Spoilers Star Trek: Discovery 2x09 - "Project Daedalus"

[MvRojo]

Mine were

It has the sounds of waves and wind.

 

[TheMadCloner]

Some pretty nifty writing from Paradise tonight with Spock telling Burnham her issue with shouldering the burden of a major decision instead of allowing herself to grieve, and then having Burnham be faced with the burden of a impossible choice at the end of the episode. The fact that Paradise chooses to have Naan make the decision for Burnham will allow Burnham to grieve over Airiam, I'm guessing.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Some pretty nifty writing from Paradise tonight with Spock telling Burnham her issue with shouldering the burden of a major decision instead of allowing herself to grieve, and then having Burnham be faced with the burden of a impossible choice at the end of the episode. The fact that Paradise chooses to have Naan make the decision for Burnham will allow Burnham to grieve over Airiam, I'm guessing.

That could be the point, she wasn't able to make it and she's aware of it now.

 

[TheMadCloner]

That could be the point, she wasn't able to make it and she's aware of it now.

It'll be interesting to see how they handle that discussion between her and Spock in the next episodes.

 

[Jayson1]

I thought it was a great episode. Ariam went from a character I didn't care about to having one of the most powerful deaths in Trek history. I know she wasn't fully developed but Jadzia Dax was and her death was crap so that is not always a factor in a great emotional death. Burnham having that choice was also part of the drama. I also liked the crew bonding clips but the lady with the air things on her face doesn't look like the aliens she was enough from TNG and DS9. She looks to human.

I also think the action was top notch this week, first with the space mines but then with the fist fight between Burnham and Araim. When Burnham went flying backwards in her suit it did kind of make me think for a minute of "Superman 2" with Zod's henchmen knocking the astronaut into space in slow motion.

As for next week with them setting up equipment and Burnham sitting in a chair and this all being a secret project it made me think of he movie "Contact." Maybe she will travel to the future to meet some Red Angels only for them to appear to her as her dead parents.


Jason

 

[Awesome Possum]

It'll be interesting to see how they handle that discussion between her and Spock in the next episodes.

It would interesting to see both actually start to help each other since both are to spot such behaviors in each other. Instead of criticizing, it becomes something constructive and maybe rebuilding some sort of relationship.

 

[Gov Kodos]

They're besties. Maybe the like being roomies too?

If Burnham is somewhere near the big chair like 3rd or so, she shouldn't be rooming with folks she might need to space in an emergency situation. Troi had to learn that, seems Burnham does, too. It's like the Emperor said last season, Burnahm instigates valiantly but she has no follow through. She's busier trying to not make a mistake than achieve success.

 

[thribs]

Now if only Spock accused her of being a Mary Sue.

 

[Tim Thomason]

In honour of the late, great Airiam, I will post every time I mentioned her on TBBS previously:

In the arms of the angel

Penultimate Scene of Season 2:

AIRIAM: I am the Red Angel.

The show has introduced us to "angels" since the beginning, in the forms of Michael (Burnham) and Gabriel (Lorca). And arguably Airiam (Ariel).

I think the clues for an angel connection lie with the three main crew: Michael, Gabriel, and Airiam, and no one else.

Airiam appears to be an upcoming antagonist, and possibly "infected" by the Red Angel or the Red Angel's opponent. She was my main choice a couple weeks ago, but I think she's more of a Red Herring, after this week and the preview. She might be *a* Red Angel (if there are multiples and it's a group), but not *the* Red Angel (if it's one person).

Airiam 1.0 was Sara Mitich. Hannah Cheeseman is Airiam 2.0. Airiam 2.5 is the latest security update. It's prone to malware.

I would've added:
Discovery: Airiam, Tilly, Burnham, Detmer, Georgiou

I'm not sure if Airiam is still second officer. Burnham got her commission back and outranks Airiam, and was running a briefing earlier that Airiam attended (although that may have been due to Burnham's position as Science Officer).

