#ship all the Saru ships

[lostyesterday]

Riker/Troi, Jadzia/Worf, and Michael/Book are the trinity of good canon het ships in Star Trek to me.

[ilovefredjones]

tilly is doing too much to be a cadet goddamn

[ridiasfangirlings]

Mikosaru time please

But Omega saru helping alpha mikoto calm down with his scent. Like saru has a really nice and calming scent for someone who is willing to let the world burn down. Maybe one day mikoto is feeling agitated and antsy from the red power and everyone knows it and can smell it, so when a strain problem arises everyone but mikoto, saru, and Anna go, as Anna and saru are his babysitters but saru just can't stand the smell or that looming fear from it and he can see it making Anna feel antsy too, so he says f it and releases some of his own scent to calm mikoto while telling him through gritted teeth to cool his jets. And it somehow ends with all three in a nest just relaxing.

Honestly just wish for it to end with family fluff. I hope you have been feeling good

Can you imagine how much Fushimi would hate having a ‘nice and calming’ scent, like just being an omega pisses him off on its own but also having this lovely floral scent is like the last straw XD Maybe for that reason Fushimi always tries to keep his emotions neutral, like trying very hard not emit any scent at all because the last thing he wants to hear is how nice his scent is (imagine Niki teasing him about this all the time, like what a sweet little omega my monkey is with his pretty scent). He does occasionally use it after he and Yata move in together though, like he’s gotten into the habit that whenever Yata’s being too much of a loud idiot Fushimi will let out a little scent to calm him down and hush him up. Because of this Homra’s kinda accidentally aware of it, like imagine after the fight with the twins from Side Red Yata’s pretty pent up and Fushimi lets out some scent without realizing it. Kusanagi makes a comment about it being a nice smell and a good way to calm things down as Fushimi makes a face, Totsuka says see even King is more relaxed, to think Fushimi has that kind of power.

So then imagine one day maybe Homra’s been dealing with a few different issues that’s required Mikoto to do a lot of burning and he’s on edge, like he’s even summoned his Sword a few times and it’s clear to everyone that his power is not wanting to cooperate today. Totsuka can help calm him somewhat normally but say he actually had to like go out of town on an errand so he isn’t around and Mikoto’s Red power is just going wild to the point everyone is aware. A Strain situation comes up and Kusanagi decides it’s something the rest of them can handle, telling Mikoto to stay at the bar and get some rest. As the rest of the group gets ready to head out Kusanagi asks Fushimi to stay behind, Fushimi scowls and Kusanagi says with Mikoto in this state he’d rather someone with sense stay behind and help watch Anna. Fushimi clicks his tongue but mutters out a ‘fine,’ probably not thrilled at the idea of having to stay behind with Mikoto.

He sits himself in a corner of the bar while Anna sits on the couch with Mikoto. There’s this tense feeling in the air and it’s even making Anna frown, Fushimi can’t concentrate at all himself because he’s just hyper aware of Mikoto’s current mental state. Not really knowing what else to do, just wanting to relieve some of this pressure that’s making his whole body on edge, Fushimi releases some of his scent. Imagine Mikoto just gives this sigh and it’s like the weight in the bar has lightened almost instantly, Fushimi can see Anna relax too. He intends to stay away from them but imagine Anna holds out a hand and says ‘Saruhiko.’ Fushimi grumbles out a ‘what’ and Anna says that Saruhiko is helping Mikoto to calm down. Mikoto says it’s fine behind her but the air is still stuffy. Fushimi finally clicks his tongue and slides off the chair, cautiously moving to stand by the couch as he releases a little more scent. Without a word Mikoto reaches out and drags him onto the couch and now Fushimi is nice and trapped between Mikoto and Anna. Anna looks at Fushimi and says Mikoto is relaxing now, Fushimi irritably mutters  that he can see that, squirming a bit before just surrendering himself to be cuddled on the couch for a while. 

[tossawary]

The longer I sit on and look back at it, the more I unfortunately dislike "Star Trek: Discovery", especially the episode featuring the Kelpian homeworld. It's been bugging me. Sure, I'm maybe too soft on older ST shows comparatively, which are Trying, but also usually Should Have Known Better even back then; but ST:D happened at a point where the writers DEFINITELY Should Have Known Better, so I'm petty. Like, you have decades of people criticizing "Star Trek" for various reasons, so act like it.

So, spoilers for the Kelpian homeworld episode, because I am going to explain and then complain about it as best that I can remember it. Warning for discussion of character death, suicide, genocide, and non-consensual medical procedures. Long post.

One of the characters on the "Discovery" ship is a Kelpian named Saru, a refugee who escaped an oppressive homeworld and was permitted to join Starfleet. This homeworld is somewhat unique in that it has two sapient species: a prey species, the Kelpians, and a technologically advanced predator species that subjugates them in the name of a "necessary" balance. (I do not recall the name of the second species.)

