That Hope is You, Part II: Discovery S3 E13

 

Discovery's third season soft reboot has been an audacious undertaking.

The universe building of seasons one and two was ripped away to take us so far from the 23rd and 24th Centuries that the sandbox would once more be clear to explore as desired.

My love for season three has been mixed. While seasons one and two revelled in an episodic consistency of quality, this year has really bounced all over the place. One week exceptional, the next feeling like a filler. This finale goes some way to rectifying all of that with what is, on the whole, a satisfying end to Star Trek’s most risky season since 1966.

With the Emerald Chain’s Viridian pummelling the Federation HQ’s shields, Osyraa takes to torturing Book in order to locate the dilithum planet. We then have the bridge crew making their own escape to take the ship back with the DOT 7 droids.

Then there's also Saru, Culber and Adira with Su’Kal at the focal point of the Burn awaiting rescue and also helping the lone Kelpien face his greatest fear.

That Hope is You has a lot going on at one point with five different sets of characters (Admiral Vance and his officers) all involved in the action. To keep track of it all is a big ask but somehow it seems manageable. 

Once Book and Burnham make their escape, the tale twists with the bridge crew then looking to stop Discovery mid-warp as it heads towards the focal point of the Burn.

The episode is crammed with action from that sickbay escape through to an extended and perhaps overlong series of set pieces within the turbolift network that makes Discovery look like its the size of the TARDIS. Ok, it's fun to see the inner workings but technically those sequences should be over in a matter of seconds rather than 10 minutes. Funnily enough there are a few fan theories out there linked to the second season Enterprise episode, Future Tense.

But let's go with the positives here and there’s lots. We have the expected showdown between Burnham and Osyraa as they pair clash for control of the ship. After her build up last week as something more than a space thug into something of a negotiator, this was a bit of a turnaround. Mind, it does reveal her true colours and Janet Kidder has really grown on me since her first appearance. The added incentive of the oxygen deprived survival bridge crew adds a further element of urgency into the fight and it’s carried well. Rightfully this tussle is drawn under and closed before the story of the Burn is rounded out,  

Book also gets to kick Zareh out of the park - or in this case turbolift. It’s a fight that never seems to end and reinforces that  It really never stops, flicking from Burnham to Book, to the senior staff, to Vance and then over to Su'Kal.

The retaking of the ship is fairly A,B,C in its execution with the viewer never questioning the outcome. The arrival early on of the Ni'Var (Vulcan/Romulan) fleet in reference to Unification III is a cool touch with signs of the Alpha Quadrant moving towards some sort of unity but the more interesting side of the episode lies with Saru in the nebula.

After an episode breather, we are back with the source of the Burn. We know who and how it was caused but That Hope is You takes a step further to clarify what many fans will have already worked out and pinpointed the exact moment of the disaster.

The arrival of Adira - suggesting that a good chunk of this piece of the episode is set during episode 12's Die Hard homage - also brings in a physical Gray.

The holographic systems of the Kelpien ship have made him real for a time and it's the best
part of the episode, confirming that he's not just a figment of Adira's mind and allows for our first proper look at the planet since the radiation on the ship won't affect his purely digital body.

It's definitely a step up from the last few episodes and a fitting close to the year, even going as far as noting that the Federation is growing and that Discovery's mission now is to bring dilithium - and hope - to distant systems. This was the heart and soul of episode 13 for me with some top notch performances from all involved in the holo sequences. Su’Kal became more understandable this week especially once the wall of illusion was removed and we were aboard the ship.  

Stamets' appearance this week is fleeting at best as he reunites with Culber and Adira but the writers have chosen to keep an element of animosity in play for next year in light of Burnham's choice to jettison him from Discovery and thus put a spanner in the Emerald Chain's plans. This is going to be a strong plot point given that Burnham finally gets her own command and sits in the centre seat of the Discovery as the season closes.

Whatever you might think of her actions - and Vance says as much as he offers her the promotion - it's the right move for the series. That's four captains in three seasons for the show which seems a lot and we have had word that Saru will be back in season four but I would be questioning if this is going to be little more than guest starring in a few episodes.

That Hope is You finally offered the hope and positivity that season three was promised to deliver but ultimately failed to implement. The vanquishing of the Chain and the steps ahead seem to offer a better prospect but also a more episodic approach to season four as the ship explores the 32nd Century and shapes a new Federation. I'm hopeful that looking back we'll see this as a formative stage for Discovery that moulded the series into its true form forever more.

