#character: l'rell

[tallysgreatestfan]

7, 8 and 13 for the female character ask :)

Thank you! Really needed something to do right now...

7. Character of Color

Not sure if Entrapta is a good example, she clearly is not white as shown in her skin tone, but she also has unnatural hair and eye color and her being brown has absolutely no bearing on her story or identity at all. But yeah, I just see myself so much in her, outsider, nerdy horny bi autistic woman that she is, and I deeply love her. I could go on so much about how seen she made me feel.

Hmm, Gideon and Harrow (Locked Tomb), both necromantic nuns, Gideon basically a knight and Harrow the high priestess of the planet, arch enemies/lovers, and Māori? Their stories feel so raw and messy and complicated, enemies to lovers with the nuance and compassion I want it to be treated, and the deep worldbuilding just plays into that.

Shay (Uglies Series)? And I would love to say Tally as well, who I headcanon as black, but truth is, in the book Tally is only slightly implied to be black and in the movie she is white. But Shay is definitely brown or black in the book, and will very likely be east asian in the movie, and it does slightly affects her in that she does not fit the eurocentric literal dystopian beauty regime. She is so angry and desperate and unhinged, at first I hated her but now I love her.

8. An old favorite

I was fiveteen as I first saw Babylon 5, and Delenn, ambassador to the Minbari on the title giving space station, fascinated me so much that I continued watching. I think what I loved most were the contrasts in her. In one moment she is kind and wise and elegant and in the next secretive and ruthless and terrifyingly powerful (she also was my bi awakening).

She has a very dark past, and she clearly hides things, and it is not clear at first what she is planing, and she manipulates everybody into place, but she also does it for the greater good and a bright future.

That the actress playing her, Croatian feminist and peace activist and theater star Mira Furlan, is incredibly good and has such an unique aura, makes it even better.

And the sexual tension but also messy relationships between her and her submissive, innocent aide Lennier, her arch enemy Neroon, first station commander Sinclair, station first officer Susan Ivanova...

However, how do I put this friendly, that she later is put into a very... traditional relationship that fell into so many tropes that make me very uncomfortable soured my enjoyment of the character, the series and the fandom.

13. Underappreciated character

L'Rell from Star Trek Discovery. I think it is an interplay of her looking very unconventionally pretty, her being a very dark character, and the writers of the show clearly having no idea of what to do with her, especially in the second season, that she does not have a bigger fan base.

Like Delenn, she is full of contrasts. A desperate, vulnerable young woman and a brutal, sadistic, scheming torturer. Incredibly intelligent but from a warrior species. From a matriarchal clan but does not want to lead.

Unlike Delenn, in the first season she is very butch. Bald head, tall and muscular and masculine in a way female characters rarely are allowed to. Wearing armor if she can. Angular as fuck face and crooked nose and fangs and claws. Finally a monster lady. She is not canonically queer, but she does give up these vibes, the chemistry with Admiral Katrina Cornwell is just off the charts, and the actress, Mary Chieffo, is queer.

So yeah, of course L'Rell was another part of my queer awakening.

Wish there was more fanwork about her.

[girlbosslrell]

I'M GONNA FUCKING CRY I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tallysgreatestfan-art]

Probably my favorite science fiction woman archetype:

Sharp faced, intimidating master manipulators willing to protect their community and values by all means, including not exactly morally sound ones.

Ezuazuacat Nineteen Adze, Teixcalaan Series (Arkady Martine), Political Space Opera: Scheming, high ranking government official of the Teixcalaanli empire with some nebulous connection to the dying emperor, unclear to the main character if she is on her side and what her plan is.

L'Rell of House Mokai (Mary Chieffo), Star Trek Discovery, Utopian Space Opera: Torturer belonging to a warrior race at war with the protagonists, sly and brutal, but also surprisingly vulnerable and so very alone

Dr. Cable (Laverne Cox), Uglies Series (Scott Westerfeld), Young Adult Dystopia: Cyborg super soldier surged to look intimidating, mad scientist and dystopian dictator convinced she is protecting humanity from destroying itself again, and ready to sacrifice her own humanity, but also other peoples sanity and lives for that.

Ambassador Delenn of Mir (Mira Furlan), Babylon 5, Political Space Opera: Politician and high priestess of the mysterious species nearly wiping out humanity only years before the plot, as wise and kind as she is manipulative and ruthless. Pulling most of the strings on the title giving space station, and her dark past becomes increasingly more obvious as the story goes on.

Shadow Weaver (Lorraine Toussaint), She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Science Fantasy: Dark mage and second in command of the evil army, abusive especially towards the main characters and the deuteragonist, but even towards others quite manipulative. Quite blatantly power hungry, but managed to convince herself that she just did what was necessary and was forced by circumstances.

[sadmushroomgoblin]

Ask game that you reblogged!

The fandom being Discovery (ofc)

Number 3, 8, 9 & 20!

Also Adira and Number 17.

Also, this is my first time doing this so if I messed up sorry!

3. ...which scene I would like to erase from the universe and why.

The L'Rell, Tyler rape scene. I don't think I need to elaborate on that. Especially with how then they spin it in s2.

8. ...a quote from it that means a lot to me.

"I became an astromycologist because of awe, awe at the miracle of life." That's part of why I am a mycologist.

9. ...which characters I think should have interacted more in canon.

I wish we'd had more Justin and Paul in canon. I wish mirror Hugh and mirror or prime Paul had interacted. And I wish we'd had more Pollard and Culber friendship.

20 ...exactly how little or how much headspace this fandom takes up in my brain at any given point.

So much. I have non stop in loop been watching it since 2020. Fight me.

17. ...how well they'd do if they got dropped in a horror movie.

I think it would really depend on the type of horror movie. If it's one of the ones where the smart character lives, then they'd be fine. They also have some buily in body horror pote tjal with Tal and some psychological horror with the memories and last lives. They're also prime possession fodder.

Thank you so much for this!!!

[kira-nerys-rocks]

13. What's a character or ship you haven't written/drawn yet but would like to some day?

24. What's your favourite thing about Katrina Cornwell?

Thank you for the ask <3

13. I haven't written for kiradax yet, idk why, but I'd definitely love to! I did at least make fanart for them, though most of that was commissioned xD

Oh, also perhaps Lena and Stef from the Fosters? I have neither written for them yet, nor drawn either of them. Shame on me...

