Strange New Worlds season 2 - SPOILERS

[MarkB]

I've just watched that scene again, and it troubles me. When M'Benga turns away from the table to struggle with the ambassador, the knife is still in the case. Their exact movement is obscured behind the frosted glass, but their position isn't - neither one moves back far enough to grab the knife.

But Chapel was close enough. She could have grabbed the knife from the case and thrown it.

 

[DammitVictor]

M'Benga never says the ambassador started the fight. Only that he didn't.

 

[Morrus]

I'm really confused. To me it looks like M'Benga murdered the Klingon and got away with it. I feel like I missed something?

It was M'Benga's knife. The Klingon got stabbed with it. M'Benga's only defense was "he started it, nah nah!" like that has ever been a defense for grabbing a knife and murdering somebody? And everybody says "Oh, you say he say he started it? Well OK then, carry on! Nope, don't worry, not even a short reprieve of duties."

What did I miss?

And what was that about the malfunctioning sickbed? Was that part of what I missed?

(I get that the knife analysis said 'belongs to the Butcher' and everybody thinks the Butcher is the Klingon, so close closed, but that's dumb).

 

[Ryujin]

I'm really confused. To me it looks like M'Benga murdered the Klingon and got away with it. I feel like I missed something?

It was M'Benga's knife. The Klingon got stabbed with it. M'Benga's only defense was "he started it, nah nah!" like that has ever been a defense for grabbing a knife and murdering somebody? And everybody says "Oh, you say he say he started it? Well OK then, carry on! Nope, don't worry, not even a short reprieve of duties."

What did I miss?

And what was that about the malfunctioning sickbed? Was that part of what I missed?

(I get that the knife analysis said 'belongs to the Butcher' and everybody thinks the Butcher is the Klingon, so close closed, but that's dumb).

M'Benga used the knife when he tried to kill the ambassador during the war. It had the blood of his three Seconds on it already, from that attempt, and now the blood of the ambassador. Presumably no one knew that he had it so when they found the various DNA traces on it, combined with the fake history that the ambassador had spun to create his facade, they assumed the ambassador had brought it and tried to kill M'Benga.

I tried freeze framing the error on the bio-bed, but failed.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

If the Klingon started it, he presumably used the knife at some point to attack M'Benga, M'Benga was defending himself and in the struggle for control of the weapon he killed him. Even if M'Benga had taken the knife from his own equipment, it might still have been a reasonably measured response to the physical threat he faced, since Klingons tend to be physically stronger than humans.
If the investigation can't prove something else happened, it's a case of self-defense, and of course you don't get a reprieve of duty for something like that.

And what was that about the malfunctioning sickbed? Was that part of what I missed?

Just a symbol for something that can't be quite fixed, only managed. And the sickbed malfunctioning again could be a hint that this story line isn't over yet.

 

[Morrus]

M'Benga used the knife when he tried to kill the ambassador during the war. It had the blood of his three Seconds on it already, from that attempt, and now the blood of the ambassador. Presumably no one knew that he had it so when they found the various DNA traces on it, combined with the fake history that the ambassador had spun to create his facade, they assumed the ambassador had brought it and tried to kill M'Benga

Yes I got that. They thought it was the Klingon's knife. That bit was obvious.

But it ended up in the Klingon's chest and the only evidence was 'He started it, nyah nyah!"

 

[Morrus]

If the Klingon started it, he presumably used the knife at some point to attack M'Benga, M'Benga was defending himself and in the struggle for control of the weapon he killed him.

I understand that's his claim. Of course it is. What murderer doesn't say that? Standard murderer defense 101. Every murderer in the history of ever said that.

Crimes are generally judged on 'he presumably...at some point..." There's a lot more investigation and evidence than that.

 

[Divine2021]

M'Benga's a character in the TOS, but Bones is in charge. Probably this episode has something to do with that.

 

[MarkB]

Yes I got that. They thought it was the Klingon's knife. That bit was obvious.

But it ended up in the Klingon's chest and the only evidence was 'He started it, nyah nyah!"

If it was provably the Klingon's knife, then the chances of M'Benga having got hold of it for purposes of premeditated murder are much reduced - as are the chances of him having attacked an armed Klingon.

I understand that's his claim. Of course it is. What murderer doesn't say that? Standard murderer defense 101. Every murderer in the history of ever said that.

Crimes are generally judged on 'he presumably...at some point..." There's a lot more investigation and evidence than that.

There was an investigation. The one witness to the event provided testimony, and the security chief said the limited sensor data appeared to corroborate it. What other evidence is there to examine?

 

[DammitVictor]

The fact that M'Benga got away with "murder" is the point. There's no question that the courts would be on his side if Starfleet pressed the matter; there's no doubt they wouldn't be if they knew the whole truth. That allows us to ask the question of if they should be.

And I am of two minds, because I believe that a man should be able to set aside his evil ways and do right, no matter how much wrong he has to walk away from. But I'm also of a mind that walking away from your crimes doesn't absolve you of your debt of honor to the people you committed them against.

It wasn't Federation Justice that absolved a war criminal and made him an ambassador for peace. It was Federation Intelligence, Federation military propaganda seeking a strategic advantage on the backs of the unburied dead.

Kah wasn't exonerated for his crimes. He wasn't even convicted and pardoned for them. He was paperclipped as an intelligence asset, and while I can't blame Starfleet for trying... I honestly don't see how anyone can blame M'Benga for finishing the job Starfleet asked him to start.