I’m wondering, Rook said that “the body is 24”, was he referring to two? Also, if he was, in s2e9 it was said Eric worked as junior scientist 10 years before the episode, does that mean she was 14 when she escaped? I have no idea, just wondering

Hello everyone! I've been a long-time fan of this amazing show, and one of the main aspects that drew me in—and kept me engaged—was the characters. While the story is great, it's the characters themselves that I became truly attached to. The acting is superb, but it's the way the characters are written that really resonates. Their flaws, aspirations, and motivations come through in a very human way, making it easy to empathize with them. In contrast to many one-dimensional or flawless characters in shows today, Dark Matter does a fantastic job of showing that even the most moral protagonists have a dark side. It also makes great use of the anti-hero trope for other crew members.

On my most recent rewatch, I took some notes and came to the conclusion that each character has a true nature they conceal behind a projected facade. Watching the tension between these dual portrayals—how they shift, bleed into one another, and occasionally merge—adds depth to the character development. This is just my personal interpretation, so feel free to take it with a grain of salt

Spoiler warnings for S1-S3

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One - I’ve always found One to be the weakest character in the cast, possibly because he was killed off too early to be fully developed. I rarely connected with his character, though his strongest moments were when he was paired with Three, as their contrasting personalities made for interesting dynamics. While I’m not sure what the original plan for him was, I ultimately think his death in the first season was a net positive for the later ones. His over-moralizing often came across as whiny, and I think the roles of the group's conscience or voice of reason were better suited to Five and Six.

One's True Self – One strikes me as a ruthless and callous person, shaped by his corporate background. As a former CEO and trust-fund baby, he likely shares the same mindset as other corporate elites in this galaxy, where the ends justify the means. His desire for revenge is driven not by justice but by the belief that he’s owed something. This attitude surfaces throughout the first season, particularly in his petty reactions when things don’t go his way. He’s quick to scheme and conspires without hesitation. One is very much a believer in "an eye for an eye" and feels he should be in control, both of the ship and the boardroom. Above all, he fears losing power, being deprived of control, and having his voice ignored.

One's Cover Self – The mask One wears is that of a man driven by conscience and morality. He presents himself as someone who always acts with moral integrity, which is ironic given his past social class as a privileged, oppressive corporate leader. While I do think he believes he’s trying to do the right thing, he often aligns "the right thing" with his personal desires, which can distort his perception of situations. His morality is a shield to hide his true motives, and he subtly manipulates the group to align with his viewpoint.

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Two - At first, I wasn't a huge fan of Two, but she grew on me over time. She and Six both have an indecisive nature, which feels at odds with her quick rise as the group's leader. While she can make decisive moves—such as overthrowing the previous captain—she also often takes the role of mediator, trying to find a middle ground on complex issues. Leaders who second-guess themselves too often aren’t typically strong, but despite her openness to compromise, she does a good job keeping the crew in line. Two can be selfish at times, but she generally puts the needs of the group above her own, displaying the qualities of a strong leader. She’s also very overprotective and motherly toward the crew.

Two's True Self – Given her past as a test subject, I think Two’s greatest fear is being betrayed by those she trusts, feeling vulnerable, powerless, and at the mercy of others. The scene where Rook captures her—when her nanites malfunction and the crew seemingly abandons her—captures this vulnerability perfectly. Her fears of betrayal are also reflected in how she reacts to One undermining her authority, the tense moment with Five in the alleyway, and her actions against Wexler after he violated her.

Two's Cover Self – To mask her insecurities and fears, Two tries to maintain control and dominate every situation. While she listens to others, she always insists on having the final say in important decisions. As the group’s matriarch, she is fiercely protective, often playing the role of a mother to the more vulnerable or "problematic" members, like Five, Three, and One.

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Three - Initially, I wasn’t a fan of Three, but he quickly grew on me. Not only is he the primary comedic relief, but he also embodies a powerful anti-hero archetype. Three is the rogue, the loose cannon of the group, always ready to charge in rather than take a more subtle approach. His character shines when he contrasts with the more measured crew members, especially in moments when his tough exterior cracks, revealing the genuinely caring and gentle soul beneath.

Three's True Self – Three’s fear of weakness and losing those he cares about is rooted in his tragic childhood, especially the murder of his family. This fear is evident in his deep regret over causing Sarah’s sickness and his desire to erase that memory. His fear of losing those close to him also comes through in key moments, such as when he speaks up to protect Two, or when he risks his life to save Five. He views caring too much as a vulnerability, yet beneath the bravado, I believe he has the biggest heart of all the characters.

