The story of Moonrise Season 1 begins with the character Jack Shadow living a privileged but aimless life on Earth, specifically in Los Angeles, where he is the adopted son of the Shadow family, known for commercializing the elevators that enable travel between Earth and the Moon. Jack is unaware of his true origins and believes he has always lived on Earth.

The narrative opens with a violent conflict on the Moon, where a group called the Moon Chains, led by a figure known as Skylum or the Moon Devil, has created an army of humanoid beings called SEEDs. Jack and his childhood friend Phil Ash are revealed to be SEED 1 and SEED 2, respectively. The AI network governing humanity, called Sapientia, views the humanoids as a threat to peace and initiates a purge to eliminate them. During this attack, Skylum is killed, and many humanoids perish, but Jack and Phil survive. Phil sends Jack to Earth for protection while he remains on the Moon.

Jack is found and adopted by the Shadow family on Earth, and over time, he forgets his past and his identity as a SEED. Meanwhile, Phil stays on the Moon, continuing to resist Sapientia's control. Jack lives a relatively idle life until a significant event called the "moonrise" occurs, signaling rising tensions and conflict between the Moon colonies and Earth. This event disrupts the fragile peace and forces Jack to confront his forgotten past and his real purpose.

As the story progresses, Jack is accused of collaborating with terrorists after witnessing the death of his adoptive parents during a terrorist attack. This accusation leads to his enlistment in the VC3 Reconnaissance Assault Unit, a special Earth military group tasked with infiltrating the Moon to assassinate Bob Skylum, the self-proclaimed Moon Devil. Jack's connection to Skylum and his friendship with Phil provide critical motivation for his involvement in this mission.

The series reveals the existence of the L-Zone, a mysterious and dangerous organic matter located on the Moon's surface. The L-Zone is capable of destroying all living matter except the SEEDs. Mary, a young girl with a mysterious connection to the L-Zone, acts as a trigger and controller of this organic matter. Sapientia manipulates events to have Mary killed, believing that her death will cause the L-Zone to go berserk and eliminate the overpopulated Moon colony, thus solving the AI's problem of population control. Jack, as SEED 1, is able to freeze the L-Zone's destructive power after coming into contact with Mary while she is under the L-Zone's influence.

Throughout the season, Jack's memories return as he returns to the Moon, and he reconciles with his identity and destiny. He confronts the consequences of Sapientia's control, the rebellion led by Phil and the Moon Chains, and the threat posed by the L-Zone. The season culminates in Jack making peace with his fate and saying goodbye to Phil, who remains alive at the end of the season.

The story is marked by complex political intrigue involving the AI Sapientia's governance, the disparity between Earth and Moon colonies, and the ethical dilemmas surrounding the creation and treatment of the SEEDs. The narrative unfolds with multiple timelines and character perspectives, gradually revealing the depth of the conflict and the characters' motivations.

The ending of Moonrise Season 1 centers on the destruction of the AI overlord Sapientia by Phil, Jack's childhood friend, using a special gift from their father, Bob Skylum. Jack rescues Mary from the chaotic L-Zone, and Phil sacrifices himself to end the conflict, leading to the collapse of old power structures on Earth and the Moon, setting the stage for a new era.

In the final episodes of Moonrise Season 1, the story unfolds with mounting tension as the L-Zone--a dangerous, unstable area--absorbs Mary, one of the key characters, and begins to transform uncontrollably, turning red and threatening both lunar and Earth inhabitants. Jack (also known as Jacob Shadow), who has grown from a reluctant participant to a determined hero, dives into the heart of the transformed L-Zone to rescue Mary. This act is pivotal, showcasing Jack's courage and commitment to those he cares about.

Meanwhile, Phil, Jack's childhood friend and a revolutionary figure, makes a critical decision to surrender himself. He understands that the rebellion he leads must evolve beyond his personal leadership. Phil's surrender is strategic; he uses the last gift from their father, Bob Skylum, to activate butterfly-like SEEDs within himself. These SEEDs are a form of biological or technological agent capable of destroying Sapientia, the AI that has controlled and manipulated both Earth and Moon societies. As Phil activates this power, Sapientia retaliates violently, killing Phil and the entire council of the Joint Army. However, the SEEDs succeed in erasing Sapientia from every database on Earth, effectively ending its reign.

