Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 2x08 - "Under the Cloak of War"

[Michael]

This one surprised me quite a bit with how well-made and moving it was. What a wonderful showcase for Babs Olusanmokun's incredible range and intensity. I feel like we're blessed to have this kind of actor on the show.

I really appreciate the seriousness with which the authors approached the story. Both the present day portions on the Enterprise and the flashbacks to J'gal worked really well and it's thanks to some very economic storytelling that they were able to tell as much as they did in such a short span of time.

They are getting quite the mileage out of that “holodeck” virtual set, too, and I'm all on board for it. It definitely has a very surreal quality about it; so it's not necessarily super realistic. But that actually helps selling the nightmarish quality of the setting. The visuals are just stunning and there's nothing better than to see the light of some background explosions actually reflect on the actors' skin in the foreground. It's just *chef's kiss*. I really hope they'll find a way to return to this specific setting in later seasons.

Despite all this there are definitely some logical shortcomings in the episode. It struck me as very tone-deaf of Pike to even ask M'Benga, Chapel and Ortegas to attend that dinner. That's gotta be one of the most short-sighted decisions ever to ask them to go through this, just to not break with decorum.

My read on the end is that Rah grabbed the knife from M'Benga, they struggled and Rah got stabbed; mainly of his one volition. M'Benga didn't plan on killing Rah, but he also didn't do much to stop it from happening. OR he really did intentionally kill Rah. And even though I'll admit it annoyed me on my first watch that they left it so ambivalent, I have since come to actually appreciate the determination of the authors to deliberately tell it that way. This is the kind of storytelling that keeps us fans debating about the episodes for decades to come. And I feel like in this particular case it's presented in such a way that many interpretations can be equally valid.

All in all I feel like I will want to revisit this in the coming years, trying to understand all aspects of what happened and what exactly the true motivations for both M'Benga and Rah were. It's definitely not perfect, but it's absolutely a winner and ranks among the best episodes of the season.

I want to know why Pike didn't ask him wtf that knife was doing in sickbay.

I'll have to rewatch to confirm, but didn't Pike and La'an assume Rah brought the knife with him? It didn't seem like M'Benga told them that he had it all those years.

 

[Ometiklan]

...I mean, he absolutely is considered a war criminal....by Klingons. Ortega said that he was called "The Butcher Of J'Gal" and I suspect that is because his atrocities offended their sense of honor. Klingon honor is a moving target but generally they don't consider medics to be noncombatants and civilian infrastructure to viable targets. But they also have rules against indiscriminate slaughter--which J'Gal broke.

We don't know why Klingon's also refer to him as "The Butcher..." Ortegas's comment implies that it is for general war crimes, but that comes at the start of the episode when we don't have context, so we assume but don't know for sure. Then later it is revealed that until his last moments in command (before running away and being captured) Rah was still supported and defended by his top generals. Sure, as info comes to light after the war, maybe Klingons adopted this new perspective on him, but I think it is more likely that the moniker is picked up by Klingons afterward because of his story about assassinating his own commanders to stop their "war crimes."

Honor is very much a moving target for Klingons. Worf probably has the strictest version because he grew up idolizing Klingon culture and honor and not living in its reality. Martok is probably second (of those Klingons we see in depth), and thus doesn't allow much leeway. But even Gowron was willing to bend rules and violate honor to win (see: him undermining Martok during the final stages of the war, just for personal glory, and risking the whole war). Sure, Martok stopped an unarmed Quark being slaughtered in "House of Quark", but that was in public with the biggest audience of Klingon "statesmen" you could find. Worf later warns him that any a similar appeal to "honor" won't do jack for him in "Looking for Par'Magh...." TallMan and others have pointed out other good counterexamples; Klingons generally follow their code of honor whenever it convenient for them to do so.

As for medics and noncombatants, during the attack on DS9 during the Way of the Warrior, Odo specifically warns Bashir that his blue uniform (and medic job) won't protect him during battle with the Klingons as they often don't care.

I think the Ortegas episode was always going to be the Gorn episode, presumably the finale, given her history with the Gorn. True, she also has a history with the Klingon war, but they're clearly making the Klingons be M'Benga's thing. Hence, the season opener where they added combat medic into M'Benga's past.

I hope Ortegas does get some highlights and backstory, but does she have a history with the Gorn? That is more La'an's thing. Ortegas is a hot shot pilot and was in the war, which is why I was disappointed that she wasn't in this Klingon War story as much as she could have been.

I would love them approach some contemporary sci-fi writers for stories, like how TOS had Harlan Ellison and Theodore Sturgeon.

