S3 E2: "It's not who we are"
Where there is faith, tremendous things can be accomplished.
Watching any Star Trek franchise by Sonia Van Meter’s side is an opportunity to witness faith in humanity’s upside. To her, Star Trek depicts a future for us in which what is good about people is the organizing principle of society. But our couch is not big enough for all of you, which is why I asked her to write episode recaps for season three of Star Trek: Discovery, in which institutions have failed, the Prime Directive is a historical relic, and doing the right thing is a tiny rebellion. That is to say, this week she saw some parallels to what Saru and his crew are experiencing and what we are going through as well.
by Sonia Van Meter
Welcome to the future, Discovery! You made it… somewhere! Some time! Do we know either? Nope. But at the very least you’re out of the wormhole and back in normal space and time, and you even managed to put your ship on solid ground. Shiva be praised!
But after collectively breathing a sigh of relief, our crew looks around with the dawning realization of their situation. They don’t know when or where they are. Their ship is barely functional. Sick bay is flooded with wounded. And neither internal communications nor internal sensors are working, so they can’t even get a read on what they need to fix first, or who might need the most help.
And Michael Burnham is somewhere out there, entirely alone.
But they are Star Fleet, wherever and whenever they are. Commander Saru, with presence of mind and an authority both gentle and firm, collects his bridge crew and resets the room: “We are completely disconnected at present, yes. But we are also together, and alive.” And with that, you see spines and resolve stiffen as he starts assigning tasks, focusing his team on imperatives, and getting the wheels turning on the biggest repair job Discovery has ever faced. When Lt. Owosekun bemoans that without internal sensors they won’t be able to locate the immediate mechanical problems, Cmdr. Reno, the most Gen-X character to ever snark her way across a screen, points out that she can reprogram tricorders (little handheld sensor devices) to sniff out the major damages. Pay attention to Reno. The woman is as resourceful as an 8-year-old who knows the cookies are hidden on top of the fridge and mom doesn’t come home for two more hours.
I’m deeply enjoying Commander Saru, who despite being the newest in a long and deeply impressive line of Star Fleet captains might just be the best (acting) captain suited to this particular mission. He began his life in Star Fleet believing he and his people were meek, helpless creatures destined to be preyed upon by stronger species. His curiosity, the very quality his own people tried to quell in him, is exactly what led him to a life that the rest of his world could only imagine. In his determination to be more than he was, he threw himself into the rules and regulations of Star Fleet more than perhaps Kirk, Sisko, or Janeway would have done. And so in this unparalleled moment of crisis, he is not simply supportive and encouraging of his crew, he is ORGANIZED. There’s a protocol for everything, and Saru knows every one of them by heart, and somehow it doesn’t stop him from being a profoundly empathetic character and leader. I can’t think of a better guy for the job.
Moving on. Saru and Tilly survey the ship together taking stock of the damage. Lo, they cross paths with evil-universe Philippa Georgiou. Ladies and gentlemen, gird your loins because Georgiou is here to trash-talk and destroy her enemies, and she’s already getting bored with the trash talk. Still covered with the entrails of her last victim, she demands to know why no one is working on the external communications systems. Might this acerbic void of warmth and compassion be concerned about Burnham’s well being? It does seem to be a common thread among this character in the previous two seasons despite Georgiou being an epic hardass, but once again Saru is not having anyone’s emotions driving the decisions today. He tells her it’s not an immediate priority, and they’ll get to it when they’ve resolved more pressing matters. She glares. And there you have the pair’s dynamic through just about every exchange they’ve had thus far.
Pay attention to Reno. The woman is as resourceful as an 8-year-old who knows the cookies are hidden on top of the fridge and mom doesn’t come home for two more hours.
Meanwhile in sick bay, Dr. Culber rouses Lt. Cmdr. Stamets from his induced coma because boy howdy do they need the space. Our boy Stamets is in no condition to do much more than babble, but the chaos and blood splatter around them says there’s no need for him to be occupying a bed when so many others are in need. Off to the cellular regeneration chamber with you, young man! Meanwhile Lt. Detmer wanders in looking like a woman who not five minutes earlier got knocked on her skull. A medical tech treats the gash on her head and tells her she’s good to go, but make no mistake -- girl got her bell rung and she is not okay.
