Warning: Spoilers for For All Mankind season 3, episode 4, "Happy Valley."
Helios is well on its way to Mars in For All Mankind season 3, however, it has a huge problem in that its personnel threatens to derail the mission. Led by entrepreneur Dev Ayesa, Helios joined NASA and the Soviet Union in the space race as a private organization aiming to become the first group of humans to land on Mars in 1994. The competition pits NASA's commander Danielle Poole against former NASA astronauts Ed Baldwin and Danny Stevens at Helios. Nearly at the mid-point of For All Mankind season 3, Helios' preliminary successes are becoming increasingly overshadowed by a looming threat from within.
While For All Mankind's story revolves around altered historical events following the 1969 moon landing, which instead saw the Soviets reach the lunar surface first, the Apple TV+ show heightens its stakes with intense drama and complex character dynamics. In season 3, Danny deals with hardship from the deaths of his parents Gordo and Tracy on the Moon a decade earlier. Simultaneously, his lasting feelings for Karen in For All Mankind following their brief affair in season 2 sent Danny into a downward spiral, which is further complicated by his association with Ed aboard Helios' Phoenix shuttle.
In For All Mankind season 3, episode 4, Helios' trouble begins when Danny confronts his crewmate, Nick Corrado, for comically reenacting a scene from Love in the Skies, a film about Danny's parents. Later, when the Soviets' Mars-94 shuttle sustains an engine meltdown, Dev reverses Ed's decision to attempt a rescue and locks the crew out of Pheonix's controls. Between Danny’s personal turmoil and Dev’s selfish leadership, Helios has a major dilemma on its hands that could drive its Mars endeavor into the ground.
Danny's outburst at Corrado illustrates his lasting difficulty with living in the shadow of his dead parents, who are hailed as American heroes. Despite Danny's heroics at For All Mankind season 3's premiere during the Polaris hotel disaster, it's clear that trouble has plagued him since the events of the season 2 finale, as evidenced by references to his drug use. Further amplified by his run-in with the police in For All Mankind season 3, episode 3, Danny's mental health challenges appear primed to serve as a major source of conflict for both the individual and his Helios crewmates going forward.
Danny may cause problems for Helios outside of Earth orbit, but Dev presents other obstacles from the ground. Dev solely prioritizes landing on Mars first, which reveals his blindness to humanity. By refusing to rescue the stranded Soviets by convincing his team that Margo Madison's NASA should claim responsibility, Dev has shown his true colors. He knew that his shuttle was better equipped for a rescue mission and would better accommodate additional crew, yet decided to forgo an attempt out of a desire to win the race. Dev's genuine ambition has grown into complete selfishness, which could lead to unnecessary loss of life should further crises arise in the mission.
Helios’ team differs from NASA’s in that it's more defined by illustrious individual personalities, such as Dev and Ed, rather than a well-bonded group dedicated to the greater good. From Danny lashing out at his crewmates to Dev irrationally vetoing Ed's command, Helios bears a team highly at odds with itself, which doesn't bode well for an undertaking supposedly meant to benefit all of humanity. NASA’s rescue efforts have thrown its bid for a Mars mission into question, but it certainly won't be smooth sailing for Helios the rest of the way to Mars in For All Mankind season 3.
Apple TV+ releases new episodes of For All Mankind on Fridays.