Don’t think they’ll do on-again off-again because, with only 10 episodes a season, there’s no need to drag out this (or any story arc). Also the relationship already has a pre-determined endgame, so the whole “keep the audience guessing” part of most on-again off-again storylines doesn’t apply.

With the writer's strike and issues with short season and small writing staffs, I don't see it likely that they would bring on any modern sci-fi writers, but we can always dream.

As for the Spock/Chapel relationship, the only hard stopping point is the end of SNW/start of TOS. Up till then, there is plenty of time for SNW to do anything they want with their relationship. I don't want to see them draw it out too long (for Bush's sake and the sake of developing Chapel more) but they have potentially 5 (?) more seasons of time to fill. Also, given that they have invested in a lot of screen time for T'pell I just wonder what their thoughts are for her long term.

 

[Tallguy]

in cold blood.

You're using that phrase wrong.

 

[Chovak]

Because it builds drama.

Regardless of what I want the producers have stated lining up towards TOS is on their minds, and will go forward, even in broad strokes. So, yes, I expect SNW Chapel to line up in some ways with TOS Chapel. Not exactly, 1-to-1, but there will be that traumatic event and showing her struggling in some measures.

I'm sure it won't end up exactly that way but the whole "Chapel needs a lobotomy to end up like TOS Chapel" argument, and it's variants, is frustrating as fuck and I grow fatigued of it.

I agree that the "lobotomy" argument is a far too simplistic one.
The direction the writers are taking with the Gorn, the Klingons, Pike, and even tiny minor things like replicators/food synths as an example in contrast to TOS indicates that they are more than willing to be flexible.

I think the Chapel character has had enough trauma as it is in SNW already. I would like to see positive arcs for all characters, aligning with the "positive Trek" paradigm that SNW seems to be following (although some of it might be in my head, I admit, hahaha) in contrast to the show it was spun off of. The arcs do not need to be on an upwards trajectory right away.

 

[Kraig]

I want to know why Pike didn't ask him wtf that knife was doing in sickbay.

Because he thought the dead klingon brought it?

1. And it's the first 1 I have given for a Star Trek episode. Hated this episode. Hated it's message. Pike was utterly useless as a Captain and sat back to let all this play out. M'Benga friggin murders a man and nurse Chapel covers it up? Even if this is not the case the fact that they even made that scene ambiguous left a dirty taste in my mouth. Doctor straight up kills someone because of his own personal sense of justice and everything else he built his life on be damned. The morale of the story, kill if you think it's the right thing to do.

I guess the only good thing I have to say is that the episode stirred me enough to actually give an opinion on it. It's been a very lackluster season that I don't care for at all. Disappointed since I actually liked season 1 a lot.

We don't know who actually started the fight. We just think we do. There may be a flash back with a different perspective in a future episode, where we see things more clearly.

Doctor M'Benga could have cleaned all DNA and fingerprints from the knife handle and left it in plain view for Ambassador Dak’Rah to see as a test.
The Doctor has his back to the Ambassador putting M'Benga at a disadvantage (in the eyes of the Ambassador).
If Ambassador Dak’Rah goes for the knife, he is not truly reformed and Doctor M'Benga could claim self defense.
If the Ambassador doesn't go for the knife the Ambassador has had a true reformation and Doctor does nothing.

You might be entirely correct that it happened the way you say it did, and even if it happened a different way, and you find out later, it may not change your mind.

 

[fireproof78]

The direction the writers are taking with the Gorn, the Klingons, Pike, and even tiny minor things like replicators/food synths as an example in contrast to TOS indicates that they are more than willing to be flexible.

Which is fine but that doesn't mean things won't line up in some fashion. The Gorn are different in the way that TMP Klingons are different. There is flexibility there because we had seen one Gorn. That's it. Imagine seeing Kareem Abdul Jabar and assuming all humans are like that.

Not sure what's so different about Klingons, save for make up, which has varied so much over the years that is a nonissue to me. Fabricators have come from Enterprise so again I see that as expanding upon technology established in universe.

I think the Chapel character has had enough trauma as it is in SNW already. I would like to see positive arcs for all characters, aligning with the "positive Trek" paradigm that SNW seems to be following

Ok, that would be nice. But "happily ever after" is not for all stories, including Star Trek.

The morale of the story, kill if you think it's the right thing to do.

So, Star Trek? See Worf, Dax, Kirk, Seven, Picard (though that's more through inaction behind the PD). I don't think this story has a morale. It is ambiguous on purpose.

That it causes the big emotional reactions is the point. It showcases personal values far more than light and entertaining fluff do. Fascinating, in a way.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I think the Ortegas episode was always going to be the Gorn episode, presumably the finale, given her history with the Gorn. True, she also has a history with the Klingon war, but they're clearly making the Klingons be M'Benga's thing. Hence, the season opener where they added combat medic into M'Benga's past.