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Screencaps from Cygnus-X1

There is a Tide...: Discovery S03 E12

Forming the middle piece of a clear three part story, There is a Tide... also offers the unexpected as with its immediate predecessor. 

Osyraa is in full control of Discovery and through a rouse utilising her own ship, the Viridian, she manages to get inside the shield bubble of Federation Headquarters. Oddly her reasons for getting into the base are not what you would consider. Apparently instead of taking down the Federation she wants the Emerald Chain to join them and utilise the good points from both organisations. Just to be sure he’s not being taken for a fool, Admiral Vance utilises a lie detecting hologram (Eli... geddit?!) to fact check Osyraa.

She’s telling the truth and suddenly everything isn’t as crystal clear as it might have been although. Acne is understandably remaining cautious to Osyraa’s motives. 

Aboard the Discovery it’s a different story. Book and Burnham crash his ship into the landing bay just before it skips into the shield bubble of headquarters with the pilot accepting capture so Michael can slip aboard unnoticed.

Cue Discovery’s Die Hard with Burnham even managing to lose her boots at one point. I was half expecting her to have to walk across glass a few minutes later. To be fair I don’t think it’s a benefit to compare it to the ‘80’s action classic as Burnham doesn’t really go all out gung ho and the action splits between her and the bridge crew who are set on escaping from the ready room.

The diplomacy aboard headquarters balances comfortingly with the shooting and adrenalin aboard Discovery. The episode also brings back Zareth from Far From Home as Osyraa’s heavy plus there’s an even more welcome return to the franchise for Kenneth Mitchell in his first appearance without Klingon makeup. 

Keen to uncover the wonders of the spore drive, Stamets has been placed under mind control and now faces Osyraa’s lead scientist Aurellio. Blinded by the opportunities he has been afforded, Aurellio is unable to see his employer’s true colours. Mitchell is excellent in the role and the use of the hovering wheelchair fits the character while also being sadly necessary as the actor revealed some time ago that he is now suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The penultimate episode does a lot of things right - in fact it’s a step up again from Su’Kal in that even the Emerald Chain twist feels to be the right move in the story. Vance makes a wise move in a counter demand that Osyraa stand trial for her actions prior but this, as you might think, is a sticking point she cannot get past. It also means the episode isn’t over action-orientated and Burnham centric but the absence of Saru and the events inside the Verubin Nebula is conspicuous. It heightens the tension that Stamets is hellbent on getting back there to rescue Saru, Culber and Adira - his life is back in the nebula.

His outbursts are understandable as is his reaction to Burnham’s solution. Stamets has to be off the ship to remove him from danger and activating the spore drive but he is therefore unable to launch a rescue. It's an incredibly moving moment and a character conflict that makes sense within the Discovery framework. 

There is a Tide... certainly ends with a lot of hope and a call back to not just the titles but also to a couple of Short Treks. The sphere data piece which has been alluded to on more than ne occasion is set to play a key role in the finale as are those cute little DOT droids. Stage set, one more to go.

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Su'Kal: Discovery S03 E11

Can an episode simultaneously be your favourite and least liked of the season at the same time?

I think it can and that feat may have been achieved by Su'Kal as season three begins to wind up to the finale.

Determining that they need to find out what's going on in the Verubin Nebula, Discovery jumps in and drops off Saru, Culber and Burnham at the crashed Kelpien ship. While the original crew will have perished, there is a survivor as Saru recognised that the distress signal's bearer was pregnant from the markings on her forehead.

As every good parent would, mother has ensured her child is well looked after, leaving a whole series of holographic childminders to help raise her son. The problem is that over time the programmes have begun to degrade and cracks have started to appear. 

In order not to frighten Su'Kal - for that is not just the episode title, but the child's name - Burnham and co have their appearances altered in case they might be a surprise to the lone Kelpien. Burnham is altered into a Trill, Culber a Bajoran but the biggest shift is making Saru human and allowing Doug Jones to play the role out of makeup.

Su'Kal is something entirely new to the crew. An adult with the learning age of a child being reared by faulty holos. It takes Burnham acting as one of those programmes to eventually break through to the lone survivor. But they are not alone in this make believe world of chaos that wouldn't look out of place at Galorndon Core. Within the realm is a fear that Su'Kal needs to face, manifested as a spectral demon. While you would be wanting it gone, it is key to unravelling the mystery of the Burn.

