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Star Trek: Discovery viewers left ‘crying’ over Easter eggs honouring former actors

‘never gonna be over that,’ one emotional fan wrote, article bookmarked.

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Star Trek: Discovery viewers were left emotional by a moving tribute to two former Star Trek actors.

The series previously honoured both Anton Yelchin and Aron Eisenberg in 2020, but honoured them once again in the season four finale, which was released on Thursday (17 March).

Yelchin, who died in 2016 when he was just 27 , played Ensign Pavel Chekov in three Star Trek films: Star Trek , Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond . In 2021, it was revealed the series had named a starship, the USS Yelchin, after him.

As Star Trek fan David Enriquez pointed out on Twitter, this starship was referenced once again over an intercom near the beginning of the new episode, which has left fans feeling emotional.

Eisenebrg, who played Nog in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , died in 2019, aged 50. His death led to many fans banding together to petition for a Captain Nog statue to be placed on the grounds of the fictional Starfleet Academy.

However, while this didn’t happen, Alex Kurtzman did manage to introduce a starship named after Eisenberg’s character into the show during its third season. This starship also made a return in the latest episode via a brief mention.

“USS Nog & USS Yelchin. I’m not crying! You’re crying!” one fan wrote, with another adding: “Never gonna be over the ship in Discovery named the USS Yelchin. What a sweet little nod to Anton.”

Star Trek: Discovery is available to stream in the UK on the Pluto TV Sci-Fi and Pluto TV Sci-Fi Series, which is available within the Pluto TV app .

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Screen Rant

Star trek: discovery season 5, episode 5 ending explained.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 contains two major reveals about the Mirror Universe and the Breen. We break down what the ending means.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 5 - "Mirrors"

• Star Trek: Discovery's next clue is hidden aboard the Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise trapped in interdimensional space.
• L'ak is a Breen with a blood bounty on his head, and his backstory with Moll is revealed.
• The USS Discovery crew, led by Commander Rayner, helps save Burnham and Book and bring the ISS Enterprise into the Prime Universe, but Moll and L'ak escape.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors," ends with Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the USS Discovery's crew grappling with jaw-dropping reveals about the Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise, L'ak's (Elias Toufexis) species, and the next clue in the hunt for the Progenitors' treasure. Written by Johanna Lee and Carlos Cisco and directed by Jen McGowan, the thrilling "Mirrors" sends Burnham and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) into interdimensional space after Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak and the third Progenitors' clue , but they found a lot more than they bargained for.

In Star Trek: Discovery s eason 5, episode 5, Captain Burnham, Cleveland Booker, Moll, and L'ak are all trapped aboard the derelict ISS Enterprise after Burnham's shuttle and L'ak's ship are destroyed by interdimensional space, a dangerous region between Star Trek 's Prime and Mirror Universes . Michael ingeniously uses the Enterprise's tractor beam to send a distress signal to the USS Discovery, where Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) and the bridge crew find a way to keep the aperture of the interdimensional space wormhole open to fly the ISS Enterprise through. However, L'ak and Moll make their escape, leaving Burnham, Book, and the Starfleet heroes to grapple with the third clue to the Progenitors' treasure, and what they learned and found in the wormhole.

The ISS Enterprise's first and only previous appearance was in Star Trek: The Original Series season 2's "Mirror, Mirror", which introduced the Mirror Universe.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Captain kirk's mirror universe iss enterprise now belongs to 32nd century starfleet, it's been a long road for the iss enterprise.

The Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise becomes the property of the 32nd century's Starfleet and United Federation of Planets at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, "Mirrors." Captain Burnham assigned Lt. Commanders Kayla Detmer (Emily Coutts) and Joann Owosekun (Oyin Oladejo) - who don't actually appear in the episode - to fly the ISS Enterprise back to Federation HQ to be put into "storage". However, the acquisition of a major historical find like a 23rd-century Constitution Class starship filled with Terran Empire technology from the Mirror Universe is bound to be of interest to Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg).

After the Temporal Wars, crossing over between the Mirror Universe and Star Trek 's Prime universe is now impossible, but the ISS Enteprise was trapped in interdimensional space for centuries, which crossing over could still happen.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5's ISS Enterprise scenes were filmed on the USS Enterprise sets of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Discovery season 5's production took place at the end of 2022, after Strange New Worlds season 2 had wrapped in June and long before Strange New Worlds season 3 filming started in December 2023. The USS Enterprise's bridge, medical bay, transporter room, and hallways were redressed to turn the starship into its Mirror Universe counterpart.

Commander Michael Burnham previously came aboard Captain Christopher Pike's (Anson Mount) USS Enterprise in Star Trek: Discovery season 2.

Star Trek: Discovery's Mirror Universe Revelations

We found out what happened to mirror spock and mirror saru.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5's ISS Enterprise appearance answered some big questions about the events of the Mirror Universe after Star Trek: The Original Series ' "Mirror, Mirror." Cleveland Booker learned from the plaque where the Enterprise's missing crew left their story behind that the Terran High Chancellor was assassinated after making reforms. This refers to the Mirror Universe's Spock (Leonard Nimoy), who was urged by the Prime Universe's Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) to make reforms to prevent the inevitable collapse of the Terran Empire, which happened anyway.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Mirror Universe episodes revealed that the Terran Empire, weakened by Spock's reforms, was conquered by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance.

Refugees led by a Kelpien slave-turned-rebel leader - Saru (Doug Jones) - used the ISS Enterprise to flee the Mirror Universe for the Prime Universe in the 23rd century, but the starship was trapped in interdimensional space. The Enterprise's crew eventually used the ship's shuttles and escape pods to abandon the starship in an effort to make it to the Prime Universe. Some did make it through, including the ISS Enterprise's junior science officer, Dr. Cho , who later joined Starfleet and became a branch Admiral in the 24th century.

Jinaal Bix redacted the names of the scientists who found the Progenitors' technology, including Dr. Cho.

Moll & L'ak Escaped Discovery With A Breen Bounty On Their Heads

L'ak is the nephew of the breen primarch.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 revealed the backstory of Moll and L'ak, including the revelation that L'ak is Breen . Years before Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Moll was a courier who sold latinum to the Breen Imperium, where she met L'ak, the nephew of the Breen's Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo), who had fallen out of favor and was working in the shuttle bay. Moll and L'ak fell in love , and L'ak committed a crime against the Breen by consorting with "a lesser being" and removing his helmet to show Moll his true face. Confronted by his uncle, L'ak shot the Primarch and fled with Moll.

Moll and L'ak used one of the ISS Enterprise's remaining warp pods to flee capture.

Moll and L'ak both have an Erigah, a Breen blood bounty, on their heads, and they hope that finding the Progenitors' treasure and selling it to the Breen will buy their freedom. Neither Moll and L'ak want the Federation's help offered by Captain Burnham, and they would "rather die" than be separated in a Federation prison. L'ak was injured in a brawl with Burnham, but instead of seeking medical attention from the USS Discovery, Moll and L'ak used one of the ISS Enterprise's remaining warp pods to flee capture. However, this time, Moll and L'ak left behind a warp trail Discovery can follow.

Cleveland Booker Tries To Connect With Moll

Booker's mentor was moll's absentee father.

Cleveland Booker has personal reasons to connect with and save Moll. Moll's real name is Malinne Booker, and she is the daughter of Book's late mentor, Cleveland Booker IV . Moll's father abandoned her and her mother to become a courier and raise the funds needed to move his family to a new home in the Gamma Quadrant. However, Booker IV's dangerous life as a courier and dealings with criminal organizations like the Emerald Chain made him keep his distance from Malinne, who blamed him for leaving her behind.

Moll doesn't want Cleveland Booker in her life.

Moll became a courier like her father to do what he didn't and earn enough latinum to move to the Gamma Quadrant, but Moll's entire world shifted when she fell in love with L'ak and the Breen placed a blood bounty on their head s. Moll doesn't want Cleveland Booker in her life , but she relents when she has the chance to kill the man who took her father's name. Whether Moll will ever come to see Book as the "only family" she has left, the way Book sees her, remains to be seen.

Commander Rayner Got The Best Out Of USS Discovery's Crew

Citrus mash for everyone.

Captain Burnham left Commander Rayner at the conn of the USS Discovery while she and Book went on their away mission, despite Rayner's reservations about leading Burnham's crew. However, Rayner was impressed that Burnhum learned Kellerun literature to connect with her new First Officer. This knowledge was the key to Rayner saving Burnham from interdimensional space. Burnham used the ISS Enterprise's tractor beam to send a signal the Kellerun commander would understand.

Rayner gained a new appreciation for Discovery's crew and how to work with them as his own crew.

Commander Rayner placed his trust in the USS Discovery's crew to "science" a way to open the wormhole's aperture and pull the ISS Enterprise into the Prime Universe. Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp). Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman), Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio), Lt. Commander Gen Rhys (Patrick Kwok-Choon), Lt. Christopher (Orville Cummings), Lt. Linus (David Benjamin Tomlinson), Lt. Naya (Victoria Sawal), Lt. Commander Asha (Christina Dixon), and Lt. Gallo (Natalie Liconti) all rose to the occasion and found a way to save Burnham and Book. In turn, Rayner gained a new appreciation for Discovery's crew and how to work with them as his own crew.

Dr. Culber Reaches Out To Tilly

Culber has questions science can't answer.

The USS Discovery's counselor, Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz), needs a counselor of his own. Culber continues to deal with the unimaginable experience of Trill scientist Jinaal Bix occupying his mind and body in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 3, "Jinaal." Being taken over by a Trill has left Culber with existential questions, and he hopes finding the Progenitors' technology will provide him with the answers he seeks.

Hugh finds a sympathetic ear in Lt. Sylvia Tilly.

Unfortunately for Hugh, he doesn't believe he can share his feelings with his husband, Commander Paul Stamets because Paul is a man of science, and Culber's questions are ineffable. Hugh finds a sympathetic ear in Lt. Sylvia Tilly, but the answers Dr. Culber seeks are tied to what the USS Discovery finds when they locate the Progenitors' treasure - or so Hugh hopes. Culber, who has already died and been resurrected, may find himself in a new scenario that has pivotal life-or-death decisions in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

Dr. Hugh Culber's dilemma in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 is a rare attempt by Star Trek to address spiritual questions.

Where Star Trek: Discovery's Next Progenitors' Treasure Clue Leads

The next clue involves water.

Captain Burnham acquired the third clue from Moll and L'ak, which is a vial of water contained within a piece of the Progenitors' treasure map. Burnham is waiting for Commander Stamets to conduct a chemical analysis of the water, which will reveal where the USS Discovery must go next for the 4th clue . However, Michael told Book that Dr. Cho, the former Terran scientist who became a Starfleet Admiral, went back to the ISS Enterprise in interdimensional space and hid her clue to the Progenitors' technology there.

Michael also told Book she saw him in the past during Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 4, "Face the Strange's" time loops, and that they were happy back then.

Burnham and Book mused over the lessons attached to each clue. On Trill, finding Jinaal's clue was dependent on Burnham and Booker proving they value lifeforms other than their own. On Lyrek for the first clue, the lesson was the importance of cultural context. Michael surmised that the lesson Dr. Cho left behind with her clue on the ISS Enterprise was to have the hope to shape your own future in Star Trek: Discovery season 5 as the search for the Progenitors' treasure and the answers to life, itself, continues.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 stream Thursdays on Paramount+

• April 26, 2024 | Michael Dorn Wanted Armin Shimerman To Play The Ferengi That Worf Killed In Star Trek Picard
• April 26, 2024 | Podcast: All Access Gets To Know The Breen In ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ 505, “Mirrors”
• April 25, 2024 | Prep Begins For ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Season 3 Finale; Cast And Directors Share BTS Images
• April 25, 2024 | Jonathan Frakes Sees Opportunities With Streaming Star Trek Movies, Weighs In On “Filler Episodes”
• April 25, 2024 | Recap/Review: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Reflects On Its Choices In “Mirrors”

Review: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Ties It All Up In Season 4 Finale “Coming Home”

| March 17, 2022 | By: Anthony Pascale 225 comments so far

“Coming Home”

Star Trek: Discovery Season 4, Episode 13 – Debuted Thursday, March 17, 2022 Written by Michelle Paradise Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi

Discovery gently sticks the landing in a season finale that neatly ties up the plot and character arcs for the season.

WARNING: Spoilers below!

“This will all be over soon.”

Earth and Ni’Var’s ticking clocks are down to four hours and even warping Federation HQ in (yeah, it can do that) is only going to save a fraction, and that’s with Tilly doing the math! The Disco is still trapped inside a 10-C orb and Tarka is running around pissing off the superbeings more. Before Burnham can lock up the delegates, Ndoye confesses she was the saboteur, only to find out her stunt ended what may have been their last chance at peace. Oops. Unable to quickly convey the nuances of this deteriorating situation, T’Rina tries a mind-meld with our old friend Cloudy and it sends her to sickbay in pain, but she did work out they are a hivemind who just don’t get what’s going on with these little carbon units in their little ships. “We must find another way to reach them, or I fear that our worlds are already doomed.” No pressure.

Tarka is phaser-focused on his DMA power play that could kill them all, ignoring emotional appeals from Book and Reno, and even trying to talk his dubious prisoners to the dark side with promises of family reunions in a new universe. But an escape plan begins to form, thanks in part to Grudge, of course. Speaking of dangerous plans, Stamets and Adira have worked out they can break free, all they need to do is burn out the spore drive, stranding them decades away from home at old-fashioned warp. What do they have to lose at this point? “Do it.” And if you thought they had pushed the limits of the spark and flame generators before, director Olatunde Osunsanmi asks you to hold his Romulan Ale.

“We can’t let the pain do this to us. ”

Freed from their orb and oddly ignored by 10-C Discovery heads to intercept Tarka who has begun his attack on the DMA. Thanks to Grudge’s distaste for holograms, his cat collar is used to break out of Tarka’s prison and right through his little defense field, with Book knocking him cold. With no way to stop Tarka’s programming Book sends Reno to the Discovery with a simple but heartbreaking message to tell Michael he loves her, and to do what it takes to stop his ship. And what it takes is a shuttle suicide run to Book’s ship, and it looks like Michael is going to send Detmer in. “I’m ready, captain.” Just as you prepare to pour one out for Keyla, Ndoye volunteers to make things right. Checking in on the stakes back home, Vance has ordered the end of the evacuation. There is nothing left to do as he and Tilly stay to go down with the ship station, drink Risan whiskey, and trade life stories and regrets.

Looking for a way to reach Tarka, Book finally pulls the Oros card. Would he really want this? After everything, this is what finally lands. The self-aware super-scientist pleas, “He’d have stopped me, why isn’t he here to stop me?” Sadly, now accepting he is in the wrong, he can’t even stop himself. It’s all automated… but here comes Ndoye. Boom. The DMA attack is over, amazingly the general was beamed away, and Book and Tarka are alive too… for now. With seconds left Ruon uses what power is left to send Book to back to Michael. “Your life is in this world.” He spends his last moments thinking of Oros, clutching their dimensional transporter in desperate hope. As Booker starts to materialize on the Discovery, his ship ends… taking the signal with it. Cleveland. Is. Gone. Michael breaks. “Captain, another orb is coming.” Somehow, Captain Burham returns, in command. “Let’s go finish this.”

“Our fates always interconnected.”

10-C sent another pod to take folks down to the surface, and the Captain invites the whole bridge crew along for emotional support. Revealed in all their glory, the DMA-makers are as big as you might imagine, graceful and floating, with light show faces, and a forest of tendrils for arms. Thanks to a well-timed language algorithm update, they can finally have a real conversation. Now is President Rillak’s time to shine, finding that common ground where all these individual (yet also one) beings, just want “happiness, freedom, security, equality” It takes a bit more nuance to explain Tarka’s actions, with Michael stepping up to make the case against the DMA. Calling back to her visit to their doomed homeworld, she finds that connection. “Don’t let history repeat.” Their response takes translator Saru’s breath away… they will move the DMA away, and just in time as an ecstatic Tilly and Vance were running out of booze.

Everyone on both sides of the galaxy can now breathe easier, but Michael is returning to her feelings of loss. The great aliens are curious and she explains. Turns out they forgot to mention they stored a certain transporter signal, one with a certain Cleveland “That’s right, I’m still alive MF” Booker. After everyone checks to see if this is really happing the Kwejian wastes no time to finally face the race that wiped out his planet. No, steering the toxic DMA to empty space is not good enough. The empath makes the case and the connection, hiding behind this big, (not so) beautiful wall isn’t worth any price. Honor the ones you have lost by finding ways to connect. Turns out it’s a big day for the 10-C, they shut it all down, vowing to “make this right.” See, all it took was a little old-fashioned face-to-face, take that texting generation.

“We can overcome any challenge as long as we do it together.”

With all their problems solved, the 10-C decide it’s time to go, sending the Disco back to Earth to party like it’s 3190. So it’s flaming cocktails and heartfelt hugs all around, and little moments for everyone, including Reno delighting Stamets’ found family by revealing her nickname for him — “bobcat,” T’Rina expressing her Vulcan feelings to Saru, and Vance and Rillak just respecting the hell out of each other. The president has come full circle on Michael since they first met, saying Burnham is ready for command of the fancy new USS Voyager, knowing she would never take it. As for Book, the prez isn’t going to throw the tablet at him, he is “sentenced” to helping DMA refugees. It was hard for Michael to say goodbye, so he gave her his cool coat, and with “Kwakoni Yiquan” he and Grudge were gone.

Captain Burnham’s voice guides us through an extended coda of moments and montages, reminding us of the season’s themes of “uncertainty” and “connection” as everyone prepares for some free time back on Earth and beyond. Speaking of Earth, the President comes up for a visit, and some stunt casting, announcing they are ready to rejoin the Federation. Huzzah! Others are as well, so the journey that began with the Burn is now complete, but Captain Burnham still looks out to see are “countless worlds out there to be explored.” And presumably, some of them will be in season five.

Certainly a finale

After some considerably mixed results on previous season finales, Discovery played it a bit safe with this one. It checked all the boxes it needed, with just enough action, tying up loose plot ends, delivering on thematic arcs, and just a sprinkling of humor to add some flavor. But too often the episode felt like it was just avoiding any big swings. And the finale was another example of how Discovery doesn’t seem to trust its own audience enough to just show, always feeling the need to tell, with too much extended exposition, and an overly long voiceover to wrap things up. While gratuitous violence is not needed, does it help sell the stakes when in the end everyone made it out, including Ndoye who offered up her life as a form of penance? Even Tarka has a chance with his transporter. Don’t actions have consequences?

Where “Coming Home” mostly excelled is with the character beats, tying up many arcs in satisfying little moments like with Saru and T’Rina, or heart-wrenching scenes, like Tarka’s epiphany. And of course, the big one, with the grieving Book, both learning and teaching a lesson to the big bad 10-C — syncing up their glowing light-shows with his own was a nice touch. It’s no surprise that the MVP through all of this was the focal character of Michael Burnham, who herself came full circle from season opener “Kobayashi Maru,” going through her own no-win scenario by ordering the destruction of Book’s ship, with her love on board. Sonequa Martin-Green proved herself as she showed her pain at his (presumed) death, and ability to rally and be Captain.

The return of Tilly was a delight, and even with the character now carrying more responsibility and seriousness, Mary Wiseman’s effortless enthusiasm and lightness sold the mostly expository scenes set to set up the stakes, only highlighting how much her absence has left a hole in this show that has to be filled, either through her return in season five or with a new character and equally talented performer.

10-C you later

“Coming Home” also did the job when it comes to wrapping things up on the big DMA threat and the mystery of the 10-C, although we never did actually find out what they call themselves before they sent everyone home. Maybe the 32nd century equivalent of a California-class will drop by to get those details. In the end, 10-C may be the series’ most successful new addition to Trek canon, the creation of a genuinely alien species forced the show and its characters to go beyond their normal rules and technologies. They also looked great, with some subtle visual effects.

Welcome back

In some ways, this season finale feels like it could have worked as a series finale, and perhaps it was built that way in case there was no renewal. It certainly feels like it wraps up the big arc that began when the show rebooted itself with a jump into the 32nd century and a fractured Federation. Vance’s heroic defense leading to Earth to rejoin the Federation was of sort of the last piece to say the UFP is back in business, with a few stragglers to pick up, with Andoria the only one of the original five not yet back. It was a nice touch that the stubborn Tellarites were the only founding member that never left. Stunt casting aside, the final ceremony was moving, especially the closing shot and that pale blue dot . This opens up the possibility that season five (and beyond) will start to explore outside the Federation and maybe some strange new worlds… the show of that name doesn’t have the monopoly on that core Star Trek mission.

Final thoughts

Combined with last week’s “Species 10-C,” these two episodes watched together form a more satisfying feature-length finale. Although the first half could have used some of the latter’s character beats, and the second half could have used some of the former’s smart sci-fi concepts. “Coming Home” may not leave you hanging, but it doesn’t leave you wondering. It answers all the questions for you, but at its best, Star Trek should challenge you too, giving you some questions to take with you, especially as you wait until the next season.

Random bits

• This is the eighth Discovery  writing credit for executive producer and co-showrunner Michelle Paradise, who also co-wrote the season premiere.
• Executive producer Olatunde Osunsanmi continues to have the most Discovery directing credits with his twelfth time behind the camera. He has been the producing director for the series since season one.
• General Ndoye’s first name was revealed to be Diatta.
• The episode ended with the message “For April, with Love.” This was a dedication to April Nocifora , a long-time Star Trek producer who lost her battle to cancer in December.
• In addition to Book’s ship, the USS Discovery lost one shuttle, but there were no mentioned crew deaths, although one bridge officer was at least injured by a major console explosion.
• The previously mentioned USS Mitchell, named in honor of Discovery guest star Ken Mitchell , was seen for the first time.
• Other ships mentioned included the USS Yelchin, named for late Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin, USS Credence, and USS Greco.
• Book and Michael reminisce about a mission on Tiburon , a Beta Quadrant planet first mentioned in the TOS episode “ The Savage Curtain .”
• Not only can Federation HQ warp, but each deck can also detach as a lifeboat and warp too. Neat.
• For the first time on Discovery , the Borg are mentioned, indicating they could still be active in the 32nd century.
• The President of Earth was played by the prominent political figure Stacey Abrams, who is an avowed Star Trek fan .

More to come

Every Friday, the TrekMovie.com All Access Star Trek Podcast  covers the latest news in the Star Trek Universe and discusses the latest episode. The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts ,  Spotify ,  Pocket Casts ,  Stitcher and is part of the TrekMovie Podcast Network.

New episodes of  Star Trek: Discovery premiere on Thursdays on Paramount+ in the U.S. and on Fridays where Paramount+ is available around the world. In Canada, it airs on CTV Sci-Fi Channel on Thursdays, and streams on Crave on Fridays. Starting November 26, Discovery also streams on Pluto TV in select countries in Europe and is available as a digital download in additional international territories .

Keep up with all the news and reviews from the new Star Trek Universe on TV at TrekMovie.com .

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A strong finale to a strong season of a series I’ve hated up to now. So a pretty excellent turn of events from where I’m sitting.

The bit where Burnham orders Detmer to her (thankfully unfulfilled) death was a big highpoint for me. The way everyone played it made it feel as if it was really going to happen, and it therefore carried (at least for me) an emotional weight that was earned and meaningful.

Well done, show! I hope season five is as good.

Funny. I felt it was a strong finale of a boring season of a series I liked at the beginning but became bored somewhere in season 3… But as the romans said:

De gustibus non disputandum est. :-)

Interesting. Well, hey, at least you liked the finale.

