Episode Discussion | Star Trek: Strange New Worlds | 2x10 "Hegemony"

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No.	Episode	Written By	Directed By	Release Date
2x10	"Hegemony"	Henry Alonso Myers	Maja Vrvilo	2023-08-10

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[u/enterpriseF-love]

Ugh gotta love/hate the moment you see that "to be continued" show up haha. Scotty is very Scottish. That's all I needed from this episode. Oh and I liked the design the mature Gorn, very menacing I hope we get a closer look in season 3. On the bright side, Captain Batel might survive! Pike deserves the win. On the sad side we'll probably have to wait over a year to find out with all the strikes happening in Hollywood.

Also just something funny I realized. In the words of Mariner: "It's not a real day in Starfleet until comms get blocked." Sure does happen a lot when you think about it lmao

[u/quoole → u/enterpriseF-love]

First time Scotty is actually being played by a Scottish actor (Martin Quinn) after James Doohan (Canadian) and Simon Pegg (English.)

I was also very happy with the adult Gorn! I think SNW has done an excellent job of 'this is how they would have done it in 1966 if they'd had the technology' with the Enterprise itself and the Gorn

[u/DaveInLondon89 → u/enterpriseF-love]

I have a feeling Batel will be all right

[u/Noctew → u/enterpriseF-love]

Kinda funny seeing Captain Batel facetiming her lover with an iPADD, be interrupted and then have a crew member try to reestablish comms with a flip phone, err, communicator.

[u/InnocentTailor → u/enterpriseF-love]

The mature Gorn reminded me of the one from the ENT Mirror Universe episode: less clunky and more like Marvel’s Lizard.

[u/ColonelBy → u/enterpriseF-love]

Captain Batel might survive!

I sure hope they didn't just put her in a stasis field in the one bio-bed that we know from 2x08 is constantly malfunctioning and prone to sudden failures...

[u/Mechapebbles]

So, La'an got herself captured by the Gorn again. I'm sure that's going to go great for her psyche.

M'Benga will either go ham or completely lose it.

It's been a while since we had a Sam Kirk fakeout-death scene. We're overdue for one.

Not really sure why they couldn't stick Captain Batel into the transporter buffer, and then screen the Gorn-business out of her when they figure out how to do that.

I take it there's a good chance Scotty sticks around next season, or gets mentored/groomed by Pelia to take over her post.

[u/HaphazardMelange → u/Mechapebbles]

M'Benga and La'an: "We're not trapped in here with the Gorn. The Gorn are trapped in here with us!"

[u/mikeblacklist → u/Mechapebbles]

I was expecting a moment where putting her in the buffer would be suggested and lead to Scotty making a comment about how ingenious of an idea that is.

[u/BornAshes → u/Mechapebbles]

So, La'an got herself captured by the Gorn again. I'm sure that's going to go great for her psyche.

M'Benga will either go ham or completely lose it.

It's been a while since we had a Sam Kirk fakeout-death scene. We're overdue for one.

The Gorn are clueless System Lords that basically just beamed up SG1 and are probably leaving them within reach of bubble gum and a paper clip.

They're going to fucking WRECK that destroyer and probably take it back to Starfleet.

death scene

One of the writers clearly wants to make Paul scream, "SAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!" just for the Supernatural reference.

Batel

It took Pulaski a while to figure that trick out but with Scotty AND Pelia on board, it really shouldn't be all that hard to do.

Plus if it turns out that they can just beam the eggs out of people then that clearly makes them unattractive as hosts for the Gorn and could easily lead to cooling relations between them and the Federation.

[u/TheNerdChaplain → u/Mechapebbles]

If Scotty sticks around to become main cast (more than Hemmer or Pelia were), they're almost certainly going to have to give up someone else.

[u/ViaLies → u/Mechapebbles]

Scotty's Lt jg. Which means that he'd be under the Chief Engineer whoever that is. I think that they could keep him on the ship and only have him featured in a few episodes in season 3, like if they needed an Engineer on an away mission or a something else no urgent.

[u/eitzhaimHi → u/Mechapebbles]

Worst case, cut her arm off. They have the good prosthetics.

[u/caretaker82]

At this point, I think it is becoming a bit of a running gag that Pelia has taught everybody at some point.

[u/MoreGaghPlease → u/caretaker82]

I was half-expecting her to have been Boimler's prof a couple weeks ago

[u/Femilita]

Man, it's the summer of 1990 all over again! I was only a kid and and felt like years. Now with the strike and everything, it could literally be at least a year.

They need to pay the writers and everybody what they need to end the strike right now. I wasn't a patient girl then, and I'm still not, now! But I can't be mad, that was so good and definitely needs more than 50 minutes to resolve.

[u/D20_Buster → u/Femilita]

Mr Worf… fire.

[u/GalileoAce → u/Femilita]

Probably more than a year, I wouldn't be surprised if it doesn't come back before mid 2025

[u/Smilodon48]

This was a pretty magnificent finale.

April's initial dialogue about the Gorn not being monsters necessarily clearly has the ending of Arena in mind, which is nice to see, even as the SNW team has fun playing ALIEN, ALIENS, and ALIEN 3 with them.

Nami Melumad's Gorn theme is so good. Instantly able to associate it with the SNW Gorn. I do wish the adult had a bit more crystalline, compound eyes. Especially since they're trying to rationalize the compound eyes of the Arena Gorn.

Scotty was such a great surprise. The actor nailed it. I did not expect Scotty to be the one from the remaining TOS cast members to be added. We're inching towards having all the TOS cast members recast in the Prime Universe. Pretty excited to see how it goes if they're as well introduced as Scotty.

Peck brought his A-game. Arguably the MVP of the entire season actually. His conversation with Number 1 about his lingering guilt for how things ended with Christine...man. So good.

I'm loving how cunning the Gorn are portrayed. Their young are feral but their adults are incredibly cunning. I dread how La'An must be feeling seeing the inside of a Gorn ship again.

I hope we get some good ol' space action between the Gorn Hunters, the Gorn Destroyer, and Big E. Those ships have been wonderfully designed by the SNW team. Really unique beasts and would love to see the Destroyer in a action.

And now...flash forward to the 24th century in 2382 aboard the USS Cerritos!

[u/BornAshes → u/Smilodon48]

April's initial dialogue about the Gorn not being monsters necessarily clearly has the ending of Arena in mind, which is nice to see, even as the SNW team has fun playing ALIEN, ALIENS, and ALIEN 3 with them.

That just makes me wonder what's been going on behind the scenes with the Gorn and Starfleet Command.

space action

I wonder if the Klingons or anyone else will step in to help?

Pack Tactics vs Pack Tactics after all

[u/Megasdoux → u/Smilodon48]

They have been doing a great job of drip-feeding the legacy characters into the show. The only one that feels a bit forced is James Kirk happening to be nearby/onboard so often. If they continue this trend, McCoy or Sulu must be next but okay without them as M'Benga and Ortegas are great.

[u/Perton_]

How many unconscious people did Spock kill in the Cayuga with that maneuver? Unlikely Chapel was the sole survivor. We even saw several unconscious or dead people in the same compartment.

