‘Discovery’ watch – my thoughts and reactions – Part 45: ‘Rubicon’

I hate how Pluto TV starts its episodes, not at 9pm, but 8:59pm.

Like come on, whyyyyyyyyyy

A new ticking time bomb is present with the weapon armed but needing a few hours to prepare. Burnham has told Booker about the true nature of the DMA, but it has not changed his conviction to destroy it.

Burnham is given authority to go after Book, but only with another officer present to override her orders if she becomes emotionally compromised. I was going to object saying isn’t that a job for Saru, but Burnham asks the same thing and Vance counters that Saru knows Book and is also too close … I never got either that inclination OR that Saru can’t be trusted to make that call. The officer that Vance chooses is Nahm, an officer who is both known and friendly to Burnham but not as close to Book. Ehhh … sure.

Saru has a nice moment with the Vulcan president, which is cute, but what I liked the most is Doug Jones’ brilliant acting. That guy is a treasure.

With a resigned ‘let’s fly’, Burnham orders the mission a go (also they activate Discovery’s cloak and I can’t remember if I just forgot it had one or if this is the first reveal of it).

Burnham lays out the plan, and, unusually, delegates leading the mission to Saru. Culbert is also sent out on the mission to de-escalate the situation, which will be interesting considering his self-doubt last week. Bryce and Rhys, also on the mission, argue between themselves about the mission. Which is a bit obvious. Culbert de-escalates it in a way which is also obvious and also cheesy.

Docking on the ship, the ship’s tech immediately grabs on to the ship and starts crushing it. Tarka has implemented a defence mechanism without telling Book. They both attempt to save the crew members, unable to deactivate the ‘autonomous’ defence mechanisms. They do so in then nick of time, before escaping to the DMA.

Arriving at the DMA, Nahm briefs them on a method to destroy Book’s ship – a last resort that may destroy Discovery and the spore drive. Tarka also offers Book a similar conversation about priorities, before advising the weapon is ready. Book’s ship decloaks and flies towards Discovery. Discovery damages Book’s sensors and after a short dogfight with tactics, they manage to find the DMA controller before Book. Conflict grows from Burnham and Nahm’s tactical beliefs.

Burnham hopes to get some more data about the DMA to help stand Book down, while Nahm gives Rhys the specs for the method to destroy Book’s ships. Burnham blocks Book’s ship from the DMA as they jump around each other. Book starts firing warning shots at Discovery, who returns fire. Nahm advocates using the weapon. Burnham hesitates long enough to find out that the DMA won’t leave its current non-destructive area for about a week – something that may convince Book to allow the peace talks to go ahead with no possible risk to life. Unable to hail his shuttle, Burnham flies nose to nose with a shuttle – a move which puts her in the blast radius if Nahm uses the weapon.

Burnham flies over and presents to Book the data and a proposal. Give the Federation a week to negotiate, or they’ll back Book and Tarka’s plan. Book tells Tarka he is going to accept her plan, so Tarka teleports the weapon into the DMA, destroying it. Tarka realises with dejection the power source for the DMA isn’t inside the controller, but from the other side.

As the crew settle from the mission, a new DMA appears in the exact same spot.

I’m not sure how I feel about an episode that ultimately means nothing = once again, the crew attempt to make a difference and we end up more or less where we would’ve done anyway. But I suppose then we focus on what has changed, which is mainly Book and Tarka’s dynamic (eh, okay?) and the changing political situation between 10-C and the Federation. However, as a standalone episode, it did touch on nicely some items of conflict, but nothing Trek hasn’t done before. So mixed feelings.

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