At some later point in their life, all Kelpians experience something that I'll call Death Puberty. (It has a canonical name, I just don't remember it and this gets the point across to anyone without context.) Saru is not Human, but he is at a stage in his life that is equivalent to Human adulthood. When we first meet him, Saru has yet to undergo Death Puberty, which he believes will cause him to lose his mind and become a danger to everyone around him.

In his society, Death Puberty is when all Kelpians are required to present themselves to the ruling predator species so that they can be killed. It's the Great Balance.

Before we go to the Kelpian homeworld, there's an episode in which the ship encounters a sapient star. The star being emits some sort of signal that causes Saru to enter a premature / induced / unnatural Death Puberty. Saru is so completely convinced that he will go insane after this process that he tries to kill himself for everyone's safety. He persuades another character to kill him; and it's only the process abruptly being completed, apparently without ill effects, at the last possible minute that prevents Saru and his friend from going through with this.

Saru almost immediately concludes that his homeworld's narrative surrounded Death Puberty and the Great Balance is a lie. On one hand, this assumption makes sense, Saru is the one who actually had to experience this lie and surviving Death Puberty sane may have felt like everything clicking into place. Death Puberty also had the side effect of making Saru stronger, more assertive, and less afraid. I don't think it's unreasonable for Saru to feel angry and suspicious, nor was it necessarily unreasonable for him to emotionally jump to conclusions here.

On the other hand, I thought this was a little annoying (this is a really petty nitpick, I know), because Saru is supposedly a scientist. His Death Puberty, which neither he nor Starfleet have had the opportunity to study before, was unnaturally induced prematurely through an encounter with a sapient star, so his experience is presumably unique among his species. "What if my society is built on a horrible lie?" is a good question. I just wish that another character had brought up the uniqueness of the situation to Saru as a consideration, given that the future of a species may be on the line going forward.

So, in a later episode, the ship goes to the Kelpian homeworld to investigate.

Saru does quickly confirm that his society is built on a horrible lie. It turns out that the Kelpians were actually the predator species all along? Death Puberty does not cause insanity and is actually the process by which Kelpians enter their final, deadly form. The other species, which is actually a prey species of the Kelpian predator species, somehow became technologically advanced and created this "Kelpians are the prey species and must adhere to the Great Balance" oppressive setup. Final form Kelpians scare the shit out of them.

(The supposed logistics of evolution here are more than a little silly, but whatever. It's ST. Let's go with it.)

Plot happens and Saru and other characters end up in danger. The other species is more than willing to kill Saru to bury the truth and preserve their deadly lie.

I can't remember the exact order of events here, but somehow, the crew of the "Discovery" decide that the only way to save Saru's life and to forcibly push the truth through is to induce Death Puberty for the entire planet of Kelpians. Which they can somehow feasibly do using the signal they recorded from the star.

Supposedly, this planetwide forced Death Puberty for the Kelpians will scare the other species into backing down or some shit. After all, the other species can't just suddenly cull the entire planet, right?

This is one of those cases where I want to sit ST writers down and ask them: "Hi, what do you think that the in-universe Prime Directive actually means and why it might exist?" I don't know about you, but I think that the Federation probably has rules and regulations against subjecting an entire planet to a medical procedure that they did not consent to? I think that if you violate the bodily autonomy of a single person in that way, Starfleet should haul that captain up in front of a panel and say, "What the fuck??? What the fuck is wrong with you???"

Their solution is to VIOLATE THE BODILY AUTONOMY OF AN ENTIRE PLANET using an UNTESTED MEDICAL PROCEDURE that NOT A SINGLE MEMBER OF THAT SPECIES CONSENTS TO. (Not that a single Kelpian can consent to this on behalf of the entire fucking planet, but you get my point, right?) Ethical fucking nightmare.

This is also one of those situations where I have to put my head into my hands, because FUCK, the science fiction genre is never beating those "you guys sure love a White Savior (derogatory)" (and ST is never beating the "the Federation is just USAmerica in space (derogatory)") allegations at this rate. The "more advanced" and "more enlightened" Federation swooping in and getting to make decisions on behalf of these "less advanced" and "brainwashed" new worlds is essentially what "Deep Space Nine" was criticizing back in the 90s.

This random fucking crew is deciding what happens to these people's BODIES!!! I don't even think there's a doctor on the bridge when this is decided! Not that it would be okay if a doctor signed off on it! You CAN'T just subject people to a medical procedure they can't consent to! And with how often ST tries to say something about eugenics and sapient rights, this action SHOULD BE in-universe explicitly about a hundred different kinds of illegal.

