Foundation Season 3 Fixes One Of Game Of Thrones' Biggest Mistakes

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Foundation" season 3.

Much like the centuries-spanning chronology of the story, the roots of "Foundation" draw back to the very beginnings of modern science fiction with Isaac Asimov's original novellas ... but that's not to say the Apple TV+ series is immune to more recent inspirations, too. Off the top of my head, watching any given episode can't help but bring to mind genre staples such as "Star Wars," "Dune," or even "The Matrix." In fact, the incredibly dense (and outrageously nerdy) mythology that viewers are expected to keep up with oftentimes rivals the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Silmarillion." But season 3 in particular has added one long-awaited wild card in the form of the murderous Mule, and the character's inspired casting can't help but make us think of another ambitious series — though, in this case, "Foundation" is making one major improvement.

The fantasy genre may not be the most obvious point of comparison for a series like this, but the introduction of Pilou Asbæk as the main antagonist inevitably comes with certain amounts of "Game of Thrones"-related baggage. The accomplished Danish actor most famously portrayed the fan-favorite character Euron Greyjoy starting in season 6 of the HBO show, a brilliant choice for a charismatic villain that many a reader loved to hate throughout author George R.R. Martin's various "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels. Unfortunately, the constraints of the adaptation meant that Euron's first impression felt somewhat lacking (to put it mildly), which necessitated an almost complete creative overhaul between seasons.

While Euron never quite managed to live up to his potential, Asbæk has found the redemption he deserved all along with the Mule. His richly-layered, oddly appealing, and utterly unhinged performance is easily among the early season's many highlights. Considering the fascinating parallels between both characters, it's safe to say "Foundation" is finally fixing one of the biggest mistakes in all of "Game of Thrones."

A swaggering pirate warlord arrives on the scene multiple seasons into a hit series, steals the show through sheer force of will, and acts as an agent of chaos capable of turning the whole enterprise on its head? If any of this sounds familiar, that's probably because Pilou Asbæk has a very specific "type" of villain that he loves to play. Don't get us wrong — Euron in "Game of Thrones" and the Mule on "Foundation" aren't carbon copies of one another, by any means. From an acting standpoint, Asbæk is operating on noticeably different wavelengths, whether it be body language or vocal tics or his precise delivery of every piece of dialogue. But when taking a bird's eye view of the way both characters are written and the narrative roles they play, well, there's a reason the comparisons are already beginning to flow.

Luckily, those uncanny similarities are turning "Foundation" season 3 into an absolute must-watch for any jilted "Game of Thrones" fans. As early as the season's opening sequence, the Mule instantly makes his presence known when he enacts a coup on the entire planet of Kalgan without even raising a finger. Not only does this mirror Euron's two major moments in "Game of Thrones" season 6, when he murders his royal brother Balon from a bridge above stormy waters before claiming the island throne for himself during the Kingsmoot that follows,  but his mentalic ability to influence hearts and minds through thought alone also feels vaguely reminiscent of Euron's (purported) supernatural abilities of prophetic dreams, black magic, and possibly even mind control in George R.R. Martin's books, all of which were either toned down or excluded from the show. Even Euron's nickname of Crow's Eye and the warship he commands named "Silence," named for the crew of mutes he employs after ripping their tongues out, contain shades of the Mule's chosen moniker and his imposing warship named "Blacktongue."

It's as if fate has embarked on a course-correcting arc to make up for past missteps and kill two birds with one stone: deliver a truly threatening take on the Mule for Asimov readers everywhere to appreciate, and do what "Game of Thrones" couldn't by providing a definitive version of the Crow's Eye that comes close to the one from our imaginations.

In the third episode of "Foundation" season 3, the lines blur further as we find out what's actually driving the Mule to do what he does. The impromptu game of insults he plays at his club with wealthy playboy Toran Mallow (Cody Fern) might very well be the most "Game of Thrones"-coded sequence in the entire season thus far, even to the point of having the Mule begin to flay him alive — a nasty demonstration that would make Roose Bolton himself take pause. (Okay, maybe not.) But the real defining moment for the cosmic villain comes after the failed negotiations between himself and the young Brother Day-to-be (Cassian Bilton). While leading his forces on a violent skirmish, he stops next to one helpless victim to grouse about the responsibility on his shoulders. Here, he admits that he sometimes feels like his life isn't actually his own, and that every step he takes is part of a "preordained" path.

Just wait until you hear about another pirate king who believes he has manifest destiny on his side. Euron and the Mule both share a gnarly god complex, justifying every heinous action with the idea that they're simply meant to rule over as many others as possible. In the still-incomplete "A Song of Ice and Fire" books, the Crow's Eye takes this to a greater extreme when he plots to seek the hand of Daenerys Targaryen in marriage (who's still stuck on the wrong side of the Narrow Sea, struggling to rule the former slaver cities of Essos) and use her dragons to conquer all of Westeros for himself. Much like his "Game of Thrones" counterpart, the Mule's ambitions are far loftier and more galaxy-sized than anyone outside of Brother Dawn and Gaal Dornick (Lou Llobell) can even fathom. Both Euron and the Mule show just how dangerous some charisma, a little sadism, and a healthy dosage of god complexes can truly be.

Unlike "Game of Thrones," "Foundation" still has several more episodes to prove that it can stick the landing and do right by Pilou Asbæk. Based on the track record of success to this point, something tells us we can expect a much smoother landing this time around. 

New episodes of "Foundation" season 3  stream on Apple TV+ every Friday.