Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 2x10 - "Hegemony"

[Campe]

What was so good about BOBW's cliffhanger was that even Michael Piller, the writer, had no idea how they could get out of it. Most other cliffhangers weren't really cliffhangers that we didn't think the crew could get out of. The potential loss of Marie in "Hegemony" is a possibility, but being a recurring character, I'm not sure truly how much risk there is. (I'm not too worried about our regulars.) Even though her death would truly affect Pike in an emotional way. And honestly, her death would be a stepping stone for Chris' ending up on Talos IV with Vina in "The Menagerie."

 

[Macintosh]

What was so good about BOBW's cliffhanger was that even Michael Piller, the writer, had no idea how they could get out of it.

That's not necessarily a good thing. Aaron Sorkin did the same thing at the end of season four of The West Wing, knowing he was standing down as showrunner and he wouldn't have to figure out a solution. And it is a truly fantastic cliffhanger to be sure; but the first few episodes of season five that had to resolve it... yeah, no, not so much.

 

[Mudd]

What was so good about BOBW's cliffhanger was that even Michael Piller, the writer, had no idea how they could get out of it.

He pulled it off - but not having it figured out when they shot part one was not, in fact a good thing.

FWIW, the cliffhanger scene itself was resolved simply by kicking the can down the road: Riker orders "Fire!" They fire. Nothing happens. Next scene.

 

[Campe]

I never once said the resolution to the BOBW cliffhanger was good. Just that the effort itself was good. In fact, part 2 was quite disappointing.

 

[Tuskin38]

IIRC Voyager Scorpion was written the same way.

Or maybe it was a different two parter.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The potential loss of Marie in "Hegemony" is a possibility, but being a recurring character, I'm not sure truly how much risk there is.

Ordinarily I would be more hopeful that they won't kill off Batel but it still begs the question of why she isn't around in "The Menagerie" when Pike had his accident.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Ordinarily I would be more hopeful that they won't kill off Batel but it still begs the question of why she isn't around in "The Menagerie" when Pike had his accident.

Who says she is isn't? Is it established that Spock and Kirk were his only visitors since the accident?

 

[Michael]

As much as I don’t want them to write Batel out of the show, it would certainly up the personal stakes for Pike if she wouldn’t survive the Gorn infestation. I think with the way they left it at the end of this episode it could really go either way, which makes the cliffhanger all the more exciting, I guess.

Although I initially didn’t think Batel had much chemistry with Pike, I really warmed to her over the course of the two seasons and feel their relationship matured into something that feels much more meaningful. I think it’s curious, though, that they didn’t have Pike tell her about his fate a few years down the line (at least I don’t think they did). If they decide to keep her around, I believe this could make for an interesting next chapter in their relationship.

My wife and I just ended our first proper rewatch of the show so far with “Hegemony” tonight. And wow, I found the episode holds up exceptionally well. I wanna say I liked it much more than the first time around. Every beat hits right and there’s some clever bits of plot development in there. It’s interesting how long they manage to dance around answering just how intelligent vs. animalistic/instinctual the Gorn really are. The episode is full of atmosphere and everything feels super serious. Although there’s funny bits as well, like when Ortegas looks at a nauseated Pike after flying the shuttle in free fall and says “I thought you were a test pilot”.

 

[Farscape One]

Considering Batel is a captain, she may very well have been on the other side of the Federation when we see Pike in "THE MENAGERIE". Either at a starbase or colony or in command of another ship, so she may not have had the opportunity to see him by the time Spock brings him to Talos.

Or she could be dead. Or they broke up. Or any number of things.

Nothing is contradicted, so anything is possible.

 

[Rahul]

It probably has been mentioned already a hundred times here - but I just recently had the realisation that this is the first "true" season-ending two-part cliffhanger of the modern Trek era!

The other cliffhangers (e.g. Discovery jumping to the future, or the Jurati Borg guarding the green space hole, or Una getting arrested) have been more general and open ended changes to the status quo, not immediate threats directly leading to an urgent solution in a 2nd part.

