Discoprise: Extra Large

Taken a while to get hold of this one but it would be remiss not to review one of the mot controversial starship designs of the franchise. Is there any chance that tinkering with the classic TOS USS Enterprise design isn't going to anger anyone/everyone?

Eaglemoss have two versions of this one around. One a part of the now defunct (also read amalgamated into the larger Starships Collection) Discovery series. The box is a familiar size to anyone who's dipped their toe into the Specials (or the other XLs) with the USS Enterprise nestled nicely in secure polystyrene along with its chunky stand. 

Love it or hate it, this is an impressive model. A good mix of metal and plastic she's naturally front heavy due to the weighty saucer with the detail and quality evident all over the hull. The finishing pattern isn't the aztec you would expect, offering much more of a worn, beat-up and asymmetrical look that adds a few years onto the Federation flagship. 

Now it's hard to be a reimagining of such an iconic ship much less the Star Trek franchise where fans can be less than forgiving at the best of times and whether you like it or not, Eaglemoss have certainly recreated a more fitting and realistic starship here. Ok, the upper senor dome over the bridge is a little too clean for my liking but the detail, ringing of the saucer the phaser emplacements and the substantial increase in windows are all signs of just how much model making and CGI have moved on since 1966. There had to be adjustments for the TVs of today which have 1080dpi of unforgivingness built in. 

The secondary hull mirrors what's started on the saucer with extensive windows reminiscent of the movie refit and the connecting neck section a slight bit more squat and angular. Even the Federation pennants on either side of Engineering are embossed onto the hull and look better than ever. 

Remember too that the special issue here was produced off the back of a sole appearance at the end of season one of Discovery when we were still waiting for more tantalising season two detail. There are a couple of evident join lines in the underside of the saucer and around the forward piece of the secondary hull a few centimetres behind the main deflector dish although that's as big a gripe as I can manage. Will there be an updated Strange New Worlds super version - you can bet on it.

What I don't want to do is descend into the rabbit warren of critiquing the ship based on its representation in the series as much as the model is a quality reproduction of the rebooted Enterprise. Eaglemoss have excelled in it into the angled engine pylons and the envisaged more primitive nacelles that are something of a mix between the NX-01 units and the tubular propulsion of the TOS starship. Wisely Eaglemoss went with translucent orange bussard collectors and warp field grilles to give the design a touch of tangible realism to the replica. 

The more you look - and you can have a good look all over - the more you see how John Eaves pulled elements from other ships in the franchise history to keep the lineage in there but still managed to update and keep true. Yes, the shuttle landing deck is larger; yes the impulse engines are meatier and the deflector grid lines right across the hull surface are more distinct, but these are necessary conceits to move things on. 

As for build quality, the Enterprise is incredibly solid. The thickness of the engine pylons helps with this plus the scale means that those more flimsy parts on the small magazine scale ships are avoided. Where these larger ships do succeed even more - and it's easy to see here - is the accuracy of window and paint alignment. The embossed pennants are a good nod to that as are the secondary hull windows. The painting as a whole seems much more in sync with the body of the ship and stabilises the impressive nature of this replica.

Older fans and those who are more inclined towards TOS may well be offended but for anyone who is interested in Discovery, maybe an Enterprise completist or intrigued just how a classic is brought into the 21st Century, this is a good illustration of that CG progress.

The magazine accompanying is very two-sided with a quick series of stats from Pike's USS Enterprise before an in-depth look at how such a classic was rethought for Discovery along with even more extensive photos and first person accounts from (re)designer John Eaves. There's a lot of get into here both in the written word and the photos with a decent explanation of why the ship evolved into its Discovery form. 

As a model, Eaglemoss have been faithful in every way to recreate the Discovery-ised starship and it's a credit to them that it's come out so well and so fascinatingly well made. I think it's a great ship with a lovely, faithful update although it's not to everyone's tastes I understand. To have every iteration of the USS Enterprise you are going to need this on the shelf but whether you do... that's a hard question!