Three's Cover Self – Three’s loud, boastful, and callous exterior is a shield to hide his vulnerability. He projects an image of strength and detachment to cover up his fear of weakness and regret over his past actions. Having been thrust into a life of crime and mercenary work, he hardened himself to survive. His "lone wolf" persona hides his deep fear of losing the people he cares about. Despite his bravado, I think Three would have little reason to go on without the well-being and company of his chosen family.

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Four - Four is my favorite character, as I see him as a deeply tortured soul, carrying the most stress, expectations, and external pressure. He has a strong moral code and genuinely strives to do what's right, but often struggles to define what that is. Four is uncompromising when it comes to his values, honor, and ethics. He may not be the most vocal member of the crew, but his convictions are the most unshakable. He reminds me of characters like Stannis from Game of Thrones or Aethelwulf from Vikings.

Four's True Self – Initially, Four seemed like a gentler person, particularly in how he cared for his younger brother. However, his harsh upbringing stripped much of that sympathy away. Four fears dishonor, failure, and losing control over his emotions. He feels a deep sense of loyalty to his family (both blood and crew), his people, and his code. He is willing to risk everything to protect those close to him. Loyalty is paramount to him, and betrayal is unforgivable. His actions—killing his former mentor and his brother—show that once someone betrays him, they are dead to him. His care for Teku, even after Teku's failings, demonstrates his dedication to loyalty. Four values loyalty above all else, and his decisions—such as betraying the Raza crew—were driven by his loyalty to his people, not malice. Even his rise to the throne and the elimination of his brother were motivated by similar principles. In the final episodes, when he apologizes to Two, it marks his realization that the crew, his true family, has always been loyal to him when his blood family had abandoned him, and people had turned on him.

Four's Cover Self – Four's "cover self" is the thinnest of all the characters. While he presents himself as driven by honor and duty, his loyalty to the people he cares about is the driving force behind most of his actions. He doesn’t hide much of his true self. You can still catch glimpses of his gentler side, especially in how he once tried to protect his younger brother, or let five stay on with the crew. He values courage, discipline, honor, and tenacity.

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Five - serves as the moral compass of the crew, and she’s the one everyone seems to have a soft spot for, given her youth. She tends to see the best in people, which could be seen as naïveté due to her age, but it’s also a key part of her character. Five is the glue that holds the crew together, embodying their innocence and often acting as a foil to their more hardened sides, evoking their protective instincts.

Five's True Self – Growing up on the streets, Five had a tough upbringing. She stayed with a mechanic who took her in as an apprentice and a group of fellow runaways before stowing away on the Raza. Her greatest fear is being betrayed, abandoned, or left behind, as shown when her street gang is killed and she's the only survivor, or when she believes her mechanic mentor is about to turn her over to the Galactic Authority. While Five is sweet and trusting, often to her detriment, she’s also quick to sense dubious motives from outsiders given her upbringing.

Five's Cover Self – To mask her fear of abandonment, Five works to be the force that keeps the crew united. She never wants to let anyone go, as any fracture in the crew brings her closer to her worst fear: being truly alone. Five compensates for her insecurities by contributing with her technical skills and street smarts. She feels most at ease when everyone is getting along, and when she’s playing an active role in the crew’s goals.

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Six - Six serves as another moral guide for the crew, but unlike Five, he focuses more on justice and fairness than on objective right and wrong. He's less naive and more discerning, valuing redemption and often struggling with the gray areas of morality. His keen observational skills, honed from his law enforcement background, make him adept at reading situations and people. Six’s journey mirrors Four’s in many ways, as both try to do what’s morally right, but struggle to navigate a world where the lines between good and bad are blurred, and loyalties are not black and white.

Six's True Self – Six values freedom, fairness, justice, and rooting for the underdog. His biggest fear is that his idealism will cloud his judgment, making him a pawn in the hands of bad actors. He struggles with conflicting loyalties—his duty to law and order versus loyalty to his people. This internal conflict often makes him indecisive, as he questions the right course of action, particularly when it involves breaking societal norms.

Six's Cover Self – Six’s cover self is fairly transparent, as his core values align with his actions. However, he compensates for his internal struggles by taking on challenging causes, like the miner uprising, where the odds are stacked against him. These "longshot" efforts give him a sense of moral consistency, despite their limited chances of success. He openly displays his internal conflict with the crew, making it a prominent part of his character.

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Android – Android stands out as one of the most versatile characters, thanks to the impressive acting range of the actress portraying her. Android is both the least "human" member of the crew and yet the one who exhibits the most "human" base instincts and desires. Initially, she appears flat, but as the series progresses, she grows in depth and complexity.

