Diksha Sundriyal
The third season of Apple TV+’s ‘Foundation’ introduces a new set of characters as the galaxy nears the Third Crisis, as predicted by Hari Seldon. The second episode takes the audience back to Ignis, where Gaal Dornick and Hari Seldon established the Second Foundation with the Mentallics brought together from different parts of the galaxy. While the duo would come out for only a few weeks, a leader was needed to keep the Second Foundation safe and on track with Seldon’s plan. This is where Preem Palver comes in. The character appears as a bridge between Gaal and the new situation of the Second Foundation, but his role in the story is much bigger than that. MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD.
Preem Palver Will Play a Key Role in the Second Foundation
When Gaal Dornick comes out of her cryosleep after Hari Seldon decides to stay out and catch up with the plan to prepare the Mentallics for the Mule, she is greeted by Preem Palver, who is introduced to her as the First Speaker. This represents his status as the leader of the Second Foundation, the one who took charge of the people in Gaal’s absence and helped Hari accomplish the task that forced him to give up on cryosleep. While his role in the second episode remains in the supporting category, he is a much more active player in the fate of the galaxy in the books by Isaac Asimov.
Preem Palver is introduced to the readers in Asimov’s 1952 novel, titled ‘Second Foundation.’ It begins with the rise of the Mule while the Second Foundation becomes his prime target. Preem Palver comes into the picture midway through the novel, where he is presented as an innocuous person who doesn’t seem to have much stake in the war started by the Mule. However, in a major twist, he is revealed to be the First Speaker and the leader of the Second Foundation and becomes instrumental in defeating the Mule and ending his reign of terror before it consumes the entire galaxy. And his role doesn’t stop there.
He remains a major character in the next phase of the story, leading to a war between the First and the Second Foundation, where the former aims to destroy the latter. Through his quick thinking and courage in the face of the worst circumstances, he not only manages to save the galaxy, but also brings the path of humanity back on the Seldon Plan, which it had strayed from immensely after the arrival of the Mule. The Apple TV+ series keeps the most important aspect of Preem Palver, but it opts for a different approach, where we already know who he is. This, however, does not mean that his role in saving the galaxy would be any less. In fact, the choice of actor suggests that Preem Palver remains a key character in the story.
Preem Palver is Brought to Life by an Oscar-Winning Actor
The role of Preem Palver in ‘Foundation’ is played by Troy Kotsur. The actor made his film debut with 2007’s ‘The Number 23’ and went on to create history by becoming the first male deaf actor and only the second deaf actor to win the Oscar. He received it for his supporting role in Apple TV+’s 2021 film ‘CODA,’ for which he also won the BAFTA award for Best Supporting Actor. Apart from this, Kotsur is also known for developing the Tusken sign language for the first season of ‘The Mandalorian,’ which was also used in ‘The Book of Boba Fett.’ He also appeared in the show in the role of the lead Tusken Raider.
Playing Preem Palver in ‘Foundation’ was a bucket-list role for Kotsur, who has been a fan of the sci-fi genre for a long time. His addition to an already impressive cast in ‘Foundation’ gives more depth to a character whose presence is meant to be game-changing for the story, while also presenting a fresh take on the role. Apart from this, the actor has several other high-profile projects lined up for release. He was most recently seen in the thriller film ‘In Cold Light.’ He is set to appear alongside Jude Law and Jason Bateman in Netflix’s drama miniseries ‘Black Rabbit’ and will take a dip into the horror genre with the Johannes Roberts directorial ‘Primate.’
Read More: Is Hari Seldon Dead? Did Jared Harris Leave Foundation Season 3?
