Discovery S3:E11 – So It Begins

Every show plods along during the season. It has its ups and downs, but when it reaches those last few episodes of the season the action ratchets up, the drama and intrigue increase exponentially and the stakes get incredibly higher. Discovery has reached this end point and things just picked up. Answers begin to be revealed and things begin to go wrong. All we can do is sit back and hold on…so it begins.

Since the beginning of this season, we heard of a cataclysmic event that devastated the galaxy called – The Burn. At long last we get the answers as to its cause. Discovery knew of the Kelpiens, but they did not expect to find a life sign on a ship stranded for over 100 years. Turns out Saru held back a vital piece of info. The Kelpien female had been pregnant, and her child now inhabits the ship near a planet seemingly made of dilithium. Where the radiation in the nebula may kill most, the child genetically adapted throughout its life and is now immune.

The child, now an adult by age, grew up raised by a hologram program written by his mother. His only companions have been the hologram training programs. What does any of this have to do with the Burn? Simply put, if Su’Kal throws a tantrum or is overcome by fear, he sends out an energy pulse through the planet that initiates the Burn. In other words a child’s temper tantrum destroyed the galaxy. They make it make more sense than that, but in the end that is what it boils down too.

So It Begins – Tilly Finds Her Inner Riker

Back when Saru appointed ENSIGN Tilly to be his second in command, I said it was the appropriate choice. The crew loved her and her role as Number One felt more like a counselor’s position because this was a science vessel and not a flag ship. She did not need to act like Commander Riker to succeed. Well, that just went out the window as we knew it would.

Saru, being Kelpien, needed to go to the planet’s surface, leaving Tilly as acting captain. Naturally the mission cannot be such a simple mission as to jump in, transport the away team out, jump out, fix the shields and jump back in to the rescue. Tilly could handle that with ease, but along comes our favorite Orionian, Osyraa.

Tilly actually does a fair job dealing with Osyraa. I love her verbal sparring and how she throws Osyraa’s verbal bullying back at her, followed by cutting her off. Tilly also does a nice job telling the crewman ‘one crisis at a time’. Tilly lost Discovery because they had no shields and the surprise burst from the planet took down their cloak (sounds weird saying that). Even after being captured, Tilly kept the crew resisting and pointed in the right direction. For her first run in the captain’s chair she did alright.

So It Begins – I Keep Telling You!

I called the non-existent moment after nearly every episode. It may not be here yet, but it’s coming. While Tilly may have been the right choice for Number One, I do not doubt the day approaches where Burnham will sit in the captain’s chair. Osyrraa just captured Discovery under Tilly’s command. Everyone rightfully pointed out Saru needed to stay behind on the planet with Su’Kal, and Burnham flees the planet with Book.

Everything about these scenes screams Burnham will take command of Discovery within the next few episodes or next season at the latest. Given this is season 3, I think she takes command by the finale. Burnham just commands action and carries a presence that demands captain-ship. Every episode contains something that continues to point to this end.

So It Begins – The Extra Tidbits

At the very beginning of this episode, during Georgiou’s farewell wake, we finally get some more answers on a lesser question. For the last few episodes we wondered if actually Gray existed or belonged to Adira’s imagination. Gray finally returns and in a manner of speaking proves his existence is something real.

Overall, I did not like the scene as it was too sappy, overplayed and not useful. It began to drift into the realm of poor writing, but it showed us one thing. Gray is trapped. Presumably due to the human/trill pairing, Gray appears to be trapped in a between world. He cannot exist with anyone real, save Adira, and he cannot pass on to the after life. Adira may feel alone, but Gray IS alone.

Where the HELL did Book get that ship?! At first glance it looks like a ship straight out of Star Wars. Let’s face it. Star Wars is the franchise known for ships built asymmetrically. With the cockpit/bridge offset to one side, it often resembles the Alliance B-Wings. In this episode we see Book plunge it into the radioactive nebula. In the act of dodging asteroids, Book’s ship repeatedly breaks apart, reforms and then reconstitutes itself back into its original shape. The ship is borderline transformers technology! The Federation could use more fighters like Book’s ship.

I love after Book gets treated for his radiation sickness, his first concern goes straight to Grudge. He then asks the Starfleet nurse/doctor to check out his paw because he was limping on the ship.

The line of the day goes to Osyraa. Shortly after they devote several minutes of a previous episode to it, Osyraa asks Tilly “What is it you say when you do your jumpy thing?”