What happened in The Rig season 1? Full recap before season 2

Initially set on an oil rig off the coast of Scotland, The Rig got off to a strange start when what appears to be a bizarre weather incident cuts team Kinloch Bravo off from the outside world.

Turns out this was the least of their problems when members of the team started behaving oddly, turning into a sci-fi-inspired eco tale that affects the world around them at large.

So how exactly did the story play out, and what does this mean for season 2?

Here’s everything you need to know about what’s happened so far, and what this may mean for the upcoming episodes…

What happened in The Rig season 1?

Kinloch Bravo, a rig owned by energy company Pictor, is thrown into chaos when, on the day of a planned team changeover, a tremor rocks the platform, causing a blackout and cutting off their communication to the outside world.

Helicopters meant to take people home are diverted, leaving frustrated workers stranded, and if that’s not intense enough, a thick fog descends around the rig and the workers begin to act strangely.

Among those stuck are Pictor rep Rose (Emily Hampshire), HR rep Alwyn (Mark Bonnar), rig manager Magnus (Iain Glen), radio worker Fulmer (Martin Compston), and workers Baz (Calvin Demba), Hutton (Owen Teale), Heather (Molly Vevers), Cat (Rochenda Sandall) and Leck (Emun Elliott).

Baz falls from a tower but miraculously survives, albeit with dark eyes and a warning that “something is out there” at sea, while ash rains down on the rig. This later escalates to him yelling about a wave on its way, and something about rings.

An enraged Hutton also discovers Pictor plans to decommission all their rigs in the area, but had been keeping it secret from the workers to prevent them quitting, forcing Magnus to confirm it in front of the rest of the workers.

What is The Ancestor?

The Ancestor is the nickname given to a mysterious type of microbe that has laid dormant under the sea for millennia, but has now risen into the air and the fog that surrounds Kinloch Bravo.

Among its abilities, it can heal a body’s physical injuries at speed to such an extent that, in Baz’s case, it saved him from almost certain death.

Many of the crew breathe in the spores via the ash from the fog, with tattoos melting off in the shower and even tooth fillings falling out, as it rejects inorganic matter in the body.

So, in some ways, the spores can be considered of benefit to humanity at large. But if you're not considered viable to The Ancestor, the shock to the system it provides can prove lethal.

Among the early victims of The Ancestor is Leck who, after standing for an extended period of time in the ash, dies in the shower after the microbes reject and push out the tattoos that cover his body, and Alwyn, who is killed by Baz.

Emily believes The Ancestor may be the original source to life on Earth, and is reacting to the threat of the oil rig digging into the Earth's surface.

After years of humanity abusing the resources of the Earth, and its warnings being ignored, The Ancestors has risen up to stop the oil workers from using up the planet’s resources.

With this in mind, it looks set to bring about a new mass extinction event – the sixth mass extinction to happen on Earth and the first in centuries. It just needs to close the concentric ring for it on the seabed in order to do so. Once it does, it could wipe out humanity, allowing The Ancestor to start again, much like it has before.

Pictor had been aware of The Ancestor, but rather than heed its warnings, had instead planned to kill it, with neighbouring rig Kinloch Charlie injecting poison into the ocean bed in a bid to wipe it out.

This is revealed with the arrival of David Coake (Mark Addy), a Pictor researcher who worked on Kinloch Charlie and was tasked with the poisoning there. The company hoped that by killing The Ancestor they could continue to turn a profit undisturbed, but Coake believes it’s also the key to saving humanity.

Coake tricked Murchie, Dunlin, and Hutton into helping him, telling them that spreading gas will aid those around them, not an attempt to gas the Ancestor. But when Garrow’s killed when the gas is released, they realise what they’ve done. Dunlin later dies trying to save him, with Coake sealing the area and leaving him for dead.

What happened in The Rig season 1 finale?

In the season 1 finale, the concentric ring was closed, seemingly marking the beginning of the sixth extinction phase.

Underwater landslides occur, triggering a tsunami with its sights set on mainland Europe as well as Kinloch Bravo.

As Pictor helicopters finally arrive to save what’s left of the crew, Baz decides to remain on board.

Since his accident at the beginning of the season, he has become more in tune with the Ancestor and what it wants, and believes sacrificing himself would prove there is a good in humanity that is worthy of saving.

Effectively making himself an offering to the Ancestor, Baz is seen walking into a bright light just as the tsunami crashes over Kinloch Bravo and makes its way towards Scotland.

Among those witnessing the horrors unfold is Cat’s wife, Kacey.

The survivors can do nothing but watch what happens from the safety of their helicopter, but rather than heading towards their home, with Coake guiding them to a mystery location.

The Rig season 2 launches on Prime Video on 2nd January. Season 1 is available to watch now.

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