Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 4x09 - "Rubicon"

[eschaton]

They should have maybe started the DMA story slower and stuck in a few Harry Mudd style episodes. Doing a season arc doesn't have to mean you do nothing else

To be fair, they haven't done nothing else. Episodes 3 and 4 had almost nothing to do with the DMA. Three had the A plot with the rogue Qowat Milat and Grey getting incorporated, with just a tiny slice of DMA when Stamets and Book went to Ni'Var. Episode 4 was mostly about Tilly and the cadets, plus intrigue on Ni'Var, with the only real reference to the DMA Culber helping Book work through his grief.

The problem is, after this, they stopped. Episodes 5-9 are all DMA, all the time, even though there's some tangential side quests, like saving prisoners or the casino planet.

agreed: assuming the DMA story will turn out being a good one, which I fervently hope, they should have done like 5 or 6 episodes with standalone stories before destroying kwejian unexpectedly and begin a more focused last part of the season. This would have allowed to develop the relationships and also kwejan itself, which we basically didn’t know at all.

From what I can see, this season isn't really about the DMA, as much as it's about Michael and Book's relationship. They could have found ways to center the relationship early on in those adventures. Maybe have Michael and Book talk about possibly having a child or something.

 

[Lord Garth]

Maybe have Michael and Book talk about possibly having a child or something.

The only problem with this is that Burnham can't be a Starship Captain and a New Mother to a newborn at the same time. Although it is the 32nd Century, so maybe it's different then, and Book could take care of the baby. But, either way, I don't think they were there yet. Popping the question about getting married is roughly about where I see them.

 

[J. Frank Doobie]

They could have found ways to center the relationship early on in those adventures. Maybe have Michael and Book talk about possibly having a child or something.

I agree --- showing a huge change in her time alone in the future with Book, including a child, would've been a nice shift that changes the stakes. Perhaps they wanted to avoid the trap of condescending "she's got a kid AND a job!" tropes (I'd try to avoid that, too!), but now I feel pretty ambivalent on Burnham's motivations.

DIS has, from the beginning, made Burnham the main character --- an odd choice when she's on a Starfleet ship, but not a bad one, per se. But then I find myself failing to be invested in her relationships; Ash, Spock, Georgiou, Book, even her mom --- all have felt stale to me, like they never made it to an emotional point where I care or worry. Just a consistent storytelling problem.

They made a great move shooting them into the future, but just doesn't give it's characters time to breathe and talk. Well ... they talk a lot, but it's always a little speech that probably could have been done more skillfully. Again, there's a lot of writing shortcuts that cheapen the otherwise platinum (latinum?) production values.

 

[jackoverfull]

The disagreement between the yellow shirts was forced.
You could either edit the segment out completely, and it wouldn't impact the episode, or take away from the plot.

agreed. Also the fact we know pretty much zero about those two guys after more than 3 years doesn’t help. It did feel REALLY unprofessional, though.

Kwejan featured heavily in the earlier feature length episode "Avatar". Went into the whole back story about the tree and everything.

you have a strange idea of heavily. We know more about packed prime or sarpeidon than we know of kwejan.

Episodes 3 and 4 had almost nothing to do with the DMA. Three had the A plot with the rogue Qowat Milat and Grey getting incorporated, with just a tiny slice of DMA when Stamets and Book went to Ni'Var. Episode 4 was mostly about Tilly and the cadets, plus intrigue on Ni'Var, with the only real reference to the DMA Culber helping Book work through his grief.

and indeed those mostly self-contained, fun episodes were some of the best discovery ever did.

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

you have a strange idea of heavily. We know more about packed prime or sarpeidon than we know of kwejan.

I think you might have missed the joke I was making.

 

[jackoverfull]

I think you might have missed the joke I was making.

oh! Totally.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

The only problem with this is that Burnham can't be a Starship Captain and a New Mother to a newborn at the same time. Although it is the 32nd Century, so maybe it's different then, and Book could take care of the baby. But, either way, I don't think they were there yet. Popping the question about getting married is roughly about where I see them.

I'm sure Burnham can and be the bestest captain and mommy ever while she does so.

 

[TimeIsAPredator]

I'm sure Burnham can and be the bestest captain and mommy ever while she does so.

The most important person in Starfleet history managed 2 kids and still had time to defeat the Dominion. His captain and his kid helped along with another engineer and his child and a pregnant XO.

I'm sure Burnham will manage.

 

[Noname Given]

I enjoyed this episode.

I do agree with some of the points made about Tarka definitely firing/transporting his weapon (and Book who knows Tarka better than anyone else being oblivious of what could happen), and also the zero consequence ending. At the very least there should've been a dressing down of Burnham and even Nahn for following the "middle-ground" plan and failing.
Y'know Culber even mentioned that Tarka is the wildcard, and somehow neither Burnham nor Nahn planned for the possibility that their "middle ground" plan could be upstaged by Tarka?

Also, about 10-C. They're extremely powerful. I mean, their mining equipment lays waste to entire systems. Given this, there's really no way they're gonna be antagonistic toward our heroes, because there's no way our heroes can overcome such a powerful foe (unless a Deus Ex-machina). So they're either gonna be "Oops sorry, we'll leave your galaxy alone." or "We don't care much about you, we're gonna take what we can. Shoo," and our heroes have to find a way to convince them that life in this galaxy matters and could they please leave in peace.