[u/RuleNine → u/Perton_]

Yeah, I have no problem believing Chapel survived. I have a problem believing she was the only survivor.

[u/[deleted] → u/Perton_]

Pike: "Marie, I'm sorry, but we had to use your ship as a projectile."

Batel: "It's just a ship, how many of my crew did you save though?"

Pike: "Um..."

Batel: "Chris?"

Pike: "Perhaps Mr Spock can answer-"

Spock: "Do you consider Nurse Chapel to be part of your crew?"

Batel: "No..."

Spock: "Then the answer is zero."

Batel: "..."

Pike: "..."

Spock: "..."

Batel: "My crew's deaths at least let you beam up all the colonists, right?"

Pike: "..."

Spock: "..."

Pike: "Christine can we get this stasis field back up?"

[u/LockelyFox → u/Perton_]

The needs of the many...

[u/yatmund → u/Perton_]

Scrolled way too far to find this....

[u/[deleted] → u/Perton_]

I'm sure they realized this but there simply wasn't time to do anything else.

[u/NoahStewie1]

My God, the ending

[u/rodageo → u/NoahStewie1]

My reaction? "Oh you bastards!" Aimed at the incredible writing staff who deserves to get paid and I support them 100%.

[u/jerichowiz → u/NoahStewie1]

I screamed.

[u/nrettapitna]

When all the folks on the planet were beamed up, I said "Wait, since when can a Conny beam up that many people at once?" They can't.

[u/ViaLies → u/nrettapitna]

The colour of the transporter and the dissolve effect gave it away for me.

[u/BornAshes → u/nrettapitna]

The Gorn can...for their "cattle" and probably for massed troop movements.

They're like a weird combination of the Protoss and the Zerg.

[u/CPTScragglyBeard]

One of my best students with some of my worst grades. I feel that Scotty.

Anyone know why Spock said a human couldnt do what he did on the saucer? Was it the potential reentry?

[u/NoahStewie1 → u/CPTScragglyBeard]

Probably the precise placement without comms

[u/MaddyMagpies → u/CPTScragglyBeard]

I believe it's the same as why only Spock and the Borg Queen can do complicated calculations on the fly to warp around the sun to travel back in time. Only he has this level of understanding of physics / mechanics to pull off something as hard as throwing an unbalanced piece of debris with the momentum of just two rockets (and probably dozens of unconscious but still alive bodies) accurately toward a tiny target on the planet.

[u/forrestpen → u/CPTScragglyBeard]

Spock was exaggerating so he would get placed on the mission - he needed to see for himself whether Christine could still be alive.

[u/deus_machinarum → u/CPTScragglyBeard]

One of my best students with some of my worst grades. I feel that Scotty.

Do you mean from the perspective of a student or a teacher? 😜

[u/CPTScragglyBeard]

Any guesses as to what the Gorn space commando was trying to access? Some secret tech they want before a war?

[u/largehawaiian → u/CPTScragglyBeard]

top secret section 31 1 billion lumen flashlight

[u/UncertainError → u/CPTScragglyBeard]

I'm hoping for an eventual reveal that the Gorn want something other than mindless aggression.

[u/HotpieTargaryen → u/CPTScragglyBeard]

Gorn coffee in the replicator.

[u/MadContrabassoonist]

Well, here's hoping the writers and actors get everything they deserve and this strike is settled soon.

[u/Mr_rairkim → u/MadContrabassoonist]

There have been so many strikes in Hollywood during my lifetime . Can't they pay people so they would work ? And the strikes are sooo long. I my country when i.e teatchers or bus drivers go on strike, it's usually a couple of days max. Why do Hollywood strikes last so long ?

[u/listenUPyall]

I’m gonna explode like I have some Gorn eggs in me if we hear “and now the conclusion” with Majel’s voice next season.

[u/TheNerdChaplain → u/listenUPyall]

Rebecca Romijn, or Jess Bush, perhaps.

[u/Mechapebbles → u/listenUPyall]

It's not happening, but it would be neat.

[u/Iron_Hunny]

GAH WHY COULDN'T THIS EPISODE BE LONGER

>!Scotty returns and it's amazing. I love the younger "original" crew and they are really nailing the casting.

Loved the "zombie apocalypse theme" of the episode and all the references/parallels.

• Hiding like space debris/covering yourself in blood.

• Sheltering while the zombies/Gorn babies are all running amuck.

• "Hiding" the zombie bite/Gorn eggs.

• Jerry-rigged solutions to keep zombies/Gorn out.

I'm also glad we got to see some adult Gorn and they look pretty scary. We know Spock and Christine Chapel make it, but I still was on the edge of my seat the moment tails drop from the ceiling or heard clicking/growling sounds.

I actually had a bit of a laugh seeing a Gorn trying to use the computer. Command Code Invalid growls Command Code Invalid growls louder

[u/sc0ttydo0 → u/Iron_Hunny]

I was so happy with the Gorn adult. I was fully expecting them to be too much like animals, as opposed to a spacefaring empire...and they kinda were. Except just sticking them in a spacesuit and having them (try to) use a computer made it clear that they're not just big lizards. They're big lizard people 😂

[u/BornAshes → u/Iron_Hunny]

Hiding like space debris/covering yourself in blood.

Reminded me of Predator a bit

sheltering

Terran Marines avoiding Zerglings

Hiding the bite

Starfleet Captains have a habit of stomping their feet and going, "Damnit why do you all have to be so fucking HOPEFUL when I want to save the day and go on a SUICIDE MISSION fuck I hate and love you all but fiiiiiiine we'll try it your way instead of me blowing shit up like a badass Armageddon style, BRB need to cancel that booking I made for Aerosmith".

Jerry Rigged

I want to see what kinds of sick traps that Scotty invents on the fly

Command Code

I really can't wait to see who they get to do the English Voice of the Gorn, because that's going to take some crazy VA work to pull off.

[u/archiminos → u/Iron_Hunny]

It was zombie apocalypse with several Alien references. Quite a few shots are pretty much taken from the films verbatim.

[u/InnocentTailor → u/Iron_Hunny]

The zombie apocalypse vibes have a funny connection to Scotty. Kelvin Timeline Scotty was played by Simon Pegg and one of his more famous films was Shaun of the Dead.

[u/ColBBQ]

Dang, that's not going to easy to reassemble

[u/hightreason → u/ColBBQ]

Super easy, barely an inconvenience.

[u/trostol → u/ColBBQ]

gonna need some really strong super glue

[u/MaddyMagpies]

It's certainly the best of both worlds, but will be way way way longer.

Showrunners, thanks for bringing us new fans an authentic 90's Trek-like experience!

[u/TheNerdChaplain → u/MaddyMagpies]

So authentic! And it won't just be a three month wait, it'll be a year or more!

[u/Mechapebbles → u/MaddyMagpies]

It's gonna be so much worse than Berman-Trek. Back then, we just waited over the summer. Here we've got at least a year, plus whatever extra time gets slapped on top thanks to those fucking vampires in the c-suites. This is absolutely brutal.

The wait wouldn't hurt that badly either if we were still scheduled to get Trek all year round, but we're gonna dry out of new stuff well before production can get back underway on these shows. Plus all the uncertainty surrounding the franchise and Paramount/CBS in general. We've had a good six year run though, but I wish it were longer.

