Welcome back to the galactic scavenger hunt that is Star Trek: Discovery, season 5! Last week, the clue they found was a vial of water. But! Multiple scans revealed it to be… a vial of water. Consulting with David Cronenberg (and I still cannot get used to seeing my all-time favorite body horror director popping up in this show), they figure out the names of the scientists. Michael thinks the water might symbolize something, and cross referencing with the scientists’ home worlds, they find a desert world near one of them. The world is only habitable in one area, thanks to a cleverly camouflaged weather tower that makes it rain.
But there are of course complications. The weather tower is breaking down after 800 years, so they need to repair it lest it fail and the population dies. Oh, and this also a pre-warp society, meaning they have to sneak around while observing the Prime Directive of non-interference. So it’s time to put on some costumes and try not to tell them all the people that their gods are a lie.
Image: Paramount+
Victor: So I thought this was a classic throwback to the days when Kirk and Picard were always wrestling with the Prime Directive. This usually meant putting on cloaks and Ren Faire garb so they could go look for dilithium or something. So it was promising when the latest clue leads them to the dust world only kept safe by the weather towers our alien scientist secretly installed.
Mary: Definitely. I feel like this season Discovery is doing a lot of classic Trek throwbacks.
Victor: Absolutely. I mean we were literally on the Enterprise last week. And, luckily, their visit to dust world just HAPPENS to coincide with the annual pilgrimage to the weather tower, excuse me, the high summit.
Mary: Yeah that was some convenient timing…
Victor: What are the odds? Michael should play Powerball. “Oh cool, a convenient excuse to blend in with this small, tightly knit community in a way that raises no questions!”
Mary: Also very classic Trek, I feel. “Hey look our mission conveniently took us to the planet during its most interesting time.”
Victor: True, especially the part where Dad Priest doesn’t want his daughter to run the Faith Race… for reasons. Hmm, nothing suspicious there!
Mary: You’d think Starfleet-trained officers would know by now to do their research before diving in. It seems they should have figured out that the sacrifice was a thing?? It isn’t exactly a secret?
Victor: “Huh, first prize is getting to “talk to the gods…” Seems legit!” I swear to God, if Starfleet still used money, one email scammer would clean them out.
But, because the weather tower is encased in plot-armor (transporter resistant elements), they have no choice but to run the race.
Mary: Indeed. Again, classic Trek! Send the Starfleet officers into the indigenous ritual!
Victor: And of course there are other challenges. Burnham thinks she’ll just race through with her Starfleet training, but because the original pilgrim had her lungs full of space dust, everyone had to run while hacking up dust. Which is kinda gross.
Mary: So gross. Though I did love the sound bath cure to having dust in your lungs. Namaste.
Victor: It was fun to watch Tilly power through it. “Go, follow your moss…” Hack, wheeze… This episode really gave her a nice showcase. She got to connect with the priest’s daughter, and complain while having to run (relatable!).
I do wish they’d figure out her Starfleet Academy arc. Does she want to be a teacher or not? I’m tired of them asking.
Image: Paramount+
Mary: Yeah I’m super confused by that. She left Discovery to be a teacher, and now she’s back on Discovery? But also still a teacher?
Victor: Does she commute?
Mary: I mean they can transport themselves instantly.
Victor: Seems like a waste of spores.
Mary: I will say though overall I enjoyed this ep a lot. It was mercifully Moll-free.
Victor: Hallelujah.
Mary: It was cheesy but in a classic Trek way
Victor: I dunno. I didn’t like how they resolved the ending. There were so many ways they could’ve gotten Tilly and the kid out of the death chamber, and they went with the talkiest, most touchy-feely one. “Let me explain technology to you while my friend suffocates.”
Image: Paramount+
Mary: That’s true, haha. Michael could’ve just Kirk-fu’d the priest and opened the damn door herself. Didn’t seem very complicated. And she had the fancy scanner!
Victor: She could’ve beamed in and said, “The gods have heard your prayers! Your faith has been rewarded! Open the chamber!” And failing that, Vulcan nerve pinch.
Mary: There were a lot of logic gaps in this one.
Victor: Yeah, too many.
Mary: Weirdly, I didn’t mind.
Victor: And I still am not sure what they’re doing with Doc Culber and his journey of personal discovery.
Mary: Oh yeah that feels random. I hope it’s leading somewhere.
Image: Paramount+
Victor: “Oh, I’m all spiritual now!” Cool, I guess. Eat your mofungo
Mary: Like, they’re planting the seeds for him to do something interesting later. Then again, this is Discovery, and they suck at follow up.
Victor: It just feels so tacked on. If they end up with “Only Culber can run the god machine because spiritual awakening,” I will throw things. But that would totally be peak Discovery.
Mary: Oh noooooooo. You’re so right they totally would. I would still take that over Moll Wants Alien Baby.
Victor: Culber uses the machine to give Moll a baby. And then Michael has a teary monologue about “family.”
Mary: Please stop. It hurts cuz it’s true.
Victor: Man, this show really needs the Cerritos to jump in and burst their bubbles. Now I want Mariner to come in and razz Michael.
Mary: We haven’t talked about Rayner and Adira! That was my fave part of the episode! The curmudgeon and the novice.
Victor: Yeah, it’s nice that he’s taking them under his wing. But don’t soften him up too much. I like salty Rayner.
So, final thoughts? I’m not as high on this one as the past couple. I’d give it 3 stars.
Mary: I’d say 4 again, so want to average it to 3.5?
Victor: I dunno. Maybe we should race to the weather tower to decide a winner…
