Enough of the real world. Time to watch "Will You Take My Hand?" Then into scripting the Awards. I have to get myself into
Discovery Mode. Disco Mode.
Running Commentary, as always, to be added in as I go along.
TV-MA for SLV! They pulled out all the stops! Well, actually not really. I've seen much worse on
Oz, a 1997-2003 HBO series about a maximum-security prison. One of the most raw programs I've ever seen... but we're here to talk about
Discovery, so continuing on!
It's debatable whether or not the Federation is in such a dire state that Starfleet would go along Georgiou's plan... but I love seeing Emperor Georgiou in command anyway. She's not having any of this Federation nonsense.
Saru: "Many find me simply unpalatable."
Georgiou: "Mmmm... I don't know about that."
Now I wish I didn't eat already. I'd be hungrier.
Right off the bat, I'm going to say despite Starfleet's desperate decision to try to destroy Qo'noS based on fear of losing the war, Burnham still stands up to Georgiou. Burnham not being one who blindly falls in line with whatever Starfleet Command says is what will ultimately save the day. As the star of the show, Burnham speaks for the show, and she's saying she's
not okay with this. People not okay with a shadier Starfleet won't be okay with what Starfleet decides either, but what the star of the show thinks matters more to me.
Onto the credits. I'm not going to be as detailed with the rest of the episode.
Tilly was totally unprepared for meeting Emperor Georgiou.
And we've reached the Orion Embassy on Qo'noS! Going with Burnham's plan instead. Here's where we get into the fun!
Burnham (to Tyler): "I look around and I see people living their lives." I didn't comment on the Embassy because I was too busy enjoying those scenes. You just lose yourself in it. At least I did.
Rushed as it was, I do like the solution to ending the Klingon War. No planets are destroyed and the solution was reached by Burnham, with the help of AshVoq, having an understanding of Klingon psychology. At least a better one than before. This is where Sociology comes into play.
It was sad to see Burnham and Tyler part ways. Tyler said he's no good to either world or maybe he's good to both, but I wonder how long he'll be accepted among the Klingons if L'Rell steps away for even an instant? Eventually the novelty of a Human speaking Klingon will have to wear off. Or maybe they'll see him as a constant joke? I'm just speculating out loud, so don't read too much into my wondering.
Back on Earth. Looking very much like
Blade Runner from a skyline view. I approve. It's one of my two all-time favorite movies. Along with
Bonnie & Clyde. The Orion Embassy also reminded me a little of
Blade Runner. Except on the streets.
And Burnham is a Commander again! She stopped more bloodshed on a mass-scale. I think the Klingon War would've started in "A Vulcan Hello" and "Battle at the Binary Stars" no matter what Georgiou or Burnham would've done. T'Kuvma and his followers were itching for war with the Federation no matter what. Nothing Starfleet could've done would've been good enough to stop it. But, in "Will You Take My Hand?", Burnham found a way to stop it when Starfleet would've continued down a path of defeat originally or would've gone down an even worse path had they followed through with Emperor Georgiou's plan.
"The only way to defeat fear is to tell it
no." That's a great quote and a great quote to hear in this episodes. Is it speechifying? Yes. Call it that all you want. Mock it all you want. But that doesn't mean it's not true. "The only way to defeat fear is to tell it
no."
BUT we don't need the inserts of Burnham's commentary while Cornwell speaks at the end, afterwards.
"As it should be." Yes, we know.
Then there's the applause, and that's a great way to end the season... except it's not the end
yet! Cue the Enterprise!
Now it's the end! At last until January, that is.
"Will You Take My Hand" still feels like a 9. So, I stand by my original rating.