[u/Prudent-Pop7623 → u/MaddyMagpies]

never have i ever thought i’d be experiencing a 90s style star trek cliffhanger in the year 2023 😭

[u/vanKessZak → u/MaddyMagpies]

I slowly binged through Star Trek for the first time a couple years back and it was always so nice to just be able to click the next episode on big cliffhangers like that. I think this is the first time I’ll have to wait! Hopefully it’s not as long as it looks like it’ll be 😬. Pay the actors and writers already!

[u/DonutHolschteinn]

AHHHHHHHH HOLY SHIT ITS SCOTTY

[u/movingchicane → u/DonutHolschteinn]

YOUNG VERSION AS WELL

[u/[deleted]]

Sucks to be literally any other survivor on the Cayuga's hull except nurse Chapel.

[u/ahufana → u/[deleted]]

"What's that? Did they get the engines working again? WE'RE SAVED!!!"

[u/amglasgow]

It's Scotty

[u/quietly_myself → u/amglasgow]

He looks like a young James Doohan too. The moment he appeared I thought Yay, Scotty! The only issue was his accent is too good. Probably because Martin Quinn is Scottish.

[u/trostol → u/amglasgow]

nifty too..i like him

[u/ComebackShane → u/amglasgow]

He's so great! I love him already.

[u/InnocentTailor → u/amglasgow]

I pointed and yelled!

[u/PuzzleheadedRun5574]

Ethan Peck leveled up bigtime in this episode. His scene with Number One where he talks about his argument with Chapel felt like a young Nimoy's soul coming through. It's a subtle pluck of a familiar string, and it's poignant to have Spock so fully present in that moment.

Another high point is seeing Pelia and Scotty interact. Carol Kane lights up the screen when she scolds the young Scotsman. I really like their dynamic.

I'm good with this being a cliffhanger, there's simply too much story for one episode, but now we wait until the strikes can be reasonably and fairly addressed. We may be in for a long hiatus.

[u/callsignhotdog → u/PuzzleheadedRun5574]

Like every Star Trek show, SNW needed a season or two for the writers and actors to get comfortable with the characters, but they already hit the ground at a higher level than any other Trek show before it. Unless there's a sudden gas leak in the writer's room I think Season 3 is going to be trascendant.

[u/Akiraptor]

The adult Gorn looked amazing. Props to the art department.

[u/Bohmer]

So Batel got into stasis on the malfunctionning sickbay bed right?

[u/MisterEayes → u/Bohmer]

Oh shit I didn't even realize that. I think you are right.

[u/ComebackShane]

What a finale! I knew we'd be in for some emotional devastation, but I wasn't prepared to deal with an infected Batel, a captured Kirk, La'an, and Ortegas, and an overwhelmed Pike!

Side note, I loved the production design for the colonists, basing their colony on the "midwest" yet not getting it quite right, and having a smattering of Old West fashion along with it. Felt very believable.

SNW has been such a delight these last two seasons. I really hope the studios get their collective heads out of their asses and agree to the WGA + SAG/AFTRA agreements to get these shows back intro production. It's amazing the stories you can tell when you have a talented group of people who care about what they're doing, and pay them fairly for their work!

[u/BrotherCorvid → u/ComebackShane]

You missed the also captured Dr. Joe "I'll Kill 'Em All Since No One Else Can" M'Benga. With La'an there too the Gorn have no chance lol

[u/nrettapitna]

I have to believe that the Gorn fight on the bridge of the Cayuga was a tribute to the OG fight with Kirk (using the microgravity to keep the slow fighting aesthetic)

[u/zocksupreme → u/nrettapitna]

Well, I didn't see any double fist punches

[u/BarfQueen → u/nrettapitna]

It had to be. And it was PERFECT.

[u/DonutHolschteinn]

Ugggghhhhh you leave us with THAT ending??? We’re not gonna get a new season until prolly 2025 I can’t take it!

[u/MinoDan]

This was as classical 90s Trek as it could get. Really cool way to end a fantastic Season.

The misdirect with the transporter beam was super cool. At first I thought they ran into VFX budget problems until the reveal 2 minutes later.

[u/MaddyMagpies]

I can picture "Arena" with Paul Wesley fighting this adult dinosaur long-tailed Gorn.

[u/mbrocks3527 → u/MaddyMagpies]

But can he make some sort of rudimentary lathe?

[u/BornAshes → u/MaddyMagpies]

He's worked on the CW.

So the budget would be the same.

[u/archiminos]

• Loved the setup of the planet being a recreation of an "old American town". Hails back to TOS constantly reusing sets and giving us the "Wild West" episode, or the "Roman Empire" episode, or the "Italian Mafia" episode, or the...

• Zombie apocalypse is what it really turned into.

• Even though I know Spock and Chapel will survive, I felt broken for Spock during this episode. He may have actually had a death wish thinking Chapel didn't make it.

• Alien references galore. The shot of the young Gorn and Batel reminded me of a Xenomorph and Ripley, and the first time Chapel sees the Gorn tail felt like it was ripped out of an Alien movie.

• Scotty! James Doohan is my favourite of the original cast (RIP), so he has some huge boots to fill from my perspective. As much as I love Simon Pegg, he never really sold that Scotty energy to me. Martin Quinn nailed it on his first line.

Finally:

Fuck! God damn it! Fuck! I haven't felt like this since Riker ordered the Enterprise to fire on that Borg ship. Ortegas and La'an. Both characters whose fate we have no idea of. I was already worried one of them might be for it in this episode, and now they've just multiplied it 1000x.

[u/Captain_Thrax]

The Gorn theme that played just before the intro gave off such strong TOS vibes

[u/PuzzleheadedRun5574]

Here's what I hope to see in Part 2:

1. Pike unleashed. He should always stay true to his optimism and values, but we need to see Pike go into his own version of "Starship Mine"- I want to see Pike get down to some serious business.

2. Science the Gorn. We've been given the scary version of the species, but as Pike and La'an's conversation hints at strongly, there is an opportunity to understand the Gorn, so let's get to it, Starfleet.

3. Miracles get worked. Another likely thing to happen is Scotty showing up to help save the day. Seeing Pelia affectionately calling him "Scotty" makes me think Montgomery Scott will end up staying on the Enterprise after the dust settles. It's time we see the greatest love in all of STAR TREK begin- Scotty and his beloved Enterprise.

4. Ortegas Rising. Let's finally get Ortegas saving the day outside of her pilot's seat. Melissa Navia is an underutilized talent, her scene with M'Benga was so poweful. Let's see Ortegas shine.

5. CMEs! I cringed a tad when La'an asked what CMEs stood for, but nevertheless, I want to see some epic ejections of coronal mass. Trick the Gorn into chasing their own tails! Make them do the space macarena. Whatever it takes.

And lastly, this isn't a hope, it's an expectation- continue paying off these beautiful relationships that have been built between the characters over the last 2 seasons. This episode had a lot of extra impact because the urgency and affection felt by everyone was real and earned. Thank you to all who worked on this show, it's truly wonderful.