Fly away from here

If Airiam is still around, have her take over ops, and move it to her station.

But, I feel if they wanted to hint at Zora being the Red Angel (or controlling the Red Angel, i.e. Airiam), then they would've put the probe's reprogramming further in the future. 33rd century or beyond.

Airiam. She's been in the background this whole time, and now with 100,000 years of intel at her disposal, will quit Starfleet and travel to the stars to solve all the Galaxy's problems throughout history.

And, also, to stay on topic, I really liked seeing Airiam doing some android stuff in this episode.

No spore drive means an entire department (including Airiam, Stamets, and Tilly) is nixed and all would have to be reassigned or let go.

From this dark cold hotel room

9. Lt. Cdr. Airiam, Spore Drive Operations Officer - Has taken the conn, so probably in the chain of command (2nd officer?). As the spore drive is the main focus of the ship, she is top of her field, but might never had any interest in command or taken a Bridge Officers Test.

A is for Airiam 2.0. What happened?!

That's probably why he didn't invite Airiam 2.0 to the ready room. I wouldn't trust her either.

Saru sets everything to base English, implying that the bridge crew present (Burnham, Pike, Detmer, Owo, Bryce, Rhys, Airiam, Saru) all can speak English at least as a second language.

Because Airiam, excuse me Lieutenant Commander Airiam, is a special snowflake who has to have everything her way. The Captain wants to skip formalities like rank and she says "No way. I'm a robot and I have rank." Classic power move.

I'm sick of this show's robophile agenda.

And the endlessness that you fear

Airiam was in the episode. Or some monstrosity calling herself Airiam.

You're supposed to assume I'm referring to Ethan Peck's Spock, then I throw in the Airiam hashtags at the end, which is where you're supposed to chuckle.

But, my God, what were they thinking with Airiam?! You can't expect me to accept this abomination as the same character we've all grown to love and respect this last year and a half?

I just caught the episode, and I am very, very upset that they recast my favorite character. RIP Airiam as portrayed by the great Sara Mitich. I cannot stand behind Hannah Cheesman's terrible rendition of Airiam.

She also disobeyed Pike's direct order not to state her rank during introduction time. The real Airiam never would've done such a thing.

I'm assuming, until told otherwise, that Airiam is an alien cyborg and 0718 is from an alternate timeline only.

You are pulled from the wreckage

I want a "Lower Decks" like episode, but it's called "Upper Decks" and features the main crew (the Chief Engineer, the CMO, Airiam), in a big adventure while Burnham and the gang are off doing something else barely touched on.

I'm hoping that Goodman writes Lt. Cdr. Airiam's biography next. Instant bestseller!

Saru went rogue on Pahvo and Burnham committed mutiny. Neither of them are fit to command.

Therefore, command of the Discovery should fall to its second officer, Acting Captain Airiam. Her name will be legend.

All 24 Captains prepare to beam down to the planet.

"Commander Airiam, take the conn."

*nods*

All the names here are full of flaws (although, really only Saru and Cornwell are likely. Airiam could potentially jump to CO if Saru is taken out). Although I'm not a fan of the idea of a new Captain every season.

Of your silent reverie

Yeah, she might want to turn the reverb down on her auto-tune.

Still my favorite character on the show. Love me some Airiam.

Airiam was second officer, which I guess makes her first officer now, unless Cornwell gives it to Burnham. Either way, I expect Airiam to have a major rivalry with Michael now.

The final episode:

The Discovery has committed a series of 10,000 jumps to escape the far reaches of the Multiverse and return to their universe.

The jumps were performed by Burnham, who changed her DNA in order to match a Tardigrade, and Stamets, who uses his growing ESPer powers to link her mind to the entire crew. The hive mind manages the jumps only to find almost the entire crew in a near-coma in the Delta Quadrant near the orbit of a planet of listeners (El-Auria).

