No ‘last time’ this time as we go straight into Burnham’s opening monologue. Having established that the Red Angel is a time traveller, Burnham prepares to go after Spock. She prepares to travel to Vulcan to confront her mother.
Tilly comes in and be’s adorable while talking about the weird properties of the residue from the red flashes they are scanning. While Tyler tries to get Pike to tell him where Burnham has gone, the computer encounters issues as the ship goes to red alert and a rift in space opens in front of the ship, causing shadows of the past few moments to show.
Pike decides to go and launch a probe from the shuttle. Burnham returns home, having flashbacks to her first day here. We see child Spock and Burnham spend time together, and bond. In present, Burnham talks to Amanda as Sarek meditates. Amanda refuses to help Burnham to protect Spock. Pike moves slowly to the rift, as the ship experiences temporal distortions. Pike looks behind him and sees a flash from the future of him appearing to shoot Tyler – so it’s one of those episodes, so this should be fun!
Discovery loses the shuttle in a time rift. Saru takes commands to attempt to find the away team. Tilly goes to fetch Staments, on the basis his tardigrade DNA may help him see through the distortions. Amanda and Burnham enter a temple, where an unresponsive chattering Spock is hunched over. He is also scratching numbers into the wall. Burnham begs her mother to let him help, but she refuses, until Sarek appearances. Pike and Tyler are attempt to fly out of the rift. Tyler believes that Pike’s actions are influenced by his guilt for not being part of the war, acting reluctant to follow Pike’s orders before Pike outranks him.
Amanda explains she used to read Spock Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in order to support Spock’s human learning disability he inherited from her. While arguing, Spock starts to quote Alice. Burnham explains Spock’s connection with the Red Angel. Sarek tells Burnham to give Spock to Section 31, believing they will be able to treat Spock, and it will also safeguard Burnham’s career. Sarek almost tearfully states he does not want to lose both his children.
The probe released by the shuttle earlier returns, but with an upgrade allowing it to attack the ship with tentacles. Leeland tries to assures Burnham he will attempt to help Spock. Burnham reveals that Spock had a condition similar to dyslexia (although it sounds more like dyspraxia). Leeland tells Burnham he has extended her leave, but she cannot stay on the S31 ship.
She gives Spock a hug, then realises that the numbers Spock was chanting were backwards.
Staments explains the science behind issues facing the shuttle. It’s technobabble, but Rapp’s amazing acting makes it seem so natural. As the probe grabs control of the shuttle, Tilly beams Staments through the time rift onto the rift. Staments pilots the shuttle out of the rift. The crew tries to rip the probe out while moving back to Discovery.
On the S31 trip, Georgiou tells Burnham Leeland is lying to her and the memory extraction tool will kill her brother. If she rescues him, it’ll look bad on Leeland which will make Georgiou look better. She tells Burnham to attack her which Burnham does not hesitate to.
Discovery successfully beams out the away team as the shuttle self destructs, however it seems as if Aryan is infected. Burnham escapes with Spock, as Discovery beams away before the time tsunami hits them (no mention if this affects the planet, but okay).
Georgiou tells Leeland she knows he killed Burnham’s parents, and holds that over his head. Burnham searches the numbers Spock is searching for. Burnham quotes Alice to Spock as the ship’s computer searches. The ship identifies Talos IV, the planet Lt. Spock and Captain Pike visited many years earlier.
I start watching the second episode thinking how amazing it would be if they did a Doctor Who and went ‘last time on Star Trek‘ and referenced The CageANDOHMYGODITDOES
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| The transitions are funky too! |
We see flashes of Pike’s experience on Talos IV, Leeland is briefed by Starfleet Admirals. Georgiou used the opportunity to gain their favour. After Georgiou calls in on Discovery, and after that Pike asks about Tyler’s relationship with Burnham.
Burnham warps towards Talos IV, listening to the brief on the planet. The ship appears to warm into a black hole, but Spock forces control of the ship to stop Burnham from flying out of it, and the black hole illusion breaks.
Culber and Tyler have a brief encounter in the hall which is an amazing moment of acting, before on the bridge Tilly briefs Tyler on what they’ve found out about the probe, in that there are no probe parts to scan. Burnham and Spock land on Talos IV. Burnham scouts out ahead, allowing us to see an updated depiction of Talos IV. A female figure enters the shuttle as Burnham rushes back in. It is Vina. Spock and Burnham beam down to meet the Talosians. The Talosians reveal that Spock is perceiving fluid time instead of linearly, and his brain cannot comprehend. The Talosians can show Burnham Spock’s pain, but only if she shows them their pain – the conflict that spread them apart.
Spock recounts the vision he saw as a child where the Red Angel showed him her violent death at a Vulcan predator, which allowed him to prevent it. Later, as an adult, he met the Red Angel again, which he melded with and he saw a premonition of an army of probes attacking several planets, including Earth.
Culber explains to Staments is his new senses make it difficult for him to connect with his reality. Culber freaks out over Staments attempts at helping him accumulate.
Spock and Burnham talk about the vision, and then about their personal connection and why Spock brought her here. The Talosians show more of Spock’s memory to Burnham. In a ward, a medical officer tells Spock that his illusions are real. Spock is troubled and wants to leave, but the medical officer says S31 is coming to transfer him, Spock incapacitates the staff and leaves. Culbert arrives in the mess hall and approaches Tyler, kicking over his chair and chucking his tray aside. Culber attacks Tyler to bring Voq out, and surprisingly Saru is like ‘nah this is something that has to play out’ as if Saru isn’t the XO of the ship with responsibilities like not letting two of his officers fight. Staments arrives and is also fine with what is happening. After a brief scuffle, Culbert tells Tyler he doesn’t know who is anymore, to which Tyler says he knows the feeling.
Pike tells Saru exactly what I was saying, but Saru defends his actions, dryly comments on the unique situation of a Human/Klingon and resurrected doctor. Pike arrives in his ready room to see Vina. Vina speaks about losing Pike, and Pike talks abouts losing Pike, but then tells him that the Talosians provided her with an illusion of Pike to help her. The Talosians project Burnham into the ready room. Burnham confirms Spock is innocent and that Leeland tried to rip his mind apart. Spock tells Pike about his visions, and that he needs them to come for him.
Staments tries to reconnect with Culber, but Culber wants them both to move forward, even if that isn’t together. Pike tries to jump to Talos IV, but the drive has been sabotaged. The bridge crew believes that it is Tyler who is guilty and confine him to quarters. The ship warps of to Talos IV instead.
Burnham prepares to share her memory. Young Burnham prepares to run away, as Spock tries to stop her. Spock wants to leave with Burnham, so Burnham insults Spock and tells him he is cold, can’t love, and she will neither teach him how Earth works nor that she wants him in her life, and that he is a half breed.
Burnham apologises for her actions, but Spock thanks her for giving him the catalyst to severe his emotion. The two of them fail to see eye-to-eye as Vina warns them that Discovery is nearby, but they are being chased by a S31 ship. Both ships lock on Burnham and Spock, potentially killing them both if one doesn’t relinquish. Vina encourages Pike to stand down, allowing S31 to capture the two of them.
However it turns out that the S31 ship caught illusions of the two officers, allowing Spock and Burnham to escape. Spocm smiles on seeing Pike again, as Georgiou gloats over Leeland’s failure.
Spock tells Pike about the Red Angel. Spock advises the ship to run, as the crew all become fugitives. The crew all stand behind their captain as the crew prepares to flee.
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