24. Ehehehe, Kat my beloved ♥️

Where do I start? Where do I end? How could I pick just one thing about her?

Okay, so. I love how strong and badass she is, the way she keeps going no matter what. Screaming in L'Rell's face. Fighting even after her spinal injury and the way she's trying to comforting and grounding Tyler even though she has her own problems in that situation. I love how she doesn't just take over the captain's chair of Discovery when she's aboard but takes command more subtly, leaving space for the captain while still being in control. I love how she cares for the people around her. Worrying about her old friend Lorca, but also caring about the people under her command. I love all her knowledge and psychological background, and again, taking time to be there for spontaneous therapy sessions like she did with Hugh. Also her snarky replies? The "I don't supposed I have to tell you it's the middle of the night" when Burnham shows up at her quarters or when Hugh starts the talk by starting that she used to be a therapist and she just goes "yes, I'm aware". And there's so much more as well but my brain is not really braining right now. I just love love love her. I think I need to rewatch her episodes. Or just your Kat scene pack. I should make an edit. Aaaaah. (I don't have time right now but still)

Fandom asks

[almalvo]

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY | S1E9 "Into the Forest I Go"

[I will react to each episode individually and in full, raw reception and then post as is unrevised here onto my tumblr for the full span of every and all NuTrek episodes and series that have been and will be released. If this falls under your field of interest - I welcome your company in joining me. Enjoy the ride.] -------

Seeing DISCO fly like that orbiting the ship is so pretty. Lorca does captaincy pretty well so far Or at least definitely holds that air Ok so these camera cuts dont feature zooms every shot - feels infinitely better. But I dont imagine that will last. It's so odd - I want to like Lorca more but he has such a sinister air about him - which is intentional im sure. curious what his lore is. I wonder where his tribble tribbles off to Nice to see lorca caring about the purpose of his ship - science haha this is the first time ive felt evil untrustworthiness in a main starship captain damn saru just like TALK to burnham? i saw your look at her when Lorca said she's to stay. These effects are so nicee Oml how Doc Hugh just swiped the PADD's contents into the holographic screen like that, sexy its so odd to see the camera out of focus in shots that should be in focus i really love how these screens look

Kol talking is so nice to hear his voice and how klingon roles off his speech sounds relaly good Ok in these klingon scenes, they really should stop the zooms. it makes it all feel like cutscenes in a videogame. such pretty beaminggg Im curius to see how they can retain this tension Ugh seeing DISCO move like that is so pretyyyy Dude time and time again, Trek could be such a good game series. theres so much to do if they can write a rich enough basis and objective course. I know Star Trek: Resurgence is a thing, but why is it the ONLY thing like it that exists for Trek? These things really make me wonder. And make me worry I really hope Trek doesnt fade out. I recognise another aspect of why I feel confused about Burnham's character is that it hasnt been made apparent to me really her amiable or decent rooting into the crew to care about them due to all of the animosity the show was borne with. L'Rell's eyes look so gooddd Damn she was into torturing u huh Damn you just shot her like that damn poor Tyler. I love how solid the phasers look in hand I love the detail in the sets marvelous job. Ohh thats a very nice fade in to the monitor of the sensour

oml the way DISCO could just spin like that and pull DBZ teleport lmaoooooo Kol saying "wtf is it doing" lmaooo I worry that the sensour on the klingon ship is so bright and glowy would just give away its position to the klingons It's a little odd how the DISCO spins before teleportation haha intersting though Stamets said I love you but had like no gravity ack The way Stamets shakes his head side to side like that nakedly without camera effect or blured movement looked laughable. this kind of stuff just really impedes the show. when its easy to fix. The way Kol picks his teeth with the badge - the way its shot is not the best but ill say Burnham's line delivery saying "I'm the one who killed T'Kuvma" was actually really good and strong. man this show has bits and pieces of being rather fair in performance. but it gets assaulted by really amateur/dumb/distasteful constructive choice in the episodes

damn i didnt think hed put the badge on himself That looks so interesting imagine that OOOO I liked that transport midjump nice ??? really?? Kol is destroyed just like that?? that felt so fast with very little impact? Kol never really felt menacing is the thing. The scariest the klingons felt in this show so far is literally episode one. when Burnham meets this fully armoured klingon during her space flight. It was a literlaly BEAUTIFULLY DELICIOUS moment of that reveal and that bird of prey it was actually WONDERFULLY done. where has that gone. i still dont care at all for ash x burnham. itd be more compelling if they were good friends. without romance.

i feel like nothing really significant happened with Kol gone now like nothing at all. There is a certain curse that Star Trek has. That is loses a lot of steam when it attempts to deviate from TOS. I mean, i understand TOS is the essence of trek forever and always. but it also makes me sad that trek doesnt really stand on its own with much semblance of strength without TOS. It's another reason why Trek feels so small. Cargo Bay is so pretty. Lorca being humble is nice. saying thank you? nice. The filming of this episode is literlaly better. the camera direction is not done in such an annooyingly impatient jittery way as past episodes I like how we just appreciate the cargo bay environment KLINGON BOOBS. i didnt think id see that. oml dont tell me you have a stockholm syndrome thang going on :( wow thats the first time i ever seen a naked klingon. Oh shit. dont say she R'd u. that's fucked. Ok I think another reason why this episode is actually better is because its actually DARING to be more S T E A D Y . which is something htis show CRITICALLY needs desparately. stamets kissy Hugh cuteee Stamets you better not die from this last jump.

Um. Lorca. Those are a lot of coordinates? um. ummmmm. oh shit whoaaaaaaa those are some NICE ice crystal effects on the glass

ummm there were momentarily 2 DISCOs ……. m…. …..m………mmm…….mirrorverse….??? infinite permutations huh MIRRORVERSE?

damn stamets so pale even his eyes lost colour. Kind of funny every time we see the android we hear that electronic sound Oooo

Ok yeah this was one of the stronger episodes in the series so far. almossst exclusively because the camera work/cinematic editing was more PATIENT. whatd i say. ok well an improvement for sure, this episode was.

im waiting on ya, DISCO.

