In Foundation season 2, the Church of the Galactic Spirit is responsible for spreading Hari Seldon’s word and recruiting people for Foundation.
In the second episode of Foundation season 2, High Claric Poly Verisof and Brother Constant are seen recruiting people for Foundation on a hostile planet called Siwenna.
Poly and Brother Constant make science look magical to the common people of this planet in order to have them follow the religion of Hari Seldon.
Poly himself is a firm believer in Seldon, as he saw him walk out of the Vault when he was a kid. With his mesmerizing tricks, he manages to fool the uninformed population of Siwenna into joining the Foundation.
The true purpose of the Church
When Poly and Brother Constant return to Terminus after learning that the Vault is awake, Poly is told that he won’t be speaking to Seldon in private and will be working on crowd control instead.
Poly tells everyone in the council about the importance of him and his title. However, he is reminded that the title of High Claric didn’t exist the last time Seldon appeared. The Church of the Galactic Spirit didn’t exist either.
The missionary work of the Church is appreciated, but it is described as mere recruitment. The impending war will be funded thanks to Poly selling salvation, tricks, and trinkets.
Poly explains that he was against calling themselves magicians. Foundation and the Church were supposed to offer the people a rational blueprint for the new society. Now they are turning them into arms depots and military bases.
Poly further points out how similar to Trantor they have become, considering the new expensive weapons they have. He reminds everyone that Seldon was a teacher, not a trader, and Seldon’s mission was to shorten humankind’s slide into barbarism and ignorance.
Poly worries what Seldon is going to think about what has been done in his name. Poly doesn’t get a chance to go near the Vault anyway. It’s Warden Jaegger who does.
The Vault changes colors, but Seldon never comes out of it. Warden Jaegger is killed by it. Before dying, he blurts out the name of Hober Mallow. The same name soon appears on the Vault.
Also Read: Foundation season 2 episode 2 recap & review: A Glimpse of Darkness