I can’t get enough of that quote, and I never took a day of Latin. :-)

Dave that is my sentiment exactly. It seems the formula is Episodes 1 and 2 and 11 and 12 are good, and everthing else since Season 3 is kind of filler.

This season finale was wonderfully satisfying expression of the best of Star Trek. Exploration, a truly.alien life form, coping with an inexplicable threat, life and death, confusion and misunderstanding, solidarity and empathy are some the themes that this finale manifested. While some enjoy nitpicking the inevitable inconsistencies in a highly serialised production, I enjoyed the sheer trekiness of the this finale. We’ll done!

Agreed. I was really drawn in by it and enjoyed every moment. Seeing something new and alien was wonderful and I loved the interactions of the characters. As you say some will nitpick but there is always a percentage of people who will find fault with anything. I’m now 51, third generation Trekkie, like my Dad, my uncle and grandfather who watched it from the late 1960’s onwards and have all passed into the Great Beyond. I am so damn thankful we still have Star Trek stories to enjoy, the they did all these years later. Well done indeed.

Disappointing season, but Disco is the first ST show to lose me.

And that stunt casting was unforgivable. Couldn’t find someone who didn’t contest their own election loss for years? Would Trump have been an appropriate guest? Nope.

Crazy people can be ST fans, but shouldn’t be on the show.

You mean the election that was officially overseen by her opponent, who was responsible for the counting and certification and determining which polls would be open and staffed? That election?

The one where a Federal court ordered them to save the backup data and they just deleted it anyway?

Yeah man, crazy.

Sound like you think election integrity is a problem in the USA? But I thought Biden’s election was the fairest of all time? Should be completed believed.

Here are two suggestions: in Canada we minimize cheating by making people show ID, and we use carefully monitored scrutineers instead of easily manipulated computerized voting machines.

How about we agree that the election process needs some work, and move on?

I still don’t like politically based stunt casting

Ah yes, Stacey Abrams is the crazy one… right. Not you. Not you at all. Definitely not you.

Soooo…. Is it OK or not OK to claim an election was “stolen”?

It’s okay if you don’t try to overthrow the government. Abrams had the election stolen from her, said so, and moved on.

She brought no evidence of wrong doing. She’s no different than Trump in that regard. Just grabbing at straws the same as he did.

Well her party never moved on. She was introduced 2 years later as the Governor of Georgia. And she didn’t contradict them so I’d say she is complicit in that.

But since no one tried to overthrow the government then Trump saying so too is OK then. Gotha.

And for the record, IMHO Trump should have let it go after the legal challenges weren’t heard.

It is a little silly to call her the governor, since she is clearly not governing the state even if she did win the election. But Abrams has never called for violence, unlike some former presidents who I can name. Between all the obvious voter suppression, and the fact that her opponent was running the election, it is pretty clear that there was wrong doing. There is no way to tell whether that wrong doing is what cost her the election though.

Yeah, I’m certain Trump and his fans would have been just fine with Biden’s people counting the votes. Instead, in the closely contests it was usually a Republican Secretary of State, who nevertheless usually had the integrity to call the result in favor of a candidate they didn’t want. And they’re in the process of being replaced for their trouble.

Except she did not win the election. If she did, she would be Governor today. Also, no former President has ever called for violence. However I am aware of a current Vice President who worked to get violent rioters bailed out. Also, if you get to say there was wrong doing in that election then others also get to say there was wrong doing in others. It doesn’t only work for people you agree with. For example, between the media burying stories that hurt their candidate, last minute allegedly illegal election law changes in some states and unusual statistical oddities I think it very clear there was wrong doing. But the fact is the votes that were cast were counted and the election went the way of the votes. It’s long over and people need to learn from it and move on. Even Al Gore eventually moved on.

It’s funny, several on the Right, both civilian and politician claim there was widespread voter fraud (there wasn’t), the election chief for the former administration said it was the most secure election ever, and somehow despite votes being cast on the same ballot, it’s only ever mentioned that the votes made for President, are the ones that were somehow fraudulent. And since they were on the same ballot as the other elections, for both State and Federal offices, wouldn’t those elections also be fraudulent?

Nope. It’s only for a certain office in a certain house, of a certain color. All other officers, no election fraud of any kind since it’s never mentioned…

I agree in that there is a vocal group from one side who seem to think that only their side has the right to call out what they see to be election improprieties. And it is only when their side loses. When they win, no matter what is going on, it’s always the “most secure election ever”. That side sounds a lot like Weyoun in this little snippet from Tears of the Prophits:

WEYOUN: Pah wraiths and Prophets. All this talk of gods strikes me as nothing more than superstitious nonsense. DAMAR: You believe that the Founders are gods, don’t you? WEYOUN: That’s different. DAMAR: In what way? WEYOUN: The Founders are gods.

When they win, no matter what is going on, it’s always the “most secure election ever”

A Democrat won. A Republican election chief, said it was the most secure election ever. A Republican President, fired him immediately after because it went contrary to his claims of the “big lie”

You do the math.

Except, the Democrat didn’t win. She lost. And complained she was cheated. Like a certain former President we all know. Now do the math.

Depends on the circumstances, naturallment. Unfortunately, nuance is not something taught at Trump U.

In other words… Only when it goes against someone of “my” party do we get to talk about it. If my party won and the other side claims wrong doing then it’s not OK.

Grow up. Did I hurt your feelings?

She is a controversial, active politician playing the President of a United Earth on one of the most socially conscious shows out there. There are no accidents, and the message this sends is clear. Star Trek has crossed into direct political advocacy. Star Trek used to be a show that built bridges between opposing thoughts. It used to force us into critical thought by asking questions. Modern Star Trek wants to tell us what to think. It’s quite sad. A bit of a side note – I’d have preferred an actor…but if you’re going for stunt casting, you know who would’ve been a great choice? Michelle Obama. I don’t think anyone would expect any current or former right leaning person to be considered, but getting a former or non active politico like her would have been much more effective at conveying a message than an actively engaged politician. This was an incredibly divisive choice for that role, and just shows that if you’re at any point to the right on the political spectrum, this show’s creatives care nothing about your patronage of their show. I know many of you will bash me for this, but this is reality. There is no place for diversity of thought in Trek anymore.

Space pew pew show activism make me feel bad. Must be something wrong with space pew pew show.

Anyone who refers to Trek as a ‘pew pew space show’ clearly does not understand Star Trek on any level.

Why does show about diversity not showcase the unifying views of today’s republican party? Derp.

LOL, you win the internets for the day with that, my friend.

(Perhaps if Mitt Romney had been given the role of her VP there would be less agita amongst the MAGA contingent, but I doubt it.)

“I know many of you will bash me for this” I love near moments of clarity

Rom literally quoted Marx and won major concessions from Quark. Star Trek has always been direct in its politics.

Lol Funny. Ferengi quoting Marx while a Federation Captain Kirk quotes the US Constitution fighting Kohms while Picard has to destroy a collective.

You’re ignoring the core part of what I said. Trek at its best has taken on political issues, and posed questions and left up to the viewer to decide what to do. Having characters offer up quotes of political figures from the past is not the same as advocacy. Trek, at it’s best, was never preachy either. That’s not the case with Kurtzmann, and this is as big of step into passing over social commentary and getting directly into political candidate advocacy. Never has Trek’s political stance been as meta as it was in this season finale. Here’s another possibility. Have Earth’s leadership get off the shuttle, and you see a ‘council’ or something step off. Want to go meta with that? Put Stacey Abrams up there and some other politician from the right. Send the message through that scene that shows the audience that two people from radically different ideologies can come together under the flag of a UNITED Earth. Something that sells that message without having any character say a word. That would have been Phenomenal with a capital P.

If the right wants to be welcome on star trek perhaps they should produce a politian who actually embodies its values. You want in, earn it by being the kind of people someone can look up to.

Not thinking the other side is worthy is exactly why you do it.

Agreed. The best Trek was when it fairly offered up alternative takes on situations where both arguments had valid points as well as flaws. I think you made an excellent point that if it was some sort of council with two stunt casts (a recognizable person from the other side) would have sent a far more unifying message.

It’s the kind of thing that would have posed questions. Use divisive people to send the message and serve the story. A hopeful future is attainable. Otherwise, it’s just political advocacy, and incredibly shallow for a show that has been as intelligent and cerebral as Trek (prior to the Kurtzmann regime)

You probably thought Gul Dukat had a good point.

Trek has ALWAYS been preachy. “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield” is laughably preachy. “The Omega Glory” is cringe-worthy peachy. “The Drumhead” is movingly preachy. “Detained” is on-your-nose preachy. Need I go on?

They have from time to time and those episodes have traditionally been among the worst of the franchise. But it certainly didn’t happen often enough to enable and “always been” in front of the comment. And even when they used a sledge hammer to make their point they still stopped short of casting active divisive politicians into their drama.

Crossed into direct political advocacy? Have you ever seen the show. The characters all live in a socialist utopia. Star Trek has always engaged in political advocacy.

Ah, but you changed what I said. I said “direct political candidate advocacy” there is a huge difference in presenting a political point of view, and propping up a failed candidate running for re-election. Trek has not entered into that realm before.

Yes, because the concept of a ‘United Earth’ is, like, totally controversial now.

It certainly feels out of reach, and Trek is now furthering divisions and cementing itself as a niche show for democrats only. That wasn’t the case until Kurtzman and company took it over.

I like Star Trek’s view of humanity’s future. But it seems jarring to put any current politician on the show. I think Gene Roddenberry would be very upset.

Gene would’ve been upset about Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Deep Space Nine, and a whole slew of Trek films and shows that were made either after his death, or in his twilight years.

Doesn’t mean he’d be right.

Nope. Putting current politicians on Star Trek should be a big red line. Period.

Abrams has actual, legitimate reasons to contest her election loss. And yet, she never tried to orchestrate a coup.

maybe she should have

And neither did anyone else.

Please tell me what coup there was? Did it have institutional backing? Did this group of yahoos really think they were going to take over the government? You do realize that after your alleged “coup” congress was up and running again within hours. Anyone who thinks that either has no idea what an actual coup is or has an agenda. Again, if you want to see what an actual coup looks like then check out what happened in Myanmar a month later. What happened in DC was little more than an ugly event perpetuated by a number of dimwits. Geez…

What happened in DC was little more than an ugly event perpetuated by a number of dimwits. Geez…

Actively egged on by and advocated for by then President Trump. That fact that Trump spent months after the election actively trying to overturn (whether by lawsuits or direct calls to Governors – i.e. Georgia) the results shows there absolutely was institutional backing, even if only by one man (and we all know it was by a lot more than just Trump).

And just because the coup was unsuccessful doesn’t mean it wasn’t a coup. What it does mean is that the checks and balances in this country are strong enough to withstand an attempted coup.

If you would take the time to actually listen to what Trump said you would realize in no way whatsover did he “egg them on” or anything close to it. But people who confuse the event for an “insurrection” tend to close their eyes and ears to the actual facts surrounding that event anyway.

Pray tell what institutional backing did they have? If they did that backing didn’t help them in any way shape or form. Were the yahoos lied too?

It cannot be stressed enough how foolish it is to call those events a “coup”. It was supported by statistically no one.

I read the entirety of his speech (I couldn’t bring myself to listening to 70 min of his inane ramblings), and he absolutely unequivocally egged on his supports to attempt to overturn the election. If you can’t see that you are either willfully ignorant or just delusional.

The institutional backing was Trump himself. Even a small coup is still a coup.

I got news for you ML31:

“ Did this group of yahoos really think they were going to take over the government?”

A group of yahoos, is precisely the people who overthrew their own government, when they opposed “taxation without representation”. I believe we now call them the Founding Fathers.

And they had institutional backing. They created an army. They created their own association. All things that did NOT happen on 1/6.

Sorry. Try harder.

You are either a fool or a liar if you think this. If it’s the former, you’ll need to find someone other than to educate you. If it’s the latter, conversation with you can serve no useful purpose.

Sorry but no. Anyone who insists it was some sort of insurrection or coup just has no idea what those things really are. Either that or they know that spreading the lie advances their agenda. I stop short of calling them fools but there may be some of them who actually buy into it as well. Mainly it’s either ignorance or agenda.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/five-ways-donald-trump-tried-coup/620157/

One day some of you will have to wake up the reality how corrupt and immoral person Trump is even if you voted for him.

In the meantime just keep closing your eyes and ears and pretend otherwise. It’s been working this long I guess.

All I can say is first The Atlantic is not exactly a reliable source. Next, none of their reasons support their conclusions at all. Which also supports how unreliable a source they are.

If Trump is corrupt and immoral then nothing major has stuck to him to support it. All it has been on that front has been lies and hearsays. And he’s been proved right in all the conspiracies against him so far. Go figure.

Look, I was as much of a never-Trumper as one could get in 2016. But after I saw the results I changed my tune on the man. Not on his personality. Which was arrogant and bombastic and he just came across as a pure A-hole. Still does. But I cannot argue with the results. I was stunned at how effective a President he was. I was very wrong on him in 2016. I’d rather have an effective President who’s an A-Hole than an ineffective one who’s a nice guy. Sorry.

LOL dude, no offense, but this is the only argument you can make. It’s not ‘credible enough’ and yet you seem to believe everything Trump tells you, a guy who has said the election was stolen from him without any credible evidence. Kind of hypocritical, right?

Trump IS corrupt and immoral. Just because he hasn’t been found guilty…yet doesn’t take away from that reality.

Lots of Presidents gets ‘results’. Obama got plenty for his base. My guess is you still didn’t vote for him. And he didn’t lie out of his mouth every second of the day or use Twitter like a teenager who is angry at the world.

No. The fact that the organization is not a non-partisan source does enter into this but the argument is their reasons do not support their conclusions. Do you believe everything the legacy media tells you even though they have been proved wrong on so many things they have claimed against Trump? I believe in evidence and reason. So I’d appreciate it if you didn’t make ridiculous absolute comments like that. And there is evidence the election wasn’t on the level. None of it was thrown out. It just wasn’t heard for standing. Which is not judging the level of evidence. I do believe he legitimately lost. But he’s not wrong when he speaks of weird anomalies going on. I just don’t think those things are what cost him the election.

You don’t know how corrupt or immoral Trump is. That is just a guess on your part because there is no proof. Maybe there is just as much foggy evidence as there was that he had the election stolen from him and because you hate him so you choose to believe THAT but not the other. Let’s try and be realistic here. I would argue there is a whole lot more linking Biden to immorality and corruptness than there ever was for Trump. Does anyone not think it’s likely that the “Big Guy” was Joe?

I guess “results” depends on one’s personal definition. But things sure did improve across the board during Trump’s administration than Obama’s, that’s for sure. BTW… I liked Obama a lot more in his first term than his 2nd. His 2nd he became amazingly divisive and a lot more deceitful. But you have to give him credit for one thing… He warned us all not to “Underestimate Biden’s ability to f**k things up.”

Lol there is tons of evidence to show how corrupt and immoral Trump is. This is a guy who ran a fake university and had to settle his claims before he became President.

He was busted for trying to pay off a porn star with campaign money he had an affair with and then tried to cover it up which his own lawyer actually went to prison for. How much more proof do you need with that lol. Is that NOT corrupt and immoral enough l for you? Did he need to kill her too? My guess even then you would still excuse his behavior.

My god he tried to overturn an election man. He tried on January 6 and months before that. He was impeached the FIRST time trying to blackmail a country to start an investigation on his opponent. Trump is as corrupt as they come and it’s sickening people like you try to shrug it off like it’s no big deal or worse it never happened even with all the proof out there.

You’re just a Trump supporter who will and HAS denied every misdeed and action Trump has caused. Look at this board. You could be Trump’s press secretary lol. What’s more funny is his last press secretary has come out and said Trump is in fact corrupt and immoral working with him and she was hired to speak for the guy.

Should I not listen to people in his own administration who says that either? Or just listen to sad deniers and Uber-fans like you? Because it’s a long line of those people too.

Trump is a disgusting and disgraceful POS who only cares about himself! It’s sick this doofus was ever President of anything much less a country.

Oh, sorry. I see the confusion. You must have not been watching the news on January 6 2020. Trump told his supporters to storm the Capitol to stop the votes from being certified. It was crazy.

Trump never said that. I bet you believe the “drinking bleach” BS too.

How sad. Rethink your sources.

Perhaps not in those exact words, but the implication was more than clear. I suggest you read the transcript of his entire speech: https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-capitol-siege-media-e79eb5164613d6718e9f4502eb471f27

On more than one occasion does he mentions “fighting like hell,” “walking down Pennsylvania Ave to the Capitol,” and urging Mike Pence to “do the right thing.”

Anyone at that rally knew exactly what Trump wanted them to do.

As for the bleach thing, no he didn’t straight up say people should drink bleach, but his comments where nonetheless completely eye-roll worthy:

A question that probably some of you are thinking of if you’re totally into that world, which I find to be very interesting. So, supposedly we hit the body with a tremendous, whether it’s ultraviolet or just very powerful light, and I think you said that hasn’t been checked, but you’re going to test it. And then I said supposing you brought the light inside the body, which you can do either through the skin or in some other way. (To Bryan) And I think you said you’re going to test that, too. Sounds interesting, right? And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in one minute. And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning, because you see it gets in the lungs and it does a tremendous number on the lungs, so it’d be interesting to check that, so that you’re going to have to use medical doctors with, but it sounds interesting to me. So, we’ll see, but the whole concept of the light, the way it kills it in one minute. That’s pretty powerful.

Exactly. “not in those exact words”. Which means, he didn’t do it nor did he seriously imply it. It’s just lame stuff people love to still try and attribute to him. “Fighting like hell” is hyperbole EVERY politician says! It doesn’t literally mean grab a stick and vandalize your nearest federal building. That’s a tremendous stretch. Everyone knew what Trump ways saying. To peaceably march to the capitol and make your voices heard. Those were his words. It’s mindboggling to most clear thinking folks it could mean anything otherwise. “Doing the right thing” was not egging people on. He was just hoping Pence wouldn’t certify the election. Those words, again, are words used by politicians and even people in court.

And at least you admit he never suggested drinking bleach. That sets you apart from the majority of his bashers. I admit often his comments are eye-rolling. The fact is he does speak his own language somewhat. He shouldn’t be doing that as President but he did. I was never a fan but his stronger supporters liked it. I didn’t like it because it was those kinds of comments that people loved to latch on to and presume what he was meaning even when it was obvious that was not what he meant. That is a flaw of his. It’s been said he’s a hammer in search of a nail verbally. Sometimes he doesn’t strike a nail. But a lot of times he hits it square.

I wrote this above, but I’ll repeat it here, if you truly don’t think that Trump’s words didn’t egg on his supporters you are either delusional or willfully ignorant.

And Trump is the first president in modern history to implore his VP to not certify an election that he unequivocally lost.

He knows it did. He will just defend the POS Trump until he’s blue in the face anyway. As Trump would say, SAD!

Trump belongs in prison for causing that. He waited 3 hours to call anyone as it went on while his fat ass sat in front of the TV watching it. People died that day because of this moron and his nut wing base.

If Trump caused that then Bernie Sanders needs to be rotting in jail for causing James Hodgkinson to open fire on the Congressional baseball game. He was a left win activist who claimed Bernie Sanders urged the action.

Well, you are wrong and his own words prove you wrong. He NEVER egged anyone on to storm the capital. Not even close. Not even inferring it. He said to “peaceably march to the Capitol and make our voices heard.” Anyone who reads that as “Go to the Capitol, ransack the building and take over the Government” are the delusional or willfully ignorant ones.

And yes. Trump did want Pence to do that. Sure. Wrong move. Not good. But that doesn’t = telling people to storm the building. Presidents have often made mistakes. Trump isn’t perfect. He does let his ego get in the way of things. But come on… That’s the best you got?

I’m leaning toward delusional at this point. If you were willfully ignorant you’d display at least display some level of irony in your statements.

I bet you believe all those people at the Capitol on Jan 6, 2021 where just peaceful protestors?

Nope. I do not. That is what the media called those involved in all those riots the last two years. What happened on 1/6 was definitely NOT peaceful. It was horrid. That said I also found the riots of the year before to be much worse. But that doesn’t mean 1/6 was fine. It absolutely was NOT.

Discovery has been “woke” from the get go. But casting Abrams was definitely a “In case you didn’t know, here’s the side we’re on” moment. They certainly know how controversial she is and don’t care.

And of course… If some other failed gubernatorial candidate was a fan and wanted to be on the show, Larry Elder for example…. I’m sure everyone would be totally fine with him coming on for a cameo. Right?

I’ve noticed a correlation between Trump supporters and Disco haters. Always fascinating how representation triggers you all. I often wonder what show you think you’re watching.

Now, now — I hated the first three seasons of the show and could not be termed a Trump supporter in any form or fashion. There are plenty of legitimate reasons to dislike those first three seasons; I know it’s convenient for some of you to think that it can only be due to racism, sexism, or homophobia, but that’s a failure of imagination on your part. (Which is not to say that anti-Discovery sentiment doesn’t have a lot of those elements; it does, sadly.)

For my part, I didn’t care for the Stacey Abrams cameo, at least partially because of the fact that it meant I was going to encounter lots of idiotic comments about it. I like her personally, though, and I think it’s cool for her that she got to do it; I’m just not sure it was the wisest use of that space the show could have made. It’s both on the nose and cheesy. Which, to be fair, Star Trek often is, so I can’t argue that it was all *that* out of place.

First, I was replying to CarsonH, who obviously is a Trump supporter. Secondly, I said I noticed a correlation. I did not say that ALL Disco haters are Trump supporters, only they tend to be from observing your online behavior.

Hate to break it to you, but Star Trek is a PROGRESSIVE show.

Your beef with the show is that is precisely because it addresses racism, sexism and homophobia, ie. woke, through the lens of sci-fi. Star Trek has already been that show. I suspect you are just here for the military rankings and the explosions.

Are you referring to CarsonH again? Because Bryant’s take is entirely reasonable to me.

There is nothing in CarsonH’s post to suggest “Trump supporter”.

It is not unreasonable to NOT want to see politicians show up on a Trek show. No matter what side one is on politically. It’s an ironic thing to do when they were preaching being unified when that action is a divisive one itself.

I have to agree. When the now King of Jordan cameoed on Voyager, it was as a crewman, not a space emperor. The audacity of presenting an active politician as president of Earth is not a good look IMO, and I say that as someone who likes Abrams and is happy her inner fan girl got to act in Star Trek. It’s such an overt and typically clumsy political statement that brings real world political divisions to the forefront again. I’m not saying they don’t have a right to offer a middle finger to their Conservative critics if that’s their choice, and it’s ballsy to do it this way, but it was also childish as hell.

And to be fair I myself would not want to see someone from the opposite side of Abrams showing up as the President of Earth. It’s really bad form. I agree that if she really wanted to be on the show she should have been a crewman of some other background character.

It just seems like something that’s beneath Star Trek, debasing itself in our very real and worldly elections so blatantly. She’s the president of the frickin’ Earth! I don’t blame her for being flattered and living out her dream in more ways than one, but it’s kinda tacky to take on that part. Even SNL never has political candidates in skits where they are already holding the office they aspired to.

Nope, quite the opposite. But you go on believing whatever you need to to get you through the day, I guess.

I agree! Complete disappointment. Please let us enjoy our shows without Political BS.

So as a U.K. citizen I had no idea who this actor was (playing President of Earth).

I googled as I thought the acting was off and something didn’t feel right for such a great moment of Earth coming back into the federation.

As it turns out – this person is a governor and fan – but does that make it the right choice for the role.

For me, the episode at this point took a huge nose dive and failed to connect with international audiences.

Sorry for those who enjoyed her performance but for me it was a swing and miss moment.

