If there are repercussions then I will reevaluate this episode. SNW is more episodic, while Buffy Season 6 had a pretty serious arc, especially at the beginning of the season.
Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 2x08 - "Under the Cloak of War"
- Thread starter Commander Richard
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If there are repercussions then I will reevaluate this episode. SNW is more episodic, while Buffy Season 6 had a pretty serious arc, especially at the beginning of the season.
A fair question. SNW has not shied away from consequences even in its episodic format.
Well, my concerns about SNW becoming 'too light' were certainly allayed this week!
1. Balok appears again! His character was a little goofy, but okay.
2. The medical camp was very evocative of the 4077th MASH, for those of us old enough to remember that show. Every time the computer called a new incoming transport, I could almost hear the PA announcement through the camp for 'incoming wounded' as well as that iconic MASH theme in my head.
3. At first, the dojo session between M'Benga and the Klingon reminded me a little of Worf providing instruction to ENS Seto in Lower Decks. (The TNG episode, not the series)
4. We learn a little more about the Popeye juice. It's M'Benga's own special recipe.
5. Loved the look of the Andorian character, and those black uniforms were evocative of the Andorian uniforms in Enterprise. It makes sense that some things we see in Starfleet should be influenced by other member worlds of the Federation, and not just Human designs. If they had wanted to, this episode would have been the place to introduce either Starfleet Marines or 23rd Century MACOs. I would have liked to have seen a little something 'culturally Andorian' from the character, rather than just being a Human in Andorian makeup.
6. A couple of very good lines of dialogue in this one: a) "This may be the Federation, but everyone is on their own journey." Truer words were never spoken. b) "I didn't start the fight, Chris. But I'm glad it started." Powerful stuff. M'Benga is standing out as the deepest character on the show, with the most pain between his daughter and the war. Some of his actions have been morally questionable as well, especially by Starfleet standards. It'll be interesting to see his character arc play out over the remainder of the show.
Another solid home run, in my book. Great episode.
1. Balok appears again! His character was a little goofy, but okay.
2. The medical camp was very evocative of the 4077th MASH, for those of us old enough to remember that show. Every time the computer called a new incoming transport, I could almost hear the PA announcement through the camp for 'incoming wounded' as well as that iconic MASH theme in my head.
3. At first, the dojo session between M'Benga and the Klingon reminded me a little of Worf providing instruction to ENS Seto in Lower Decks. (The TNG episode, not the series)
4. We learn a little more about the Popeye juice. It's M'Benga's own special recipe.
5. Loved the look of the Andorian character, and those black uniforms were evocative of the Andorian uniforms in Enterprise. It makes sense that some things we see in Starfleet should be influenced by other member worlds of the Federation, and not just Human designs. If they had wanted to, this episode would have been the place to introduce either Starfleet Marines or 23rd Century MACOs. I would have liked to have seen a little something 'culturally Andorian' from the character, rather than just being a Human in Andorian makeup.
6. A couple of very good lines of dialogue in this one: a) "This may be the Federation, but everyone is on their own journey." Truer words were never spoken. b) "I didn't start the fight, Chris. But I'm glad it started." Powerful stuff. M'Benga is standing out as the deepest character on the show, with the most pain between his daughter and the war. Some of his actions have been morally questionable as well, especially by Starfleet standards. It'll be interesting to see his character arc play out over the remainder of the show.
Another solid home run, in my book. Great episode.
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Sounded to me like some TUC score echoes this week.
Pike and Starfleet were seriously ho-hum about the Klingon ambassador / defector getting iced aboard a starship, eh? Still, given the hard feelings after the war, maybe the establishment collectively shrugged and considered the whole thing 'getting that booger off their finger.'
Notice also the vague non-answer to that question between Pike and M'Benga: "How long have we known each other?" Writers are getting smarter, eh?
'Bout fucking time.
For me, this was a pretty’ dark’ episode, harkening back to DS9 days. Over all, especially well written character exploration and beautiful acted. As others have mentioned, the last few minutes felt rushed and a bit unbelievable. No way Starfleet would let the death of an ambassador just drop without hauling the ship to a star base for a thorough investigation. Other than that, solid 9/10 for me.
I don’t see how anyone walks away with their career intact. It’s a massive embarrassment for the Federation and a stain on the Enterprise for an ambassador to be stabbed to death on their ship..by a Starfleet officer, under any circumstances.
Especially when that officer was the chief medical officer on the flagship.
It's a moot point now because the character died, but the young Starfleet engisn that M'Benga and Chapel saved and then talked to starkly reminded me of a young Admiral Cartwright from TUC. It would have been an interesting swerve to introduce him here and have him live- it would have made his decisions decades later much more understandable in light of his experiences here. A man who hated Klingons so much that he was willing to collude with them in order to prevent peace with them.
