Spoilers Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - Season 3 Viewing (Spoilers)

[Ryujin]

@Morrus I think for Korby the Enterprise was detailed for the diplomatic mission related to the archaeological dig he was on to uncover the site of the latest episode. But, that was never set out in dialogue anywhere, so he could just be a permanent guest star for the season. I hope (and expect) he will depart in the next episode or two.

While SNW has certainly played a bit fast and loose with continuity/canon from time to time (the Gorn), they have generally been pretty good with leaving things in a state where nothing directly contradicts TOS episodes (again, excluding the Gorn). When Korby shows up in TOS Season 1, he has been away for 3-4 years (might even be longer, I don't remember the exact dialogue). That would be soon in the timeline.

I suspect that his "loss" at this recent dig, and having Christine be the one to make him lose (because she made him leave without any artifacts) may cause him to depart. But, then again, perhaps we still need him around for the final reckoning between the energy entity and the Gorn hybrid (Batel) which may be the end of the season.

As to the eye regeneration thing, yes, I did roll my eyes (no pun intended) on that one considering what we were told in TNG about Geordi's vision and the fact it was special he did eventually get special ocular implants (later movies), and was able to regrow his eyes due to special radiation (the one with the So'na). Plus, even within the continiuty of the linked shows we are seeing, Discovery did not allow for eye regeneration (we saw proto-visor in several episodes, and Detmer had a partial implant after the events of the premiere). So, who knows?

Then again, we all know M'benga is the boss and an expert on non-standard medical treatment.

Speaking of which, maybe that is why M'benga is later demoted from CMO for Kirk's time on the Enterprise (with both Piper and McCoy being senior). Maybe the Gorn hybrid thing, or studying the evil energy thing come back to bite him (again, no pun intended, although it is a funny one).

Cheers

There's precedent for Federation medicine not working on everyone. Kirk with Retinax, for example. In this case, however, they stated that Georgie's brain was not capable of processing visual information. I think they said it was a hereditary defect?

I wonder if they're going to have Enterprise transport Corby to the planet where he discovers the android replacement tech? In TOS they gave the impression that he went off on a dig and Christine heard about his death in a different location but, as you said, they've played it fast and loose with continuity before.

 

[Morrus]

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Speaking of which, maybe that is why M'benga is later demoted from CMO for Kirk's time on the Enterprise (with both Piper and McCoy being senior). Maybe the Gorn hybrid thing, or studying the evil energy thing come back to bite him (again, no pun intended, although it is a funny one).

Oh they’re setting him up with a whole pile of reasons. Killing the Klingon, his daughter, etc. Any one of them would be enough to get him drummed out of Starfleet, so I guess he gets off lightly with a demotion to McCoy’s assistant?

 

[MarkB]

So Korby... he came aboard as Chapel's date for the Federation centennial event thing... but then he never left? Has he now just joined the Enterprise crew? Can you do that by just hanging around and not leaving, eventually they forget you're not part of the crew? The event was at Starbase 1 (which is not the one at Earth?), and they've long since left there and are flying around the galaxy.

My impression was that he was there only for the ceremony, and that the Enterprise was assigned to this specific mission with him, presumably having travelled to pick him up offscreen prior to the opening of the episode.

 

[Morrus]

Also “I don’t answer to Starfleet” or whatever it was Korby said when arguing whether to stay or go. When you’re part of a Starfleet away team, from a Starfleet starship, using Starfleet equipment and resources, risking Starfleet officers’ lives…. yes, you do answer to Starfleet.

And why were people arguing so hard not to step outside and report in to the Enterprise? No! We must not inform the ship we found some dead bodies! We will fight that idea vigorously! It is very important that we do not go 30 feet over there through that door and send a message to the ship!

 

[Morrus]

In other news, my Gorn theory…

The type of Gorn in Arena (in TOS) is a new type which comes from a human-Gorn fusion resulting from Batel’s infection.

Though I have heard some folks point out that the Arena Gorn is called a Gorn by the (Metrons?) not by the Enterprise crew, and Kirk’s log says “the creature that the (Metrons?) call a Gorn”. Maybe he means that as in why are they calling this creature a Gorn? I’ve seen them and they don’t look like this!