While Saru is gone that leaves Tilly in charge of Discovery, sitting on the edge of the nebula and waiting for the four hour clock to tick down. This gives the away team the longest possible time to locate the survivor and get out but plans are interrupted by the arrival of Osyrra.

At this point I'm still finding her two-dimensional and a little cliched. She turns up, spouts some trash and shoots a bit. Osyrra wants Discovery for its spore drive which cannot be replicated and issues her ultimatum to hand over the ship. Discovery's capture by the Viridian and Osyrra is another crackers moment of the episode with the vast Orion vessel extending a series of tentacles to ensnare the Starfleet vessel. It's a swift takeover and one that sets up Michael and Book's intention to save the crew next week... of course.

In order to dissect my thoughts on this one I'm going to have to discuss the big spoiler so heads up, it's coming shortly. First though, I love the setting, the feel and the concept that's been built into Su'Kal. The eerie castle, the broken holos and Doug Jones looking super uncomfortable as the human Saru all work for me. It's a haunting episode that's a high concept we didn't see coming at all. Who could have expected the computer to be babysitting the son of one of the long dead crew?

If you did, well done but there's one aspect that utterly ruins what is a fine piece of Star Trek and restored my faith after the rather terminal Terra Firma. The reveal of Su'Kal being the epicentre of the Burn is horrid. To have the season's Big Mystery condensed down to what I would term as a child's temper tantrum is a kick in the teeth for fan loyalty. Yes, it isn't even close to what fans would have been theorising and in that sense, bravo, but...really?

Su'Kal's outburst caused the Burn and now there's the very realistic chance it could happen again if he's not brought under control and Saru is the best candidate for this. Doug Jones' prosthetic-less performance reveals a lot about the Kelpien's insecurities and self-doubt. It's not something his usual look allows and the emotions of finding remnants of his own people, their history and beliefs washes over his face in every scene. 

Unique isn't the word for it but the episode is redeemed by the acting and also by the situation that's building on Discovery. Tilly rises to the occasion but the lack of long term experience looks to be her stumbling block which viewers would have been expecting. Getting your command experience from a textbook is all good but there's nothing that replaces being out in the field. Fans were all over the shop when she was promoted to XO but this does indicate that she still has much to learn about the ways of command. 

Also, who couldn't love the morphing ability of Book's ship as it slides through the nebula on its way to rescue the landing party? 

What are your predictions for the last two episodes of the season?

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Terra Firma: Discovery S03 E09/10

David Cronenberg will be back for season four but now he's helping sort out the conundrum of Philippa Georgiou's mystery illness.

Terra Firma opens up with us having the fact that Discovery is in the Prime Universe thanks to the holographic arrival of Vor. He's a time soldier from 2379 who didn't survive the time and universe jump due to being out of sync. 

Vor is from a timeline created by the incursion of a Romulan mining ship and wears a TNG season 1/2 uniform with a First Contact combadge. Ok, I can hear the grumbles now, but in that timeline this uniform might have been used from the 2360's through to the 2370's rather than just a couple of years before it had the piping removed. Let's just roll with this because it's not as odd as things get.

Georgiou is indeed dying thanks to her displacement in time and space so she needs to go to Dannus V where there's a 5% chance she'll survive. Under approval from Admiral Dance, the Discovery spore jumps to the planet with Georgiou and Burnham beaming to the surface.

It's a nice mirror to the desert scene that introduced both characters in The Vulcan Hello and leads them, inexplicably to a well dressed gent in an armchair reading a newspaper. The door by which he sits is the 5% chance and of course, Georgiou takes it.

Who is this Carl? A Guardian of Forever? A Q? Will we find out? Probably not and it's got to be up there among strangest plot moments in the whole of Star Trek, yet this is on the start of the Terra Firma story. 

The other side of that door is the Mirror Universe. Only a couple of episodes before we were told the gap between the realities had widened but now Georgiou is right back there and at a point just before Burnham turned traitor.

Terra Firma is, very clearly, a full on Georgiou two-parter and once she's into the Mirror Universe that is all we see until the cliff-hanger. All the regulars are back as their alternate selves including Hannah Cheesman (Ariam v2) in human form. 

With her knowledge of the future of this timeline, Georgiou is prepared for the treachery ahead and makes some drastic changes to her actions. The return to the Mirror Universe isn't what I expected to see half-way through the season that's taken us deeper into the future of Star Trek than ever before yet it is completing a circle and more than likely setting everything up for the announced Section 31 series. 