Me too! I expected to see a well known Star Trek character as special guest or someone earlier seen in Disco being promoted, because the scene looked like it was meant to be special. Just like Kirk or Spock appearing in TMP the first time on the bridge. Then I was confused because I had no clue who that was. So, for international viewers that scene had no meaning.

An AWWWEEESome Season Finale. I so enjoyed the “surprising” Stacey Abrams as President of Earth. Well Done. On to Next year.

Breathtaking. I can’t believe they’ve been able to top themselves year over year.

Another very disappointing season finale… again. I will say that it was a very welcomed surprise cameo of Stacey Abrams.

I tried. I really tried. I’m sure some will consider me a “hater,” but I haven’t stuck with this to hate. I’ve been hoping. But there was about enough story for a two-parter here, and they made a whole season of it. (This is not a problem unique to this series, of course.) Tarka did pretty much the same thing in every episode, most of the characters are undifferentiated, and while Reno is at least interestingly acerbic among a group where they seem to be competing over who can be most sincere, her glib cracks while the fate of humanity is allegedly hanging in the balance finally wore me out. The resolution with 10-C basically boiled down to “Please don’t kill us, we don’t like being killed” and 10-C responding “Oh, so sorry, didn’t realize I was doing it.”

Also, I’m sorry to report that April Nocifora recently lost her battle with cancer.

Also, I’m sorry to report that April Nocifora recently lost her battle with cancer.

Where are you seeing that? All of her online profiles (LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.) are still active with no mention of her passing.

Truly a beautiful end! My heart stopped when Michael ordered Detmer to pilot the shuttle. And I cried with SMG on the loss of Book and cried again when they hugged! And overjoyed on the conclusion of the 10-C storyline. This is Star Trek. This is what hope looks like. Well Done Discovery! You’ve earned a whole season on Risa!

As I wrote at the beginning of this season, Booker’s arc could have been a really interesting way into talking about genocide. Simply, they failed.

More accurately, they failed to develop the topic you would prefer.

Did you even think about what he went through and what that says about genocide survivors? And how casually and simply his actions were depicted? Yes you did think about that, but obviously you don’t even realize it.

Here’s what I actually think about. The US Holocaust Memorial Museum defines genocide as “an internationally recognized crime where acts are committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.” Since Species10-C’s destruction was unwitting, it was not genocidal.

The legal definition of genocide has nothing to do with the story of survivors, and how that much death impacts their life. Book certainly didn’t know or believe it was unwitting.

Fair enough, but you’ve changed your initial criticism about the writers overlooking genocide to their not choosing to explore deeply survivor guilt or trauma. They chose instead to explore the dangers of ill-informed and precipitous reactions, which is reasonable enough since it sets up Trek’s primary ethic. So I repeat my first observation that your objection seems to be their “failure” to tell the story you wanted. Peace!

Haters got to hate

I’m hardly a hater. There’s episodes I’ve liked. But re-identifying what they introduced in the first and second episodes as sad trope that has infused a lot of media.

I’d argue that Book has more in common with disaster survivors than survivors of genocide; more like a guy whose entire city got wiped out by a tsunami or something.

Good point! Not what I thought, but makes a bit of sense. In that case, it would have been good to see other survivors, or know about them. Even some of their opinions.

I do think there’s an entire other direction the season could have taken in which the show was more about that, or indeed about the genocide parallels you mention. That might have even been a better direction, who knows? But I liked what they did, more or less; it got bogged down with some of the mechanics of Tarka’s plot, but I’ll take it over a crying Kelpien any day of the week.

LOL, I liked that – he’s just a Q waiting to happen. :)

I’m curious how people here grade Discover after four seasons.

This is where I stand, breaking down seasons by major plot threads and overall quality:

Season 1 The Klingon war: F Lorca stealing the Discovery: F Emperor Georgiou in the Mirror Universe: C Overall grade for the season : D

Season 2: Captain Pike, Spock, Number One, and the Enterprise: B+ The Red Angel mystery: C+ Skynet in Space threatening to destroy all life: D Overall grade for the season : C

Season 3: Burnham and Book’s meeting and love story: B Discovery adjusts to the future: B- Emperor Georgiou returns to the Mirror Universe: C The mystery of The Burn: C- Overall grade for the season : C

Season 4: The mystery of the what the DMA is: B The search for Species 10C and how to communicate with them: B Tarka tries to kill billions of people to fix his love life: D People, ships, cats, aliens, etc. stop the episodes to share their feelings: D Overall grade for the season: C

I don’t have a ranking system like that but, I have them ranked as best to worst. I’ll share mine:

1. DS9 2. TOS/TAS 3. Disco 4. VOY 5. LD 6. TNG 7. ENT

Pic/Prod are the 2 I haven’t ranked yet.

1. DS9 2. TNG 3. ENT 4. TOS/TAS 5. VOY 6. LD 7. Prod. 8. Pic 9. Dsc

thats probably my picks 🤔

Oh I like lists!

1. TNG/DS9 2. VOY 3. TOS 4. ENT 5. LD 6. PRO 7. TAS 8. PIC 9. DIS

1. DS9 2. VOY 3. DIS 4. LD 5. TNG 6. TOS 7. PIC 8. ENT.

I will reserve judgement for Prodigy until the end of the first series but it’s goodZ

Also…. TNG might seem low to some. All of 1 – 5 are much loved by me and it was tricky putting them in rank order.

• DISC (S1 = B, S2 = C, S3 = D, S4 = F)

TOS TNG VOY ENT TAS DS9

I can’t — or won’t — rank any of the others until they’re finished. But I’ll grade DSC seasons: 1=D, 2=C, 3=C, 4=B. And hey, why not: PIC1=F, LWR1=A, LWR2=A.

DS9 TNG VOY TOS ENT PRO LDS DIS PIC TAS

Both PRO and PIC can change by the end of their current seasons.

My grades: C, B, C, C for Seasons 1-4. I’ll keep watching and have high hopes for Strange New Worlds.

For me, Season 1 was highly flawed but it showed promise. I had hoped it would improve with Season 2. Season 2 did show improvement but unfortunately most of that came with Pike and Spock. So when they left for Season 3, the show went right back to its old ways. That’s when I stopped watching.

From what little i’ve seen of Season 4, it doesn’t seem its improved. That said, i’m very glad there’s a lot of people enjoying it. I am always happy to see a Star Trek show thriving.

Without commonly agreed upon criteria, this survey won’t yield reliable or verifiable results. As an exercise in comparing subjective opinions, why not? Since I prefer creativity, being surprised, encountering interesting ideas, a vision that promotes our common humanity, I rate all Trek series high despite flaws and clunkers in all of them.

It is not a survey; I was just curious how others felt about Discovery’s overall quality after four seasons.

Season 2: Captain Pike, Spock, Number One, and the Enterprise: C+ The Red Angel mystery: F Skynet in Space threatening to destroy all life: F Overall grade for the season : D-

Season 3: Burnham and Book’s meeting and love story: F Discovery adjusts to the future: B Emperor Georgiou returns to the Mirror Universe: F The mystery of The Burn: F Overall grade for the season : D-

Didn’t bother to watch season 4 after that 😁

Why are you even here? 🤔

Anyway, mine is:

Season 1, Part 1: B Season 1, Part 2: B+ Season 2, Part 1: A- Season 2, Part 2: A Season 3, Part 1: A- Season 3, Part 2: B Season 4, Part 1: B- Season 4: Part 2: B+

Also, here’s the show ranking:

1. Voyager 2. Lower Decks 3. Discovery 4. Deep Space 9 (The Orville would go here.) 5. Prodigy 6. Picard 7. TNG 8. Enterprise 9. TOS 10. TAS

Man, respect to your opinions I guess, but you reveal your age with this one. TNG is SEVENTH?! The fact that you have Voyager and the new stuff all above everything else — and TOS / TAS at the very bottom — tells me you’re probably born in the ’90s.

Frankly, I get the hate for TOS. Awful show. Really hoping Season 2 of SNW gives us Kirk as Captain and they just completely overwrite it.

Enterprise is eighth on their list though. So I don’t think it has anything to with ‘new’ stuff but just their overall opinion on the shows.

You weren’t being overbearing about it but yeah fans will just have wildly different views from others, especially as younger people become fans and all the new shows being added today. We’re not a monolith.

And I think it’s cool Voyager is first on their list even if it’s not on mine!

But I’ll fight anyone if DS9 is last on their list though! 😆

Tarka trying to kill billions isn’t something the show was saying was a good thing. So, I think it’s one thing to give Tarka a D for that, but the grade for the show would be different, since they didn’t endorse his actions.

DSC season grades:

1: B (standouts: Choose Your Pain, Lethe, Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Bad) 2: B (standouts: The Sound of Thunder, If Memory Serves, Through the Valley of Shadows) 3: A- (standouts: Forget Me Not, Unification III, There is a Tide…) 4: A (standouts: But to Connect…, Rosetta, Coming Home)

Series rankings:

DS9 TNG PIC DSC PRO TOS/TAS LDS STS ENT VOY

I’m impressed you can remember the names of Disco episodes. Without being put onscreen in the episode, it’s hard for me to recall many of them, but I’ve also never rewatched an episode.

Contrast that to my being able to tell you the name of an episode of Berman Trek, even Voyager and maybe Enterprise, just by hearing any random 30 seconds of it. The nerdiest party trick I could have.

Even though DS9’s my favorite, it took years for those episode titles to bore into my brain. I suppose because I mostly watched those episodes in first run, then maybe once or twice since, until years later when I’d do full rewatches and read the Companion. TOS and TNG were much more stuck in my head because I started watching in 1991, when TOS reruns played over and over and TNG was just getting into syndication, so it was a nightly at 7pm habit for me, plus I had the companions for both shows, as well as the Nitpicker’s guides.

For the new shows, I’ve actually been writing reviews of them since the first episode of Discovery. So, that often means rewatching it one or two times. Plus, it usually takes my partner months before she’ll want to watch them with me, so I’ll rewatch them again, then.

Though, I’ll admit that I did have to look up “The Sound of Thunder,” for the title.

I can’t do that for the Berman shows save for some of Enterprise. But I CAN do that for all the TOS and TAS shows.

I must admit, after panning episodes 9-11, the two part season finale was pretty satisfying Star Trek and good science fiction. In fact, I think these last two episodes probably saved the season. Overall I would give Discovery S4 a B-. It would have been a B+ if they didnt drag things out with useless filler for three episodes before the last two episodes! IMHO, the show has FINALLY found its niche. For a whole lot of reasons, Discovery will never be everyone’s cup of tea – in fact I am more likely to gravitate to Picard and SNW, but I must agree with others that taking the show to the 32nd century was a very good move! And even though I am much more intrigued with other shows like SNW, I am still curious about Discovery S5!

That was suppose to be Earth but it sure didn’t look like Earth based on the land mass we see them zoom out to at the end. Unless Africa and Europe combined in those 900 years.

As a professional cartographer I feel I can say this with experience. Their scale was WAY off.

Didn’t TNG mention something about draining the Mediterranean?

Wait…. T’Rina had the ability to communicate telepathically with the 10-C all along? Why didn’t they try this the moment they arrived to the hyperfield like 4 episodes ago??? 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

I also thought that was very odd.

It’s probably a last resort kind of thing. That kind of thing has been shown to be pretty dangerous with unknown life, as with Spock in The Motion Picture.

Do you mean apart from the fact that Booker got locked out of his OWN ship and an irrelevant non-federation officer was able to bypass Disco’s security codes …also this whole story was hardly 3 episodes worthy?

For all the problems Star Trek Discovery has had… Bad writing. Bad characters. Unearned emotion. Bad production design. Mediocre actors. One complaint I have never made of it was ‘boring’. Well… Give it enough time and… Yes. This episode was monumentally dull. Star Trek Discovery going for all the terrible adjectives they can, it seems.

PS… Something that was bugging me throughout. Why is it “United” Earth? Why not just Earth? Kirk never called it “United Earth.” Nor did Picard. Presumably Earth has been united in some way in their time. So why the change? Wouldn’t it make more sense to call it “United Na’var”? Since Vulcans and Romulans have ACTUALLY united?

“United Earth” has been the name of Earth’s government since TOS (e.g., United Earth Space Probe Agency).

But that is the agency. Not the planet. No one has ever referred to Earth as “United Earth”.

From Memory Alpha:

“United Earth was first referenced in TOS: “The Corbomite Maneuver”, when Captain Kirk refers to the USS Enterprise as a “United Earth ship”, upon hailing the Fesarius.”

That was referencing the Space Agency. UESPA. But that is not the name of the planet. It was always called just plain old Earth.

Earth is still the name of the planet. United Earth is the name of the planet’s government.

No different from how the Klingons are the Klingon Empire, but their homeworld is Kronos.

I find little difference in saying the President of Earth vs the President of United Earth. The first is better because it implies all the planet has agreed to a government with this position as the top executive. If you are saying President of “United Earth” it implies the Earth is not entirely united. That perhaps only 70% of the states are behind this so they cannot claim the entire Earth. Only those who opted into this “United” Earth thing.

See? I can infer too.

Possibly United Earth succeeded the United Nations after World War III? We have a Secretary General of the United Nations, not a Secretary General of Nations, or Secretary General of Earth.

Possibly. But I think how it was presented implied the Earth was 100% unified. Which again calls out my original question.

Bad production design?! If there is one thing that DISCO is good at- its look and feel are amazing. It’s almost cinematic

The USS Discovery was from Pike’s time frame yet it looked like it was 80 years after Picard.

I know they underwent a “refit” when they moved to their future. Yet that “refit” didn’t change the interior sets all that much at all. So it was still bad PD.

It’s always been United Earth. Aside from UESPA, there were references to United Earth in Enterprise. It was literally the government that birthed Starfleet. They even had a United Earth emblem in the episode “Home,” which itself was based on a design on a cup in “Where No Man Has Gone Before.”

No one on Enterprise referred to Earth as “United Earth”. UESPA is an organization. Not the planet.

[Spoilers for Enterprise]

In the episode where Admiral Forrest is killed on Vulcan, it begins with a shot of Earth’s embassy on Vulcan clearly labeled “United Earth Embassy.”

Since that is the one and only time it might be inferred to mean that could be the new name for the entire planet, it stands to reason that given all the many other times the planet was just called “Earth” that the name merely references the fact that the embassy is planetary rather than composing of representatives from individual states.

It’s not the name of the entire planet, it’s the name of the governing body of the planet. It’s rarely been used or heard of in previous Treks (save for maybe ENT) because Earth and the Federation have almost always been synonymous.

I have never thought Earth and the Federation was synonymous in any way shape or form. It’s like saying France is synonymous with NATO. It’s not. The Federation is the United Federation of Planets. Not just one planet.

Good for you for never thinking of Earth and the Federation as synonymous, but even within Trek lore, Earth and the Federation (up until the 31st Century after the burn) were often times portrayed as one in the same. In The Undiscovered Country Gorkin’s daughter straight up accuses the Federation of being a homo sapiens’ only club.

That comment doesn’t mean Earth and the Federation are synonymous. Not at all. It’s propaganda one side plays to their citizens to demonize the other side. I always felt that was kinda obvious. And I don’t recall any instance where the UFP and the Earth were one in the same.

In the season 4 episode “The Forge,” it begins with a shot of Earth’s embassy on Vulcan clearly labeled “United Earth Embassy.”

Aside from the United Earth embassy on Vulcan (which literally says “UNITED EARTH EMBASSY” in big bold letters right on the front) in the Forge trilogy, and Minister Nathan Samuels speaking on behalf of United Earth in “Demons”/”Terra Prime,” in TOS “The Corbomite Maneuver” and “Tomorrow is Yesterday” specifically reference “United Earth” in dialogue. In TNG “Encounter at Farpoint” references United Earth.

Even if the specific name was never said spoken dialogue in ENT, it’s clearly the name for that government.

Yeah, no. It was never clearly the name of the government. UESPA was just an inter-state agency. That’s all that can be reasonably inferred from the name.

This season was, at best, 5-6 episodes of story spread across 13.

If they were going to do 13 episodes, there were potentially interesting aspects that could have been explored about this. (e.g., how does the DMA change the balance of power in the Alpha/Beta Quadrants in a galaxy still recovering from The Burn? How do people and the Star Trek governments react to the potential of sudden unpredictable destruction that they have no ability to predict or control?)

But the show isn’t really interested in exploring those type of questions except on a surface level. It wants more Book-Burnham drama and relationship issues among the characters. The entire Book-Tarka was done badly, and only added in to give Michael personal stakes.

Sounds like it was nauseating; more emotional sludge from Michelle Paradise, possibly the worst Trek writer ever.

You clearly didn’t watch it so this is just trolling.

The author flat out said it wasn’t watched and formed the opinion based on what people were writing about it. Not really trolling.

Referring to Michelle Paradise as “possibly the worst Trek writer ever,” while simultaneously admitting to having not watched at least this episode is, at best, borderline trolling.

I’ll concede borderline trolling at worst.

It may not have been the most exciting season finale of Star Trek Discovery, but at least it tied everything up in a neat little bow. I’m glad Tarka is gone. Book and Ndoye got off way too easily for their crimes, but I’ll admit that I’m glad Book is still alive. I also loved that President Rillak mentioned the Borg, which means they are still out there in the 32nd century and will hopefully appear on Discovery. Also kudos to Earth for rejoining the federation and to T’Rina who will undoubtedly be melding with more than Saru’s mind.

I was actually pleasantly surprised by Book’s punishment, as I was afraid he’d get off scot free for finally stopping Tarka. It also shows a certain amount of enlightenment that the Federation has when it comes to crime and punishment.

On the flip side, I think Ndoye got off way to easily. As a government official she straight up committed treason. I’m not saying she should be locked away for life or anything, but at least a demotion was in order.

After a boring season due to its slooooooooow pace and a lot of fillers, a satisfying finale, including episode 12 and half of episode 11. These 3 episodes would have made an excellent tv-feature film and saved the season. Finally something in the spirit of Trek, encountering (close) a very alien species (of the 3rd) kind. I did have some TMP vibes what I would love to see in a Star Trek movie, and of course a lot of vibes from Arrival. I hope season 5 will be very different the way they tell the plot. Please no more 2 hours stretched to 13 episodes!! They could have also spared the last 5 minutes when it came too emotional. Beside that, a nice was to conclude the season. I was very pleased and emotionally moved, but it was a bit too long at the end. The special appearence of earth president left me clueless. I was expecting to see a legacy character as a very special guest. Maybe the Holo-Doc? Daniels from ENT? Or Kovich becoming earth president? Maybe that apperance meant something for american viewers, but as an international viewer from outside I didn’t get that scene.

Yeah, the Earth President was a real life American politician that is friends with the production and had done voting videos with some of the cast.

No, I am not trying to make this incendiary. Just stating a fact the producers themselves admitted in an interview I read on another site.

Many Americans viewers understood it perfectly well. And found it amazingly ironic considering the message of being unified that was being hammered over our heads.

Yes, many of us American viewers did understand it quite well, and found the message to be quite hopefully and unifying.

And not ironic at all coming from someone who has fostered quite a bit of division?

If you consider championing voting rights as divisive, then it certainly is ironic, though not for the reasons you think.

No one is against voting rights. That is not the reason she is divisive. She is divisive because she has been championing divisive policies. And among the voting issues she wishes to end are things that the majority of the country, including a majority of her own ethnicity, are in favor of.

One thing in the plot bothered me: After the Romulus-catastrophe, haven’t they learned how to make it possible to evacuate a planet in case the same happens again?

They probably did but the Federation was functionally hobbled by the Burn and the scarcity of dilithium. They probably didn’t the resources to mount a planetary evacuation (let alone TWO) so soon after finding the dilithium planet.

There is simply no realistic way of evacuating several billion people in a short period of time. Let’s assume a population of 10 billion. Let’s be generous and assume you can cram 50,000 people onto one ship. That means you need 200,000 ships each carrying 50,000 people. But, first you would need to get them off-planet onto those ships. That takes time. If you don’t have 200,000 ships you would need to shuttle people somewhere else, offload them there and then return for the next round. If I remember correctly, there was less than a day between knowing the DMA was headed for Earth and Nivar and its arrival. That simply doesn’t work.

After my posting I remembered the Burn which crippled the fleet and came the conclusion that they didn’t have enough time and resources to rebuilt it. On the other hand, being so far away in the future, you would expect to find so advanced and fantastic technology that would make possible to evacuate so many people. whole planet. What happened to wormholes, transwarp-beaming and so on? And to that technology we saw in PIC season 1?

Aw. And they all lived happily ever after. Is this the last episode of the show? I hope so.

Also, how did they go from only being able to communicate single ideas through numerical equations in the last episode, to just chatting away as normal to the 10-C at the end of this episode? Did I miss something? How did that happen?

I’m loathe to defend this train wreck but while that was a complaint I had in the last episode the fact is this is a show and they just cannot spend lots of time working out the means of communication. That is something that would just take a ton of time. Time they didn’t have because of the stakes they created and as dull as the finale was it would have been a lot duller if they spent lots of time working on the communication issues. They touched on the complexity of it. Made a number of assumptions that ended up being correct. And on they went.

Aaaaaand they fell at the last hurdle.

Back to explosions, back to crying and drawn out over emotional scenes and outbursts, back to Tilly and her annoying quirks/ditherings. Most of this feels pointless. I actually liked most of this season, as it did have some resemblance now and then to Star Trek (plus, actually like the new fleet they developed for the 32nd Century/there’s actual cohesion in the designs). But they reverted to the same old shlock at the end. Ah well, Discovery, at least you stayed true to yourself.

Hmm I found that a bit boring. Loved the overall idea. Working out the motivations, learning to communicate – that felt very Star Trek to me, almost V’Ger like but really t he last three episodes felt like one episode padded out.

I’ve kind of come to the conclusion that Discovery is never going to be the Star Trek series I really enjoy. I’ve given it a chance but it’s not one I’ll rewatch. I find it far too emotional, sometimes an episode can be motoring along and then we get a sudden screeching halt to explore how someone is feeling in that moment and that isn’t for me. Honestly it feels like a ship full of Barclays at times.

Season review: some really good Star Trek moments hidden among the crying and hugging. Overall: Meh

It wasn’t perfect, but I think this is probably the strongest finale they’ve had. A very Star Trek-y end and wrapped things up mostly satisfyingly.

I think the species 10-C worked great, a bit of V’ger TMP new life and new civilizations!!! Easily the best part of the show, an alien race allowed to be different! The Federation revival though I think has been a huge missed opportunity. Turns out everyone left the UFP and there was absolutely nothing to learn or fix. For writers that try to come up with insane mirror evil UFPs, they had the chance to do a more realistic actual UFP in need of reform and tolerating diversity and discussions on sovereignty and never really built an arc around it. Did the UFP go too authoritarian that everyone left due to all the wars? Was it necessary? Were all the races just made too lazy to explore space by holodecks? Were they tired of fighting wars? Are they now anti-exploration and feel they need to focus on themselves (how many people complain about NASA money not being used to help the poor despite technology shifting everything forward). I think had this Federation debate being going on while 10-C was doing its thing would have been a more exciting season. A little sad they didn’t have more “we must work together!” during the crisis. Reminds me of the missed opportunity that was Enterprise honestly.

I understand your point. I think the idea that suddenly, with no reason, Earth… Check that… “United Earth” (I guess that’s the official name of the planet in the 32nd century for some unknown reason) suddenly wants to join the UFP again? No talks, no vetting, no nothing? Just, we are ready to reenter the fold right here right now? Makes no sense whatsoever.

The way I see it, the Earth was about to be destroyed by some alien mining equipment. The Federation swooped in and saved them. The Feds even began helping with the evacuation when things weren’t looking so good. So out of an abundance of gratitude, the Earth decided to rejoin the Federation in this post burn galaxy.

