Ambition

The central theme of Foundation's Edge is the "extraordinary concatenation of coincidence" that guides the major character's behavior. It is too finely calculated, in fact, to be coincidence, and results from a seemingly unambitious race, the Gaians, bringing together two highly-ambitious political leaders in order for a politician of lesser ambition—but what politician can be unambitious?—to decide the destiny of the Galaxy.

At age 62, Mayor Harla Branno has long been the real power behind figurehead mayors and has presided over a period of peace and prosperity. She worries that history will pass her by. She is only the fifth woman Mayor of Terminus and is the strongest incumbent since the time of the Mule. She controls a third of the scattered political units in the Galaxy as a capable administrator but lacks the brilliance of her early predecessors. Quick to make decisions and firm...