Even if the entire planet of Kelpians sign off on that shit afterwards, it still wouldn't be okay. Everyone involved in making this decision and making it happen should be, at minimum, kicked out of Starfleet, on principle. Someone should be put on trial for this. You don't get to decide what to do with other people's bodies for them.

So, that's a problem. I don't think ST can meaningfully claim to be about seeking a better future if it's going to have a Starfleet ship violate the bodily autonomy of an entire planet without any consequences. But this action just flies casually by as though it's not one of the most hideous things that I've seen anyone do in a ST show.

But, you know, setting aside the violation of the bodily autonomy of an entire planet thing... Let's pretend for a second that this truly is the only option and that the captain of the ship is willing to accept the severe consequences for it... (And there's no opportunity for any other crewmembers to say, "Wait, this is wrong. You can't change people's bodies like this. I can't condone this. And, in fact, am morally obligated to stop you from doing this illegal thing.")

This is still an untested procedure. They don't even know if it will work when they do it. They're forcing a medical procedure on an entire planet and they don't even know whether or not it will work.

They're supposedly using a signal emitted by the sapient star, a remarkably unique being in many ways. There's no guarantee that this one ship will be able to perfectly replicate EVERYTHING that a sapient dying star did to induce Death Puberty in Saru, on a planetwide scale. Death Puberty has not been studied by Starfleet in more than a single individual, who had many unique experiences that his fellow Kelpians cannot have had, so it is not by any means well understood. If they fuck this up in any way, they could kill the entire planet.

Death Puberty is a natural process for Kelpians, occurring later in their lives. There is ZERO discussion of any potential health problems from inducing this change early in Kelpians. This could cause life-long, life-ruining health problems for even adult-equivalent Kelpians, and there is absolutely no mention of infants, of children, of juveniles. For all anyone on this ship knows, trying to induce Death Puberty in every single Kelpian on the planet could cause the agonizing death of every Kelpian child not ready for that process. They don't KNOW. They currently CAN'T know, because they haven't TESTED that.

But, okay, let's pretend that every single Kelpian survives induced Death Puberty with no health problems. The signal miraculously didn't affect child Kelpians at all. It was totally fine.

Remaining Problem: every single Kelpian has been raised to believe that Death Puberty will cause them to go insane and become dangerous.

Saru's initial reaction to going through Death Puberty was to kill himself. He persuaded his own friend to cut his throat before it could finish. His situation was one of unnatural inducement, but he didn't even have them lock him up in a cell to be sure of its ending first; he was CERTAIN.

Upon returning home, before everything goes to shit, Saru learns that his father naturally underwent Death Puberty while he was gone. As is tradition, before the process was complete, Saru's father surrendered himself to the other species and was killed. Kelpians are raised to believe their early deaths are necessary.

I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that the majority of the Kelpian population would panic during planetwide Death Puberty. I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that a significant fraction of the Kelpian population, none of whom know what the fuck is happening, might try to commit suicide or murder-suicide. Even when the process completes quickly and they still feel sane, they might think, "Well, it probably takes a few minutes for murderous insanity to kick in. I had better kill myself while I still have a clear head, as per our planet's accepted spiritual tradition and for the safety of my loved ones."

Parent Kelpians trying to protect their children? Lovers trying to die in each other's arms? Some Kelpians reasoning to themselves: "Well, I'm still sane. But it's my civic duty to off anyone who seems like they're going insane." And the entire planet has just gone through what they understand to be The End Of The World, so everyone is probably panicking and probably seems more than a little insane right now.

Do I think the majority of the planet would turn murderous or suicidal? No. We don't really know enough about the planet to choose hard numbers. But the Kelpians have nevertheless all been raised to believe they need to be culled for the greater good, there was nothing like informed consent happening, and with Saru as our main and only example here, we can be pretty sure that the number of other Kelpians who panicked and died because of that panic is not zero. Personally, I think that the number would be sadly significant.

So, I think that Starfleet is directly responsible for some murders and suicides here. Even if there were no medical issues, which is a big fucking if that I do not believe, you are still up against generations of an oppressive death cult here. If you spring the apocalypse on these poor people, it will be bad. They did not consent to this. They're, according to the worldbuilding here, all going to think that they're dying!!!

And you know what? In this episode, the main characters force Death Puberty on an entire planet, in order to scare the other species into letting the Kelpians be free or something, and it doesn't work. The other species immediately activates the emergency "Explode The Planet" system they had installed, in order to kill all of the final form Kelpians. Inducing Death Puberty just made the other species panic.

So, the captain of the "Discovery" essentially has to threaten the fear-motivated other species into submission, or something. I don't remember how this episode ends exactly. I think that the captain more or less says that destroying the planet with make them the enemies of the Federation and that the Federation is a very scary enemy, scarier than the Kelpians, so it's better to stop this and be the Federation's ally instead. Or something like that.