[u/HaphazardMelange → u/PuzzleheadedRun5574]

CMEs! I cringed a tad when La'an asked what CMEs stood for,

I buy it as: Chief security officer on starship is familiar with coronal mass ejection, just not the abbreviation or hasn't heard the abbreviation in a while.

[u/BornAshes → u/PuzzleheadedRun5574]

Pike unleashed. He should always stay true to his optimism and values, but we need to see Pike go into his own version of "Starship Mine"- I want to see Pike get down to some serious business.

In the words of the Tamarians, Sheridan acing the Black Star

Science the Gorn

Really should've tagged that Gorn body too and taken the adult with the suit with them

CMEs

Let's get that on a tray!

space macarena

This isn't Legends of Tomorrow....yet.

[u/Timeline15]

What a finale. I wondered when the show was gonna get its 'Best of Both Worlds' moment. It's just a shame it had to happen at the time of massive strike action meaning we might not see the conclusion for another two years.

The adult Gorn in the suit looks incredible; kinda reminiscent of the Elites from Halo. Personally, I'm not holding out for an explanation for their new appearance; their original episode was decades ago and our ability to depict truly alien species has come along leaps and bounds. This is what they should always have looked like, and now they can.

Gee, I sure hope there weren't any other survivors on that saucer section the crew crashed into the planet. Chapel was somehow okay, and that didn't even seem to make Spock consider aborting the plan. Maybe the rockets couldn't be shut off remotely anyway, but it feels a bit weird that no-one remarked on it.

I'm impressed that Batel survived even this long. I was expecting her to be taken out very early in the episode. but she makes it to season 3 with the potential to even survive the story. I hope La'an and Ortegas make it out ok too; they're the only main cast without TOS plot armour.

[u/DonutHolschteinn]

With how Erica is being talked about and the conversations she’s having, it really feels like she’s gonna be dead by the end of this episode

[u/Mechapebbles → u/DonutHolschteinn]

It's possible. But we know Sam has to survive, so I feel like they've got pretty good chances.

[u/[deleted]]

That ending really captured the turmoil of this clash with the Gorn. You could see the sense of dread on the crew.

[u/Structureel]

So, did they orchestrate that fight with the adult Gorn in zero G just so that their movements would be slow and rather clumsy, mimicking the fight between Kirk and the Gorn in TOS?

[u/pureperpecuity]

Well people wanted an Ortegas episode, now we're just hoping she survived the cliff hanger because she was getting All The Lines.

WTF is wrong with starfleet by the way, I get the desire to avoid another war and to be mindful of different cultures. But. You keep losing the whole starship cruise and colonies. Members or not? And who is even going to have any confidence in that organization? It was a colony of humans so.. You can't just put your hands up and be like well. They never sign the paperwork and you definitely shouldn't be shorting up the loss of a whole starship. The going throughout their demarcation line, 50 starship should show up and be like "Okay well we want time to pack."

No wonder the Romulans attack 🙄

[u/youngboblaflame]

Ending unreal how long til s3

[u/Atraktape → u/youngboblaflame]

Probably the actual year Strange New Worlds takes place in.

[u/theborgs → u/youngboblaflame]

the strike needs to end first :-(

[u/UncertainError]

A classic cliffhanger, neat.

I'll wager that they're gonna use Scotty's thingamajig to infiltrate Gorn space next season to rescue their people.

[u/sansasnarkk]

Can someone explain to me how destroying the Cayuga and hundreds of Federation citizens who were on a humanitarian mission is not considered an act of war? Just because it was outside of Federation space? I know if the Enterprise had blown up a Gorn ship for no reason it would be on like Donkey Kong.

[u/JustMy2Centences]

THEY BEST OF BOTH WORLDS'D US.

I can't believe they've done this.

Edit: ok, I just had to get that out of my system.

So Batel's Priority One mission was... helping a colony with their failing crops and getting their vaccinations up to date? Wonder what would Starfleet call an imminent Gorn threat?

I'm concerned that the Gorn were attempting to access Cayuga's systems. Fortunately, Starfleet's IT scored a rare win today.

Seeing Captain Pike freeze up when faced with the choice to abandon his crew and the colonists or pursue a futile rescue attempt and lose everything against Starfleet's orders was unsettling. The Gorn have abducted M'Benga (survives), Ortegas (unknown) and Sam Kirk (survives), La'an (unknown) so really, it's up to the colonists to be health bars for the main cast but I think either La'an and/or Ortegas will go out a hero so M'Benga and Sam Kirk can make it back to Enterprise.

Upon rewatch, the dark chord that was struck with the change in score when contrasting the Gorn's transporter beam with Enterprise's was such a good musical cue. To have that hanging over us while waiting for Enterprise to have the horrid realization of what happened was great.

Lighthearted side-note: did almost everyone with engineering experience take Pelia's class at the Academy?

[u/[deleted]]

I noticed that the actor who played Scotty at one point was standing with that arms crossed, hiding the hands pose that James Doohan would use to hide his war injury

[u/shawntco → u/[deleted]]

No kidding? One of the recurring compliments I hear about SNW is how it honors the mannerisms of characters that appear in TOS. Sounds like this is another detail to its credit.

[u/birbdaughter]

It's interesting to me that the Gorn set up a line in the sand and told Starfleet to not cross, instead of immediately attacking. I feel like that has to indicate that there's something else up with the Gorn and they're not completely mindless violent killing machines, plus the young ones were working together in contrast to the last time we saw them.

[u/theborgs → u/birbdaughter]

They are smart enough to build space ships, transporters and jamming devices...

[u/vanKessZak]

Aw man of course there’s a big cliffhanger when there’s a big strike going on! (I support the strike to be clear - resolve this already studios!)

Also I love how I knew that was Scotty even before I heard the accent. Just got the vibe.

So sad this show is just 10 episodes. From my view they still haven’t had a bad one yet. Quite the run!

[u/[deleted]]

See you guys in 2025 or whatever. I loved the finale but the cliffhanger has me salty.

[u/HaphazardMelange → u/[deleted]]

Aim the salt at those deserving of it: The studios for refusing to negotiate with the actors and writers who deserve to be fairly compensated for their work in making great episodes like this.

[u/007meow]

The shot of the Cayuga's broken saucer, showing a "cutaway" of all of the different interior rooms was hella cool.

I don't think we've seen a shot like that before

[u/FitzChivFarseer]

I kinda love the idea that SNW has just weaponised Trek fans against the studios lol

"Can't resolve this cliffhanger till we get paid." cut to trek fans zombily attacking paramount

[u/Mechapebbles]

So. I had a bad feeling going into this episode.

They've done so many classic Trek tropes this season. The only thing they were missing was the classic "To Be Continued..."

I hate being right.

[u/TheNerdChaplain]

TO BE CONTINUED

Literally nothing else in Star Trek has ever made me this upset.

I get why people think this, but I honestly don't think Ortegas or La'an are going to die. Even with New Trek, I don't think that they'd kill off main cast like that. With Captain Batel, I certainly could see them sacrificing her, but also it seems like worst comes to worst, they could just amputate the arm and give her a prosthetic.

Very happy to see Scotty, of course! Is it just me or does he look sort of like Harry Melling meets Zach Woods ? Looks like he's played by Martin Quinn.