 

[James Gasik]

I had always assumed that the Gorn Hegemony was actually a group of multiple species under one banner. So you could encounter very different creatures that were still "Gorn".

Also, let's look at these new Gorn, who breed like digger wasps. So the victim is impregnated with microscopic eggs that grow rapidly in their body. Meanwhile, some sort of virus or whatever alters your DNA, presumably to make you a more viable host?

Also, the baby Gorn then eat their way out of you, still growing rapidly (somehow), and growing more intelligent, because apparently some information (language, knowledge of that's a threat and what's a priority threat) is passed on chemically to Gorn spawn.

First, this sounds like some heavy genetic engineering involved. Second, this sounds less like a species and more like a bioweapon, not unlike similar things in other franchises (Zerg, Tyranids, Xenomorphs, or Games Workshop's take on Orks).

So maybe the true Gorn bioengineered these guys using ancient technology (even the Progenitors admit in Discovery that they found the tech that allowed them to seed the galaxy) or they themselves are the product of an ancient race- perhaps even the creators of the prison!

They could have been built specifically with the purpose of fighting the Vezda!

I know, that's a lot of speculation, lol. But the SNW team has actually shown they care about showing their work. They came up with a somewhat plausible explanation for the Eugenics Wars discrepancies, so I'm hoping they'll have at least an answer for the Gorn problem.

And who knows, maybe next season they'll address the Bell Riots!

...a man can dream, right?

 

[Omand]

In other news, my Gorn theory…

The type of Gorn in Arena (in TOS) is a new type which comes from a human-Gorn fusion resulting from Batel’s infection.

Though I have heard some folks point out that the Arena Gorn is called a Gorn by the (Metrons?) not by the Enterprise crew, and Kirk’s log says “the creature that the (Metrons?) call a Gorn”. Maybe he means that as in why are they calling this creature a Gorn? I’ve seen them and they don’t look like this!

Interesting ideas.

This would fall under the category of things where the SNW producers and writers are skirting the line of breaking continuity/canon, but not really doing so. The TOS Gorn certainly does look different from (although not totally, the eyes are the same) the ones we have seen in SNW.

New Gorn? Perhaps.

Cheers

 

[Omand]

Also “I don’t answer to Starfleet” or whatever it was Korby said when arguing whether to stay or go. When you’re part of a Starfleet away team, from a Starfleet starship, using Starfleet equipment and resources, risking Starfleet officers’ lives…. yes, you do answer to Starfleet.

And why were people arguing so hard not to step outside and report in to the Enterprise? No! We must not inform the ship we found some dead bodies! We will fight that idea vigorously! It is very important that we do not go 30 feet over there through that door and send a message to the ship!

On Korby, well that is just playing to the established character from TOS who was indicated in dialogue and action to be a fiercely independent researcher who protected his work. One might even say egotistical?

I think I recall in the TOS episode he uses a similar line about not answering to Starfleet, but it has been some time since I saw that episode.

As to the second point on not reporting the dead bodies; I think that was more an editing thing. I think if the editing had been tighter on the timing between the debate and the searching of the bodies and the "incident" with the orb it would have flowed more smoothly and not seemed so jarring. It was definitely a directing and editorial choice to go with the flow that was shown on screen.

Agreed that as shown it did not make much sense except to highlight the character points of the split between Chapel and Spock and how they are dealing with it.

Cheers

 

[Micah Sweet]

So Korby... he came aboard as Chapel's date for the Federation centennial event thing... but then he never left? Has he now just joined the Enterprise crew? Can you do that by just hanging around and not leaving, eventually they forget you're not part of the crew? The event was at Starbase 1 (which is not the one at Earth?), and they've long since left there and are flying around the galaxy.

Also, they can regenerate eyes? Why didn't anybody tell Geordi?

The Geordi thing with the regenerating eyes really bothered me, especially since the guy died anyway, making the comment just an irrelevant continuity error.

 

[pukunui]

My impression was that he was there only for the ceremony, and that the Enterprise was assigned to this specific mission with him, presumably having travelled to pick him up offscreen prior to the opening of the episode.

Yeah, at the start of the episode, Christine asks La’an how Spock feels about Roger being there. I don’t think she’d ask that if Korby had been on the Enterprise ever since he first showed up. It seems clear to me that they picked him up on route to the dig.