‘Solar Opposites’ season 4 ending, explained

Warning: this article contains spoilers for Solar Opposites season 4.

The fate of quirky adult animation show Solar Opposites was briefly thrown into limbo earlier this year when it was discovered creator Justin Roiland was sending some incredibly creepy messages to minors. However, the Rick and Morty star was rapidly replaced as the voice of fan-favorite character Korvo by Brit Dan Stevens. The recently dropped fourth season was the first of the series in which Roiland wasn’t involved, but fans are loving the show regardless, although some have been wondering about the season’s climactic ending. If that’s you, then check out the below for our take on the Solar Opposites season 4 ending, explained.

What is Solar Opposites about?

Solar Opposites follows Terry, Korvo, Jesse, and Yumyulack – an alien family who have crashed into Earth and as a result have been forced to stay on our little planet. The quartet all disagree on whether this is a positive or negative, as well as a number of other things. They hail from an ultra advanced alien world called Planet Shlorp, the residents of whom discovered it was about to be destroyed so sent out a hundred ships in order to colonize other planets.

There are a few other parallel storylines too, like the society of humans who’ve been shrunk and kidnapped by Yumyulack only to be placed into a terranium (where they form a society known as “the wall”), and the corrupt intergalactic police force known as the SilverCops. Most of the focus remains on the family and their “pet” — a pupa — as they go about their daily business and get into scrapes, although there is an overarching narrative about them trying to get off Earth, and ultimately deciding to stay.

Who voices the characters in Solar Opposites?

Until recently, Justin Roiland voiced Korvo — a brilliant scientist who hates Earth — and ostensibly one of the “parents” of the group. However, for season 4 the character is voiced by Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey). Korvo’s humanity and Earth-loving “partner” Terry is voiced by Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) – although the pair have more of a will-they, won’t-they schtick going on that is surprisingly heart-wrenching at points. Mary Mack plays Jesse, and takes after Terry in terms of sensibilities. Yumyulack is the sadistic replicant of Korvo, and is voiced by Sean Giambrone (The Goldbergs).

Other big names include Tiffany Haddish as a hilarious spaceship AI, AISHA, Christina Hendricks as a human trapped by Yumyulack in “the wall,” and Kieran Culkin as a corrupt intergalactic cop, plus loads of other famous voices.

What is season 4 of Solar Opposites about?

The season begins by addressing Korvo’s voice change. This is explained in typical Korvo fashion, with the scientist utilizing flashbacks and what sounds like mumbojumbo science to let the audience know why the alien sounds different: he was stabbed in the throat by Terry, and Yumyulack used a voice restoration ray to bring Korvo’s vocals back, but they were revived with a British accent instead. We’re then told that the show will be avoiding delving too deep into sci-fi elements, which is a brave choice considering it’s about aliens who’ve crash-landed on Earth, but also consistent with the ending of the last season, when the Solar Opposites (as they dubbed themselves) decided to try and live a more human-like life for the sake of their pupa pet.

However, the new pivot works really well, which shouldn’t be surprising as this has always been more of a crazy family sitcom based on sci-fi characters, rather than a sci-fi show. Although episodes are still mostly self-contained, we see a lot of character development and change. Most importantly, the original mission to colonize planets has been abandoned by our main cast, leading to more family-fuelled, zany adventures. Even just looking at where the characters are at shows why this makes sense: Korvo and Terry have jobs, Jesse is getting by at school (and even joining a clique of mean girls), and Yumyulack is, well, smoking cigars with his teachers. We also see Jesse really grow and develop into a character of her own, even standing up to Korvo in something mirroring teenage rebellion.

Another place where the audience sees some intense changes over the season is in the “wall” subplot, which regards the humans Yumyulack has shrunk down and interned. Although this part of the series has always been filled with strife and is usually a lot darker than the family’s adventures, we watch the society that Yumyulack has inadvertantly created mutate into something a little like The Handmaid’s Tale, moving away from the Game of Thrones-like narratives it had given us previously. However, there is some light at the end of the tunnel, as the captured folk finally manage to free themselves. The Green Lantern-esque Silvercops also have an entire episode dedicated to them this time, which might very well be signalling we’re going to get a spin-off (but more on that later).

Other characters also saw some growth, including Tiffany Haddish’s AISHA – who finally receives some love in the form of a romance episode, because as it turns out even an AI needs someone. The episode, which follows her attempt to date, is both hilarious and sweet, toeing the line between the two well.

Solar Opposites season 4 ending, explained

In a shocking turn of events, the season 4 finale of Solar Opposites saw our characters off on another planet… but they’d all been turned into humans. Then, instead of staying on planet Earth as members of the human race, they leave, taking up residence on a new planet. Are we ever going to see them again, I hear you ask?

Some have said this is the end of the show, but we’re not so sure. For one, many viewers also felt last season’s finale meant the show was about to be pulled, but the writers and creators found a way to craft a brilliant eleven episodes for season 4. More importantly, though, it’s been renewed for a fifth season, so there is definitely something in the works.