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

[cooleddie74]

#YeomanColt4Ever
#ColtsAStraightShooter

 

[Weyoun 251]

Well, my concerns about SNW becoming 'too light' were certainly allayed this week!

1. Balok appears again! His character was a little goofy, but okay.

2. The medical camp was very evocative of the 4077th MASH, for those of us old enough to remember that show. Every time the computer called a new incoming transport, I could almost hear the PA announcement through the camp for 'incoming wounded' as well as that iconic MASH theme in my head.

3. At first, the dojo session between M'Benga and the Klingon reminded me a little of Worf providing instruction to ENS Seto in Lower Decks. (The TNG episode, not the series)

4. We learn a little more about the Popeye juice. It's M'Benga's own special recipe.

5. Loved the look of the Andorian character, and those black uniforms were evocative of the Andorian uniforms in Enterprise. It makes sense that some things we see in Starfleet should be influenced by other member worlds of the Federation, and not just Human designs. If they had wanted to, this episode would have been the place to introduce either Starfleet Marines or 23rd Century MACOs. I would have liked to have seen a little something 'culturally Andorian' from the character, rather than just being a Human in Andorian makeup.

6. A couple of very good lines of dialogue in this one: a) "This may be the Federation, but everyone is on their own journey." Truer words were never spoken. b) "I didn't start the fight, Chris. But I'm glad it started." Powerful stuff. M'Benga is standing out as the deepest character on the show, with the most pain between his daughter and the war. Some of his actions have been morally questionable as well, especially by Starfleet standards. It'll be interesting to see his character arc play out over the remainder of the show.

Another solid home run, in my book. Great episode.

Glad it wasn't just me who thought that about the Andorian character.

Feels like Spec Ops and security would be weighted towards a more militaristic race and the gaunt, sunken cheeks spoke of a person who had seen some dark shit.

It all felt real too - one headshot short of having a true Saving Private Ryan vibe.

Thought the distance shots of the phaser batteries was similar to Firefly's pilot where we see the Battle of Serenity Valley; and the talk of killing civvies leans in to the Farscape episode Different Destinations with the peace memorial.

The best of Siege, bit of Rambo, a great episode all round!

 

[cooleddie74]

That's been my favorite Andorian of the whole streaming era.

Yes, even moreso than Jennifer on LD.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

7/10 for me. A good dramatic episode. Not my favorite of the season, but I like it when Trek gives us some big questions to chew over. It'll be interesting to see where M'Benga goes from here.

"A few years ago" is an oddly non-specific date for the flashback.
I guess someone got tired of being nitpicked?

Notice also the vague non-answer to that question between Pike and M'Benga: "How long have we known each other?" Writers are getting smarter, eh?

As a timeliner, the vagueness really bugged me. Just say "three years ago" or whatever.

M'Benga is standing out as the deepest character on the show, with the most pain between his daughter and the war.

Has his daughter even been mentioned since the fairy tale episode?

People moaning about the blood should be complaining that didn’t look like Discovery Klingons.

Not looking like DSC's Klingons is a feature, not a bug.

 

[cooleddie74]

The T'Kuvma Klingons are an artifact of that moment in history. I just head canon them as a failed attempt to reverse the cosmetic effects inflicted by the Augment Virus and get on with my fandom.

 

[fireproof78]

The T'Kuvma Klingons are an artifact of that moment in history. I just head canon them as a failed attempt to reverse the cosmetic effects inflicted by the Augment Virus and get on with my fandom.

Yup. It's fine by me, I love the variety and welcome it further. If humans don't all look the same why would Klingons?

Oh, right, Gene's vision...*squints in TMP and TNG*

 

[Mudd]

Is anyone really complaining about the Pepto Bismol blood? After watching this episode?

 

[Greg Cox]

I'd rather watch characters crafted as people than as role models.

TOS was always kind of leery about building people up as idols or plaster saints. Pretty much every time Kirk met some legendary hero of the Federation they turned out to be all too tragically flawed: Dr. Daystrom, John Gill, Tristan Adams, Ron Tracy, Matt Decker, etc.

Personally, I'll take complex, flawed heroes, warts and all, over impeccable role models any day. And when it comes to fictional characters, "interesting" is often more compelling than "admirable," IMO.

 

[fireproof78]

Is anyone really complaining about the Pepto Bismol blood? After watching this episode?