Clearing her Discovery account we are getting a very clear presentation of how Mirror Georgiou has been changed by her experiences on the other side. She shows a glimmer of kindness towards the servant Saru, spares Burnham and perhaps most controversially, accepts a hug from Prime Tilly. 

In that sense, Terra Firma is not your usual run of the mill Mirror story in which we get all the bad things, moustache-twirling and evil spins, this is serious look at how the Emperor has become a different person. She's not quite the homicidal, stone cold dictator of season one and has been smoothed by the passage of time in the Prime time. 

There's nothing particularly flashy either about this one. We know what's going to happen, Georgiou even telegraphs it if you've forgotten but once that choice to imprison and not kill Burnham is taken, the story is in new territory.

Part II doesn't break its stride either, imprisoning Burnham and focusing on the parallels to Georgiou's relationship with Michael in the Prime Universe.

Georgiou is very clearly changed, offering herself new choices to old problems. That's not saying that the answers are what she wants or expects. Her link to Burnham is key and breaking her is key to destroying the plot to remove Georgiou from her throne. 

The removal of the conspirators is nice and swift but you just sense it's not going well. Philippa's change in attitude towards Kelpiens also rises to the fore; explaining to Saru that the vaharai is not an end but a start - nor is ganglia on the menu. 

It's not that Georgiou has become any less brutal in fact she chooses to make Burnham's suffering prolonged to break her and is easily prepared to go hand to hand when the occasion arises. With her experiences in the Prime Universe though, her judgement is now more balanced and open. She is capable of seeing opportunities and variations rather than a simple A to B.

As for Kirk's later plea to Spock to reform the Empire, Georgiou sees a chance to change her era. A common theme again because this isn't a timeline where such things sit well or will ensure the longevity of the Empire beyond the 24th Century.

Ending in Georgiou's death at the hands of Burnham, the second part reveals that the whole experience back in the Mirror 22nd Century was a test to see if the emperor would make the same decisions or has changed. Of course it's the second but the bigger and more burning question is, who has been causing this.

Georgiou's medical device indicates that she's gained three months worth of memories while only having been unconscious for a matter of a minute. In what may be ne of the most jaw-dropping fan service moments of Discovery's history it comes to pass that the bowler-hatted newspaper reading Carl is...the Guardian of Forever.

Returning for a third appearance - City on the Edge of Forever and Yesteryear - the Guardian has been hiding out at the edge of the Gamma Quadrant on Dannus V to keep out of the way of the Temporal War. The sphere data lodged aboard Discovery located the portal in an attempt to save Georgiou.

This links back to Saru's belief that the sentient data is now looking after the ship just as they saved it from Control. While there's no cure, the Guardian does give Georgiou the appropriate send off into a time where the two universes are closer together and won't kill her...just in time to prep for Section 31.

Yet with all the Mirror Universe excitement, there's something missing from this two parter that leaves a sense of disappointment. The reveal of the Guardian is incredible and suitably upgraded for 2020. It could have been absolutely anything from a Q to, well, the Guardian, and it's easily the highlight of this hour. The Mirror scenes are over-snarly, revenge-fests that, by the end, feel unfulfilling. They are a clear vehicle for Michelle Yeoh's show and a way to separate her from Discovery and the 32nd Century.

It does leave us non-the-wiser as to when she'll show up again and you can guess it'll more likely be in the 22nd, 23rd or 24th Century to link into one of the older shows or even Picard.

Slipping almost under the radar is the continued research into the Burn. Thanks to Book, Stamets and Adira are able to link into the KSF Khi'eth's sensors and as such be able to find out what's been going on in the Verubin Nebula. Not a lot to add to this part of the arc however the Kelpien ship has been there for 125 years so it might not even still be there...

Terra Firma Part II  doesn't fit well with the overall structure of this season. It's a necessity to relieve the show of Georgiou and counter The Vulcan Hello in showing how this Burnham/Georgiou relationship has flourished but it stalls the season and offers only a tiny insight into the overall season arc.

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The Sanctuary: Discovery S03 E08

Try beating Unification III will you?

Then perhaps best not to and Discovery makes the wise move to turn in another direction. Taking a slight jump back a couple of weeks, we're back on the trail of the oft-mentioned Emerald Chain and in particular, Osyraa, their as-yet unseen leader.

