Well, it’s been a long road. Getting from there to here. I wrote my first one of these in 2017, back on Blogger. I started writing them as a carry-over from my semi-abandeoned-still-need-to-return-to Dragon Ball reactions that I started before University and then University happened.
Nowadays I’d just make video reactions of everything, as I have done with Picard, Lower Decks, and Strange New Worlds.
But it only seemed right to finish Discovery the way I started, as blog reactions. That being said, when we finish this, I’ll make a live video, giving my thoughts on the show as a whole, and it’s fundamental impact on the franchise.
But for now – we have a feature length episode to wrap up the show. Let’s fly.
Burnham wakes up inside the structure – somehow changed from the Breen outfit into Starfleet tactical, not sure what that’s about. Burnham walks towards the bright light at the end of the tunnel. The tunnel has gateways, and below an entire mountainous region. One portal jump wasn’t enough for Burnham wo touches another structure ends ends up sucked into a rainstormy planet. Other curious Breen met their fate here, lying in their own blood. One Breen has survived and sees Michael and chooses violence. Unfortunately so does the planet and a literal hurricane blows them off the feet. Like any good mook, the Breen puts attack over self-preservation and continues to try to beat up Michael whilst hanging on for their life. Predictably this results in him being blown away, presumably to his death. This scene is very fond of slow mo shots, something I’m not personally a big fan of, when they keep using multiple slow mo shots mixed within normal framerate shots – it makes it look gimmicky. Burnham uses the next wind gust to Mario jump back out of the rainstorm planet into the structure.
Burnham drags herself back out, where another Breen is like ‘VIOLENCE TIME’. However he is made irrelevant by a shot to the chest as Moll makes her appearance, floating in from the sky. This episode is off to a weird start.
Moll is violently bleeding from her leg, which Burnham fixes for her. Moll, as per her actual smarts, recognises that Burnham has the knowledge she’d need. Burnham only accepts if they work together, not as her prisoner. The two rivals for the tech join forces, faced with this immensely cool video game level selection screen:
In 2017, I wrote:
I wasn’t very impressed with the titles if I’m honest. It didn’t invoke a sense of excitement in me that every other Star Trek series did (yes, even Enterprise – I am one of the minority that liked their choice of a pop track). The tone is very mellow and reflective. The use of callbacks to the original themes were appreciated, but were still very low key. I like my Star Trek opening titles to invoke a sense of wonder and inspire exploration. This didn’t do it for me.
I continued to criticise the opening titles for many many episodes.
But now, seven years later and faced with the final time I will hear the theme whilst watching a new episode … I … well …
Discovery opening title sequence and theme tune.
I will miss you.
Discovery, meanwhile, is having an exciting time. They need to get close enough to the portal to tractor beam it (they were considering teleporting it and I for one do not think teleporting a rip in SpaceTime into one’s cargo bay is a particularly clever move), whilst navigating gravitational derbies, before Tahal’s fleet arrives in a clean, round sixty minutes – and the Dreadnaught, whilst crippled, is deploying fighters (boo!).
Incidentally, Burnham is trapped in the structure and we know Saru is on a dangerous mission to stall Tahal but the thumbnail for this episode show both these characters hugging, which kinda spoils any suspense here, especially if it turns out to be from late in the episode. Discovery has never been afraid to get rid of main or recurring cast, be it temporarily or permanently, and even through death. The finale most of all should leave us with the most concern that we could lose either Burnham or Saru.
Speaking of, Saru is preparing to leave in defenceless shuttle to meet with Tahal. Burnham discusses with Moll what will happen when they find he tech, which I very much appreciate over the unspoken pretense that both sides are in a truce we all know one of them will break- Burnham is wisely trying to get ahead of it, promising that the Federation will allow Moll to bring Lok back but they will want to keep the tech safe. Moll refuses to trust anyone but herself. Apparently Burnham doesn’t think pretending they’re not gonna backstab each other is appropriate so she takes the initiative and leg swipes Burnham (there was actually a nice touch I just realised where before Burnham spoke up, she glanced down at Moll’s injured leg – I thought she was just checking on it, but that was a plan five steps ahead.
Their fight causes them to become CGI dolls and then fall into purple filter land.
Burnham tells Moll ‘it doesn’t have to be this way’ which is kinda rich after she made the first move, something Moll points out. Again, we keep getting these random slow-mo shots mixed in I am not fond of as they both fight back in to the main arena (it is like a video game!), landing on a platform above a window into a fire planet, which is their next fighting arena.
Discovery is holding its own but is taking damage from the fighters. Rayner has learnt his lesson from his first on-screen appearance – just as the avalanche changed their mission aims then, here Rayner has to adjust his priorities, and decides to tackle the fighters first. I’m not convinced a veteran commander like him would have learnt such a basic tactical skill so late on but it’s a cute callback, if not a bit forced. Book volunteers to keep a track on the portal whilst Discovery handles the Breen, and Culbert volunteers to go with him, based on a feeling that he must.
