Will the Burn mystery end with a damp squib?

[eschaton]

From the first episode of this season, the Burn has been presented as the "big mystery" of the season. It's clearly the driving force of Michael's character arc in particular. She seems assured that solving the mystery of the Burn is necessary to restore the Federation.

The only problem is, there's nothing other than Burnham's word here to rely upon. It happened a century ago, and all of the major powers (to the extent they still exist) seem to have moved on. The Burn happened once, and didn't ever repeat. The little remaining dilithium seems to work just fine. Everything is more crapsack, and there are low-level crises going on, but nothing major. We haven't even gotten to see any "prologue" shots which might establish to us as the viewers there is a threat independent of the knowledge that Michael has. We're essentially taking it at her word that this is a Big Deal.

The way the season arc is constructed so far is very, very similar to Season 2. There is a big mystery. Each week the crew has a semi-episodic adventure which uncovers a piece of a MacGuffin needed to open the mystery box. The fact that it's so similar makes me think that it's impossible that the writing team - which is mostly identical to the team at the end of Season 2 - intend to draw to a similar conclusion.

One of the major structural differences between the two is that in Season 2, we were both shown and told that the Red Angel/signals were a big effin deal. Here, Michael just tells us they're a big deal. And while last season was still somewhat uncritical regarding Michael, here the show is being much more explicit in Michael's flaws - her "responsibility hoarding" - her monomania, etc.

The conclusion I draw is - if the season is well written - the mystery of the Burn will offer no closure, and not save the Federation at all. It's going to be really deflating to Michael. She was looking for one quick fix for what was wrong with the 32nd century, when what's needed instead is the hard work of slowly rebuilding the Federation relationship by relationship. The seasonal arc is thus meant to be a personal arc for Michael - a reflection/critique on her character, not a tired "Michael saves the galaxy - again!"

Of course, I may be wrong, and they may go somewhere else entirely. But if they choose to go this route, I will be very much impressed.

 

[Tosk]

Whatever happens, I have my fingers crossed for a finale that works.

 

[Dukhat]

Burnham will solve the mystery of the Burn and bring the Federation back together. But not before disobeying 20 more of Saru’s orders. There’s really no other way it’s going to go. Because Burnham is such a Mary Sue.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

You know what would be an interesting twist, after Michael Burnham figures out what causes "The Burn", then travels back in time to change it and travels further back in time to prevent "Dilithium" from ever 'Running Out' by creating Synthetic Dilithium and implementing fixes that prevents StarShips from going "Boom" across the UFP by bringing that tech back to the end of the 24th and start of the 25th century. Then she gets recruited into Section 31 along with Georgiou and transfers over her leading lady position along with Phillipa Georgiou & Booker to star in the new Section 31 Action Spy show where they're galavanting across the Universe to stop evil plots and help the down trodden on their own terms.

Then they can setup the big Multi-Series Cross-Over with ST:Picard.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Face plant off the balance beam.

 

[saddestmoon]

I wonder if Michael will solve the mystery, but it will make no difference - and instead something else’s outta left-field will present itself - most likely relating to the haunting ‘music’ / chord plot that was introduced earlier in the season...

 

[donners22]

I think it will have some wider impact - it seems that the Burn did have a significant impact in breaking up the Federation through blame, disillusionment and loss of power. Solving it (presumably attributing it to an external force) may deal with at least the first couple. It may also help bring former members together in an effort to solve it.

As for whether it'll be good...that's another matter. I love Disco and Picard, but I think the ending to the season-long story has fallen flat in each of the three seasons so far.

 

[Tenacity]

Burnham discovers that "The Burn" was caused by the red angel suit bringing the Discovery through time.

The Discovery has to return to it'a original time to fix the problem, thereby allowing Georgiou to be in the S31 series.

 

[KennyB]

Burnham discovers that "The Burn" was caused by the red angel suit bringing the Discovery through time.

The Discovery has to return to it'a original time to fix the problem, thereby allowing Georgiou to be in the S31 series.