The other species backs off on destroying the planet and the Kelpians are free, maybe. They all went through Death Puberty and learned they were living a horrible lie, so they have a lot to work out. No mention of health side effects or panicked suicides, but I don't believe that these consequences didn't happen out of an entire planet of potential bad reactions.

And no one on the "Discovery" suffers any serious consequences for forcing an untested medical procedure on an entire planet conditioned to view it as being worse than dying. I know that the other species wasn't really open to friendly dialogue and there was a time crunch of sorts, but I still think "blustering the enemy into backing down by threatening them" should have been attempted maybe a few more times, before the "violate the bodily autonomy of an entire planet with an untested medical procedure that will make them think they're going insane" option. I think maybe that's not okay to do to a single Kelpian, much less an entire planet of Kelpians, even if Saru's life was on the line, actually.

"The ends justify the means" is another thing that past "Star Trek" has repeatedly criticized. It's especially insulting to have the characters do this shit without any of them bringing up any of the potential risks in their stupid, condescending plan. I want to like these characters, but shallow writing like this makes me hate them. It makes all of Starfleet look like hypocrites. They're supposed to be scientists??? No one here has taken an ethics class, apparently.

They really just... forced an entire planet through Death Puberty, potentially killing or hurting any Kelpians who weren't ready for that, probably killing a significant number of Kelpians who didn't know what was happening and panicked, even though they didn't know whether or not it would work and could have killed everyone, and nearly got all the Kelpians killed anyway. This clusterfuck should be both against countless Starfleet regulations and EXTREMELY illegal under Federation law. But we can file this under a "whoopsie daisy!" because the professionals involved panicked and meant well?

Fuck off. Awful episode. They definitely killed a significant number of innocent people here, even if they didn't show those deaths because the writers apparently didn't think about the obvious medical and social risks, and what these characters did to the Kelpians wouldn't be okay even if everyone miraculously lived. Don't mess with other people's bodies???

[peachviz]

I finally finished Discovery so you know what that means:

- I’ve finally seen every piece of Star Trek media. (Tv, animation, Roddenberry archives, movies, etc)

- it’s just okay. Like it’s just fine. Every episode was just super high stakes and it got really old. Someone is always revealing a deep secret or the ship needs to be evacuated for the thousandth time, blah blah blah. I got really tired of it. Unfortunately, I just think this is where we are now with film and tv. They rely too heavily on drama to keep people’s attention and I think there needs to be a balance with Star Trek.

- Michael is the only character I personally really connected with. Everyone was cool, but I don’t really have favorites on this show.

- I think it was a mistake adding her bio mom. They should kept her dead and not added her at all. It did nothing for the plot. Not really. They should have chosen either to keep the bio mom and axe the callback to nostalgia with Spock and Sarek or vice versa. Not both.

- adding David Cronenberg was such a slay. So was the Stacy Abrams cameo.

- Idk overall, there was some pleasant moments but after a while it kind of just dragged on for me. Maybe I’m really burnt out bc I’ve been doing this for almost two years but this one didn’t really grab me like the others. And that’s okay! If it reaches a new generation of people then that’s all that matters. I want Trek to keep going. I just wish they had let loose a little more on this ship. Especially with some of the people they had on cast. Like Reno and Tilly side adventure that could have been fun. Or like a tribble infestation. It needs a balance.

Keeping this pretty short bc it was just okay. If I think of more I will add it here. I have three edits planned for Discovery and then I’ll be moving on.

FINAL RANKINGS this may ruffle some feathers

SERIES:

1. DS9 (most engaging watch)

2. TNG (tbh if it wasn’t for Picard series this would be ranked lower but I ended up really loving everyone in it)

3. TOS/AOS (was my main for so long until two years ago when I started this journey. It’s basically the Bible ig)

4. Picard (idk outside of the second season I really liked this. Sue me)

5. Prodigy (liked it better than Voyager. It’s so good)

6. SNW (it’s fun, but depending on how this next season goes it may drop one level)

7. Lower Decks (it’s fun too)

8. Discovery (while just okay I rank it higher than Voyager bc there are just some things I couldn’t forgive with my Voyager watch)

9. Voyager (still my longest watch. While Janeway is tied for number one spot for captain and I love seven of nine, I just didn’t enjoy my time there with this watch plus Berman sexism put a damper on things)

10. Enterprise (its 2004. Why are we reverting back to TOS sexism. Boring and bad. Fandom makes it better)

FAVORITE CAPTAINS

1. Sisko

2. Janeway

3. Pike

4. Kirk

5. Picard

6. Seven of Nine

7. Burnham

8. Saru

9. Riker

10. Freeman

11. Archer

[mxflowercheck]

Adira&Tilly thing that was in my head for some time

Not beta read like AT ALL

- Hey there?