But first a word from our sponsor: The Burn, because we have to get this in. Turns out this week that the cataclysmic event emanated from the Verubin Nebula and from a precise point. That music we've been hearing? Once it's been rinsed through the sensors it is revealed to be a Federation distress call. Yes, a Federation distress call. If this ends up being the time-displaced Burnham/her mum/the Discovery I will not be surprised.

At the same time, Adira opens up about her decisions on identity and no longer wishes to be referred to as she/her but rather they/them. In terms of there being two personalities within her body it works as well as the more important gender neutral identification. Great and understated performance again in a very short set of scenes for Blu Del Barrio and Anthony Rapp. Their piano/cello scene is wonderful as Adira opens up about how she is dealng with the multiple pasts swirling around and gives a better sense of how a Trill joining might affect the host.

Wisely we don't spend too much time dwelling on this the Burn and instead the Discovery is

dispatched to Kwejian. Book has news that the Chain are planning to collect a debt from his homeworld. The Chain had provided a repellant to make the sea locust plague retreat to the sea and traded the planet's trance worms as payment but have now returned for more. He wants the Federation to help out and take the pressure away however since Kwejian isn't part of the organisation, they can only go along as observers.

The great thing with the spore drive is that we can now avoid lengthy warp trips across the galaxy but on the flip side we do lose something of the character moments from the series which tended to drop into these points of the episodes.

Osyraa it transpires is a rather lovely lady. Her first scene sees her executing her nephew (from Scavengers) for losing the Andorian Ryn and she's later not too concerned with firing on the planet. Osyraa is nicely slimy but does go completely against type when it comes to Orion women we've met before.

Also in the background of this episode are the continuing issues with Georgiou's health. Now,

I'm thinking this is going to be the start of a path which will see her depart Discovery before the end of the season so that Section 31 can finally get in front of the cameras. Lots of flashbacks and, if you read some of the other commentaries out there, it's apparent that the excellent Die Standing is going to have some form of tie in to the Georgiou story. Have to say if that's the case then well done to CBS et al for some pretty serious forward planning.

There is a family aspect to the story this week, with Book being reunited with his (not biological) brother. There's been some bad blood between the pair but hey, you'll be sure it'll be rectified in the next half hour. The story on the Discovery around Ryn as well as how Tilly and Saru are working as first officer and captain is potentially the more interesting element.

Ok, Saru looking for his own "Make it so" is a tad on the cringeworthy end of the scale but Tilly genuinely seems to be sinking her teeth into the XO role. It does appear to be a lot more of a paperwork role than anything else at this point, however there's a telling point when she dresses down Ryn for incorrectly addressing the captain.

The Sanctuary isn't an episode that will set the franchise alight anytime soon. It has some good performances from David Ajala and from Sonequa Martin Green (no tears this week) while they are on Kwejian. Book's "brother" is ncely shady and backed into a corner by Osyraa but it's all a bit foreseeable. So is his choice to side with Book rather than the Chain. 

What does make a pleasant change is Detmer piloting Book's ship manually. Ths is the highlight of the episode and suggests that the writers have found a member of the crew who they can explore a little further. Detmer is the least bland of the background ensemble if we're truthful. Here you can tell Emily Coutts is enjoying every minute of her scenes as she weaves around Osyraa's Viridian starship. Her attacks are effective with the Chain retreating... for now.

Book and Kyheem are then faced with the locusts that will lead to the population starving
since they now have no repellant and the bugs have moved even further in land. their combined powers plus a boost from Discovery does the job and offers a sense of hope for Kwejian. Again, it's all very nicely set out but gives nothing new to thr story except for the reveal of Osyraa.

The trouble with this week is that it lies in a bit of a dead zone. The big hitter was last week and now we're on the build up to the finale. The Emerald Chain have repeatedly been mentioned as the big villain of the season, turning up since episode one at the market and then returning even if just in a mention throughout the season.

But they just don't seem that great a threat. Orions in Enterprise and The Original Series seemed a bit slimy, dangerous and if truth be told, a little bit sexy however Discovery has turned them into slightly unbelievable thugs. Time has moved on but I'm not feeling the threat. I'm much more invested in Georgiou's story or seeing more of Detmer or Tilly being XO. The makeup for the Orions is still troubling me and I can't see pas them as much more than caricatures with their smoothed out features. The Dominon was a real threat. You felt that they were going to be an issue but with the Chain they come across as more of a minor irritation.

The makeup, as said, doesn't help but maybe they are a reflection of the time. No longer is it that there are any huge galactic powers but instead its the era of the opportunist. Travel is more restricted than ever thanks to the Burn so it might be that my expectations for this season's nemesis was overstepping the mark. What would once have been dealt with in an episode by Picard and the Enterprise-D now present a clear danger because of how the galaxy has "scaled down".

