Apple TV's Star City series skillfully blends elements familiar to For All Mankind fans, presenting a story centered around themes of surveillance, paranoia, and espionage. However, one of the most striking aspects of the series is the secret Venera mission initiated by the character played by Head Designer Rhys Ifans. This mission takes place under the watchful eye of Colonel Lyudmilla Raskova (Anna Maxwell Martin) and the KGB. By episode 6, "Awl in a Sack," the fates of Valya Mironov (Adam Nagaitis), Sasha Polivanov (Solly McLeod), and Lakshmi Chadha (Priya Kansara) remain uncertain, but as the season progresses into a time jump six months ahead, the reality of these characters' survival comes to light.

Star City and For All Mankind's co-creators Ben Nedivi and Matt Wolpert note that they have dropped hints throughout the season about the Venera 7 crew's survival. However, the question of how these characters can return to Earth gradually unfolds in the season finale, revealing the losses experienced along the way and showcasing the challenges of space exploration. Wolpert and Nedivi discuss the scientific truths behind the season's most surprising moments, the debates on when and how references to For All Mankind will be placed, and the significance of the developing romance between Sasha and Anastasia (Alice Englert).

Fans of the series continue to hold onto their belief that the crew survived the explosion of Venera 7. One viewer summarizes this sentiment by saying, "I felt very justified when the signal and the ship appeared in the last episode." Nedivi expresses that viewers stopped considering this possibility and that the story evolved in a different direction with the time jump. These surprising developments both astonish viewers and prompt deeper reflection on the challenges of space exploration.