Well damn, I didn't think I'd like this episode at all, but came away having to give it a 10 for execution, especially given the premise. The whole Federation versus Empire question bookending the episode was very well handled, with nary a hint of ham handedness--We make it, it doesn't make Us. The character work was nicely done, deftly interspersed into the actual story line. The direction was pretty much impeccable to my eyes. A bit of misdirection at Uhura doing the mind meld in place of the brain scrambled Spock, but I guess i can buy that. I do wish they would've found a way to sneak Scotty in there, but I suppose we already know about his backstory from last season. Also, kudos to the prosthetics department, a really cool looking alien for basically a throwaway species never to be seen again. So, even though the trope of a weird, misunderstood, intelligent being was well worn, it was very well done, and the character studies made the episode. Much better than it had a right to be!