Tilly leans other a console to look at Adira. They’re curled up almost under it, hugging their knees and staring into nothing.

- Lieutenant Stamets and Doctor Culber won’t be pleased with you staying up late, you know, right? Maybe move to..somewhere they don’t work.

- You’re also staying up late - Adira mumbles, not looking up, but also not tensing or outright sassing Tilly off. That’s a good sign.

- I am, technically, not a crew member anymore. Just visiting while you’re docking. - she keeps her tone light, but allows longing to slip into it. Adira hates being belittled. - So they can scold me, sure, but…i have an escape route.

There’s a huff and then silence. Light, familiar rumble of ships systems. Tilly waits a minute, shifts uncomfortably and tries again.

- Wanna talk about it?

Adira silent for another minute, swaying back and forth a bit.

- Yes. Yes I do. - they look up, and here it is - the firm, determined stare, Adira’s signature. Tilly gives them a slightly awkward smile and sits near them, cross-legged.

- So? Venting? Gossiping? Both? One and then the other to get distracted? I can bring ice cream.

Adira giggles, still looking at the floor. Tilly can see now that their cheeks are still wet from tears. She doesn’t ask even though she wants to bury anyone who made their…well, sibling, feel like this.

- None, i guess? I…It’s about Trill. The symbiont. Gray. - they smile fondly at their boyfriend’s name. - It’s…hard.

- Yeah, i can imagine. I had a parasite in me once - not that Trill is a parasite, but you get the idea, something existing in you. Creepy as hell.

- You did? - their eyebrows shot up and they finally looked at Tilly. - W- How did *that* happen?

- Oh, long story. It’s how we got Hugh back! I tell you later. For now it’s about you - she pokes them with an elbow lightly, - not about me.

- Wow. Okay. - Adira giggles nervously, rubbing their neck. - Can i..can i ask? How did you understand you want to be a teacher?

- Pretty sure you were there. Remember? The arguing cadets, near-death experience?

- Yep, i do. - they scoffed. - I mean..after it? Like, you wanted to be a captain for years! How did you..

- Make that incredible leap? - Tilly smiles and sighs. - Will you throw a screwdriver at me if i give an inspirational speech?

- This time - no. But! - their raise a finger. - only this time.

- Okay, okay. - she laughs and leans back on the console. - I..I mean, when i think about it, I never wanted to be Captain. Shit, when Saru left me in charge..I thought I’d throw up even hours later. It was..awful. But being in charge of this group of cadets wasn’t. And i..at some point it hit me - my mom..my mom is not here. She won’t see me as a Captain. And suddenly it felt pointless. I..I didn’t want to be Captain, i wanted to prove I can. I wanted to be like famous Captains. But now…i have no one to prove this to. And i’m already brave and smart and loyal and- I can be that without being Captain. Maybe I don’t need to try to fit into these shoes, maybe I need shoes that allow me to be myself! To be Tilly. Because i want to be a lot of things I’m not. And maybe will never be. But i can be me.

Adira looks at her in silence, something mixed in their eyes. Sadness. Anger. Confusion.

- Firstly, it was actually very sad. Secondly, - they sigh, hiding their faces in their hands, - I don’t know who i am. What’s me and what’s Tal and what’s Gray’s memories. Where’s Adira. And who should i be? Like..you, you have a goal! You want to be a pretty good person. I want to.. - they stumble upon their own words, their hands shake a bit. - I don’t know.

Tilly moves closer to them, presses their shoulders together, wraps an arm around Adira, pulling them closer. Hugs always help, don’t they?

- You know what, I give up on speeches. How do you feel about a bit of music?

- Um. Fine, i guess? Why?

- There’s a song. - Tilly taps her badge, summoning the holo-PADD. - Really old. Like, it was old even in our time. But i love it, and it kinda has the message I’m trying to get to you.

She doesn’t scroll for a long time - the songs is almost on top of “recently listened”. Tilly opens the text and presses play.

I wish I was big, as big as my house

I'd sleep on the trees, I'd skip every crowd

But I wouldn't fit on my therapist's couch

God, I could really use him now

I wish I was God, I'd never trip up

And if I did, well, so fuckin' what?

I could be cruel and break all your stuff

Yeah, I'd be loved no matter what

But if I was God, it'd get kinda weird

'Cause you would only say what I wanna hear

And then you would die, you'd love me to death

I'd never know who the hell I am

I wish I was me, whoever that is

I could just be and not give a shit

Hey, I'll be whatever makes you a fan

'Cause I don't know who the hell I am

Adira listens attentively and soons gets what Tilly wanted to say. For reason it feels…gut-wrenching. It feels right. It feels like their scream, their words. They don’t notice tears running down their face. They cry shamelessly, but smile broadly, and Tilly pulls them into a tight hug, her curls everywhere, blocking the world around.

