WE ARE BACK!
FOR THE FINAL FRONTIER SEASON!
WOWOW.
It’s been like … two years since we did this. So much has changed. And yet. So much the same. For starters, we’re watching this on Paramount+, where we’re treated to the Discovery version of the Star Trek vanity card:
Our previously on segment focuses primarily on where Burnham, Book, Saru, T’Rina, and Tilly all end up in relation to each other, more so than the actual plot of the season, so the show is keen for us to recall this will be what is relevant.
A visually intense scene kicks off the season as our camera dives into the warp bubble of a ship that Burnham is surfing, trying to disable for reasons we shall soon see as we jump four hours earlier! We’re celebrating a thousand years since 2161 the founding of the Federation, and they’re having a fancy and really fun cocktail. Staments is sad because they have decided to mothball the spore drive programme (the fact that development was still ongoing illustrates how difficult the technology was to duplicate, further justifying its absence in any other Star Trek show), before making Burnham sad by name dropping Book.
Saru and T’Rina are … uh … flirting, as Saru reveals he is being appointed an Ambassador. And honestly, he would be a brilliant diplomatic. It would be the perfect place for his character to end up, but he is hesitant as it means no longer being a Starfleet officer. Admiral Vance, my beloved, appears to give Burnham some kind of infinity thing which then teleports them into a WHITE VOID!
Apparently it’s a room just for DRAMATIC SECRETS – and we get those, with an order with no details (secure a ship but we’re not telling you why) and a mysterious protocol (the mission is a red directive) – triggering DRAMATIC MUSIC and MEANINGFUL SERIOUS STARES.
We get a oner shot reintroducing us to the Bridge Crew as Burnham briefs her crew. Meanwhile, on the Romulan ship, Daft Punk board and start a looting. Kovich orders Burnham to secure the ship, even if it means using lethal force.
CUE OPENING TITLES
Interestingly, I think Sonequa Martin-Green has received a promotion to producer!
Burnham, Owosekun and Rhys beam over, clearing the room the scavengers were just in. Moving on, they discover some environmental storytelling with a Romulan corpse.
I’m left to wonder a bit why they only board the ship with three of their bridge crew- I know, I know, it’s an old Trek trope, but still, in the past they’ve taken the ‘red shirts’ with them too, usually only having an Away Team this small if it’s for covert reasons, which this isn’t. They find an empty vault, and deduce it had only just been broken – the scavengers are still there and phaser shots reveal them hidden, however two shots from them in return freeze Rhys and Owosekun in bubbles, leaving Burnham (who had the time to dramatically dodge) alone to pursue.
A barrage of fire from the scavengers pin Burnham in a doorway, until she extends her pistol into a rifle and breaks the barrage with her own (somehow?). They parley briefly until the green scavenger throws a bomb as they teleport away. For reasons, Burnham stares at the bomb rather than immediately diving, getting sucked out into space. Luckily, this is the future, and she’s able to nanobot a space suit around her. She flies on to the scavenger ship as it decloaks and warps – bringing us back to the cold opening.
A Captain Rayner intercepts the ship and locks on with a tractor beam. We get a genuinely lovely bit of banter between the two equals as they discuss strategy as the tractor beam threatens to destroy the ship but Rayner being unwilling to deactivate the beam, preferring to work out another solution in the time before it would kill Burnham – you can just imagine this scene played out but from within the ship, with their bridge crew brainstorming solutions. It’s what makes Trek so delicious!
Discovery catches up and attempts to get close enough to beam Burnham. Rayner and her are arguing – we haven’t even seen Rayner yet and we are getting a fantastic sense of his character from the voice actor – I like him! He reveals he has had encounters with the scavengers before, and believes they’re trying to bluff him into releasing the tractor beam, which prompts Burnham to accuse him of being personally compromised, which Rayner deflects into saying every mission is personal.
Rayner eventually gives in and releases the ship, allowing Burnham to jump off as we get another visually entertaining sequence of following her float in the vastness of space, towards Discovery and being beamed through its viewscreen just before she hits it! Meanwhile, the scavengers ship shoots out what look like ‘warm flares’ to mask their exit as they warp away. Both Rarney and Kovich berate Burnham, prompting her to make a call.
We get a shot in the next scene of Discovery jumping but from an internal POV – is this our first time seeing that? I don’t recall seeing it before!! It’s a cool shot! Book returns to Discovery, where they discuss the trick the scavengers used, one similar to a courier trick. Burnham and Book have an awkward personal reunion, before we get properly introduced to the scavengers – L’Ak and Moll. Moll is a human, but nothing is known about L’Ak’s origin. Interestingly among their piracy crimes, they are only suspected of manslaughter – potentially scavengers with a code?
Kovich continues to be shush about the McGuffin, but Burnham has identified it as a Romulan puzzle box. Book uses his expertise to effortlessly narrow down the most likely destination of the scavengers, to an old dealer named Fred.
Rayner makes a point of checking who has command between the two captains, something Vance could care less for, although Rayner makes a resigned point that it’ll take his ship an hour to get to the destination. As everyone else filters out, Saru and Burnham share a moment, where they plot trying to find out more about their target, and Saru’s career.
Oh, Tilly.
Meanwhile on Arrakis, Burnham asks Book about Grudge, which honestly would’ve been the first thing I would’ve asked but hey. Glad to know the Queen is safe! Rayner teleports in with a bunch of snark and charm and he is my favourite I hope he’s not evil.