This episode hit home for me another way as well. All my own military service was pre 9-11, but I did have several conversations during the 2007-2010 timeframe with a few younger guys that I met around here who were back from the 2003 Iraq war, and some of them were having real trouble wrapping their heads around the whole experience. They'd open up a bit with me because I was a vet, and it was heartbreaking to see them struggle with what they'd been through. One of my uncles was a WWII infantry Marine as well, and he struggled with PTSD his entire life, long before the term had been coined.
The truth is that war itself is the true enemy. It breaks people, with effects that last long after the actual fighting is over. I think this episode did a decent job of driving that narrative home.
This episode hit home for me another way as well. All my own military service was pre 9-11, but I did have several conversations during the 2007-2010 timeframe with a few younger guys that I met around here who were back from the 2003 Iraq war, and some of them were having real trouble wrapping their heads around the whole experience. They'd open up a bit with me because I was a vet, and it was heartbreaking to see them struggle with what they'd been through. One of my uncles was a WWII infantry Marine as well, and he struggled with PTSD his entire life, long before the term had been coined.
The truth is that war itself is the true enemy. It breaks people, with effects that last long after the actual fighting is over. I think this episode did a decent job of driving that narrative home.
I am very impressed.
According to the Klingon war culture, killing your own people is way not so dishonorable than escaping while they fight.
For Humankind, killing soldiers is a conventional war, but killing civilians is a war crime.
Rah is a mass murderer which is worst for Human perspective, and he's a warrior with no honor which is worst for Klingon perspective.
Looks like a perfect example of the villain. Bravo, Davy Perez!
And, Rah is also lying to the both sides about his past deeds, earning a big influence potential. Should we expect that he is an absolute liar when it comes to his past deeds but absolutely honest when it comes to his present declared goals? Could it be a seeking for redemption? What if not?
My assumption is, his plan was absolutely not an attempt to promote Federation values. Why? Because Rah actually attempted to FORCE vets like M'Benga to collaborate, talking about forgiving and healing but affecting their feeling of guilt.
(Beware the people who affect your feeling of guilt. It's never a way to the healing.)
I'd also wanted to notice, that Rah 1) had low cranial ridges, 2) had very vivid face expressions, 3) was a coward, 4) has died too easy for a person whose vital organs were doubled.
So, I think he was one of the first who has been changed by the notorious augment virus.
According to the Klingon war culture, killing your own people is way not so dishonorable than escaping while they fight.
For Humankind, killing soldiers is a conventional war, but killing civilians is a war crime.
Rah is a mass murderer which is worst for Human perspective, and he's a warrior with no honor which is worst for Klingon perspective.
Looks like a perfect example of the villain. Bravo, Davy Perez!
And, Rah is also lying to the both sides about his past deeds, earning a big influence potential. Should we expect that he is an absolute liar when it comes to his past deeds but absolutely honest when it comes to his present declared goals? Could it be a seeking for redemption? What if not?
My assumption is, his plan was absolutely not an attempt to promote Federation values. Why? Because Rah actually attempted to FORCE vets like M'Benga to collaborate, talking about forgiving and healing but affecting their feeling of guilt.
(Beware the people who affect your feeling of guilt. It's never a way to the healing.)
I'd also wanted to notice, that Rah 1) had low cranial ridges, 2) had very vivid face expressions, 3) was a coward, 4) has died too easy for a person whose vital organs were doubled.
So, I think he was one of the first who has been changed by the notorious augment virus.
That would draw more not less suspension because they would expect his DNA tor at least prints be on there because of the fight...
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The whole fallout of this event would make for another good courtroom episode sometime in S3.
That's assuming the Klingons make an issue of it. Klingons have a bizarre culture, and they respect people defeating others, even defeating their own, in physical combat. They'll probably bizarrely declare M'Benga a powerful warrior who got revenge for his people in the Klingon way and leave it at that.
As for what the Fed does to him, they'll just put it as a mark on his record like when Worf killed Duras and that will be that, although this mark may cause Kirk to pass over M'Benga in favor of Piper as CMO when he takes command (ironic since Kirk will have his own issues with Klingons later on).
Yeah, I watched it again. She was lying about what she saw, about witnessing the circumstances. But she was watching the evidence show up on the knife so carefully like it was going to rat her out somehow.
I wasn't clear about how his own people felt about him, but got the impression he was considered a traitor by a lot of Klingons. Somehow I doubt they actually cared about it, but his death (self-defense/murder) could be used to stir shit up again for those so inclined.
Exactly. Look at the general reaction (at least those I've seen) to this soldier who just defected to North Korea. The general consensus I've read online is "let the North Koreans have him- we don't want him back!"