And that shows an amazing lack of professionalism, foresight or common sense. If someone you once knew and aren’t on good terms with any longer pushes you out of the way of an oncoming car do you suddenly decide to buddy up with that person again? It could cause you to rethink your position but you shouldn’t be inviting them to dinner that night or having beers at ballgames again as if nothing has happened.

United Earth is not the name of the planet. It’s the name of the government of the planet.

Then why does everyone call it Earth up until now? Since this government obviously does not include the entire planet then it seems like the President of “United” Earth is overstepping when saying Earth is ready to join the Federation. That would mean only the governments that have opted into the “United” Earth government are good with it. What, do the others have no say in the fate of their planet? Does United Earth rule over even those who are not a part of it? Something feels wrong with all that.

Where are you getting that the United Earth government doesn’t include all of Earth? That’s like saying the United States of America doesn’t include all of States.

Not so. But even the United Nations doesn’t include everyone. If it did include all it seems reasonable that they would just say “Earth” rather than “United Earth”. It’s 3 fewer syllables, that’s the name of the planet and if it does include every single state then it encompasses everyone on Earth. So again, no need. Especially so since no one in Star Trek has ever referred to the planet as “United Earth”.

Earth has been referred to as United Earth in the past, as pointed out by a plethora of people above. You’re really just looking for a reason to criticize at this point, and really weird one at that.

No, it hasn’t been. As pointed out above, that was not the name of the planet but rather an inter-state agency. I just asked a question why on this show they made a point to call the Earth “United” Earth. As if the planet’s name officially changed for some reason. It’s a legitimate question and one that has yet to be satisfactorily answered.

I just found it an odd change. Weird that the question triggers you like that.

The name of Earth didn’t change, whenever anyone refers to United Earth its the government of Earth.

And, FYI, not sure where you’re getting that I’m triggered, just a bit confused by your stance on this completely unimportant issue.

Just feels like a missed opportunity. You have this ship from the past finding the Federation in tatters, people lamenting the lost dream. Then they find the Federation and turns out, nope, it’s all good (?!?!). Just some crazy United Earth, Romulan-Vulcans and Andorian members leaving for no reason. I don’t see why you wouldn’t have some arc where Michael and the Discovery crew have to bring back some forgotten Federation ideals, some which could come into conflict with the “new Federation” which sees these 23rd century types as naive barbarians. Maybe the new Federation President is trying to reform but the CinC Starfleet thinks she is naive and will lead to weakness (a reverse TUC) and all she can trust is Discovery being outside the Fleet? And by the end they learn to compromise. Maybe Section 31 had to take control when the galaxy was falling apart? I’m just surprised that the Federation fell, but it was all uh, good? Could have been some drama there with lessons learned with some real political analogs and controversies to explore (and setting up some action). I really feel that oversimplification has hurt discourse in society for instance that you don’t even need to have it where there is a right and a wrong side, but shades of grey. I think it’s fair you could have it where after the Borg, Temporal Wars, Dominion War the Federation becomes this monolithic command economy on a war footing where no one really wants to explore the Universe anymore. I mean look at today – people get upset about the space race because shouldn’t the money goto the poor. We’ve also had it so cozy and know our world, the Royal and US Navies aren’t really in the exploration game at all. Accusations of imperialism, etc. Indeed in some ways TNG seemed to have it where the Federation expected all aliens to become as enlightened as the humans on Earth, holodecks. Even Picard in Insurrection was lamenting all he was finding out there was war. In the defence of the UFP/Starfleet at the type, they were almost conquered by the Borg, Dominion, Klingon wars, temporal wars that made no sense, etc. It had to be all hands on deck and they really tried their hardest to keep some exploration going that no one seemed to care about anymore. You can see a difference between the UFP of TOS and TNG, in TOS the UFP is more NATO with the humans (US) being heavily active in Starfleet but the Andorians and Tellerites fighting with the Vulcans, etc. A more “diverse” group with more internal sovereignty. In Star Trek IV you have the Vulcan ambassador coming up to fight with the Council as they entertain talking with the Klingons. Just seems more “loose”. Always thought of it was Andorian being “good Klingons”, the Vulcans being the pacifists, the Tellerites being more commercial and the humans in between able to compromise with all. But what if the Alpha Centuarians want to join but they are a matriarchal society, are they allowed in? In TNG and Discovery you see a more monolithic entity where basically all the planets are pretty in tune and what the President says goes. Then the burn and resource shortages and you see the break up of the Federation when they start deciding how to deal with the scarcity and then it all falls apart. Hell, maybe the UFP decided to buy dilithium from the Klingons instead of Earth to encourage them to join which they then turned around and used for war or something so Earth decided to cut everyone off. Resource conflicts that exposed the need for appreciating diversity. Maybe the UFP came in and decided to nationalize all the dilithium and to put it all into the Starfleet due to the fear of war and Earth and Andorians thought that was too much? I’m not saying the new Federation should have been evil but maybe have parts of it out of control to put back into place. Also you would think the independent worlds like Earth, Andor, Ni’Var, all the small colonies would pay more of a price with wars, economic conflicts, a price to pay for not exploring resulting in shortages, etc. This was touched on at first, but the whole concept seemed to fade. You then can have some Roman style politics in the rebirth where in the end some 23rd century values get relearned. Maybe have it where Starfleet didn’t want them to go exploring when they should have been running away and they relearn the concept. I don’t know, the Federation rebirth I thought was going to be more Foundation/Dune keeping things exciting instead of a race to normalcy.

I partly agree. I do think Discovery should have spent a lot more time in rebuilding the Federation. We saw that briefly at the end of last season and the beginning of this one before the DMA story took over. We also were given hints throughout last season (and also a bit of this season) that the Federation pre-Burn was not on the best of terms with all of it’s members (specifically Ni’Var and Alshain IV – the planet with the butterfly people from the first episode of Season 4). Unfortunately, albeit not entirely surprising, the show runners definitely bit off more than they could chew with what a post-Burn Federation would look like.

At the same time (and to play my own devil’s advocate), it would make sense that if some/most planets left the Federation simply because of an inability to travel, when that ability came back they’d be more than happy to return.

I would say this is by far Discovery’s best season finale, and the season felt more coherent, even if the run-up to the finale was too thin to carry the full season. The big difference with this season is that they obviously knew where they were going from the beginning, that wasn’t the case at all with previous seasons (at least it appears that way). I doubt Season 3 writing began with them knowing that the burn was caused by the scream of a child. This season had a fairly satisfying arc, even if it was hardly suspenseful or engaging. You can also see where the season’s budget went, it’s all in this episode and the VFX looked (and sounded) brilliant. The return of Tilly again reminded me why this series can’t afford to lose their strongest cast members, she brings so much charisma to a show that is otherwise drab. Her absence doomed the season for me in ways I didn’t expect. Anyway, great finale alongside a phenomenal run of episodes for Picard…good times for Star Trek fans.

And although I adore Stacey Abrams and the way her moment meant the reunification of Earth and the Federation, the moment was a little cringeworthy, perhaps a little too saccharine for me.

BTW, I freaking love the 32nd century ships, more please!

What I don’t get about Earth leaving the Federation in Star Trek Discovery as it pertains to Starfleet is that Starfleet is the military and exploration arm of the United Earth that predates the Federation.

Therefore, shouldn’t Starfleet have left the Federation with the United Earth when they left?

Shouldn’t ALL those Starfleet vessels belong to the United Earth?

Starfleet’s legacy starts with Earth, but every indication seems to be that it becomes a Federation institution after the founding of the Federation, and is the primary defense, diplomatic, and exploration force for all member states.

Every captain says some variation of it during their hails: “This is Captain James T. Kirk of the Federation starship Enterprise…”

I think the 13 episode long arcs need to go. I don’t mind a few 2 to 4 episode arcs, but I would like to see discovery become a little more episodic. There should be a lot to explore in the 32nd century and you can throw a few smaller arcs here and there. This was the first season I actually fell asleep during an episode… I think it was episode nine or 10, I can’t remember.

The same happened me too on episode 10! I fell asleep… One problem of the “modern” episodes long arc is keeping the old way of watching it. Most modern shows can be binged watched. But not Disco unless you wait 13 weeks. That wouldn’t improve the plot but maybe it would have been less boring.

I thought the episode was terrible. No especially hard choices had to be made. A few sentences were enough to persuade 10C to completely change their way of life. Impossible situations were simply resolved. Even an apparent death lasted no more than 10 minutes.

Every situation is easy if there are no tough calls to be made. Most of Michael’s lines this episode and season were variations of “Tell the team I want this problem solved” — you really need a captain to tell you that?

A wonderful finale to one of the best seasons of Discovery yet. While I was initially unsettled by the inclusion of Stacy Abrams, because, as others have mentioned, and has clearly transpired in the comment section, it super charged a debate that’s largely separate from the story and meaning of the entire episode/season, I applaud the Discovery production for having made the choice nonetheless. What I do find more disappointing is not only the comments of others, but the author: ANTHONY PASCALE’s derogatorily classifying a cameo that lasted barely two minutes as “stunt casting”.

On other matters, I personally enjoyed the decision for the final closing image of the planet earth to not represented by the standard north-south view on the America’s. Bravo to the Discovery production for continuing to make their own choices this season. Continue the tradition of holding a mirror to society, with all forms of advocacy no matter how uncomfortable it makes some people, myself included.

I love Discovery and really enjoyed the ending to season 4. At times it reminded me of the sense of wonder that they were even trying for in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, but were never quite able to get to successfully. I even thought I heard snippets of the TMP soundtrack at times.

HOWEVER, I will say this…where the heck are the straight white men on this show? Was there some sort of revolution at some point in the future and now they’ve been turned into slaves or something? I have no problem with diversity in Star Trek, I loved DS9 and Voyager, but on DS9 you had characters like O’Brien and Bashir and Voyager you had Tom Paris and Harry Kim, but here you don’t even have a lowly ensign on Disco that is a straight white male.

I kind of lost of when they said “President of Earth” and it was yet another woman who stepped off of that ship…again I have no problem with women in power, but what are the odds that all of the leaders we see are women, with the one exception of Admiral Vance.

It’s a correction for perceived over-representation in the past, I get the sense that Paradise feels it’s her duty to showcase diversity forcefully. So we get Kovich and Vance representing that demographic in the recurring guest cast.

Still, apart from Enterprise and TOS, the specific demo you are looking for isn’t the majority of any of the other casts. I maintain she’s over-correcting and while some casting decisions are laudable, others come across as pandering that does a disservice to the minorities being represented. Representation is the start of everything, but if you don’t back that up with meaningful characterization, then it eventually becomes insulting.

I find the show disappointing same thing every episode just put a large C on Michaels chest ad a cape for super captain able to save the day when no one else can show is extremely predictable the best ending would be that in the beginning when Michael is being transported to prison and the shuttle has an issue that Michael is injured and is in a coma dreaming it all

I liked season 1. Hit and miss, trying new things.. but I enjoyed it. I really loved season 2. It checked all my ST boxes. Can’t wait for ST strange new worlds.

Season 3 and 4 are so dull, boring and mostly so cheesy. Good episodes here and there but overall not exciting one bit.

Im a long time st Fan but Disco has lost me. Besides Saru I don’t care about any of them. The line are cheesy, the crying, the long looks they give each other. There continuel emotion dilemas. The applause and tears each time they suceed a mission ! ST always had that little look and smile but disco is over the top.

Even the direction and SFX. Its so fast all the time… I don’t even find the space shots look that good. And the flame throwers on the bridge for each action scene. Balls of fire shooting out from every vent. my god tell the fire guy to take it easy!

Sorry for ranting. I was hoping for something better after season 3. Im a bit disapointed. Hope Strange new worlds delivers. At least the 3 main characters are very likable and interesting.

Seems that I’m not the only one who feels sees it that way. I understand the problems most had with S1 and 2 and why they felt a need to change it (and jump into the future). But it were not the plots, not the pace, not the characters. I liked season 1 and mostly S2 a lot.The characters were great, strong and INTERESTING in S1 and S2. Lorca was a badass, Tyler was interesting, Pike was very strong and most-trek-like, even Mirror-Giorgiu was interesting, even she was was very controversial. All these interesting characters left or were reduced drastically like Saru, Culber and Stamets. At least the final 2,5 episodes saved the season and the last episode felt like a series finale. That’s the opposite of Enterprise. Great season 4 but disappointing (and not real) series finale. If they really continue with season 5, please make a kind of reboot like S3, but not so soft. They should get the producers of the new season of PIC. I see Disco Season 3 and 4 as a different, ANOTHER series as Season 1 and 2 just like I do with Picard Season 1. If I would rank al Star Trek shows, I would split each Disco and Pic and rank them on very different spots.

I’m sorry, but it’s NOT okay with me for any politician to be on Star Trek. As much as I like Stacey Abrams, I do not approve of mixing real-life politicians into the series. It’s just distasteful and distracting. I would feel the same way if they put Trump on the show. It’s just a big NEVER! from me. I think Gene Roddenberry would be rolling in his grave.

It may not have been completely clean, but I think Discovery finally stuck the landing.

The finale itself was mostly satisfying, tying up the various threads from throughout the season and making good on the writers’ promise that the 10-C would be unlike anything we’ve seen in past Trek’s. While the overall conclusion was a bit simple and rushed (the 10-C so easily not just stopping the DMA, but completely abandoning their protective hyper-field), it absolutely made sense within the concept of the story being told. I really, really appreciated the fact that while there was a good amount of action in this episode, none of it devolved into incoherence! If anything, many of the action scenes were integral to the story being told – i.e. pretty much all of the scenes with the Federation trying to evacuate Earth. I especially loved the opening shot of Federation HQ warping to Earth; it took me a moment to figure out what I was looking (at first I thought it had something to do with the 10-C trying to capture Book’s ship), but once I realized it was the entire Federation HQ I may have thrown my fist in the air a little bit ;) The F/X crew definitely worked overtime as this was the first time got a really good look at a number of 32nd Century ships and I’m all for starship porn :)

On the flip side, I really wish we had spent more time (a lot more time) on developing the 10-C – learning more about their history, why they suddenly needed to develop the DMA (I can’t imagine it such a massive anomaly has been floating around the galaxy for a thousands years going unnoticed), etc. In the same vein, I would loved to have seen more time in developing communication b/w the Federation and the 10-C as I found that aspect of “Species 10-C” to be absolutely fascinating.

This brings me to a larger frustration with the season as a whole. While the story that was told was a good and interesting story, it was told at a frustrating pace. I think we easily could have had two episodes just dealing with communication with the 10-C, but instead we had multiple episodes with the Discovery spinning it’s wheels trying to stop Book. The episode right before the mid-season hiatus “…But to Connect” was a big highlight in how it dealt with diplomacy and showing a ton more about the state of the various alien species in the 32nd century, but it was all too fleeting. I’ve read many a complaint that 13 episodes was just too many, resulting in a number of filler episodes, but I disagree. I think 13 episodes could have been a perfect amount had the focus of the story telling been adjusted as there was certainly enough storytelling potential surrounding the DMA and the 10-C (especially when it came to communication). Fortunately, the pacing issues didn’t become a real problem until after the hiatus, and even then they weren’t enough to ruin the season for me.

Speaking of frustrations, I get the writer’s want to try and develop the bridge crew, but my g0d are they doing it in the worst way imaginable. Instead of having storylines centered around these characters, we instead get some truly cringe-worthy reaction shots of them smiling, hugging and crying. If we knew these characters more maybe these shots we be meaningful, but as it stands every time they happen I can’t help but roll my eyes.

Finally, and to end on a positive note, I’m actually really excited for what season 5 can bring. DISCO has gone through a ton of changes (seriously, Season 1 and Season 4 feel like they’re from two different shows), and in someways, given the soft reboot that was Season 3, Season 3 was almost a Season 1, with Season 4 being akin to a Season 2. Given Trek’s past track record, Season 3 tends to be when the shows really find themselves, so 🤞 that DISCO can follow suit in it’s own roundabout way ;)

I’m still waiting on an explanation of how giant floating jellyfish? created such advanced technology that they are a type 2 civilization

@ THX – Thankyou! Yes, this was one of my first thoughts too. I’m keen to know a possible explanation other than something unsatisfactory like they ‘willed it’ into existence over the years as their ‘minds grew’.

I wouldn’t worry about it too much, I highly doubt we’ll ever see them again. They are a ”one and done” species. Can’t see them recurring like the Borg, Romulans, Klingons etc.

I haven’t seen recurring the Borg and Klingons in Disco in the 32th century either.

I meant over the entire franchise. We’ve seen Borg etc plenty of times across multiple series. Species 10C(stupid name) we’ll never again see in another show, sure maybe they’ll get mentioned, but actually seen and interact with? Nope, forget get. That’s how these writers roll.

To all of those who don’t like it when Michael (or any of the crew for that matter cries), there was a great interview on “Fresh Air” recently with Marie Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine who was unceremoniously fired by the Trump administration. During the interview she speaks about crying “hot, angry tears” upon learning she is being removed from her position, and feeling betrayed by the State department. She asked point blank if she felt embarrassed for crying in such a way, her response is brilliant (the bolding is mine):

I’m sure I was mildly embarrassed, but there were so many other emotions going on: anger, disbelief, worry about what this would mean for our Ukraine policy, for our diplomacy, our standing. There were so many other emotions going on. That embarrassment was down at the bottom of the heap. But the reason I wrote that passage is that women feel that it’s unprofessional to cry, and I’m not saying that it’s the best reaction. But when men shout, that’s kind of accepted as a strong man expressing his views. When women cry, which is often the same emotion just expressed in a different way, that’s unprofessional. I wrote that passage because I wanted women to know that it’s OK, that sometimes you have to just own your emotions and keep on going with it.

That was hard to watch.

I really enjoyed this season. They were trying to do something different, and for the most part it worked. I’ve read a few comments that the concept was too drawn out, well there was a lot of great character building which would not have been there if this story was just a two part episode. Saru and the Vulcan leaders relationship for example – which was a highlight of the season, had time to grow naturally when mixed in with the season long story. also the whole sense of going “out there” into the unknown and encountering something truly alien was well done, and that is something that has been missing from all of these new Trek shows. As for the finale – it’s probably the best one they have done, but that’s not saying much as they have all been disappointing to me. Thankfully there was no over the top action scene like last season with the truly stupid rollercoaster elevators. They didn’t totally derail like the Picard finale either. That’s all good. Where they failed was in not showing any real tragedy. I’m sorry, but Book’s “death” was well done and emotional. It would have served as a huge moment for Burnam to have actually had her Kobayashi Maru moment.That was all ruined by bringing Book back at the end.

There’s a youtube video ripping into Stacey Abrams’ appearance and the new Kirk casting that says that Trek “has gone straight to hell” and calls him “Lame LGBTQ Jerk” — a very awkward play on James T Kirk if I do say so.

The video has nearly 60K views in a day. Sad state of affairs, how angry fans have gotten over a simple TV show.

It’s sad how a franchise about tolerance has a lot of intolerant “fans”.

I’ve never been as disappointed after watching 50+ years of Trek as when the Discovery team cast a controversial political leader in such a pivotal role as President. This was an unnecessary casting stunt that draws the viewer out of the Star Trek reality and right into current politics. Terrible distraction to what was a wonderful story. Please producers – never again – leave acting to actors.

Agreed, and I was glad to hear that Anthony and Laurie agree with us.

Phenomenal theme, great setting. However, the emotional decisions by a Captain trusted to command a starship was a bit ridiculous. No where in other in a fictional universe or reality would that be tolerated.

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A far better finale than Discovery’s third season but not without its share of criticism.

Review: Star Trek: Discovery Season 4 Episode 13 “Coming Home”

The fourth season finale of Star Trek: Discovery closes the book on not only this season’s arc, but the story that began in season three, and in the process adeptly delivers a message seemingly straight from the heart and mind of Gene Roddenberry himself.

As we were heading into “Coming Home,” we were hoping this finale would be more satisfying than season three’s ending , which made some questionable choices that resulted in an overall weak episode. We’re happy to say “Coming Home” is a better cap to this season than the preceding finale, but there are still some criticisms we want to address.

After a halted first contact effort between the 10-C and Discovery , Captain Michael Burnham ( Sonequa Martin-Green ) is racing against time to stop Ruon Tarka ( Shawn Doyle ) from destroying the DMA’s power source, and with it the entire hyperfield. Stopping him can’t come too soon, as Earth is starting to get impacted by the DMA despite the best efforts of Admiral Charles Vance ( Oded Fehr ) and Sylvia Tilly ( Mary Wiseman ), who are aboard Federation Headquarters, which is itself now in orbit around Earth to help with the evacuation efforts. The stakes are clear: stop Tarka now, or Earth will be destroyed.

Onboard Book’s ship, Cleveland Booker (David Ajala ) and Jett Reno ( Tig Notaro ) are witnessing Tarka starting the process needed to destroy the DMA’s power source. Book, however, is not content to stay trapped behind the forcefield while the destruction of the hyperfield takes place, so he devises a plan to free himself. Using Grudge’s collar, he forms a small entryway in the forcefield big enough for a cat to get through, but that’s apparently not a problem for the six-foot-tall man. Book sneaks out of the forcefield and ambushes Tarka, but he can’t stop the gravimetric beam Tarka is emitting from Book’s ship.

Back on Discovery , Paul Stamets ( Anthony Rapp ) and Adira Tal ( Blu del Barrio ) devise a way to free the ship of the membrane that has entrapped the ship. By channeling energy built up during the spore jump process and directing it toward the membrane, Discovery breaks free and pursues Book’s ship, but the cost of this plan is high. As predicted, the spore drive is destroyed, leaving Discovery to warp back to Earth once everything is said and done, a trip that would take decades.

This concern is put on the backburner as Discovery catches up to Book’s ship and the bridge crew devises how to stop the DMA power source’s destruction. Ultimately, General Ndoye ( Phumzile Sitole), who previously admitted to being the one who helped Tarka and Book escape, helps concoct a risky plan: a person could ram a shuttle into Book’s ship, thus breaking Tarka’s connection with the DMA’s power source. But there’s a catch: the person piloting the shuttle is almost certain to perish in the impact. Who, then, should do it?

After faking viewers out with the possibility of Kayla Detmer ( Emily Coutts ) being the one to sacrifice herself to sever the connection between Book’s ship and the power source, it’s actually  Ndoye who volunteers to do it. This bravery is the perfect redemption for her character, as she now knows communication was indeed working between the away team and the 10-C before she assisted Book and Tarka’s escape. To have her perish helping save the people she put in jeopardy is a nice touch – but it turns out not much actual sacrifice is required on her part.

While we are told the chances of Ndoye getting beamed out of the exploding shuttle as it impacts Book’s ship are extremely low, the general is indeed whisked back aboard Discovery as her shuttle makes contact. Lucky her! We are also told that Book and Tarka won’t survive such an extreme impact, but alas they do. This speaks to a major flaw of this episode: setting up huge stakes just to ignore them. It’s like the show wants us to believe our characters are truly in harm’s way but don’t have the stomach to follow through. This episode does this four times: 1) suggesting Detmer will make the sacrifice, 2) making Ndoye survive the collision, 3) making Book and Tarka survive the collision, and 4) Book actually being beamed to safety by the 10-C. Stop pulling your punches, Discovery !

Anyway, the impact with Discovery ’s shuttle disables Book’s ship, and the two men onboard have precious little time to escape. By his point, Tarka has come around to the idea that maybe he did take things a little too far, and more importantly, his friend Oros may not be waiting for him in the perfect alternate universe. It’s a sobering realization for Tarka, who, for the first time, shows real, honest-to-god grief at what he has done. But there is one last chance to help make things right.