Check out all our Starships posts HERE

You can find out more on the Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection by visiting the Hero Collector website HERE

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Party of Three: Strange New Worlds Straight to Series

While not confirmed by CBS All Access until today, social media has been alight with rumours around the much-demanded Captain Pike series for many weeks.

Sixty-six years in the making, the crew from The Cage are finally getting to tell their story on the small screen. We've had the comics, the novels, but now - and due to the call from fandom - Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is official and will bring Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romjin as Number One and Ethan Peck as Lieutenant Spock back to the franchise.

Already this show is being touted as a more episodic series with each story a closed narrative giving us a Trek we haven't really experienced since a sprinkling of tales in Enterprise but possibly not solidly since Voyager.

The calls for Yeoman Colt, Doctor Boyce and Jose Tyler are already coming from fans, soon after the rumours that Jake Cannavale from The Mandalorian could show up as a young Kirk.

I mean this is all speculation at the moment since we've only just had the news that it IS going ahead. However the first episode has already been written for a series that has been fully green-lit. This will mean that for the first time ever there will be four live action Star Trek's in some form of production at the same time - Discovery, Picard, Section 31 and Pike's much rumoured/anticipated/demanded show.

The short video that helped announce the news saw Mount, Romjin and Peck all revealing the show's title and just how much influence the creation of the series had due to fans.

Cleverly there's also another way to look at this. Both Discovery and Picard were shows created by the studio because they felt that would satisfy fans but both have, in some degree with a portion of the fanbase, failed to do so. With Strange New Worlds, there's the fallback - a a point - that if it fails then some of the blame could fall on the baying voices of Trekkies across the world. After all, this is a show they wanted after the success of Mount's Captain Pike in Discovery.

It could well be a very shrewd, calculated risk to see if the studio is better going for fan input into what should be happening or go with their own direction. That said, I would expect Strange New Worlds to have the highest premiere audience of any of the new shows straight away and, if it does remain solidly episodic, avoids arcs and goes back to the basics of the 1960's Star Trek ethos then how can it possibly fail? This has the potential to be THE most Star Trek since, well, Star Trek in essence going back to where it quite literally all began. Imagine though if Strange New Worlds is a huge, galactic success - might that signal a change in the focus and direction of the franchise? Is the creation of this series potentially a make or break to win over those fans not convinced by bringing back a much-loved character in Picard?

If fans of classic Star Trek felt that was wrong then might the shift to episodic and self-contained stories be the next gamble - is this actually what those fans of the "Golden Age" and before want to see? I would think it'll depend a lot on the quality of the writing, the strength of the cast and maybe avoiding dropping an occasional "f-bomb" to appease those who feel the last two series have widdled all over the very concept of Star Trek and the Roddenberry vision. 

But what would I want to see in a new show? What can Strange New Worlds bring to a franchise which will have a series set in The Original Series era, one in the distant future and one in The Next Generation timeframe?

A return of Klingons for one would be amazing, plus let's explore the lingering effects of the mission that saw the Enterprise crew lose many of its number prior to The Cage. What about seeing how those visions from Discovery of his own future will affect Pike? How about a fully realised CG crewmember for the first time (I'm not saying they could retcon in Arex but...). Could we see Garth of Izar before he went a bit mad? It does need to deliver on the series title in every sense or a lot of people will be feeling very, very shortchanged from the start.

There does need to be more exploration of Pike, certainly lots of deep diving into the character of Number One - will she be Una??? Plus it does allow for us to see Spock in a new light, one where he's an officer but not a senior rank and still learning the ropes to an extent. I wouldn't be too surprised if there's an occasional guest from James Frain's Sarek.

Yet telling new, exciting, self-contained Star Trek stories that fit with the pillars on which it was founded have to be the priority. The series has to rekindle that flame from the 1960's show and clearly demonstrate a strong cast chemistry and real moral ground around real issues to truly be a successor to The Cage - and perhaps it could be a little too cerebral along the way.

Who would you want to see cast in Strange New Worlds and as whom? What would be your mission objectives for this new voyage?

