Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 1x10 - "A Quality of Mercy"

[David cgc]

I wish we saw some of DSC's 23rd century designs again.

Same. Throw in some of the KT ships, too. There's no reason that the 23rd century can't have as diverse a fleet as the 24th (which is something that's finally coming back) except for behind-the-scenes style preferences. It's very brand-conscious to have each show have its own style of ship, or own uniform (to the point of having the TWOK uniforms modified to a design 30 in-universe years earlier. They didn't look like that 40 years ago, and they're not going to look like it 30 years from now in reality if someone revisits the movie era).

I don’t know, age does make a difference. Kelvin Kirk is in his 20s, SNW/TOS Kirk is in his 30s. He probably mellowed out a bit like most guys.

I felt like in BEY Kirk was written in a very TOS manner, and didn't have nearly as much of the pop-culture parody Kirk inflection that was in the first two movies.

They addressed it in the episode. Pike had contacted all the cadets who would’ve been there and they avoided it, so Pike was never in a situation where he had to rescue them. There was probably still a radiation leak, but it happened in an empty room.

You know, come to think of it, that doesn't make a lot of sense. Why wasn't anyone else there? They were just running the training exercise with an empty engine room because all the cadets who were supposed to be there called in sick that day, and the Flaptain who was supposed to be instructing them declined promotion for no apparent reason?

I don't know, this just feels like the same sort of superficial pandering fan-service nonsense that made me bail on Discovery and the other new shows after its second season finale proved that DSC's terrible first-season finale wasn't a fluke because of its massive behind-the-scenes turmoil. Who thinks this is a good idea, to change it so instead of Pike keeping his head during a random accident and being nearly killed needed to be replaced with him not only knowing exactly how it was going to go down a decade in advance, but now that he has to do it anyway because if he chickens out, he might hurt someone he actually cares about? Why is dramatic irony not enough, why does the character himself also need to know he's in a prequel? If you need to give him some psychological shading about fate, why not just have him secretly wonder if he was still on Talos? That could've been good!

Admittedly, I'm not a writer, but I have no idea how it's become so fucking hard to write some good Star Trek and the only thing anyone can apparently think of is stripping old Star Trek for parts.

 

[Bgt]

ah he was ok i wasnt impressed with Ethen Peck on his first outing but hes good now

I am still not impressed, dunno though if it is the actor or the writing (or both).

 

[Yistaan]

So Kahless worshipping monks who glorify combat and say "Today is a good day to die" help Pike time travel to prevent a glorious war that averts countless people going to Stovokor or the Black Fleet. You think someone in the Klingon Empire would've figured out by now that these monks are now worshipping time crystals instead of the way of Kahless.

 

[fireproof78]

Admittedly, I'm not a writer, but I have no idea how it's become so fucking hard to write some good Star Trek and the only thing anyone can apparently think of is stripping old Star Trek for parts.

That's what's being rewarded.

 

[Awesome Possum]

2) I don't think Pike on Talos IV is the end of his story. We don't know what happens to him after "The Menagerie". So they can do something there, eventually.

That’s something I’ve been thinking about too. It would be a nice touch if the eventual series finale had an epilogue where Pike gets a happier ending. Maybe Dr. M’Benga’s daughter develops her own godlike powers and her dad gets her to help him.

 

[TRON JA307020]

An SNW Maroon!

Kirk commands the Farragut

Spock should've raised both eyebrows
Kirk is not very Kirkish at all...
Farragut is NCC-1647

Why does only Uhura wear a TOSish uniform?

The Romulan commander is a Northerner, and their 2266 symbol is very similar to the one in TNG. And they use Romulan sounds!

You forgot to add a screen cap of pike holding the picture of The Cage era Pike standing with Captain April both wearing the original 1964 Cage era accordian collared trek pull over shirts.

 

[fireproof78]

So Kahless worshipping monks who glorify combat and say "Today is a good day to die" help Pike time travel to prevent a glorious war that averts countless people going to Stovokor or the Black Fleet. You think someone in the Klingon Empire would've figured out by now that these monks are now worshipping time crystals instead of the way of Kahless.

Because all Klingons believe the same?

 

[valkyrie013]

In all I liked it
Pros..
MONSTER MAROONS! .. But they added those leather printed shoulders and sleeves.. Boo! Looks like crap.
Romulans..
Ships looked excellent, bridge was cool, uniforms were great. Awesome.
To me pike wasn't put down that kirk was better. If the centurion didn't contact the fleet, peace would have won out. .. But history is replete with examples of if X done Y or this person was there something different would happen. Pikes way didn't work this time. But could work other times.

