Quick Observations on The Augment Trilogy

[Joel_Kirk]

First off, Persis is hot.

Toned, athletic body, tattered clothing...

*sigh*

I'm digressing...

Malik (or is it Malick?) was too dramatic, but a good villian. {He was a Khan wannabe; meaning that he wasn't written as a Khan rip-off, but a character who wanted to be like Khan}. I was surprised he didn't kill Soong at Cold Station 12, because Soong is a non-genetically engineered human and also Soong was pushing his authority onto Malick/Malik.

Travis didn't say much in the trilogy; on the other hand, Hoshi said a bit more. {Now, didn't Scotty have an episode or two in the classic series where he didn't say much, and had either one or two lines?} Anyway, I'm still watching the series, so I still want to see how Mr. Mayweather is handled. (He did have an interesting part in 'Home;' not a stretch mind you...and Hoshi looked delicious, in that same episode; she was in white shorts, red top, with nice legs; and her hair out).

I'm digressing again....


Hmm...where was I?

I wonder would Julian Bashir be considered an 'augment'? I recall his father made some 'adjustments' so Julian wouldn't fall behind in school; that action, of course, was illegal.

For some of the posters: What do you think happened with the other augmented embryos? {I forget if it was mentioned in the episode}.

Another question: Do you think it is possible for augmented individuals to live amongst society? {If we recall, Khan already left Earth after causing a ruckus; it was believed to be a myth that he existed, almost as if the world authorities wanted to keep it under wraps. Then there is Malick/Malik and his band looking to claim a world as their own, rationalizing the bullying of others in order to find that said world}.

 

[ChristopherPike]

What do you think happened with the other augmented embryos? {I forget if it was mentioned in the episode}.

They don't survive the destruction of the stolen Bird-of-Prey. However enough genetic material is left floating in orbit of that Klingon colony for it to be fall in Dr. Antok's hands. See Affliction & Divergeance later in Season 4. Humans with previously unheard of strength and ability, capturing one of their vessels and killing its crew, you bet they're going to investigate that new threat. Definitely be concerned if the balance of power changed in a newcomers favour.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

^^

I'll check it out....

Thanks!

 

[Admiral Shran]

My own observation is that Malik was not a very good villian. He was way too over the top (overly dramatic and arrogant to a point of ridiculousness). You know you're supposed to see him as a villain from the moment you first see him, and the producers never let you forget that fact.

Soong, on the other hand, was a good villian. He was a guy who had both good and bad qualities. He's devotion to what he believed were his children was admirable. However, he chose to follow a path of evil and wasn't overly arrogant about it. That makes him more villianous, in my opinion (he has the capacity for good, but sides with evil of his own free will).

As for Bashir, I can see how he might be considered an Augment, but there are differences. Bashir only had his mental capabilities augmented, along with his hand-eye coordination. His physical strength was not augmented like the 20th century genetically engineered humans. He was more like a Human-Augment hybrid.

 

[The Castellan]

Do you think it is possible for augmented individuals to live amongst society?

Sure, why not? I'm sure not all augmented people would have a god complex.

 

[Skywalker]

My own observation is that Malik was not a very good villian. He was way too over the top (overly dramatic and arrogant to a point of ridiculousness). You know you're supposed to see him as a villain from the moment you first see him, and the producers never let you forget that fact.

I agree with that. It was a waste of Alec Newman, IMO. I also thought the end of the third episode was a little too much, with Malik suddenly appearing on Enterprise after the Klingon ship had been destroyed.

Still, I'm a sucker for anything related to Khan and the Eugenics Wars, so I really enjoyed this trilogy.

 

[ALF]

The Augment Trilogy was easily one of the highest points of Enterprise. I think it really hit the spot in terms of what people were expecting from a prequel series. The production quality was top notch, Brent was perfectly seamed into the cast and the story wasn't too bad.

 

[The Castellan]

Only problem with this story was that it was repeated soooo many times in reruns....like every 3rd story ABC here aired was the Augments story.

 

[Jbarney]

I liked the effort....and didn't mind it as a way of explaining the Klingon ridged heads.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

My own observation is that Malik was not a very good villian. He was way too over the top (overly dramatic and arrogant to a point of ridiculousness). You know you're supposed to see him as a villain from the moment you first see him, and the producers never let you forget that fact.

Soong, on the other hand, was a good villian. He was a guy who had both good and bad qualities. He's devotion to what he believed were his children was admirable. However, he chose to follow a path of evil and wasn't overly arrogant about it. That makes him more villianous, in my opinion (he has the capacity for good, but sides with evil of his own free will).

As for Bashir, I can see how he might be considered an Augment, but there are differences. Bashir only had his mental capabilities augmented, along with his hand-eye coordination. His physical strength was not augmented like the 20th century genetically engineered humans. He was more like a Human-Augment hybrid.

That's true...

Do you think it is possible for augmented individuals to live amongst society?

Sure, why not? I'm sure not all augmented people would have a god complex.

My own observation is that Malik was not a very good villian. He was way too over the top (overly dramatic and arrogant to a point of ridiculousness). You know you're supposed to see him as a villain from the moment you first see him, and the producers never let you forget that fact.