- The point is…does it matter, who you are? It’s you, Adira. And you have Paul, and Hugh, and me, and Gray.

- I can just be and not give a shit - they laugh through tears, hugging her back.

- Exactly.

[burningfairytales]

...Trick or treat?

*shows up 16 days late, with Starbucks*

Okay, so this is both for you, and also for @vierann who powered through her philosophy presentation and I promised I would finish that Komi drabble as a reward.

(I blame you entirely for making me ship Komi/Saru btw.)

*🏐🏐🏐🏐*🏐🏐🏐🏐*🏐🏐🏐🏐*🏐🏐🏐🏐*🏐🏐🏐🏐*

It probably goes without saying, but Komi kind of adores Bokuto. 

That guy doesn’t have an evil bone in his body. He’s fun to be around. In fact, he’s kind of a sweetheart, really - like an oversized puppy. An owl-puppy. 

Komi snorts at the thought.

“And then, I told Akaashi- hey, Komi, you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, sorry.” Komi grins up at him. It’s easy to smile when Bokuto’s around. “I just had a funny thought.”

“Oh! Yeah, I get it, I have those all the time! So anyway, I was telling Akaashi-”

Bokuto latches into a story of their first year summer camp, which Akaashi wouldn’t have been to because he wasn’t in High School yet, but Komi was, and Komi was there for that incident, so he doesn’t really know why Bokuto is telling it to him again, but he indulges him anyway and nods along.

(Point is, Komi was there, and Komi knows what parts are accurate and what parts Bokuto likes to edit or gloss over. Either way, Bokuto tells his stories in a way that is entirely in his favour and neither Komi nor Saru nor Washio ever correct him on it. 

Konoha does, sometimes, because Konoha likes teasing Bokuto far too much, and sometimes he can be a bit of a dick about it, but it’s never malicious, so it’s whatever. Komi likes Konoha, and he likes Bokuto, and he knows that deep down, the two of them are friends, so he’s not getting involved.)

So he lets Bokuto tell his stories his way, which isn’t always entirely accurate, even if Komi doesn’t know why he does it. For Akaashi’s sake probably.

Because, in a way, there’s something warm about how freely Bokuto spins his stories for him. Something deeper in the way Bokuto smiles when Akaashi’s name comes up.

Really, Akaashi is sort of the answer to all of Bokuto’s strange behaviour, these days. 

(But when Komi thinks about it, Akaashi’s kind of the answer to all of Bokuto’s good behaviour as well. Like how he doesn’t disappear into his own head as much as he used to, and how his hands don’t shake when he messes up anymore, which they did all the time, in their first year.)

So - Komi doesn’t have it all figured out yet, but Akaashi seems to be the answer. He just isn’t sure what the question is yet.

***

He asks Saru about it, once, during their history class. Leans to the side and pokes his upper arm with a pencil when their teacher isn’t looking. It’s just curiosity. He just wants to understand.

“Hey, Saru.”

“Hm?” Saru glances over his shoulder. Komi catches a glimpse of little doodles on his notebook: swirls cover the corner of the page, and a little volleyball is drawn at the bottom. He doesn’t mean to stare, but frankly, it’s all kinds of adorable, and his thoughts start to run away with him.

“D’you know how Bokuto sometimes tells stories about our first year?”

“You mean to Akaashi?”

Komi nods. There’s something about the way Saru listens that makes him feel, well - heard. It’s different than the others.“But like. We were there. So. He knows we know it’s not always accurate, yeah? Why do you think he’s lying?”

Saru doesn’t look up from his notebook, but his voice is calm, patient - like he’s giving Komi the time he needs to figure things out himself. “I think calling it ‘lying’ is a bit too much, Komi-yan. He just likes to embellish.”

Komi’s fingers tap the edge of his pencil, trying to think. “Yeah, okay, sure. So he embellishes. But he knows we know it’s not entirely accurate.”

“You know - I sometimes think Akaashi knows, too.”

“So why-” Komi’s brow furrows.

But before he can respond, Saru gives him a slow, soft smile – in the strangest way, it makes Komi think a little of the way the sun feels when it breaks through clouds after a long rain. He loses his train of thought.

“It can’t be helped, can it?” Saru says. “That’s just how these things are.”

That doesn’t really answer anything at all, but before he can ask for clarification, their teacher shushes them with a glare.

***

“Hey, hey, Komi!” Bokuto shouts from the school gate when he sees him that morning. “Komi, hey!”

Komi grins and waves. “Good morning, Bokuto! You’re cheerful today.”

“I’m cheerful always,” Bokuto replies. “And also I have something for you!”

