I’m no math expert; I teach high school English, so while I may not use the term binary often, I do frequently discuss the idea of duality with my students. The second episode of Discovery is chock full of contrasts. Duality is an idea we have been consumed with as human beings since, well, since the written word has made it onto the page. In Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein’s creature reflects his latent desires and behaviors. Mr. Hyde reflects Dr. Jekyll’s deepest and most corrupted needs and wants. I think we can agree…human beings are not simple creatures. (Spoilers ahead)
1. Michael’s Duality
The episode begins with a flashback to Michael Burnham’s past; her life as a Vulcan. She arrives on Captain Philippa Georgiou’s ship with her mentor, Sarek. He uses the term “ward” to describe Michael, which makes me even more interested in their backstory. Side note: I love a quality backstory that adds to character development. em>LOST is one of my favorite series for this exact reason. In this episode, we see Michael as an emotional human being. She commits mutiny, a crime she is imprisoned for at the conclusion of the episode. As viewers, we don’t see her internal struggle between emotion and logic-a typical struggle for a Vulcan character. In that same flashback, we see Michael arrive on Phillipa’s ship. She is what we have come to view as a typical Vulcan. Visibly emotionless, frank, and matter of fact. It’s obvious these two women respect one another after they list the other’s achievements. That’s a logical assumption. Michael is obviously not Vulcan by birth, which brings us to the idea of race vs. culture and how each shapes us throughout our lives. I hope we get more exploration of this as the series moves on.
When Spock decides to save The Enterprise and her crew in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the best of all Star Trek movies, he focuses on the logic of the situation: “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” (This scene still gets me; “The ship…out of danger?”) We don’t see Michael think logically about her situation, as later on when she’s escaped the brig, she tells Phillipa, “Saving you and the crew is more important than Starfleet’s principals.” This is more emotional Kirk than logical Spock. The captain serves as a foil to Michael in these first two episodes; a Spock to Michael’s Kirk. The captain of the Shenzhou is following and leading through the principles of Starfleet, while Michael is leading through emotion and feeling. How will these two sides of Michael Burnham influence the world of Discovery?
2. Good vs. Evil
We’re exposed to this trope from the time we’re born, in fairy tales and nursery rhymes, until the time we die – without good there is no evil, and without evil, how do we know what is good? Humans believe they are guided by black and white moral principles. At this point in time, Discovery seems like a simple good vs. evil story. The Klingons are bad; they slew Michael’s family and they’re attacking The Federation because they wish to preserve their racial purity, no matter the cost. But, we do get some insight into the Klingon’s motivation. A grey area. T’Kumva prepares his crew for the “lie” from Captain Georgiou, “We come in peace.” How does T’Kumva know this is coming? Why does he think it’s a lie? Simply because he’s thinking from a Klingon perspective? The perspective of a warrior race? Or is there more? What has the interaction between the Federation and the Klingon Empire been like in the world of Discovery? Will we dig more deeply into this grey area? As a modern audience, we love an anti-hero. We see anti-hero characteristics reflected in Michael’s actions. She acts against her captain, mentor, and friend in order to save her and her crew. She commits mutiny in order to save those she cares about. It’s this grey area that makes good vs. evil the most interesting.
3. Hope vs. Despair
Hope is what gets us all through the day. The hope of a better day; the hope of what the day has the offer; the hope of simply living another day. Even in the darkest of moments, when things seem like they’re at their worst, human being rely on hope to get them through. The hope to find new life and new civilizations; the hope to boldly go where no one has gone before. Cheesy? Maybe. But Phillipa discusses the concept of hope with her first officer, Michael, after the first officer escapes the brig: as a human who had experienced loss, the captain still has hope. Human beings are resilient, and no matter the tragedies we may suffer, we find the way to keep going, to keep achieving, to keep living and improving. Even the Klingons, on their own mission to achieve racial purity, have hope that they will succeed. Give in to despair, and there’s nowhere to go; there’s no progress to be made. The utopian vision of Gene Roddenberry recognized this, and Discovery appears to be driven on the premise of hope. Despair, and all is lost.
Continued below4. Assimilation vs Racial purity
It’s difficult to not recognize the allusion to our own country and our own leadership when the Klingons and T’Kuvma discuss their plans to make Kronos great again. Too much? I’m going to stick with it. They wish to fulfill the ancient prophecy and unite the 24 Klingon houses as was done by Kahless. According to the Klingons, the Federation is attempting to destroy the individually of the Klingons and their culture. This gives us information about their motivation within the world of Discovery. Throughout all of Star Trek Klingons have focused on keeping their traditions alive: family and honor and glory in battle. In The Undiscovered Country, the second best Star Trek movie-Shakespeare references!, the Klingons are facing the eventual extinction of their race and are forced to ask for help, and peace, from the Federation in order to survive. Both sides are fearful of change. Both sides are fearful of the other race. Klingon Chancellor Azetbur states, “Human rights. Why, the very name is racist. The Federation is no more than a homo sapiens only club.” Racism is based on fear-fear of losing racial purity and fear of being forced to assimilate. Michael is fearful of the Klingons and their capabilities, and the Klingons are fearful of losing their identity. Neither wants to be destroyed.
5. Random thoughts
– This episode is more Kirk, “They’re animals…let them die,” than Spock, “There’s a historic opportunity here.” Discovery is carrying on the tradition of emotion vs. logic.
– As a female sci-fi fan, I cannot stress enough how powerful it is to see two female characters take charge and lead the charge. Michael and Philippa developed the plan to use the photon torpedo to destroy the lead Klingon ship, and they were the two to board the Klingon ship and fight the Klingons in hand-to-hand combat. MORE BAT’LETH! They didn’t need someone to rescue them; they didn’t falter. Despite the death of Captain Phillipa at the hands of T’Kuvma-more motivation for Michael-these two women kicked some ***.
– There is redemption for T’Kuvma, the Unforgettable, as it appears the Federation has turned him into a martyr. He has died in battle-an honorable act. A fact Michael smartly recognizes while discussing the strategy of capturing the Klingon leader in order to bring shame to him and his family. Instead, she kills him in an attempt to save her captain and friend.
– The episode ends with Michael standing before a committee responsible for her sentencing. They read off the charges, a la the list of charges against the crew at the conclusion of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and she is sentenced to life in prison. I’m hoping she gets off somehow, Kirk style. Saving the Federation and the humans from themselves? We’ll see.
– This episode was filled with Original Series type space battle and destruction. The duality of ToS and Discovery!