La'An is the character with the Gorn history.

I really really dislike this addition of this Klingon War to the canon

Why? If they can use it to develop good stories it shouldn't matter.

 

[Borgminister]

Although I love all things Trek, even the Dreck, DS9 was my own personal favorite, one reason being the "realistic" approach they took toward warfare... "I CAN live with it..." SNW is slowly becoming my second favorite Trek incarnation, and did quite a serviceable job covering the terrible consequences of war on the human condition. I wish they hadn't killed off that scar-faced Andorian black ops character... Having to purge that buffer and watch another explorer turn back into a soldier only to perish as "meat for the grinder" were powerful moments pushing The Ghost to shoot up and go shoot-em-up... The twist of M'Benga being the butcher was kind of telegraphed, but I for one liked the ending being left open-ended and vague as to what really happened. I also liked Spock running interference for Chapel, even though the spark between them is fading. All ten episodes will merit a rewatch, but for now, I will say that Wisdom's portrayal didn't move me, say, like Winfield's in Darmok. Everyone else was superb, and it was wonderful to see secondary characters on TOS be fleshed out so thoroughly. A solid 9 from me.

 

[Ssosmcin]

No.

You noticed the jokey emoji yes? Didn't find it funny? IDC, it wasn't to draw a laugh but to show I wasn't entirely serious. But unless they have some grand scheme to justify the tremendous change in personality, these are two different characters on two different shows. They share a name. That's it. Al she's all the better for it.

I agree that the "lobotomy" argument is a far too simplistic one.

Again, it's not an argument, it's a mostly un-serious comment reflecting how different these two Chapel's are. Even Majel didn't really like her own character, especially compared to Number One. But if fans want to try to make the two characters fit by the old "anything can change a person" feel free. You do you.

 

[Jedi Marso]

I quite like the idea that, realizing even revenge/justice does not help his suffering, M'Benga goes to practice medicine with the Vulcans, perhaps in the hopes of learning ways to control and manage his PTSD. And he returns with no interest in leadership, either being denied or himself denying a return to CMO.

Perhaps then, what happens with M'Benga is not so much a demotion, as it is broken or 'gapped' service, in which he leaves starfleet, then later, when he wants to return, he's offered a commission at a lower rank than the one he had when he left.

 

[fireproof78]

You noticed the jokey emoji yes? Didn't find it funny? IDC, it wasn't to draw a laugh but to show I wasn't entirely serious. But unless they have some grand scheme to justify the tremendous change in personality, these are two different characters on two different shows. They share a name. That's it. Al she's all the better for it.

I see how it can be done. I don't find lobotomies funny. The justification is already in place.

Sufficient for my purposes.

 

[Farscape One]

This was a fantastic character episode. It certainly had shades of DS9. Felt like a mashup of M*A*S*H* and DS9's "THE SIEGE OF AR-558".

I recognized Rah's voice... he's played by Robert Wisdom, who played the angel Uriel in season 4 of SUPERNATURAL. Rah being a Klingon defector who is a Federation ambassador... directly after the war? This speaks to both a good and a bad thing about the Federation... the good in that they can turn an enemy into an ally and can try to move forward from a conflict, and the bad in that you have someone who murdered children be a poster child for peace and expect everyone to be fine with it. To the former point, it speaks to the idealism of the Federation... to the latter point, it speaks to how out of touch the Federation is with its population. You can't expect people who went through the war to be just fine with Rah, and you can see the difference between the crew who served during the war and those who didn't. Pike, Una, and Uhura were all about the idealism... M'Benga, Chapel, and Ortegas were about the reality. Spock was the only one who didn't seem to be pushing for either side. (Though his attempt at making the raktajino can be considered a play on the side of idealism.)

Speaking of Ortegas, I actually applaud her scene at the dinner. It's not fair to all the dead and the victims that Rah was not at least called into question. I'm glad she stood her ground and left.

Una really is a great XO. She analyzed what the problem on board was and already calculated a solution... Rah being aboard and getting to the destination faster. She has Pike's back but is also not afraid to tell him he's wrong... exactly what a good First Officer does.

I have to say, Pike didn't come off that well here. It's the first time I've seen him sort of mess up with his crew, but I like that because it makes him believable. No leader is perfect... not even The Sisko. Pike's idealism clouded his judgment regarding those who served during the war. I understand why Pike asked all members of his senior staff to attend the dinner, but I think he should have been more clear on it being okay for Ortegas, M'Benga, and Chapel to decline.