Last time we had that was back on ENT, really, more than 20 years ago. Now personally I have never been the biggest fan of season ending two-parters. The waiting time is just too long, when part 2 arrives I have already forgotten most of the details of part 1 and need to be reminded. But it kind of feels nostalgic to have that again. (Just hope that doesn't become the norm again)

 

[Yistaan]

Ordinarily I would be more hopeful that they won't kill off Batel but it still begs the question of why she isn't around in "The Menagerie" when Pike had his accident.

Maybe they shouldn't pull punches and Batel dumps Pike after his injury. It happens in the real world when people get a debilitating injury. As a disabled person myself who knows what it's like to not have a chance in the dating world due to disability (and due to a genetic hearing loss that can be overcome with hearing aids, not a full blown paralysis disability like Pike), I think Trek has an opportunity here to show the struggles disabled people face and not pull punches on it.

However this would require SNW to last long enough to overlap with TOS.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Batel does not strike me as the cold-hearted type who would dump Pike because of his accident.

Is it established that Spock and Kirk were his only visitors since the accident?

No, I guess it isn't. She could have visited him at any time.

 

[Yistaan]

Batel does not strike me as the cold-hearted type who would dump Pike because of his accident.

Lots of people put on a virtuous face when it's convenient but quickly show a different side if their own quality of life could directly be threatened. I've seen it all the time, even from self-proclaimed Christians and people who "everyone" says is compassionate and charitable, only for them to be cold and disdainful to people they feel are beneath them. The ones who volunteer for the homeless in a public setting and show complete contempt for them in private, those sort of people. And I've seen that in real life, so I have no problem in believing that can happen with a completely fictional character like Batel.

 

[fireproof78]

Or that it's too much. Not everyone can be a caregiver no matter the compassion level.

 

[Yistaan]

Batel: So yeah Chris it's over. I don't want to be rude, and I'm sorry about what happened to you but I have my own dreams and I can't have you holding back my life. I'm sure you understand (starts walking out of Pike's visiting room)

Pike: Beep beep.

Batel: Sorry Commodore what does two flashes mean again?

Mendez: Just leave.

(This was harder than I thought to write. I myself have had the "I don't want to be rude" line used on me at least twice)

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Ugh: another cliffhanger. When does the season 3 DVD set come out?

That said, it was nearly as brutal as PIC 3x09, but with some lighter moments (especially the business with Scotty).

 

[Tuskin38]

When does the season 3 DVD set come out?

I'm going to guess fall 2025.

 

[hbquikcomjamesl]

Hmm. I see that nobody else has seen the resolution of this cliffhanger, either. At least, nobody who isn't directly involved in production or post-production.

I will note that there's a bonus feature on the 4th volume of the Season 2 DVD set, that explicitly says they're moving towards a full adult Gorn that's credibly the same species as the one in "Arena." Speaking of which, why are there so many people complaining about Gorn not being credibly the same species as the one we saw in "Arena," and yet so many not complaining about Babs Olusanmokun being too old now, and Booker Bradshaw being too young in 1968, to be playing the same character?

 

[fireproof78]

and yet so many not complaining about Babs Olusanmokun being too old now, and Booker Bradshaw being too young in 1968, to be playing the same character?

They are a lot and believe that it is either his brother or father rather than the same character.

I see it regularly.

 

[Yistaan]

Speaking of which, why are there so many people complaining about Gorn not being credibly the same species as the one we saw in "Arena," and yet so many not complaining about Babs Olusanmokun being too old now, and Booker Bradshaw being too young in 1968, to be playing the same character?

Maybe those 'roids that M'Benga takes every other week have the, uh, side effect of ultimately making him look younger.

Regardless the "Deadly Years" episode in TOS established that Spock should not age at all visibly in the TOS movies, yet come the TOS movies Spock ages like a human. So this is nothing new for trek