[thechancellorsguard]

I love all the contrasts in L'Rells character. Vulnerable but brutal, caring and ruthless, quiet and aggressive...

[pixiedane]

Katrina Cornwell, Jack Crusher, Christine Chapel

Fun! Someone knows me.

Katrina Cornwell

Kiss behind the warp core: Jett Reno

Kiss on the bridge: No one unless it was her wedding or something

Invite on a holodeck date: Una, L'Rell

Sneak into their cabin at night: Ash Tyler, Jim Kirk, Michael Burnham, L'Rell

Have an unrequited crush on: Sarek

Be in a long term relationship with: Gabriel Lorca

Start a family with: Philippa Georgiou, Leonard McCoy, Robert April

Die for: everyone, apparently

Kill for: Starfleet, apparently

Break the rules for: Gabriel Lorca

Break the fabric of space-time for: I think this is the plot of Discovery season two

Jack Crusher

Kiss behind the warp core: anyone willing

Kiss on the bridge: also anyone willing

Invite on a holodeck date: Sidney!

Sneak into their cabin at night: he doesn't want to sneak (unless it's Narissa)

Have an unrequited crush on: Seven

Be in a long term relationship with: someone we haven't met yet

Start a family with: if he's smart, no one, but then I wouldn't get secret Picard President Rillak so it can be the same someone we haven't met

Die for: anyone/everyone but especially his parents, Seven, close friends now that he actually has a few

Kill for: his mother, Seven

Break the rules for: he follows the rules for Seven and that's far more notable

Break the fabric of space-time for: this is also Seven, I'm sorry that's just the way it is

Christine Chapel

Kiss behind the warp core: Spock

Kiss on the bridge: this literally happened with Spock

Invite on a holodeck date: M'Benga, Rand

Sneak into their cabin at night: Spock

Have an unrequited crush on: La'an

Be in a long term relationship with: Spock

Start a family with: Spock, T'Pring, Spock & T'Pring, Spock & Kirk

Die for: Spock, M'Benga, McCoy, Ortegas, Uhura, La'an

Kill for: Spock, M'Benga

Break the rules for: whoever is in need

Break the fabric of space-time for: Spock

Send me a character (or three).

[annakie]

From Broken Bow to Calypso - Check-in #7

Continuing my Star Trek by Stardate rewatch!!

This time, we're going through all of Discovery Season 2.

I have a lot of thoughts. Some of the episode entries get long. Sorry not Sorry.

2/13/25 - Episode 113 - Short Treks - Runaway - I forgot to watch these two short treks before the two episodes of Discovery so my watch order is already wrong, lol. I'm sure that this won't be the only time, especially when we start mixing TNG/DS9/VOY. Anyway, this is just a cute little episode for Tilly except that later this season Po will be a real character who shows up like Tilly's BFF with no explanation unless you watched this. Also I guess they were just orbiting Po's planet!? Otherwise how did Tilly beam her back?!!?? Wouldn't there be like an alert "Hey, the queen is missing!" OKOK, I'll stop thinking so hard about it. Also like, technically this could NOT have happened between S1 and S2 of Discovery since S2 picks up immediately where S1 left off, so I don't feel bad about watching it out of order.

2/13/25 - Episode 114 - Short Treks - The Escape Artist - Our last visit (so far) with Rainn Wilson Mudd. Color me 0% surprised when I saw Mike McMahan wrote this. A very good outing with Mudd being Mudd. No other recognizable people in it just a great little episode. Really hoping Rainn-Mudd shows up at some point on SNW before we see him again in TOS/TAS.

2/13/25 - Episode 115 - Brother - Just a big tone shift immediately here in S2. Man, it is GOOD to see Pike. As great as Isaacs is and Lorca was as a character, it's really like getting a new job and a new, nice boss after a toxic asshole boss for a year. And they really don't waste time getting into the new story. Feels a little bad that they created the Other science officer guy just for him to be a huge dick and die quickly, and then no one cares! A really cool action sequence heading down to rescue Jett. AND THEN WOO! JETT RENO! One of the other best Discovery characters is HERE. So happy to see her. Great arc starting for Stamets, glad they gave Wilson Cruz something to do in this episode to keep hope alive, and that Stamets has more to say about his death here. The crew Roll Call was nice so people can have another chance to get a grip on the quieter bridge crew members names. Great to see Nhan again, I forgot that it takes awhile til we see Una. The Red Angel plot is…. ehhh it's a plot. It will get us where the show needs to be. Big focus on Spock/Sarek/Amanda here, as needed. Does a good job of building anticipation to actually see Spock eventually, and it's good to hear Ethan Peck's voice.

2/13/25 - Episode 116 - New Eden - Really enjoyed this episode. It ties into the overall plot, but also some good standalone stuff here. Interesting to have a colony that is from a time after us, but before First Contact, wish we had a little more time to see that culture and that Jacob could have gotten a "come see your planet from the ship!" moment. Is the donut gravity solution cheesy? Yes, but also fun. Owo gets a lot more than normal to do here, which is nice. NGL, Tilly saves the ship more than Wesley Crusher ever did, it's crazy that we never see the actual chief engineer or any of the like DOZENS AND DOZENS of other scientists outside of Stamets and Tilly. Yeah I know, they're main characters, so it makes sense but man I'd be mad if I was the chief engineer and some OTHER engineer guy was way more important and came up with cooler science solutions. Stamets I guess is the chief engineer of the spore drive. Good thing they keep Jett around. Jett doctoring all the patients with engineering is unrealistic, but also very cool, anyway. This show needs more Jett Reno.

2/14/25 - Episode 117 - Point of Light - We're going back to Tyler and L'Rell here. Klingon re-redesign gets them back closer to TNG-ENT era Klingons, and it's a good thing. A surprise baby! I guess they put enough thought into it that the baby was removed and grown ex-utero, even if it doesn't feel like enough time passed for it. OK. Otherwise, some pretty good Klingon stuff happening here. Ash is still dealing with PTSD, and the fight scene with L'Rell/Ash vs their rival Klingons is pretty great, then they're saved by Georgiou and… Section 31. Ah yeah, that bullshit that gets real important to the S2 story. Feel bad for L'Rell that Ash finally commits and then they're parted "forever". Otherwise, nice to have an Amanda-heavy episode, and Tilly is going nuts. No wait, it's just spores.

