Why Soyona Santos From Jurassic World Dominion Looks So Familiar

Criminally underutilized in the newest addition of the "Jurassic Park" franchise, Soyona Santos is an outlier. Though "Jurassic World Dominion" largely focuses on Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), Maisie (Isabella Sermon), and the triumphant return of Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), Soyona is a welcome villain in a world that no longer resembles our own. After the events of "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," dinosaurs have essentially taken over the planet. And where there is a new market, there are those who are willing to take advantage.

Soyona is one of these diabolical fiends who profits over a dinosaur black market. These creatures are sold to the elite, used for Jurassic fights, and even as exotic meals. Soyona is part of a fascinating underworld that would no doubt occur if dinosaurs covered the planet. And even though there was mass potential for this subplot, it — and Soyona herself — is sadly given very little screen time. But for those who are looking for more Soyona to dive into, fear not. The actress who portrays her has an expansive filmography to delve into.

Fox's speculative sci-fi series "Dollhouse" may have been short-lived, but it undoubtedly still has merit, in no small part through Dichen Lachman, who would go on to play Soyona Santos in "Jurassic World Dominion." 

For two seasons, "Dollhouse" explored issues such as human trafficking and self-identity. Echo (Eliza Dushku) and Priya are known as "actives," people whose memories are wiped at the behest of an evil corporation. As blank slates, actives are implanted with different personalities to then be rented out to the highest bidder. Many aspects are a commentary on abuses against women, first and foremost being Priya's journey throughout the series.

In a harrowing flashback, viewers learn that Priya was a devastating case of human trafficking. After rebuffing a rich doctor, he kidnaps her and drugs her to make it look like she's schizophrenic. With her mental faculties in question, the dollhouse swoops in and sees her as a worthy candidate for the program. Once wiped, her tormentor buys Priya any time he wants with no repercussions. If "Dollhouse" does anything right, it is shining a light on such abuses while also giving the characters happiness. Priya is able to break free of the system and even find love with fellow active Tony (Enver Gjokaj), despite their memories being wiped. The ending of "Dollhouse" is a comfort in a world where these abuses remain rampant.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Just because "The 100" is a teen drama doesn't mean it's not thematically resonant. Defying the tropes of standard young adult fare, "The 100" instead opts to steep its young characters in situations with deathly consequences. Following a nuclear war that made Earth a wasteland, the remains of society escape to a space station called the Ark. This may be all well and good, but 90 years after the fallout, humanity is dying. Life cannot be sustained on the Ark, meaning society is looking to get back to the ground sooner than later. Their solution? Throw 100 juvenile delinquents down there to see if it's survivable. Child sacrifice is never the beginning of a happy story as Clarke (Eliza Taylor) and her new allies can contend.

After landing on the ground they learn that not only is Earth survivable, but they are not alone. The indigenous people known as Grounders lack advanced technology, but they are far from primitive. Emissary Anya (Dichen Lachman) is just one of the first faces that represents this way of life and sees Clarke's arrival as a declaration of war. In a clear allusion to colonialism, Clarke's people have landed in an occupied territory and have no concern for their way of life. Anya eventually comes around and is open to peace, but becomes just another victim of war. She is killed because of prejudice among Clarke's people, a tale that occurs time and time again throughout real history, as well as dystopian futures.

Sci-fi is a genre that often throws large concepts under a microscope. Like "Dollhouse," "Altered Carbon" analyzes dark issues such as violence against women, something which remains prevalent in the Netflix series. Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman) is a former investigator whose consciousness is thrown into a new body known as a "sleeve." Because people can essentially live forever, there are no consequences for harm done to people's physical bodies. 

Sleeves are used by many characters, including Kovacs sister, Reileen Kawahara (Dichen Lachman). An unrepentant crime boss, Reileen is all of the worst parts of this society. She is able to amass her wealth as well as keep control of her empire because of a collection of clones she can re-sleeve herself into. Reileen's actions are unequivocally brutal as audiences watch her abuse the sex workers that work for her. Many have spoken out, saying that the violence is gratuitous. But to those people, Lachman herself has a point to make. 

"We can really look at our own society through this focused lens, and maybe it will push people into action to do something positive to help women reach out to women who have suffered," the actor stated at a roundtable (via Business Insider). "Because [violence against women] is a real thing and not enough people talk about it. And if we shy away from it, then we can't really examine how horrific it is, and how it needs to stop."

Dichen Lachman finally joined the Marvel fold in Season 2 of "Agents of SHIELD" as the villainous Jiaying. After being raised with no identity in foster homes, the season explores Skye's (Chloe Bennet) mysterious lineage when she discovers that is actually born Daisy Johnson, a member of the Inhumans. Though she finally finds a connection with her mother Jiaying, she becomes concerned that they have a difference of opinion when it comes to S.H.I.E.L.D., with Jiaying's views shaped by a depressing backstory — as her powers of absorbing life were coveted by many, leading her to be tortured at the hands of HYDRA. This warped her mind into thinking all humans had to be destroyed so that Inhumans could live in peace. This step too far resulted in Jiaying's demise at the season's conclusion.

Though tragic, Daisy finds closure in the final season when she time-travels to the 1980s. On her mission, she is tasked with protecting her mother before she became the adversary that Daisy knew her as. Seeing Jiaying in the past gives her the catharsis she needs, confirming for Daisy that she was once a good person before her ideals were twisted. This also reunited Lachman with "Dollhouse" alum Enver Gjokaj who reprises his role as Daniel Sousa from "Agent Carter." Gjokaj confirmed for TV Line that the two remain the best of friends since their "Dollhouse" days, making for a delightful reunion.

Corporate culture has never been more insidious (or creepy) than in Apple TV+'s series "Severance." The freshman series gained a lot of buzz for its specific aesthetics and disconcerting thesis (via The Verge). In a world where you can sever your memories of your home life from your work life, companies can be even more exploitative. While you can be at home with no memory of work, your work self is always there with no concept of freedom.

 In "Severance," Lumon Industries uses many tactics to keep their employees in line, including employing the services of Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman). One of the only employees only referred to by her last name, Ms. Casey appears often in the guise of dispensing mental health expertise. But like with all things in "Severance," this is not what it seems. Ms. Casey keeps an eye out for company disloyalty. And when there are problem cases such as Helly (Britt Lower), Ms. Casey is there to steer her in the right direction. The series has many twists and turns, including the late reveal of Ms. Casey's shocking true identity.

"When I started reading those scripts, I could not put them down," Lachman told Slashfilm in response to the twist. "I was burning through those pages, and I have to say, it's very rare to sit down and read it and just be completely captivated by the world and these amazing, amazing characters."