Launch Day is the first of two two-issue comic book stories by Dark Horse Comics comprising Season 2.5 of The Orville.
Tropes
- Accidental Misnaming: Despite the fact that they served together, Ycil can't remember Ed's name, even calling him "Ted" right after being told it's "Ed".
- Actor Allusion: A flashback to 20 years ago shows Ed as an Ensign and reveals that he worked in the engineering department, much like Seth Macfarlane's previous role as Ensign Rivers in Star Trek: Enterprise.
- Bittersweet Ending: Bordering on Downer Ending. Not only does it turn out that Ycil is dead, the Alibar succeed in transfering their whole planet to another plane of existence, leaving them totally alone if not for the presence of Kratok's conquest-hungry fleet of Krill destroyers. The only relief is that a reignition of the Union-Krill conflict is averted.
- Call-Back: Kratok is the same Krill captain who pursued the Orville in "The Word of Avis", about 12 months prior.
- It is stressed that the ceasefire between the Union and the Krill must be maintained what with the Kaylon threat looming over the galaxy.
- City in a Bottle: Launch Day's objective is to shift an entire planet to another plane of existence and isolate it from the rest of the universe.