Fred is revealed to be a synth, or maybe just a big Data cosplayer. Fred is a big fan of … the way names sound? Is there a word for that?
OH MY GOD SELF-SEALING STEMBOLTS my beloved
The android solves the puzzle box, and reveals … a book. He immediately read it all, pausing at a symbol. He gives a low offer and a tell, and violence breaks out.
Book and Burnham discover the location, but they make a different reference to a past event! Oh the pain!
Raynor immediately splits off while Burnham and Book stay behind and work out where the scavengers have gone.
Staments and Culber reveal Fred is a very old model of synth (from around the time of Picard), as they scan his body. Staments reveals his obsession over legacies again by aweing at the reference to Soong on the droids serial number.
Taking a shortcut through the spice markets (haha Dune reference), the Feds take off on bikes after our scavengers.
Meanwhile a caffeinated Tilly is busted by some other Feds for trying to hack into a database for Burnham, luckily Vance bails her out as we play a broken recording from the dead Romulan.
Another beautifully shot sequence follows as our team bikes after the scavengers. Rayner and Burnham get into another argument about how to proceed as the scavenger ship attempts to escape into the mountains, with a charge that would threaten to cause an avalanche that would wipe out the village. Rayner, against Burnham, gets his ship to blast the entrance prematurely, seemingly solving the situation until the scavengers cause an avalanche anyway – by the way, seeing a phaser blast hit a mountain, cool as heck.
As the avalanche rushes towards the settlement, the bikers attempt to outrun and Discovery explores options. They realise their best shot is having both ships block the avalanche, but Rayner is unwilling to lose the scavengers – but a reminder about the lives at stake gets him to back off.
Both ships collide into the ground, using their combined shields to block the avalanche, saving everyone – coz that’s Starfleet as heck.
Saru and T’Rina have a moment, and I am in awe of how Doug Jones can dart his eyes around to emote so … soulfully. <3
Burnham puts together pieces of the puzzle and confronts Kovich, who reveals the rest:
The episode picks up a plot line from The Chase, an episode I have not yet watched, but will do before next week. I am aware of how it ends as Kovich recaps, before revealing the end goal of the mission is to secure the technology that allows for progeneration.
Straight into the next episode then: I’ve missed Burnham’s logs, they are just so … consoling to listen to. This is Saru’s last mission, but before – a tribunal!!! Rayner is (and rightfully so like he is a loveable asshat but still an asshat) being questioned over his actions. Burnham, to her credit, refuses to throw him under the bus. Rayner taunts her into revealing the truth, and the truth she reveals about how she disagreed with his orders. Rayner goes on an angry rant, maintaining that his actions were justified and that the President is delusional over their desire for peaceful over direct actions. Rayner oversteps and is dressed down but he doesn’t seem to care much, wanting to just get out to the chase – until a moment of perhaps regret in private. Burnham has recruited Book back on to the Discovery- ALONG WITH GRUDGE!!!!!!
Saru and Burnham beam down onto a gorgeous looking and very classic landscape. Book and Culber catch up, with Culber checking in on Book’s emotional state <3 Book projects on to the scavengers, and identifies them as thrill seekers. Saru and Burnham share a really beautiful moment reflecting on their growth <3
I love these guys.
Saru suggests Book as a potential replacement which … seems rash considering he was never an officer but … I guess we shouldn’t judge, considering past XOs. Still – do none of the other bridge officers have aspirations? That are being passed over.
On the planet, a statue comes to life and – honestly in still more fun imagery, the eyes become drones which shoot out and start blasting our officers.
Tilly and Tal attempt to science the issue before Rayner brute forces a hologram of him into the room, handwaving that he was able to monitor their comms, and takes charge in guiding them to the right answer to help the team on the ground. He has such a screen presence, very much a Liam Shaw figure!
Saru insists on drawing fire despite Burnham’s emotional insistence that she do it, with it being his last mission and him being engaged – the two have gotten close enough that Burnham’s decisions have become emotionally compromised. But she relents and our boi go fast.
The EMP goes off, destroying the drones – and after a heartstopping moment where Saru may have been lost, the two continue their investigation, spawning two new weapons – why did Saru have to give his over earlier? Maybe there’s a cooldown period. Burnham and Saru find a five-verse clue with four verses, while Book attempts to contact the scavengers through the dark webs, and has a parley, in an attempt to learn more, but seems like they’re the ones who unsettled him.
Burnham and Saru locate the final clue, one the scavengers missed, and beam out (I thought they couldn’t?) at the last second. They discover they have collected a piece of a 3D map, and the adventure continues!!!!
Meanwhile … Book de-ages Moll, revealing a ghost of his past – the daughter of his mentor.
Saru and Burnham have some farewells, it is genuine and wholehearted – but he’s not like … going away forever, he’s just leaving the ship to stay at Federation HQ, the place Discovery frequently visits.
Rayner has been asked to retire, and in a moment of reflection expresses some remorse. So Burnham offers him what she once got, a second chance as her first officer (much better option than Book)!
Until his inevitable betrayal???
Ahhhh … this was an amazing, beautiful, action-packed and intriguing opening! I am so excite!
Let’s fly!
The Star Trek franchise, images and logo is copyright of CBS. Winifred Burkle promotional shot copyright of the WB Network, Mutant Enemy Inc., and 20th Century Fox.
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