#obspec6

OBCrack’s Trailer for obspec Episode 6 

Hello, Geek Monkey here, and I don't know about you, but I'm excited to talk about Adam Casey!!!! Not only is his name awesome (thanks guys!) but he could be the answer to our clone disease prayers, so I mean, how can you not love him???

So in OBspec6 Cosima finally finds what she's been looking for forever: a sequence she can potentially use for a cure! HOORAY!!! But what exactly is this sequence, and how can it help her?

This sequence is what Cosima thought was in Ethan's book: a version of the synthetic sequence in her DNA that is similar enough (i.e. encodes infertility), but is not identical, and therefore may not have the side effects of the clone disease. By using this sequence in gene therapy (which is basically replacing a mutated gene with a functional gene, which I describe more detailed here), Cosima could very well cure the clone disease.

Now how is it even scientifically possible for Adam Casey, a genetic male, to have a sequence that encodes infertility via the uterus and ovaries? Well, if we remember our Orphan Black backstory, we know that the clone project began as a military project, and eventually Leda split off and became a separate entity associated with DYAD. But in all likelihood, the Duncans, or at least someone who was part of their team, worked on the clone project from the start. The synthetic sequences were probably also an early aspect of the project, and so some form of the sequences, however preliminary, were most likely inserted into the genomes before the Leda/Castor split.

In the case of OBspec, Duncans and Co. devised the synthetic sequence for infertility first, because of course this was of great importance to keep the genetics of the whole project under control. So a preliminary version of this sequence was already placed in the genomes of both Castor and Leda before the Duncans left for DYAD. Now, once they split, there was much tweaking to the sequences to get their desired results, and so the Leda sequence changed into the one we are familiar with, with its unfortunate side effects. Over in the military, however, they would not have been interested in a sequence encoding for ovary and uterus underdevelopment, so they would have ignored that sequence, leaving it as it originally was. This sequence remained in the Castor genome, having no side effects on the clones because of their different anatomy, but silently waiting to be discovered as a possible key to the Leda problem.

You've passed the half-way point of #OBspec! How does it feel? It hurts. I know, it's wonderful isn't it?!

Let's get to it, shall we? You've got theleashkid here, and welcome to the author's note for #OBspec Episode 6: Separate on the Surface but Connected in the Deep. So much to talk about...

Cosima Niehaus and the Hunt for the Un-manipulated Synthetic Sequence:  WELL, WELL, WELL. Looks like Project Castor is pretty damn important after all. It took us a long time to figure out how we were going to find a way forward with gene therapy, and when we hit on Castor, it just felt so right. We knew going into writing Episode 1 that Adam Casey would be the key. That's why we named him after our lovely Science consultant, Casey! Our little soldier boys may be scary and mysterious, but we wanted to make sure they were integral to the story too. Castor and Leda are, in fact, separate on the surface but connected in the deep. 

Rachel Duncan and the Bloody Cough: It was high time another Leda clone contracted the clone disease, and, for us, it was never going to be anyone else but Rachel. Rachel has the most to lose, especially since she's gained some power and has reaffirmed a sense of control in her life since the pencil incident. The sickness, however, comes from a place that she has no control over, no matter how much she wants to. Her body turning on her is the one weakness she has. It's more ruthless than she is, and that could either crush her, make her fight back, or both.

Angry Helena and the Smashed Portraits: In our outline, this scene simply called for a confrontation in which "Helena gets violent." We thought maybe she would hurt Sarah in some way after learning of this betrayal, and she certainly tries. But the sting really came from both Sarah and Cosima. Her sisters. And those portraits were standing right there. That was one of those rare writer moments when Helena told me she was going to smash those portraits and I couldn't do anything to stop her. It hurt. It hurt because it hurt me, and it hurt Sarah, and it hurt Helena, too. But Helena's impulsive and raw, and I was so excited to see that part of her again that doesn't think, and more importantly, doesn't care, before she acts.

Alison Hendrix and the Freaky Leaky Roof: OH NO! That's it. Carry on.

The Castor Clones and the Arm-y Kill Switch: Well, now we know why Adam Casey dropped dead. That's cyanide, my friends. (If only you could see the troubling Google searches I accumulated when writing this episode). The military clones having kill switches implanted into their arms is terrifying to say the least. But why they have them is the bigger issue. Where did they come from? And is that all they do? Time will tell, spectators.

Rebecca Levin and the Book of Numbers: Rebecca is a character to whom we purposefully assigned a whole bunch of numbers. People have been trying to define her for her whole life, and yet, she still manages to be more than any one thing. Giving Rebecca the tattoo of her grandmother's concentration camp number colors Rebecca in such a beautifully optimistic way. It gives her this fire and strength to survive and preserve who she is despite pressure to change, while not ignoring the hardship of the past. In our story, it's the little girls who outlast the dangers all around them. Despite all odds and expectations, it's the little girls who endure. 

Clone Club and the #OrphanBlackout: Ah yes, the #ORPHANBLACKOUT! Deciding on the blackout was one of those moments in development when we looked at the events for the episode and said, "How can we make this cooler?" And thus, this post-it was born:

After we decided to cut the power, the themes of the episode really started to make themselves clear, specifically in Cosima, Rebecca, and Helena's arcs for the episode. Separate on the Surface but Connected in the Deep was unofficially subtitled See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil.

Let's break it down: 

Despite the pretty heavy eye motifs happening all throughout DYAD, Cosima is literally left in the dark when she and Delphine break into the morgue. Though the outcome is eventually positive, it doesn't change the fact that they shouldn't have been there, violating Casey's body, in the first place. It's pretty interesting to see Cosima turn a blind eye to this notion for the sake of her life and the lives of her sisters. Girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. 

To no one's surprise, Rebecca represents the "Hear No Evil" portion of this saying. Stick the deaf girl in a room with four accents for an entire episode, OBspec! Do it! It'll be fun! If you pay close attention to Rebecca's dialogue in Episode 6, you'll notice she's asking people to repeat and confirm left and right, and she's hardly ever directly answering anyone's questions. She skirts along well enough not really grasping most of what Sarah and Felix have to say, but when the time comes to chat it up with Helena, Rebecca tries to understand Helena's words as best as she can... and it turns out some things are better left unheard.

And, finally, for most of the episode, Helena remains silent in her grief and trauma. It's understandable. She doesn't want to talk about what happened because maybe if she doesn't, then it will go away. She learns though, that by keeping silent she's not doing herself, or Sarah, any favors. Even later, when Helena talks with Rebecca and reveals about how Maggie Chen gave her Rebecca's information so she could find her and kill her, Helena divulges this out of a place of goodness. She's telling Rebecca that she's safe now. She's recognizing that part of herself that she knows is evil, and is putting it past her.