Book’s ship only has power for one transporter beam, and Tarka makes Book utilize it to get back to Discovery . It’s not entirely self-sacrifice for Tarka, however, as he considers that the impending explosion that will destroy him and Book’s ship will be enough energy to power his transporter and whisk him away to Kayalise. It’s a long shot but leaves the viewer with the comfort that Tarka, a man haunted by demons and the burden of true friendship, will actually find the peace he has been looking for all these years.

Not all is right onboard Discovery , however, as the transporter signal that is supposedly beaming Book to the bridge suddenly winks out of existence, leaving Burnham with the realization that Book perished along with Tarka and his ship. It’s a gut punch for the captain, who understandably breaks down on the bridge briefly before turning her attention back to the more pressing problem: communicating with the 10-C again to have them stop the DMA. But honestly, who watching this show believes Book is gone at this point?

Luckily for the crew, the 10-C is interested in talking again, and they invite Discovery to one of the planets within the hyperfield. Yes, this is the moment we’ve been waiting forever since we learned about the hyperfield and the DMA’s creators. Burnham, along with most of her crew, beams down to the planet and talks to the 10-C face-to-face, and what a touching conversation it turns out to be.

“Each of us is an individual one. We are also one as a whole. Our appearances and experiences differ, yet we all seek happiness, freedom, security, equality. We want that for our children, just as you do for yours. There is so much that unites us.” President Rillak to the 10-C.

First, showing the 10-C in all their glory is a great exercise of sci-fi imagination, brought to life through this show’s impressive big-screen technology . With Saru utilizing an improved version of the translation method they created in last week’s episode, Burnham asks the 10-C to stop the DMA to avoid incredible loss of life, which they quickly do. Burnham and Rillak, for their part, impart a delicate message upon the 10-C: the Discovery crew, and everybody else in the Milky Way, are individuals with their own passions, thoughts, feelings, and intelligence, but together they work to better the lives of others. It’s a touching message, delivered to a species that operates mainly as one harmonious entity, the information we learned thanks to President T’Rina’s ( Tara Rosling ) mind-meld early in the episode.

The 10-C inquire about the ones who broke away from Discovery and tried to harm their home, to which Burnham confesses Book and Tarka’s rebellion and describes how Book’s planet was destroyed by the DMA. This helps the 10-C understand the pain they have caused, and promise to move the DMA away from inhabited worlds. As such, the Discovery ’s mission is complete, and the assembled crew are elated and grateful.

But the 10-C have a surprise in store for Burnham; they were able to save one of the men from Book’s ship, and to the surprise of no one, Book magically appears in front of the away team, much to Burnham’s shock and relief. It turns out the 10-C intercepted the transporter beam and saved Book.

Back in the world of the living, Book talks with the 10-C himself and urges them to stop hiding from the outside just because they suffered greatly when their homeworld was destroyed – clearly a situation he can relate to. He not only urges the 10-C to stop the DMA, which they already did thanks to Burnham, but he urges them to turn off the DMA for good; after all, the area of space the DMA leaves behind is dangerous by itself. The 10-C asserts that shutting down the DMA will also shut down their hyperfield, but Book reasons that hiding behind a wall because they fear what’s outside is not the way to live. Taken by itself, this message is pure Discovery ; advocating for connecting with others and not hiding behind fear is what this season has been all about. Kudos to David Ajala for conveying this message to the 10-C with such intense emotional resolve.  

As a last gesture of connectivity, Book (seemingly accidentally) connects telepathically with all the 10-C gathered at this meeting and expresses to them the raw emotional essence he is trying to convey. It’s a touching moment, beautifully filmed and acted, and it symbolizes the culmination of this season’s major theme: connection is the key toward peace and understanding.

Thus ends Discovery ‘s journey to the 10-C and stopping the DMA, and the ship uses the wormhole that was previously connected to the DMA to travel home since the spore drive was broken. Back at Earth, damage done from the DMA is being repaired and a major event is about to happen: United Earth is rejoining the Federation. Coming aboard Federation Headquarters is the United Earth’s president herself, and until a few seconds, before this person steps out of the shuttle, we honestly didn’t pay this always-off-screen, rarely mentioned character any mind. But it turns out Discovery has been keeping a major guest spot secret in this finale.

Playing United Earth’s president is Stacey Abrams , a well-known Democratic politician and voting rights activist who is a self-professed Star Trek fan ; case in point: in December 2020 she joined a panel with various Star Trek cast members about the importance of voting. Having such a progressive politician cast in a Star Trek show (as a major in-universe politician, no less) certainly fits this franchise’s ethos, although we must say that seeing such a familiar face was, at first, jarring. But the more one reflects on Abrams’ progressivism, activism, and dedication to equality, the choice to have her play United Earth’s president is a decision we can get on board with.

Closing this episode, and thus the season, is a fairly standard monologue by Burnham about the importance of being connected and kind to one another, but the very last sequence shows a simple but thematically important sight: the Earth, beautiful as ever against the blackness of space. In its final frame, Discovery is reminding us of our interconnectedness, our shared place in this galaxy despite our countless differences. It’s a message Burnham and Book shared with the 10-C, and in turn, it’s a message the show is expressing to its viewers. Moreover, it’s a message that seemingly comes straight from the heart and mind of Gene Roddenberry; in that sense, we think he would have been proud of this season.

“We came to this future to find the Federation in pieces, quadrants and sectors, planets and families, divided, so much uncertainly and disconnection. But the Burn and the DMA have shown us we are all connected. And we can overcome any challenge as long as we do it together.” Part of Burnham’s season-closing monologue

In this way, Discovery sticks its landing in a way it did not in its last season finale. “Coming Home” also helps this show come full circle since its jump to the future, as the Federation the Discovery first encountered in “ People of Earth ” was fractured and struggling to survive the post-Burn galaxy; such is definitely not the case at the end of “Coming Home.” But this episode isn’t perfect. We can’t help but think the inclusion of Tilly and Vance’s scenes on the Federation Headquarters was a roadblock for an otherwise well-paced episode. While their perspective on Earth’s damage was useful in visually conveying the stakes, this could have been accomplished in shorter, less verbose scenes that wouldn’t have negatively impacted the episode’s pacing. When Burnham and crew are about to meet the 10-C, we don’t need to hear about Tilly’s mom or Vance’s off-screen family!

Taken together, “Coming Home” is a Star Trek episode through and through, providing a decent cap on a season that took great strides to spotlight how similarities between people can trump differences, and how it’s not healthy to hide behind the pain. It’s an important message that Discovery told adroitly via its sci-fi setting, and in the process introduced viewers to neat new aspects of the Star Trek universe. What more can we ask? Bring on season five!

Stray Thoughts:

• What a visually spectacular sequence in the beginning, with the Federation Headquarters warping to Earth and then setting up evacuation operations with other ships.
• Mind-melding through a window actually worked?
• Saru is getting to be quite the romantic. What will his and T’Rina’s relationship look like in the next season?
• Tarka asserts Book’s ship is safe while he completes his plan because the 10-C wouldn’t dare come so close to the plasma streams. Why not? For such an advanced species, surely a little plasma stream wouldn’t stop them from doing anything. This sounds just like a convenient way for Book’s ship to be left alone while the plot continues.
• The USS Mitchell gets a lot of love in this episode (remember, it was the vessel that first detected the second, more powerful DMA), and we’re curious why. Is the Mitchell named after someone? We guessed before that it might be a tribute to Discovery actor Kenneth Mitchell, but no official source has confirmed that. (UPDATE: Writer and co-showrunner Michelle Paradise has confirmed that the Mitchell is indeed named after Kenneth Mitchell.)
• This episode name-drops the USS Nog and USS Yelchin , ships named after deceased Star Trek actors Aron Eisenberg, who played Nog in Deep Space Nine , and Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov in the newer Star Trek movies, respectively.
• We don’t mind how most of the named Discovery crew heads down to meet the 10-C, but… who is in command of the ship while all those people are away?
• This episode seems to lack the vignette effect the other episodes of this season had, which makes us think that effect was added throughout the season to help illustrate the dark nature of the DMA threat and everyone’s emotional state.
• Rillak asserts that Burnham “has come a long way” since their conversation in the season premiere about the Kobayashi Maru. At the time, the president thought Burnham’s luck in accomplishing wildly dangerous missions was going to run out at some point, and it was for that reason Burnham wasn’t ready to captain the Voyager . In this episode, the president says Burnham is now ready, but we must ask: has Burnham’s method of command, her risk-it-all-to-save-a-few style changed during this season? Her luck never ran out, as the president predicted. She wasn’t forced to make a hard choice between saving someone, perhaps someone she loved, over accomplishing the mission.
• Alas, this episode did not relate to the Short Trek “ Calypso ” in any way, so we’ll have to keep waiting!

The fourth season of Star Trek: Discovery stars Sonequa Martin-Green (Captain Michael Burnham), David Ajala (Cleveland “Book” Booker), Doug Jones (Commander Saru), Anthony Rapp (Lt. Commander Paul Stamets), Wilson Cruz (Dr. Hugh Culber), Mary Wiseman (Sylvia Tilly), Blu Del Barrio (Adira), and Ian Alexander (Grey).

Star Trek: Discovery streams on Paramount+ in the U.S. and on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave in Canada. Internationally, the series is available on Paramount+ and on Pluto TV in select markets .

Stay tuned to TrekNews.net for all the latest news on Star Trek: Discovery , Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , Star Trek: Picard , Star Trek: Lower Decks , Star Trek: Prodigy , and more.

You can follow us on Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram .

Kyle Hadyniak has been a lifelong Star Trek fan, and isn't ashamed to admit that Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Star Trek: Nemesis are his favorite Star Trek movies. You can follow Kyle on Twitter @khady93 .

Christopher

March 17, 2022 at 12:59 pm

Just a quick question – Who is April that this episode was dedicated to?

Kyle Hadyniak

March 19, 2022 at 1:36 pm

One of Discovery’s post-production people who passed away: https://twitter.com/ChadRubel/status/1505229907164807175?t=E47RVXmqiml93mbRtQmBmg&s=19 .

March 23, 2022 at 7:08 pm

I’ve 64 years old and have grown up on Star Trek Franchise. I have two questions and comment.

Can you tell what episode or episodes through all the Franchise has had another controversial Politician as Stacy Abrams?

I can’t remember any. But I may be wrong I haven’t seen every episode across the franchise.

Even if there has or hasn’t been any; why would CBS and the Star Trek Franchise insult and alienate a very large portion of their loyal fans who have supported and loved Star Trek over the decades?

I believe I know why.

Stacy Abrams is like 98%+ of Hollywood, entertainment industry, professional sports, Big Tech, Major Networks, FAKE NEWS and last but not least of all the HATERS of America. The same people who accuse 74,000,000+ Patriots of intolerance, racism, evil, stupid, ignorant, homophonic, people who should all be put in jail, re-education camps or executed!

The Democratic Party of John F Kennedy, Rev. King and FDR is dead and has been replaced by the Socialist/Marxist traitors. They are GUILTY of what they accuse everyone who disagree with them. Literally everything they accuse 74,000,000+ Americans of……its them that are what the accuse us of!! They are destroying our Democratic Republic and the Greatest Country EVER.

So it comes as no surprise that they will destroy the Best Ever Franchise, Star Trek.

Last but not least I quote your Brilliant VP Harris, “you got what you voted for” But…..don’t blame 74,000,000+ Patriotic Americans, we voted for TRUMP!

The RED is coming! A piece of advice don’t try to Steal it again.

March 25, 2022 at 4:12 pm

“[Burnham] wasn’t forced to make a hard choice between saving someone, perhaps someone she loved, over accomplishing the mission.”

Yes, she was. Her growth as a leader was all over this episode.

-She chose to send Ndoye on a suicide mission (which she previously would’ve insisted on piloting herself).

-She chose the death of the man she loved in order to complete the mission. While it didn’t turn out that way, she had no way of knowing that and, in fact, believed and had to confront—however briefly—that her luck HAD run out.

-She collaborated and cooperated more than really ever before and actually listened to input.

Across the board, Burnham has come a long way from season one and most of that has been via the crucible of command.

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New Star Trek: Discovery season 3 episode pays tribute to Anton Yelchin

Season 3 episode 7 featured a touching nod to the late actor

We’re now over halfway through Star Trek: Discovery season 3 , and the plot continues to thicken. However, the latest episode still found time to pay a touching tribute to the late Anton Yelchin. 

The Russian-born actor played Ensign Pavel Chekov in 2009’s Star Trek and its sequels Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond . In Star Trek: Discovery season 3 episode 7 , a former Starfleet vessel called the USS Yelchin is mentioned twice – and it plays a key role in the episode. 

A 1,000 year time jump at the end of season 2 allowed the show to get creative and create a new canon in the 32nd century after a galactic catastrophe called The Burn. Now, Commander Michael Burnham, played by Sonequa Martin-Green, is on a mission to learn the cause of the calamity that led to the collapse of the United Federation of Planets. 

In the new episode, Burnham recovers some black boxes from ships that were destroyed by The Burn as part of her investigation – and the first of these belonged to the USS Yelchin. The information from this black box leads to a huge breakthrough about the cause of The Burn and makes a key turning point in the season.

Yelchin died from blunt traumatic asphyxia in 2016. He was only 27 when a freak accident caused his car to roll down his steep driveway and trap him against a gatepost. His tribute is the second nod to a late actor to feature in Star Trek: Discovery season 3 – in episode 5 , we got a brief glimpse of the USS Nog. This was a reference to beloved Star Trek: Deep Space Nine actor Aron Eisenberg, who passed away in 2019.

A new episode of Star Trek: Discovery season 3 airs every Thursday on Netflix. While we wait for the next one, check out the other best Netflix shows to stream right now.

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Star Trek: Discovery novel ‘Wonderlands’ review

New Star Trek: Discovery novel ‘Wonderlands’ arrived this week! We’ve dived into the new adventure for an in-depth review, including it’s many insights and intriguing elements that link directly to season 3’s storyline.

Notable Trek Author Dr Una McCormack returns to the Trek Universe to deliver a great book that fleshes out the brand new frontier offered by Discovery . Wonderlands is the latest book to tie into the Star Trek: Discovery series and offers us a great look at the 32nd century which the series now inhabits, with many interesting connective tissues to the series’ third season.

THE STORYLINE

The book takes place in the year 3188, the year in which Commander Michael Burnham finds herself sent to with her red angel suit. This is also the year in which she finds herself alone before the arrival of the Discovery in the next year of 3189.

Many fans found themselves disappointed that there was a time skip between the arrival of Burnham and that of Discovery, not shown in the show. This book chronicles those events that Burnham found herself in, and these events are fascinating and varied.

This book definitely enhances Season 3 of Discovery , fleshing out the year Burnham was isolated from her ship. It enhances some of the feelings Burnham has, especially having told Tilly she had given up hope. As well as some references from Season 3, such as “That incident at Donatu VII” which Book made in Season 3 episode 3 People of Earth . 

Not only does the story flesh out the year that Burnham was alone in the future, but also this post-burn future itself. We get a deep look into how many different people were affected by the Burn. From planets that were able to become self-sufficient, but decided to isolate themselves. To planets that relied on the trade that being a Federation member allowed, who now found themselves scarce of the resources needed to survive.

This gives some much needed detail to the post-burn future which Discovery season 3 barely scratched the surface of. And it also gives some much needed conflict to the book narrative, and the challenges that Burnham must overcome. Burnham finds out that she can’t always be successful in this new future by simply using the methods of the past, and that she has to learn to adapt.

The people in this book truly feel alive, with complex characters being one of McCormack’s strongest points as a writer. Expanding on characters we see a lot in Season 3 such as Cleveland Booker (David Ajala), to those we see little of including Aditya Sahil (Adil Hussain). Sahil is expanded on heavily in Wonderlands , which is great since he was a standout star of Discovery ’s 3rd season. We really didn’t get enough of him.

Book gets some great development in Wonderlands too. But we get a Book in this book (pun intended) that is slightly different from the series, but not incongruent from the series. He is trying to get Burnham to focus on her new life here in the future, instead of clinging to a past which may never come. He obviously clashes with Burnham about this throughout the story, with their relationship being strained along the way. There is definitely a lot of great Burnham and Book content and a push towards their eventual romance. seeing it develop from Wonderlands into what we see on-screen is amazing.

And of course Star Trek: Discovery Season three introduced us to the Queen herself, Grudge the cat. Wonderlands certainly delivers on some great Grudge content. From all the discussion between Burnham and Book about the magnificent cat, or their conversations with Grudge herself. If you loved the addition of Grudge into Season 3, you will definitely enjoy Wonderlands .

The story also looks very deeply at what the Federation truly was, which was only touched upon in Discovery . It wasn’t just its planets, its ships or its people, but an idea of mutual coexistence and tolerance. From the many different places Burnham finds herself in, it helps to reinforce this idea.

All in all, this book, like Una McCormack’s previous book “Star Trek: Picard: The Last Best Hope” provides some much needed depth and fleshing out of seasons storyline. Not only is it a great companion piece to the series, but it truly enhances scenes from Discovery . If you were at all interested in this brand new frontier of the future gave us, then we highly recommend that you pick up this book for yourself. It is very engaging and I could not put it down whilst reading. The characters are beautifully written. The situations Burnham finds herself in are varied and interesting. And the lore implications this book offers are interesting for the wider Star Trek Universe.   

STORY & LORE BREAKDOWN

Wonderlands takes us to many different places, and show’s us how they have been affected by the Burn. This takes up most of the structure of the book, and provides for some the interesting situations Burnham finds herself in. Not only does it pose some interesting story ramifications, but has lore implications for the wider Star Trek Universe.

The book reveals the name of Aditya Sahil’s starbase as “Devaloka”. “Deva Loka” being a plane of existence similar to heaven in Indian Religions. Sahil is very much expanded on from the great character we met in season 3. We learn the history of his grandmother Priya Tagore who was alive during the Burn and a Federation Council member prior to it. She serves as our vessel for learning information about what the Federation was like leading up to The Burn.

Starbase Devaloka also has more people onboard than just Mr. Sahil, about 20 people are living there. One such character is called “Jeramiah”, an old courier who has a deep hatred for the Federation. His animosity stems from his planet being left for itself after the Temporal Wars. Jeremiah lives in a place on the station called “The Back 40” where he helps to keep the station running. He also aids Burnham in fixing her tricorder, which will eventually help her find out where and when the USS Discovery will arrive into the future.

The Temporal Wars are also massively expanded on in Wonderlands . We learn that a vast number of member worlds were brought into the Federation, before and during. This is very similar to what happened during the Dominion war when protectorates under the Federation were vastly increased.

This increase in member worlds caused the Federation and its governing structures to become too unyielding. This caused many issues. Smaller member worlds problems with go resolved, while the oldest members would get priority. 

This is extremely similar to the problems that the Federation faces during the Romulan Relocation incident in 2385. The Federation was forced to pull out of its aid mission to Romulus, due to member worlds threatening to leave the Federation. They believed that their voices were not getting heard. This was expanded on in The Last Best Hope , which was also written by Una McCormack, a prequel to Star Trek: Picard .

In most Una McCormack books, you will find the inclusion of Starships named after notable female scientists, archaeologists, and other professions. In this book we get the USS Maryam Mirzakhani, a notable female mathematician who won the Mathematician Fields Medal. This ship was found within the “Necropolis” a ship graveyard. It was named such due to holo-projectors on the vessels activating when people board them, which makes for a very fascinating location. Burnham finds her own courier shuttle the “Alice” in the Necropolis. A Nirvana Class Flyer, it’s a small one person vessel class which is very reliable. Burnham finds the Maryam Mirzakhani and recovers its dedication plaque. It tells us the ship was constructed at the “New Utopia Planitia Shipyards”, so at least we know that after the events of Star Trek: Picard , the Utopia Planitia Shipyards are eventually rebuilt.

The trinkets within Burnham’s shuttle seen in Season 3 are noted within this book, especially the stories behind them. The items are:

• Black Boxes from the USS Yelchin and the Gav’nor
• Holo-Journal of Counselor Priya Tagore, grandmother of Aditya Sahil
• Coral Necklace from Ikasu
• A “Federation” symbol from a Generation Ship
• An IDIC from a Starfleet Re-enactor 
• Dedication plaque from the USS Maryam Mirzakhani
• Picture cube of friends
• The Christopher Pike Medal of Valor
• Delta Badge

It wouldn’t be an Una McCormack book without some Cardassian representation. In Wonderlands we get the point of view of Iliana Pa’Dan, a Cardassian who is the product of something called the Cardassian Diaspora.

The main villains of this book are a group called the “White Palm”, which gives very much an Urukai feeling. The White Palm are called such because they have white markings on their ships, and can apparently appear out of nowhere. We find out later in this book that their means of transport are the transwarp tunnels which are used in Season 3. 

These Transwarp tunnels were actually developed by Federation Scientists aboard Starbase 906, known as Starbase Vanguard. The project was called Project Rabbithole, continuing with Michael Burnham’s Alice in Wonderland recurring theme. This was a project to help with the dwindling dilithium resources of the Federation, along with the Ni’Var Project SB-19. Unfortunately the project was not entirely successful. The tunnels subjected ships to extreme stresses which caused them to be destroyed, which explains the amount of debris that is found within them.

Burnham buys the black box of the USS Yelchin and has a hard time understanding the benefits of a currency based economy. This is one of the black boxes we see in season 3, when Burnham collects it from a mercantile exchange.  

We get some very interesting lore about the black boxes, they are very different from the log recorders we have seen in previous Treks. They were redesigned at some point during the 26th century to be practically indestructible. They also record a copy of the crew’s personal logs. 

This having been done in the 26th century suggests some need to require almost indestructible log buoys. A big event we know might have happened in the 26th century was “The Battle of Procyon V”. This was the battle between the Federation and the Sphere Builders. Now that battle may not have happened, due to the change in timelines, but a similar incident may have happened between the Federation and Sphere Builders that warranted the need for indestructible black boxes.

Also, an interesting thing is that at some mercantiles you will see Starfleet Re-enactors. These performers dress up in slightly incorrect Starfleet uniforms and play pretend, looking for old relics they can add to their collections. Burnham offers herself off as an expert on the Federation, and makes a tidy profit selling off Federation trinkets she has recovered. She used the profits to buy the Black Box of the USS Yelchin.

Ikasu, a self-sustaining planet, is visited by Book and Burnham. They recover a call from the planet by a mother, who uses a Starfleet Subspace Relay that was left in the system. This world has looked inward since the Burn and has isolated themselves. It is taboo to not only send transmissions, but even to study the outside and look at the stars with a simple telescope.

As seen in Season 3 of Discovery , there is brand new technology in the 32nd century. Such as personal holo-projectors which scan the environment and disguise you as the life forms it detects. It’s a new way to investigate pre-warp civilisations invented by Starfleet, an upgrade to the cloaking suits seen in Star Trek: Insurrection.

Burnham and Book help to get a mother and daughter off the planet, and bring them to Sanctuary IV to start a new life. They also take the Starfleet Subspace Relay, which helps Burnham recover the message from Admiral Senna Tal from Earth.

The next situation that Burnham finds herself in is on a Generation ship, where the elders despise the Federation. The Federation left their homeworld to descend into civil war after the Temporal Wars. The young on the Generation ship were told that the Federation never existed, so that they could forget the trauma that was caused. However the young find out resulting in a generational split. Burnham manages to resolve the conflict before it devolves into civil war.

In season 3 we hear mention of “The Incident at Donatu VII” from Book, and we see that play out in Wonderlands . Donatu VII is actually a hidden world which the couriers use to settle down and have their own families. This world is under attack from the White Palm, and Burnham convinces the Couriers to band together to defend their home.