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Tough Decisions: Short Trek's Ask Not

Would you disobey an order?

Cadet Thira Sidhu is challenged with that very question when Starbase 28 is suddenly attacked and an in custody Captain Christopher Pike is handed to her to guard.

Clocking in at under ten minutes, Ask Not is the shortest Star Trek instalment ever but that can't take away from the more than welcome return of Anson Mount alongside Amrit Kaur's green cadet. Also, for those of you wondering, it's a clip from a John F Kennedy quote; "Ask not what your country can do for you ask what you can do for your country." which was part of his inauguration of 21 January 1961.

The premise is simple - does she release Pike from his restraints so he can "help" combat the attack or does she stand firm because he's been charged with mutiny and as such holds no power of rank? 

Kaur holds her own valiantly here with the moral decision that could ultimately decide her career in Starfleet. For anyone with a modicum of sense you'll spot something close to a Kobayashi Maru scenario right away.

Ask Not beautifully plays these two characters in a tight, confined space with each trading regulation and right  - Pike citing that he needs to regain command because the Enterprise has tactical superiority (a point "later" made by Janeway in regards to the USS Equinox's position versus Voyager) or that he can be reinstated by an active officer given circumstances.

However Sidhu remains firm, counters Pike and sticks to her guns in a very quickfire event which is almost over before it's even started. For a short story there's a lot of background, event and sparring crammed into the ten minutes of film and I also think this is one worth a second viewing just to catch all the rules and regulations plus the offence and defence of the conversation.

Ask Not isn't one of this generation of Star Trek's pinnacles but it does satisfy fans' hunger to see Anson Mount turn out as Captain Christopher Pike one more time and remind us all just why there's that demand for a Pike/Spock/Number One series sooner rather than later. Plus, if we've learnt anything from Short Treks it's never underestimate how they will all link in to later series or episodes...still looking at you Calypso....

Next month - December 12th - TWO Short Treks with Ephraim and Dot and The Girl Who Made the Stars...

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Short Treks: Q&A and The Trouble with Edward

After successfully keeping our attention on the franchise between seasons one and two of Discovery, Short Treks returned in October to satisfy our hunger for new content ahead of Picard in January 2020.

What better way to kick off this series of six 15 minute stories than with one of the most popular elements of Discovery’s sophomore year in Ethan Peck’s Spock and Rebecca Romjin’s Number One. 

The premise covers Ensign Spock’s first day on the USS Enterprise, reporting to Number One - and then proceeding to get stuck in a turbolift. Ok, its an old story trick - confine two characters in a small space and let them talk and in this case it’s even more interesting because Spock took on a lot of Number One’s emotional character traits for the second commissioned pilot and beyond back in the 1960’s. 

These two characters have a lot in common and this is played out almost straight off the transporter pad with Romjin’s character pushing Spock to ask questions. Her computer-like mind is akin to the Vulcan’s and their confinement in the turbolift gives the pair a chance to see the similarities and realise for a moment that Number One might have bitten off more than she can chew. 

Spock is certainly thorough in his line of investigation leading to both characters in fact acting out of character for a moment. While welcoming back Spock and Number One was something we were clamouring for (as well as Anson Mount’s exceptional Chris Pike), the inclusion of a Gilbert and Sullivan rendition might have just been pushing us to the limit - and there are many of us still in counselling after Insurrection’s HMS Pinafore. 

Here’s the thing; at this point the two have realised how they are both in control of their emotions, exuding logic at every occasion and remaining absolutely to the letter on rules and regulations and at ease with strict routine and organisation. For one minute in the presence of the other they are able to have a release that can never be spoken of and sort of explains Spock’s apparent emotions during The Cage. 

Number One at this time is more in control, more heavily restricted and potentially provides support to the young ensign in terms of emotional control. This is the youngest we have seen Spock; Q&A is very effective, simple and straight to the point but that musical rendition still, even with me trying to justify it, seems very out of place. 

