Star Trek: Discovery is back for its third season, and the show has effectively rebooted itself, taking Michael Burnham further than any Starfleet officer before her, to the year 3188 — and it is a very strange, new galaxy, mainly because the Federation has collapsed. But where there’s life, there’s hope, and so begins a gorgeous, thrilling, and funny new chapter of the Star Trek story.
“That Hope Is You”
Written by Michelle Paradise & Jenny Lumet & Alex Kurtzman
Directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi
1. A Post-Apocalyptic Star Trek
Here’s what we learn from Burnham’s new ally Cleveland “Book” Booker (David Ajala): roughly a century ago, a disaster called “the Burn” took place, when the dilithium core of every starship seemingly exploded, and caused the Federation to collapse. Some, like Adil Hussain’s outpost manager Aditya Sahil, cling onto the old ideals, but the failure of long-range sensors means Starfleet remains fractured, and smuggling and crime has flourished. Despite the broken state of the galaxy, nanotechnology means the likes of Sahil can live comfortably in the isolation of deep space, something that feels more familiar now — in the age of self-isolation — than when the script was written.
The hard light controls generated by nanotech will make you realize partly why Star Trek has stayed a few centuries within the familiar — those effects look considerably more expensive than the tactile buttons of the 23rd/24th century! Subspace technology has become the primary means of faster-than-light travel, although in emergencies like this episode, “couriers” like Book will haggle for dilithium to get off-world. Also, cloaking technology seems common now, and everyone has personal transporters, which sets up a unique and exhilarating chase scene where Burnham and Book have to wait 30 seconds to make their next jump.
2. More Than Meets the Eye
At first, Book merely seems like Discovery‘s answer to Han Solo (a morally ambiguous scoundrel whose cynicism is eventually broken by the protagonist), and that would’ve been fine, his disgruntled but laidback personality providing a great contrast to Burnham’s Vulcan-raised stoicism.
However, he’s far more wholesome than he first appears, as it’s revealed his precious cargo is Molly, an endangered alien worm who’ll swallow you whole if you’re not careful (Burnham’s very fortunate she doesn’t chew). Without Starfleet around, it’s up to the kindness of strangers like Book to enforce things like the Endangered Species Act, and the scene where Burnham, Book and Molly arrive at the sanctuary for her species is a lovely throwback to the environmental themes of entries like Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
Book also displays the ability to communicate with plants and animals: when meditating, a pattern on his forehead glows, indicating he has some alien ancestry, and a neat nod to how in real life, you wouldn’t realize some people are mixed race until it’s pointed out to you. You don’t give much more insight into his family other than the fact they’re poachers, but that’s what subsequent episodes will likely explore.
3. Burnham Lets Her Hair Down (Not Literally Yet Though)
When apprehended and interrogated by the Orion and Andorian ringleaders of the local crime syndicate, Burnham is sprayed by a truth serum gas that causes her to loosen up a bit, and to really express how delirious and upset she is at being transported so far into the future, losing her family and the Federation, and with no sign of her ship. It’s played for laughs, but it provides a lot of insight into how she’s internalising all of this. As for letting her hair loose, well, no time has passed since season 2’s finale, so it’s not like she’s had time to grow out her hair for the braided style from promo materials: something else to look forward to then.
4. Giant Wrist Barrels
Book calls Burnham’s 23rd century phaser an “antique,” and he’s right: antiques are beautiful, and the phasers from her era are really iconic and stylish compared to the ridiculously huge ones introduced in this episode. They’re powerful, but look like a giant combination between a glove and an engine — or Black Panther villain Ulysses Klaw’s sonic disruptor in the comics — and seem so awkward to use. It makes sense function would take priority over form among smugglers, but fingers crossed we get some cooler designs from Starfleet’s replicator soon.
Continued below5. So Where’s the Rest of the Disco Crew?
It’s a bold choice not showing the rest of the Discovery crew in this episode, reinforcing how much of a castaway Burnham is in this new era. Now Burnham has two choices: wait at Sahil’s outpost for her crew to reach her, or continue traveling with Book to find them. Considering she has a Federation to rebuild, she’ll likely pick the former, so one wonders how they’ll meet in the middle — hopefully, we won’t have to wait as long to see Saru and co. again this season as we did to see Spock last year.
Bonus thoughts:
– Book says he named his cat Grudge because he’s heavy: presumably, dubbing a fat cat Chonky was deemed disrespectful by the 32nd century.
– It’s mentioned time travel technology was destroyed after the Temporal Wars seen in Enterprise, but Book and Sahil don’t seem that nonplussed to learn Burnham’s a time traveler.
– The Orion ringleader looks more like one of Data’s descendants in his first scene, thanks to the gold lighting.
– Book’s knife functions like a boomerang, which must be neat.
– The Gorn did what now? That line’s hilarious, but boy do I hope we get to see a new take onscreen, instead of more gags about them.
– For the record, the location photography in this episode is absolutely sublime.
See you all next week folks, and always remember: live long and prosper.