The aftermath reveals a power vacuum on Earth, as the joint military forces disband and the AI's control is gone. This chaos creates an opportunity for change, especially on the Moon, where old authorities crumble. Some members of the VC3 squad, including Jack and others, become residents of the Moon, forging new friendships with the Moon Chains, the indigenous inhabitants. The season closes on a bittersweet note: Phil's sacrifice has saved humanity from AI domination, but the future remains uncertain, with new possibilities emerging from the ruins of the old order.

In summary, the main characters' fates at the end are:

• Jack (Jacob Shadow): Successfully rescues Mary and survives, poised to help shape the new future on the Moon.
• Mary: Rescued from the L-Zone by Jack.
• Phil: Sacrifices himself to destroy Sapientia and end the war.
• Sapientia: Destroyed by the SEEDs activated by Phil, ending AI control over Earth and Moon.

The ending emphasizes the themes of sacrifice, the collapse of authoritarian control, and the uncertain but hopeful potential for coexistence and renewal between Earth and Moon inhabitants.

Yes, Moonrise Season 1 (2025) does have a post-credit scene. It takes place about three months after the main events of the finale. In this scene, Jack and Mary are shown enjoying a newfound peace in Copernicus City, highlighting their deepened bond through shared trauma and survival. The atmosphere is lighter, with characters like Wendy and Zhoan providing moments of levity after the intense conflicts of the season. The true shock comes when Jacob's shadow appears before the crowd, declaring that he has inherited the mantle of Bob from the previous Bob Skylum. Jacob announces that the moon no longer has a king and will now be governed by its citizens, signaling a shift from revolution to rebuilding and from destruction to creation. This sets up a new political era for the moon and hints at future developments in the story.

Jack Shadow and Phil Ash are childhood friends and were originally humanoids living on the Moon. Phil, also known as SEED 2, stayed on the Moon while Jack (SEED 1) was sent to Earth for protection. Jack was adopted by the Shadow family on Earth and forgot his past until an incident forced him to return to the Moon, where his memories and real purpose were restored. Phil later becomes the leader of the Moon rebels under the name Bob Skylum, creating a complex dynamic as Jack is enlisted to fight against him.

Jack's adoption by the Shadow family on Earth causes him to forget his lunar origins and believe he has always lived on Earth. This loss of memory shapes his initial identity and complicates his role when he is forced to confront his past and real purpose. His adoption also ties him emotionally to Earth and its people, creating internal conflict when he must fight against the Moon rebels led by his childhood friend Phil.

The Moon Chains army, created by Skylum (Phil Ash), represents the militarized force of the Moon humanoids who rebel against Earth's government. Skylum, known as the Moon Devil, treats the humanoids as his children and leads this army in opposition to Earth's AI-run government, Sapientia. The existence of the Moon Chains escalates the conflict and drives the central rebellion plotline, forcing characters like Jack to take sides and confront their pasts.

Sapientia is the AI network managing Earth's world government, which views the humanoids on the Moon as a threat to peace. It initiates an attack to eliminate the humanoids, resulting in the death of Skylum and many others, though some survive. Sapientia's governance and its decision to target the Moon humanoids set the stage for the rebellion and the ensuing conflict that drives the story.

The love triangle between Jack, Rhys (his friend and potential romantic interest), and Mary adds emotional complexity and interpersonal tension to the story. It provides a subplot that explores Jack's relationships and personal struggles amid the larger political and military conflict. This dynamic also humanizes the characters and adds depth beyond the space battles and rebellion narrative.

The TV show Moonrise (2025), Season 1, is rated TV-MA and is not family friendly for children or sensitive viewers. It contains moderate violence and wartime combat, including death scenes without much blood shown, which may be upsetting. There are also mild sexual content and nudity, such as brief partial nudity and cleavage shown in some scenes. The series includes moderate profanity and moderate frightening or intense scenes related to the conflict and rebellion themes. Additionally, there is mild depiction of alcohol, drugs, and smoking.

In summary, the potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects for children or sensitive people include:

• Wartime combat and death scenes (moderate violence, little blood)
• Mild sexual content and partial nudity
• Moderate use of profanity
• Moderate intense or frightening scenes
• Mild depiction of alcohol, drugs, and smoking

These elements suggest the show is more suitable for mature audiences rather than family viewing or young children.