Android's True Self – Android fears putting the crew in danger, being abandoned, or failing to be of use. While she’s prepared to wipe her personality matrix if necessary, she doesn’t want to lose the sense of belonging she’s developed with the crew. She’s willing to make rational, sometimes emotionally detached decisions for the greater good of the group.

Android's Cover Self – Android masks her insecurities by striving to be as useful as possible to the crew. She sometimes shows jealousy when others outshine her or when machines or people appear more valuable. Despite her desire to be human, she accepts her role as a machine, understanding that her quest to become more human could jeopardize the safety of the crew. She knows she can never fully cross that line without compromising her purpose and pivotal role.
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If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading my character analysis! These are just my personal interpretations of the characters, and I’m not claiming to be an expert. I’d love to hear other people’s opinions on whether they agree or see different trends in the characters. I’m still saddened that the show didn’t get the ending it deserved, but I’m grateful for the strong community and passionate creator who have kept the fandom alive. Huge congratulations to Joseph Mallozzi for creating what I consider one of the best pieces of television I’ve ever seen. No matter how many times I watch it, I always find something new to enjoy. The show truly deserved a better ending. Thanks for reading!

I've played a lot of Mass Effect series and Starfield.

Any other games you feel give you a Dark Matter - esque experience?

EDIT: Outer Worlds is also a good one. A short but fun ride.

Came across this audiobook on youtube, and I highly recommend it for any avid readers/listeners here.

It's basically about a crew with a sensitive past, going against oppressive AIs and corporations. If not on suspicious missions and jobs. They even have their own 'five' and 'Truffault' of sorts.

It takes abit for this to be the case. But yea, the more I get into it, the more it really reminds me of Dark Matter. And could probably fill up a dark matter induced hole from the show's cancellation.

Waymaker Wars: https://youtu.be/yhPD4xx05Ys?si=COBMtdsrzgFn_16A

Okay so I have watched dark matter 2 or 3 times now I really love it but no matter how good I pay attention I get so confused especially all the corporation's. I've written all that I heard down as you can see (sorry I have bad handwriting) but while looking at this especially mikkei first there friendly then there not. I get so confused but now mostly my question are there people who do understand all those corporation's etc

Sent by some more advanced civilization to prevent greedy, violent humans from infecting the rest of the galaxy.

So finished another Rewatch.

Another reminder about getting screwed over on a perfectly good series.

Well written , great action, lovable characters etc...

now reliving the disappointment.

https://preview.redd.it/goiogmso8xkd1.png?width=1920&format=png&auto=webp&s=f54db9e202e84ca11a03edefb2bb19b527f0d5a7

Alright, so I’ve been rewatching DM lately and jotting down notes whenever a character mentions a span of time. Season 2 and 3 have a lot of ambiguous time-jumps, but S1 is given a solid end-point: the Android states in S2E1 that it's been 47 days (and change) since waking up from stasis. So setting the stasis emergence as day 0, I think we can get a rough outline of the timeline for season 1, which I’m going to outline here as coherently as possible.

My absolute anchor points:

• S1E1: day 0
• Early S1E3: day 5
• Mid-S1E7: ‘a couple weeks’ so day 10-20 probably. i’m choosing 16 for no particular reason.
• End S1E13: day 45 (allotting about 2 days between when>!the GA takes the ship!< and when the crew is fully processed and awakened in S2E1)

Relative anchor points:

• S1E3-S1E4: about 28-30 hours
• S1E4-S1E5: seemingly a few days
• S1E5 takes place over at least a day, maybe two
• S1E6 takes place over a few hours
• S1E7 happens shortly after S1E6 and seems to take place over two days (maybe)
• S1E7-S1E8 has a multiple-day gap, which I’m putting at about 5 days- the android is still repairing, but Four thinks Three’s had sufficient time to get over his dead wife
• End S1E9-end S1E10 is two days
• The bulk of S1E11 happens over a few hours, though the jump at the end may be a couple days
• S1E12 takes place over several days and ends back-to-back with S1E13
• S1E13 takes place over two days

Thus, my proposed timeline:

• Day 0: Wake up! Android boots up, tells them they’re en route to the mining colony, and everyone sleeps.
• Day 1: Go down to the planet, discover their identities.
• Day 2: Mining colony fight, crew is stated to be ‘a few days out’ from the nearest space station
• Day 5: Start of S1E3, 26 hours out from the Shadfu-2, prior to The Complications^((TM)) with the relay switch
• Day 7: Start of S1E4, the crew docks at Shadfu-2 (and then leaves in a hurry)
• Day 10: Start of S1E5, Tabor contacts them about the zombie freighter
• Day 12: Zombie freighter, Two gets bitten
• Day 14: Start of S1E6, the crew tells Tabor about the freighter, Five spends multiple hours lost in their memories
• Day 16: Start of S1E7, they open the vault and awaken Sarah
• Day 21: Start of S1E8, the crew docks at Vega-5, Six finds out he’s a cop
• Day 25: Beginning of S1E9, they’ve seemingly been hanging out at the station for a bit, the crew finds out Four is gone
• Day 27: End of S1E9/start of S1E10, Truffault recruits them to steal the white hole bomb
• Day 28: Rendezvous with Truffault, meet Wexler et. al, steal the device late that night
• Day 31: Deliver the device to Iriden-3 after disposing of Wexler et. al
• Day 37: Early S1E12, news of the white hole bomb has spread, Tabor contacts them for Rook
• Day 41: Arrive at Rook’s place, Two gets taken
• Day 42: The crew comes back for Two- daylight on the planet, but they’re wearing different clothes, so I presume she was there overnight.
• Day 44: Android is disabled before dawn, Four gets drugged
• Day 45: The Raza is taken into custody

Disclaimers & notes:

• ‘day’ is used loosely as they very rarely go places with actual day/night cycles, and I have no idea what their sleep schedules are like. So 'day' is whenever they're awake and 'night' is when at least one of them sleeps for a while.
• as you can see, there are some ambiguous jumps where I could be off by multiple days, so take all of this with a large grain of salt. perhaps an entire salt lamp-sized piece.

In my new rewatch, I cant help but see Android as Pinocchio wanting to be more Human.

https://preview.redd.it/agmy5oh7cnjd1.jpg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=472f7f4510013d56a7699e88dc2ac9c2a16e7cff

I fell in love with this show and despite knowing that it was cancelled before even starting it, I still took it hard.

Anyway, Joseph sent me the virtual episodes and initially I dived right in, but if there is any hope of resurrection I'd rather not spoil.

So is there any?

Doing a new Rewatch. Every year at least once.

In my opinion I think the Raza is one of the best designs in a series, very practical and realistic.

Love to have a Model of it. I know their a 3D print models out their but their allot of Money from what Ive seen.

https://preview.redd.it/01ebuxq1vmjd1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e0bf23876c947753225be5bcb5a28e13da6c1e5b

https://preview.redd.it/enj8zxy2vmjd1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7fae409cc57633d6804a58132e9359bdedcb09df

https://preview.redd.it/lgx2tir3vmjd1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c470386627b16322cfb95896268b7415be47e43

https://preview.redd.it/13yj04q4vmjd1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f3951c2e63584f80a0c0b382016cc2e795b13163

So I found out about this new show “Dark Matter” and wondered where I could stream it. I only have Amazon Prime Video, so I thought maybe I'd be lucky and the show would be on Prime Video. And to my surprise, there was actually a show called “Dark Matter”, but halfway through the first episode I thought, “Wait, is this the right show?”. I kept watching the show anyway, and I'm glad I did, because I really enjoyed it. I watched all three seasons within a few days. Towards the end of season 3, I started to think that this could be yet another sci-fi show that ends with a cliffhanger, and it sucks to be right. Man, why do they always have to do us dirty like that? I don't even want to watch the new “Dark Matter” anymore, I want more of the old show!

Im curious: Who else found out about this show because they were looking for the new show with the same name?

I've run two versions of this already (once on Discord & once on Tumblr) and both times it ended in ties, so clearly I need a larger sample size. No option for 'teal' - you gotta pick a side.

View Poll

https://reddit.com/link/1ekztbl/video/0jjmoezvywgd1/player

I thought season 1 was very good. I love Sci-Fi, and I love shows with an interesting and inventive premise.

I imagine it's difficult for writers to balance, keeping the premise alive and relevant, without flogging it to death.

Ultimately I've found that there's just a few too many things going on, that I haven't necessarily gelled with.

• The idea of a future dominated by corporations is interesting, but for mine it was never truly explained well enough. The idea of a "Galactic Authority" that is immense and powerful, yet apparently wields no actual power against the corporations, just doesn't work IMHO.
• The whole weirdass camp "Space Shogun" storyline is comically absurd, and should not have become a feature.
• The "fresh-start" transformation of the crew, into a more "Robin Hood" type band, was a good premise for the show. However the way in which, in season 3, they've simply become a bunch of hapless boobs, stumbling from one pointless hardluck story to the next, has been demoralising. Doesn't make for enthralling tv.
• Just once, I'd like to watch a sci-fi show that doesn't go down the "Androids are People too" rabbit-hole.

https://reddit.com/link/1ek3sfq/video/es6d0a1b9pgd1/player

This was the reel our VFX team submitted for award consideration.

https://reddit.com/link/1eimvn6/video/6ovdcj5qrbgd1/player