Maybe to you. I just fixated on the bags under his eyes for the rest of the movie.
My fear for the end of SNW is that they'll do something to retcon/undo the ending that "The Menagerie" gave Pike. I'd like to see them do something with him accepting his fate. (And remember, SNW Pike has no idea that Spock and the Talosians will give him a somewhat happier ending than a lifetime trapped in a beep chair.)
I'm sure we're going to see Kirk take command of the Enterprise in the final episode, with Spock, McCoy, Scotty, and the rest in their familiar places. And it'd be cool to see Una get her own command.
The rest, I don't know. I just hope I'm somewhat surprised and not irritated by what they do.
Pike's fate us sealed. It will not be changed.
Doesn't matter what they say
Pike is injured anyway
Hey Hey Hey
His fate is sealed
His fate is sealed
I would like to see a more ambitious structure for the six episodes of the final season, with Pike's fate as a kind of running theme throughout the season. He knows his mission is coming to an end. He knows he's running out of time.
The first episode: the final mission of Pike's command of the Enterprise.
The second episode: maybe a bit like the first third of JM Dillard's The Lost Years, with the crew back at Earth, trying to figure out the next steps in their careers and their lives. Maybe Una is offered her own command, and she asks Spock to be her first officer. Spock accepts, and Pike is like, "Nuh-uh, you can't do that...." At some point, Una and Spock need to learn the emotional burden Pike has been carrying for a decade.
The third episode: the handover of the Enterprise to Kirk. Kirk is offered the ship and selects his command crew. The first mission of the Kirk era.
The fourth episode: Not really sure, but probably showing what the life and career of Fleet Captain Pike is. La'an might be his personal aide.
The fifth episode: Where Una is. I'd like a time travel episode that involves Jerry O'Connell's Ransom, to be honest. Maybe a light change of pace before we hit the tragedy of...
The final episode: Pike's final day.
In short, it's almost a series of epilogues, though I also think of it as a bit like the second season of Andor. We know where this is going to end up, and in some ways it's happy (Kirk's command), but in other ways it's very much not (Pike's fate, though I also suspect La'an will not make it). Stories don't always have happy endings, especially Pike's, so embrace that.
There are a number of "outs" I can think of for Pike, but they're almost all after-the-fact rescues from Talos. The machine from "What Are Little Girls Made Of," for instance. Build Pike a new body.
There is an alternative, at-the-moment out, though, and we've seen it before in Star Trek. The future of "All Good Things..." does not come to pass. One can argue that Picard's knowledge of the future is the reason it doesn't happen. Pike having knowledge of the fate could have a similar butterfly effect, not enough to change the future dramatically, but enough small changes that he's able to escape the delta radiation accident largely unscathed.
Speaking from an out-of-the-box standpoint, I do not expect that. I really believe Anson Mount would prefer to play the full tragedy of the radiation accident.
Starfleet Academy spoilers
Neither she nor Ortegas are listed past their SNW lieutenant rank on the memorial wall. Even Harry Kim's an Admiral on that wall
For some reason I suspect that Una is going to leave Starfleet in order to be with Doug.
I hadn't thought of Ortegas. For me, it's the happy and warm La'an of the alternate future Pike sees in the first season finale that pointed to a sad fate for her. Something about it seemed to say that Spock's bright future is built on the ashes of his friends and mentors.
Kirk: None of Pike's old friends are here to comfort him? My brother's on Deneva, most of his friends are in my command now and either don't know about this or were hiding it from me, Ortegas and Noonien-Singh killed each other in a duel over the death of her Gorn buddy and hmm... what about Number One? She hasn't been by to even try an augment blood transfusion? Or is she still running around with that human-wannabe Vulcan Doug?
Pike immediately starts spinning around repeatedly and flashing 'beep beep' 'beep beep' over and over again.
Mendez: Oh so THAT'S who Doug is! Chris always seems to go into a frenzy whenever he hears the name Doug and I had no idea why until you explained just now.
Pike immediately starts spinning around repeatedly and flashing 'beep beep' 'beep beep' over and over again.
Mendez: Oh so THAT'S who Doug is! Chris always seems to go into a frenzy whenever he hears the name Doug and I had no idea why until you explained just now.
Naw. That's a different Harry Kim. And Nog's still a Lieutenant iirc.
Many of the characters on the memorial wall hold the same rank we last saw them at. Even the Red Squad cadet who survived the destruction of the Valiant is listed as a Cadet there. Harry Kim is one of the very few exceptions to have gotten a promotion, along with Mariner and Demora Sulu.
Nog probably left Starfleet early to be Federation ambassador to Ferenginar or something.
The issue I have with Nog maxing out at Lt is that he has a ship named for him in Disco's future. It's not impossible, but I feel like he had to go out like George Kirk in 2009 to be commemorated like that.
Nog made it to captain and I wont be told any differently, that wall isnt the boss of me.
I don’t put much stock into the character’s ranks having any special indication of their future, other than in-jokes from the writers indicating underachievers (Mariner) or perpetual butt monkeys of particular shows (Harry) leveled up when nobody expected them to.
I thought in space future we were not working on rank.
I would not like it if they did that, as that would basically throw out the entirety of "The Menagerie." SNW plays it fast and loose with continuity, but I find it hard to believe they'd be audacious enough to toss a TOS episode out entirely.
But I suppose that would definitely settle the debate on if SNW is an alternate continuity or not.
Many moons ago I predicted a flash-forward to Pike living happily on Talos with Vina and Tango, then for Una and/or Spock to visit him in full monster maroon get up.
It all started with those three characters over six decades ago, and also a decade prior in DSC S2, so it would be fitting to see them close out that entire era.
Wesley will no doubt do something Shatneresque on the Enterprise bridge before that.
It all started with those three characters over six decades ago, and also a decade prior in DSC S2, so it would be fitting to see them close out that entire era.
Wesley will no doubt do something Shatneresque on the Enterprise bridge before that.
Don't be ridiculous! It won't be Wesley.
It will obviously be Gary Mitchell carrying out a final wish of Spock.
It will obviously be Gary Mitchell carrying out a final wish of Spock.
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