Rap is short for Raptor. Hence the bird of prey symbol. We don't know why they're referred to that way, since we haven't seen one yet. From what I've heard though we will finally get a look at the aliens themselves early in season 3.

What do you think that thing in the woods was? Is that a Rap or the supposedly worse alien menace on the way?

@Thebridge said:

What do you think that thing in the woods was? Is that a Rap or the supposedly worse alien menace on the way?

I believe that was one of the Raps' enemies. The intro segments are often out of chronological step with the main show, so it could've been the future or it could've been shortly after that incident Will and Snyder witnessed in the season opener where a ship crashed and was swarmed by drones. Will and Katie found one escape pod with a dead alien but more may have ejected.

It wasn't a Rap because we saw its greenish, reptilian skin. It's interesting to speculate on who this mysterious enemy is. Could that be the species that created the Raps, who then rebelled and tried unsuccessfully to wipe them out? The preview shows Kynes and the resistance entering some facility and Kynes saying they needed to talk to the side that was going to win. So part of his grand plan seems to involve calling the aliens about to arrive and seeing if they're open to working together. We can't assume that simply because the captive Rap said they were utterly ruthless and would kill everyone that this is necessarily the case. Had the outliers not been carrying guns and seemingly hunting it, that alien might not have attacked them. Or Kynes might succeed in getting hold of them, only to be told that voluntarily or not, humanity has helped their enemy so they can burn right along with them! What they have to say is going to be hugely significant to where things go from here!

Thanks, I just looked up the promo. I'm not sure what to think about Kynes now. He tells them they need to speak to the side that can win. But is that really the side they should fight for? Is Kynes in deep with the real enemy to mankind and he's just looking out for number one and recruiting suckers? We're still not sure about that story the Raps told us about an enemy in the first place. And, I'm just guessing, does this coincide with Helena's "false flag" operation ? It looks destined to flush out the resistance, "You want to talk to the side that's gonna win". Another thought, why did the supposed new aliens kill the de-poded resistance fighters if they're in this with us? They apparently had some camouflage system already for protection. Why are supposed possible good guys killing armed resistance fighters? It smells bad. I'm not sure I trust Kynes anymore. I had thought he was working for us, but now I'm not so sure.

@Thebridge said:

Thanks, I just looked up the promo. I'm not sure what to think about Kynes now. He tells them they need to speak to the side that can win. But is that really the side they should fight for? Is Kynes in deep with the real enemy to mankind and he's just looking out for number one and recruiting suckers? We're still not sure about that story the Raps told us about an enemy in the first place. And, I'm just guessing, does this coincide with Helena's "false flag" operation ? It looks destined to flush out the resistance, "You want to talk to the side that's gonna win". Another thought, why did the supposed new aliens kill the de-poded resistance fighters if they're in this with us? They apparently had some camouflage system already for protection. Why are supposed possible good guys killing armed resistance fighters? It smells bad. I'm not sure I trust Kynes anymore. I had thought he was working for us, but now I'm not so sure.

Like I said, if someone approached the camouflaged alien without a gun in their hands, taking shots at it, maybe it would've been more friendly!

I've suspected since season 1 that the occupational authority never intended to reinstitute democratic governments when it's all over (assuming the Raps left anyone alive). The collaborating weasels would want a planet run by and for themselves. Kynes was apparently creating a stronghold of free humanity to resist their power grab - with reverse engineered Rap tech to give them an edge over the competition. First of course Earth has to survive and not be reduced to a wasteland. It makes sense that someone would want to talk to the mysterious "enemy", find out what their objective is, and see if we can work together to rid ourselves of our mutual adversary.

I doubt the occupation invented a whole alien race and crashed a ship with staged drone attack and phony escape pod just to fool the Bowmans. Plus that info has been kept from most of the population, only a select few know about it. Why would you create a cover story and then hush it up? In the recent episode we saw one of them, and while we didn't get a good frontal view it clearly wasn't a machine. I think Kynes just wants to tell the Raps' enemy that we're not helping them voluntarily: they conquered our planet and forced our people to labor for them. It might convince the new arrivals to spare us even if they don't want to be best pals. And a frontal assault from space while human resistance groups conduct sabotage from behind the lines could be an effective strategy for them.

Yes, it could be that these new aliens will allow us to live to fight along side them against the Raps. But I'm thinking something far more nefarious is at foot. Maybe the self-assured Kynes has been protected and in contact all along with the new aliens. Kynes will use us convincing the resistance that this is the "good" side, when in actuality it's just a power play for him to access the top of whatever the human authority might be when the new aliens win. In other words, Kynes might be a collaborator's collaborator! It looks like we may get an answer to this possibility at next weeks episode. And this leaves room for Snyder to be pegged as a hero in some respect in fighting against Kynes later on.

@Thebridge said:

Yes, it could be that these new aliens will allow us to live to fight along side them against the Raps. But I'm thinking something far more nefarious is at foot. Maybe the self-assured Kynes has been protected and in contact all along with the new aliens. Kynes will use us convincing the resistance that this is the "good" side, when in actuality it's just a power play for him to access the top of whatever the human authority might be when the new aliens win. In other words, Kynes might be a collaborator's collaborator! It looks like we may get an answer to this possibility at next weeks episode. And this leaves room for Snyder to be pegged as a hero in some respect in fighting against Kynes later on.

Almost anything is possible. There's bound to be a twist at the end. Either Kynes will be revealed as having an even more sinister agenda than the occupation, or not - but something the new aliens say will upend our whole picture of what's happening. There's going to be some kind of bombshell dropped on us to set the stage for season 4. Can't wait to see what it is!

The same here. Hope the ratings hold for them.