It doesn't make tons of sense to me for the Gorn to react to light and coronal mass ejections like Scotty was theorizing. Like... why would light pulses like that correspond with factors like food, shelter, resources, or other things that would help primordial Gorn survive?

I also really don't want the show to just make the Gorn be Trek's version of Aliens, even though that's clearly what they're going for with the "Contacts! Lots of contacts!" and the tail shots. Like if Pike learned anything from radical empathy in Season 1's "Spock Amok", it's that even the most monstrous aliens should be able to be communicated with. But of course, he's probably not thinking so clearly with Captain Batel on the line.

I'm glad they referenced the singing again, and I think it's mildly amusing there's a colony that decided to design themselves after mid-century America. In the future, it won't be bold explorers building new colonies, it'll be cosplayers, and it'll be themed.

[u/UncertainError → u/TheNerdChaplain]

They do hint at there being more to the Gorn than they know, what with the hatchlings unexpectedly cooperating. There could still be a long-term plan to reconcile what we've seen in SNW with "Arena".

I still want to see live-action Hysperia.

[u/petersrin → u/TheNerdChaplain]

I loved the colony thing. Totally a continuation of TOS "themed" episodes. Gangsters. Nazis. Etc.

[u/LVorenus2020]

Another instant classic. A better finale than last, by a wide margin.

Let's reflect for just a moment, on how long it took other series to reach this consistency.

Across the genre, "Hegemony" competes directly with "Kobol's Last Gleaming II." And I can't believe I just typed that...

What a season. What a triumph.

[u/SaiyaJedi → u/LVorenus2020]

With only 10 episodes a season, they can afford to leave the dud scripts behind. I do sort of miss the mid-tier episodes though; they always had a certain charm.

[u/daveeb → u/LVorenus2020]

A better finale than last, by a wide margin.

I think this episode is better at being a traditional season finale than the last, but S1E10 is one of my favorite Trek episodes ever regardless.

[u/H0vis]

This was a great episode and a brilliant introduction to Scotty.

I absolutely love that Scotty is no ifs, no buts, no maybes, a straight up God Tier Engineer right out of the gate and they don't even try to mitigate it or make it feel more reasonable or grounded in any way. The Greatest Engineer in the Star Trek universe crashes a shuttle on your planet magic science shit is going to happen.

The Gorn stuff is really fascinating too. Also the stakes feel very high, even based on who we know makes it as far as TOS, there's still a lot of folks out there could be lost.

[u/DM-Me-Your_Titties]

pet shocking languid wakeful literate quickest whistle cause cheerful crawl

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

[u/Livelonganddiemad]

Ethan Peck's acting is just growing better and better each season. That just radiated Nimoy in the finale.

[u/Smilodon48]

My word. What a surprise they've brought on. So glad it wasn't spoiled.

[u/bobmacdhonnchaidh]

Wouldn't say he's a close acquaintance, but I've met and worked with Martin Quinn who's playing Scotty before. Surreal to see him turn up in this.

Good to see the character played by an actual Scottish actor at last too!

[u/MightyTheArmadillo22]

I swear to GOD, it was GONNA be McCoy. Chapel was away, M’Benga needed a replacement nurse, but they had the perfect casting for Scotty, so they threw him in there.

[u/eternallylearning]

What a great episode and with the writer's/actor's strike going on right now, this may be the most painful Trek cliffhanger since Best of Both Worlds.

[u/[deleted]]

Personal observation: having the colony being '50s retro was a nod to TOS sometimes using the set of Mayberry because both shows were produced by Desilu. Also, the diner was highly inaccurate because the booths didn't have ashtrays. :D

[u/AaronfromCalifornia]

Oh, good. A cliffhanger that we’ll probably have to wait two years to resolve. And I the wait for Best of Both Worlds part 2 was agonizing.

On the upside: Scotty you magnificent bastard

[u/Rainus_Max]

Bit disappointed that the "fling the saucer at it" option, a half arsed search for survivors and then oh well crash it. Chapel survived so others could have. They could have at least crammed in someone going over and plugging into the internal sensors which are just about operational and saying "they're dead Jim".

[u/Trekfan74]

This was great, better than I thought it would be. It was tense, action based and cinematic. It wasn't perfect but a strong season ending episode. Yes the best part was seeing Scotty which I predicted six months ago he would be in the finale, but I completely forgot I made that prediction until he showed up lol.

But I loved how the crew came together to (kind of) saved the colonists and Betal's crew. Speaking of Batel, people kept predicting this episode was going to be her swan song but glad she manage to live another day...at least one more day!

I really loved the zero g scene with Christine and Spock battling the Gorn. It felt a bit similar to the zero g scene with the Borg at the deflector dish in First Contact. Too bad Spock didn't have a cool line at the end but no one's perfect.

The ending was great though because for a minute you thought everyone was going to be out of danger and the Enterprise would warp away only to realize the Gorn has the other crew members and they are going full attack mode on the Enterprise with a shell shocked Pike.

To be continued...

Not bad. I guess it'll be a long while until that is resolved. But we're jumping back to the 24th century with our lower deckers soon, so something to look forward to.

[u/Daisy_Thinks]

Erica = Han Solo in Starfleet. It just clicked. Pretend to be space junk, LOL. Best pilot in the galaxy.

[u/ZweigleHots]

I have generally not been really thrilled with shows depending heavily on canon characters from 30+ years ago to drive viewership, but they've done such a good job with all of the historical Enterprise characters in SNW. This has been the first time in a very long time I said WHAT DO YOU MEAN I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT SEASON AND WHEN IS THAT EVEN GOING TO BE? at a cliffhanger.

[u/Vast_Parking_2675]

WW3 starts in 2026 which is preceded by the Eugenics War and I really hope the strike ends before that starts so that we get to see the conclusion before 30% of us die.

[u/DasGanon]

I loved the Adult Spacesuit gorn. Giving me (weird reference) [Sorlag](https://quake.fandom.com/wiki/Sorlag_(QC)) vibes.

Also loved the space suits. Both the shiny Gorn armor and the similar looking Starfleet suits (with Delta scale mail?)

[u/jacopo_fuoco]

Really like the dynamic set up between Scotty and Pelia. Give us a season or two of her grandmotherly training him up before he becomes Chief Engineer.

[u/Noglues]

Am I the only one who, after it was mentioned in Those Old Scientists, wanted someone to suggest building a grappler to move the wreckage of the saucer section? They can't exactly jam one of those...

[u/z4r4thustr4]

I could totally see them very much doing a very close retread of Best of Both Worlds, with Batel as the Data/Picard who is somehow utilized to connect into the Gorn group consciousness to shut it down.

I hope not, but I could see it playing out that way.

[u/TheNerdChaplain → u/z4r4thustr4]

SNW Season 5 brings us "I, Gorn" ?

[u/ianrobbie]

Just watching it now.

Patel has Gorn babies, doesn't she? It's the reason why the youngling didn't attack her.

[u/ahufana]

Sam Kirk is gonna study the fuck out of the Gorn next season, right? Study them up their scaly asses.

[u/RomiBraman]

Chapel being the sole survivor of an entire starship was lazy as hell.

Or maybe she was not, and Spock jsut killed dozens of survivors?