Released on 12th October, The Trouble with Edward is a huge Marmite of an episode. Pike is back to send Captain Lynne Lucerno (Rosa Salazar) off on her first command aboard the USS Cabot. 

What appears to initially be a routine science mission is turned upside down thanks to Lieutenant Edward Larkin (H Jon  Benjamin) and his discovery of the Tribbles. Initally there is the suggestion to use them as a food source however Lucerno redirects Larkin’s efforts towards the mission. 

This however drives the scientist against the captain’s wishes as he increases the Tribbles’ reproductive abilities, leading to them, unsurprisingly for us veteran Trekkies, overwhelming the ship and leading to the end of Lucerno’s first command after just two weeks.

The Trouble with Edward is played for humour with Larkin’s head to head with Lucerno being a particular highlight. H Jon Benjamin is excellent as the insubordinate lieutenant. I can see where the hints of Reg Barclay have been suggested with Larkin disobeying orders to work on the Tribbles rather than the work that the crew is meant to be pursuing.  

He’s not your typical Starfleet officer, attempting to spread discontent and believing his own self-importance and brilliance above everyone else.  His incompetence ultimately destroys the Cabot, but its not without a bit of tongue in cheek humour to line up aside this shoehorning origin story.   Advances in technology definitely help to emphasise the Tribble menace with their final, explosive breeding expansion right to the doors of the escape pod being particularly effective. 

However.... the explanation of their origin as just pretty boring if cute balls of fluff with a meaty core is a bit puzzling. How did Kirk and the Enterprise crew not know about them and their appetites and reproductive agility? How did they not know that this was a creature that could breed at such a ridiculously alarming rate that had been meddled with by Starfleet?  This makes absolutely no sense given the severity of their offspring-popping. 

It’s an entertaining 15 minutes and one of the most comedic segments of the latest age of the franchise but don’t look too deeply as it doesn’t quite make sense why Starfleet would bury all information on them (unless they were just damn embarrassed that one of their number was responsible for their genetic alteration!) I thoroughly recommend sticking around for the post-credits advert set aboard the USS Ravenous - a highlight without question but one more piece to 100% take with a pinch of salt...but not a Tribble (and read the small print in the pic below...)

Strangely both of the most recent Short Treks have chosen to travel a more light hearted path than anything we have seen from the franchise in the Kurtzman era. Perhaps a respectable choice in hindsight to the rather serious and at times almost pitch black first two seasons of Discovery.

Picard too appears to be treading a similar serious path and its refreshing to see that Star Trek can still afford not to take itself far too seriously. On many occasions the franchise has nearly disappeared up itself in heavy political statements and instalments like this remind us that it does have a heart after all. Honestly, it does and its here for us all to see.  

A good pair to kick us off into the next phase of Star Trek’s evolution which makes me hungry for more...content that is and not Tribble cereal even if the fun never stops...!

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SDCC - Discovery

You might be forgiven that Lower Decks and Picard overshadowed the news from the Discovery camp however it probably had more to announce than the other two combined.

As you may remember (SPOILERS) the crew have now jumped around 1000 years into the future to secure the data contained within Discovery's computers which will mark a major change in the direction of the show for its third season.

SDCC revealed that the crew may not have all ended up in the same place and that Terralysium wasn't their final destination. The cast itself will be adding David Ajala as Cleveland Booker who will be setting the cat amongst the pigeons (shake things up) with his arrival. 

Several new shots from filming in Iceland had emerged since SDCC but plot details other than the new arrival in the cast and that it's going to be in the far flung future have been kept a close secret. The only thing I can be almost certain of is that it'll pick up right after Such Sweet Sorrow since Burnham is still in the Red Angel suit.

That said, the Short Treks will be returning with six new adventures to bide us over until there's new Discovery. To our delight these will feature Pike, Number One and Spock with the trailer confirming this straight off. There will be three live action shorts featuring the trio plus two animated shorts and a final one which will spin into Picard.

Now it also appears that the two animated shorts will not be in the style of Lower Decks but will instead focus on Discovery to answer some questions left over from season two. The six announced titles are... 

