Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 5x07 - "Erigah"

That would require competent security, Trek doesn't seem to learn from it's past mistakes.

Non-Interactive Holographic visits should be "Good Enough" from a very remote brig, but the writers had to write foil-able security.

You're correct on L'ak shouldn't have access to anything. But that requires them to have competent security setup for a injured patient.

 

Here’s a question I have about the Breen. How are they a major power at this point?

The Emerald Chain were introduced as a dominant power after the jump to the 32nd century, and even they were being forced to negotiate a union with the Federation given the situation with dilithium, since it was implied they had nearly exhausted the ability to steal and pillage it from others to the extent they needed.

Unless I missed some other exposition, I would assume the Federation controls the only major source of dilithium in the galaxy at the moment (i.e., the planet where they found the cause of the burn). So how exactly are the Breen able to project power and strength against the Federation? Shouldn’t the Federation be the modern day equivalent of OPEC and be able to use their control of dilithium to negotiate favorable terms and relations with neighbors?

 

Great episode. Loved the game of Brinkmanship with the Breen, even though the game was heavily in the Breen's favour. I also liked the world building we got on the Breen and Rayner's backstory, and how it mirrors Burnham's. The Breen Dreadnought was intimidating as fuck. The effects this episode were top notch, the shots of HQ with the Nebula backdrop and the shots of the Federation ships warping in and facing off with the Dreadnought were beautiful. We got a Constitution class, two Mars class, two Merian class, a Dresshaus-type, and a Credence-type, keen to get some names for those ships. Also loved what an ensemble piece this was, everyone got something to do and contribute to the situation.


Can't wait to see the badlands next week!

 

I remember being in the hospital after surgery and given a machine hooked to my IV with morphine for the pain. When you felt pain you pressed the button for a dose. It didn't matter how many times the button was pressed for a dose, it would only give one dose per unit time and lock out and not dispense any medication to allow the patient to overdose. Maybe the Federation should see about using some 21st century medical tech.

 

Since they're going to the badlands next... are we gonna see far future DS9?

 

The next clue is a dreamcatcher left behind by Chakotay on a Maquis derelict.

Well, that would make a great callback seeing as it's in the Badlands. I know, it'll be something else.

I wonder if Tom Paris will get a mention as they fly through it.

If the Progenitor's tech can bring back the dead, why haven't we seen any of them? Or will they all show up in the finale to check in on the kids?

For a moment I thought Moll was going to announce her pregnancy. What would that do to this Breen bloodline succession business?

Poor Book. His usefulness seems to have ended. And he doesn't even have Grudge to keep him sane.

Yeah, Starfleet security is anything but. Nhan-effective, really.

 

This episode was better than last week's, but still on the boring side. The politics was really quite facile, thus added no intrigue to the "quest " the acting was quite good, but there seems to be so little substance.

7

 

They weren't required to, they simply chose to since Osyrra figured an alliance between the Federation and the Emerald Chain would mean the Chain would acquire the Federation's reputation as a paragon of virtue. Once those talks broke down, Osyrra was perfectly okay with attacking the Federation and nearly won.

 

God, I hated this episode.
- the security, as usual, was shit
- I hated the camera work during the fight scene between Moll and Nahn, it gave me vertigo
- Moll giving the benefit of the doubt because "she has a plan" No, she hates Stargate. Why else would she suddenly help the Breen. I don't buy it
- why would a betazoid know where this library is now, if she lived centuries ago? Did she calculate it?
- I hate the fact that Book would do anything for Moll because "she is his only remaining relative" Like dude, you don't know her, she hates your mentor's gut. Stop trying to convince to become good! It's shitty writing, it's "somehow Palpetine returned" level of bad writing

 

From season 3, episode 8 (“The Sanctuary”):

RYN: I need to tell you something, something that will give you an advantage. They’re running out of dilithium. The Chain. That’s why Osyraa wants me back. I’m the only one who knows. And now you do, too.​

 

That doesn't mean the Chain was required to negotiate. Indeed, the fact they immediately attacked in episode 12 after their talks failed and nearly won in the start of episode 13 until Michael pleaded with Osyraa proves the Chain had the upper hand.

 

She attacked because she had control of Discovery and the spore drive, giving her a new option for interstellar travel. Plus, when she realized a deal wasn’t possible unless she was willing to agree to stand trial, then everything went to shit.

But it doesn’t change the fact that her original concern was that they were running out of dilithium and that brought her to the table.