2/14/25 - Episode 118 - An Obol for Charon - We didn't have any idea how important the sphere data would be when we got to this episode so mentally I treated it as like a oneshot story and then.. Zora. Paid more attention this time around. A good "Disaster! Everything's falling apart!" frantically-paced episode. I'm not quite sold on Burnham and Saru being BFFs yet, so the emotional Saru goodbye falls a bit flat for me as these kinds of scenes normally do. (Plus, even at the time we knew Doug Jones wasn't leaving.) But the engineering stuff with Stamets and Reno (Plus Tilly) is just fantastic. I love their scientist vs grease monkey engineering clash, but also they work together great. And we get our second (after Q&A Short Trek) of Number One! She's so great, right off the bat. I honestly can't believe it when they say they weren't trying to backdoor pilot SNW from the beginning, because JUST with Pike and Una, the show is already halfway there. Also, yay for ripping out the holocommunicator.

2/14/25 - Episode 119 - Saints of Imperfection - Georgiou is back on Discovery, and then so is Ash. Not sure why they had Burnham get all hostile to Georgiou like she was. I mean, she knows she's dangerous but also it kind of blows her cover. Some cool action stuff going on on the ship with the saucer section half in the Mycellial network, a second "big disaster energy" episode in a row, with an assist from Section 31. And the return of Cornwell! Missed you. Tilly and "May" running around the Mycellial network is a cool concept but of course the star here is getting Culber back, hell yeah. Stamets and Culber is the most realistic, empathetic couple on this show, and high up on the list in Trek as a whole, and I'm glad that team stays strong after their bumpy re-start coming up. Their reunion is SO good and so effective story-wise. Look, it's completely insane, the whole way it happens, and the fact that it happens, but I think it's easier to forgive in light of the fact that they made Hugh a great storyline about it afterwards.

2/15/25 - Episode 120 - The Sound of Thunder - Hugh is back, but also sort of not really. Honestly love the way they're dealing with that now, and feeling real bad for both him and Paul. Saru is obviously the star of the show here, and good for him. I was glad that it didn't turn out that the Kelpians WERE the Ba'ul, seemed a bit too convenient, but I think forcing everyone to immediately undergo evolution like that was really reckless. Some might have been swimming and drowned? Or next to a ledge and fell off? Give some people some warning, y'all. Siranna is a good character, buuut it seems crazy that she's suddenly the leader of allll the Kelpians suddenly. But we do get a "First Time Looking At My Own Planet From Space" scene and y'all know how much I love those. Also, this proves that even for Kelpians, Saru is particularly tall and thin (but where are they going to find extra Doug Jones-es? Nowhere.)

2/15/25 - Episode 121 - Light and Shadows - Pike and Ash have a dick-waving contest, while we finally see Spock for the first time (since Q&A). They really nailed the vibe of a family fight with the clan in the logic cave. Highlight of this episode is the Burnham/Georgiou fake-fight, especially Georgiou nicking with a phaser Burnham and the look she gives afterward. Discovery unleashes a Time Tsunami riiiiiight next to Kaminar and then nopes out of it. Sure hope y'all are okay, Kelpians (And Ba'ul), but nobody, even Saru, mentions it, haha.

2/16/25 - Episode 122 - If Memory Serves - Honestly very cool "Previously On" with The Cage. Bravo whoever put that together. Like "Look, we're referencing The Cage and you're going to be forced to remember it and reconcile that episode with this episode." and they do a great job! Actress playing Vina ALSO did a great job. It's believable that she and Pike were in love, and were the same people as The Cage. And decent job updating the Telosians, too. I think what rings hollow to me, though, is that Spock and Michael would have never made up after a fight they had as children. I mean kids have mean, mean fights all the time. What Michael said was really, really bad but also like, they were kids. Couldn't imagine still being mad at my brother for a fight, even a fight like that, years later, and we had a couple of really bad ones growing up, even in college. They should have aged them up to like, teenagers or something IMO. But also what's great in this one is the Hugh/Paul stuff. Like it's painful but once again it's so real, so good. The Section31 stuff gets deeper and worse, but I mean, I'm glad it's keeping Georgiou and Ash around. Speaking of Ash, love his fight with Hugh. Saru's right, that DID need to happen. And yay for having Pike and Spock (in his right mind) back together! This was a good ep.

2/16/25 - Episode 123 - Project Daedalus - AKA the Ariam Episode. We get a little glimpse of the bridge crew's day-to-day and hey, they're great friends! It's like a whole little clique we're not invited to but see them around occasionally. I wish we got more of them, also, no little glimpse with Bryce?! Cornwell is back on Discovery and she's gone rogue, too. Spock and Michael irritate each other, and THAT felt like believable adult sibling stuff. And I love that Spock DOES call Michael out on her savior complex, I feel like it stabs at something true. Spock also annoys and then helps Stamets. The S31 base stuff is great, very tense, and honestly so is the Ariam stuff throughout the episode, if only we'd gotten even more of an emotional connection with her and more of the bridge crew BEFORE this episode. In the end, Nhan saves the day and I love that. I get that Michael couldn't pull the trigger, but Nhan is a "Get it done, whatever it takes" type and Discovery needed one of those, without a strong connection to Michael.

2/18/25 - Episode 124 - The Red Angel - Airam's funeral is nice, and poignant, and it's nice that Detmer gets a line, but would have hit harder had we, you know, really known Airiam for more than one episode. But, it's good for what it is. Spock constantly nailing Michael's psych profile never gets old to me. Discovery and Spock getting cleared of all charges happens real fast behind the scenes. The Georgiou flirts with Stamets (and by proxy Culber) scene is… a bit cringey tbh, but pretty much something Georgiou would say anyway. I am glad nobody held Nhan responsible for doing what she needs to do, which I appreciate, we didn't need an arc around that. Annnnd Leland knew Michael's parents and it's his "fault" they died. It all basically loops back around here, almost like a puzzle with pieces that have to be kind of shoved together. I really love the scene with Hugh getting counsel from Cornwell. His struggle just continues to ring true and she gives great advice. The scene with Michael and Spock finally reconciling in the gym is really effective as well, it feels like this comes together naturally. The plan to kill Michael to summon the Red Angel is like, over-the-top dramatic. Everything is so dramatic, that is very Discovery for you. But, Michael and Ash get back together here, which is a really sweet scene, even though at this point it feels very placeholder when Book is coming (...eventually). It's great that SMG is SO good at emotive acting, they ask SO MUCH of it from her and she delivers every time, even if that causes a lot of people to complain about Michael crying (insert eyeroll emoji here). But, she's ESPECIALLY great at the very end of the episode, waking up and seeing her mother. The way she says "Mom?" is so heartbreaking and real.