The Girl Who Made the Stars

I'd suggest this is the one in which Pike is captured and attempting to escape. His cellmate seems to be a Starfleet officer too but is unwilling to help. More of the trailer is devoted to the following pair...

Q&A

Money's on this one being the Ensign Spock and Number One discussion in the turbolift. Trailer details for this show the pair stuck in the transport tube just as Spock comes aboard for the first time. All sorts of questions - what OS does the ship run and most importantly, does Number One like eggplant? I would see this as being the highlight of the six even if the stuck-in-alift trope is a very old and well used one. 

The Trouble with Edward

The trouble with...tribbles? Man-eating ones at that if the trailer is to be believed with a whole pile of them devouring an individual. One lab breach later and they're all over the ship featured although that doesn't seem to be the Enterprise as there's a different captain at the head of the conference table and this might be whom Pike is speaking to right at the end of the minute and a half clip compilation. There's some interesting shots in here - the floor of Tribbles in the corridor, a girl bizarrely devouring a small furry tribble...could be a first diversion into mild horror/comedy?

Ask Not

Possible animated short - no footage of either animated installment was shown.

Ephaim and Dot

As previous - suspect it's the other animated short.

Children of Mars

Might this be already filmed and ready to go as a tease in to Picard or is it going to be aired after season one closes out? Given the secrecy around the show I'd rather not put money on any option here.

The variety of the Short Treks is incredible, hopefully explaining loose ends, offering up new ways of telling Star Trek stories and even perhaps laying foundations for the next big thing from the franchise. They provide a snapshot of the universe and if there's anything to learn from the initial group of four we had during the Discovery season one/two gap, it's to expect the unexpected and that everything, no matter how insignificant or off the wall, might actually have a goddamn point for being there - even if we're categorically told that it doesn't!!!

What do you think to the new Short Treks and what would you like to see from them?

Catch up on our three SDCC 2019 posts HERE

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Brother: Discovery is Back; S2 E01

Picking up right at the second that season one ended, the Discovery is face on with the USS Enterprise.

But that's not the only big canon-linking event going on here because we've also treated to the first meeting between Michael and Spock at the Sarek/Amanda family home on Vulcan.

It's not the most loving or accepting of relationships as has been hinted at before but even that first meeting created an atmosphere you could cut with a knife. 

This hour long-intro to season two is all about introductions with the arrival of Anson Mount's Captain Pike accompanied by a science officer (not Spock) and an engineer with a mission to investigate one of seven red bursts that have appeared in the galaxy. Enterprise has been incapacitated and Discovery is to take on the mission.

Pike is a complete change to the universe-jumping Lorca of season one, he remembers the crew's names after just one flash through of his bridge team (nice reminder to viewers there) but is haunted by the fact that Starfleet kept his ship out on its five year mission while the Klingon War raged on. He's a lot more softly spoken than I expected, thoughtful and considerate, even comparing himself directly to his predecessor as he settles in. Honestly, I think Mount nails the part from the first line as he steps off the transporter pad and I instantly "got" this guy. He's right for the ship and right for the show.

The mission seems simple enough however arriving in the middle of an asteroid field, it appears that the red burst has vanished but there is a crashed Starfleet vessel, the USS Hiawatha, reported lost ten months previous during the Klingon War.

Pike and Burnham execute a rescue mission for the injured crew which introduces us to the Chief Engineer of the crashed frigate and something appears to Burnham before she can leave the ship. What it is we don't know but you can be assured it's connected to the seven red bursts. Again with Tig Notaro's appearance there's still a nuance of humour even though the situation isn't exactly at its rosiest and that's not something we'd have seen even attempted in season one which now, even an hour into year two, looks like it was way over the top serious for its own good.

