:: Star Trek 1964 - Today ::

:: Saturday, November 08, 2003 ::

Twilight

Enterprise: Episode 60

A transphasic lifeform has infected Captain Archer's brain, causing serious short term memory loss from the date of the infection. This was caused by one of the spatial anomolies that inhabit the Expanse, a form of navigation hazard I have never had to put up with around Australia when I flew light aircraft. Archer saves T'Pol from an aproaching anomaly by releasing her from a fallen beam.

Next thing he knows, he is 11 years in the future with no recollection of the intervening time. T'pol, dressed in civies and looking just as gorgeous as 11 years ago (she is Vulcan after all), briefs him ecery day on where and when and why he is, loyally looking after her captain, even after he is no longer fit for command. This episode further establishes the relationship T'Pol has with Captain Archer, and the extent of her loyalty. She attributes it to him saving her life, you can draw your own conclusions. Through these briefings we learn of the destruction of the Earth by the Zindi and the hunting of remnant humans to their death. Ceti Alpa IV is the last colony.

Soval travels to the colony to convince T'Pol to leave the doomed Earth Colony, and sweetens the deal with re-instatement to the Vulcan Science Directorate. She galantly refuses to stay by Archer in "his" time of need. Phlox finally discovers the time dependance of the infection and a means of curing him that requires the warp drive to run. The Xindi learn of this and pull out all stops to halt this event.

A battle between Enterprise and the Xindi is where this technique is applied to Archer, the battle destroys the Enterprise but the cure for Archer works. The multi-phasic infection was independant of the time-line abd removing them brought Archer back to Enterprise 11 years in the past with no one the wiser except himself, and a different outcome with Archer at the controls, maybe Earth will be saved from the Xindi.

I was in tears during this episode, I guess I got involved with T'Pol and the destruction of the Earth etc. It is certainly a five star ***** eoisode, one your girl friend could watch:)

:: Clifford 5:52 pm [+] ::
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Exile

Season 3, Episode 58

Ensign Hoshi Sato is the star of this episode where she is haunted by a telepathic alien who reside alone on a planet. With the promise of a line to the Xindi, the alien encourages Hoshi to spend a few day with him whilst he uses his mysterious powers to divine an origin of a Xindi part gleaned from the wreckage of the probe which cut the swathe of destruction across Florida and the Carribean.

This is a mild criticism of the assumptions written into the script. Telepathy, long a Vulcan mystical skill (mind meld) I find illogical in the true sceptic sense that our resident Vulcan should be advising, yet Star Trek accepts such mysticisms a par for the course and part of the space travel experience. I can't help feeling that when we do meet aliens and can travel faster than current engineering can take seriously, such mysticism will remain subjective and rare. The Amazing Randi of the day will be running around debunking such beliefs just as the real James Randi has done and continues to do today.

Back to "Exile", we find Hoshi being analysed by this alien and him seeking to persuade her to stay with him. I doing so, we learn a bit more about our Enterprise Communications Officer, and she deals admirably with this lonely but powerful, long liveling exile. Perhaps one day there will be a scientific explanation.

In the end Hoshi gets a link to a Xindi world and is free from his agressive reaxtion to her telling him "no, I don't want to stay with you!". Even with his understanding of her inner conflict and isolation due to her high intelligence I would say. Coming out of this shining is Hoshi, and a better understanding of this oft malined character

:: Clifford 5:29 pm [+] ::
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