Burnham goes to Starbase Vanguard and is offered the blackbox of the Gav’nor, a Cardassian ship. It’s offered in exchange for helping the forces of Vanguard Station assume control of Starbase Devaloka. However before she realises it, Vanguard is actually run by the White Palm. They run the local systems and see themselves as a new Federation, but their methods are very much unlike starfleet. Book saves Burnham, and they manage to steal the blackbox as well as logs from Starbase Vanguard.

With the two black boxes in-hand, Burnham realises that there is a difference in the timestamps related to “The Burn”. This rarity of blackboxes from the time of the Burn really helps to tie-up some of the plot points from season 3.   

Looking through the logs that were stolen from Starbase Vanguard, the last was recorded in 3186, which was 2 years before Burnham arrived. So there was a Starfleet presence in the area in which Burnham found herself only a couple of years before she appeared. It’s good to see more factions of Starfleet still being able to operate so long after the Burn, and should offer more interesting stories in the future as the Federation is reborn and starting to reach out again.   

White Palm Raiders come to attack Divaloka, but are fended off by a collective force of couriers and other allies that Burnham has made in the last year. From members of the Generation ship, to the Ikasians they helped. This was a great way to tie together the book and all its varying plot points in an extremely satisfying way. 

Burnham and Book decide to take the fight to the White Palm, and assault Starbase Vanguard. However, before they can even open fire they are called to beam onto the station. It turns out that Burnham’s Cardassian Courier friend Iliana Pa’Dan has already organised a coup against the White Palm. It is successful as so many White Palm raiders are off station to take Divaloka.

Throughout the book, Iliana Pa’Dan has been wanting to retire as a courier. They have now become the commander of a very influential starbase which has access to 15 worlds. These are self sufficient, and even have industrial replicators. 

On their return to Divaloka Burnham finally gets a reply from Terralysium, the world which was saved by Gabriel Burnham in Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery . As we found out in season 3, Gabriel Burnham didn’t return to Terralysium when she went back to the future, but actually went back to Essof IV. News from Terralysium was the last hope that Burnham was holding on to. It was not the news she expected, but Burnham finally accepts she may have to stay in this future without the Discovery, and should let go of the past and try to make a future for herself.

The book finally ends with an actual scene from Discovery Season 3, episode 2 “People of Earth”, in which we see Burnham and Book on the Nautilus practicing on a Suus Mahna training program. 

All in all the story of this book does not only enhance the story offered in Star Trek: Discovery season 3, but does offer some very big implications for the entire Star Trek Universe. Enterprise may have mentioned the Temporal War, and Discovery may have added some flavour to it, but this book has definitely fleshed out the Temporal War into an actual tangible event which I would love to now see in a TV series.

Star Trek Discovery ‘Wonderlands’ is available to buy now in paperback and digital :

• Amazon Kindle US / UK
• Amazon (Paperback) US / UK
• Apple iBooks US / UK
• And various other bookstores

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'Star Trek: Discovery' finishes Season 4 with a disappointing finale. Again.

Against all odds, a happy ending is ensured as Paramount continues to take the show in a very contemporary direction

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Star Trek: Discovery" season 4, episode 13

Well, here we are. Again. It's fourth time around for the finale of "Star Trek: Discovery" on Paramount Plus . After a somewhat disjointed 13-episode season, that felt like it was following an almost identical template to last season and made up of two very different halves, we have the concluding episode, entitled "Coming Home."

We've mentioned in the past that the most consistent thing with "Star Trek: Discovery" is how inconsistent it is and this season finale doesn't do anything to alter our opinion. Looking back at all 13 episodes, we've seen some glimpses of absolute genius, we've seen some abhorrently lazy writing and we've seen just about everything in-between. With the last season also giving us a lame season finale, there was quite a lot riding on this one, and while it's better than last season , Discovery's season four ender is not without its faults … and sadly, there are quite a lot of those. What makes it worse, is that we said something almost exactly the same a year ago. Very little seems to have changed.

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We open straightaway with the Federation HQ itself at warp and preparing for evacuation as the dark matter anomaly looms ever closer to the Alpha Quadrant and who do we see helping to direct proceedings, but Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) whose contribution to this episode is humble, but it's unquestionably a highlight. It arrives at Sector 001 along with a fleet of starships including the USS Mitchell (named after "Star Trek" actor Kenneth Mitchell who played Aurellio in Season 3) and the USS Yelchin (named after Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov in the JJ Abrams movies).

If you need to catch up on "Star Trek: Discovery" so far, check out our Star Trek: Discovery streaming guide .

Back on the USS Discovery, Capt. Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew frantically try to figure a way out of the 10-C hyperfield so that they can give chase to Book's ship, which itself is trying to evade several guided torpedo-like "orbs" fired by 10-C in their own attempt to stop it. Meanwhile, General Ndoye (Phumzile Sitole) gives herself up for the role she played in disabling the Discovery's warp nacelle in last week's episode, enabling Tarka (Shawn Doyle) and Book (David Ajala) to escape and we lay the foundation for the final installment of the mushrooming "misunderstood" element of the primary plot.

Then something quite extraordinary happens. The first contact diplomatic team holds conference in Burnham's ready room and President T'Rina of Ni'var (Tara Rosling) suggests she try and contact species 10-C by way of a mind meld. My God, why did no one think of this before? And why didn't it even get mentioned in all of the first contact discussions that have been held, both on the Discovery and at Federation HQ..?! This could've potentially halved the time spent trying to establish communication.

Related: The first 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' trailer is here

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She's successful in communicating with them, but is understandably shaken by the overwhelming experience. She is able to tell the first contact team what species 10-C is thinking, but no one feels the need to ask what she was able to convey to them …surely that could've been a considerable help. Roll opening credits.

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One of the nice and unexpected highlights of this season was the blossoming relationship between Saru (Doug Jones) and T'Rina and that continues to develop in this episode. Unfortunately, Ruon Tarka (Shawn Doyle) is still hell bent on using the illudium Q-36 explosive space modulator to destroy the dark matter anomaly and he's now holding both Cmdr. Jett Reno (Tig Notaro) and Book (David Ajala) prisoner, but Book has found a sneaky way to escape though by fiddling with something he found on the floor.

They escape and the inevitable "let it go" de-escalation with Tarka begins, but their logic is less than perfect. Reno and Book convince Tarka that the people in the new galaxy/different dimension/alternative reality he calls Kayalise won't be exactly the same as they are here and that he has to let Oros go…but he's supposed to be already there, alive and well — or least he was, because he left the sign on the wall in the ruins of the Emerald prison camp. Maybe it's all meant to be metaphoric. Who knows.

Meanwhile, back on the Discovery, it's calculated that the ship can break free and give chase if they use the spore drive, but remain stationary, so that the stored-up energy could be directed at the orb allowing the ship to break free. The only downside is that it will burn out the spore drive leaving the Federation starship with only warp drive to travel the thousands of light years home.

Could this be a potential set up for the next season? Will they be successful, but be left stranded on the other side of the Milky Way as a consequence of saving all life as we know it? Will the story arc for Season 5 of "Star Trek: Discovery" involve the crew facing a decades-long, "Voyager"-style journey home..? No, none of those things.

To disable Book's ship and guarantee that Tarka won't release his isolytic weapon, Ndoye volunteers to fly a shuttle directly at Book's ship — which still doesn't have a name — and ram it. In the ensuing explosion, the Discovery tries to beam everyone out. The General makes it while Tarka makes the ultimate sacrifice and uses the last remaining power to beam Book out.  

Tragically, the attempt to transport him off of his ship fails. Book's atoms! His pattern never truly quite materializes and he's unable to reform properly after having every component molecule in his body scrambled and sent from the bridge of his ship — which is exploding — to the bridge of the Discovery. Thus, he's probably conscious of being pulled apart at a sub-atomic level. It's the kind of thing that really puts a crimp in your day. And for the briefest of moments, you think perhaps "Discovery" has committed itself to at least one less-than-ideal outcome from this desperate mission. But then common sense kicks in and you already dread what's coming.

Back in sector 001, Earth and the Starfleet vessels assisting in the evacuation start to face the incoming debris as a result of the gravitational effects caused by the anomaly. It's not a climatic season finale space battle in the traditional sense, but more like a space fight against rocks. There's still plenty of action and explosions, sparks flying about, shaking sets and camera shots, so it's almost the same. Tilly and Admiral Vance (Oded Fehr) bravely stay behind to coordinate as much of the effort as possible and form an unlikely, but entertaining relationship. Sadly though, the dialogue is clichéd and lets this story thread down.

The 10-C recognize much of the meaning of these recent events and the bridge crew of the Discovery is permitted to transport to the surface of their homeworld. President Laira Rillak (Chelah Horsdal) starts a dialogue with the 10-C and certainly doesn't waste any time. Thank heavens Kelpiens can type at 90 words per minute. The remainder of this third act plus the somewhat lengthy and drawn out, 14-minute long epilogue, is basically closure.

Then your earlier fear and dread are realized and the 10-C present Book to them. Book's a zombie! Yes, the 10-C intercepted the transporter pattern and stored it, you know, just in case it was important. The dark matter anomaly is shut down and for some reason, all the debris that was flying towards Earth stops, then flies back the other way. So, surely everyone is still in the firing line, just from the reverse direction?

Now for that issue about getting home. Well, the 10-C leave the DMA wormhole open just long enough for the USS Discovery to zip through and get home in time for tea and medals. The 10-C themselves are persuaded to drop the protective shielding that the boronite was fueling and face the universe without hiding behind something. Once home, everyone wraps up their affairs and Book — whose character has suffered the most from bad writing this season — accepts his punishment and says au revoir to Burnham. Ndoye on the other hand, appears to have gotten away without any serious repercussions.

It's really hard to fully understand — an insane effort is put into prop design, prop placement and continuity, set design, wardrobe, Easter eggs and so on; things that keep Jörg Hillebrand busy for months. So why then, for the love of Quality Science Fiction, is the story writing so shockingly weak? The cast mostly put in incredible performances and the actors have (one assumes) no significant influence on the story. So, they cannot be blamed in any way. It's the showrunner; that is where the buck ends.

And the current showrunner for "Discovery" likes to add layer after layer of emotional melodrama and frankly, it quickly gets too much.

Rating: 5/10

In other "Star Trek" news, Paul Wesley, perhaps best known for appearing in "The Vampire Diaries," has been cast to play young Captain Kirk in the second season of "Strange New Worlds."

"I am deeply humbled and still a little startled to have been given the honor of playing the inimitable James T Kirk," Wesley said in a tweet .

Quite how that's going to play out, no one is quite sure. Captain Pike (Anson Mount) was obviously in command of the USS Enterprise before James Kirk (William Shatner) and prior to the events of the epic two-part TOS episode "The Menagerie," the two had only met in passing, when Pike was promoted to Fleet Captain. It's possible that the publicity photo that was released with this story shows a young Kirk taking the Kobayashi Maru test…but, his uniform bears the rank of captain.

However, in "Star Trek" history, there aren't too many specifics for young Kirk before he took command of the USS Enterprise. That said, in 2259, six years before "The Original Series" — when "Strange New Worlds" is believed to be set — Kirk had only held the rank of Lieutenant for four years and while he was the youngest Starfleet officer to ever achieve the rank of captain, he assumed command of the Constitution-class USS Enterprise from Christopher Pike somewhere between 2262 and 2265.

Here's a brief timeline to help understand the relevant events.

• Pike takes command of the USS Enterprise — 2250 ("Discovery" episode " Brother ")
• Kirk enters Starfleet Academy — 2252 ("TOS" episodes " Shore Leave " and " The Apple ") 2251 (" The Autobiography of James T. Kirk")
• Spock joins the USS Enterprise — 2254 ("Short Trek" episode " Q&A ")
• Events of "TOS" episode " The Cage " take place —  2254
• Kirk serves on the USS Republic as an ensign — 2254 (Autobiography)
• Kirk graduates and serves as a lieutenant on the USS Farragut — 2255 ("TOS" episode " The Corbomite Maneuver ")
• " Star Trek: Discovery" (S01, E01) " The Vulcan Hello " — 2256 , but there’s six month skip to next episode
• "Star Trek: Discovery" Season 1 ends with " Will You Take My Hand " in 2257 , towards end of the year
• "Star Trek: Discovery" Season 2 " Brother " starts either very late 2257 or early 2258
• Pike gives up command of the USS Enterprise, according to Star Trek.com — 2262
• Kirk takes command of the USS Enterprise in either 2265 ("TOS" episode " The Menagerie, Part I ") or 2262 (Autobiography)
• Montgomery Scott joins the ship — 2265 ("TOS" episode " Where No Man has Gone Before ")
• Leonard McCoy joins the USS Enterprise —  2266
• Pike suffers horrific injuries after an accident during a routine inspection — 2266 ("Discovery" episode " Through the Valley of Shadows ")
• Events of "TOS" episode " The Menagerie " take place — 2267

Season 4 of "Star Trek: Discovery" is available to watch now on Paramount Plus in the US and CTV Sci-Fi or Crave TV in Canada. Countries outside of North America can watch on the Pluto TV Sci-Fi channel. Season 2 of " Star Trek: Picard " is also currently airing and the premiere season of "Strange New Worlds" begins on May 5.

Follow Scott Snowden on Twitter . Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook . 

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

When Scott's application to the NASA astronaut training program was turned down, he was naturally upset...as any 6-year-old boy would be. He chose instead to write as much as he possibly could about science, technology and space exploration. He graduated from The University of Coventry and received his training on Fleet Street in London. He still hopes to be the first journalist in space.

'Star Trek: Discovery' season 5 episode 5 'Mirrors' is a quality installment, but weighed down by another anchor of nostalgia

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Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) isn’t thrilled by this prospect, pointing out before she leaves that it’s too dangerous a mission for a captain to undertake. But Burnham disagrees that this is enough of a reason to stop her; it’s a nice reminder that this is a show and a character that originated in the time of James T. Kirk, a time when captains didn’t stay behind in the face of danger.

But it’s not only that, there’s something else going on. Burnham gives Rayner permission to be blunt, quoting a classic work on Rayner’s native Kellerun , The Ballad of Krull , asking him to “serve it without a crumb of ossekat .” (As far as made-up Star Trek idioms go, that’s a pretty good one.)

It’s also the beginning of a sudden and relentless onslaught of references to Rayner’s culture, but more on that later. What’s Rayner’s problem? He’s uncomfortable with the prospect of being left in command of a ship and crew that aren’t “his.” Welcome to being second in command, buddy.

Book and Burnham take off, heading into the wormhole and finding it to be an inhospitable place. They quickly drop out of communication range with Discovery , there’s ship debris everywhere, including the wreckage of Moll and L’ak’s ship…. and what’s that, the  ISS Enterprise ?!

(A side note before we get too excited about that: what is the deal with all the empty space in the new shuttlecraft set, introduced in last season’s “All Is Possible”? The two pilot seats looked like they were crammed into the corner of a huge unfurnished room.)

Okay, Enterprise time. Burnham and Book rightly surmise that this is where Moll and L’ak must have escaped to and beam to the ship, which of course turns out to be a redress of the Strange New Worlds  standing sets. A quick scan identifies that no one else is aboard — though the clue, which Moll and L’ak have found, does also have a lifesign, hmm — and that Moll and L’ak are holed up in sickbay. Burnham takes a few moments to ponder her visit to the Mirror Universe back in Season 1 and wonder what the alternate version of her half-brother Spock might have been like (bearded, for one).

And aside from some brief storytelling about Mirror Saru’s role as a rebel leader, that’s about it for the Terran Empire of it all. Star Trek: Discovery has spent plenty of time in and around the Mirror Universe already, and I personally don’t think they need to revisit it again. But introducing the  ISS Enterprise — the ship that started it all with The Original Series ’ “Mirror, Mirror” — and then not doing anything momentous with it? Strange decision, and one that makes it ultimately feel more like this was a way for the show to get to reuse a set on the cheap than it does a materially significant addition to the episode.

In fact, in some ways it’s actually a detriment to the episode. If the action had been set on any other ship it would have been fine, but being on the ISS Enterprise I kept expecting something — like seeing Paul Wesley as Mirror Kirk slinking around, or finding Anson Mount camping it up as Mirror Pike in a personal log. If they’d set the action on a generic derelict ship, what we got wouldn’t have seemed like a let down. As it is though, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop… and it simply never did.

Maybe in a subsequent episode, it’ll turn out that there’s an advantage in having an entire functional starship composed of atoms from another universe at Starfleet’s disposal — or to have a convenient collection of Constitution -class sets available for that Starfleet Academy show to borrow once in a while — but until that happens (if it even does) the use of the ISS Enterprise just seems like a name drop and a “We have to set the action somewhere , why not here?” instead of a significant use of the setting and the huge amount of lore and history that comes with it.

It’s like setting something aboard the Titanic without ever mentioning any icebergs.

As Burnham and Book make their way down to sickbay they do find evidence that the ship was being used in a way that seemed unusually gentle for a Terran Empire vessel: signs that children and families were aboard at one time, and that they were the kind of people sentimental enough to have keepsakes and favorite stuffed animals. But again, nothing about this seems like it needs the Mirror Universe connection. Ships of people trying to escape adversity are already a Star Trek staple.

Burnham and Book find Moll (Eve Harlow) and L’ak (Elias Toufexis) in sickbay, and after a valiant but ultimately unsuccessful attempt at getting them to surrender, everyone starts shooting. Moll and L’ak have a Breen blood bounty — an erigah — on their heads and surrender is simply not an option. During the firefight a lockdown is triggered, forcefields coming down that split the group into pairs: Burnham and L’ak stuck in sickbay, while Book and Moll able to go back to the bridge to try and reset sickbay.

Pairing off also gives Book the opportunity to continue his efforts to connect with Moll, and I have to say, I don’t think I’m a fan. Setting aside the portion of this that’s purely a strategic attempt to forge a connection with someone who is very to keen to kill him, my first reaction to the way Book talks to Moll about her father (and his mentor) was distaste.

I don’t think Book meant it this way, but the way he’s written in these scenes feels unpleasantly close to the “Well, he was a great guy to me , I never saw him do anything bad” response that’s sometimes made to accusations of misconduct. A person can be wonderful to some people in their life and terrible to others; both experiences are true for the people who received them, but they’re not mutually exclusive.

Book is preternaturally empathetic, and yet he doesn’t seem to see how continually assuring Moll that her father loved her is an act that’s both unwanted and actively painful for Moll to hear. I understand that Book is just trying to bring a sliver of comfort to Moll – but in the process he’s dismissing her own experiences of her father and his place in her life. Unless Moll asks him for this, it’s really none of Book’s business.

I suspect they’re setting up Moll’s character for a nice, cathartic arc where she comes to terms with her life, forgives her father, releases her past, whatever. And when that happens in real life that’s great — but it doesn’t always, and that’s okay too. If Moll never sees in her father the man Book saw in his mentor, it’s not a character failing. Discovery is really hammering home the theme of confronting one’s past in order to take control of one’s present and future, and I think it would be valuable if they included an example of a character learning to do the latter… without having to be okay with the former.

And to return to a question I posed in my review of “Under the Twin Moons,” I know Book is isolated and excruciatingly lonely after the destruction of Kweijan and his split with Michael, but the weight he’s placed on his relationship with Moll as “the closest thing he has to family” seems like he’s setting himself up for disappointment. Maybe I’m just a cynic, but this does not feel like a hopeful storyline to me. Not everyone wants to be family, and right now it doesn’t seem like Moll’s been given much of a choice in the matter — despite her frequent and very powerful explanations of why she’s not interested.

Clearly frustrated with Book’s topic of conversation and desperate to return to L’ak, Moll makes a reckless decision to brute-force a solution and overload some circuits. It works, and the forcefields in sickbay come down, but it also sends the Enterprise onto an unstoppable collision course with the too-small-to-pass-through and also going-to-be-closing-forever-soon wormhole. They’ve got eight minutes to figure this out.

Meanwhile aboard Discovery , we see Rayner’s struggles to interact with the crew. This thread could have gone so many different ways, Rayner seeming “too good” for a temporary command, him seeing this as his chance to do things “better” than Burnham or show how it’s “really done,” but instead the show takes the much more subtle and satisfying route: Rayner is deeply respectful of the captaincy, as a rank and a role, and really doesn’t want to step on Burnham’s authority.

He’s more than willing to disagree with her on command decisions , but he doesn’t question her command . And more personally, he doesn’t want his gruffness and lack of experience with this crew to cause problems. He’s trying, in his own Rayner way, and more importantly he’s succeeding — and, as we see as he shepherds the crew through figuring out how to communicate with and then rescue Book and Burnham, the crew does their part and meets him halfway.

Rayner is learning that he needs to tone down his temperament just enough that he doesn’t come across as an actual asshole to this crew, and the crew is learning that his gruffness isn’t a sign of disrespect but simply a desire to cut to the chase and get to direct, actionable information with a minimum of fluff. There are shades of Nimoy’s Spock or Voyager -era Seven of Nine here, but couched within a distinctly different temperament, and it’s fascinating to watch. I’d love to have seen him interacting with the crew of the Antares , where he presumably felt more comfortable.

The interpersonal stuff with Rayner and the crew is great; where Rayner’s thread feels distractingly like a box being checked is the explosion of “Rayner is a Kellerun!” being shouted from the bulkheads. I could practically hear the writers yelping out a panicked “Oh crap, we forgot to say what kind of alien Rayner is!”

Again, Discovery is back to its old self with the clunky, heavy-handed, and oddly paced character work. Rayner goes from having zero cultural touchstones to having about five in the span of the 15-20 minutes of screentime that his story gets this week. They’re good touchstones, don’t get me wrong — I’m skeptical of Kellerun citrus mash, I have to be honest, but I’d give it a try; not so sure about boiling a cake though — they’re just very present .

As with Rayner’s alienness, the frequent flashbacks throughout the episode to Moll and L’ak’s meeting and courtship feel like a “We forgot to explain this and now we’re trying to reference it!” correction. The content of the flashbacks is fine, there’s a lot of interesting Breen worldbuilding for a species that’s been mysterious from the start — and watching Moll and L’ak’s relationship grow from one of mutual convenience to one of true love is genuinely moving. But the way it’s woven into an episode that, again, feels like it’s composed of bits and pieces of storyline, makes it hard to shake the sense that I was watching a To Do list get checked off.

By the time the season is over it might be clear that there was simply no extra room to give a full episode over to Moll and L’ak’s meeting, or maybe an episode without any of the main cast wasn’t something they were willing or contractually able to do, but I would have loved if these flashbacks were pulled out and expanded into a full-length episode of their own. Some of the worldbuilding felt hasty to the point of hindering the emotional beats — at times I wondered if I’d forgotten a whole bunch of Breen lore and at others I was just trying to keep up with what was going on.

For example, my confusion about L’ak’s comment about having two faces, which Moll seemed to completely understand — “Duh, everyone knows the Breen have two faces” — was a distraction in the middle of an otherwise nice and significant moment. This is later clarified as the translucent face and the solid face, but again I was distracted from fully appreciating an interesting bit of Breen culture because I was busy applying what I’d just learned back to the previous scene.

The quickly (and maybe not totally clearly articulated notion) that Breen deliberately restrict themselves to their translucent form for reasons that are entirely to do with avoiding any perception of weakness is a potent if hasty bit of social commentary, and as I said I nearly didn’t catch it.

Whether holding the translucent form requires the armor for protection or the armor necessitates the translucent form — it seems like it would be more comfortable wearing that helmet all the time if you were the texture and consistency of lime jello — this is surely a metaphor for the increasingly rigid, isolating, and emotionally and sometimes physically unhealthy things men in certain circles feel they must do to be appropriately masculine. Seeing L’ak free himself from that rigidity is powerful.