And returning the sphere data right back to where it started? Nah, I don't think they will do a Berman reset button..............however it is appearing likely that in Terra Firma:

Spoiler

They may use the Guardian of Forever to send her back

 

[Nerys Myk]

And returning the sphere data right back to where it started? Nah, I don't think they will do a Berman reset button..............however it is appearing likely that in Terra Firma:

Spoiler

They may use the Guardian of Forever to send her back

Spoiler

BURNHAM: Any one seen Phillipa?
SARU: Who?

 

[Cyrus]

copy and pasting my prediction from the general chat thread:
Rest of season 3 will still be about the Burn. Federation remains in disarray.
Season 4 will about the Rebirth of the Federation, kind of like ENT season 4 was about the Birth of the Federation. Earth, Nivar, Andor will rejoin.

 

[plynch]

That's the trouble with this season-long plot. I do not care about finding the answer and restoring the Fed because ... they don't care either.

Only Michael cares.

"Butifwecanfindtheblackboxwecanfindoutwhatcausedtheburnandrestore the federation!"

It's her messiah thing again, as Book and her mom pointed out. I! want to do this, so it must be done!

Everyone else has moved on.

And based on past experience she is not going to fail and be humbled. I keep waiting for that a la Po Dameron. She keeps succeeding every time she gets an idea, so I expect that to keep happening.

Nice prediction on S4 btw.

 

[jackoverfull]

Unfortunately post-Lost storywriting has been all about long arcs about the “mystery box”, but most shows have lacked the necessary planning really do well developed long story arcs that eventually give satisfactory solutions to the mystery boxes. What’s more appalling is that that goes for Lost itself, whose final solution left unsatisfied the vast majority of viewers.

 

[Jadeb]

I worry that not only will Burnham find the cause but it was a good thing she did, because it’s about to destroy the entire universe!!

If they resist that temptation (for the first time), I’ll be happy and consider it a step forward.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

however it is appearing likely that in Terra Firma:

Spoiler

They may use the Guardian of Forever to send her back

In what way is that "appearing likely"?

 

[KennyB]

In what way is that "appearing likely"?

Scuttlebutt.........nothing confirmed but some of the same folks that said there would be a Nimoy Spock this week.........so I take it a tad more seriously now.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ If you're thinking of the Burnett tweet, I'm not sure why we should believe anything that guy says.

 

[Agony_Boothb]

That's the trouble with this season-long plot. I do not care about finding the answer and restoring the Fed because ... they don't care either.

Only Michael cares.

"Butifwecanfindtheblackboxwecanfindoutwhatcausedtheburnandrestore the federation!"

It's her messiah thing again, as Book and her mom pointed out. I! want to do this, so it must be done!

Everyone else has moved on.

And based on past experience she is not going to fail and be humbled. I keep waiting for that a la Po Dameron. She keeps succeeding every time she gets an idea, so I expect that to keep happening.

Nice prediction on S4 btw.

In fairness to burnham, if i had jumped through a wormhole and travelled in time to save civilisation only to then find that civilisation in disarray I'd probably want to find out why civilisation collapsed and do something about it.

The fact that starfleet just resigned themselves to living with the constant threat of another burn and constant dilithium shortages is not a good thing. Its a sign of a society in critical stagnation bordering on total collapse. Starfleet and the Federation have become apathetic and insular and despite their outward confidence are living in fear. Finding the cause of the burn and preventing anything like it from happening again is the only way the Federation is going to deal with its societal ptsd and get its shit together.

 

[Kamen Rider Blade]

Michael Burnham will not only be the savior of the UFP and "The Burn", she'll go back in time with the formula for Synthetic Dilithium Crystals along with the solution for "The Burn" and ways of preventing the "Warp Core Breeches" should anybody try to make Dilithium Inert throughout the UFP. Then she'll also bring back technology to help the UFP stay alive for 100,000+ years and we'll be able to verify it through Temporal communications with future versions of the UFP.

Then she'll be the savior that defeats the Borg once and for all.

She's going to be StarFleet's version of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", but it'll be Michael Burnham, the Apocalypse Slayer.

 

[jackoverfull]

living with the constant threat of another burn

to me Vance and co. seem singularly unconcerned about possible repetitions of the burn. As if they knew very well what caused it and that there isn’t going to be a repeat.