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Once more into the breach! Discovery is racing against the Breen, now with assistance from Moll, to get to the Archive and find the next clue. But, as soon as Michael touches the book, she gets trapped inside her own mind and must find the clue to escape before time runs out and the Breen destroy both the Discovery and the Archive. As always, I’m joined by fellow Trek enthusiast Mary Fan. Let’s dive right in.
Victor: So, I read the episode description for this week on Paramount Pus, and when I did I groaned audibly. “Burnham must make a meaningful and emotionally challenging journey to prove she is worthy.” I texted that to you with the comment that Paramount woke up today and chose violence. I mean, there’s no way they could post a description like that and NOT be trolling us, right?
Mary: Indeed, we’ve talked at length about how Disco tends to care more about its characters’ trauma than its plots. Really, they should call the show Self-Discovery *rimshot.* So when I saw that description, I was like “greeeeeat, we’re gonna get a whole episode of Michael trauma-dumping.”
Victor: And, surprisingly, the episode WASN’T that. Well, not entirely that. I thought this was peak Discovery, in all the ways both good and bad. The good: nifty action scenes, the engineering team using science under pressure to stop the Breen, the treasure hunt plot progressing…
The bad: Michael has to acknowledge her fear to proceed. Annoying villain has now somehow commandeered the Breen fleet. Personal trauma! Facepalm.
Mary: Hah, so true! Moll’s abrupt takeover of the Breen didn’t quite fly with me given how xenophobic they were. That said, it does set us up for a better final confrontation. I found myself wishing that they had done this at the beginning… if Moll mysteriously had control of the Breen from the start, and it’s revealed over the course of the season that she was married to the late Scion, trying to bring him back to life, etc. And that they were purposely seeking the tech for resurrection.
“Oh, what a coincidence” is the weakest plot device EVER. And so far, Moll’s storyline has been filled with of coincidences. She just HAPPENS to be in the vicinity of L’ak, who HAPPENS to be the Scion, and she HAPPENS to fall in love, and they HAPPEN to find the info about the Progenitors’ tech, etc., etc.… even L’ak’s death was an accident!
Victor: Yeah, this feels like trying to have their cake and eat it, too. Mysterious villain… who is also a scrappy underdog! And just wants to love! And you’re right, there is literally NO WAY that a xenophobic empire would all pledge fealty to the outsider who killed their leader. Like, none. They tried real hard to set it up with some meaningful glances between Moll and her guard. Like, “Ooh, the Primarch is going a little crazy, huh?” But that does not a revolution make.
Mary: Nope. If she’d somehow had years to set up this situation, then, fine. But it literally happens overnight.
Victor: And it’s a shame that too much of this episode is focused on the Unsinkable Moll-y Breen, because there is a lot of good stuff here! The space library is a cool as I’d hoped it to be. I half expected Belle to come rolling out on a ladder and start singing. The archivists were great, friendly yet strict.
Mary: Hah! I was kind of disappointed by it! I thought it would look more alien, rather than like something pandering to Disney adults on BookTok. Why does a thousand-year-old intergalactic library have so many books from 1800s Earth?
Victor: Because shut up, that’s why.
Mary: Also I was disappointed by their defenses. I was hoping this mysterious Archive had a secret super weapon. Like, you think they’re a bunch of library nerds, but they’re secretly harboring killer drones. Especially since Hy’Rell seemed kind of sinister. Like she’s nice when you’re nice, but cross her and die.
Victor: Yeah, that would’ve been smart. Or a super impenetrable shield.
Mary: But it turned out their only protocol was, “Oh, we have your culture’s artifacts.”
That said I loved Hy’Rell. She was the perfect amount of kooky.
Victor: But this did lead to one of my favorite things in all of Trek: science saving the day! Reno, Adira, and Stamets figure out how to short-circuit the Breen’s shield-boring device by tricking it into using the wrong harmonics.
Mary: Totally! I love that we’ve had a chance to see the engineers nerding out more lately.