Maybe rightfully so in keeping with the theme of the show but it's not on a par with anything that we've had previously and I'm even including Control and the Klingon War. This season has offered up a lot but now at episode eight it's feeling a little out of steam and in need of a bit of a kick. Unification III was a big dice roll that did pay off. Aside from the news that the Chain are running out of dilithium - which is why they want Ryn "disappeared" - this week felt redundant and sadly, quite forgettable.

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Unification III: Discovery S03 E07

Using the tertiary moniker for an episode of Discovery is a ballsy move especially from a series that has divided fandom so strongly.

Unification is a classic piece of The Next Generation; the reappearance of Spock, the death of Sarek and the possibly coming together of the Vulcans and Romulans after centuries apart. To use Unification as the title means you have to do it right and respect the franchise’s past like no other moment, maybe even more than returning to Talos IV.

Well-known and highly regarded Trek novelist Kirsten Beyer is the one on writing duty for this one and I believe that is the wisest decision that may have been made in the three seasons Discovery has existed. Beyer has an immense knowledge and understanding of Star Trek which comes out in every second of this week’s instalment. 

Turns out that Burnham has been right after all, the Burn wasn’t an instantaneous event across the whole galaxy but something that had a distinct origin point as alluded to in Scavengers. She also happens to have found out that there was an experiment underway with numerous reference points across the galaxy called SB-19. At the moment Burnham can calculate to some degree the X and Y of the origin point but the enhanced data that would come from SB-19 would triangulate that down to a specific location. Thing is, Vance isn’t in a position to provide the data because SB-19 is locked down by the people who were conducting it.

The experiment was a way of finding a new way of traversing space due to the ever shrinking dilithium resource that was only confounded further by the Burn which the originators of SB-19 believe may have been caused by them. 

Who did establish SB-19? Well it came from the planet Ni’Var or as we all know it in the 22nd, 23rd and 24th Centuries...Vulcan. Like Earth it too has seceded from the Federation and there has been no contact for about 100 years. The other thing is that - and you might guess this from the title of the episode - Ni’Var is also home to the Romulans, the culmination of the process begun by Ambassador Spock 700 years in the past.

Yes, Discovery has absolutely blown the doors off on this one and a trip to Ni’Var is on the cards to bring Spock’s sister back home in the hope that she can convince the Vulcans and Romulans to part with their research data from SB-19. Of course they’re not super keen on passing it to the Federation and so Burnham invokes T’Kol Unket, by which she has to prove her case for the Burn not originating with the Vulcans and Romulans without question. No big ask then.

Powerhouse is a word that I don’t use lightly but jeez, this episode is unreal and there’s not a fist fight or phaser blast for the whole hour. If anything, this episode encapsulates Star Trek and specifically Discovery at its very best. Well written dialogue, solid performances and a believable story that has a big impact on the overall story of the year.

The return of the Romulans and Vulcans to Star Trek and the 32nd Century should not be underestimated and just seeing the two races on screen and working together is incredible to see. Ok, some of their views might differ but this is a natural progression of a story that has evolved since Balance of Terror in 1966. Its 54 years in the making and worth every second. Spock of course makes a return even if it is through a flashback to season two and also back to Unification thus linking the two series and two stories furthermore. It’s an emotional point to see Leonard Nimoy once again as Spock and because the excerpt from Admiral Jean-Luc Picard’s log defines the episode and the journey. Who knew that those few lines would come to fruition on screen 29 years later?

But that’s not all this episode owes to Picard or should I actually italicise that to Picard. Remember those warrior nuns from Absolute Candor? Well they’re back as well and it turns out that Burnham’s mum didn’t die but instead ended up far from home, taken in by the group and became one of their own. Now she is reunited with her daughter to act as her advocate during the T’Kol Uket. 

The reunion is as touching as you could hope for but as with all parental visits in Star Trek it’s less than perfect with Gabrielle Burnham now ardently practising the ways of the Qowat Milat right down to the letter in regards to Absolute Candor. 

The sequence of Burnham reviewing Spock’s legacy in relation to the Romulans is more than effective to prod at a few feels and make even the most Vulcan of fans try and wipe that speck of dust out of their eye and avoid a true Burnham Blub but the whole episode is an emotional ride because of the importance brought on this moment and this need to review the SB-19 data. It’s a very, very talky episode that you will need to pay attention and follow to understand the logic to the endgame but it does pay off.

