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4thofelevenSo, hey, we made it through the season without Section 31 ever rearing their head – that's a win in my book!
There's something oddly charming about this episode in the way it decides to repudiate both the idea of a dramatic, epic season finale and most of the show to date. It seems to be looking back at the season to date and saying no, we're ending all of that. No, we're not having a big showdown with the Klingons; this is Star Trek, we'll make do with a few stock shots of Klingon ships motionless near Earth. No, we're not having characters dramatically die or end up at each other's throats; this is Star Trek, we'll have the crew unanimously stand against the admiral-of-the-week's stupid scheme. No, we're not going to have Ash's knowledge provide some strategic or tactical insight, or reveal some dark secret; this is Star Trek, he's going to be useful because he knows the language and the customs and can just socialise with the aliens.
Hell, it even says no, we're not going to have elaborate makeup; this is Star Trek, humans painted green is good enough. No, we're not going to continue the show's bizarre fixation on cannibalism; this is Star Trek, we'll have Tilly horrified just at eating an endangered species.
So, yeah, maybe it wasn't entirely satisfying, but it felt very Star Trek to end things with a few conversations, and an acceptance that you don't need to be victorious to have peace, it's enough just to have an understanding of sorts with the enemy. Like Kor and Kirk in “Errand of Mercy”, we're left feeling somewhat cheated out of a 'glorious' war – but having to accept that an unsatisfying peace is better than a continuation of a destructive war.
That's not to say I don't have a lot of complaints about the episode; I don't like Cornwall and Sarek being implicated in a plot to commit genocide. I don't like the return of the evil mirror depraved bisexual trope that DS9 ran into the ground. I don't like that Culber's still in limbo. I don't like that Ash is apparently reconciled with L'rell.
But, in the end, I'm happy. I'm happy because it feels like after a long, dark night, the show has finally turned its back on all of that. After a long, confusing story, it feels like both the characters and the show have recognised what they stand for, and I want to continue following them. We've got a crew that can be trusted to do the right thing when push comes to shove, and a show that's willing to give them that chance. Hell, we've even got Klingons as drunk fun-loving space vikings again.
So yeah, not the best episode of the season, but a welcome end to a bunch of arcs, and a real positive note to end this strange, strange season on. Let's see what's out there.
And, you know, if Emperor Georgiou makes a return as a recurring villain, I'm not going to complain...
There's something oddly charming about this episode in the way it decides to repudiate both the idea of a dramatic, epic season finale and most of the show to date. It seems to be looking back at the season to date and saying no, we're ending all of that. No, we're not having a big showdown with the Klingons; this is Star Trek, we'll make do with a few stock shots of Klingon ships motionless near Earth. No, we're not having characters dramatically die or end up at each other's throats; this is Star Trek, we'll have the crew unanimously stand against the admiral-of-the-week's stupid scheme. No, we're not going to have Ash's knowledge provide some strategic or tactical insight, or reveal some dark secret; this is Star Trek, he's going to be useful because he knows the language and the customs and can just socialise with the aliens.
Hell, it even says no, we're not going to have elaborate makeup; this is Star Trek, humans painted green is good enough. No, we're not going to continue the show's bizarre fixation on cannibalism; this is Star Trek, we'll have Tilly horrified just at eating an endangered species.
So, yeah, maybe it wasn't entirely satisfying, but it felt very Star Trek to end things with a few conversations, and an acceptance that you don't need to be victorious to have peace, it's enough just to have an understanding of sorts with the enemy. Like Kor and Kirk in “Errand of Mercy”, we're left feeling somewhat cheated out of a 'glorious' war – but having to accept that an unsatisfying peace is better than a continuation of a destructive war.
That's not to say I don't have a lot of complaints about the episode; I don't like Cornwall and Sarek being implicated in a plot to commit genocide. I don't like the return of the evil mirror depraved bisexual trope that DS9 ran into the ground. I don't like that Culber's still in limbo. I don't like that Ash is apparently reconciled with L'rell.
But, in the end, I'm happy. I'm happy because it feels like after a long, dark night, the show has finally turned its back on all of that. After a long, confusing story, it feels like both the characters and the show have recognised what they stand for, and I want to continue following them. We've got a crew that can be trusted to do the right thing when push comes to shove, and a show that's willing to give them that chance. Hell, we've even got Klingons as drunk fun-loving space vikings again.
So yeah, not the best episode of the season, but a welcome end to a bunch of arcs, and a real positive note to end this strange, strange season on. Let's see what's out there.
And, you know, if Emperor Georgiou makes a return as a recurring villain, I'm not going to complain...
no subject
on 2018-02-14 08:57 am (UTC)no subject
on 2018-02-14 12:42 pm (UTC)I hadn't realized how much I missed that.