Glancing at Akaashi waiting at his side, he frowns, opening his mouth and closing it again, and Akaashi holds up a hand in surrender. “As long as no one is about to get hurt, I don’t want to know.”

“Sorry, ‘Kaashi,” Bokuto says, frown deepening. “I really wanna tell you, I just-”

“Please don’t worry, Bokuto-san, I’m not upset. I will wait for you two at the gym.”

He touches Bokuto's arm, his fingers lingering perhaps a moment too long for it to be completely casual - or maybe that's just Komi's imagination. Then he nods at Komi and turns to head towards the gymnasium.

Bokuto stares after him, and that puppy imagery pops back into Komi’s mind. A sad puppy, who’s about to be left alone for the first time. Or a puppy being denied treats. 

The joke's really not as funny this time.

“What’s up, Bokuto?”

“Ah!” As if suddenly remembering that Komi is standing next to him, Bokuto turns and digs around his bag for something, until he finally pulls out a magazine. “I saw this at the convenience store this morning. Check it out!”

He flips through the pages until he finds what he’s looking for and then shoves the magazine into Komi’s hands. It’s an article about a TV show; they’ve just announced the second season, it says, and they still have a few roles that need to be filled.

Komi looks up at Bokuto.

“It’s open casting!” Bokuto declares proudly. “Anyone can go. You don’t need to be a professional actor or anything - it says that in the ad.”

“And you thought of me?” 

“Well, yeah!” Bokuto nods. “You told me once you wanted to be an actor, and I thought this could be a really cool opportunity?”

“And you didn’t want to tell Akaashi about it? I thought you told him everything. Twice, probably.” 

“I really wanted to!” Bokuto shakes his head. “I do, and it’s like, super hard to keep stuff from him, but this isn’t my thing, it’s yours. And you told me you wanted to be an actor in private, and I thought maybe you don’t want people to know, and. Yeah. So I didn’t tell him.”

If anyone were to accuse Komi of being slightly awed in that moment, well, he probably wouldn’t be able to deny it.

“Hey, big guy,” he says. “Thank you.”

“It’s this Saturday.” Bokuto points at the date printed on the page. “I’ll go with you if you don’t wanna go alone!”

“Yeah. You know what, that would be really nice.” Komi nods. “And you can tell Akaashi, if you want. I don’t mind.”

“Really?” Bokuto’s grin reaches from ear to ear. “You’re the best, Komi!”

“Yeah.” Komi laughs. “Of course, I am.”

He really kind of adores Bokuto. 

***

The waiting area they’re directed to is crowded; teenagers sit on the floor or walk up and down along the wall rehearsing their lines. 

Komi’s nerves are already starting to buzz in his chest, and he glances over at Bokuto, who is excitedly chattering about which roles he thinks Komi would be best for, which, honestly, kind of works to distract him from the fear of completely messing this up.

He’s always been that way, Bokuto. Cheering for people. 

Komi remembers that day in their first year, when he had been struggling to keep up, and he’d hung back after practice, exhausted and trying to shake off the frustration gnawing at him. How Bokuto had grinned at him, clapped his back, and told him he’d been playing great; his voice full of enthusiasm that Komi certainly hadn’t felt himself.

"Everyone’s got off days, right? But I saw you hustle out there. You really had our backs.”

Bokuto hadn’t just tried to be friendly. He’d noticed Komi’s struggling, understood, and chose to lift him up. In that moment, Komi had realised that Bokuto wasn’t just some overly energetic teammate - despite his loudness and his mood-swings, Bokuto was a good friend, too. 

And it occurs to him again, seeing him here - unfailingly supportive, even for something Bokuto probably doesn’t care about - that they’re all very lucky.

They call his name, and Komi gets up. Bokuto throws him an enthusiastic thumbs-up. “You’ll be great, Komi!” And, with an encouraging grin, he adds, “Just think of it as a volleyball match!”

***

Unfortunately, Komi isn’t great. 

In fact, he wishes it had been a volleyball match, because at least, he knows he’s good at volleyball.

Slouching into the bus seat beside Bokuto, he stares blankly at his feet, his hands jammed into his pockets. 

"So, uh…" Bokuto begins, a bit hesitantly. “How was it?”

Komi lets out a frustrated sigh. "It was horrible. I think they knew I wasn’t what they wanted as soon as I walked in." He runs a hand over his face. “I mean, I froze. I forgot my lines. It was a mess.”

Bokuto winces, but then he perks up, clapping a hand on Komi’s shoulder. 

“Hey, Komi, first times are always tough! It’s like your first volleyball game! if you’d stopped after one bad match, we never would’ve become the team we are today, right?”

Komi huffs, but a small smile sneaks through. 

“Not the same thing, Bo. It’s not like volleyball. It’s like - you’re supposed to deliver right away, no warm-up, no second tries.”