As a character piece on Burnham it’s excellent and some of her best development for an age. Yes, there’s a few years but for the most part we get to know her a bit more deeply when it comes to the relationship she has with her mother and Book although strangely the two never meet and Michael never discusses either with the other. How odd.

The president of Ni’Var has some exceptional interactions with Saru particularly at the end when she reveals that she would like to develop the relationship further however she is also a huge fountain of in-universe information - the Romulans were the ones who didn’t want to leave the Federation rather than the  Vulcans as well as the choice to step away from established phrases and stuck-in -the-mud beliefs  since it seems that the Federation should have been focusing on the needs of the few rather than stretching itself ridiculously thin and attempting to work at the needs of the many. The Federation thought it could cope and it couldn’t which meant that the Burn was even more catastrophic.

Another thing with the three menbers of the quorum - we have three very different attitudes on show. A Romulan pro-Burnham, a Vulcan anti-Burnham and a second Romulan on the fence. The Vulcan(s) for one seem a lot more emotional than ever before although I suspect that might be the Romulans rubbing off on them and also freeing themselves from a binder full of catchy phrases for every occasion. The Romulans too now seem more thoughtful and, dare I say it, as calculating as ever so it looks like they've come off better from this new relationship however did we catch the note of the uprisings in the Romulo-Vulcan settlements? Seems like there's still some work to be done out in the regions...

As if the main story won’t kick you in the nuts enough, then Saru is in the process of choosing his new first officer and in the style of Pokemon, he drops it on Tilly that ‘I choose you!’ ... as a temporary stand in while he balances the books. Before you all fly off the handle and point out that Sylvia Tilly is still an ensign, yea that is addressed as is the fact that she’s not even passed her command training programme although I don’t know how she’ll be able to nip back and hand it in before the deadline passes.

Saru’s points for choosing her are fairly sound but there is a vast gap when it comes to experience that others on the bridge would be far better suited for. Tilly will remain an ensign but her position on the ship will be elevated. Discussing it with Stamets helps to iron out some of the kinks but in turn he has to include the bridge staff to reassure the ensign that accepting Captain Saru’s proposal is the right thing to do.

I’m not convinced that this is the right choice but I respect the show’s decision to give Tilly a shot and who knows, maybe this will be the further making of the character and provide Mary Wiseman with more to do than help everyone else out. This promotion is a big thing on the ship and running it along side such a huge Star Trek moment as the return of the Romulans and Vulcans is a risk but it hasn’t diluted the episode in fact it’s helped balance the hour and keep both lines on track.

But let’s. It lose sight of the bigger picture here. Burnham now has the data from the SB-19 experiment which indicates that, with a bit of technical fandangling we should have a firm answer as to where the origin of the Burn was and who is behind the state of the galaxy.

Unification III is a worthy sequel to The Next Generation’s 25th anniversary two-parter and while time wise it doesn’t directly follow, it does honour and continue the legacy from the story. For me this has been the high of the season so far. 

How did you rate Unification III?

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Scavengers: Discovery S03 E06

Halfway through and nothing is any clearer - but at least Book is back this week!

Having located a blackbox which we must assume is from a Federation ship, Book has disappeared and without much thought, Burnham conscripts Georgiou and the pair use the trader's own transforming ship to break him out of an Emerald Chain work camp along with his stolen information.

But let's first of all send all our calls to voicemail and take a break here because the opening few minutes of Scavengers is all about change. New funky Starfleet badges with built in transporter tech, head-up display, communicator and tricorder are the rage plus the ship has had its controls flipped over to that programmable matter to become more intuitive. The nacelles are now detached and someone for some absolutely batsarse crackers reason has slapped an "A" on the registry.

Ok, in a convoluted way Discovery from the 22nd Century is classed as destroyed so adding the "A" sort of recommissions it if we stretch the truth a little. Aside from that grumble it's amazing to see the "old" ship adapted to its new environment with the recurring Linus transporter joke running through the episode.

Michael's thinking behind disobeying Saru's orders and gong after Book is fairly sound but there's a severe lack of communication between the chain of command which just highlights how risky it is having Burnham as an officer and let alone, Number One. She's very high maintenance and although her plan and end goal do result in a positive outcome, it's all done the wrong way. You'd have thought by now Michael might've learnt lessons from her past but apparently not - even Georgiou reminds her and Saru comments on it so there's no hiding from the facts.

