the shuttle back to a lone planet. They prepare to head there to look for Topa. Back on the Orville, Talla asks Haveena to go to simulator 1 to meet someone. When Haveena walks in she enters a pretty average wood cabin. Suddenly the door opens and out walks none other than Dolly Parton herself! Literally floored by her presence Haveena eventually comes to her senses realizing that she’s just a hologram. Dolly informs her that she might not be the real thing but she’s got all of Dolly's memories, and knowledge so she’s about as real as it gets. The two converse for a bit and just before they part Dolly plays Haveena a song. We cut to Ed looking out his window, and Haveena walks in. She tells him that she will give her testimony before the council.
(Haveena has a conversation with Dolly Parton, her hero)
We see the Moclan ship arrive with Topa at a lone facility. They take her to a room with a chair. A one-eyed Moclan tells her to sit and offers her a glass of water. He asks her the name of the contact on Moclas that Haveena knows. Topa refuses to tell him, he then hits her and asks her again. Finally, Kelly and Bortus arrive at the planet. They land and head to the facility. The Orville arrives at earth and Haveena gives her testimony in front of the council. The Moclan place blame on Haveena for violating the agreement. Back on the mysterious planet Kelly and Bortus still making their way to the facility. Back in the interrogation room, Topa is now bleeding and the one-eyed guard brings out an electric baton. Back outside Kelly and Bortus make it to the facility and take out a few guards. Eventually, they make it to Topa. They free her from her restraints and are about to leave when Bortus attacks the one-eyed guard and takes the electrical baton and stabs him in his one good eye. They make it to the shuttle and leave. After being attacked by a few other Moclan fighters they make it off planet and head for the Orville.
(The One-eyed Moclan begins his brutal interrogation of Topa)
Just as it seems the council is ready to give up on investigating the Moclan and the whereabouts of Topa, she walks in with Bortus and Topa. She tells the council what happened to her. Eventually, all members of the council agree to a full investigation and expel Moclas from the union. To make matters better Haveenas Sanctuary has been given sovereignty and will be placed under Union watch. Back on The Orville Dr. Finn tells Bortus that physically Topa is fine, however mentally she is going to need a lot of therapy to deal with the traumatic experience. Just then Klyden walks in and says he came as soon as he heard what happened to Topa. Klyden goes to Topa and apologizes for saying such hurtful things to her when he last saw her. He tells her that he is proud to call her his daughter. Later Klyden, Topa, and Bortus are enjoying dinner when Kelly stops by. She welcomes Klyden back on board and Klyden invites her to join them for dinner, putting their differences aside and regaining their friendship.