The crew finds themselves much closer to Federation space than expected while new lessons and revelations come into focus.
Some Spoilers Ahead
1. What To Do When The Feds Find You
The season picks up right where we left off, with the Protostar rocketing through the galaxy and ending up 4000 light-years away from its previous position in the far off Delta Quadrant. The crew is trying to figure out what their next step should be now that they are so much closer to Federation space. This has been one of the big questions of the series. How will the Federation and Starfleet react to this young crew of prison escapees piloting their experimental starship through the galaxy. Dal has always expected the worst, and while we viewers know these institutions mostly do the right thing, there is plenty of gray area for them to play in when it comes to such unexpected or undesired circumstances – Section 31 anyone? Dal’s hesitation once again is a catalyst for much of what happens in this episode, but in a way unlike we’ve seen in the previous five entries leading to some important lessons.
2. What Happens in the Holodeck…Can Be Re-set Again…and Again.
After a brief search of the ship for Murf; Dal, Pog, and Janeway arrive in the holodeck in the simulation of a snowy wasteland. Holo-Janeway gives Dal and Pog a quick rundown of what the holodeck can offer and Dal opts to shut her off and jump into the newest version of the Kobayashi Maru simulation. While Dal and Pog believe the simulation to be a kind of video game as opposed to one of the most important tests a Starfleet Captain must take at the academy. We get a funny and, while entertaining, predictable montage of Dal losing over and over and re-setting the simulation countless times to beat it. Much to the chagrin of his digital bridge crew (and Pog). The use of a randomized take on the Kobayashi Maru test is an incredible detail. Dal is seated on the bridge of the Enterprise-D, with a bridge crew of “the best.” Mr. Spock, Lt. Uhura, Dr. Beverly Crusher, Captain Scotty, and Odo is an incredible look at all eras of Trek and adds to a mixture that makes for probably the best episode of this series yet. Seeing yet more of a major change in Dal was wholly satisfying and have it be brought about by the recent events with his new crew and friends, and with ideas and concepts brought to life through the words of Mr. Spock and repeatedly taking the Kobayashi Maru was an excellent use of nostalgia.
3. Voices From the Past and Present
As with the previous five episodes “Kobayashi” continues to be adventurous, but this one is doing its best to balance plenty of fun for the kids and keep older Trekkies emotionally interested. The season’s sixth episode has wrapped itself in the warm blanket of the extensive canon and nostalgia. This episode is doing the most work to bridge the varied ages of the fandom together. In fact, this could be the perfect one-off to show the Trekkie in your life who isn’t normally interested in the show. The various crew members are voiced by their live-action actors via the usage of archive dialogue, which comes off a little odd with the differences in sound quality, however that choice could be seen as the ship’s computer using its archive recordings of the characters to populate its simulation. If that is the case it works quite well. Seeing these beloved characters, most of which whose actors have passed on, was a real treat. I don’t care if it is manipulative. It worked on me. Although original Uhura Nichelle Nichols is still alive they did use archive dialogue for her as well to keep with the younger version of her. Luckily the great Gates McFadden did return to the role of Dr. Crusher one more time. I just wish she had a little more to do.
Even with a few odd technical choices, it was smartly written to incorporate things from Star Trek‘s past to give Dal a teachable moment, while giving viewers a reminder of just a few of the reasons and ideals that made us fall in love with this universe in the first place. This is definitely my favorite episode yet, and while the nostalgia may be effecting me, the continued growth of the characters and desire to see how this series moves the world forward are the most tantalizing elements of the whole thing.
Continued below4. Familial Ties
While those Dal and Pog attempt to beat that “game” we are given brief, but important looks at the rest of the characters focusing on their current emotional state and what direction their lives could take next. We, rightly, get the most time with Gwyn as she continues to be even more of a rogue factor that we may have previously expected. Even after all the crew has done for her in the wake of her father’s betrayal, she can’t seem to shake his grasp, even 4000 light-years away. And in the here and now, she has no idea where she fits in on the ship. Zero attempts to give her some comforting words, but she’s too far in head to really take any of it in. We get a look at the Diviner’s biggest fear: dying without an heir. And since he believes Gwyn to not only be physically out of reach, but out from under his thumb, he begins the process of cloning (?) one. With an actor that so deliciously plays villains like John Noble, I’m hoping his usage really gets upped soon. However, I’m not sure if the tug-o-war with Gwyn’s paternal feelings is either a) being used to its best effect, or b) all that interesting at this point.
5. The Return of a Familiar Tattooed Face
The episode closes out with an expansion on the main mystery of the series. Why was the Protostar flung so far into the Delta Quadrant, and where is its crew? As an old holo-recording begins to play, after Holo-Janeway realizes she has some classified memories she can no longer access, an image of Captain Chakotay with Holo-Janeway at his side comes into focus, and its clear that whatever happened to them next wasn’t good. It’s a fantastic tease for what’s to come this season and good to see another legacy character grace our screens again after 20+ years.