The only intact survivor of Discovery, Lt. Cmdr. Airiam, actually her mirror self having snuck aboard, decides to enslave the El-Aurians and use them to restore the hive mind and reconstruct the comatose crew in her image.

The Discovery crew then set about assimilating their El-Aurian slaves and expanding throughout the Quadrant.

People have commented on the lack of senior officers and the fact that what should be major characters (Airiam, the navigator) are bit parts with no lines, but I see that as a reflection of what Michael sees. We'll get to know these characters when Michael gets to know these characters.

OMG, not Airiam, I hope!

You're in the arms of the angel

They need to open Season 1.5 with a senior staff meeting between Lorca, Saru, Airiam, and a whole bunch of highly-paid movie stars who will never be named or seen again.

I imagine it's more a "Oops, we went to an alternate universe somehow. Well, guess we have to spend however long looking for a way back to our universe. Culber, wake up Stamets and tell him to get back to work. Airiam, take the conn. Cornwell, I'm ordering you under quarantine. I'll be in my ready room."

I'm just really waiting for Lt. Commander Airiam's sex scene.

Airiam, easy. She led the bridge resistance (several times) against Mudd, she's been placed in command by Lorca (I think she may be second officer), and as the spore drive ops specialist, she has a demanding job that she has excelled at.

Whether she's a robot or an alien or both, it doesn't matter. She does her job well and she does it right and she doesn't cause a fuss. She's the most-level headed Star Trek character since Lieutenant Leslie.

Future cast ideas:
Brent Spiner as Dr. Malik Soong, creator of Airiam's cybernetics

No, not Airiam!

Lt. Commander Airiam. Mirror Lorca really likes robots.

May you find some comfort here

RIP LIEUTENANT COMMANDER AIRIAM 2.5
SHE FLEW TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN​

 

[Agony_Boothb]

Now if only Spock accused her of being a Mary Sue.

On Vulcan it's 'mary suerak'

 

[Crazyewok]

Now if only Spock accused her of being a Mary Sue.

It is not logical to point out the obvious

 

[thribs]

The line Spock says that he wasn’t the first mixed breed intrigues me. Did T’Pol and Trip attempt to have a kid again? ( I don’t think Trip died at the end).

If not I wonder who was the first successful Vulcan/human mixed breed?

 

[Awesome Possum]

Now if only Spock accused her of being a Mary Sue.

But Spock uses logic, it would be out of character to say something so absurd.

 

[zenophite]

Pros:

• Peck's Spock (outstanding)
• Mount's Pike (great even when screen time is brief)
• The rest of the crew (minus SMG) did well in their parts.

Cons:

• I didn't care about Ariem as a character because this episode constituted the sum total of her development. If the show wanted the audience to care they should have 'humanized' her (pun intended) sooner and more frequently.
• I'm leaning more and more toward blaming the acting chops (or lack thereof) of SMG rather than the writing. Her library of 5 facial expressions is essentially just 5 variations of 'Bewildered'.
• This episode seemed like filler which is odd considered that they lost a crew member. Not sure how to take that...

Random:
It's unpleasant that the writers feel the need to constantly telegraph how much of a model StarFleet officer Pike is (the admiral's "you're the best we have" speech). We get it - he'll stick to his principles even if it means suicide. This is more irritating because it is based on a fanatical philosophy - one that insists that it's better to rigidly stick to your high-minded principles and philosophy yet possibly die and contribute to the death of your civilization rather than be flexible enough to understand that sometimes life forces you to compromise for the greater good. It's the sort of thinking that comes from an 'artsy' crowd who have the benefit of living in a reasonably cushy society.

 

[Tim Thomason]

The line Spock says that he wasn’t the first mixed breed intrigues me. Did T’Pol and Trip attempt to have a kid again? ( I don’t think Trip died at the end).

If not I wonder who was the first successful Vulcan/human mixed breed?