And that same issue should be present with the Breen.

 

Well, that was an episode, for sure.

I'll admit that I perhaps didn't have the best viewing experience, as I had to catch this one on my phone, which may color my response, but consider be firmly underwhelmed. My main issues with the episode boil down to two elements, both of which suggest the script needed a lot more doctoring. First, this is a plot-heavy episode, and it's rife with plot contrivances. Secondly, the dialogue is very stilted and expository.

The episode immediately got off on the wrong foot, by having Moll and L'ak caught offscreen by the Federation. While this does provide a welcome chance for Nhan to come back into the show, it means the "escape" at the end of the last episode - something which already stretched credulity - meant absolutely nothing. They should have, at minimum, had a teaser before they got recaptured if they went down the cliffhanger route. This would have been helpful, because so much hinges on the Moll/L'ak romance, and I still feel this is too underbaked - more show than tell.

Contrivances keep piling up. Moll is kept next to L'ak, because reasons. Starfleet still knows nothing about Breen physiology after 800 years, because reasons. L'ak accidentally kills himself, becaus reasons. Michael manages to completely flip Admiral Vance's plans with a two-minute discussion. The Breen Primarch is bamboozled with the flimsiest of bluffs (must have rolled a 20 on that charisma check). A ticking clock is used - twice. All of this would be fine if the dialogue flowed naturally and the characters felt believable, but the seams of the script show a bit too much here, meaning I can never quite suspend disbelief enough to be engrossed. The highlight of this was the friction Rayner had Michael and the others, but even here, it felt like he regressed a bit for the needs of the plot.

The b-plot involving the next clue was eye-rolling as well, because there's somehow a handwritten book (which is fine) which Zora knows about, but which somehow, in the 32nd century, does not have a digital copy stashed away, except at a super-secret roving base (the idea of hiding knowledge seems so contrary to everything involving a digital age civilization). That said, I give this one more leeway because the scene with Reno was legitimately great.

Then there's the ending, which was a weird letdown, because somehow despite the status quo being upset, and the stakes purportedly being raised, everything is pretty much the same. Moll may be on the Primarch's ship now, due to some vague handwavy idea that the Progenitor tech will allow for L'ak's resurrection (did they even take his body?), but Discovery still has four out of five key bits, and AFAIK Moll didn't get a chance to steal Discovery's data to help the Breen solve the next clue. And we're back to episodic key-hunting next week! I'm sure the show will find a way to get the Primarch involved, but I'm really at a loss, aside from the ship just showing up again at Federation HQ to try and steal it in the final episode, to see how it happens. So in the macro sense, nothing has changed. Before, Moll and L'ak planned to sell the tech to the Primarch to lift the Erigah, and now, Moll is just going to help the Primarch to try and get it. Big deal.

 

Seven of Limes.

 

Some nice touches. Stamets and Book working together. Reno pulling a Pelia outlining her colorful history. The darkening corridor as the Breen arrive. Rayner opening up about his past with the Breen. Stamets reminding Tilly of her science love. Tilly encouraging the nervous Adira. T'Rina's command of the Breen language. Nice establishing shot of the Locherer. Book's psychometry of the library card. L'ak pulls a Thelev regarding miscalculating. And the wobbling of the ships and HQ when the dreadnaught goes to warp.

 

I really liked the diplomacy and brinkmanship with the Breen and the B plot with searching for the next clue was good. Yeah, there were some contrivances with poor security around Moll and L'ak. As soon as she said she would break out, I knew we would have the trope of the stupid security guard who is tricked into lowering the force field. Sure enough that is what happened. But it was entertaining.

Other minor nitpick: the Breen dreadnought was way too big. I am all for making dreadnoughts big but that ship absolutely dwarfed Starfleet HQ which is already a massive star base. The Breen Dreadnought looked like it was the size of a planet. That is just ridiculous. It was over the top IMO.

 

Seven of Limes is funny, except Reno is from a time before Seven existed and now lives in a time centuries after (presumably) Seven died? So I found it a trifle jarring if I'm honest- setting aside the fact that Reno is a character who makes everything more enjoyable. I really wish we saw more of her.

I really enjoyed this, though I do get some of the points people are making. I love Saru but man I wish Rayner had been around last season.

Re Moll and L'ak, is there some weird bonding reason they can't be separated or have I somehow made that up?

 

She mentioned it context of her currently working at a bar.

 

I doubt it

 

For very good medical reasons