Babs Olusanmokun completely nailed this episode. I really love his character... but man, what more can he go through? Between the war and his daughter, I feel like he's the O'Brien of SNW.

Regarding the death of Rah... he had it coming. M'Benga reiterated multiple times for Rah to leave him alone, and he not only didn't back off, he got into M'Benga's personal space. Add to that the fact he was a mass murderer, a liar, and a coward, I shed no tears for him. And while I do agree that people deserve a second chance, you also have to be careful about who you give those second chances to. As manipulative as he was about the facts of his past, can anyone really be sure he was telling the truth about his need for redemption? Or was he just playing on the sympathies of the Federation and tried to make the best out of a situation where he got captured? And besides... a few treaties and acts of kindness doesn't erase the blood on his hands, like Degra toward the end of ENT season 3. It was not a murder, it was justice.

Like many times in TOS, this one did not have a happy ending. And it's all the better for it. I gave this one a 9. Outstanding, all around.

 

[fireproof78]

Add to that the fact he was a mass murderer, a liar, and a coward, I shed no tears for him. And while I do agree that people deserve a second chance, you also have to be careful about who you give those second chances to. As manipulative as he was about the facts of his past, can anyone really be sure he was telling the truth about his need for redemption? Or was he just playing on the sympathies of the Federation and tried to make the best out of a situation where he got captured?

Reminded me a bit of that Vorta from "Rocks and Shoals." Self-serving and untrustworthy, yet needing to be due to the values of the Federation.

Also, it's an interesting thought experiment in terms of where sympathy lies for different fictional characters.

 

[cooleddie74]

There is a smug Keevan kind of attitude percolating on the surface. "I'm doing you a huge favor right now so I hope you recognize that and give me my due respect."

 

[TerryTrek]

Perhaps then, what happens with M'Benga is not so much a demotion, as it is broken or 'gapped' service, in which he leaves starfleet, then later, when he wants to return, he's offered a commission at a lower rank than the one he had when he left.

I'm good with the TOS M'Benga being the younger brother of Joseph. It allows SNW to go their own direction with Joseph M'Benga and his ultimate fate.

The TOS M'Benga seemed like this young 20-something brash Doctor who was new to the scene, not a seasoned veteran, and this is about 8 years from SNW.

Having one brother be a war vet and the other being hopeful and idealistic about the Klingons could make for some interesting interactions between them for S3.

 

[Farscape One]

Reminded me a bit of that Vorta from "Rocks and Shoals." Self-serving and untrustworthy, yet needing to be due to the values of the Federation.

Also, it's an interesting thought experiment in terms of where sympathy lies for different fictional characters.

Yeah, Keevan is a great comparison to Rah. They are both smarmy douches.

 

[cooleddie74]

"I hate Ferengi."

"I hate Earthers."

 

[drt]

I'm no expert but what looked fake? They reminded me of films I've seen of my Dad sparring when he was doing Jujitsu.

I thought it looked a bit awkward, but that's to be expected when one actor knows how to do it and the other doesn't. I interpreted it as Rah being older and out of practice while M'benga was going through the motions, but not really being all that into it.

I have to say, Pike didn't come off that well here. It's the first time I've seen him sort of mess up with his crew, but I like that because it makes him believable. No leader is perfect... not even The Sisko. Pike's idealism clouded his judgment regarding those who served during the war. I understand why Pike asked all members of his senior staff to attend the dinner, but I think he should have been more clear on it being okay for Ortegas, M'Benga, and Chapel to decline.

Agreed.

I think Pike wanted to show off his crew and say "see, we're all cool with things", but I don't think Rah would have cared if underlings like Ortegas and Chapel weren't there, M'benga is a little trickier, but it's probably easy to make an excuse for a single senior staff member's absence.

 

[Tallguy]

I'm good with the TOS M'Benga being the younger brother of Joseph. It allows SNW to go their own direction with Joseph M'Benga and his ultimate fate.

Wouldn't THAT be a kick in the head!

 

[Chovak]

Again, it's not an argument, it's a mostly un-serious comment reflecting how different these two Chapel's are. Even Majel didn't really like her own character, especially compared to Number One. But if fans want to try to make the two characters fit by the old "anything can change a person" feel free. You do you.

I think we're in complete agreement. I was referring to that point in reply to someone else's reply.
I like the new Chapel, I was neutral to the old Chapel.
I'm invested in the SNW Spock/Chapel relationship, but not at any story/characterization cost.
This latest episode for example, I didn't like that she couldn't confide in Spock more, and I thought she might not deserve *much* more patience from him.

I mean, poor Spock . So far in SNW, all chicks just want to take a brake in their relationship with him.