The tide is turning on The Last Ship after the crew were rescued from the pirates, and the focus is shifting to finding the truth about the possible virus mutation. Executive Producer Steven Kane, and actors Adam Baldwin (Captain Mike Slattery) and Bridget Regan (Sasha Cooper) sat down at San Diego Comic-Con to talk about what’s really going on in the South China Sea, the changing dynamics between characters and the ongoing ramifications of Dr. Rachel Scott’s death. Here’s a glimpse into the conversation:

  • In the aftermath of being rescued, Baldwin revealed that Slattery feels responsible for his men being taken captive and will feel guilt over it. It’s a heavy burden on him and as the Commanding Officer he’ll take the heat of what happened, but he won’t let it stop him because the mission must go on. First up, Slattery needs to grow some of his blood back after being drained by Takehaya (Hiroyuki Sanada).
  • With both CO Captain Slattery and CNO Captain Chandler (Eric Dane) on the Nathan James, circumstances will change. The two Captains will have different roles to play and see each other as peers and equals.

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    Takehaya remains a major part of the story, and he’s begrudgingly allowed to do some things according to Baldwin. Will the the pirate become useful or traitorous? Kane elaborated that there are more dimensions to that character than first appeared.
  • Kane revealed that the possible virus mutation becomes a big focus over the next few episodes. Slattery informs Chander about the pirates’ beliefs that the Americans poisoned them and that the cure doesn’t work. Questions are raised: Is there any validity to the story? What happened to the virus? Without Dr. Scott, it becomes a challenge to get to the bottom of the possible mutation.
  • While there have been fan theories that Rachel Scott is still alive, Kane confirmed that the doctor is “definitely dead.” He highlighted that Dr. Scott’s death was a big loss for the show, for Chandler and for the world. If the virus is mutating and the woman who saved the world the first time isn’t there, it’s a huge deficit. With her gone, they are left with her notebooks as the only resource. It’s painful to lose a character people love but that’s part of the show. Anyone can die at any moment.
  • Coming up, it won’t be about new enemies or threats, according to Kane, rather threats that have been there the whole time and they just didn’t know it. They will also be looking at those threats from a new point of view. The focus will shift from the first half of the season question of “What the hell is going on?” to “Oh, my God, that’s going on?” in the rest of the season.
  • Regan finds the dynamic between Sasha and Chandler appealing and human. The characters are heroes with the weight of the world on their shoulders and she feels that this relationship humanizes them. They are both widowed and now they have been brought back together where their former flame could be rekindled. In particular, Tom and Sasha realize life is fragile and they could lose each other at any time. Chander has given her a new purpose on the ship and hope for the future too.

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