2/17/25 - Episode 125 - Perpetual Infinity - OK I was wrong when I said I thought The Girl Who Made the Stars was the only time we saw Michael's father, because he's here in Flashbacks, too. Again, FANTASTIC acting by SMG when she wakes up in Sickbay and Pike tells her that she really did see her mother. I guess the actual Chief Engineer sends Reno to work with Stamets because he can't stand Stamets and is happy to stay away from him. Oh, RIP actual Leland. Super creepy there at the end with Control taking over. I do think Michael's mom's time traveling thing is a super awesome sci-fi story, and love the "time traveler keeps trying to fix the past and failing" trope. Love that Georgiou can sense pretty much immediately that something is UP with Leland, good use of Terran instincts. Nice foreshadowing with Gabrielle telling Pike he won't like his future. Spock gets to be the super special one for one of the first times here, and his Vulcan Physiology combined with his human half if why. That kind of falls under that trope I was talking about back during Enterprise where Alien Physiology gets to be a dues ex machina… but I think this falls on the "OK" side. I can accept that maybe it's Gabrielle who guides things along to get Michael adopted to Sarek and Amanda because of this, which closes a "why did they do that?" loophole. Michael and Gabrielle finally getting to talk is a pretty good scene, Especially Gabrielle calling Georgiou out about Self-Sacrifice. Two of Michael's three moms, finally bonding. :p The fight with a buuuunch of people vs. Robo-Leland is pretty great. The end scene with Spock comforting Michael is also great. I really enjoy their sibling relationship,TBH.

2/18/25 - Episode 126 - Through the Valley of Shadows - Been looking forward to this episode since starting Discovery, one of my favorites. Love Amanda comforting Michael about Gabrielle, this commander can fit soooo many Mother Figures into it. As I'd read the Voyager Post-Endgame novels recently when this episode first aired I was so pumped that they were going to Boreth. Thank you Ash for just straight up being honest with Burnham about his son and Burnham just being like "Thanks for telling me, sorry you had to bear that alone" without drama. So the Spock/Burnham plot, the sibling dynamic when he decides to go with her is GREAT. I was a little annoyed that Everything Connects to Burnham's Past when Gant juuuust so happened to still be alive, but big applause on the reversal of that storyline, show. That was on purpose because of Control to lure Michael, and hey, it worked. The fight between Control-Gant, Burnham and Spock was great. OK Reno being the Stamets & Culber Marriage Counselor on this episode is fantastic. Tig is so great! It was nice to get a bit of Bridge Crew time in the mess hall to kick that storyline off, and then Reno talking about her wife with Culber was just a beautiful scene. Reno also just gets the best dialog. The L'Rell/Ash stuff is well done and girl, you deserve better, I'm glad you're trying to move on. Then, of COURSE, the stuff with Pike on Borath. Fantastic through and through. A bit bittersweet with Voq and L'Rell's son time-growing-up so fast, but I guess he can also time-stay-the-same-age for awhile, who knows. THE SCENE though, with Pike finding out about his future. SO GOOD. Was extremely cool to see how it would play out. The makeup and effects were great. And the scene with Pike in his Hoverchair was so haunting. The real awards go to Mount's acting as he comes out of the vision. Genuinely teared up at his horror, and then pulling himself together to face it, and taking the crystal. Just… bravo on that. And glad to know that it's going to have repercussions. Great ending though with Pike putting out the order to contact Enterprise. Hey, there's NO Tilly in this episode, per Memory Alpha. Huh.

2/18/25 - Episode 127 - Such Sweet Sorrow (Part 1) - I'm really glad they show Sarek realizing something's up with Michael to start this episode off, otherwise that scene later would be even more bullshit than it is. OK look I'll just start with this, it REALLY annoyed me in this episode how much they were condensing space and time. Like, look we know S31 is coming for Discovery but like… Ok just freaking jump into the Delta Quadrant and chill out for 50 years if you're that worried about Control catching up to you right away. Maybe help cure the Vidians cure the Phage, eat some leola root, piss off the Kazon, it's FINE. You'll have plenty of time to come up with a better plan! Yeah yeah, I know, PLOT. It IS super great to see the Enterprise, and both of these double sized episodes are basically a crossover episode (or backdoor pilot more accurately) for SNW. I guess humans are more resilient than Klingons when seeing their future because Michael and later Jett both do it and they're super fine with it. Great little glimpses of everyone leaving the ship, very cool scene with the evacuation tunnels connecting Enterprise and Discovery. Really neat to see the Enterprise corridors with both ENT and DISCO uniforms smooshed in together. And especially great having Una around! I was a little sad to not have La'an, Ortegas, M'Benga or Hemmer on the Enterprise, but also wished we got to know more about the crew here that won't be in SNW, many of them looked interesting. Michael's "Everyone dies" vision was really well done. Not surprising at all they couldn't destroy Discovery but the scene was great. Loved the Enterprise Conference Room scene with like, most everyone together including Una. I would like to talk about the whole Po thing but I think I'm going to save it for the season wrapup. Culber and Stamet's goodbye scene is tearjerking even if I never really believed their separation was permanent. Burnham saying goodbye is a nice moment but also not believable because we know the show will go on, we already knew it was renewed by then when the ep aired, and still not a fan of fake teary goodbyes. Good scene though with Georgiou and Michael arguing about the plan. Again I'd be more annoyed about Sarek and Amanda showing up without the opening scene but like, have they been traveling for weeks to get there, or is this planet like, a neighbor of Vulcan? Does Amanda and Sarek's shuttle go warp 10? The goodbye itself was really well done, and good job still not letting Sarek and Spock actually talk so that the first time they see each other in TOS is still intact. Everyone coming with Michael is not surprising so that, you know, there'd still be a show. And I feel a bit bad that Ash doesn't go with them BECAUSE he was supposed to star in Yeoh's S31 show and then… crickets. I'm glad they did the montage of people recording goodbye letters, but hoo boy they sure did a lot in that ONE HOUR before the Enterprise caught up, huh? Fastest engineering EVER. (again, the space and time compression in this ep is really bothersome to me.) Detmer and Owo even get little scenes, sorry to you Bryce and Rhys. Speaking of them, Pike saying his goodbyes to the Bridge crew is SO GOOD. Hilarious though that his only line about those two is "you're calm under pressure." It's such a "we don't know anything about you, so here's a generic compliment" moment. OTHERWISE, it's SO effective, and even a little shocking to see Pike back in his Enterprise Yellow uniform. Man, SO MUCH happens in these last few episodes, and they honestly do a good job of pulling off a LOT of plot and emotions. One more to go!

