Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Ark season 2 finale.

The second season of The Ark differs greatly from the first, diving deeper into science fiction concepts such as alien planets and alternate realities. Along with new dangers came several tragic deaths, which served as a reminder that none of the characters are safe from the dangers of space travel. The crew has finally landed on a habitable planet where they can co-exist alongside other Ark survivors. However, humans may not be the only species to call Trappist their home.

The final moments of The Ark season 2 sees Angus make a shocking discovery. While digging through the soil, he finds a slab with a mysterious message. The group is unable to translate the foreign language and its appearance hints at the possibility of higher life. Co-showrunners Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner tease that, although Trappist is an Earth-like planet, the potential third season will explore what other creatures may live among them.

Screen Rant interviews Devlin and Glassner about reuniting Felix with his daughter, Garnet and Ian's relationship, and whether The Ark will continue to focus on space exploration.

The Season 2 Finale Was The Right Time For Felix And Catherine To Reunite

"It was starting to feel cruel to keep stretching it out."

Felix and Catherine are finally reunited. Why did you feel like the season 2 finale was the right time to end Felix's search?

Jonathan Glassner: How long could the man have to look for his daughter, the poor guy? It was starting to feel cruel to keep stretching it out. If we were ever going to find her, it was going to be on the planet.

Dean Devlin: Also, Strickland as a character, probably of the strongest moral com of anybody on our show, and he's beloved by the fans, and yet we put his character through so much—such horrible things he's had to endure—that the character, the actor playing him, and the fans rooting for him—they deserved it.

Kelly ends up rescuing Catherine and killing Maddox, which is a very different choice than the one she made last finale. Was that arc always supposed to come full circle?

Dean Devlin: she's not just saving her. She's saving her from her mother doing what she did to her. It's almost like she's saving herself in that moment, which is, I think, what makes it so powerful.

Are the people from Ark One going to accept her going forward?

Jonathan Glassner: Maybe. At one point, we tried that and found that I don't think she's earned it yet. She killed a lot of people and did some pretty awful things, so she's still got a little work to do, I think.

Dean Devlin: But she's getting there.

Trappist Allows The Ark To Continue Exploring New Science Fiction Concepts

"To a very real degree, all of season 1 and all of season 2 is the pilot episode."

The crew has finally found a habitable planet, but Garnet and some other characters go back to the ship to look for the other Arks. Given the title, is space exploration always meant to be the through-line?

Dean Devlin: To a very real degree, all of season 1 and all of season 2 is the pilot episode. That the actual series begins at the beginning of season 3, because the Arc is not just a lifeboat, it is a search and rescue vehicle, and now there's a new home to bring them to. But is the home everything they hope it is? Are there problems on this home that they don't know about?

And where are they going, and where are they finding people, and are they finding who they're supposed to find? Or are they having other kinds of adventures? Who are they bringing back to the planet? So now we have a show where it's going to be a lot less predictable than what we've done before. It can't be "disaster of the week," and we don't want it to be. It's really going to be a show where any kind of science fiction concept that we want to explore, we'll have a way to do it.

Eva and Brice and Alicia and Angus have both become such strong, stable couples. Is that why you chose to separate them and put them on different paths at the end of season 2?

Jonathan Glassner: , they're not permanently separated. The idea is for Arc One to go rescue people and bring them back to home base. So, barring a disaster on either side, they'll see each other again. It's just a matter of time. So we separated them just because it gives us some good conflict to play next season and because you've got to throw things at your couples in a drama. [Laughs] So that's why, but they're not apart for good. It wasn't a permanent goodbye.

The last few seconds tease the possibility of higher life. What does this mean for the people on Trappist and their storyline in a hopeful third season?

Jonathan Glassner: I'll tell you, we felt like, frankly, because of production reasons, we can't afford to do a completely alien planet like we did in Episode 6 and spend any time there. 6 is the episode where we rescued the clones. So because of that, it's an earth-like planet.

It's got water, it's got lots of vegetation. The odds of there not being some kind of life on there are very slim, so we're just going to lean into that. Whether that life is the creatures that made that plaque and are still alive, who knows? We'll find out.

Garnet's Feelings For Lane Made His Death More Tragic

"We saw the chemistry last season, but they were so at odds that we couldn't really play it much."

I want to go back to Lane's death this season because it was rough. Was it always the plan for Garnet to fall for him, or did that come from the actors' natural chemistry?

Jonathan Glassner: Both. We saw the chemistry last season, but they were so at odds that we couldn't really play it much. So this season, we did, knowing that it would make the death tragic when we got to it. So in that regard, yeah.

When did Ian become part of the plan? Was he always there from the beginning?

Jonathan Glassner: One of Lane's flaws was that he was kind of a bigot about clones. And what's more fun than to have him find out that he is one himself? So that's where the clone thing came from, and it gave us a way to keep Reece on the show because we love Reece.

What does this mean for Garnet and Ian's relationship? She's hesitant, but he's very clearly head over heels for her.

Jonathan Glassner: Stay tuned!

Lastly, I love that you introduced an alternate reality this season. Could there be other alternate realities, and will we get a chance to explore them in the future?

Jonathan Glassner: Sure. We haven't planned that yet, but things evolve very quickly in the writers' room. So it's certainly possible. It was a fun episode and a fan favorite.

More About Syfy's The Ark

Executive produced by Dean Devlin and Jonathan Glassner

“The Ark” takes place 100 years in the future when planetary colonization missions have begun as a necessity to help secure the survival of the human race. In season two, after the brave crew of Ark One reaches their destination and finds it uninhabitable, they must survive long enough to locate a new home for themselves and all the ships that follow.

Check out our other interviews with The Ark season 2 cast:

• Dean Devlin, Jonathan Glassner, & Christie Burke
• Stacey Read & Ryan Adams
• SDCC 2024: Dean Devlin & Christie Burke

All episodes of The Ark are currently available to stream on Peacock.