The return of Book was inevitable given the importance placed on him in episodes one and three but some might be happier to see his cat, Grudge than they are of David Ajala. 

Captured and under virtual slave labour conditions he's scavenging through ship parts from a vast wrecked fleet in orbit of the planet which is a remnant of The Burn that Burnham has encountered all over the shop. The big news this week is that her findings have discovered that the moment it happened was not precisely the same for everyone indicating that there was an epicentre and it wasn't a galactic event. Something caused The Burn but where exactly is still undetermined.

Some of this week does seem a bit cliched - the work camp, the fleeing prisoner (a Bajoran no less) who is there as the example and even Burnham and Book's bit of passion all seem very signposted. There's even a (SPOILER AHEAD) moment of action movie self-sacrifice that made me wince when it's telegraphed. Indeed, after the opening five minutes of "Q Time" where the Discovery's new tech is all displayed it descends into a very average hour.

Ok, not true because the B story surrounding Adira's acclimatization to the ship and crew are well handled and you can see that the writers have already hooked onto the relationship they are building with Stamets. Good too in this arc that Adira's conversations with Gray aren't being handled as some form of mental breakdown but instead being understood and welcomed. It's something different which Stamets acknowledges and he himself is more fascinated with the closeness with their boyfriend following the joining and unfogging of memories in Forget Me Not.

Blu del Barrio's performance is once more incredibly understated and downplayed which plays well against the drier Stamets and I hope that this pairing is continued across the season.

As a sub-plot to the main line as well there is more going on with Georgiou but this feels a little bit like a re-tread of the Ash Tyler plot with some suitably bloody flashbacks to what I assume is the Terran Universe. There isn't any direct correlation to anything but it all seems to have stemmed from the interrogation conducted by David Cronenberg in his unnamed role last week. Bets have to be off that this is to do with Section 31 given what we know of the imminent Georgiou spin-off from Discovery that is planned post-season three. Clearly it's causing her some anguish even leading the former emperor to collapse at a crucial moment.

Scavengers however probably falls at the bottom of my preference order for Discovery this year and I think it makes some horrible, horrible mistakes that changed my feelings towards the show and one person in particular. Burnham's insubordination may be for what she sees as the greater good but there's no communication, she borrows a ship (that no-one notices for some time apparently) and takes a known Terran with her on a foolish(?) rescue mission and for the second time in her career (with a 930 year reoffending gap) once again gets a well-deserved slapdown. 

Is this what Star Trek is coming to? Is this really who we want to see as a lead character? I get that we should be there understanding the complexities of humanity, our fallibility but Michael has learn precisely zip and even after recommitting to Starfleet can't hold her end of the bargain. Thing is we get our weekly show of tears but in this case I don't believe that Michael is sorry. She would have done it whatever and the chain of command can go do one. In previous series we've had an exception where a main character has bent or broken the rules for a greater good but in Discovery I'm starting to expect it on a weekly basis. Maybe it's a way of analgising current events and showing that the Federation (the US?) is no longer that big, solid force with that slightly smug sense of arrogance and self-belief. Instead it's crumbling and can't even control what's going on inside its own ranks.

Vance is coming across as one of the best admirals we've seen in any iteration of the franchise and to get this from Burnham is unacceptable. Perhaps as he himself notes she had actually communicated what's going on then the reaction might have been different but crucially Burnham didn't. He makes a sound explanation of what he expected and didn't receive from Burnham but ultimately places the decision on her punishment to her captain - I've warmed to this guy after last week and on reflection he was doing the right things then too.

In comparison to this, the "A" suffix and those wifi nacelles are a drop in the ocean. Season three was about offering up some optimism and while there are cracks showing through with the Stamets/Adira arc that's building nicely, the Georgiou and Burnham threads seem to be pulling us further into darkness. 

This is in no way me berating Discovery because I like the show and the direction the story has headed and the choice to jump into the distant future. What I am questioning (not hating on) is how these threads are being played out. Is Discovery adhering to Star Trek's principles and motivations because in its formative years and for many after it offered both an optimistic view on humanity plus social commentary within the sci-fi framework. In this show right now it's feeling very much that the social commentary is overwhelming that positive future...but then isn't that the point.......???

What are your thoughts? Has Discovery struck the balance right with Scavengers or is it seriously derailing? Is this the right direction for the 32nd Century?

Track back on our season three Discovery reviews HERE

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