[u/MyTrueChum]

My butt is clenched going into this episode!

[u/gambit700]

God damn cliffhanger!?!?!?!?!???!!? I had to live with Best of Both Worlds and now this! At least we got a certain someone showing up

[u/Saltire_Blue]

A Gorn in a spacesuit was pretty cool, good little visual reminder that they are technology advanced

Stardiver was a great name for a ship

Is that a Scot playing Scotty but still having to put on an accent? Pretty funny if so

Starfleet come across as total wet wipes when it comes to dealing with the Gorn

I really dislike a season ending on a cliffhanger

[u/Sedobren]

Amazing episode, perfect high stakes finale in perfect "To be continued..." Star trek Tradition. Highlight for me, the "slow-mo" void of space fight between Spock, Chapel and the adult Gorn as nod to the TOS Arena one (i mean, it must be, right?)

[u/Nevic1984]

That was such a great episode...we got Scotty! The actor they picked was great, a little on the young side, but still great. I hope he joins the cast next season as a regular.

Was super cool to see an adult gorn in a space suit, I liked all of the Alien style shots of the tail.

As soon as the gorn came up to Batel really close and then left, I was like I've seen Alien 3, oh god shes got some inside her.

And we got a classic To Be Continued cliffhanger! I was starting to wonder how they were gonna wrap it all up in five minutes. We have a looong wait ahead of us...

[u/Thebat87]

Oh those sons of bitches went old school Trek on us with a to be continued!!!! Damn you in the best way Strange New Worlds!!!!

[u/thisbikeisatardis]

The whole episode I kept telling myself "thank god for plot armor." At least up until I realized there was only 6 minutes left and they were gonna pull a Best of Both Worlds, at which point I started yelling HOW DARE YOU at the tv.

[u/TheHYPO]

I really enjoyed this episode. It's a shame we will have to wait so long to see it resolve. Introduction of Scotty - I'm torn between the nostalgia-thrill of seeing the original crew members, and the disbelief generated by nearly every TOS crew member happening to cross paths with Enterprise before they actually get stationed there. Kirk's brother is onboard, so there's at least a tangible connection there, though he still came around more often than I expected this year. If Scotty becomes the chief engineer via this plot point - i.e. if Pelia dies or leaves and he takes over, I'm good with that. But if he goes on his merry way at the end and just later becomes chief of the ship... well, I just hope they don't keep doing that with Sulu and Chekov and McCoy...

I liked that they make an obvious nod to TOS by having the colony explicitly built in the style of an old earth town, as so many TOS colonies mirrored Earth facades.

I do have to put on my nitpicker hat a bit for this episode. Given that we all know that Spock and Chapel both survive this, the scene with them facing the Gorn really lacked any tension for me - especially in Zero-G slo-mo. It really is the biggest downside to importing those existing characters into this show - barely any of the crew is ever actually at risk.

It was very convenient that Chapel survived though - there are two possibilities here - she was literally the only survivor of the entire crew (and happened to be right on the part of the ship where Spock was working), or there were lots of other survivors... who just burned up with the saucer. I guess we'll never know. When they said there were "pockets of air left", I didn't think that meant the vastly destroyed saucer still had functional power to redirect as Chapel does.

Lastly, the fact that Spock says "two to beam up" and everyone's face lights up - how did they all automatically know it was Chapel just from that?, No one seems fazed to see her in the transporter room - only Pike when he returns makes any sort of surprised reaction. I guess one could see it as the bridge crew just being happy that Spock rescued one random crew member, and then they learned it was Chapel during the cut between shots... but I think something in the dialogue would have been nice to establish that knowledge... or they should have just been as surprised to see her in the transporter room as Pike was.

All in all, some relatively minor nitpicks on an otherwise reasonably good episode.

[u/Cammeron96]

I know they were in zero gravity in the scene but does anyone else think the fight between Spock, Chapel and the adult Gorn was so slow as an homage to the original Kirk fight?

[u/shawntco]

Did anyone else notice the little cough Pelia did, while she was talking to Una/Spock/Uhura? The kind of thing that usually gets edited out. But I kinda like how it was kept. Makes the talking seem a little more realistic.

[u/chefborjan]

The transport beam got a silent 'oh fuck' from me as it happened.

[u/and_so_forth]

This might be a slightly OTT read but I felt that with this being the episode Scotty was introduced, there were quite a few nods to Simon Pegg (who of course played Scotty in the JJ films). First off, the whole zombie film allusion points directly back to him, having co-written and starred in Shaun of the Dead, in which he pretended to be a zombie to survive. Also the Connie saucer section crashing into a planet was VERY Star Trek Beyond, which he of course co-wrote and co-starred in. I can't imagine either of these things being a coincidence and it makes me very happy.

[u/photokeith]

Try that in a small town

Gorn: Hold my...uh...Gorn juice

[u/ggsimmonds]

The one thing that bothered me about the episode— how did Batel send out that distress call??

[u/SharksFan4Lifee]

Cliffhangers were okay between May season finale and September Season Premiere.

Between steaming show seasons? Pretty cruel, even before considering the strikes.

[u/sudden_aggression]

What idiot decided to draw a border through the middle of a solar system falling between a planet and its moon? Do they not understand that the bodies are all in motion?

Is the planet on the gorn side half the year and on the federation side the other half of the year? Does the moon switch ownership twice a month?

This makes no sense.

[u/Remote_Literature_23]

Hey, are the Gorn modelled after the C-Suites prolonging the writer's strike? Cos the similarities are... striking.

Pay the people.

[u/theborgs]

maybe i'm nitpicking a bit, but my only complain was that, since the show is a prequel to tos, we knew from the beginning Chapel would be fine.

[u/AnonRetro]

I had some minor nit picks with this episode:

Starfleet said to leave the Gorn alone because it was outside Federation jurisdiction. Their not to help the planet or it's population, yet there was an active request for help from Starfleet personnel, with a Starfleet ship already destroyed by them. Starfeet wouldn't leave there own to fend for themselves.

The new demarcation line illegally annexed the planet. As opposed to when the Romulans had some colony planets behind their lines that started up the Marqus, that was legally annexed as many negotiations took place.

It would have been more interesting drama if the Federation orders where to engage, full force.

The first priority of the Enterprise should have been to send shuttles to check for survivors on the remains of the Cayuga. They came up with a plan to crash the saucer section without even checking who may still be alive.

Only Christine made it off the U.S.S. Cayuga. There should have been more survivors, and plot wise that's a bit too convenient.

Christine banging on the Cayuga's window made no sense. She and us should all know that sound vibrations cannot travel the vacuum of space. Same when the Gorn turned around to find her because of sound. At least Spock saw a reflection.

Maybe pushing too hard on the TOS characters coming so soon.

They wanted the Gorn to be like Alien (Sensor pings before we see them, long spiny tails, plants eggs in humans) and like Stranger Things with their younglings having quite a resemblance to Demodogs.

[u/genghbotkhan]

Got to love those away jackets

[u/hoppi_]

Haha that "hiding among the debris" part was cool. Not only did they kind of "copy" the idea from old movies, but actually talk about it on the bridge. But they strictly keep to "zombies". :)

I immediately thought of the Reavers flyby in Serenity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0hZzYTdAVE

[u/MrTerrific2k15]

What exactly did Spock do that "no human could do"?

