Logline

A distress call from Lt. Noonien-Singh compels Spock to disobey orders and take the USS Enterprise and its crew into disputed space, risking renewed hostilities with the Klingons in a bid to aid their shipmate.

Written by Henry Alonso Myers & Akiva Goldsman

Directed by Chris Fisher


A note about episode discussions on startrek.website

Right now, the plan is to post the /c/startrek discussion when the episode drops on Thursdays. Once the global community has had some time to watch and digest what they’ve seen, the /c/daystrominstitute discussion will go live on Sundays for a more in-depth analysis. This is subject to change as we evaluate what works best for the community as a whole.

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    141 year ago

    I’d normally agree with you but I don’t think they were trying to fool the audience in this case. It was more about shocking Spock’s emotional reaction.

    Still, there’s better ways of showing that than the almost dying trope.

    spoiler

    Nurse Chapel is in TOS - so there wasn’t really any risk that she was going to die here.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      10
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Yeah, putting aside that not everyone has seen TOS who is watching this show, I didn’t interpret this as some kind of attempt to make the audience think Chapel was going to die. The purpose of this happening was all about what it shows about Spock and the scenes and character development that come from that.

      And I think in this case it was quite effective and I wouldn’t change it to something else. Spock was holding off the order and he was really upset because he didn’t want to give the order that kills Chapel and M’Benga (though he has more attachment to Chapel). The threat to their lives is a vital part of this story they’re telling about Spock and it wouldn’t have the same effect if they changed the situation to something else. Seeing him have to give the order, then have them be possibly alive, but then having Chapel seem to be dead and Spock himself bring her back was very powerful for me and I don’t think that could be replaced with something else or a different kind of situation and have the same impact on either Spock or the audience.

      Both the scene in the transporter room and in sick bay later were excellent excellent scenes for Spock and highlights of the episode for me. Ethan Peck’s acting was really strong in those scenes too — I’m so glad to have him playing Spock.

    • @[email protected]
      link
      fedilink
      51 year ago

      undefined> I’d normally agree with you but I don’t think they were trying to fool the audience in this case. It was more about showing Spock’s emotional reaction.

      Yep that was my take as well.