Star Trek - Discovery - 1.14: The War Without, The War Within

I've got so used to exciting revelations every week that this week's episode seemed rather tame - just reflections on the real meaning of events, lots of soul searching and info dumping. I think next week is the final episode (it is certainly coming soon) so obviously they are leading up to some great cliffhanging season ending, and that would partly explain the lack of anything very surprising.

I say that, with the full expectation that the final minute was simply a cover story; a lie to cover the top secret truth that we are already a party to. If so, then Saru having to work with a Captain who eats his species for lunch is not just a hypothetical question any longer. If not, then that is another big surprise, but the look between Burham and Georgiou clearly means she is the MU version.

I noticed also that Michelle Yeoh is still only a "Guest Star" and that "Jason Isaacs" is still a regular cast member. So, I think we must be ready for more changes to the status quo yet before the end arrives. (The PU Lorca, who had actually been in the MU but came to the PU when our PU Discovery jumped to the MU with the MU Lorca, was meant to have died 9 months ago, and we actually saw, on screen, the death of the MU Lorca.)

The other thing we saw was a busy, working Sickbay with two actual patients and three medics - it's like they was listening to us about Dr. Culbers death.

They don't seem to be going down the Harry Mudd's time-travel-machine route at all. There is still 'time' to do that yet, of course (after the Qn'noS expedition has been tried and fails.) Reflecting on this series as a whole, nothing has been introduced without a reason, except for Harry Mudd, which leads me to assume that there was a more important reason, other than a little light relief and humour. It has already been spoiled very early on, that it wouldn't be the only time that we saw him in Discovery.
 
I agree with you. We had no surprises with this episode. Next episode's is "Will You Take My Hand?", so some great cliffhanging season ending is only logical. (Do I speak as a true Vulcan now ? :D)

We could easily anticipate Georgiou would take the command of Discovery. Well, not Saru who had a shocked face when he had to get up from his chair. We can anticipate Klingons will loose the war and Georgiou will be really tough with them.

The official split between Michael and Tyler was predictable. I wonder if Voq will take control of the body and let Tyler's memories die. Will he ask Michael in the next episode: "Will You Take My Hand?"

It was a bit strange when Georgiou named Michael *our daughter* and the hint Sarek will leave us soon.

Mudd is the wild-card. If we will have several seasons, he will be back for sure just to muddy the waters.
 
I felt that Ash's "I can't heal without ur luv" was super manipulative, and I'm glad Michael walked away from it.

I love how Tilly has grown.

I think if Paul has any sense he'll use the spores to navigate them through time rather than to Qo'noS, especially when Michael realises that there's no way Georgiou is taking the helm just to do some surface scans.

Also I'm loving how every single time in Discovery that a non-senior crew member comes up with a brilliant idea, they specifically are the ones who get the praise and recognition for it. Note especially how when Tilly comes up with the spore-riding theory, Paul agrees that it's brilliant then encourages her to tell Saru about it. I noticed it again this episode, with the "let's just appear inside Qo'noS" suggestion.

Finally Paul gets a moment to show he's actually grieving the loss of his husband. I also liked that it was handled with dignity and kindness, rather than an opportunity to fall into the "Let's have him punch the guy" trap.

This episode was the breather the crew needed, but we all know by now what I'm still waiting for ;)
 
Dave said:
If they were really at War, and if she was really that good (even a Captain in the MU) she would have, at least, a field promotion to Lieutenant. Anyone want to bet that she stays as an Ensign as long as Harry Kim did?
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I don’t think she’s even an Ensign, I believe she is a cadet.
 
But the travel in MU gave Tilly the maturity she was missing in previous episodes.

I'm curious if Michael will be made again first officer and replace Saru. If I were him, I woudn't like my boss having me for breakfast.
 
Hmm... guess I was the only one surprised that the Emperor became Captain, then.

Seriously. I did not expect that. I thought there would be some retraining... but I didn't expect this.
 
They couldn't keep her hidden forever, not with her character. Replacing PU's version was a logical and practical choice.

I'm still musing about Sarek's behaviour. What kind of deal he could make with Georgiou and be afraid he will die for it ?
 
That article is a good analysis of what happened, especially on the part about L'Rell. They were extremely trusting of her and she doesn't seem very upset about her loss. Of course, she might feel that she lost Voq when the original surgery was performed and has already mourned for him.

