The following contains spoilers for Futurama season 12 episode 5, “One Is Silicon, and the Other Gold,” now streaming on Hulu
Summary
Futurama’smoves a character who’s been on the show since season 2 into the spotlight, and it highlights howFuturamahas broken a classic sci-fi tradition. One of the best elements ofFuturamahas always been the show’s ability to blend classic sci-fi storytelling tropes with a constantly subversive, darkly comedic, and surprisingly sweet touch. The show has delved into surprisingly heavy territory over the years, ranging fromBender’s life lessonsto Fry’s tragic backstory. It’s givenFuturamaa darker edge that plays surprisingly well alongside the more goofy elements of the show, effectively blending high-minded concepts with silly comedy.
It’s one of the ways the show has been able to endure for so long, and a major reasonFuturamagenerates enough passion to be revived after multiple cancelations. One of the latest examples comes in season 12’s “One Is Silicon, and the Other Gold,” which largelyfocuses on Leela’s attempts to make friends. The episode takes some unexpected detours and offers a clever riff on chatbots. However, a subtle element of the episode is the inclusion of a minor character that highlights how much the world of the 31st century has evolved since it was introduced twenty-five years ago.
Futurama Just Missed The Perfect Opportunity To Bring Back A Classic Villain From 24 Years Ago
Futurama season 12 just featured an episode all about bullfighting, but the show surprisingly didn’t bring back its bullfighting villain.
Futurama Finally Gives Vyolet A Major Role After 25 Years
FuturamaIntroduced Vyolet In Season 2
Vyolet finally gets a major role in an episode ofFuturama, which speaks to the underlying “Sewer Mutants” subplot and the way it’s sweet ending subverts a typically tragic sci-fi trope. Vyolet is one of the many Sewer Mutants who was introduced in season 2’s “I Second That Emotion.” She’s since become a small but consistent member of the show, appearing in more episodes than almost any other minor member of that community. “One Is Silicon and the Other Gold” gives Vyolet a bigger spotlight than she’s ever had before, introducing her as a new member of Amy’s book club.
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“Leela’s Homeworld”
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“Love And Rocket”
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“One Is Silicon, And The Other Gold”
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Alongside Leela and Phoebe,Vyolet quickly fits into the group dynamic. She befriends the two of them, as well as Amy, LaBarbara, and Lauren. She takes part in their partying, accompanies them on vacation, and mourns the apparent demise of Phoebe. By the end of the episode, Vyolet has been fully accepted as a member of the group, offering support to the others in their grief while still being quick to group up againstPhoebe once she’s revealed to actually be the chatbot Chelseawho had attacked them earlier. It’s a big step up for Vyolet, especially given her debut.
Futurama’s Mutant Storyline & Vyolet’s Role Explained
FuturamaHas Steadily Evolved Their Mutant Storyline For Decades
The Sewer Mutants were established in “I Second That Emotion” as a hidden community that has built a society underneath New New York. Vyolet was among the first of the Sewer Mutants to be given a speaking line, flirting with Fry while he tried to scare her off with fire. The Sewer Mutants have been transformed by the radioactive sludge pumped underground by the surface society, leading to a series of physical transformations. For years,the Sewer Mutants were banned from the surface. This actually plays heavily into Leela’s overarching arc in the show, with several episodes teasing her origins.
Season 4’s “Leela’s Homeworld” revealed Leela is actually one of the Sewer Mutantsas well. While Leela’s parents became more important recurring characters, Vyolet and the other Sewer Mutants remained underground until the events of season 7’s “The Mutants Are Revolting,” which saw Fry and Leela lead the charge to reverse the law forbidding mutants from living on the surface. Although that plotline resolved with the heroes liberating the species, the mutants have largely remained out of the spotlight. That’s what makes Vyolet’s role in the episode, and place within Leela’s new friend group, all the more interesting and sweet.
Bender’s Great New Love Interest In Futurama Season 12 Finally Breaks A Disappointing Series-Long Trend
Bender’s latest love interest is one of the best romantic partners Futurama has ever given the character, and subverts a typical trope of the show.
Futurama’s Mutant Friendship Proves How Far The 31st Century Has Come
HowFuturama’s Sewer Mutants Came To The Surface Once And For All
One of the underlying elements of the Sewer Mutants subplot was the way the species was treated as outsiders even in a universe where aliens and robots are considered the norm. Steadily,Futuramahas delved more and more into stories of negative societal structures being present even in apparent utopias, highlighting the importance of community and collective growth.The Sewer Mutants are an important element of that subplot, with their eventual allowance to venture onto the surface highlighting how much the world of the 31st century has grown (and continues to grow). Season 12 has highlighted this acceptance of mutants.
Several appear amongthe supporting characters in “Quids Game.“In past seasons, their presence would have been called into question by characters like Zapp Brannigan or police officers like URL. By season 12, those conflicts have been forgotten.The Sewer Mutants have been accepted as citizens of the future. It’s a subtle but very sweet advancement for the series and the universe around it, highlighting how much the people of the 31st century still need to grow but proves they are capable of it. It’s a minor beat, but one that highlights what makesFuturamaspecial in the sci-fi genre.
Futurama Gives A Classic Tragic Sci-Fi Conflict A Happy Ending
Futurama’s Latest Subversion Is A Sweet Take On The “Humans Vs. Mutants” Cliche
The conflict between humans and “mutants” is a classic sci-fi story trope. It’s a plot that’s been present in the genre since the beginning, with early prominent examples likeThe Time Machinehighlighting a divide between humanity and other off-shoot species. It’s a conflict at the heart of stories likeI Am Legend, and provides the tragic notes that define franchises like theX-Men. Most of the time, the genre paints a bleak picture of that divide. Humanity and the other species are typically at war and at best (as inX-Men), an ever-lasting peace can only be dreamed of.
Futuramasubverts this in a surprisingly sweet manner. When the mutants like Vyolet were introduced,Futuramapainted them as a comically subversive take on the entire premise. The Sewer Mutants were self-aware and down-to-earth, even while their ostracization from the surface left them frustrated. Over time, they became more overtly average in their personalities and drives, making their separation from the rest of the world all the more pointless. Now, Vyolet and the other mutants are accepted and embraced as anyone else would be. It’s a small touch, but one that proves how hopeful and progressiveFuturama’sworld-view really is.
Futurama
Cast
Futurama is an animated science fiction series that follows Philip J. Fry, a pizza delivery boy from late-20th-century New York City. He is accidentally cryogenically frozen for a thousand years and becomes an employee at Planet Express, a delivery service in the retro-futuristic 31st century.