Probably one of the Vulcans on the v'tosh ka'tur party bus meeting with some boomers between Draylax and Delta IV.

 

[Crazyewok]

I think some of you care more about the death of Connolly than the death of Ariam. Why? Because "White Male". That's why. Nothing else. But there were posters who went on and on and on about someone who was in three scenes. Versus someone we've seen for over 20 episodes.

No, it because he was a joke.
He was a smeg head and the Arnold rimmer of trek.
It was funny to make about what a dick he was.

I know we live in a post humour world now.........but really?

 

[zenophite]

I think some of you care more about the death of Connolly than the death of Ariam. Why? Because "White Male". That's why. Nothing else. But there were posters who went on and on and on about someone who was in three scenes. Versus someone we've seen for over 20 episodes.

This is the Age of the Perpetually Incensed...why can't white males join the fun like everyone else?

 

[guyute03]

Another 10 from me. I've given a lot of these out in Discovery season 2, we're not at the 'Inner Light' yet but I see no reason to hold them back. We may need to adjust the scale. Exceptional.

2x09 Daedalus thoughts/things noticed
- Cornwell mentions a Vulcan ambassador, a Logic Extremist
- What, exactly, is "Control"? A.I.?
- Tilly rulez, as always.
- Love that Cornwell is on a mission
- Can't be said enough. Anson Mount, Pike, a strong highlight to this season & Trek in general.
- Detmer mentions "Kadeskat" (spelling?)
- Airiam smiles, can fight, has friends.
- Airiam episode is SO welcome.
- Airiam, fiancee, beach memories, sea shells. Buddhist statues in quarters.
- Airiam has feelings, memories.
- Fantasic acting skills from everyone.
- Airiam is "cybernetically augmented per her. "Half robutt" per Tilly.
- Pike - "shitstorm"
- "Giving up our values in the name of security is to lose the battle in advance" - Pike (I agree!!!)
- 3D chess
- Species Barzan confirmed.
- Airiam under Section 31's control?
- Spock/Stamets is so good, mutual respect.
- I adore the Barzan, crewman "Nan/Nahn" (spelling?)
- Corrupted Airiam is not the Red Angel, but IS what wants to destroy all sentient life?
- "Captain Tilly" is inevitable. She earns it.
- "Control" controls Airiam?
- Airiam to Burnham - "Everything is because of YOU"

 

[rocketdave]

I assumed the lie detector Admiral Cornwell used on Spock was meant to be some version of the technology seen in "Wolf in the Fold." As long as they had that thing around, they might have used it on Tyler to confirm whether or not he was really the one who sabotaged the spore drive... or Spock could have mind melded with him. But I guess they had other stuff on their minds and maybe it was considered a waste of time since nearly everyone had already considered his guilt a foregone conclusion.

Though there's stuff like that I could nitpick (like, maybe I missed something, but I didn't know why Discovery couldn't beam Airiam up... or why Michael didn't immediately run over to help poor Nhan after she got Airiam in the airlock), but on an emotional level, I thought "Project Daedalus" was very effective; I was very tense during most of Airiam's scenes, not knowing when she was going to snap throughout most of the run time. I see I'm not alone in wishing that we'd gotten to know more about her prior to this, but it still managed to get me to feel sad about her death. I guess it still stung as much as it did because she has been around for pretty much the entire series and wasn't just some random character who shows up for one episode, unlike 99.9% of the deaths seen in Star Trek.

Also, I really liked Cornwell's little discussion with Pike about why Starfleet kept the Enterprise out of the war.

This is kind of silly, but I couldn't help finding it sort of cool to think that the first officer of the Enterprise D (and E) has now directed an episode featuring the (future) first officer of Kirk's Enterprise.

 

[rocketdave]

I'm signed up for the with commercials plan, but I didn't get a single commercial. Weird.

I wasn't so lucky, but that's something I've experienced with other streaming channels from time to time. When it happens, I generally just chalk it up to some sort of glitch.