Saru, Tilly, and Georgiou are now in what might have been the captain’s ready room before the crash tore through it like Mötley Crüe in a 5-star hotel. They’re debating a thorny problem -- what to do about a broken component that needs to be rebuilt, but they don’t have enough rubidium to make that happen. The still unidentified planet they’re on, it seems, has plenty, in addition to life, and even a few small settlements. So why are they not putting together a landing party to go find some? Because Georgiou is again arguing that external communications should be their first priority. Aggressively. Saru once again puts her in her place, matching her force if not her tone, reminding her he’s the ranking officer on this ship. More caustic remarks and glaring from Georgiou directed at anyone breathing within 10 feet of her. No way does this situation not eventually erupt.
Saru, Tilly, and Georgiou are now in what might have been the captain’s ready room before the crash tore through it like Mötley Crüe in a 5-star hotel.
Over in engineering, poor Stamets is back on his wobbly feet trying to hunt down a particular problem while some unlucky lower decker is scraping up the sticky remains of last season’s bad guy. Reno dryly observes that Stamets is moving like a man very much in pain. In no mood to humor, he brushes her off, but Reno is not to be denied. She’s going with him to help, much to Stamets’ chagrin, and there’s not a darn thing he can do about it. People gotta work in pairs. (Acting) captain’s orders. And with that, Stamets withers.
With the rest of the crew occupied with ship repairs, Saru and Tilly venture out onto the frozen planet to find the necessary rubidium, and possibly engage in a little trade with the locals. Tilly, ever unsure of herself, stammers awkwardly at Saru, compensating for her nerves by chattering about the landscape, the planet, and the surreality of their situation. She bashfully asks why Saru chose her to accompany him on this mission, and once again, Saru is the picture of grace and integrity, for they are venturing into an unknown world, “and you, ensign Tilly, are a wonderful first impression.”
As the light begins to fade on the planet’s surface we notice something new and horrible -- the ice seems to be parasitic. Imagine a glacier, but hostile and on meth. It’s enveloping our ship as the light dims and the temperature presumably drops. Suddenly our crew is in a race against time to get back into the air, or else their 900-year journey will come to an abrupt and chilly end by the time the sun has fully set.
But our (acting) captain and his trusty floppy-haired ensign seem to be having luck! Seeing a humanoid figure in the distance, Saru and Tilly follow him into what appears to be a local dive bar. In seconds, they’ve got multiple firearms in their face, and you can almost hear Tilly’s heart pounding in her chest. Saru quietly introduces himself, making clear they mean no harm, saying their ship had crashed nearby and they’re simply in need of materials for repair.
As the light begins to fade on the planet’s surface we notice something new and horrible -- the ice seems to be parasitic. Imagine a glacier, but hostile and on meth.
“Star Fleet ship. We know,” one of the locals avers. Saru continues, still trying to cool the room. “We are officers of Star Fleet...”
“Prove it,” they demand. Saru is confused. These people had already identified their ship as one of Star Fleet’s.
“Anyone could be flying that ship,” the local responds. And then Tilly starts Tillying:
“Star Fleet regulation 256.15: Officers shall display behavior befitting an officer at all times. Which is why we’re not freaking out right now about being held at phaser point by a bunch of strangers.”
One by one, each of the locals drops their weapon, and a slow smile spreads across one of their faces. “My name is Cal.” He looks at one of his friends. “I told you.”
“They can’t help us Cal,” the friend responds.
“Yes they can. And they will. It’s a...part of them... how they are.”
How they are.
That sound you heard, dear reader, is the sound of hope exploding from deep within my weary soul. Even here on this desolate rock, in this desolate future, faith in Star Fleet still exists. And where there is faith, tremendous things can be accomplished. Colonies can thrive. Tyranny can be vanquished. Justice can be served, and peace may reign. We might just get out of this mess yet!