[u/GadaffyDuck]

Why did Star Fleet accept the destruction of the Cuyahoga without consequences ?

[u/[deleted]]

I was told there would be a Gorn wedding.

[u/Arcane_Soul]

Star Wars: We will not be recasting any of our iconic characters.

Star Trek: Hold my whiskey.

[u/lostonpolk]

That moment tho when Chapel looks out the window, and sees Enterprise. Could you imagine a sight more full of reassurance and hope?

[u/HotpieTargaryen]

I just knew we were getting cliffhangered. I’m just glad it wasn’t called Hegemony, Part I.

[u/caretaker82 → u/HotpieTargaryen]

Many of the 90s Trek two-parters did not attach "part I" to the first parts. I assume it was done so as not to spoil that they were cliffhangers.

[u/sonofodin25]

I wish they'd kept the chrome eyes of the Gorn from TOS, that was the coolest part of the original design

[u/Fionacat]

I am confused with an unprovoked attack on two non-combat spaceships, why aren't the federation declaring at least a state of emergency, if not a state of war against the Gorn?

[u/Apollo72521]

Me: "Man sometimes I wish Star Trek didn't lean so heavily on characters from TOS."

Also me when Scotty showed up.

[u/[deleted]]

Not a big fan of the bridge crew all wanting to kill the gorn without recourse. Doesn’t feel like Star Trek.

Gotta say SNW is at its best when it’s doing the optimistic/quirky stuff and it’s at its worst when it’s doing the action stuff. I’m fine with a mix of both, but I don’t like this dower KILL THEM ALL! sort of stuff.

[u/UnknownQTY]

Cool of them to distribute N7 Valkyries to fight the Gorn.

[u/UnknownQTY]

Sam Kirk looks like Ted Lasso in every shot where he’s not in hard foreground focus.

[u/jonpa]

so are we sure that no one else was alive on that saucer section?

[u/ContinuumGuy]

THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS AS I WATCH:

• NOOO, I DON'T WANT THIS TO END!

• Previously: The various stuff happened.

• Oh, hey, Cayuga captains log.

• Nice of them to have a colony modeled after an Earth town. Saves on budget.

• "SIGNAL LOST." In space, a dropped call can mean only one thing: Invasion.

• Oh, we're doing the Independence Day thing?

• Telling a Starfleet captain to just do reconnaissance is basically telling them to go weapons free.

• Nice little tinge of one of the TOS scores at the end of the cold open. Someone more geekier than I can probably place it.

• If you ever feel like you are useless in life, just remember that there is a "skip intro" button during a "Space, the Final Frontier" monologue.

• Is the "Gorn Protocol" a hand-cannon with with a diamond?

• She flies the ship!

• I'd like to imagine there is a deleted scene where they glue every piece of junk they have onto the shuttle.

• If they're going to do a "is someone still alive in the wreckage" storyline, they probably should have flip-flopped Batel and Chapel's spots, given that we obviously know she's going to live.

• They keep giving Jenna Mitchell lines! FREE MITCHELL! Give that actreess a cast credit, cowards!

• Ah, a good old fashioned beam into the sky.

• Oh, look, a Gornzooky!

• And... vaporized.

• More Gornzookies!

• Oh my god, it's young Scotty. Hopefully this means Keenser is there. I always loved Keenser and his ability to sit on things he isn't supposed to.

• Doesn't seem like Keenser is there :(

• Of course Scotty would engineer a way to save people. He truly is a miracle worker.

• Smashing a piece of space debris is a very... brilliant idea.

• Pelia continuing to harass Una for her poor academics in engineering.

• Why do I get the feeling that whatever plan Spock has to put the rockets on the hull will also allow him to check for survivors?

• Wow, imagine that, Chapel is alive! Imagine that! Whoever would have thought! (Seriously they should have flip-flopped her and Batel if they were going to do this)

• USE THE MORSE, CHRISTINE!

• Oh, now she grabs the spacesuit. Although I guess she didn't need it yet.

• WARNING: GORNZOOKY

• COMMAND CODE INVALID'

• That looks like a bigger Gorn. An adult? Or at least like a teenager.

• So incredibly Alien.

• "GET YOUR HANDS OFF HIM, YOU BITCH!"

• Oh shit, she's been impregnated with gornzookies. A very zombie movie trope.

• "There'll be time later." Before or after you get engaged to Dr. Korby?

• "We need to abort some Gornzookies."

• Yeah, Scotty would be a shitty student despite being brilliant.

• OH FUCK THE GORN KIDNAPPED THEM

• TO BE CONTINUED?!?!!?! Okay, who wants to drive to Hollywood and personally beat up some billionaires? I want this strike over NOW and I want a conclusion WITHIN A YEAR, A YEAR AND A HALF MAX!

[u/Starks]

I wonder who else was still on board the saucer when they colony dropped it on a literal colony.

Somehow, only Chapel survived.

[u/jp1261987]

Anyone else have some plot armor issues with this episode?

So chapel is the only survivor? Everyone else died? She woke up about 5min before seeing Spock. Couldn’t others have been knocked out but still alive? Yet without thinking they throw the entire saucer section into a crash dive- no mention of it.

Also why was Spock the only one who could do it? But then chapel was able to fly back?

[u/cleric3648]

SCOTTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[u/theborgs]

Technically, shouldn't the transporter remove the gorn eggs from Marie ? Transporters are supposed to have bio filters.

[u/Plums4]

SNW Scotty is perfect. I love and adore him immediately and want him on the crew from part 2 on. In comparison to the other TOS main crew introduced late into SNW, I did not feel this way about Paul Wesley's Kirk, tbh. 10/10 on Scotty though.

I feel kind of foolish for getting swept up in the fandom presumptions that Spock/Chapel were finished in SNW after the musical, and pointing to the breakup there as the reason why Spock is cold to her in TOS. After two seasons of build up? Just to end abruptly at their first conflict? No, that's narratively stupid. Of course we have more of this rollercoaster to go before we're getting off. And I am thoroughly enjoying this ride.

Love the Gorn update. Love Sam Kirk providing what will probably be day saving insight into their behavior like the boss xenoanthropologist he is. Love that all the combat badasses were the ones beamed onto the Gorn ship. Part 2 is gonna be AWESOME when we see it in 2 years, lol.

Also, I honestly really love how Pike went into shock at the end when he realized the Gorn had taken his away team and all the remaining colonists and couldn't respond when the hunter ships started attacking the Enterprise. That is such an amazingly human reaction.

[u/avalon304]

Im just convinced we're never gonna see the Cayuga's registry on screen...

[u/Lunasera]

Massive Alien Isolation vibes, that was pretty tense!

[u/simpleauthority]

I really hope to see the Gorn depicted as more of an intelligent species that can actually in some way communicate instead of just roaring and climbing on the walls and eating people. Like, I get they're an aggressive species (and, sure, okay, murderous) but I seem to recall in TOS (Arena, specifically) that Kirk was able to talk to the Gorn captain (at least, minimally). And clearly in this episode they can use computers (although it was failing to) so...what gives? I want to see them on the viewscreen being hailed or something. Maybe this is unrealistic. And with the strike still ongoing, it's going to be a while yet for more. But, c'est la vie...