Victor: Tig Notaro has some great lines here. It feels like they had her this season for maybe 4 days of shooting between comedy tours, and they tried to make the most of them.
Mary: That is probably entirely accurate.
Victor: So, what did you think of Michael solving the Labyrinth by admitting that she has to feel fear? Was it as cringey as you expected?
Mary: Pretty much. Though Digital Book had a point about self-awareness. So many people are UNwilling to admit the uglier sides of themselves. I also liked that Digital Book (E-Book?) asked straight-up why Michael thought she should get the tech. It’s been pretty much assumed all season that the answer is, “Because she’s the main character.” So it was nice to see someone at least force her to examine the question.
Victor: It was a little too on the nose that Michael complained about “psychobabble” in the labyrinth. Like, have you watched the show you’re on?
Mary: Right?! Hey writers, are y’all reading this and making fun of us?
Victor: It kinda felt like it! Serves us right for watching this all the way to the end.
Mary: Oh Disco… No matter how you disappoint me, I just can’t quit you. Wait am I in a toxic relationship with Star Trek?!
Victor: Maybe we’re enablers.
Mary: There’s some psychobabble for you, Disco!
Victor: Which reminds me, I did like the dad joke the archivist made. “It’s not often that a Book comes to visit the library!” Come on, how can you be mad at a show with that in it?
Mary: I did enjoy that. Hy’Rell was one of my fave parts of this episode. I’ll bet she becomes a cosplay favorite.
Victor: And it was very clever of Michael to fake the destruction of the Discovery in order to buy some time.
Mary: Yeah that was great. Though, I gotta say, “Let’s fly!” isn’t the best line for that move. Y’all aren’t flying. Y’all are floating cuz you wrecked your own engines.
Victor: And I am also sure that every Trek fan would have done the same trade Michael did. “If I give you the location of the Progenitors, the universe could be destroyed, but if I don’t you’ll blow up the library… SAVE THE BOOKS!”
Mary: Indeed! By the way, what did you think of the librarian casually handing over that cutting to Book? I thought it was a nice moment for Book but kind of a dick move if there are more of his people out there…
Victor: I thought it was interesting. I’m wondering if there is going to payoff at the Progenitors’ lair. Like, that is how they create a new home world? Otherwise, it was a very Discovery moment. “We respect the artifacts of your culture, and we will return them to the rightful owners when asked.”
Mary: “But only if you’re a series regular who is conveniently here to have a teary closeup.”
Victor: The series finale: Michael, Book, and Tilly cry for 43 minutes straight.
Mary: Wasn’t that half the episodes in Season 3?
Victor: If we’re being generous. Half might be a bit low.
Mary: Oh, Disco. We mock with love.
Victor: Any thoughts on the last two episodes? Will Moll resurrect L’ak and turn on the Breen? Will Michael use the power of persuasion to convince the Progenitors to let her have the tech? Will all that stuff with Culber being spiritual have a pay off? Exactly how long will the teary goodbyes be?
Mary: I think Moll will betray the Breen in time to save Brother Book from something (they hinted at her having that attachment when she stopped the Primark from destroying the Archive), thus earning her Main Character Redemption. She’ll resurrect L’ak and give Book a big teary hug goodbye then fly off into the sunset, while Michael gives a big, long, breathy speech that magically convinces the Breen to stop feuding and make peace with the Federation, if not join it. The Progenitors’ tech will “choose” Michael because she’s the main character, but Culber will be possessed again. This time by a Progenitor. Because spiritually awakening.
Victor: 10/10, no notes.
So, what do we rate this one? I though it was peak Discovery, both good and bad, so that gets it a 3 from me.
Mary: Yeah 3. Would have been 3.5 but then… Moll.
Victor: And I’ll bet they aren’t going to do my preferred ending. “Moll accidentally opens an airlock and gets sucked into space.”
Mary: Due to nothing that could be blamed on our blameless Main Characters.
Victor: Except caring too much. Till next time!
Rating: 3 out of 5
