‘Discovery’ totally clicks into the philosophy of Star Trek with its fourth season finale | Engadget

The following comprises minor spoilers for season 4, episode 14 of ‘Star Trek: Discovery.’

Season 4 has been an attention-grabbing one for Star Trek: Discovery. The present lastly embraced a extra episodic format, solely to slip again into an ongoing storyline within the again half of the season. But right this moment’s finale as soon as once more guarantees a return to the issues that make Star Trek, effectively, Star Trek. And, whereas Discovery additionally made these guarantees on the finish of final season, there’s extra purpose to imagine that this time the modifications will stick.

It begins with the truth that whereas the foremost risk this season started as a spatial anomaly (often called the Dark Matter Anomaly, or “DMA”), it was found to be merely a harvesting software utilized by a beforehand unknown species, one the Federation calls the 10C. It could have appeared innocent to the 10C in its position as farmers, however the Federation discovered itself within the position of a rabbit in entrance of a plow. The DMA destroyed Kwejian; each Ni’Var (née Vulcan) and Earth have been subsequent.

In earlier seasons this might have shifted Starfleet into motion hero mode, and a few characters did advocate for a extra assertive and violent strategy. But as an alternative of merely leaping into the fray we received a number of… arguing. This could not sound thrilling, but it surely’s at all times been one of many issues Star Trek does finest: individuals discussing conflicting concepts. Some advocated for a peaceable answer and that was in the end the course determined upon, because it was closest to the Federation ethos of peace and exploration. In different collection this may seem to be a horrible concept, however Trek is meant to be, in idea, a utopia. This sort of considering is likely one of the cornerstones of the franchise.

There are those that disagree, spearheaded by Cleveland Booker and Ruon Tarka. But whereas their actions flip them into antagonists, they don’t turn out to be villains. We’ve seen this in earlier exhibits like The Next Generation and Voyager, the place terrorists just like the Maquis have been handled with empathy. In Discovery it’s much more on the forefront given Book’s standing as a primary character, but additionally the collection’ ethos because the Star Trek present that’s all about emotions. While the present generally takes flak for all of the crying, right here the emotional parts really feel effectively balanced, with everybody’s motives clearly articulated each to one another and to the viewers. It’s simple to grasp every character even in case you disagree.

And understanding is the lynchpin of the plot right here; the 10C aren’t carbon-based lifeforms they usually don’t talk like humanoids do. It’s a traditional Star Trek drawback, as seen in episodes like “Darmok” or “Amok Time.” So final week’s episode was devoted to the crew and various ambassadors methodically working by way of mathematical and chemical options to construct a working bridge language. They managed to determine to the 10C that there have been issues with the DMA, opening up the door to additional negotiation on this week’s episode.

“Coming Home” has quite a lot of meanings within the context of the particular episode. There’s the specter of the DMA heading towards Earth, there’s various scenes set in our photo voltaic system involving returning character Sylvia Tilly, and reconciliation between Michael Burnham and her lover Cleveland Booker, the one that grounds her within the thirty second century.

But there’s additionally which means in that the episode is the place Discovery lastly reconciles itself as a Star Trek present, making its highest level of drama not the wrestle to evacuate a doomed planet, or the makes an attempt to cease Tarka’s plan, however the precise face-to-face (so to talk) dialogue with the 10C. It’s nothing just like the action-based strategy of the Abrams movies and even earlier seasons that handled conflict and time journey and evil sentient computer systems. It’s diplomacy. It’s quite a lot of speaking, and sitting round and speaking about emotions.

And a few of these emotions are what you’d name… environmentally minded. It isn’t sufficient that the 10C merely stops destroying planets that home sentient life. The truth is, the DMA additionally creates air pollution and that must be stopped as effectively. With Earth in speedy hazard it looks as if an unreasonable ask in the intervening time, but it surely’s additionally very a lot within the ethos of Star Trek to think about one’s common societal and galactic impression as effectively. The core of Star Trek is humanism and social justice, and so many traditional episodes cope with problems with id, civil rights, and environmental points. Discovery has spent a lot time coping with one enormous violent disaster after one other that it hasn’t had time to do easier humanist metaphors, and bringing that in on the finish right here appears to point a want to cope with these points extra in upcoming seasons.

The total denouement makes that promise: The Federation is rising in power, the Discovery crew is taking a while off for themselves, and a really particular visitor towards the tip appears to be the present making its politics clear to these segments of the viewers who like to decry “woke Trek.” Star Trek has at all times been woke, however Discovery has solely dipped its toe into the water in earlier seasons. With its fifth season on the horizon, it’s able to plunge totally in.