2/18/25 - Episode 128 - Such Sweet Sorrow (Part 2) - So. Much. Happens. In. This. Episode. It's like… head-spinning. Almost every moment is jam-packed with cool and relevant things happening. This finale is so good. There's like two dozen characters here and all of them get things to do. Well, Rhys and Bryce get lots of bridge babble to spout off, at least. First nitpick though is like.. its hilarious how shields always degrade at the Speed of Plot. There's battles where the shields go down in like 4 hits, and here Discovery and the Enterprise's shields each take about six thousand hits each. I guess you can argue they're just smaller hits. Also, Enterprise and Discovery somehow each have like 100 shuttles and one-man fighters, plus enough people to pilot them? Wow. OKok I'll stop being so pedantic. Po commands a shuttle, I guess they contracted her for two episodes and needed to give her something to do. Reno's "Violate the basic laws of physics? No." and "Get off my ass… sir. Get off my ass SIR!" are two of the best lines on this show and she gets them both in like, her back-to-back scenes. It's crazy that they were all busy recording goodbye messages 20 minutes ago and now are furiously still building the suit. Like, it's an exciting scene! And great camerawork! But let's prioritize, y'all. The space battle scenes are great, especially Burnham's race to GTFO with Spock guiding her in a shuttle. Cornwell and Una trying to disarm the bomb is a great thread, as well. RIP Cornwell, thank you for not ever really going Badmiral. But I'll always laugh that one blast door protects Pike from being 10 feet from an explosion that turns the saucer section into 3/4ths moon. Nhan and Georgiou fighting Leland in a corridor with shifting gravity is FUCKING AWESOME but also uh, "Yum Yum" is like one of the WORST lines of dialog in all of Star Trek, I physically cringed when it happened, sorry you had to speak it, Nhan. Love that Georgiou got to take Leland out in the end and save the day. And to continue the "people arrive at the speed of plot" complaint… the Kelpians/Ba'ul AND Klingons all make it there in a matter of hours. And Ash had to get TO L'Rell first. I mean it is VERY COOL when the Klingon ship bursts through and saves the day, but… okay I've said enough on this. Still want to know how they explained that the Traitor Voq isn't dead and is cool now without bringing down L'Rell's rule. AND we can't forget about Hugh and Stamets getting back together. It's SO GOOD. SO EFFECTIVE. Hugh's speech to Paul in sickbay is a literal tears moment. Love the graphics on Burnham's past-jumps, and that that section kind of pulls the entire season together. But yeah there are a couple of points, especially at the end with Burnham and Spock talking that I can't stop thinking "uhhh… more people die every second? Let's go, y'all!" At the same time, those two deserve a full goodbye, since this is an ACTUAL goodbye, and Burnham's speech is apparently going to push Spock to "reach for" Kirk. Aw. The final act is just screaming "BACKDOOR PILOTS!" for SNW and the Section 31 show. Well, one and a movie out of two ain't that bad. (Note: I still haven't watched the S31 movie, decided to wait to watch it in order after TAS and make my own opinion after the discussion died down.) Like it is just straight up the transition into SNW.

DISCOVERY SEASON TWO FINAL THOUGHTS

Holy crap, that's it for Discovery for me for like, many, many months, probably a year or more til I get past Picard! Honestly doing this Discovery split was one of my reasons for doing the stardate rewatch. I really am looking forward to seeing the ones who went through the time-hole again when I get there.

I think season 2 was an improvement over season 1. They corrected a few things that people had a lot of complaints about (mostly rightfully imo) like Klingon design and significantly fewer Klingon subtitled scenes (but big props to the actors who had to learn all that Klingon dialog). This season was also just even more jam-packed with characters, maybe too many, which... maybe I shouldn't complain so much about Bridge Crew getting so little to do when there's so many important characters.

Bringing back Culber was the right decision even if it happened in a batshit way, which was another course correction. And bringing in Pike, Una and Spock was really just such an amazing decision. All three actors are perfect, even if I do think Mount-Pike is maybe a little too different personality wise from original Pike.

A lot of people felt the Red Angel plot was too convoluted but I think that Discovery is another show that benefits from binging rather than week to week watching, whereas I think SNW is the opposite, but we'll get to that.

I think though, that the whole thing with Po is kind of like, a compact way to show the worst part of Discovery's vices. A character we only see in a Short Trek, and one that brings a lot of questions like "How did she even get on the ship undetected in a cargo box? What was her actual plan of escape after the box? How the fuck did Tilly beam her back to her planet unless they were orbiting it and hey if they were don't you think the bridge would be aware that their QUEEN was missing?" Like almost nothing about that Short Trek makes actual sense.

The character herself is also like... the most specialest girl in the world. She's a teenager! She's smarter than literally everyone else! And she's a queen! She can build crazy new science shit in mere minutes! She can steal a shuttle from the Shuttle Bay without anyone noticing it and is battle-tested to lead the shuttle fleet immediately! The actress is great, don't get me wrong, and I get that hey this is a show full of extraordinary people (most of these people are Starfleet, after all!) but IDK, Po reallllly pushes those boundaries more than anyone else for me.

