Debris Season 1, Episode 4 recap: Finola finally learns the truth

Our Debris Episode 4 recap breaks down the events of “In Universe,” another “piece-of-the-week” episode that sees Finola and Bryan trying to solve a crisis when a mysterious storm begins terraforming the area inside.

Apart from the storm, this week’s episode focuses heavily on Bryan and Finola’s contrasting approaches and morality as they debate about the best way to handle the latest piece of debris. Finola also finally learns the truth about her dad potentially being alive.

Debris Episode 4 begins with the task force located the latest piece of debris. This time, it’s causing a rainstorm to fall over a Nebraska farm where dozens of migrant workers live. Those inside of the storm’s radius are being affected on a biological level by the storm, which appears to be terraforming the area.

The debris is causing them to change at a DNA level, creating reverse photosynthesis. These people are starting to respirate chlorine. As Finola notes, this isn’t completely unfounded, as scientists have theorized that there could be chlorine planets in existence hosting alien lifeforms. To understand their latest debris dilemma, they’ll need to approach these people as if they’re alien beings.

Since the humans trapped in the storm’s radius are being fundamentally altered, they can no longer survive in a normal world where you breathe oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. If they move the debris, then everyone inside will die. Further complicating matters is that the storm is starting to spread. If they don’t move the debris, it could extend to nearby cities, transforming more significant populations.

Debris Episode 4 recap: Should they sacrifice the few to save the many?

Bryan wants to take care of the problem by removing the debris, sacrificing the lives of the few to save the many. Finola disagrees with this. She wants to save everyone. But Bryan tries to make her understand that they won’t always be able to do that in all of these cases.

Finola remains adamant that they don’t just give up on all of these people. She comes up with an idea to use another piece of debris to put everyone inside in suspended animation until they can come up with a long-term solution. Then they can remove the debris while keeping them all safe in a timeless bubble.

Bryan is reluctant to say yes to this decision since it doesn’t guarantee anything, but it will give the trapped people a chance. Ultimately, Finola convinces him to try it.

Throughout the drama revolving around the storm, a man named Efraim arrives and desperately tries to reach his family –– who are trapped in the rain. Efraim was never a family man until his brother passed and asked him to watch over his wife and children. Having bonded with them, Efraim is desperate to help them in any way he can.

Unfortunately, the other team members don’t have the same sense of altruism as Finola. They leave Efraim without any answers, especially as they prepare to put everyone in suspended animation, potentially permanently separating him from his family. Finola is forced to go along with it even as Efraim desperately calls out for his loved ones.

Debris Episode 4 recap: Finola finds out her father is still alive.

At least she is until she gets a phone call from one of her colleagues who informs her that her father has been photographed alive. Even worse, her colleague informs her that the Americans have known about this, meaning Bryan has been keeping her in the dark the whole time. Throughout Debris Episode 4, Finola repeatedly compares her circumstances to Efraim’s. She mentions how she would want to know all the details if anything happened to her loved ones. So obviously, Bryan’s betrayal is serious to her.

The phone call also inspires her to break the rules and tell Efraim what’s going on with their plan and set him free. Efraim immediately rushes into the storm to meet his family and go into suspended animation alongside them.

Finola is instructed not to tell Bryan what she knows, but it’s obvious that their dynamic is fundamentally altered now. Debris Episode 4 highlighted that these two “partners” really are working on different sides with different goals in mind, and I think that’s going to become even more apparent as the season continues.

What did you think about Debris Episode 4? What will Finola do now that she knows her father might be alive? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

New episodes of Debris air Monday nights at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.