I had a similar weird feeling about Lorca going to disable Cornwell in some way or another.
I really LOVED the fact that he was with someone within spitting distance of his own age! Yay!
I get the feeling Burnham will sense something in Tyler but not know quite what. She'll attribute it to attraction but it'll be something ... else.
Much better emotional arcs in this one; Lorca feels even more complex. Discovery is all he's got. He's also recognizing he'd better toe the line a bit better. The phaser -- that makes sense. He's got PTSD from more than one event and isn't doing anything at all to take care of himself.
I think the spores changed Stamets. He's certainly loosened up, big time. Is it really him?
Hmm ... let's see what Episode 7 will have in store!
But were those scars/marks on his back a result of his recent torture, his previous ship's destruction, or what? Even the Admiral seemed curious and it should/would have been reported by the doctors giving him a physical to clear him for resumption of duty.
As for the episode:
- LOVED the Sarek and Burnham parts (liked the Tyler parts, but even though they're laying it on thick to try and make you think he IS who he says, - a crewman who survived 7 months in a Klingon prison - I still think he's Voq, transformed surgically or by some form of the Klingon Augments virus to be a Klingon spy to get infom on the Spore Drive tech.
- Also, anyone who has an issue with the Sarek/Burnham Mind Link after hearing the genesis of it; if you also then DON'T have an issue with STII:TWoK where Spock (in secods) is able tio transfer his entire 'soul'/personality and memories to Dr, McCoy; and further in STIII:TSFS, a Vulcan Priestess can take that from McCoy, fully seperate it and them re-ingigate it into Genesis Spock's body <-- Yeah, that''s quite a double standard there.
As for the other Lorca/Admiral stuff (where Lorca mentions the Admiral could continue in Sarek's place and complete the diplomatic mission):
- I have a bit of a hard time buying that an Admiral 7 months into this was and knowing what transpired from the Klingons at the
Battle of the Binaries would believe Klingons could be trusted in anything diplomatic; or that a Human could take the place of a Vulcan in any negotiation because again, in the first episode, we find the Vulcans and Klingon did have an existing diplomatic relationship that pre-dates the formation of The Federation. But yeah, maybe the war is going that badly and that type of optimism was often present in the TOS era (the people carrying it out just weren't perfect.)
- I also think it's a bit pat on the writing side to get the old trope of: "Hey, when I get back, we will discuss you stepping down" bit (an old trope long before Star Trek and used BY Star Trek many times); because you KNEW once she said it, Lorca was going to get her to somehow go to the Klingon 'diplomacy talks' because he knows full well she'll be captured/killed; and his 'problem' is solved.
- It does really show a truly dark and sociopathic side to Lorca (if there was ever any doubt) - because here's a man who is unabashedly willing to send someone he loved at one time (and he may still to some degree) directly to her imprisonment/torture (which he himself has experienced first hand or even death, to be able to keep his position as a Starfleet Captain. Again, I have no issues with how they are writing the character, as this is something this character WOULD do. I did think it was a bit pat story wise though (IE the Admiral was a little to quickly willing); and something we've seen a few times before in Star Trek.
- I LOVE what this shows about Vulcan society (IE that yes, there is DEEP prejudice and xenophobia still in Vulcan society - and it fits because this was also so blatantly obvious in both TOS -
"Amok Time" and TOS -
"Journey To Babel" that it works so well. Being logical doesn't mean you can't be evil or fanatical, or free of prejudice and hell one has to wonder if a majority in the Vulcan Government itself feel this way privately, and it's why they were willing to authorize Sarek's diplomatic mission because it'll either work (and end the conflict) or they'll be rid of someone they generally find abhorrent (or at least in their eyes someone with flawed logic reasoning) - thus logically, either way Vulcan 'wins' something.
- I also love that it shows that Sarek DOES CARE deeply for Spock and his future success (yes, he does also care for Burnham, but Spock is his son, so yes, Spock comes first above all else.) It also does dovetail nicely as to why he is so deeply upset that Spock choose Starfleet Academy over the Vulcan Science Academy (probably because Spock himself realized with all the existing prejudice against him, he would probably not have had a fulfilling career - and that's probably something Sarek does realize - but refuses to admit to himself because in his eyes he believes Spock is Vulcan and not Human.
Overall, I liked it a lot. Gave this one an
8.
