How Apple TV’s Latest Sci-Fi Epic Completely Rewrote a Complex Villain’s Origin Story

(SeaPRwire) –   The initial two episodes of Star City are now available, offering a deep exploration into the early days of the For All Mankind timeline from the Soviet perspective. For newcomers, the essential context for this series is that in this alternate timeline, the USSR’s space agency, Roscosmos, achieved the first human Moon landing, predating NASA. The show then delves into the individuals, both men and women, who strived to make this a reality, a process heavily involving surveillance. While historians are familiar with this era of limited personal freedoms and privacy, For All Mankind illustrated these conditions through specific characters. Among them, Irina Morozova (Svetlana Efremova) has been a formidable enforcer and intelligence operative since Season 4. However, in the opening episodes of Star City, set in 1969, the younger Irina, portrayed by Agnes O’Casey, is depicted as… kind?

“Initially, I had a different understanding of where Irina’s journey would begin,” O’Casey shared with Inverse. “I expected her to be more self-assured and more comfortable with the harsh realities of the time. But after discussing it with the showrunners, Matt [Wolpert] and Ben [Nedivi], they clarified that we were starting from her very inception. You witness the beginning of her path, which is both enjoyable and dramatically compelling. Everyone is aware of her future trajectory, so seeing this more tentative version of her is exciting and feels more authentic.”

It has been established since Season 4 of For All Mankind that Irina has been associated with the titular Star City since the early stages of the Soviet space program. The initial two episodes of the new series immediately show how the young and seemingly innocent Irina began to learn the harsh realities of truth and justice under the Iron Curtain.

In the series premiere, she discovers that intelligence provided by a colleague, which accused a cosmonaut of treason, was inaccurate. However, her stern supervisor, Lyudmilla Raskova (Anna Maxwell Martin), makes it clear that this distinction is irrelevant. The state does not “arrest innocent people,” implying that even if an individual is innocent, the authorities will never acknowledge it.

Notably, in Episode 2, Star City also introduces a conspiracy theory suggesting the KGB was responsible for the murder of Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space. While this is not a widely proven historical event, within the context of this series and its alternate timeline, it is presented as a highly plausible scenario.

The blending of historical fact and fiction is also evident in Irina’s storyline. Her new superior, Lyudmilla Raskova, whose severe demeanor mirrors the older Irina’s behavior in For All Mankind, is inspired by a real historical figure: Marina Raskova, the Soviet Union’s first professional female pilot. The show’s reference to Col. Raskova being part of the “Night Witches” is also historically accurate; the real Raskova successfully petitioned Stalin to permit women to serve in World War II and established an all-female squadron known as the “Night Witches.” Although Lyudmilla Raskova in Star City is not an exact replica of the historical Raskova (who died in a plane crash in 1943), Martin utilized the real history to inform her character portrayal.

“At first, I was skeptical, thinking, ‘Could this all be true?’” Martin admitted to Inverse. “But she was a real person, and I truly embraced the opportunity to play one of the first night witches!”

Both Martin and O’Casey emphasize that the dynamic between Lyudmilla and Irina is fundamental to the overarching narrative of Star City. Certain harsh traits exhibited by this military figure, who at times evokes the Bond villain Rosa Klebb, will shape Irina into the woman she becomes. In essence, Irina is destined to evolve into a figure akin to Lyudmilla as the story progresses.

“We love that. We fully embrace that,” Martin stated. “It’s precisely that. It’s about how she is shaped. Will she eventually push the old hag down the stairs?”

“Irina greatly admires Lyudmilla,” O’Casey explained. “She is intimidated by her and judges her severely, yet she cannot help but idolize her and seek her approval.”

While Lyudmilla’s ultimate fate remains unknown, Irina’s future is clear. In a move that connects the franchise, the future (or present-day) Irina (Svetlana Efremova) appears to have become more compassionate in the Season 5 finale of For All Mankind. She shared some of her past idealism with Aleida (Coral Peña) and assisted Aleida in transmitting signals to de-escalate the conflict on Mars. Co-showrunner of both series, Matt Wolpert, confirmed to Inverse that this development is intentional.

“By the end of For All Mankind Season 5, there’s a distinct impression that Irina is reconnecting with aspects of her younger self,” Wolpert remarked. “She is rediscovering an ability to access the idealism she held in her youth.”

Therefore, while the events of Star City are contained within that series, there is a broader narrative framework at play, and the lives of some of these characters extend beyond a single point in time, offering greater depth and richness.

Star City and For All Mankind are available for streaming on Apple TV. New episodes of Star City are released on Fridays.