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Star Trek: Discovery really dove deep into TOS lore this week. We knew at the conclusion of the previous episode that Michael and Spock were headed to Talos IV, but I don’t think we expected things to delve as deeply into the past as it did, starting off with the great ‘Previously on Star Trek‘ montage that was all clips from the classic ‘The Cage’ pilot episode featuring footage of Jeffrey Hunter (Pike), Susan Oliver (Vina) and Leonard Nimoy, confirming that Discovery is currently three years ahead of when that episode was set.
And on the way to Talos IV, Michael learns that travel to the planet is forbidden by the Federation, and that Spock has previously been there (before the ban). She also gets some first-hand experience as to the power of the Talosians’ ability to create visions, making Burnham believe her shuttle was about to plunge into a black hole. Spock had to intervene a couple of times before they broke through and she realized there was a planet dead ahead.
Michael is curious about the planet once they land, but seeing a woman enter the shuttle while she’s exploring was a bit concerning. And it turned out Spock knew the woman — Vina (played by Melissa George), acting as a representative for the Talosians. They know Spock’s mind is a mess and are willing to help, but the process requires him showing what’s going on in his mind to someone else, and it became clear that Michael wasn’t actually Spock’s rescuer, she was his sounding board. But the Talosians would only help if she agreed to reveal one of her memories. I’d think it’s kind of hard to trust a group of people who have the power to create images that appear so real, like when Vina showed Michael her true face.
Michael agreed and was presented with the events that led to Spock becoming a fugitive. While hospitalized and drawn to deciphering the signals and the Red Angel’s reason for being, Michael was shown that Spock did not murder anyone, he merely nerve pinched them. She also saw visions of planetary destruction on a galactic scale … but future events, with nuclear missiles launched from unknown vessels. The Red Angel is a time traveler attempting to stop this destruction. But we’re still no closer knowing the Angel’s identity except that we’re presuming it’s a human.
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Back on Discovery, it’s become clear that someone has been making unauthorized transmissions to Section 31 as to Michael’s and Spock’s whereabouts and Pike is quite sure the culprit is Ash Tyler (of course we all know it’s Airiam, who was hacked by the mechanical octopus from the future (or The Matrix). I’m surprised Saru didn’t put two-and-two together yet, but it’s certainly easier to blame Ash. And what exactly is Georgious up to? She helped stage Michael’s escape, but now she’s demanding Pike hand her and Spock over? Whatever she’s doing, she does relish making Leland look like an ass. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she is working to take Leland’s command and spin-off into her own series.
Pike also got a surprise visit from Vina who told him the Talosians were taking care of her and even have created the image of a companion for her. She also returned a second time and acted as a bridge between the planet and the ship so Michael could communicate without using Starfleet channels. She and Spock needed to get back to the ship to prove his innocence but Leland has other things in mind after Discovery sets a course for Talos. Believing his gut that Spock is innocent, Pike disobeys orders and continues to the planet but Leland is in hot pursuit.
Hoping to beam his crew members back, the two ships both lock transporters on the pair, which could be disastrous if the both engage. Vina appears again and convinces Pike that he has to let them go. Burnham and Spock are beamed to Leland’s ship but their behavior is odd. Not answering a direct question, Burnham says,’Say hello, Spock,’ and he raises his hand in the classic Vulcan greeting and says, ‘Hello Spock’ before the pair fades away, another Talosian mind trick, the pair now safely back on Discovery. But Pike is still unaware of the identity of the unwitting traitor in their midst.
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Elsewhere, Hugh’s adjustment to being alive again is not going as well as Paul had hoped. Paul is really over-compensating more for himself than for Hugh, trying way too hard to bring Hugh back to his old self but it’s not working. Hugh can barely feel anything, physically or emotionally, and not even food tastes the same. Seeing Ash walking through the corridors didn’t help, and that led to a physical confrontation in the mess hall … with Saru allowing it to happen, telling everyone that it would be a cathartic moment for the two men. That didn’t end in any kind of resolution for Hugh or Ash, and it just got Saru in a bit of hot water with Pike. The end result is … the end of CulMets?! Say it isn’t so!
New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery begin streaming Thursdays at 8:30 PM on CBS All Access.
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