But among these colonists (miners, they call themselves) only Cal is certain in his faith. The others remain unsure. They argue amongst themselves. Most of them want the Star Fleet officers to leave, saying they’ll attract Zareh, a name they whisper with apprehension. Cal defends our friends by saying they can help, and that they should in turn help them. Debates ensue about the resources they have available on the planet versus the resources Discovery may be able to provide. There’s an uncomfortable moment of silence and then Tilly, again, Tillies:
“We have dilithium!”
Where there is faith, tremendous things can be accomplished. Colonies can thrive. Tyranny can be vanquished. Justice can be served, and peace may reign.
And with that, every head in the building snaps her way. Clearly, our officers have found a starting point for negotiations and a trade deal is made -- the miners will help them repair their ship, and Discovery will provide as much dilithium as it can spare for the colonists’ needs. Cal kicks into gear, grabbing Tilly and her broken ship component and they get to work.
Back on Discovery, Stamets and Reno are debating who gets to crawl through the Jefferies tube to repair a busted piece of the ship. Stamets is doing his level best to keep cool and show no vulnerability. Reno, older, wiser, and clearly rocking a wicked back injury, is goading him into doing it himself, turning his macho bravado back on him. While neither are in any shape to be doing the work, Stamets is the only one struggling with the helplessness that comes from injury. But despite her perpetually sarcastic demeanor, Reno reassures him that while helplessness is a miserable feeling, it is both normal and temporary. I’m telling you, Star Fleet training must be a doozy, because there is literally an inspirational speech for every situation, and before we know it, Stamets is climbing up a ladder while Reno waits below muttering something about needing a neuroblocker.
As the sun sets further, we return to the bar where Cal is rebuilding the ship’s component with what he calls “programmable matter.” Tilly is blown away by the technology. Cal wields it as easily as you or I would handle a ballpoint pen. Not wanting to seem out of her depth, Tilly applauds his skill and experience. He looks at her, and then looks down, bashfully.
“Maybe I’m Star Fleet material?”
I suspect you are, good sir.
“I just always believed that you would come. And you did.”
A True Believer, indeed.
Meanwhile, Saru is conversing with the bartender, trying to understand the circumstances they find themselves in. This mining colony is unable to provide for itself, so they rely on couriers to bring them what they can’t make or grow, which is just about everything. Their courier is named Zareh, and he’s cruel, tyrannical, and won’t take kindly to meeting new faces. And as if on cue, Zareh’s ship enters the atmosphere and the people in the bar scramble. Cal tries to usher Saru and Tilly out the back door. Saru points out that they’ve yet to hold up their end of the bargain, they’ve not delivered their dilithium to the colony yet, but Cal insists that if Zareh finds them there, none of that will matter.
“I just always believed that you would come. And you did.”
And then, in swaggers Zareh, looking every inch the part of a douchey, entitled, predatory space-warlord who thinks far more highly of himself than he has any right to. I’ll spare you the detailed description of this character. It’s enough to say he walks in, vaguely threatens the locals, tells our Star Fleet officers he’s going to take their ship, and when our proselyte Cal tries to push back even slightly, Zareh shoots him with some kind of phaser that works brutally slowly as it kills him. It seems to work much like a disrupter that showed up in a Next Generation episode, a model that had been banned in the Federation for being too cruel an instrument, but I suppose if the Federation isn’t around to enforce that rule anymore, what’s the concern to a grubby little scavenger like Zareh?
With Cal now getting cold on the bar floor, and the sun rapidly setting outside, our heroes are backed into a corner. Either they give Zareh what he wants, or everybody dies. He mocks their inability to challenge him. I really do wish bad guys could be a little more creative in their villainy, but such is the troll we deal with today.
And then, of all things, in comes Georgiou. Or more specifically, in gets thrown Georgiou, by Zareh’s beefy henchmen who hurl her through the door. She pops up unscathed, and in true Philippa fashion, immediately begins running her mouth, calling Zareh a cheap imitation dictator. And I suppose if there’s one person in that room who knows something about being an actual dictator, it’s Georgiou. Zareh orders his men to shoot her, but once again working her rhetorical magic, she demands that they shoot Zareh, who has, she carefully explains, screwed them all by leading them into a position where they cannot gain anything, nor can they defend themselves. She’s almost gleeful as she lays out how exactly Zareh has failed as a leader, and muses aloud how much fun she’s going to have in this new universe where half a brain and only a few resources will turn one into a powerhouse.