I agree the fact there was NO consequences for either Burnham or Nan is ridiculous here - given the stakes. Even if at the end, they retain their positions, there should have been a major dressing down scene.

I will give the writers credit because I too was thinking through all this - "Hey, if the aliens have that level of tech, why wouldn't they have a backup controller if the main one fails - making the destruction effectively moot?" <-- and that's pretty much what occurred. You'd also think that IF the controller wasn't easy to replace, it would be better protected/have incredible defenses near it.

And I do like that we no longer have the 'group think' crews of the 24th century; I appreciated they articulated not everyone agrees; BUT, in the end, yes, they do their duty and carry pout their orders.

Overall not a terrible episode; but fairly average - a 7 this week from me.

I will say that unfortunately, I don't think the writers are going to 'stick the landing' unless they really throw something more interesting into this whole situation. The 'stakes' started out promising; but as far as the whole 'ominous threat' angle <--- That's turning out to be a big yawn so far...it's like they're doing everything BUT ramping up and perceived threat here as the story progresses. If they end it with a: "Oh, sorry ants...we didn't see you...now that we know...we'll be more careful..." --- >Yawn<.

 

[Noname Given]

900 years later and they still use photon and quantum torpedoes. I would have made up a new type. Plasmotic Torpedoes for instance.

400+ years later and we still use weapons that use a small explosive charge to propel a small piece of metal at high velocity to kill someone...why? Because it still works...

 

[fireproof78]

Maybe have Michael and Book talk about possibly having a child or something.

Please no. Their relationship drama is already teetering on the unacceptable levels for me.

 

[eschaton]

The only problem with this is that Burnham can't be a Starship Captain and a New Mother to a newborn at the same time. Although it is the 32nd Century, so maybe it's different then, and Book could take care of the baby. But, either way, I don't think they were there yet. Popping the question about getting married is roughly about where I see them.

Talking about having a baby isn't the same as having one. Worf and Dax talked about having a baby, and it never happened.

I presume they could do the whole artificial womb thing if they wanted. Hell, maybe have a hologram surrogate where nutrients are piped in via the replicator. Or maybe have the womb still linked up to your uterus, but use wormhole tech to keep it safely in medbay or something.

I agree --- showing a huge change in her time alone in the future with Book, including a child, would've been a nice shift that changes the stakes. Perhaps they wanted to avoid the trap of condescending "she's got a kid AND a job!" tropes (I'd try to avoid that, too!), but now I feel pretty ambivalent on Burnham's motivations.

Considering how many childless women there have been in Trek, I don't think this is a trope they have to ignore. Plus SMG herself is a mother, and I don't think she agrees with the idea that a woman needs to sacrifice her reproductive years for a career.

DIS has, from the beginning, made Burnham the main character --- an odd choice when she's on a Starfleet ship, but not a bad one, per se. But then I find myself failing to be invested in her relationships; Ash, Spock, Georgiou, Book, even her mom --- all have felt stale to me, like they never made it to an emotional point where I care or worry. Just a consistent storytelling problem.

As I see it, a good character arc needs two elements.

• A character needs to face adversity
• The adversity needs to change the character

Michael has faced lots of adversity as a character, and she's certainly changed as well, but the writing often has an issue of connecting one to the other.

I will say that unfortunately, I don't think the writers are going to 'stick the landing' unless they really throw something more interesting into this whole situation. The 'stakes' started out promising; but as far as the whole 'ominous threat' angle <--- That's turning out to be a big yawn so far...it's like they're doing everything BUT ramping up and perceived threat here as the story progresses. If they end it with a: "Oh, sorry ants...we didn't see you...now that we know...we'll be more careful..." --- >Yawn<.

Yeah, the DMA needs to destroy something again. A planet, a starbase, something. Because it's been nothing but a theoretical threat since The Expendables.

 

[cooleddie74]

It needs to obliterate a known Federation homeworld. Tellar Prime. Denobula. Something.

Because Book's planet, while tragic in-story, had almost no emotional connection for the audience.

 

[fireproof78]

I really hope the DMA doesn't destroy anything. Isn't the point to be making contact to stop destruction and prevent death?

 

[Ray Hardgrit]

I don't think destroying another planet is necessary, but they could use their boronite detection algorithm to determine possible next targets and come up with some very scary answers.

 

[J. Frank Doobie]

Plus SMG herself is a mother, and I don't think she agrees with the idea that a woman needs to sacrifice her reproductive years for a career.

And, to clarify, I don't agree with that notion, either. It do, however, think TV writers tend to make "powerful woman has a kid" into some kind of conflict or challenge, and I'd hate to see that in DIS. That's all I meant.

Michael has faced lots of adversity as a character, and she's certainly changed as well, but the writing often has an issue of connecting one to the other.

Agreed!

 

[Fateor]

I'm confused... Why does Book's tiny little ship have anti-transporter fields but the big super advanced starfleet vessels don't?

 

[fireproof78]

Has Book always had that?

 

[cooleddie74]

I didn't even remember he had it until a few minutes ago.

 

[Tuskin38]

From their track record with ship names we know these writers have a weakness for American Aviation history

It was Eaves that named most of the ships that had aviation names in Season 1 IIRC, but he hasn't worked on Discovery since Season 1.

But it's possible the writers just kept the theme up after he left.