Brother really does delve back into the character of Burnham with both her and Sarek reflecting on their disjointed relationship with the their foster brother/son. Thing is that by the very fact of his absence, "older" Spock overwhelms the episode in virtually every scene because he's out there somewhere. Not on the Enterprise (which is in for repairs for the foreseeable) but in the great beyond looking for answers. We know he will turn up and that clock has only just started ticking. The ending certainly clarifies this not only with a visit to his quarters on the Enterprise but also through the Ethan Peck-voiced personal log which reveals that he is definitely linked in to the events Pike was sent to investigate.

The tone of the episode is much lighter than we ever saw in season one. Everyone is much more at ease and relaxed with each other and there's the odd touch of humour to humanise the series after the brutality of the war.

Stamets and Tilly are also back with the former about to depart the Discovery for pastures new and the latter still talking way more than she needs to but perhaps being the character that many of us can associate with the most. 

The break in the season has worked well for Discovery with its longest episode to date, a makeover for the ship on the standing sets and as a series, there's a lot of money being pumped in here as can be seen from the sequence in which Burnham attempts to escape from the crumbling wreck of the Hiawatha. You can understand exactly the accusation leveled at Gretchen J Berg and Aaron Harberts for their overspend early in the season which was one of the reasons for their untimely departure. Check out the corridor sequence with the crew looking up into the shuttlebays, the passage of the turbolift and a whole host more.

As for their script and the unusual choice of Alex Kurtzman as episode director, everything is very competently done. There's a lot of bounce to any scene with Tilly in it and you can feel that she's definitely one that the writers love to provide words for. There are a couple of very "un-Gene" swear words in there but those two parts combined make Star Trek much more approachable and not quite so far up its own rectum as has occurred on a couple of occasions. Brother is extremely accessible for new starters offering a very useful recap as well as an overview of the ship and hints of what has happened in more detail. 

As a season opener this has everything. There's a good character-based story wrapped around Burnham, some genuinely exciting action sequences including an impressive landing pod journey that would give the space flight part of Into Darkness a run for its money on visual quality and suspense and enough questions to keep us tied in for the next 12 weeks. The darker tone of the first season and the impact Lorca had are alluded to on a few occasions with the remains of one of his fortune cookies even making an uncomfortable appearance once Pike is placed in more permanent command of the ship while his is getting repaired.

Few cool things to watch out for as well in this one - the 3D chess set for one as well as some of the Vulcan accoutrements adorning Spock's quarters, the appearance of a Saurian (maybe?) with Linus plus a rather nice nod to canon with the crew complement of the Enterprise noted at 203 - half of what it would be by the time that Kirk would be in command. Well referenced there show writers, well referenced. 

Looking back to other second season openers - Amok Time, The Child, Homecoming, The 37's, Shockwave Part II, this is a damn strong episode that offers so much up and with that lighter, more inclusive tone, shows that Discovery has learnt from the missteps of its first season and hopefully shows that season two could be the strongest and most consistent sophomore of any Star Trek since The Original Series. As starts go, this is a solid warp eight so, to quote Pike, Hit It!

What are your hopes for season two? What was your rating for Brother?

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Final Tease for Season Two?

Another adrenaline-filled trailer has arrived for Discovery's second season making it look even more filled with action and adventure than ever before.

There is a great responsibility at hand

But is that a good thing and should we be getting excited over a season of Star Trek that has the potential to rock out more action, explosions and fast-frame cuts than ever before?

I'm torn between a rock and a hard place on this one because I really want to give Discovery the chance to impress but all we seem to be receiving is something akin to that infamous first Star Trek Beyond trailer that had us all questioning just what direction the Kelvin Timeline was heading. Luckily there were other teasers after that which reassured us it wasn't all Beastie Boys and big bangs but we're now awfully close to that January 2019 premiere date and these previews seem to be horribly devoid of any good, solid character moments - ironically something that the three (soon to be four) Short Treks have actually excelled at on every occasion.

The major additions in here are the discussions around the Red Angel and the appearance of the eight red lights at points in the galaxy which signify some sort of major event which can only be a Bad Thing if ever there was one. Is this the Borg returning? Absolutely not and I would like to think the Powers That Be are intelligent enough behind the scenes not to have to pull something like that - although I would believe that there will be a twist in here somewhere.