With the forcefields in sickbay down, Burnham and L’ak immediately spring into action:  Burnham trying to get the artifact from L’ak and L’ak simply trying to get away. They fight, and Burnham impressively proves she can hold her own against a Breen. When L’ak accidentally falls on his own blade, Burnham grabs the clue and speeds to the bridge where she manages to get a message to Rayner through some tractor beam trickery. The message? Another reference to that classic of Kellerun literature that gives Rayner the info he needs. Hey, did you know Rayner was a Kellerun?

The ISS Enterprise makes it through the wormhole, Moll and L’ak zip away in an escape pod, and it’s time to wrap things up. We head to Red’s for a quick but significant moment between Tilly (Mary Wiseman) and Culber (Wilson Cruz), as Tilly offers advice and an ear to a Culber who’s going through a quiet existential – maybe also spiritual? – crisis.

OBSERVATION LOUNGE

• In addition to the dedication plaques on the bridge, the ISS Enterprise has an additional plaque in its transporter room — one which, despite recounting the heroism of rebel action hero Mirror Saru, still states “Long Live the Empire.”
• The transporter room plaque is marked with “Stardate 32336.6,” which is about 9 years before the events of “Encounter at Farpoint.”
• The plaque describes the fate of Mirror Spock, who was killed after instituting the reforms which later led to the fall of the Terran Empire (as described in DS9’s “Crossover”).

The full text of the ISS Enterprise transporter room plaque:

The new High Chancellor presented hope and justice as if they were natural to our world. His words, “The light of hope shines through even the darkest of nights” became our rallying cry. He spoke of reform, and changed many of us. But some saw this as weakness. They killed him, and we sought help from an unlikely ally: A Kelpien slave turned rebel leader.   He spoke of visitors from another world… a near perfect mirror cast our darkness into light. With his aid we secured the Enterprise and stayed behind to continue his work. We bear scars from our escape, but our hope remains. May it carry us into a pristine, peaceful, and just future.

• Not counting L’ak’s previous appearances this season, this episode marks the first time we have seen the Breen in live action since their involvement in the Dominion War in Deep Space Nine.  (The species has appeared in  Star Trek: Lower Decks three times.)
• The 32nd century Breen wear updated encounter suits clearly based on the designs introduced in  Deep Space Nine ; their digital speech is extremely faithful to the incomprehensible noises Breen soldiers have spoken in past appearances.
• Given the fact that Moll appears to be just fine in the environment of the Breen ship, I guess Weyoun was right when he said the Breen homeworld was “quite comfortable” in “The Changing Face of Evil.”
• When L’ak is stabbed he gently oozes some green goo — but as we learned in “In Purgatory’s Shadow,” Breen do not have traditional humanoid blood.

• During his time in command of Discovery , Rayner never sits in the captain’s chair.
• This episode closes with a dedication plaque that reads “In loving memory of our friend, Allan ‘Red’ Marceta”. Marceta was, I presume, the namesake for Discovery’s bar.
• Someone aboard Discovery keeps a Cardassian vole as a pet. Going by Tilly’s reaction, and what we know from  Deep Space Nine , this is not a good thing.
• Linus (David Benjamin Tomlinson) plays a mean piano.
• Owosekun and Detmer get the off-screen cherry assignment of flying the ISS Enterprise back to Federation Headquarters, alone. I’m thinking that’s going to inspire some fanfic…

We don’t learn what this week’s clue is, though we know there’s a blue vial tucked away inside it, but we do learn that the crew of the ISS Enterprise did indeed make it to our universe. The scientist responsible for hiding this particular clue there was one of them, a Dr. Cho, who eventually made it all the way to branch admiral.

They strove for something positive and succeeded against all odds. Hopefully Discovery will be able to do the same as they continue their pursuit of Moll, L’ak, and the Progenitors.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 returns with “Whistlespeak” on Thursday, May 2.

• DSC Season 5
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A 57-Year-Old Star Trek Mystery Has Finally Been Solved

The final season of Star Trek: Discovery just solved a franchise mystery that's been left open since a classic episode of The Original Series aired.

• Nearly 60 years ago, Star Trek: The Original Series introduced the Mirror Universe.
• Star Trek: Discovery returned to that parallel dimension in Season 1, showing audiences more of that world.
• In the final season of Star Trek: Discovery, the fate of a key vessel in the mirror universe is revealed.

The following contains spoilers from Star Trek: Discovery , Season 5, Episode 5, "Mirrors," now streaming on Paramount+ .

One of the most interesting concepts in the Star Trek mythology is its "mirror universe," a parallel dimension where almost everyone is evil. Of the universe's dozen series, only four ever explored it, and only two did so more than once. Star Trek: Discovery made the mirror universe key to its first season, and in its final one, the series revealed what happened to the ISS Enterprise 57 years after it was first introduced. When the show first debuted, some long-time fans felt the crew and the captain were not in keeping with the tenor of proper Starfleet officers. However, Season 1 revealed Captain Lorca hailed from that universe , explaining why he seemed more "evil" than the typical starship captain.

Once the USS Discovery traveled through a wormhole to the 32nd Century, Dr. Kovich told Dr. Culber that the Mirror Universe and Prime Universe were too far apart for "crossings" to occur any longer. However, while on the hunt for the clues to the location of the Progenitors' technology, Captain Burnham and Cleveland "Book" Booker find a pocket of interdimensional space housing a vessel from the Mirror Universe. However, it's not any old starship, it is the ISS Enterprise last seen in "Mirror, Mirror" when the Prime Universe's Captain Kirk told Mirror Universe Spock it only took one good man to start a revolution. Once Star Trek: Deep Space Nine reintroduced the Mirror Universe, what happened to the ship was an open question Discovery just answered.

Kirk: What worries me is the easy way his counterpart fitted into that other universe. I always thought Spock was a bit of a pirate at heart.

Spock: Indeed, gentlemen. May I point out that I had an opportunity to observe your counterparts here quite closely. They were brutal, savage, unprincipled, uncivilized, treacherous - in every way splendid examples of homo sapiens, the very flower of humanity. I found them quite refreshing. -- Star Trek: The Original Series "Mirror, Mirror"

Where the Mirror Universe and the ISS Enterprise Came From

Star trek: discovery's mary wiseman, wilson cruz and blu del barrio hype finale.

When Gene Roddenberry put together his pitch for Star Trek 60 years ago in 1964, a loose idea of the Mirror Universe concept was on an early pitch document . The full concept came from writer Jerome Bixby, based on his decade-old short story "One Way Street." The writer said "the universe [he] created was a very savage counterpart" and that "it's arguable...the universe itself might be termed a 'character,'" in The Captain's Logs Supplemental by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman.

In "Mirror, Mirror," Kirk, Doctor McCoy, Uhura and Scotty are sent via transporter accident to the Mirror Universe. The episode is mostly about them trying to survive long enough to be returned to their own universe. However, Mirror Spock figures out the captain and crew aren't from his version of reality. So, he ends up helping them recreate the accident so they can return home. Tiberius Kirk and the evil versions of the crew are also sent back, but it's strongly implied that Spock will quickly take control from him.

Star Trek: The Original Series "Mirror, Mirror" Official Synopsis: A transporter accident places Captain Kirk's landing party in an alternate universe, where the Enterprise is in the service of a barbarically brutal empire.

In Star Trek: Enterprise , a two-part episode set in the Mirror Universe brought the USS Defiant from The Original Series episode "The Tholian Web" to the past. This helps explain why the ISS Enterprise is so much like the Constitution class vessels from the prime universe. Each starship is also equipped with a Tantalus Field, a mysterious device that makes a captain's enemies vanish. Presumably, Spock used the vessel to start his revolution, and Deep Space Nine reveals how it all turned out. Yet, what happened to the ISS Enterprise remained a mystery, until "Mirrors."

The USS Discovery's Search for Clues Led Burnham to the Enterprise

Star trek: discovery's alex kurtzman & michelle paradise talk final season.

Captain Burnham and the USS Discovery crew are familiar with the USS Enterprise, though Captain Christopher Pike was her commanding officer then. After surviving the Time Bug placed on the ship by Moll, Burnham and Book take a shuttle into an "aperture" of extradimensional space to follow their ship's warp trail. When they enter it, Burnham recognizes the ship, but tells Book that during her time in the Mirror Universe in Season 1, she never saw that particular vessel. The ship has been stuck there for some time, and it's damaged. Not just from the pocket dimension it sits in, but it had been in a battle.

Star Trek: Discovery "Mirrors" Official Synopsis: Captain Burnham and Book journey into extradimensional space in search of the next clue to the location of the Progenitors' power, while Rayner navigates his first mission in command of the U. S. S. Discovery and Culber opens up to Tilly.

When Burnham and Book board the vessel, they discover something surprising. Rather than a Terran warship, they see the ISS Enterprise seemingly serving as a home to refugees . After restoring some power to the ship, they are able to locate Moll, L'ak and the clue they seek by scanning for the quantum signature of people and objects from the prime universe. A short fight breaks out, but circumstances align so that Moll and Booker have to work together to free L'ak and Michael from a security protocol.

When L'ak and Michael fight, she's able to get the clue and she, accidentally, wounds the Breen exile. Moll and L'ak escape in the shuttle Michael and Book arrived on, so they have to figure out a way to get the ISS Enterprise out of the extradimensional space it was marooned in so long ago. Naturally, they succeed with the help of quick-thinking by Commander Rayner on the USS Discovery. What's most interesting, however, is that throughout this adventure no one really wonders just how the clue from the Prime Universe ended up on the flagship of the Terran Empire.

Deep Space Nine Revealed the Fate of Spock's Terran Empire

Star trek: discovery actors doug jones & david ajala prepare for their last adventure.

The first show to return to the Mirror Universe was the first serialized Star Trek , Deep Space Nine in Season 2, Episode 23, "Crossover." Naturally, because that series was set on the space station close to the planet Bajor, this was the corner of the Mirror Universe that the episode (and its many sequels over seven seasons) explored. Rather than the jingoistic rules of the Terran Empire, however, humans were an oppressed class working the ore processing facilities on the Deep Space 9 station. It was ruled by an alliance of Klingons, Cardassians and Bajorans.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine "Crossover" Official Synopsis: Kira and Dr. Bashir are accidentally sent to the Mirror Universe and discover that it is dominated by a ruthless Klingon–Cardassian alliance and Terrans (humans) are slaves.

Kira Nerys met her counterpart, the leader of the station known as "the Intendant." She explained to her what happened after the real Captain Kirk transported back to his universe. Spock used the ISS Enterprise to become Chancellor of the former Empire, all the while making institutional reformations that made the society more peaceful and equitable. However, after years of being oppressed by the Terrans, the Klingon and Cardassian alliance was able to launch a successful campaign against them.

The Klingon-Cardassian Alliance is the dominant power in the Alpha Quadrant and controls the space near Bajor in the Mirror Universe. The alliance is mostly benevolent and a lover of liberty, but the realities of dealing with a foe like the Terran Empire forces them to engage in questionable tactics.

Still, Deep Space Nine left the ultimate fate of the Terran Empire -- and, more specifically, the ISS Enterprise -- an open question . In fact, Intendant Kira never really clarified when the Terran Empire fell, beyond saying that Spock's reforms began "almost a century ago." Still, knowing that the Terran Empire fell under a brutal assault by Klingons and Cardassians , a picture starts to emerge about why the ISS Enterprise would have been a home for refugees and made the perilous, impossible journey across dimensions.

A Terran Refugee Hid the Clue In the ISS Enterprise In the 24th Century

Star trek: discovery's sonequa martin-green embarks on one final voyage.

At the end of "Mirrors," Michael Burnham reveals the scientist who hid the clue on the ISS Enterprise was able to do so because she was, herself, a Terran . Some time before The Next Generation 's "The Chase," she and a group of refugees fled the ISS Enterprise in shuttles and made their way into the Prime Universe. From there, many of them made homes in the Federation, and this particular scientist was the Junior Science Officer on the ISS Enterprise, Dr. Cho.

Star Trek: The Next Generation "The Chase" Official Synopsis: The crew of the Enterprise must race against various rival powers to uncover an archaeological secret that explains the predominance of humanoid life forms in the galaxy.

This means the Terran refugees fled the Mirror Universe sometime before the events of "The Chase." Yet, it was close enough to those events that Dr. Cho was able to make her way back to the ship that carried her and her fellow immigrant in order to hide the clue there. As Booker notes in the episode, the clues to the Progenitors' technology each come with a lesson. In this case, Dr. Cho wanted to subtly teach the searchers who followed her that things can always get better. She went from being a Terran scientist to a Branch Admiral in Starfleet. It's kind of like Starfleet's first mutineer becoming the captain of the first vessel on which she served afterward.

No matter the timeline or universe, the Enterprise is an important, historic vessel. The ISS Enterprise was a warship that brought fear and terror to whomever it visited. At least, until a man named Kirk told a man named Spock there was a better choice to make. In its final season, Star Trek: Discovery has found yet another way to tie its story into the fabric of the universe's past and the message Gene Roddenberry and all those who followed him wanted to give the audience. Things can always be better, but it takes people making the right choices to get there.

Star Trek: Discovery debuts new episodes Thursdays on Paramount+.

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Star Trek: 10 Secrets About The USS Discovery-A You Need To Know

Continuing the great Star Trek tradition of 'just stick an extra letter on it, no one will know!'

What the A?

A question that many fans might have asked back in the third season of Discovery with the rebranding of the hero ship for the series after its temporal shift into the 32nd Century.

After two seasons as a Starfleet testbed science vessel, it was all change and while we have covered the original set up for the USS Discovery , it is only fitting that we switch attention to its later updates during what is to be the show's final seasons.

With almost as long a list of commanding officers as the USS Enterprise  before and after its own refit, the USS Discovery  remains the only ship equipped with a spore drive and season five has already confirmed that any further research in that area has been ceased. While the addition of an "A" to its registry is not too dissimilar to Superman popping on a pair of glasses to conceal his real identity, the Discovery  visually remains close to its 23rd Century origins although there's a lot more going on between those detached nacelles than at first there may appear.

So lock in a black alert and set your saucer spinning as we take a look at the most secretive addition to Starfleet of the far future.

10. Beyond the Smallish Screen

The USS Discovery -A might be confined to the 32nd Century as part of the Star Trek  series that bears its name but fans are still able to get their hands on it in some form outside of that medium.

In terms of models, two have been available representing the ship in its 32nd Century state and both are thanks to the now-defunct Eaglemoss. One was as part of its standard Star Trek   Discovery  line as issue 11 and then as the XL version.

Star Trek Online  has also delved into the timeline of NCC-1031-A, adding it into the game as a top level refitted science vessel. This also included adding in the cloaking technology that was established in Discovery 's third season. Previously only the USS Defiant  had been allowed to carry a cloaking device but the unification of the Romulan and Vuclan people effectively ended the existence of the Treaty of Algeron. 

In turn this meant that the Federation could use cloaking technology although it has been used sparingly through Discovery, even getting a mention as recently as in one of the flashback moments of Face the Strange . Star Trek Online  takes an even more military stance with it, terming the device as a Battle Cloak in line with the more combat-focused gameplay.

A Star Trek fan from birth, I love to dive into every aspect of the franchise in front and behind the screen. There's something here that's kept me interested for the best part of four decades! Now I'm getting back into writing and using Star Trek as my first line of literary attack. If I'm not here on WhatCulture then you're more than welcome to come and take a look at my blog, Some Kind of Star Trek at http://SKoST.co.uk or maybe follow me on Twitter as @TheWarpCore. Sometimes I force myself not to talk about Star Trek.

USS Discovery

• View history

The USS Discovery (NCC-1031) was a Crossfield -class starship operated by the Federation Starfleet in the 23rd century , initially under the command of Captain Gabriel Lorca and, later, Christopher Pike . ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ", " What's Past Is Prologue ", " Brother ")

After time traveling to the 32nd century , Discovery underwent a three week retrofit and was recommissioned with the registry NCC-1031-A under the command of Captain Saru , and later Captain Michael Burnham . ( DIS : " Far From Home ", " People of Earth ", " Scavengers ", " That Hope Is You, Part 2 "). Over time, owing to her fusion with the Sphere data , she became a fully fledged artificial intelligence. She experienced emotions, worked with the crew, and chose her own name, Zora . ( DIS : " The Examples ", " Stormy Weather ")

At some point, the ship was abandoned by her crew and remained empty for almost a thousand years. ( ST : " Calypso ")

• 1.1 Construction
• 1.2.1 Federation-Klingon War
• 1.2.2 The mirror universe
• 1.2.3 Return to the war
• 1.3.1 Investigating the red bursts
• 1.3.2 Control
• 1.4.1 Arriving in the 32nd century
• 1.5 Michael Burnham's command
• 1.6 Abandonment
• 2 Merge with Sphere data and sentience
• 3 Alternate timelines
• 4 Embarked craft
• 5 List of First contacts
• 6.1 See also
• 7.1 Appearances
• 7.2 Background information
• 7.3 Apocrypha
• 7.4 External link

Service history [ ]

Construction [ ].

The Discovery was built on Earth at the San Francisco Fleet Yards , near the Golden Gate Bridge . Its motto was a quote from Galileo Galilei : " All things can be understood once they are discovered; the point is to discover them. " ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ", " Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad ", " Face the Strange ")

By November of 2256 , it was still considered impressive and new, fresh out of the shipyards and equipped with some of Starfleet's most advanced technologies, in contrast to the older USS Shenzhou . ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

Crew assembled in the shuttlebay, 2257

As a Crossfield -class starship, the Discovery was officially designated a science vessel . In 2256 , the ship had a crew manifest of approximately 136. ( DIS : " Choose Your Pain ") However, by 2257 , following the Federation-Klingon War the complement increased to over two hundred during the investigation of the Red Angel . ( DIS : " The Red Angel ") The ship's facilities were able to accommodate three hundred discrete scientific missions, a Starfleet record at the time. ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

Both the Discovery and its sister ship , the USS Glenn , were equipped with an experimental spore drive for field testing. Much research and refinement remained to be done as of late 2256, but if perfected, it had the potential to instantly traverse vast galactic distances in the blink of an eye. The Discovery only used it in short bursts while attempting to perfect it into a reliable drive system. In contrast, the crew of the Glenn took bolder risks to develop it more quickly, resulting in an accident which killed the entire crew and crippled the ship. ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

The Discovery was built from the ground up to be a test bed for the experimental spore drive, based on the research of Paul Stamets and his colleagues. Stamets had intended his research to pursue purely theoretical knowledge and peaceful applications but, with the outbreak of war, the Discovery was rapidly constructed to perfect the military applications of his research. ( DIS : " The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry ")

A view of the Discovery 's ventral hull

Due to the top secret , and, in some cases, dangerous research projects being conducted on the Discovery , its internal security was much more rigid and compartmentalized than was regular protocol on Starfleet vessels; breath print identification locks were used to restrict access to different sub-sectors. It also possessed a disproportionately prominent and well-armed security detail, standing guard at various restricted access points throughout the ship. These guards were outfitted with tactical gear bearing a Section 31 "black star" uniform insignia , unlike the normal silver Starfleet delta insignia. ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

Several experiments conducted aboard Discovery had the potential to physically endanger the ship itself and its crew; hazardous situations caused by the black ops experiments being activated were addressed by declaring a " black alert " (which was not a standard protocol on Starfleet vessels). ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

Gabriel Lorca's command [ ]

Federation-klingon war [ ].

Following the outbreak of the Federation-Klingon War , Discovery was placed under the command of Captain Gabriel Lorca and given a clandestine mission to conduct black ops scientific research, developing top secret weapons and technologies that would help the Federation win the war. ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

Discovery rescues SPT 21

Six months into the war, Discovery rescued the prison shuttle SPT 21 from an infestation of Species GS54 during an interstellar storm . Among the prisoners being transported, former Commander Michael Burnham came aboard and was enlisted by Captain Lorca to serve as a specialist aboard Discovery . ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

Discovery in a defensive position over Corvan II

In November 2256, Discovery received a distress call from Corvan II , under attack by Klingons . The only ship in range, Discovery attempted a spore jump to the Federation mining colony, ending up dangerously close to a star . Utilizing the tardigrade as a conduit through which to navigate the ship, the crew ultimately jumped Discovery to Corvan II in time to destroy the attacking Birds-of-Prey and save the colony from destruction. ( DIS : " The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry ")

The following month, Discovery , under the command of first officer Saru , was tasked by Admiral Katrina Cornwell with the rescue of Lorca following his abduction by the Klingons. Once again using the tardigrade as a living navigational computer , Discovery jumped into Klingon territory, but the creature was disabled in the process. Unwilling to subject the tardigrade to further injury, Lieutenant Stamets injected himself with the creature's DNA, allowing Discovery to recover Lorca and his fellow POW , Ash Tyler , and jump back to Federation space. ( DIS : " Choose Your Pain ")

One week later, Cornwell's cruiser rendezvoused with Discovery before departing for peace talks on Cancri IV . ( DIS : " Lethe ")

Discovery in orbit of a planet in 2256

On stardate 2136.8, Discovery encountered an injured space-dwelling lifeform known as a gormagander and conducted aid per the Endangered Species Act . This resulted in Harcourt Fenton Mudd boarding Discovery and activating a time crystal , creating a time loop in which Mudd repeatedly destroyed the ship in an effort to learn the secret of the spore drive and sell the ship to the Klingons. The loop was eventually discovered by Stamets, avoiding the permanent destruction of Discovery . ( DIS : " Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad ")

On stardate 1308.9, Discovery engaged a Klingon destroyer in defense of the USS Gagarin . With the advantage of their invisibility screens , the Klingons succeeded in destroying the Gagarin forcing Discovery to withdraw. Discovery then proceeded to the planet Pahvo where it retrieved a landing party as the native Pahvans broadcasted a signal directed at both the Federation and Klingons. ( DIS : " Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum ")

Discovery faces the Klingon Ship of the Dead at Pahvo

Encountering the Ship of the Dead in orbit of Pahvo, Discovery engaged in ship-to-ship combat with the Klingons. Discovery then conducted 133 micro-jumps around the cloaked Klingon vessel, allowing the crew to target and destroy the enemy's capital ship. ( DIS : " Into the Forest I Go ")

The mirror universe [ ]

After an apparent accident with the spore drive propelled Discovery into the mirror universe , it emerged that Lorca was in fact an inhabitant of that universe who had replaced his counterpart and deliberately brought Discovery to his home universe. Following Lorca's revelation, Saru assumed full command of Discovery . ( DIS : " Despite Yourself ", " Vaulting Ambition ", " What's Past Is Prologue ")

Battling the ISS Charon

In order to return to their universe, Discovery then launched an attack on the Terran flagship, ISS Charon , on stardate 1834.2. Flying through the Terran ship's superstructure, Discovery destroyed the super-mycelial reactor powering the Charon , and used the resulting mycelial shockwave to power the spore drive and cross back into normal space. ( DIS : " Despite Yourself ", " Vaulting Ambition ", " What's Past Is Prologue ")

Return to the war [ ]

Discovery returned nine months after its departure, having overshot its intended destination. In that time, the Klingons had captured a significant proportion of Federation territory. Boarded by a number of Starfleet officials including Vulcan Ambassador Sarek , Discovery was placed under the temporary command of Admiral Cornwell and brought to Starbase 1 , 100 au from Earth. Finding the station overrun by Klingons, Discovery warped away. ( DIS : " What's Past Is Prologue ", " The War Without, The War Within ")

With Klingon forces encroaching on Earth, Starfleet elected to use Discovery to prepare a strike against the Klingon homeworld, Qo'noS , and solicited the abilities of the Terran emperor , Philippa Georgiou . In order to make the jump to the Qo'noS, Discovery traveled to the Veda system where the crew terraformed the moon Delta 2 and replenished their supply of mycelium spores . ( DIS : " The War Without, The War Within ")

Discovery jumps into a cave on Qo'noS

Under the command of Emperor Georgiou (standing in as the deceased Captain Philippa Georgiou ), Discovery became the first Starfleet vessel to visit the Klingon homeworld since Captain Jonathan Archer and the Enterprise NX-01 visited the planet in 2151 . In order to avoid detection and conflict with Klingon planetary defenses, Discovery jumped into an inactive volcanic cavern large enough to accommodate a Crossfield -class starship beneath the surface of Qo'noS. A landing party to the surface ultimately concluded the mission and brought a peaceful resolution to the conflict. ( DIS : " Will You Take My Hand? ")

Discovery rendezvous with the USS Enterprise

With the war over, Discovery returned to Earth, where its senior staff was honored. The starship was then ordered to Vulcan to retrieve its new commanding officer to take Ambassador Sarek home. ( DIS : " Will You Take My Hand? ")

Christopher Pike's command [ ]

Investigating the red bursts [ ].

