Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 1x10 - "A Quality of Mercy"

[cooleddie74]

Which begs the question, why would Kirk give up a ready room?

Clearly he did, at least one right next to the bridge. He had reasons.

 

[AntonyF]

It's not even about acceptance of The New Interpretation. It's about quality. Art is subjective. And if I don't like the rendition of Hamlet YOU like, well, so be it. I don't HAVE to like ANYTHING you like just because it's done again. And again. And again. Unless, of course, it's a quality product in my -- yes, subjective -- opinion.

Btw, when I say "you" -- it's a general "you."

Heartily agree with this. We can all say why we like or dislike something. But don't tell other people that they're wrong to like something.

I've noticed there is a rather rabid defence of some of the new shows with people explaining to us what we should think.

That said, that's probably Trek fandom and I'm just a bit longer in the tooth now!

 

[ichab]

So did anyone else feel the need to go back and re-watch BOT after seeing this?

/raises hand

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Which begs the question, why would Kirk give up a ready room?

Maybe Kirk’s just not the type who NEEDS a ready room.

Kirk actually strikes me as somebody who likes to think with his friends and crewmates around him. Bounce ideas off them. He doesn’t hide away.

 

[Weyoun 251]

Heartily agree with this. We can all say why we like or dislike something. But don't tell other people that they're wrong to like something.

I've noticed there is a rather rabid defence of some of the new shows with people explaining to us what we should think.

That said, that's probably Trek fandom and I'm just a bit longer in the tooth now!

Its the natural equilibrium of fan opprobrium causing pain in the cranium

In 2015/16 when Disco was starting saw such a venomous reaction to it and so now you are seeing the inevitable over correct where the positive response is now to try and cut off the negative one at the pass.

I'd imagine give it a bit longer (likely once the shows have reached their natural end) that both sides will mellow out and some of the stuff that is disliked won't matter as much and some of the stuff that is pushed as "#besttrekevahun!" will be scaled down to simply very good Trek.

 

[Trekker4747]

So did anyone else feel the need to go back and re-watch BOT after seeing this?

/raises hand

I did. And I had already done it earlier with the Gorn episode.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Heartily agree with this. We can all say why we like or dislike something. But don't tell other people that they're wrong to like something.

I've noticed there is a rather rabid defence of some of the new shows with people explaining to us what we should think.

That said, that's probably Trek fandom and I'm just a bit longer in the tooth now!

Sadly, it’s not just the show. This is an affliction of greater society as a whole these days. Don’t see it going away any time soon.

 

[Tuskin38]

I give it 3, maybe 4.

And Kirk takes over.

It depends on how much time passes between seasons.

 

[fireproof78]

It depends on how much time passes between seasons.

It depends on a lot of things that I'm barely informed about. So this is my terrible predictions as of the end of this season.

 

[Noname Given]

Clearly he did, at least one right next to the bridge. He had reasons.

It was turned into a unisex restroom for the bridge crew?

 

[Aeolusdallas]

So this future happens because Pike doesn’t accept his promotion to fleet captain and stays on the Enterprise. I was a bit confused as how he stopped the accident. They say that it was cancelled but if that was so, it wouldn’t have happened to start with.

Do you just not pay attention? He sent a letter telling them not to be there on that date

 

[Nerys Myk]

Which begs the question, why would Kirk give up a ready room?

I think he converted it into a briefing room.

 

[indranee]

Sheer terror, barely holding on to the desk vs. Just standing around

Genuine surprise as only a Vulcan can show it vs. I gotta get this brow up and leave the other one down... hold... please say cut...

Conveying regret, relief, and reminiscing about friendship in a different time vs. just trying not to smile (?)

Disclaimer: JOKING!!! - But comparing them side by side, those were my first thoughts

I mean, let's just face it. BoT was a superior episode in every way. In any Trek incarnation, it would be considered ABSOLUTE topnotch work. Whereas QoM is middle to good. There are great things in it and great performances too (well, one, really -- Pike), but BoT it's not. Too many ifs and buts.

 

[UssGlenn]

(though they apparently did nothing for the poor chair-bound patients in Lower Decks...).

If it's revealed a cure is found, then those patients are there for treatment, but have not completed it yet.

His badge has me curious as to where he's serving in Season 2. Farragut was shown to use the E Delta in Ep.10 The Outposts have the Fish Delta. His is a third design.

Perhaps this is during his time teaching at the Academy? Given how screwed up the rank stripes are on this show, we can't assume Kirk is actually a Captain here.

 

[ichab]

Not sure if this has been posted already, but this is a nice mini doc on the episode

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[Aeolusdallas]

Another winner. Like most of the episodes this season, a lot to love and a few quibbles here and there.

1. Loved seeing the monster maroons make an appearance. I wish they would have limited the leather bit to maybe the strap on which the rank insignia is pinned. Would have been more subtle but kept the 'change.' Or they could have just used the originals and not altered them at all.

2. I was surprised to see that the Farragut was not a Connie. Although never specifically tagged as such in any prior canon, almost everyone had been assuming it for the last fifty years. That aside, it makes sense as a smaller 'first command' for Kirk, and implies that in the altered future, Kirk may have taken over from Captain Garrovick after the cloud creature ate half the crew.