What do I have against this trailer? It's full of short quippy lines, soundbytes and pumped action sequences that make it look visually amazing but gives very little idea to the depth or quality of the story. Will this season betray the loss of Nicholas Meyer, Aaron Harberts and Gretchen Berg and even Bryan Fuller to the nth degree? Will it be clear who was guiding the boat towards the Star Trek philosophy? Will I be proved completely wrong and actually this is all just a damn fine piece of marketing to appeal to (yawn) the masses once again?

Surely Discovery isn't doing too badly with the announcement that season two is extended to 14 episodes plus all these new shows that keep appearing out of the woodwork to expand the catalogue.

So to this Red Angel and rather than analysing every frame yet again I want to pic up on a few pointers that come out of this latest set of sequences. I'm suspecting that the mention of canon and that the second year will answer a lot of questions intimates to me at least that the Red Angel has to be linked into the larger Star Trek universe in some way. Is this a creature from canon that we have already met and if so what is it? Rejac for instance?

Cue too shots of the season one interpretation of the Klingons (including L'Rell) engaged in either combat or a training regime but without any real context in this tease. Spot as well that we have both Admiral Cornwell and Lieutenant Ash Tyler reappearing for season two with the latter ending up back on the Discovery bridge in Starfleet combat gear.

So this Red Angel's appearance means that, so says Chilled Spock, "someone or something is going to end all sentient life in the universe." Now that's a tall order and clearly doesn't happen since everything is still around and lovely for The Original Series ten years later. Now I know this should be about the journey but that's a big ask to make the viewer wonder if the ultimate fate is going to happen or not - and you kind of know it won't. Is it Spock that we see at the beginning of the new trailer scribbling away on the floor of what might be an asylum?

This angel showed me an apocalyptic vision...someone or something is going to end all sentient life in the galaxy.

Also another line in there is Burnham's "looking glass" quip which suggests more universe-hopping for the Discovery but to where? Mirror Universe again or another spur in the Star Trek multiverse?

Also there's some shots hinting at a new enemy for the crew but if you flash back to previous trailers you'll quickly realise that this is Georgiou in full body and head armour. What does intrigue me with all this is how they've resurrected the Section 31 links that were hinted at right back at the beginning of season one and then seemingly left to dangle. What is the covert organisation's interest in the Red Angel and the prophecy that Spock unveils?

Captain; ten sentry ships on an intercept course!

What do these ships have to do with the Red Angel? The Klingons? Anything? What we do know is that they've turned up in every trailer so far is there must be some key point to their inclusion in the show - or maybe they're just in the first few eps...

Again the trailer ends with the smiling Spock but only after we see that there will be conflict between him and Burnham which will only be escalated due to his heightened emotional state which is spotlighted by Pike's closing remarks.

Is that a smile I see on your face?....Welcome to Discovery.

Sunk into the trailer we also have Saru out of uniform in several shots which could suggest more links back to his origins or some away mission that sees him in great peril plus there's a lot more of Tilly and Stamets dealing with a blob-like airborne mass that has appeared in all the trailers to date. At a point this substance seems to be inhabiting the newly promoted Ensign Tilly; might this be a link back to the mysterious blue glowing material that disappeared through her uniform at the end of the first season? Could there be some seasonal continuity going on here and might that have something to do with the micellial network.

Just to close out perhaps the weirdest elements do link into this arc of the narrative with the Discovery appearing through a wall or on some sort of three dimensional viewer in a blink and miss it sequence.

Season two comes across as being a lot more random and "out there" than we received with the first 15 episodes. It seems more experimental relying less on the established Klingons for its setup and this time exploring more intricate lore and characters (still no Sarek...?) from the franchise in a new and I would hope, fascinating storyline.

We have just a month to go until Discovery returns and I'm loving the fact that we have very little substance to what is coming. There are the bones of the story but I like the fact a lot is being left to interpretation to hype the anticipation for the new year.

What do you think season two holds for Discovery? Comment below, like and share!

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