Star Trek Strange New Worlds, what did you think?

[Ryujin]

An excellent end to an excellent season! A compelling use of Pike's foreknowledge as a story springboard. And now we know why the production photo of Jim Kirk had captain's insignia. I am betting when we see him in season 2 (barring other time travel shenanigans) he will be a lieutenant.

From that last scene, Pike seems to decide "OK, universe, I can't change the accident and my fate. Fine. But I will do my damnedest to change some other things." With the first up being changing Una's fate.

Preparing for the Romulans is a thornier question. (Interesting that Pike is the only person in the Federation who knows what the Romulans look like...) It sounds like the only way to thread the needle and avoid a devastating war is for events to proceed without him or his knowledge.

Also, I wonder if that while he can't prevent the accident, maybe he can allow the accident to proceed, but save all the cadets (including young Maat) in some way. I will have to go back and watch The Menagerie episodes again, or maybe someone here can confirm: is it established canon that some cadets die in the accident?

The accounts that I've read seem to indicate that Pike got out "all the cadets that survived" the initial incident, so clearly not all did survive.

 

[Ryujin]

Dang, that was good! I can't believe we have to wait until next year for more.

Loved the red TOS movie uniform.

Kirk? Was that a misdirection and he's not in s2? If so, they fooled us all!

Scotty's voice. No McCoy, Sulu, or Checkov though.

Poor Number One.

As an aside, I am starting to dislike the copy/paste starship fleet all warping in at the same time thing. It happened in Picard, it happened in Orville, it's happened here. It keeps happening. I just don't think it looks very good and also, presumably when ships are rushing there from all different locations and distance, how come they all time their arrival to the same second? Do they meet up before, wait till they're all together, then leave together?

(In this case it was OK, it was a single fleet of mining drones which was presumably already together, but in Picard and Orville it wasn't).

From previous shows it seems that they generally go to a marshalling location, and then proceed to the final destination. For example when Starfleet intercepted the Borg, on their way to Earth, they rallied at Wolf 359.

 

[Hex08]

Balance of Terror!!!! My all-time favorite Star Trek episode. This was a really cool take on it, including some of the scenes and dialog being identical, or close to, to the original episode. My favorite bit was that it showed while there can be different command styles, all valid and worthwhile, some styles are better in some situations. Pike is more a man of peace and explorer where Kirk is more aggressive and a risk-taker. In this case, Kirk's style turned out to be the one that worked.

Spock realizing that Pike is choosing to sacrifice himself, not only for others but also for Spock specifically, goes a long way towards explaining Spock's behavior in The Menagerie.

And once again, Chapel gave a great scene. When she was talking to Pike in sickbay about Spock you could just hear the sorrow and compassion dripping off of her. For a character I was initially unsure of Jess Bush has made me love her.

 

[Morrus]

Spock realizing that Pike is choosing to sacrifice himself, not only for others but also for Spock specifically, goes a long way towards explaining Spock's behavior in The Menagerie.

Yep. That debt he owes now makes his behaviour make much more sense. I was always a little dubious about the way he acted.

 

[Stalker0]

presumably when ships are rushing there from all different locations and distance, how come they all time their arrival to the same second? Do they meet up before, wait till they're all together, then leave together?

In a situation where you possibly entering a battle, coming in "formation" makes plenty of sense. I assume they all adjust their warp speeds to ensure a simultaneous arrival. Considering all the other crazy things starships can do, this seems like a fairly minor thing.

 

[Vael]

Balance of Terror!!!! My all-time favorite Star Trek episode. This was a really cool take on it, including some of the scenes and dialog being identical, or close to, to the original episode. My favorite bit was that it showed while there can be different command styles, all valid and worthwhile, some styles are better in some situations. Pike is more a man of peace and explorer where Kirk is more aggressive and a risk-taker. In this case, Kirk's style turned out to be the one that worked.

I was reminded of the Q&A Short Trek, where Una says that Pike: views resorting to force as an admission of failure. It's an interesting take that doesn't demean Pike, it's just ... as a Captain, is your first instinct to shoot or talk? Kirk and Sisko, they'd shoot. Most of the others would talk. Pike would, so would Picard, Janeway and Saru. Burnham, ironically, has evolved from a character that would've shot at the beginning of Discovery, to one that now I think wouldn't.

 

[Thomas Shey]

From previous shows it seems that they generally go to a marshalling location, and then proceed to the final destination. For example when Starfleet intercepted the Borg, on their way to Earth, they rallied at Wolf 359.

If you've got a potential combat situation, while you want everyone there ASAP, having them come in piecemeal can be really tactically bad.

 

[Ryujin]

If you've got a potential combat situation, while you want everyone there ASAP, having them come in piecemeal can be really tactically bad.

Absolutely. A few vessels would be overwhelmed and destroyed, piecemeal. That's why you do Battle Groups.

 

[damiller]

so, is SNW not in the Prime universe? I mean is it an alternate timeline?

 

[Morrus]

so, is SNW not in the Prime universe? I mean is it an alternate timeline?

No, it's prime, isn't it? What would make it not so?

(this episode was an alternate timeline vision created by the time crystal, but the show itself isn't)