WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Foundation Season 1, Episode 8, "The Missing Piece,” streaming now on AppleTV+.
As Apple TV+'s Foundation progresses, Lee Pace's Brother Day is certainly proving to be quite a tyrant. As a clone of the Emperor, Cleon, he's leading the Empire in an oppressive fashion, not wanting science or religion to dispel his words and the law he, as well as his younger and older clones (Dawn and Dusk, respectively), lay down. What's most interesting, though, is in his most recent act, the show actually fixes one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's worst villains, whom Pace also brought to life.
This is none other than Ronan the Accuser, who was built up to be such a threat in Guardians of the Galaxy. But rather than being a true Kree warlord, assertive as can be, he doesn't flex his power as much outside of a few harsh speeches and snapping the Other's neck. Ronan even cowers at Thanos' feet, not playing the political game properly, which makes it so forgettable when Star-Lord and Co. use a dance-off to beat the villain.
It felt like Pace's talents were wasted as he had a gravitas to him, which the MCU did try to course correct by having him a bit more in Captain Marvel as we saw his legion as extremists. However, this was ultimately a far cry from the villain who rose up through the ranks in the comics to be a general, then take over the armies for wars like Annihilation, battles against the Avengers, Inhumans, Shi'ar, Nova Corps and Guardians, and so many more.
Ronan went from being a pleb to a regal, arrogant leader to someone a bit more compassionate by the time Black Bolt eventually killed him when his people turned on him. Sadly, Ronan lacked all these traits and got no redemption with minimal character development to make him really fearless.
Brother Day doesn't get redemption, nor does he want it in Foundation, but he meshes faith and duty the same way Pace did as Ronan. Here, he chides his other clones as he wants to be a true dictator, with the villain playing a twisted game to assert more control. He fakes a vision on a pilgrimage, lying about a celestial experience, so the holy side of the cosmos sways to him. This allows him to extend his reach even more with past enemies now believers in his rule, making his words and crusade much more potent as opposers are removed.
That's something the MCU should have done with Ronan rather than forcing in him as Thanos' lapdog. Had he been playing Nebula on the Infinity Stones mission, or giving Thanos attitude in their messages, that would have made sense, but by not giving Ronan time to really show what he wants for his empire, the character's done a disservice.
Foundation, though, knows Pace's strengths, and as such, Brother Day gets to become this supreme leader, and a better character in total. His forked tongue is deployed rather than weapons, allowing him to expand his vision in a way Ronan would be proud of.
To see Brother Day's sinister rule at play, the first nine episodes of Foundation are available on Apple TV+.
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