 

[Sparky]

Time is a flat circle.

I think of it more as a big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff.

 

[marillion]

Ok.. I'm sorry.. And perhaps I need to turn my Trekkie/er membership card in, but when/why did we start calling the TOS movie uniforms "Monster Maroons?" Never, until I read the thread this morning, have I heard of that.

 

[Airmandan]

Ok.. I'm sorry.. And perhaps I need to turn my Trekkie/er membership card in, but when/why did we start calling the TOS movie uniforms "Monster Maroons?" Never, until I read the thread this morning, have I heard of that.

A team is currently on it's way to collect your membership card

I've seen the Monster Maroon reference on here quite a lot.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Because all Klingons believe the same?

It’s unfortunate that we most of our understanding of Klingon society from Worf, who was raised by humans and grew up believing in some idealized version of Klingon beliefs that lacks the nuances that Klingons actually go by. What a group says they believe is usually very different from what they actually do.

 

[marillion]

A team is currently on it's way to collect your membership card

I've seen the Monster Maroon reference on here quite a lot.

Well, I don't tend to spend much time in the TOS Movie threads, so perhaps that's one reason I've never heard it.

 

[firehawk12]

On the one hand, I'm glad the show is embracing both its sequel and prequel natures and served as a definitive way to bridge Discovery and TOS, on the other hand I'm not sure how I feel about stories being so reliant on direct references to lore and canon because it always feels like you're on the verge of becoming fan fiction or at least providing fan service.

I would say Obi-Wan was mostly a failure for trying to do the same thing - although maybe if they were forced to try to tell their story in an hour, it might have had a different result.

But all in all, I did enjoy the episode and just like in Spock Amok, I did get excited when I heard the updated version of the Balance of Terror 'theme' at the infamous 'reveal' moment. I'm kind of hoping the show moves on from these types of stories though, or is more opaque about the references, just so it has more of an opportunity of being its own thing.

As an aside, I think years of "Shatner acting" jokes has kind of ruined my memories of Kirk because I expected the actor to have. dramatic. pauses. between. each. word. while. gesticulating. madly. with. his. hands. every time to he spoke. But I assume Shatner was just as restrained in the original as the actor was here.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Ok.. I'm sorry.. And perhaps I need to turn my Trekkie/er membership card in, but when/why did we start calling the TOS movie uniforms "Monster Maroons?" Never, until I read the thread this morning, have I heard of that.

I’ve heard it for years from the costuming community, I’m not sure who coined it.

 

[Airmandan]

Well, I don't tend to spend much time in the TOS Movie threads, so perhaps that's one reason I've never heard it.

Blasphemy!!

 

[Yistaan]

It’s unfortunate that we most of our understanding of Klingon society from Worf, who was raised by humans and grew up believing in some idealized version of Klingon beliefs that lacks the nuances that Klingons actually go by. What a group says they believe is usually very different from what they actually do.

Except that Klingon culture has been reinforced multiple times without Worf around, including with Kor in dismay over the Organians averting honorable combat, etc. DS9 had an entire episode on how a Klingon would act that, even with Worf in the episode, didn't really rely on him. Below dialogue--

MARTOK: What are they doing? Why doesn't Sisko just shoot him?
ODO: I have a better question. Why isn't Gowron letting his bodyguards kill Worf? I'll tell you why. Klingon honour. A concept you should be very familiar with. My people, on the other hand, don't care about honour. How did you put it? There will be no honourable combat, no formal challenges. Hardly the words of a Klingon. Tell me, General, did Gowron destroy the polaron emitters or did you?

 

[JLBTucker]

The worst thing about this episode I cant stand and I hate! Is that this is the last episode of the season! That is unforgivable!

 

[Belz...]

Because all Klingons believe the same?

They seem to, to judge by the way they've been portrayed so far.

 

[JLBTucker]

Except that Klingon culture has been reinforced multiple times without Worf around, including with Kor in dismay over the Organians averting honorable combat, etc. DS9 had an entire episode on how a Klingon would act that, even with Worf in the episode, didn't really rely on him. Below dialogue--

MARTOK: What are they doing? Why doesn't Sisko just shoot him?
ODO: I have a better question. Why isn't Gowron letting his bodyguards kill Worf? I'll tell you why. Klingon honour. A concept you should be very familiar with. My people, on the other hand, don't care about honour. How did you put it? There will be no honourable combat, no formal challenges. Hardly the words of a Klingon. Tell me, General, did Gowron destroy the polaron emitters or did you?

Because we all know every culture on earth has the same beliefs