We catch up with the 2nd Mass in the third season of TNT’s sci-fi alien invasion series Falling Skies seven months after the events of season two. New alliances have been formed, relationships are changing, and Seychelle Gabriel says that this upcoming season will find her character, Lourdes, getting more involved in the action.

With aliens fighting alongside the human survivors led by Noah Wyle as Tom Mason, Falling Skies season three promises more action, more drama, and plenty of unexpected twists.

Sitting down at WonderCon to discuss Falling Skies‘ third season, Gabriel provided a few clues as to what we can expect when the series returns on June 9, 2013 at 9pm.

What can you say about your character for this season?

Seychelle Gabriel: “She has a much bigger role than she has in any other season, which is cool. She has always been pretty vital in the medical arena, with Anne Glass [played by Moon Bloodgood] and whatever, but I think this season she plays a way more vital role because Anne has her baby in the first episode and that’s kind of distracting and Tom’s president, so I’m kind of almost like the head of the infirmary there.

I’ve kind of fallen into my place that I think I was supposed to fall into before everything happened, as a medical student/working in a hospital. I’ve been upgraded to a doctor, actually. They call me ‘Dr. Delgado’. There’s a new species of alien. You know how Anne and I always did alien-type experiments and surgeries and stuff? Now, since there’s a new type, there are even more discoveries we’re making in the extraterrestrial realm.”

Where does the story pick up?

Seychelle Gabriel: “There’s actually been some communication between the two [groups] because Cochise [the leader of the new friendly aliens] comes down and he’s very apt with languages, so he’s able to communicate with the humans in a way that’s funny because they have to go through humans, which is kind of freaky. They can actually speak with us, so there’s already been kind of a bridge that’s formed. Whether or not that’s good or bad, I’m not allowed to share. But it’s definitely new for all of us.”

Will they basically be staying in Charleston?

Seychelle Gabriel: “Yes and no, because Charleston is like this awesome safe haven that we’ve been looking for for the past two seasons. But the 2nd Mass has this vigilante spirit about it that we can’t really hold ourselves down. Much to Charleston’s dismay, we’re still working with the rebel skitters and on our own to go and make individual stabs at the enemy. Which is leaving the community, this awesome place, to go put ourselves in danger and kind of put the community in danger, which is why people are kind of upset with our finding a home in their safe home. Yeah, it’s like yes and no.”

Are you a fan of sci-fi? Is this something you would normally watch if you weren’t in it?

Seychelle Gabriel: “You know prior to doing this, I don’t think so, so much. Once you kind of start working with people that are interested in sci-fi and comics and stuff, their enthusiasm is so brought to me and stuff that now I’m super into it. I just saw The Avengers for the first time and I was like, ‘That was so good.’ I don’t know. I’ve been to a couple of conventions now, and it’s all a lot more exciting to me.”

Are we going to see any plot lines where you’re dealing with the pent-up rage from what happened to your family?

Seychelle Gabriel: “A little bit. I think since we come in seven months later, I think the darkest moments are kind of behind us and almost it’s like that period of grieving [is over]. I think you’re almost putting yourself separate from that, and I think Lourdes embraces that because that’s the last thing she wants to see in her head over and over – that horrid scene. Yeah, I think that’s kind of the impetus for her becoming a larger role in the community and really putting all of herself into that.”

What is it actually like on the set? What’s the atmosphere like? What substitutes for the aliens?

Seychelle Gabriel: “I don’t have as many scenes like that, with those kinds of models and stuff, but it is weird because they all come through the infirmary at some point. That alien I was talking about, Cochise, he comes down. He was on set sometimes when I was there and he’s in a full-body suit, played by Doug Jones, like a head and everything. It kind of moves and lights up kind of like the skitters do, but it’s trippy because he’s super tall and it’s just like full body. It’s like it just sparks this weird animal instinct in you where you’re like, ‘That’s weird!’ You know, like when you’re at a haunted house or something? It’s just a trip. It makes pretending a lot easier.”

What’s happening with Lourdes’ love life this season?

Seychelle Gabriel: “You know, I think her love is for the new baby and for her patients, but at the end of the season there’s a little thing that’s hinted with someone in the 2nd Mass – but I’m not going to say who. Just hinted.”

Is it kind of strange to play a character who can’t depend on cellphones and technology we use every day?

Seychelle Gabriel: “Yeah. I like to keep my phone in my trailer because everything’s just so distracting.”

In your spare time, do you still have time to play music? What kind of music have you been listening to recently?

Seychelle Gabriel: “Definitely. It’s cool that where we shoot in Vancouver is a good music scene. I’ve found some cool funk brothers who have their saxes and loop themselves and good honky-tonk players and stuff. I’ve been listening to a lot of blues lately. It’s kind of like my thing. A lot of folk. I got this boxed set with Joan Baez on top of it, but it’s like all these really cool recordings of people like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, but like all these weird random things like Odetta and Cisco Houston or something like that. That stuff’s really fun.”

More on Falling Skies:

Noah Wyle Interview
Doug Jones Interview
Drew Roy Interview