After the comedic romp we were given in the last episode, “Under the Cloak of War” is set to be one of the darkest episodes in Star Trek history, and one that will stic with fans for many years to come. When Klingon Ambassador Rah arrives on the Enterprise to be taxied to a peace conference, his identity and past actions during the war set the entire crew on edge, but most notably those who had to fight in the Klingon War just a few short years ago. Memories of the war and deep-rooted prejudices come to a head as tensions rise during the mission.
1. War!
This episode has the most in depth look we have gotten at the Klingon War that raged after the Battle of the Binary Stars occurred on Star Trek: Discovery. Not only do we get a lot of flashback sequences that envelope us in the horrors of war, but it gives us perspective on just how characters like M’Benga, Chapel, and Ortegas were affected and emotionally scarred by being soldiers in this war. In the nearly 60 years of Star Trek war is something that has either been represented in small ways, like one off battles with an aggressive villain, or in a way that captured the era of the franchise we were in, like the Dominion War in Deep Space Nine. While that did show the violence and horrible repercussions of such a grand scale fight, it still felt cleaner and exactly like what a space war would be like when humans are from a utopian society. Jumping over 100 years into the past to see this kind of fight, especially with an enemy like the Klingons, this era is giving us the violence, politics, and emotional damage that those of us living on current Earth can recognize and, even if we have never seen a battlefield, can relate to and be afraid of. These flashbacks to the Battle of J’gal are horrific and it telegraphs just how bad the war had gotten by the time this battle occurs. This entire episode is so heavy and layered it is a story that needs to be fully experienced by watching the show because a review or a reactionary write up will never capture what these writers and actors have given us in the package of the final episode.
2. Pride and Prejudice
There have been hints at the horrors of the Klingon war and characters like Erica Ortegas and Joseph M’Benga calling back to their time on the frontlines has brought with it some uncomfortable moments and feelings. It is mostly because within the future of Star Trek, war is a thing of the past, especially on Earth and the other planets that make up the Federation. Having characters vocalize judgmental or even racist/speciesist feelings and ideas will always be jarring. It is the same feeling like when you have been surrounded by your progressive thinking friends and family, and then you’re thrown into a conversation with your closed-minded grandparent or uncle. It’s a tough vibe, but with combination of the nastiness of this war, and the little bit that the Federation actually knows about the Klingons as a species or a culture, these ideas are bound to flourish. When all you’ve seen is hate and violence from a particular people it is going to be tough to see the good in them, especially when a singular voice comes out of that people and tries to shake your hand.
3. Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner
The correlation and similarities between this episode and the 1991 film, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is palpable. And while that is set 40-50ish years after the Klingon War, the relationship between them and the Federation is still strained and there are still those on both sides who never want to the two to make amends. This episode is an excellent piece of storytelling that is made not just to give us a better understanding of the war and some of our beloved, and scarred heroes, but as a stepping stone in the story to show us one of the reasons why it takes so long for the Klingons to have a (mostly) good relationship with Starfleet and the Federation. After having many moments over the years of Jim Kirk standing up for others, the sixth Trek film shows him aggressively holding onto his own issues with the Klingons and that is all based on one Klingon killing his son. A terrible tragedy to be sure, but one rogue person wronging him in that was was enough for any ill will he had towards them to come bubbling to the surface amidst peace talks. So for someone like that, who is generally progressive and openly shuts down racism and other prejudices, to take that turn, it is even easier to see why these battle ravaged heroes to say and do things that don’t show them in the best light. It’s a tough thing to see, even if, perhaps, the person they are directing their anger towards deserves it. Ambassador Rah, known as the Butcher of J’gal, is now doing good work in attempting to broach full peace between their peoples. But there is something off about him. His stories seem false or exaggerated, even when our heroes seem to know he’s telling the truth, or a version of the truth. Rah’s goals are worthy, but it is the way he goes about it that feels off. He puts down his own people in a way that feels forced and throughout the entire episode there is something to him that sends up red flags, more than in just the heightened way that Ortegas and the others look at him. It’s an excellent and unnerving duality portrayed to perfection by Robert Wisdom. There is so much to delve into with this character and the implications of his past and present actions.
Continued below4. Uncomfortable Ambiguity
Tying back to the ways these characters have been changed by the war, there is one final confrontation between M’Benga and Rah that leads to Rah’s death. There is no simple way to briefly discuss the implications. There is no way to say that one man is right and the other is wrong about how to handle things moving forward. Too many questions, too many lies, too many revelations, and too much pain. While we are made to understand why and how M’Benga is able to kill Rah, get away with it, and more or less skirt around any consequences feels a bit gross. Even though Rah was a monster playing nice, seeing him essentially murdered by a character we love is a tough watch. Even through the ‘frosted glass of war.’ The complexity of the situation is that there is no right or direct answer here.
5. The U.S.S. Kelcie Mae
To end my Five Thoughts this week, I decided to go out on a sillier note because of the absolutely solemn and weighty episode we all just sat through. What the hell is up with the Kelcie Mae? Is it the ugliest Starfleet ship we have ever seen? Single nacelle, pointed main hull rather than saucer section, underslung deflector dish? It looks like a weird mashup of a pleasure yacht and a NASA shuttle design from our own future. A horrid design, but one that definitely intrigued me. What class of ship is this? What is it used for? WHY THE HELL IS IS SO UGLY?
