We're done with the mycelial network and it's shenanigans but that doesn't give the crew of the Discovery time to throw a party.
Burnahm has taken the choice to return to Vulcan to meet with her parents to continue the search for Spock (I've resisted using that this long...) while the Discovery itself investigates a vortex which has appeared close to the planet Kaminar.
Let's split this straight in two and tackle the Pike-line first which is most likely the B story this time. Looks like this vortex is chucking out all sorts of temporal readings leading to the decision that former test pilot Captain Pike will man a shuttle and launch a probe into its centre to find out whats on the other side. Joined by Section 31's observer, Ash Tyler, the pair are less than amicable shuttle buddies from the start but when the probe comes back from the future their reliance on each other takes a turn.
Now that probe comes back from 500 years in the future which would place it somewhere around the time that the agents from Enterprise's Temporal Cold War. It's been upgraded and places the captain and Tyler in danger when it launches an attack on the shuttle.
Cleverly we have hints as to the attack on the shuttle with an earlier temporal echo which makes it look like Pike is about to shoot Ash. The relationship between the captain and the Section 31 operative is fraught and filled with tension since Tyler sees his position within the organisation as overruling the commander of the Discovery but Pike has other ideas.
While there's no sign of the Red Angel within this element of the story the questions have to be asked as to what is the significance of the vortex and also of the upgraded and dangerous probe that's been sent back. Why is it returned and attacking the shuttle? Was it indeed sent back by the Red Angel?
Burnham on the other hand is back on Vulcan and it's a great chance to see the built up parts of the planet as Michael navigates to her parents' home. Turns out that Amanda knows more than she let on and interlaced with flashbacks to Michael and Spock as children. Their earlier relationship is at least visibly amicable and Burnham manages to work out where Spock is and why Sarek is unable to detect his presence.
The episode goes to great lengths to remind us that this isn't a Spock that we will recognise nor is it a Spock that Michael will know.
As our first meeting with Ethan Peck's take on the character it is distinctly different to the usually cool and logical first officer of the USS Enterprise. Repeating phrases and numbers over and over, Sarek also catches up with his son and plays on Burnham's logical and emotional sides to hand Spock over to Section 31. Peck is, unexpectedly great in his challenging role being able to spin the Vulcan in a completely different direction thanks to the unusual situation and state we find him in.
Bearded and black-robed, Peck's portrayal is heavily physical aside from the "incoherent" ramblings although you suspect that there is more to come as he comes back to some form of normality and regains his emotional control.
This allows us to see both Captain Leland and Georgiou once more who are keen to remove information from Spock's brain (!).
Oddly out of character but perhaps not, Georgiou proves to be a an unlikely ally to Burnham, assisting in a prison break. Section 31's interest in Spock is intense but I think we see that Georgiou is playing both sides to provide a certain win for her own agenda.
Light and Shadows shows us that there are a lot of the crew with more going on than they wish to admit and is one of the season's more elusive episodes, offering zero answers only to expand the mystery of the Red Angel and its link to Spock. The writers have made a good move in revealing our favourite Vulcan at this midpoint in the season and not dragging out our expectations any longer. It makes sense for Amanda to be hiding her son and puts the human emotional sphere in opposition to the logical Vulcan choice that ensures Burnham is not in trouble once again with Starfleet.
The apparent transfer of something to Airiam - as evidenced through the three dots in her eyes - is another case of the "Tilly microbe" that ended the first season and the reveal of what Spock's repeated six digit number sequence provides one of the biggest twists and surprises that the franchise has managed to dig up since 1964 - and yes, I've picked that year very specifically.
This seventh episode feels like a place holder and almost a chance for the season to catch its breath and take stock of what's happened. Each episode has had a theme and it's own identity yet there's still an underlying link between them all which has brought Spock, Section 31 and the Discovery together.
Now Discovery needs to start drawing some of the Red Angel threads together. Maybe not to a conclusion but certainly to a point where it begins to make sense. Is it friend or foe? Can we get some hints as to its agenda or even whom it may be?
What are your predictions for the second half of the season? Where are we going to be heading?
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