It's Trek fandom. I am certain that someone is!

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

They say that you should never, ever meet your heroes.

There's probably a bit of truth in that.

I still hope to meet mine, though!

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[cooleddie74]

Garth of Izar was at the same time so important to the cohesion of the Federation that his victory at Axanar is said to have made it possible for Kirk and Spock to serve together as brothers and also a mentally unstable man whose proclivities post-crash on Antos IV made him dangerous enough to inter in the Elba II medical facility. A hero, but also a threat to life and limb.

 

[Tallguy]

Forgive me if I'm being condescending but: It's a metaphor for his own irreparable trauma. Just as he'd just "fixed" the injustice of Da'Krah becoming a hero/peacemaker while being a war criminal. The solution will not stick because the problem is deeper and, as M'Benga implies in his log, can only be maintained, never repaired.

I thought it was rather heavy handed. EDIT: But effective. But I see now that different people see things differently.

I like my Star Trek main characters to be role models, as a child I looked up to Kirk and Picard as role models. This episode completely destroyed the character of M'benga, there is not really any way for the character to recover from this. As others have pointed out this was no manslaughter. M'Benga brought the knife to his offices before the Klingon even arrived, and he knew that everyone would think that the knife belonged to the Klingon. This was an extra legal execution by a skilled assassin who knew how to cover his tracks.

The episode was intentionally ambiguous on that score. But even at my most pessimistic do I think M'benga was playing 4D chess to assassinate this guy.

OTOH, a fairly good argument could be made (not by Pike) that Rah "needed killin'."

Has his daughter even been mentioned since the fairy tale episode?

Nope. Clear evidence that he never had a daughter. Because we know that if Star Trek characters have family they talk about them a lot. Unless it's treasonous of course. /s

TOS was always kind of leery about building people up as idols or plaster saints. Pretty much every time Kirk met some legendary hero of the Federation they turned out to be all too flawed: Dr. Daystrom, John Gill, Tristan Adams, etc.

In TOS with the exception of Abraham Lincoln and Surak, if a character was an authority figure or role model they were evil, crazy, or both.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Is anyone really complaining about the Pepto Bismol blood? After watching this episode?

One or two. Data points over story.

 

[Mudd]

M'Benga mentioned his daughter in the episode "All Those Who Wander."

 

[cooleddie74]

Klingon blood is also pink AND red in the very same scene of one episode of DSC. But hey, don't let that stand in a way of a good rant.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

OTOH, a fairly good argument could be made (not by Pike) that Rah "needed killin'."

As did Kivas Fajo.

 

[TerryTrek]

I wouldn't mind a role model. I know life rarely has ones that live up to the image projected so I'm fine with practical heroes who sometimes get dirty fingernails and feel guilty but accomplish their wider goals on behalf of others.

TNG Picard and Sisko are great role models, but were also written as real, compelling people.

I also appreciate that they projected an image of authority on their crew. So much so that even Worf admitted to finding Sisko as 'intimidating.'

Eh, Pike strikes me as much better than Archer even if he's a big softie. We've already seen Pike win several military battles with cunning. Yes, he's a bit TOO much of a teddy bear and ****s up in "Balance of Terror" but I see it as a "wrong man, wrong time."

Well the bar for Archer is quite low.

Archer only became a worthwhile Captain when they turned him into Jack Bauer for S3 onwards.

 

[fireproof78]

Klingon blood is also pink AND red in the very same scene of one episode of DSC. But hey, don't let that stand in a way of a good rant.

We all know that the value of a story is in the make up and color of the blood.

 

[cooleddie74]

I prefer Boo Berry blue. Because Boo Berry. And blue bloods are just classier aliens.

 

[Tallguy]

One or two. Data points over story.

You can walk and chew gum at the same time.

Really the outlier is Star Trek VI. But it was a movie and it was a really big deal to the plot. But hey, we still use Qo'noS from that film, so WIN!

As did Kivas Fajo.

Oh good! I'm not the only thinking of him!

I'm increasingly not sure how I feel about Enterprise sitting out the war. Especially with this nonsense "designated survivor" excuse that they gave. If that's really the case then quit calling it the flagship for crying out loud.

If it was Enterprise that was boldly going while the rest of the fleet was fighting, there should be way more M'Bengas and Ortegases than Pikes.

And blue bloods are just classier aliens.

Tom Selleck is an alien?!?