And then they bring her into the main show and only give us a "Previously on" introduction to her. I hadn't watched her Short Trek before her episode aired like probably 80% or more of the audience and they immediately treat her like we should know exactly who she is and why she's great, and be happy for Tilly getting her friend back. She can solve all the problems immediately. And look, obviously because of the whole Red Angel paradox thing she is exactly the right person who can solve all the things but... in the end I feel like she's someone's OC Insert. God, do I actually mean a Mary Sue? I'm sorry if I do. Maybe just using that term invalidates my entire criticism but let me get back around to it.

She shows up out of nowhere, can do everything, doesn't save the ENTIRE day but sure does some heavy lifting, and then disappears forever. Honestly, the worst thing about the season for me.

And yet the season as a whole I really love. Despite many, many nitpicks about it.

Look, Discovery comes out swinging, it swings hard, and it often misses with things like "Yum Yum". It tries SO HARD. Sometimes it tries much too hard. But it's so filled with heart. Sometimes too much heart.

It has some fantastic fun dialog, some very cool concepts and many truly great characters. It is always gorgeous to look at.

It fumbles, but it keeps pushing. It's never a perfect show, but I think each season does it a little better. If I had to rank all the shows by my favorites, Discovery is still going on the lower half, but "least favorites" are still favorites.

----

On to a couple more Short Treks (the last for awhile!) and SNW Season One!

[sshbpodcast]

Episode 376: Planetfall(ing asleep at a mid episode)

DIS: "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

We've got three plots this week and somehow almost nothing happens in "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"! We finally have an away mission and Saru goes a bit nuts, which is certainly very Trek. Meanwhile, Stamets is feeling the strain of being a living navigational computer. And L'Rell meets Cornwell. Yup.

Also this week: belated holiday, The Simpsons, and T'Pol!

Timestamps: gift exchange: 01:44; Pretentious Latin Title: 22:16; Subcommander: 59:08

T'mblr: Character Spotlight: T’Pol

[speculativism]

STAR TREK DISCOVERY

Here's my honest and balanced reaction now that I've seen all of the episodes:

Initially I liked Discovery from episode one. I was a bit upset that some other people didn't like it and I noticed how the directors and writers began bending over backwards to please everybody all at the same time.

The effort to please those people who hadn't liked the first few episodes led to some slightly cringe-inducing scenes in later episodes where everyone seemed to be trying too hard to establish the benevolent principles of Starfleet and the upbeat, optimistic feel of the show. These oh-so-positive elements were just about bearable and I still found the remainder of story enjoyable.

I wished for more of the new Klingons and some deeper backstory on the history of different Klingon types. I imagined that there could be potentially a lot of story development in revealing how the augment virus had affected the Klingon genome and led to increased popularity of cranial reconstruction surgery and a lot of anti-human rage and the rise and fall of various Klingon political factions. I really wanted to see on screen the L'Rell type of Klingon alongside of the TOS and TNG types debating different strategies around the "Remain Klingon!" issue and the continuation of the temporal cold war. I also wanted guest appearances by Star Trek: Enterprise characters.

So I was a little bit disappointed with the overall direction that the show took but I still mostly enjoyed the episodes.

I felt a bit uneasy about the "spore drive" but, when all is said and done, it isn't really any more far-fetched than the warp drive.

Moving the show a thousand years further into the future was a good idea and opened up a lot more freedom of storytelling.

Sonequa Martin-Green was the perfect actor for the lead role and her performance in every episode was stunning. All of the other actors were also well cast and the character developments of each of them was interesting. My overall feeling as I watched each episode was sort of like "This is good but......." because I was enjoying the show but that feeling of regret was still somewhere in the back of my mind wanting the rest of the Klingon story.

It's a pity that there's going to be a long wait for the next Star Trek show to appear. I really feel that they should be keeping up the momentum to take the franchise further. It should be like the energy of the Star Wars franchise over at Disney Plus which seems to have a new show every time I blink.

[tallysgreatestfan]

Tag game for fanfiction authors !

Tagged by @riotbrrrd

The story you're proudest of: 

"Sins Unexplored", this longfic about Entrapta and Hordaks developing relationship and how their disabilities and trauma affect that.

Not just is it fairly long for my standards and I wrote longer than a year on it, I also put so much of myself and my own experiences in it, and, and that sounds pretentious about a fic, but these are such important topics, ableism and disability and queerness and how that affects someone. I even got feedback from people feeling seen in it!

Your story that's gotten the most love online:

Again "Sins Unexplored", absolutely justified.

Tease a current WIP or idea you're working on: 

Oh god I have so many Uglies fics in my folders to publish somewhen after the movie came out and the fandom resurrected, most of them about Tally/Shay post-canon, shortly after Extras, and how their trauma and neurodivergence and body image issues affect their relationships (see a pattern?)

Your top 3 fandoms:

Babylon 5 - Because this fandom is like the toxic ex I just can't get rid off

She-Ra - Because this was, despite how incredibly toxic the fandom and how... badly executed some parts of the series were, the first time I not just saw someone like me in mainstream media, but relationships like mine, between two disabled queer people

Star Trek Discovery - First femslash ship I ever had! But then the series did a 180° and I didn't even finish it, and by now I write much more Locked Tomb or Uglies

Your top 3 ships:

Delenn/Lennier (Babylon 5)- Just the femdom and how this is both messy and complicated and badly communicated but also so deep and loving. Ruthless but wise high priestess turned politician/younger, naive monk who is her assistant. Not healthy, but fun, and wow are they both pretty.

Entrapta/Hordak (She-Ra) - They're mad scientists. They are also deeply traumatized and lonely disabled people bonding over being different. Also femdom. And a really sexy monster boy design, and Entrapta is hot too.

Katrina Cornwell/L'Rell - An alien torturer and an human admiral, meeting as enemies, but coming to respect each other. Both women. The have exactly two (2) scenes together, but wow is their chemistry intense.

Rec someone else's fic:

Don't really read that much fic right now, so this is a bit difficult. The last really good one I read was:

"A Star Chart In Rotation" by halcyonine, which shows the tender beginnings of the doomed relationship of Teixcalaan Emporer Six Direction, future Empress Nineteen Adze and Lsel ambassador Yskandr Aghavn from "A Memory Called Empire". It is just so bittersweet, and gets the dynamic and worldbuilding so right.

Pick one!

