In the first season of Orphan Black, the Neolutionists and the Proletheans are introduced as adversaries to the clones and to each other. Kris and Stephanie talk about what we know (and what we don’t know) about the organizations and the characters who are a part of them.

Neolutionism vs. Dyad Institute

• Neolutionism = fringe science, social movement (Club Neolution)
• Dyad Institute = more respected scientific institute? (at least Cosima was pretty impressed) how exactly is the clone experiment pertinent to Neolutionism’s goals of directed evolution?

Aldous Leekie

• First name = reference to Aldous Huxley
• Last name = reference to the Leakey family (Louis, Mary, Richard, Meave)? Paleoanthropologists. Meave discovered a skull and partial jaw of what was thought to be a new branch of the early human family. Mary discovered the first Proconsul skull, an extinct ape believed to be an ancestor of humans.
• Public face of neolutionism, but is he in charge? He says he has higher-ups.
• Closest thing we’ve seen to a mastermind behind Neolution/clone experiment
• Leekie seems a bit disgusted with “freaky Leekies” – thinks they are “frivolous”?

Rachel Duncan

• Proclone
• Raised by the organization, but how much power does she have? She orders something at the end of episode 10, so she seems to have some power. Also, she was put in charge of negotiating with Sarah.
• Is she higher up in the organization than Leekie?

Olivier Duval

• “that’s a classy pseudonym, bro” (Real name is Kevin)
• Has a tail.
• Criminal history (“a raft of unsavory sex warrants”) – but doesn’t seem like he’s being blackmailed by the Neolutionists

Astrid

• “Freaky Leekie”
• Essentially a henchman.

Paul Dierden

• What is his role now in the organization? He seemed to go rogue for a bit, but was in the building when Sarah met with Rachel.

Proletheans

• Religious organization? Radical religious/political sect? They seem to have contact with Dyad/Neolutionists because Leekie knows who they are. What are their goals? Surely they have more stuff going on than killing clones? How did they become aware of the clone experiment?
• “Lethe”? – oblivion, forgetfulness, concealment – in essence, the opposite of science
• Prometheus connection?
• Hopefully, we’ll find out more about them in season two.

Tomas

• How long has he been “guardian” to Helena?
• “Thomas” means “twin”
• Is he a/the leader of the Proletheans?
• Is he still locked in the cage he kept Helena in?

Maggie Chen

• 40s, single, church-goer
• How did Beth become aware of Maggie? Was Maggie “scoping out” Beth the way that Helena was tracking Katja?
• What was her role in the organization? Are there other “Maggie Chens” out there?
• Did she clue them in to the clone experiment? Helena said that Maggie used to work for it.
• Was she a double agent or did she defect?

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