3. Speaking of Kirk- who decided on this actor? There was nothing about this guy that gave off any sort of 'Kirk' vibe to me. And to be frank, he also doesn't look like someone who could pull off the nefarious flying wall kick. As someone else posted, if nothing else, this guy highlighted how much Shatner brought to the character just by being himself. Wesley was a total miscast- no hate on the man himself, he just doesn't sell it here.

4. Praetor vs Laris. Okay, which is it going to be? Do Romulans have ridges or not? I am so tired of the wishy-washiness on this in Trek. Evil Romulans get ridges- sexy Romulans don't. Unless they are evil AND sexy Romulans like Narissa, in which case they also don't, unless you are Counselor Troi masquerading as a Romulan, in which case you do. If Romulans and Vulcans are functionally the same species, just get rid of the gorram forehead makeup! Other than that, this depiction of the Romulans was pretty damn good.

5. Are the decks on Romulan ships forty feet high, or what? I don't think we ever saw the overhead on the BOP. It looked pretty cavernous.

6. Did anyone else notice that in the future vision, all rank stripes were gold and corresponded to rank they way they do in TOS? Most notable on Ortegas's uniform- still red but with gold stripes making her a LCDR. I thought it was interesting that she was now at ops, but they should have had someone else at the helm, instead of the same two actors just switching seats. Stiles perhaps? Although it gave Ortegas something to do by assuming that role. I also thought it would have been neat to put a wig on Uhura, giving her her 'proper' future hair.

7. The visual FX in this ep were outstanding. I didn't like the phaser effects, but those are all over the place in Trek anyway. Loved the classic look of the BOP. LOVED the TOS musical throwback. We need more of those!

8. Although they foreshadowed it earlier in the episode, the last part with Una still took me by surprise. The whole thing gave me goosebumps- I have really come to love her character, and that took some doing after the whole 'modern major general' turbolift scene in DSC, which was about the cringiest thing I've ever seen in Trek. I think Pike's girlfriend just sealed the doom on that particular relationship. Which couldn't have been that serious to begin with, since Pike was just bedding Alora a few episodes ago.

9. When is Pike going to stop tolerating Ortegas questioning orders at every turn? He had his first blowup at her in the future vision- I wonder if this is foreshadowing something coming down the pike in S2. (Pun totally intended.)

10. Thoroughly enjoyable season finale, and the best first season of any Trek since S1 of TOS, in my opinion. It's going to be really painful having to wait for more of this good stuff.

Bottom line: This show is a winner. MOAR! Please.

.........Paul Wesley is in better shape than Shatner ever was. Seriously google some photo shoots

 

[indranee]

I like Mount a lot, but I wouldn't go that far! He's in the top several. But, to each their own!

I find that very biased. I mean, are we talking Pike over Kirk AND Picard?! No way. We know very little about Pke and his career, considering. There's no way he's the Best Starfleet Captain EVER. LOL.

 

[Mage]

Awesome episode, awesome tribute. My two cents. Don't care about other people's two cents really. It's my show to like. Fuck the rest.

 

[indranee]

Pike started out biased against the notion that the Romulans were hostile at the beginning of the episode. In turn, he disregarded the advice of Ortegas, Kirk, and most importantly, Spock. He should've trusted Spock that destroying the Romulans was necessary. Then he delayed after the comet. He actually had to be told by Kirk. That's why the BoP was out of range--because he DELAYED reacting for so long. So, your dialog thing just makes my point. Kirk says this later when he talks about the hesitation and the need to just blow them out of the sky.

At any rate, I'm not going to argue about a fictional battle. But keep in mind that the whole point of Pike going forward in time was to show him how he F'd up. That's why he can't escape his fate. That's the frigging point! Indeed, it's the premise of the episode. He can't be in command of the Enterprise at that time because he can't prevent the war.

Heck, even with his gamble later, Pike didn't think of a backup plan in case the Romulans couldn't be trusted. Really? After a sneak attack, he just wanted to wait the two hours and see what they did. It took Kirk to come up with a backup plan.

Throughout the episode, Pike obviously just didn't consider the Romulans a serious threat. He said that at the beginning of the episode and it continued throughout despite evidence to the contrary.

Now, I don't think Pike is a dumb character at all. I generally really enjoy his character. This seems entirely out of character. It's obviously down to the writing.

Yes, it's down to the writing, but the writing is not meant to show that Pike is dumb, only that he's been paralyzed by the glimpse he has had of his future, because it's made him ultra-cautious and...literally paralyzed.

Basically, it's meant to show that it can happen to anyone... you, me, all of us... none of are MEANT to have a crystal ball. Most of our decisions are made not blindly but with an eye toward the present circumstances with just a feeling of what it can lead to in the future. Pike's special knowledge of what can happen to him (and to others -- there's a reason why we were shown Hansen's son and Pike's inquiry whether his son was there with him at Outpost 4) has paralyzed him and taken away his ability to act.

Hence, at the end of the episode, he tells Spock what he does and has a talk with Kirk. He has accepted his fate and is willing to work TOWARD it, not away from it. THIS is now a revitalized, reality-driven Pike, not the scared/scarred Pike.

 

[Mudd]

I find that very biased. I mean, are we talking Pike over Kirk AND Picard?!

I'd rather watch Pike than Kirk or Picard, and it's not even close any more.