Fluff or Angst (Fluff is nice sometimes too, but I love how deeply Angst can go into how a character works)

Oneshots or longfics (Both for writing and reading, because while longfics are amazing, I just don't have the energy for them most of the time)

Canon compliance or canon divergence (If I would want canon, I would watch or read the media. Also canon divergence just has so much more possibilities)

AO3 or FF.net (Not just the better functionality, the culture there feels much more open and welcoming, and also smut is allowed)

tagging @a-certain-elf and @entrapdaknation if you want

[geekns]

I'm rewatching Disco again and just utterly appalled how nearly every single episode is a Burnham episode. Halfway through the second season, Tilly has been given one episode, Saru has been given an episode, Stamets and Culber are only getting to happen in the background. Tyler/Voq and L'Rell got more screen time than the regular cast.

In the first season, the junior officers' (last) names were only pronounced 2-3 times each and none of them has had any character development still. I couldn't even remember their names when I began my rewatch because the show has never taken the time to really develop any of them. Detmer, Rhys, Owosekun, Bryce, I don't think any of them have had first names pronounced at all. They're in every episode but if someone else was cast nothing would really change, the same lines pronounced with a different voice.

Airiam is played by two different actresses and currently getting her five minutes of fame in the storyline.

I think the only reason they developed Captain Lorca was so they could have the twist at the end of s1.

So much technobabble. A few throwback characters from the past. But they might as well have called it the Star Trek: Burnham. She's a Mary Sue that gets away with everything. It's not an ensemble because characters mostly only get developed as her friends and family, everyone else is shoved in the background. It's so sad.

I don't dislike any of the characters, I just wish that we actually got to know them.

[discoplace]

[sapphicstartrek]

I know its fucked up and I know I'm just setting myself up for disappointment but L'Rell and Katrina looking into each others eyes and going "you're not what I expected" was such a gay moment

I can’t speak to the moment or ship yet because I have yet to see the episode but we’ve all been there with ships at times anon

[almalvo]

STAR TREK: DISCOVERY | S1E8 "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum"

[I will react to each episode individually and in full, raw reception and then post as is unrevised here onto my tumblr for the full span of every and all NuTrek episodes and series that have been and will be released. If this falls under your field of interest - I welcome your company in joining me. Enjoy the ride.] -------

"High Ranking Vulcan". heh. This intro though - it jkust makes me wonder the sheer potential of what couldve been for Trek. Bryan Fuller made a masterpiece called Hannibal. Not too sure on his hand in Trek - imho, it doesnt compare. ANYways. ugh i love seeing hte discovery warp downwards like that Owosekun - love her name such nice colours. consistenty good colours in this show for sure. i like how goldy inside the bridge is oh interesting. what an odd source of warp power its insanely cool though. that CANT be good for stamets. is that foreshadowing did you call her what she will become damn stamets can you be like idk a bit likeable tho please. like plenty of characters who are catty af but likeable in some way if even 1%. ugh. hi tribble. keep tribblin OO SO BLUEEEE SO PRETTYYY This is so weird to me in how this show literally comes out 2 years AFTER AOS3 in terms of production quality.

very pretty landscapes though Saru. aint no way you walkin this terrain with them feets of yours love the trees. saru is so scrawnyyy Saru literally looks amazing in any lighting no joke damn classic trek mist creature living rorschach blot Kol is so cool looking those red accents work beautifully on his face

such lovely colour grading everyones GLOWINGGG there are certainly some wonderful visuals in this show ughhhh Saru, the dust speaker is that a klingon archery set what is that HAHA i wish nah its a torture kit sorry cornwell yelling like that was kind of cringe lolll this pretty blue dust dome that ash and burnham are in is so pretty ugh something im gonna just never take seriously, "Ash x Burnham" nah get out yeah yeah however, Kirk delivered this line beyond any other human's capacity what an empty ass kiss god its so forced. another huge problem with this show is they treat these characters like we know them already but bruh everyone feels so much the stranger to me, even though we are past the halfway point of season 1. is just so weird. i am not invested in like any character, even ones i really thought i would/wanted to be but its liek the show takes them away from me i like how the klingons have a definite accent when they speak terran now L'Rell is so striking looking i love her eyes such a piercing look

see like i WANT to like this away party but like i kind of dont have any real reason to like any of these characters especially with the utter animosity stuff that never got really properly resolved. like between saru and burnham. it feels almost uncomfortable. to me the viewer watching from outside ofc. thats a really pretty flower i dont like this film style it feels too tacky so many stupid zooms so cheap feeling it feels like star trek, Teen Wolf edition. literally feels like its filmed int he same way as things like Teen Wolf that were almost 10 years earlier. its so janky. zero patience and sense to appreciate the scene itself without all this ridiculous cinematic embellishment. its so unnecessary. if even this show did this less, this show would legitimately be 7x better. saru looks so beautiful with that warm white rear light this is such a gorgeous instance of practical effects and they got the PERFECT actor to don saru Ash looks like someone ive literally known in my own life 😭 i love these red jewels on L'Rell's armour/clothing costume and design department did a great great job in this show's production - i have no beef with them.

i like saru's mouth shape its so odd. idk why i feel so detached from this show. oh dang angry saru. ferocious oml yo these are such pretty crystals] saru running in THOSE? HAAHAHAH damn had to CG him hahah that one camera shot was funny though it almost looked like the show said "yes. he can run in these". lol oh damn convincing gore i like how we continue seeing blood in trek with DISCO when i t really started in Enterprise. oh shit ANGRY SARU BRUH HE BACKKICKED HER LIKE A HORSE this stick man being so strong the way hes breaking that device literally looks like classic trek style bundle two hands together and bash DBZ style XD

really pretty tree thing though oooo the transporter circles at the bottom look SOO nice dude look at his detail up close its fucking amazing oh my god such masterfully done painting speckling im genuinely impressed damn, im sorry saru. though i think, who DOES live without fear. man costume design is wonderful. these red markings are really good they compliment their faces really well This is so odd. I have NEVER had this kind of feeling of "detachment" from a Trek production before. The fuck is happening. Ugh.

Not liking Bryan Fuller x Alex Kurtzman directing style in this show, like, at all.

I am just waiting for when this show gets better.

Cuz it's lost a lot of my anticipation.

We'll see. Hopefully.