Burnham and Moll exhaust themselves fighting. Burnham tells Moll to stand-down, I’m not clear exactly what the difference is between that and the kinda-truce they had earlier, I guess maybe she wants Moll to just take a seat? Drawing from her experience losing Book and then getting him back from the 10-C, she begs Moll to trust her – not the Federation, but her specifically. Moll agrees and they – continue together again, like they were before, but just with Moll having less weapons? I guess that was the point? To assert dominance? I mean I still wouldn’t trust Moll to not snap my neck but it seems enough for Burnham.
Discovery plans to use the plasma as an explosive, a technique to commonly used in Star Trek, I don’t get why it keeps being brought up as a clever, imaginative technique – I feel like it should be part of standard training by this point!
Burnham works something out and …. does something? And a more hostile looking planet becomes a more peaceful looking planet? I can’t say I really understand what Burnham did here but I also don’t think it massively matters!
Saru’s fairly weak negotiation doesn’t win Tahal’s initial amusement at his suicidal attempt to seek an audience, and she cuts off comms, recognising that the Federation would only take the risks it is taking if there was something very important at stake.
In the land of Oz, Burnham recognises the planet they are on is the tech. They pass a monument to one of the scientists – killed trying to use the technology. A plinth rises in the centre, an interface. Burnham shares the pass phrase she got given, a clue to help them correctly unlock the interface. Burnham is distracted by Book trying to reach her on comm and, stupidly, turns her back on Moll, who clonks her onto the floor. Moll attempts to figure out the interface with her own interpretation of the clue. The system binds her in and powers up, while the portal begins to use the power of the black hole – which would not do anything kind to the area. Discovery wipes out all the Breen fighters, but the Dreadnaught has repaired. Discovery goes to engage the Dreadnaught as Book and Culbert attempts to lock on to the portal, but this fails (which seems somewhat expected it … is a SpaceTime rip …). Culbert has a feeling that synchronising to a particular frequency would work – and it does, allowing them to lock a tractor beam on. But they are unable to pull it away, only keep it steady.
Saru plays his trump card – his weak play earlier was the sacrificial pawn, using the information he was able to get out of Tahal, he delivers a cold threat that if he does not stand down a collection of systems preparing to attack Tahul’s home base, they will do so, and even if they don’t succeed, Tahul will suffer losses enough to jeopardise their position to the throne. With a dead stare to rival my own, Tahul falls for his bluff and retreats.
Saru does not believe the situation is over however, as Burnham comes to on the planet. Burnham grabs on to her and pulls her out. It seems Moll chose … unwisely, as whatever the machine did to her has hurt Moll.
Burnham figures out that the solution to the clue is to use negative space between the triangular puzzle pieces to create the key (which I was kinda thinking would be the answer so I feel smart) – and then jump cuts from a yellow tinted platform to a blue tinted platform, alone. Apart from a Progenitor, who approaches, the first one we have seen since The Chase. The appearance is a mental projection, for the Progenitors are indeed dead. The Progenitor reveals that the tech cannot bring back someone from the dead, only create an identical replacement with no memories or sense of self (in a sense, it’s more limited then then other forms of tech we’ve seen around the universe both in this time and prior). There is something deeper – the Progenitors seeded the life in those planets but they did not create the technology either.
Culbert reveals that he knew the frequency due to a memory bleed from his experience on Trill – this is the only time it has happened and it is specific to this memory. He reflects on the beauty of mystery, and the Discovery theme plays, almost as if to remind us that despite the show’s name, the ethos of Trek is very much embedded at the core.
Meanwhile, in a dizzying shot, Discovery receives a call from Saru – Tahal may have turned around but a scout vessel is still on its way to report back. Rayner comes up with a plan to deal with both that’s just so crazy it’s frankly just crazy. By separating Discovery, they can use the tech in a new way they have not before to jump something else – i.e. the Breen. Rayner is given a moment to decide where to jump them to – and it’s clear again from Callum Keith Rennie’s great face acting there is a strong moment of urge to send them to their deaths, but his Starfleet ethos wins and he decides to send them to the Galactic Barrier – they’ll survive but it’ll take them decades to get home (which is still very brutal tbh), Tilly approves.
Burnham is overwhelmed by the Progenitor’s invitation to her to become the tech’s new stewart – which, … I mean yeah. Burnham agrees that no single person should hold that power. The Progenitor goes into a thesis speech about the meaning of life, connecting it to several of our characters, both individually and as a group, tying together the show’s themes, before Discovery’s plan kicks in with them giving the dreadnaught the biggest death roll of all time!
The Progenitor’s speech evolves into the importance of diversity as important for a community, before asking Burnham what is most important to her with life. She returns Burnham back, saying she can return at any time to complete her training, BEFORE SHOWING HER LITERALLY ALL OF LIFE.
