We are at the season finale of Strange New Worlds and it’s been quite the ride. The episode jumps right into some action as Captain Batel and the Cayuga crew are helping a colony near Gorn space. Nurse Chapel is also assisting on the planet. Pike and Batel are communicating, but their chat is cut off without warning. Suddenly, a shuttle appears and crashes to the planet, followed by a large Gorn ship. Cut to the Enterprise and and Pike has them go to check out what is happening. Comms and sensors can’t get through, and Starfleet contacts the Enterprise after a Gorn Hunter ship appears near the planet. It seems some negotiation has happened between Starfleet and the Gorn which results in the planet being over the border of a new line drawn. Pike disobeys orders to go down to the planet after seeing the Cayuga utterly destroyed. The away team finds a way to get down to the planet appearing to be rubble, and they find survivors. A group has been able to stay undetected from the Gorn, but at some cost. They also find Scotty who had discovered a way to sneak past the Gorn on his shuttle, though it was already damaged and resulted in the crash. The Enterprise figures out how to send the rest of the Cayuga to crash into a tower that has been deliberately hindering comms and transporters. Spock is sent to equip the Cayuga saucer with rockets, and finds Chapel but not without battle from a Gorn adult. Pike discovers Batel’s cost for survivors is that she is infected with Gorn eggs. She, Pike and Scotty are able to beam to the Enterprise sick bay, and it appears the other survivors and Enterprise away team are transported away, but it’s actually to a Gorn ship. The episode ends with Starfleet telling them to back off and the Gorn attacking the Enterprise.
Here we go with our thoughts on this season finale!
Music
Mr. Daps: “As has been the case for several episodes, the music for this episode did the job but I really wish it stood out more. I don’t have any major complaints other than I wish it were more memorable.”
Murray: “This wasn’t the best score of an episode, but it was still good. That was because I did notice some subtle themes sprinkled throughout and it enhanced the very Trek-like episode.”
Design
Mr. Daps: “This week’s design was solid I thought. From the planet, to the debris left over from the Cayuga, and also the space suits that reminded me of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, I thought overall the design was pretty solid. I am VERY curious how they are going to reconcile the current look for the Gorn with that of Star Trek: The Original Series. I hope that this is done and not just ignored.”
Murray: “The space debris and ship designs were so well done in this episode. It was crafted so well, from the appearance of a shuttle to the intimidating Gorn ship. I also liked the colony before and after the attack. The set design was unique and crafted so well to show a thriving colony and then the apocalyptic aftermath of the attack. My ongoing problem is with the Gorn. Don’t get me totally wrong, I think the effects and cgi are great in these episodes. The actual design I have a problem with. The rubber suits from TOS are infamous, and I don’t want that to be used. But, something to bridge better to enhanced cgi is needed. We’re introduced to characters that we are already familiar with, but don’t look or move right and it needs to be remedied.”
Story
Mr. Daps: “This was one of the better stories of the season, perhaps the best. I thought it was a great action/thriller story that had a lot of different elements and dilemmas. I will admit, without knowing when another season is coming, the cliffhanger is a little bit frustrating. I’m very curious where the next season will go and when it will actually show up. I’m also curious about the resolution to several of the problems that were presented in this episode. Overall, will a certain engineer become a regular in the third season or was this a special appearance? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”
Murray: “I was impressed by the pacing of the story and how they went through resolving various conflicts. It was Trek through and through. It wasn’t just about a battle, but solving a problem that addresses bad diplomacy and technological challenges. The solutions were not simple, and it all fit together nicely. They didn’t try to hide obvious dilemmas, like Batel being infected. The cliffhanger, was maybe unnecessary. Maybe to say more, that some of the issues could have been resolved and you could still not have a very direct cliffhanger. I would have liked to see Batel healed, Pike make the decision to regroup and that next season is about the plan to rescue them in that first episode. You didn’t need to end it with Pike staring and trying to decide.”
Hit or Miss?
Mr. Daps: “This was easily a hit for me. I thought it was one of the best episodes to come from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. I enjoyed the story, I enjoyed the characters, and I enjoyedthe feel. I do find that the whole disobeying orders thing is used too often. I do like the introduction of Scotty and how they did that. I hope that he grows into the tough guy Scottish man that he was in The Original Series. I’m looking forward to seeing where the next season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds goes. It looks like it is going to be a great ride!”
Murray: “This was a hit for me, despite some design and cliffhanger issues. I think it harkened back to the TNG days of episodes like ‘Best of Both Worlds’ but with some more modern pacing to it. The conundrum that Pike faces at the end shows he is a different captain than others. He defied orders at first, yes, but he seems to weigh them at times. Someone like Kirk would just go in, guns blazing. Picard might take too long (though he is my favorite captain…no comments, please). Scotty was a little bit of a problem for me that he was too frazzled and eccentric to lead to a more stoic TOS Scotty. But, I liked the background they’re giving him and that history. In all, it was a good Trek episode, and one of the best of the season, dare I say one of the best of the series so far!”
