Golan Trevize

Lore & Background

Trevize's journey begins with a quest to settle his doubts about the all-encompassing noosphere of Galaxia. Accompanied by Pelorat and Bliss, he travels through distinct phases of exploration defined by specific coordinates. First, they visit Comporellon, claimed to be the oldest inhabited planet, where they are imprisoned but negotiate their release before obtaining the coordinates of three Spacer worlds: Aurora, Solaria, and Melpomenia. Their voyage takes them to the desolate, collapsing ecology of Aurora, where Trevize nearly dies from a pack of wild dogs until Bliss manipulates the animals' emotions to force a retreat. They then proceed to Solaria, encountering self-reproducing hermaphrodites who avoid physical contact; here, they are nearly killed by the Solarian Sarton Bander before Bliss deflects his energy weapon, accidentally killing him. During their escape from Bander's underground mansion, they rescue his young child, Fallom.

In Their Own Story

The crew's path leads them to Melpomenia, a world with a near-vacuum atmosphere where they discover a library plaque listing all fifty Spacer worlds. Surviving a moss that feeds on carbon dioxide leaks from their suits, they plot the coordinates and deduce Earth lies at the center of a binary star system. They arrive at Alpha Centauri's planet Alpha, finding friendly natives who secretly plan to kill them with a microbiological agent; Trevize is warned by an attracted native woman just in time to escape. Approaching the true Earth, they find it radioactive and lifeless. However, Fallom directs their attention to the moon, where they discover R. Daneel Olivaw. Daneel reveals he has manipulated humanity since Elijah Baley's era, causing the creation of psychohistory and Gaia. With his positronic brain deteriorating beyond repair, Daneel intends to merge with Fallom to oversee Galaxia's creation. Trevize confirms his decision for Galaxia, citing the likelihood of advanced life attacking humanity from outside the galaxy.

Reader's Guide

Trevize's defining characteristic is his 'intuitive decision making,' which allows him to choose the correct future without logical proof. This ability drives the narrative of Foundation and Earth as he seeks validation for his choice of Galaxia. His journey involves navigating extreme dangers, from wild dogs on Aurora to energy weapons on Solaria, relying heavily on Bliss's telepathic capabilities for survival. A crucial turning point occurs when Trevize interacts with R. Daneel Olivaw on the Moon; unlike previous manipulations where Daneel influenced outcomes without controlling the choice, Trevize's decision at the end of Foundation's Edge was his own, though guided by Daneel's broader plans. The story concludes with Trevize accepting a future where human internal warfare is ended through a collective consciousness, all while observing Fallom's alien gaze.

Did You Know?

• Trevize was nearly killed by wild dogs on Aurora, which were likely descendants of household pets that reverted to savagery.
• On Solaria, Trevize and his companions were saved when Bliss accidentally killed the antagonist Sarton Bander by deflecting an energy attack.
• The crew discovered a plaque on Melpomenia listing the names and coordinates of all fifty Spacer worlds.
• Trevize's decision to support Galaxia was confirmed only after learning from R. Daneel Olivaw that external threats might eventually attack humanity.
• Fallom, a Solarian child rescued by the group, is described as having an 'alien gaze' and possesses the ability to play a flute using only her mind.