En route to Vulcan, a priority 1 distress call led Discovery to drop out of warp and respond to the call from Captain Christopher Pike on the USS Enterprise . ( DIS : " Will You Take My Hand? ")

Discovery navigates an interstellar asteroid field

With Enterprise unable to continue its mission – the investigation of one of seven red bursts that were detected across the galaxy; Pike was ordered to assume command of the Discovery from Acting Captain Saru under Starfleet Regulation 19, Section C . Discovery then warped to an interstellar asteroid at the coordinates of the burst, where it located the wreckage of the USS Hiawatha . Unable to maintain shields while transporting survivors from the Hiawatha , the starship suffered severe hull damage from the fragmenting asteroid, before capturing a fragment of the asteroid in its shuttle bay using a gravity simulator . ( DIS : " Brother ")

Discovery executes a donut in orbit of Terralysium

Detecting a new signal in the Beta Quadrant , Discovery used the previously defunct spore drive to jump to the coordinates, but found no sign of a red burst. Instead, Discovery entered into orbit over Terralysium , a previously unknown Earth colony of World War III -era Humans. With the planet and its population threatened by radioactive asteroids, Helmsman Keyla Detmer piloted Discovery in a donut maneuver, using a dark matter asteroid to magnetically drag the radioactive debris away from the planet. ( DIS : " New Eden ")

Later, a Vulcan cruiser rendezvoused with Discovery , offloading Amanda Grayson . ( DIS : " Point of Light ")

While searching for Spock , Discovery was pulled out of warp by an massive sphere-shaped lifeform . Discovery 's computer system was overloaded by what the crew believed to be a computer virus . Eventually, the Sphere's intentions were discovered and Discovery subsequently became the recipient of a hundred thousand years of the Sphere's knowledge and memories. ( DIS : " An Obol for Charon ")

Discovery jumps partially into the Mycelial network

In order to rescue Sylvia Tilly from the JahSepp , Discovery executed a partial jump into the mycelial plane . The ship was almost instantly attacked by the JahSepp, who began to dissolve the hull. In order to keep from being destroyed, Discovery was assisted by Section 31 chief Leland aboard the NCIA-93 . ( DIS : " Saints of Imperfection ")

Discovery stands off against the Ba'ul

After a red burst appeared over Kaminar , Discovery arrived in the system where it came into conflict with the Ba'ul . Using the Sphere's signal that had triggered vahar'ai in Saru, they helped the Kelpien race evolve beyond the limitations forced on them by the Ba'ul, and opened the way for the two races to somehow coexist. ( DIS : " The Sound of Thunder ")

Control [ ]

The red bursts, as well as an entity associated with it (known by the crew as the " Red Angel "), appeared to be tied to Michael Burnham's foster brother, Lieutenant Spock of the Enterprise , and Section 31 took an interest in capturing him. They caught up to Spock and Burnham on Talos IV , but they were revealed to be illusions projected by the Talosians ; the real Spock and Burnham had escaped to Discovery , which was declared a renegade ship and forced to go on the run. ( DIS : " If Memory Serves ")

The data from the Sphere also included information on artificial intelligence . An AI from the future infected Control , the threat assessment system developed by Section 31, and made it sentient. Control became obsessed with obtaining all of the Sphere's data on artificial intelligence in order to evolve into a true lifeform and wipe out all other sentient life. Discovery 's spore drive operations officer, Lieutenant Commander Airiam , was possessed by Control through her cybernetics, and forced to deliver the Sphere data to Control at Section 31 Headquarters . Airiam was killed and the base destroyed before it could take the entire archive. Before her death, Airiam told her colleagues to find " Project Daedalus ". ( DIS : " Project Daedalus ")

Daedalus proved to be a Section 31 project involving time travel , building a suit capable of taking its wearer through time. The suit matched the description of the Red Angel. The Angel appeared to be connected to Commander Burnham, and she was used as bait to attract it to Essof IV , where the Angel was revealed to be her mother, Dr. Gabrielle Burnham , who was believed killed by the Klingons on Doctari Alpha some two decades before. ( DIS : " The Red Angel ")

Finding that the Sphere data would not allow itself to be deleted from the databanks, the Discovery crew attempted to send the data back to the future with Gabrielle. However, the plan was sabotaged by Leland, who was possessed by Control through nanotechnology ; he destroyed the time crystal in Gabrielle's suit, which was pulled back along with Gabrielle to her anchor point in the future. ( DIS : " Perpetual Infinity ")

The USS Enterprise taking on Discovery 's crew

Discovery continued to investigate the red bursts while keeping ahead of Leland/Control, and detected a fourth signal orbiting the Klingon world of Boreth . There, they obtained a time crystal and began work to create a Daedalus suit of their own in order to take the Sphere data to the future, beyond Control's reach. However, they were surrounded by Section 31's fleet, which was fully under Control's domination. Pike summoned the Enterprise to take on Discovery 's crew before setting the ship to auto-destruct , in an effort to prevent Control from obtaining the Sphere data. ( DIS : " Through the Valley of Shadows ")

The Enterprise and Discovery engage Section 31 vessels

However, they discovered that the Sphere data would also not allow the ship to be destroyed, leading to a change of plans: To bring Discovery itself into the future, and the data with it. Pike and other essential personnel returned to the ship to investigate a fifth red burst on the planet Xahea , where they welcomed aboard its queen , Me Hani Ika Hali Ka Po , who had developed a dilithium incubator that could be used to charge the time crystal. Discovery began retrofitting its fleet of shuttles and landing pods with enhanced weaponry, joined together with similarly-modified craft from the Enterprise , to combat the Section 31 fleet. At the same time, work continued on preparing the Daedalus suit, to be worn by Burnham, as her mother's DNA was encoded into the suit schematics and she was the closest match. However, it was revealed that it would be a one-way trip, as the energy needed to charge the crystal with Po's incubator would make it unstable. The senior staff all chose to remain with Discovery and make the trip with Burnham. Pike relinquished command of Discovery back to Saru for the journey, and returned to the Enterprise to prepare for the battle to come. ( DIS : " Such Sweet Sorrow ")

Discovery leaving the 23rd century

After a pitched battle with Control's forces, Burnham successfully opened the wormhole, taking Discovery through with her. Pike, his first officer Una , Spock, and acting Section 31 chief Tyler all reported to Starfleet Command that Discovery was destroyed with all hands. Spock furthermore recommended that in order to prevent such incidents with Section 31 from happening again, that all participants in the event were to be barred from talking about Discovery , her crew, or her spore drive under penalty of treason . ( DIS : " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 ")

In 2259 , Captain Christopher Pike wore a USS Discovery pin for Starfleet Remembrance Day . ( SNW : " Memento Mori ")

In 2383 , Hologram Janeway showed the young crew of the USS Protostar an image of the Discovery while explaining the history of the Federation and Starfleet to them. ( PRO : " Starstruck ")

Saru's command [ ]

Arriving in the 32nd century [ ].

Upon exiting from the wormhole in 3189 , Discovery crash-landed on an ice planet known simply as " The Colony ". It was eventually rescued by Michael Burnham who had arrived in the future a year earlier. ( DIS : " Far From Home ")

After Discovery arrived in the 32nd century , shipboard computer developments caused some crewmembers such as Captain Saru to develop a theory that the integration of the vast quantities of Sphere data, central to their journey into the future, had prompted the development of a self aware protective instinct among the ship's computer systems. ( DIS : " Forget Me Not ")

At Federation Headquarters , Discovery underwent a three-week retrofit, with all of her systems being upgraded on par with 32nd century technology. Part of this refit included the installation of programmable matter into all stations for better control and converting her warp engines to be detached for improved maneuverability and performance. During the refit, the ship was recommissioned with the registry NCC-1031-A. The change of registry was to also hide the fact that Discovery travelled through time, as time travel was outlawed after the Temporal Wars.

Adira Tal also included an upgrade to the spore drive reaction cube as well as converting the physical injector shunts into nanogel control interfaces.

At the same time, her mission orders were that of a rapid response craft based out of Federation Headquarters due to the unique nature of her spore drive. ( DIS : " Die Trying ", " Scavengers ")

As part of its refit, Discovery was equipped with a cloaking device , the turbolifts didn't run on tracks anymore, they hovered, and the systems hub section was upgraded. ( DIS : " Su'Kal ")

A holodeck was also among the renovations included in the refit. ( DIS : " All In ")

Discovery hijacked by the Emerald Chain

The Discovery was eventually hijacked by Osyraa and her Emerald Chain forces who used the ship to reach Federation Headquarters. ( DIS : " Su'Kal ", " There Is A Tide... ") During the battle that followed, Burnham killed Osyraa, reset the computer to its previous operating system and retook the ship. Discovery 's warp core was then ejected and detonated in order to destroy the Emerald Chain flagship Viridian while Discovery herself spore jumped away using Cleveland Booker 's empathic abilities in the absence of Paul Stamets .

Michael Burnham's command [ ]

Following the resolution of the crisis, Michael Burnham was promoted to captain of Discovery while Saru took Su'Kal home. The ship was then assigned to transport dilithium to various Federation worlds. ( DIS : " That Hope Is You, Part 2 ")

Discovery enters the domain of Species 10-C

With the threat of the Dark Matter Anomaly , Discovery was assigned to travel beyond the galactic barrier and make first contact with Species 10-C , bringing along a number of diplomatic representatives including the Federation President and the President of Ni'Var . The mission left the spore drive burned out, stranding the ship decades away from Earth at warp speed. However, the crew succeeded in convincing the 10-C to shut down the DMA just in time to save Ni'Var and United Earth and Titan from destruction. Before the 10-C shut down the DMA completely, they used the wormhole to return the Discovery to Earth. ( DIS : " The Galactic Barrier ", " Rosetta ", " Species Ten-C ", " Coming Home ")

USS Discovery seen in the windows of Rayner's Quarters

In 3191 , The USS Discovery was seen in the windows of Captain Rayner 's quarters in Federation HQ when Captain Michael Burnham went and had a chat with him. While they we're chatting, Rayner commented; "I got to say... she's a beautiful ship. They don't make 'em like that anymore." ( DIS : " Under the Twin Moons ")

Abandonment [ ]

Discovery one thousand years after its abandonment

At some point, the ship reverted to her pre-refit appearance and was abandoned by her crew . Discovery remained empty for almost a thousand years, when Craft came aboard. The ship's computer was under orders to maintain her position. ( ST : " Calypso ")

Merge with Sphere data and sentience [ ]

After Discovery 's encounter with the sphere-shaped lifeform and its subsequent downloading of its millennia worth of information, the data seemed to have a mind of its own. ( DIS : " An Obol for Charon ") It was repeatedly said to be "protecting itself", preventing its own deletion, not allowing the ship to self-destruct, and even raising the ship's shields when the USS Enterprise tried to destroy it with a photon torpedo in one possible timeline. ( DIS : " Perpetual Infinity ", " Such Sweet Sorrow ") It combined with Discovery 's systems in 3189 , and the computer's voice changed to signify this. Her first act that stretched the bonds of a normal computer was holding a movie night for the crew. ( DIS : " Forget Me Not "). When Osyraa hijacked Discovery , the Sphere data transferred itself to the DOT-23s , which then helped the crew of Discovery take back the ship. Most notably of her actions during that time, she rescued Owosekun from death by oxygen deprivation. ( DIS : " Su'Kal ", " There Is A Tide... ", " That Hope Is You, Part 2 ")

Zora's holographic avatar

By the 32nd century, the computer AI had assumed the name Zora . ( DIS : " Anomaly (DIS) ") A relatively short period of time after that, she had developed emotions. ( DIS : " The Examples ") She worked with the crew of the Discovery on a personal level to escape a subspace rift, struggling with the task due to having to manage her new emotions. ( DIS : " Stormy Weather ")

Alternate timelines [ ]

In an alternate timeline shown to Burnham by the time crystal , Control , in the body of Leland , successfully eliminated the Discovery bridge crew during the Battle near Xahea and took control of the ship and the Sphere data. However, after Burnham warned the crew of what she saw, they were able to alter the future with Control simply heading off to find the Sphere data after a brief engagement on the bridge. ( DIS : " Such Sweet Sorrow ", " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 ")

In another alternate timeline, Discovery was abandoned and nearly wrecked near the debris field of the USS Federation . When Burnham and Commander Rayner arrived on this Discovery in 3218 from a time jump, they found the ship covered in dust and only Zora left who had lost most of her memory. Zora revealed that Discovery had been rescued from its time cycling by Starfleet too late to stop Moll and L'ak from finding the Progenitors technology and selling it to the Breen who had destroyed the Federation and killed everyone, including Discovery 's crew. Zora helped the two figure out the pattern of the time cycling and begged them to make things right before Burnham and Rayner were sent to another time period. This future was averted when Burnham, Rayner and Paul Stamets , with the help of the Discovery crew of an alternate 2256 , stopped the time cycling six hours after it began. ( DIS : " Face the Strange ")

In an alternate timeline, Burnham, Rayner and Stamets enlisted the help of the Discovery crew of 2256 to break the ship's time cycling, revealing to them details of the future in the process. The bridge crew aided in the process by breaking the warp bubble at maximum warp after Burnham revealed her personal knowledge of each of them, particularly of Airiam 's death. In engineering, Rayner used his personal knowledge of Gen Rhys and Burnham -- who had already encountered her future self -- to convince them both to stand down. This timeline was erased when the time bug was removed before it could reset the cycle again as the changes made in each time period wouldn't become permanent until the bug reset. ( DIS : " Face the Strange ")

Embarked craft [ ]

Discovery carried a complement of Class C shuttlecraft and worker bees in its shuttlebay . In 2257, the shuttlecraft were upgraded with enhanced phasers in preparation for battle with a Control -led Section 31 fleet. ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ", " Such Sweet Sorrow ")

Discovery also carried four landing pods , first developed for a mission to Kim-Tara , though two were destroyed in 2257. ( DIS : " Brother ")

List of First contacts [ ]

Over its four years of service, the Discovery made first contact with the following species:

• Pahvans , 2256 ( DIS : " Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum ")
• Species 10-C , 3190 ( DIS : " Species Ten-C ")

Command crew [ ]

Discovery under the command of Captain Gabriel Lorca in 2256

Discovery under the command of Acting Captain Saru in 2257

Discovery under the command of Captain Christopher Pike in 2257

Discovery command crew under the command of Captain Michael Burnham in 3189

• Gabriel Lorca ( 2256 - 2257 )
• Katrina Cornwell (2257) (acting)
• Philippa Georgiou (2257)
• Saru (2257, 2258 , 3189 ) (acting, later promoted)
• Christopher Pike (2257-2258) (under Starfleet regulation 19, section C )
• Michael Burnham (3189-) (acting, later promoted)
• Saru (2256-2258, 3189, 3190 – 3191 )
• Michael Burnham (3189)
• Sylvia Tilly (3189–3190) (acting)
• Rayner (3191)
• Ellen Landry (2256)
• Ash Tyler (2256-2257)
• D. Nhan (2257-2258, 3189)
• Cleveland Booker (3189-3190) (consultant)
• Michael Burnham (2257-2258, 3189)
• Linus (2257-2258, 3189-)
• Arav (2256-2258, 3189-)
• Adira Tal (3189-)
• Keyla Detmer (2256-2258, 3189-)
• Haj (3189) (acting)
• Asha (3191)
• Milton Richter (2256)
• R.A. Bryce (2256-2258, 3189-3190)
• Christopher (3190)
• Joann Owosekun (2256-2258, 3189-)
• Airiam (2257) (acting)
• Gallo (3191)
• Hugh Culber (2256, 2257-2258, 3189-)
• Tracy Pollard (2257-2258, 3189-)
• Gen Rhys (2256-2258, 3189-)
• Paul Stamets (2256-2258, 3189-)
• Airiam (2256-2257)
• Nilsson (2257-2258, 3189-3191)
• Linus (3191-)
• Jett Reno (2257-2258, 3189-)
• Sylvia Tilly (2256-2258, 3189)
• Hugh Culber (3190–)

See also [ ]

• USS Discovery personnel
• Unnamed USS Discovery personnel

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " Context Is for Kings "
• " The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry "
• " Choose Your Pain "
• " Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad "
• " Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum "
• " Into the Forest I Go "
• " Despite Yourself "
• " The Wolf Inside "
• " Vaulting Ambition "
• " What's Past Is Prologue "
• " The War Without, The War Within "
• " Will You Take My Hand? "
• " Brother "
• " New Eden "
• " Point of Light "
• " An Obol for Charon "
• " Saints of Imperfection "
• " The Sound of Thunder "
• " Light and Shadows "
• " If Memory Serves "
• " Project Daedalus "
• " The Red Angel "
• " Perpetual Infinity "
• " Through the Valley of Shadows "
• " Such Sweet Sorrow "
• " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 "
• " Far From Home "
• " People of Earth "
• " Forget Me Not "
• " Die Trying "
• " Scavengers "
• " Unification III "
• " The Sanctuary "
• " Terra Firma, Part 1 "
• " Terra Firma, Part 2 "
• " There Is A Tide... "
• " That Hope Is You, Part 2 "
• " Kobayashi Maru "
• " Anomaly (DIS) "
• " Choose to Live "
• " All Is Possible "
• " The Examples "
• " Stormy Weather "
• " ...But to Connect "
• " Rubicon "
• " The Galactic Barrier "
• " Rosetta "
• " Species Ten-C "
• " Coming Home "
• " Red Directive "
• " Under the Twin Moons "
• " Runaway "
• " Calypso "
• PRO : " Starstruck " (digital image)
• SNW : " Strange New Worlds " (archive footage)

Background information [ ]

Bryan Fuller chose the Discovery 's registry number, 1031, because he loves Halloween . [1]

Before the show premiered, Aaron Harberts described the ship as "the latest and greatest ship to roll off the assembly line" ( SFX , issue 292, p. 80)

The set used for the Discovery 's interior was a reused set which, with just a few changes, had previously served as the interiors of the USS Shenzhou and the USS Glenn . ( AT : " Context Is for Kings ")

In " Choose Your Pain ", Saru , while commanding the ship, says he has 134 souls to protect, strongly hinting at the size of the ship's crew. The statement is made while captain Lorca and the shuttle pilot are off-ship, one episode after Ellen Landry is killed, and before Ash Tyler joins the crew, suggesting the complement is 136 at that time.

Apocrypha [ ]

USS Discovery appears in Star Trek Online in an ending cutscene for the players taking the "Discovery" route, where it mentions the crew and the special mission Discovery was to undertake. Later, in the mission "The Measure of Morality", Discovery is again mentioned when the player comes in contact with Michael Burnham. In that scene, it is mentioned that the Discovery was lost with all hands at some point in the past.

External link [ ]

• USS Discovery at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works

Discovery Was Built On Earth Like USS Enterprise In J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery, season 5, episode 4, "Face the Strange". Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 4, "Face the Strange", reminds us that the USS Discovery was built on Earth, just like the USS Enterprise in the J.J. Abrams Star Trek movies. Written by Sean Cochran and directed by Lee Rose , "Face the Strange" catapults Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) through the personal history of the USS Discovery. From its construction in the 23rd century to the crew being killed by the Breen in the 32nd century, Discovery season 5, episode 4, covers the full spread of the starship's history.

Star Trek: Discovery season 1 established that the USS Discovery was still a new and groundbreaking vessel in 2256 . It's unclear exactly when Burnham and Rayner's trip to the in-construction USS Discovery takes place, but deck seven hadn't quite been completed on schedule. However, it's very clear from a glimpse of the outside world where Burnham and Rayner have traveled to, the San Francisco Fleet Yards on Earth, drawing a direct link with J.J. Abrams' version of the starship Enterprise from the Kelvin Timeline movies.

Star Trek: Discoverys Enterprise Crossover Made 1 Of Burnhams Crew Very Happy

Uss discovery was built on earth just like uss enterprise in j.j. abrams’ star trek.

The USS Discovery was built at the San Francisco Shipyards, something first mentioned way back in Star Trek: Discovery season 1 . "Face the Strange" reveals the location of the shipyard, via a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge. This places Starfleet's San Francisco Shipyards somewhere in or around Starfleet Academy and Federation Headquarters. A huge amount of space must be required to construct starships, so it's possible that specialist platforms have been erected in the area around San Francisco Bay. The height of Burnham's view means that the audience don't see the ground, suggesting that the Crossfield-class starship could be constructed on a floating platform.

The Kelvin Timeline version of the USS Enterprise was also built on the Earth's surface, at the Starfleet Shipyard in Riverside, Iowa . However, while the majority of construction took place in Iowa, the Enterprise itself was launched from the San Francisco Fleet Yards. This draws a direct link with Star Trek: Discovery , suggesting that the nature of starfleet construction in the 23rd century was largely unchanged by the destruction of the USS Kelvin. However, the USS Discovery and the Kelvin Timeline USS Enterprise are still unique, because the majority of Star Trek 's starships are built in space.

Star Trek: Discovery was the first Star Trek show in 12 years, released after the three J.J. Abrams movies, which may account for season 1's reference to the Earth-based construction seen in Star Trek (2009) .

Starfleet Ships Are Usually Built In Space

In the Star Trek universe, Starfleet's ships are generally built in space, either at the Utopia Planitia Shipyards above Mars, or in various space docks. The USS Excelsior, first glimpsed in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock was being built and tested at Spacedock One. A century later, the USS Enterprise-D, USS Defiant and USS Voyager were all constructed at the orbital Utopia Planitia Shipyards. This makes the USS Discovery unique in the prime Star Trek timeline, as it's the only hero ship confirmed to be built on Earth. In fact, Discovery is unique among other starships in Star Trek: Discovery 's 32nd century timeline.

Starships in the 32nd century are built and refitted at Starfleet's Archer Spacedock , unveiled in Star Trek: Discovery season 4. The USS Discovery has made several trips to Archer Spacedock for repairs following its encounters with the Dark Matter Anomaly and the avalanche on Q'Mau. All of which proves that, while starships can be constructed on Earth, it's far more convenient and efficient for them to be built and repaired in space so that they're primed to join Starfleet's armada at the nearest opportunity.

Star Trek: Discovery streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Star Trek (2009)

J.J. Abrams' 2009 movie Star Trek rebooted the iconic sci-fi franchise in a totally new timeline. When a Romulan ship travels back in time and alters the past, the lives of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the future crew of the USS Enterprise are drastically changed. In this new timeline, the Romulan Nero (Eric Bana) sets out for revenge on Spock, setting off a chain of events that reshape the entire universe.