As for the Federation, well yes, it is a mistake multiplied to have made Georgiou a Captain (and to possibly go on to annihilate Qo'noS), but in a War for their very survival, these are the kinds of decisions that do get made (Dresden, Hiroshima, Nagasaki.)

On the foreshadowing Sarek ideas, I think they may be reading into conversations much more than was intended. On the other hand, it has been shown already in Discovery, that very little that happened or was said didn't mean something. Burnham may have simply been expressing her concern for her adopted father.

There are quite a few other things that haven't been addressed yet, and which still may or not mean something i.e. the spore particle that entered Tilly last week, Mudd's time travel machine. I don't think that every little thing must be important.

There could be more to this episode that I had originally thought, but we'll have to see.
 
ctg said:
Hail Emperor ...er ... Captain Georgiou!!! :love:
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No I want my Captain Saru back. I really do not like Georgiou she reminds me too much of Melania Trump. I hate how she was just able to walk in and take over. That seems like a pretty big oversight.
 
Alexa said:
But the travel in MU gave Tilly the maturity she was missing in previous episodes.

I'm curious if Michael will be made again first officer and replace Saru. If I were him, I woudn't like my boss having me for breakfast.
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Yes! Saru should kill Georgiou. That would be sweet revenge.
 
Amelia Faulkner said:
I think if Paul has any sense he'll use the spores to navigate them through time rather than to Qo'noS, especially when Michael realises that there's no way Georgiou is taking the helm just to do some surface scans.
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I think this is very likely. There was definitely NOT a consensus around that discussion table on what they should do. The question then will be what will happen to Tilly? She hasn't been back in the spore network since she became, for a lack of a better word, infected.
 
Cli-Fi said:
Georgiou she reminds me too much of Melania Trump. I hate how she was just able to walk in and take over. That seems like a pretty big oversight.
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All big leaders are scary. Look at Churchill, Napoleon, Ceasar, even Alexander. They were all scary to the people around them. The Emperor radiates confidence. Just like Kirk as she heads into an impossible battle. She doesn't even know Discovery's capabilities to her full extend. But it doesn't scare her, just like it didn't scare Kirk. Instead she's possessing a spirit of a leader they need at the moment.

It's true she's going to be quirky and outright funny, but she's one I would follow into battle. Assaulting Kronos is in class of stupidity and bravery that only commanders of her calibre can do and achieve even a moderate success. I don't think next episode will be a pyrrhic victory Voq asks Starfleet to do, but it might be a f*ck up leading to a culmination in the galactic war that is the Klingon War.

I expect that there is going to be a cliff hanger. But we might also say a farewell to some of these beloved characters if the producers has a balls to challenge TWD and GoT.
 
ctg said:
All big leaders are scary. Look at Churchill, Napoleon, Ceasar, even Alexander. They were all scary to the people around them. The Emperor radiates confidence. ...she's possessing a spirit of a leader they need at the moment.
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I totally agree with that assessment.

When they realise that she means genocide then they may change their minds, or alternatively, they may decide that if it is the Klingons or the Federation, then they'd much rather it was the Federation. That is the very nature of an Intergalactic War. I have been saying all along that the game has changed in this series. Apart from some episodes in the latter seasons of DS9 (when some equally un-Federation-like things were done) we have only seen Starfleet during peacetime. Anyone still saying how unlike Star Trek this is, hasn't grasped that yet. You can not like it, and not be happy with that, but it is what you should expect from a period of war. In that respect, this series is unlike any other Star Trek series, and anyway, it would be very boring if it were only a re-tread of previous series.

I hope that they do bring Georgiou down though. I also don't like the idea that she is a Captain but has done things far worse than Burnham ever did. It isn't just or fair and I want my Federation to live up to its ideals.

On everyone dying - we still don't know if we are back in the Prime Universe timeline, or if they will be using Harry Mudd to go back and reset everything. We don't know if this is what happened in the Prime Universe timeline anyway. So, in this different timeline everyone could die and still be alive in the PU. Or, they could all really die in the PU. Janeway said that Temporal Mechanics always gave her a headache.

I do think we will see Lorca again, simply because he is still the main credited actor (Michelle Yeoh is only a guest.) I don't understand how we can see him again since all versions of him are supposed to be dead.
 
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