In this conclusion to the "Identity" story arc, the crew of the Orville must stop the Kaylon—a race of sentient artificial life forms—from launching a genocidal invasion of Earth and the Planetary Union.
: A pivotal and controversial scene involves the Kaylon air-locking a crew member in front of Captain Ed Mercer to punish his disobedience, demonstrating the Kaylon's clinical lack of empathy despite their vast intelligence. [S2E9] Identity
The episode was a technical milestone for the series, receiving several industry honors: In this conclusion to the "Identity" story arc,
: The episode forced the Planetary Union into desperate political entanglements, drawing comparisons to dense sci-fi classics like Babylon 5 and The Expanse . [S2E9] Identity