All that considered, she regains her composure fairly quickly. She tells Moll that Lok is gone, which Moll seems to accept very quickly. Apparently now that the machine is powered down, it’s very easy to teleport someone out of the portal (almost as if was like an actual space rather than a rip in SpaceTime). Everyone returns to Discovery, and they take the portal on board the ship (because – again, that’s apparently how that works …. isn’t this tech reliant on using black hole power, why do you want that inside your ship?!).
We’re just past the midpoint of the episode and I think about What You Leave Behind, the finale of Deep Space Nine – that feature length finale had a weird split where the culmination of the nine-part Final Chapter arc was in the first half (and, during syndicated splits, the penultimate episode) – the second half (i.e. the opening of the final episode in two-parters) literally opens with the end of the War, the Founders surrendering, and the signing of the Treaty. A lot of the rest of the episode is the crew reflecting and celebrating, until we have the second conclusion around Dukat’s death which is to finish off Sisko’s arc and his relationship with Bajor, before a long-montage sequence and the episode ends. It’s an odd balance when you’re ending a show – it’s the criticism often put to Lord of the Rings – too much tail makes the audience deflate too early, but equally I have seen shows end when the plot does, so abrupt you feel unsatisfied that you’ve not been able to wind down with the characters you’ve gone through this journey with. So, with about 30 mins of this episode left, I do wonder what we’re now in for.
We now get that hug between Saru and Burnham, so everything now is uncertain – which I think I’m fine with, I did not think before here there was any serious danger to either of them that would’ve been undermined by their reunion. Burnham conveys to those the weight of her choice but also proposes that society already has Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations – and that diversity is enough. She wants to let the technology go. Staments wants to study the technology, Rayner wants to fulfil their orders – we already see the tech cause division and there’s but five people in a room. Staments and Tal stay in the room to reflect. Anthony Rapp plays the scene beautifully, even without saying a word, the mature, sombre, but mournful look on his face made me cry a little.
So anyway – Discovery chucks the portal into the black hole (thankfully we’re not dealing with 5e rules) and jumps home. A Nahm-guarded Moll is visited by Book. There seems to be no fight in her left, and does not want Book’s uplifting speech. A joke I don’t really see why would land (about not hating the name of the man who abandoned her and left her and her mum to fend for themselves) seems to elicit a chuckle from her so uh … yay?
Burnham meets with our mysterious Kovich. The red directive has been closed and classified. Kovich deems Burnham as one of the few who has impressed but aggravated him as much as she has – historically, the high praise any Starfleet captain should hope to receive from an authority figure. Behind Kovich, are a bunch of Easter Eggs, including Sisko’s baseball!!!!!! (Weird – I was literally thinking about that yesterday!) Burnham asks the question I am sure we are all demanding. Who actually are you? Luckily, Kovich trusts – he is Agent Daniels. As far as reveals go – my response is ‘… yeah alright, I guess that makes sense, doesn’t really ruin anything for me, doesn’t hugely make me go ‘ohhhhh!!”.
Several Weeks Later – Saru and T’Rina marry. In spectacular garb our cast is present (there’s a lot of early season Discovery in the design, I’m not sure if that’s deliberate or not). Saru uses the opportunity to talk about connection, Tilly is inspired to start a mentorship programme at the Academy. Even Booker has scrubbed up! Kovich summons them both to a mission so they decide to bail on Saru’s wedding??!!? Uh???
Passing through the looking glass of Georgiou’s telescope, gifted an age ago, we catchup with an older Burnham and Booker (the aged make-up is really good here, I had a moment where I could not tell if this was Sonequa Martin-Green for a moment). It’s a big day for Burnham.
Fixing a fence and chatting to a Space Deer, Admiral Burnham awaits a shuttle. A captain in new Starfleet uniform beams down, Burnham jr! I should be appreciating how heartfelt the scene is but obviously I am more obsessed with taking in every detail of the new costume design – something that isn’t helped when Burnham presses a combadge to generate her own uniform.
I spot the 47 reference on the shuttle, which flies past a sanctuary of the creatures Burnham helped Booker save when they first met. The shuttle warps away, Burnham and her son discuss his ‘Inspiring First Speech’ he will have to give, and Burnham reflects on the importance of meaning that was a theme during her time this season. She’s settled on the importance of just being. Life, itself.
The shuttle arrives at Discovery, for its last dance. The bridge is dark, allowing Burnham to talk on, backlit in volumetric light, as any Captain should. The Red Directive mission is the setup for Calypso – Discovery is being left to await for Craft, the person we see Zora save in that episode, set thousands of years in the future. It seems a bit mean if I’m honest to find out that Discovery is being purposefully left alone, but I suppose it can only be them, and Burnham does gift her with the hope of return, to meet the descendants of her crew. Burnham sits on the Captain’s seat one last time, and hears the ghosts of the past, before seeing images of her younger crew, connecting.
The ship flies out, to a guard of honour, and jumps.
And that was Star Trek: Discovery. I will reflect on the show, in a reaction video that I will post here once I film it but, until and after then, to the legacy of Star Trek,
the future.
The Star Trek franchise, images and logo is copyright of CBS. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is copyright of Warner Bros.,
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