Brothers in Arms (Defiance)

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Brothers in Arms is the sixth episode of Defiance’s first season, airing May 20, 2013. It was written by Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer and directed by Andy Wolk. Guest stars include Gale Harold as Connor Lang, Rob Stewart as Eddie Braddock, Daniel Kash as Pol Madis, Dewshane Williams as Tommy LaSalle, Trenna Keating as Doc Yewll, Justin Rain as Quentin McCawley, and Fionnula Flanagan as Nicolette “Nicky” Riordon.

Plot in simple terms:
- In Defiance’s marketplace, a bounty hunter chases a Castithan. The Castithan drops a locket that explodes, injuring several people. Nolan captures the hunter, who turns out to be Eddie, a former ally.
- Eddie wants Nolan to hand over Pol Madis to Earth Republic, which intends to charge him with war crimes because Madis designs weapons for wars.
- Madis pressures Yewll about Pale Wars and hints he’ll expose secrets if he’s not helped; Yewll denies any involvement and says the accusation is false.
- A bag of powder is dropped into Madis’s cell, hinting at an escape, but who did it remains unclear. Nolan suspects Eddie, who denies it. They begin to search for Madis together.
- Connor Lang arrives in Defiance to extradite Madis. Amanda negotiates with him, warning that Earth Republic wants Madis badly enough to tear the town apart.
- Madis escapes with Datak’s help, but Nolan, Irisa, Tommy, and Eddie intervene. Datak is driven back home, and Nolan stays with Eddie and Madis.
- Nolan plans to hand Madis to Eddie, but learns Earth Republic’s true aim is to use Madis to make new weapons. Nolan kills Madis to stop them.
- Connor arrives and tells Nolan this isn’t his jurisdiction. Eddie takes the blame for Madis’s death and is arrested.
- In a parallel thread, Quentin studies Luke’s book and artifacts to understand his brother’s plan. Nicky shows interest in his findings. Rafe warns Quentin to destroy the artifacts, but Quentin is swayed by a vision of his brother and keeps the artifact.
- Birch breaks into Rafe’s home to find the artifact. Quentin and Birch clash; Quentin kills Birch, influenced by another vision of Luke.
- The episode ends with Nolan explaining Eddie to Irisa, Quentin disposing of Birch’s body in the mines, and Eddie being transported by Earth Republic forces. Eddie has a powder bag hidden in his boot, which he uses to attempt an escape.

Reception and viewership:
- The episode was watched by about 1.95 million viewers, a slight drop from the previous episode.
- Critics reacted positively. The A.V. Club gave it a B+ for its ethical dilemmas and world-building. SpoilerTV praised its tight plotting and strong performances. TV Fanatic rated it 4.6 out of 5, noting the deepening Nolan–Irisa relationship.