Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 1x08 - "The Elysian Kingdom"

[fireproof78]

Chapel - maybe. She should have taken Starfleet to court for discrimination
M'Benga - my theory he went to Vulcan to purge his memories of his daughter so he could function in society... (Yeah its a reach)

I figure he just wants to go and specialize, and expand his research opportunities. It's not that unusual in the medical field or other fields with people wanting to pursue a specialization within their profession. McCoy was more senior and was made CMO in his absence and he had to serve under McCoy.

Generally speaking, that's not a slap in the face. It's called chain of command and it exists for a reason. None of those reasons are set up as a slight towards M'Benga or Chapel.

 

[IMC Headquarters]

Benny got published! Screw you, Pah-wraiths!

 

[Donald G]

Perhaps They are just attempting to make him seem more fallible than previous Captains we have seen.

Not everyone leads like a Captain Horatio Hornblower.

Pike is much more like a fatherly figure than a derring-do-gooder.

In the books, Horatio Hornblower is full of self-doubt. Horatio Hornblower is often at the mercy of forces - whether shifting political forces, the elements, or the vicissitudes of war - beyond his control. As Captain, the brutal nature of the late eighteenth/early nineteenth century Royal Navy frequently puts him in positions in which he has to be more cruel than his inherent nature would prefer in order to maintain order and discipline (or he can find a way around it by, in one instance, facilitating an underling's desertion to the American navy).

 

[C.E. Evans]

I'm going to remember this episode. Not just for how campy fun it was, but because I definitely teared up when M'Benga said his good-bye. Letting go of the person that is the most dearest to you takes a lot of putting that person first...

 

[Yistaan]

I'm sorry but I'm not feeling it simply because M'Benga didn't insist on going with Rukiya to the new life as a nebula being or whatever. It never even really came up, and there was no indication the nebula being couldn't have taken M'Benga too. M'Benga should be diving in head first to see what exactly he's sending his daughter into and stay with her on this journey, however long it takes.

 

[fireproof78]

I'm sorry but I'm not feeling it simply because M'Benga didn't insist on going with Rukiya to the new life as a nebula being or whatever. It never even really came up, and there was no indication the nebula being couldn't have taken M'Benga too. M'Benga should be diving in head first to see what exactly he's sending his daughter into and stay with her on this journey, however long it takes.

He's evolved.

 

[Tiberius Jim]

Holy shit, this was a ten. As a father of two daughters, the feels at the end of this one fucking broke me.

Same. I can't recall another episode of Trek that made me anywhere nearly that emotional.

 

[Yistaan]

Rukiya: Ah, daddy help me! The nebula being is a monster who locked me up in the center of the galaxy!

M'Benga: No!!! This is what I get for trusting random aliens I just met who's first impression is brainwashing the crew and taking over the ship! What do I do? Can anyone get me to the center of the galaxy?

Sybok: I can!

 

[slappy]

I felt a little treat welling up. I'm not gonna lie

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I missed it but apparently other viewers said that Benny Russell is shown as having written the book. Yes, that Benny Russell.

Ah, a half-assed nod to DS9.

Russell's sci fi is better.

 

[shapeshifter]

Brilliant episode, great costumes, good over the top acting, fun to watch.

OH! And the soundtrack! I forget where but, and people reading this before watching can listen for, the "Sunset Over Genesis" (ST: 3 TSFS) suite was played somewhere. Seems every episode tries to add some musical cue homage.

Oh, and I keep forgetting to add, what did that other thread in the TOS forum call them... Oh yeah, Punctuation Music. I guess 'Stings' also works... They are subtle but they are present.

I'm going to remember this episode. Not just for how campy fun it was, but because I definitely teared up when M'Benga said his good-bye. Letting go of the person that is the most dearest to you takes a lot of putting that person first...

Ni. Agra. Falls.

 

[IMC Headquarters]

So now we know that Pike's bravery is in his hair. Hair up = brave. Hair down = coward.

I wasn't all that excited about the overall "story within a story" concept of this episode, but as a parent, OMG, the resolution for M'Benga and his daughter almost broke me. That was amazing, heartbreaking, and worth the ticket price right there!

Christopher "Samson" Pike.

 

[Yistaan]

Ah, a half-assed nod to DS9.

Russell's sci fi is better.

Sisko: So I'm a prophet now. What exactly do I do?

Prophets: We're sending you to 20th century Earth to live out life as Benny Russell!!

Picard Season 3--

Picard: Guinan, is that Benjamin Sisko frozen in the back of your bar? I'm calling the police.

Guinan: Look, I know it looks bad but I can explain. So you see, this washed up writer called Benny Russell approached me centuries ago and...

 

[IMC Headquarters]

Is this a Q origin story, I asked myself? It wasn't defined as such, but it sure seemed familiar.

 

[Amaris]

This was fun, and what a hell of an ending! The showrunners clearly love what they do, and I am here for it. Fantastic episode.

 

[valkyrie013]

I had a thought with a previous episode where he would have had to leave his daughter at that floating city planet to make her well.
And they actually did it.. To cure her have to leave.. Tears flowed...

Great episode, I laughed I cried, I loved Ortega get more screen time.. Hope they use her more.

 

[David cgc]

So why does M'Benga get demoted to non-CMO in TOS? He's not leaving to spend time with his daughter as speculated. I assumed keeping her in the transporter was going to be the reason for Starfleet demoting him, but it appears now this period is so short that I doubt Starfleet would care much now even if they did find out.

Are we really sure TOS M'Benga is SNW M'Benga? If they're canonizing Joseph, they may canonize Simon as well and make TOS M'Benga Simon.

Based on the actors, TOS M'Benga is about ten years younger than SNW M'Benga, ten years later, so I've wondered if they might establish that he has an older son. TOS M'Benga would be about 17, now, which is a totally reasonable age to have an 11-year-old sister.

Speaking of family, I'm glad they took the time to imply M'Benga's wife was dead, because I was thinking this was not the kind of situation you want to have to tell your co-parent about later.

 

[Tuskin38]

Based on the actors, TOS M'Benga is about ten years younger than SNW M'Benga, ten years later, so I've wondered if they might establish that he has an older son. TOS M'Benga would be about 17, now, which is a totally reasonable age to have an 11-year-old sister.

Speaking of family, I'm glad they took the time to imply M'Benga's wife was dead, because I was thinking this was not the kind of situation you want to have to tell your co-parent about later.

Actor ages mean nothing.

 

[Pubert]

Good episode. Very tos/tng like. Pike was hilarious. My only nit pick is not sure why MBenga gave his daughter to and alien so quickly but it does wrap up the arc. He needs to be 100% for the crew as chief medical officer so we'll get to see that now. Overall a fun episode and Anson Mounts performance had me laughing.

 

[fireproof78]

Yup, can't be a parent and be a doctor.

That's the first thing they taught me in medical school.