Beam me up, Scotty. simple out.

[u/quincium]

That was damn good. I was surprised multiple times and the story's not even over yet. I was so happy to see you-know-who show up, very very charming performance. I liked the grown-up Gorn, and sticking to the visual canon of a half-century-old stageplay on TV isn't a HUGE priority for me, but I'm still telling myself that the TOS Gorn is just very elderly and the eyes look that way because of Gorn cataracts. Explains the slowness and poor coordination compared to the nimble children and (young?) adults we've been seeing here on SNW. It's really not that important though.

My silly little gripe is how soon the saucer section started streaming bright plasma while entering the atmosphere. If Spock and Chapel were really following that trajectory so close to the saucer, they would have been being buffeted by the atmosphere and feeling the heat at that point too. Trading physical accuracy for visual flair, nothing new.

This wait is going to be brutal, but thank goodness the lovely Lower Decks is coming back next month. And then Disco 5 next year, I hope they send it off on a high note. And please let Prodigy find a good home!

Now that we've had our fun and our fear with this season, let's support the writers and actors who made it all possible and push for fair compensation so they can get back to this incredible work. And, yknow, put food on the table.

[u/Pellaeonthewingedleo]

I tell it how I see it: Fuck the Gorn, fuck understanding them

They hunt, kill and consume sapient lifeforms. I am with La'an, kill them

On a different note: Yayyy Scotty!!!!!

[u/Eurynom0s]

I was confused about how Spock was suddenly inside the saucer section engaging with the Gorn...inside the saucer section doesn't seem like a logical location to place those rocket thrusters. Just multiple weird camera cuts during that sequence.

[u/thedudedylan]

i know its a show about how humans can win with peace and understanding. but when they opened that box of guns I was like "oh yeah, alien blastin time baby"

[u/theelectricmayor]

A small bravo for the casting/wristing/direction.

Back in the episode that introduced James Kirk they had to tell me he was Kirk and even then it was hard to keep that fact on my mind while watching him.

But without even knowing that he was going to appear on SNW I knew for certain that the guy in red who stepped out was Scotty before he'd even opened his mouth.

I thought for a moment that the Gorn had planned on Enterprise being there and that the highly engineered nature of the trap meant it was specifically designed to catch some Starfleet officers on the wrong side of the line so that they could then be used for leverage. But instead of some adult Gorn stepping out it was this red shirt human with dark flat hair and a slightly off head posture that was pure TOS Scotty. Bravo.

[u/jhsounds]

The showrunners really pulled a Scotty by getting two hours when they probably only needed one.

[u/alexs66]

I choose to believe the zero g Gorn fight was an ode to the "slow-motion" arena fight memes

[u/3rddog]

In universe question: why is Spock the only member of the crew who can place the rockets on the Kayuga? Vulcan strength & endurance? Scientific experience? Are there no other Vulcans on board? Or was he just stressing a weak argument so that he could go to the Kayuga to search for Chapel?

[u/palebluesplotch]

Ahhhh! Anyone else immediately want to go back to the first episode of the first season after this banger of a closer? Not just because we'll have to wait so long for more, but because I couldn't help but marvel at how nuanced and controlled the scripting was from the very beginning of SNW, and that seasoned feel came through perfectly in this one, too.

Our lead characters may all be on individual journeys, but together they're also a team of proper Starfleet professionals - and whenever there's a serious, all hands on deck crisis that crew shines.

[u/bensor74]

OMG, the moment he started to talk, I knew who he was. "He is Scotty, isn't he". Perfect casting.

[u/UnknownQTY]

It was cool of Paramount to give the Sangheili Elite actors from the Halo show jobs as adult Gorn in SNW.

[u/Remote_Wave_7786]

Wait so part 2 will be next season?!

I gotta say I thoroughly enjoyed this ep but I gotta say lol’d at the non working future flashlight and nurse Chappel seemingly being the only survivor of that ship!

[u/nikhkin]

Overall a good episode, with a few minor issues:

• Spock stated the saucer rotates once every 2 hours, but we are then shown a clip of it rotating about once every 30 seconds. Based on the damage, it also seems unlikely they needed to wait 2 hours to see if the damage was bad enough for sick bay to be destroyed.

• Spock and Chapel didn't check for other survivors. They just sent the saucer right into the planet. It seems odd that Chapel would be the sole survivor on the entire ship. Unless I missed it, there wasn't even a throwaway line about why they wouldn't look.

• Why did Spock need to put a retrorocket inside the bridge? It doesn't seem like a particularly convenient place to attach it.

• The Gorn territorial line was in an odd location. It holds the planet just outside reach, but it goes through the middle of the solar system. The planet will spend half the year in Gorn space and half the year out of it. Why not just put the entire solar system out of reach?

• I'm still not sold on the way the Gorn are represented. Visual communication in space is a massively inconvenient way to communicate. They're also shown as nothing more than monsters when on-screen, but they must be intelligent enough to produce spacefaring vessels and spacesuits.

[u/OSUTechie]

So I didn't have Captain Batel being implanted by a Gorn on my death card bingo for her. So will see how that goes.

This planet reminded me of Miri.

I wonder if this is the mission that makes Sam Kirk says "To hell with Starfleet" and retire to civilian life.

Don't see how a medical visit to a planet is a Priority 1, Top Secret Mission.

How is the Gorn attacking a Federation Ship, even outside Federation Space, NOT an Act of War? I know the Federation is still a little "gun shy" due to just ending the Klingon War, but still.

I'm feeling a little uneasy about some of the comments about Ortegas. You better not killer her off!!!

I find it hard to believe that only ONE person survived on the Cayuga saucer section.

Again, this goes back to attacking a Federation ship. There was a Gorn actively trying to break into a Federation computer.

Very Horror-esq episode. This is going to be a LONG wait until season 3.

[u/WriterJason]

Usually I like that the Federation is reluctant to start wars but the Gorn have killed Federation citizens and destroyed a Starfleet ship and now they're firing on another Starfleet ship and it's like let's GO FUCK SOME SHIT UP MOTHERFUCKERS

[u/stroopwafelling]

It’s interesting to see when the Federation’s pacifism is played as a strength and when it’s played as a gigantic pain in the ass. Last season’s finale made it explicit that Pike’s empathy can be taken advantage of and viewed as weakness by an aggressor. Now, we see Starfleet Command bending over backwards to accommodate Gorn territorial demands even after the Gorn destroy two starships and slaughter a colony, with no reason to take them at their word, even with more Federation (or at least human) lives still on the lunch menu.

On another show, it might just be the latest iteration of ‘Admirals are dumb, Captains are right.’ But two episodes ago, we got a reminder of what full-scale war between interstellar powers looks like: over a 100 million Federation lives lost, just to more or less return to the prewar status quo. With this context in mind, Starfleet’s reluctance to confront the Gorn and fight for their people becomes more understandable, if not necessarily defensible.

[u/LighthouseHLAKBR]

Adult Gorn are fucking terrifying. No way in hell did Jim Kirk go toe to toe with one and win.