I really do wish bad guys could be a little more creative in their villainy, but such is the troll we deal with today.
Naturally a firefight ensues, henchmen get vaporized, and Tilly wisely takes cover at the behest of her (acting) captain while Saru and Georgiou whup the remaining bad guy booty all over the bar. Our officers having won the day, Zareh slinks to the floor having at least the good sense to know when he’s beaten.
And that’s when things get interesting.
Georgiou, flush from the fight and positively glowing in victory, wants to eliminate Zareh. And frankly, I’m kind of okay with this. He’s been a monster, preying on the vulnerable, taking whatever he wanted without regard for anyone. He’s exactly the kind of smirking jackal you want to see on the business end of a phaser. But Saru won’t allow it. Georgiou argues that even Saru can’t disagree the universe would be better without him, but Saru stands firm.
“It’s not who we are.”
And in the next few moments I’m so sure Saru and Georgiou are finally going to come to blows I’m literally standing in front of my TV waiting for it to happen. (editor’s note: This is true.) But after what feels like a month of holding my breath, Philippa finally rolls her eyes in exasperation and gives Saru her gun with a giggle, which Saru tosses to the bartender. The bartender looks at Saru:
“Cal always believed that you were out there somewhere. That we were part of the Federation no matter what. I get now why he never stopped talking about you.”
Brb. Gotta go sob a little. (editor’s note: She did.)
The drama at the bar now over, Saru leaves it to the colonists to decide the fate of Zareh. While I’m ashamed to admit I probably would have zapped the little maggot, the bartender tells him simply to walk outside and keep walking and never come back. With the sun now almost fully set, that’s a death sentence, but I suppose it lets a man keep his dignity, and spares the bartender from having to pull a trigger.
The Federation may be gone, but even on the outer rim of civilization, its memory lives on.
Their part repaired, their trade concluded, our crewmembers beam back to Discovery (yes, beam, the future has portable transporters and the bartender happened to have a few on hand) to find it being literally crushed by the ice. Their engines are somehow back online, barely, but they don’t seem to have the power to break free. And of course that’s when an alien ship shows up, we assume one of Zareh’s competitors here to pick clean the bones of Discovery. The incoming ship kindly locks their tractor beam onto Discovery, yanking it free of the ice, but the exhausted and demoralized bridge crew is in no shape to fight off any kind of attack. The ship doesn’t immediately attack though, instead hailing Discovery.
Folks, it’s no enemy.
IT’S MICHAEL BURNHAM. She has found them! How has she done it? Has she been waiting long? Where did she come from?
The joy on the bridge of Discovery upon seeing her face could light up New York City for a week. They have at last found each other. The crew is whole again. Faith has been rewarded, certainly for the crew, but particularly for Burnham who has been waiting a full year for Discovery to arrive.
There’s something about living under a presidential administration that is equal parts cruel and incompetent that makes this episode, in this viewer’s humble estimation, a balm for the soul. In this violent and ungoverned future universe, where the vulnerable are preyed upon, and there is nothing resembling a stable infrastructure with concern for its citizens, people are still willing to embrace kindness and compassion and decency because of faith in an ideal. The Federation may be gone, but even on the outer rim of civilization, its memory lives on. People still yearn to be part of it, even if membership is nothing but the embracing of its ideals.
In Saru’s shining monologue at the beginning of the episode, he makes a very clear point:
“I am aware that you all may feel an expedited need to see and understand what is out there. But our first priority is in here, the integrity of this ship and this crew.”
For what may be the first time in the franchise, Star Fleet’s mission is not about exploring new worlds or seeking out new life or new civilizations. It’s about holding together as a family, protecting and supporting one another in extraordinary circumstances. As the Federation and Star Fleet try to rebuild in this new universe, I hope they’ll continue this exploration of the self. It’s a fine and timely example for us as we set to the work of deciding who we want to be going forward.
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