I agree with that. It was a waste of Alec Newman, IMO. I also thought the end of the third episode was a little too much, with Malik suddenly appearing on Enterprise after the Klingon ship had been destroyed.

Still, I'm a sucker for anything related to Khan and the Eugenics Wars, so I really enjoyed this trilogy.

Yeah, his sudden appearance wasn't 'all that'....(Especially as he speaks so much of finding a world for all his people, he is just going to go and sacrifice those left alive)...

Btw, I almost had a thought that he will say something to the affect, while setting the BofPrey to explode: 'From hell's heart, I stab thee....I spit my last breath, at thee'....

I liked the effort....and didn't mind it as a way of explaining the Klingon ridged heads.

Yeah, I like that too....

 

[bluedana]

My own observation is that Malik was not a very good villian. He was way too over the top (overly dramatic and arrogant to a point of ridiculousness). You know you're supposed to see him as a villain from the moment you first see him, and the producers never let you forget that fact.

The reason why Malik (Alec Newman) works as a villian for me is that he is so emotionally immature. He's raised by a sociopathic, meglomaniac genius for a "father," with no mitigating influences and a raging persecution complex. He's told over and over that he is better than humans. He wants what he wants, and he is like a child who cannot be told "no." He has the strength and the intellect, but no moral center and no emotional maturity or impulse control. If he had turned around and said, "Oh, what's the best way to achieve this result," I would have called foul. He's a child in a superhuman's body, and by the end, even Soong understands what he has raised and unleashed.

 

[Guardian Bob]

I liked the effort....and didn't mind it as a way of explaining the Klingon ridged heads.

O'Brian was right.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

I liked the effort....and didn't mind it as a way of explaining the Klingon ridged heads.

O'Brian was right.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

My own observation is that Malik was not a very good villian. He was way too over the top (overly dramatic and arrogant to a point of ridiculousness). You know you're supposed to see him as a villain from the moment you first see him, and the producers never let you forget that fact.

The reason why Malik (Alec Newman) works as a villian for me is that he is so emotionally immature. He's raised by a sociopathic, meglomaniac genius for a "father," with no mitigating influences and a raging persecution complex. He's told over and over that he is better than humans. He wants what he wants, and he is like a child who cannot be told "no." He has the strength and the intellect, but no moral center and no emotional maturity or impulse control. If he had turned around and said, "Oh, what's the best way to achieve this result," I would have called foul. He's a child in a superhuman's body, and by the end, even Soong understands what he has raised and unleashed.

Yes I agree. He was really a child villain, not a fully fledged villain. It was a bunch of lunatic children who were emotionally stunted from their upbringing but thought themselves superior to the rest of the universe. Add to that mix superhuman abilities and the cunning they would have honed being left alone on that planet without any adult to care for them and you had a dangerous pack of augments.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

^^
Reminds of Red Squad from 'Valiant.'

They were the 'best of the best' and thought that they didn't have to answer to anyone or anything.

Their cockiness (sp?) got them in trouble centuries later, like what happened to the augments...

 

[DonIago]

Yet another example of why you shouldn't tell Group A that they're somehow innately superior to Group B.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

Yet another example of why you shouldn't tell Group A that they're somehow innately superior to Group B.

Exactly...

 

[Too Much Fun]

I haven't posted in this forum much since joining the site, but I was inspired to after I just watched these episodes for the first time. They were the first regular episodes of "Enterprise" I've enjoyed. I say "regular" because the only "Enterprise" episodes I'd previously seen were "Regeneration" and "These Are the Voyages..." which I didn't like (although as a TNG fan, it was nice to see Riker and Troi in the latter), and "In A Mirror Darkly", which I loved.

Impressions of the series based on this trilogy - it doesn't feel like Star Trek as much as the others because (at least in these episodes) there isn't as much of a 'family' feel to the cast as characters and actors. The only exception is that there seems to be some compassion and affection between Trip and T'Pol that is nicely played by both actors. It's subtle and feels real. I like the little wink to Sarak and Amanda through Trip's doubt about the possibility of a human and Vulcan ever having a relationship too. Archer has a few heroic moments, but generally seems bland, and the rest of the crew comes across as rather generic, with the exception of the doctor, who has an understated way of expressing his feelings that I appreciate.

I also love the production design and special effects and feel that the cinematography and writing nicely captures the gritty feel of some of the great darker episodes of DS9. I really loved Brent Spiner's character and performance and the modernized, yet vaguely Khan-like appearances and personalities of the Augments. The modernized look of Orions and their slave trading system was entertaining as well (it was fun to see a WWF wrestler I used to like playing a slave trader, although it was hard to understand some of his dialogue). Soong's final scene was a cute, poignant bit of foreshadowing.

I think the show should have done what these episodes did from the start. It seems like such an obvious idea, I wonder why it took the producers so long to think of it. What better way to do a prequel series than by referencing/setting-up events and characters from later Star Trek shows? This show would have been way more successful if from season 1 it had been slick and modern, yet featured stories and characters that connected to "Star Trek" '66. I'm planning on watching the episodes that bridge the Klingons of that series with those of 24th century Star Trek next, and the strength of this trilogy has set my expectations high.