Bokuto leans back, thinking for a second, then he grins. “Still, you went out there! That’s already huge. I mean, most people wouldn’t even try! And besides, we’re just getting started. They’ll probably call you back next time!”

Komi lets out a weak laugh, shaking his head. “You don’t know that.”

“But I do!” Bokuto insists stubbornly, “You’ve got what it takes because you care. And I bet next time, they’ll see that, too. We’re not giving up.”

Komi glances over at Bokuto, who’s still beaming encouragement at him, eyes warm and honest.

("We’re not giving up.”

We.)

“Thanks, Bokuto,” he says, a bit of the disappointment lifting. 

***

They stop for ice cream on the way home, and Bokuto talks about his after practice session with Akaashi. His perfect sets (“I’m telling you, his tosses are the best!”), and his hair (“Did you ever notice how soft it looks, Komi? Do you think it feels as soft as it looks?”)

“Mh.” Komi says. Somehow, his thoughts drift to Saru, of doodled swirls in the corner of a page that look suspiciously like volleyballs. Of his Saru's fluffy hair, and his ever-patient smile.

He’s not sure what does it exactly - the ice cream, or the talking, or thoughts about his favourite wing spiker (sorry, Bo!) - but somehow, it still helps. By the time he heads home, he feels a lot better.

***

The Monday morning sunlight spills through the windows of the third-year hallway, warm and soft, but Komi feels a little heavy. 

He thought he’d processed it, the mess that was his first audition, but knowing that the others are surely going to ask about it today makes something uncomfortable settle in his gut. 

His mind keeps replaying the moment he forgot his lines, his nervousness tangling up his thoughts. The director’s polite but disappointed look… Komi isn’t really looking forward to talking about any of that. Not to any of them, but especially not to-

“Komi-yan!” Saru is already seated at his desk as he walks into his classroom, casually flipping through his notes. “Good morning.”

When their eyes meet, Saru greets him with that usual easygoing smile, but today there’s a curious gleam in his eyes. 

“Ah, Saru. Uh. Morning.”

Saru, sensing Komi’s pause, offers a soft, reassuring smile. "So, how’d it go?" His voice is warm, casual, but there’s a note of genuine care in it, a kind of open curiosity that makes Komi’s heart flutter a little.

For a moment, his mind races. He doesn’t want to disappoint Saru - doesn’t want him to think he’s incompetent or lacking. At least with volleyball, he knows he’s got their backs. He knows they know they can rely on him. 

He knows Saru knows that. It’s stupid, but he doesn’t want him to think less of him for not doing well. He wants to be someone Saru can admire, someone who doesn’t fail. 

So Komi smiles, though it feels a little strained around the edges. He drops down in his seat, trying to find the right words. "Ah, well. I don’t think I was what they were looking for," he says, leaning back a little as he shrugs nonchalantly. "You know how it is. Sometimes, it’s just not the right fit."

He doesn’t mention forgetting his lines. He doesn’t mention the awkward silence that followed. It’s not a complete lie - they certainly weren’t looking for a nervous wreck. Still, he can’t look Saru in the eye as he says it, his words stilted and awkward, because they sting.

(“I think calling it ‘lying’ is a bit too much, Komi-yan. He just likes to embellish.”)

Saru nods thoughtfully as he draws small, absent circles on his notebook. “Ah, I see,” he says, and there’s something in his eyes when he smiles - like he knows that it’s not the whole truth, but he isn’t going to push. "It’s okay, Komi-yan. First auditions are tough. You’ll do better next time. I’m sure of it."

His smile is kind, and the words are so patient that it makes Komi feel like a bit of an ass.

(“You know - I sometimes think Akaashi knows, too.”)

And then it hits him - like a lightbulb clicking on in his brain. 

He understands, finally, why Bokuto does what he does - why he embellishes his stories to Akaashi, why he spins them in a way that makes him seem braver, more accomplished, more successful than he might have been in the moment. 

He’s not trying to deceive or fool anyone - not really. Bokuto isn’t that kind of person.

It’s because no one wants the person they like to see them fail. For them, you want to be better, to be someone worth looking up to. To be someone they can admire.

Bokuto wants to be someone Akaashi can be proud of, which is funny, because Akaashi, more than anyone, is painfully aware of every single one of Bokuto’s flaws. In fact, Komi is pretty sure the guy keeps a list somewhere. 

But Akaashi, despite - or maybe because of - those flaws is also the proudest out of all of them of Bokuto.

Komi gets it now. He kind of did the same thing - he wants to be that for Saru, even if it means hiding the fact that he didn’t do well at the audition. Even if it means pretending, just for a little while, that everything went perfectly.

But maybe it’s okay if they didn’t. Maybe it’s okay if Saru sees the parts of him that aren’t perfect, because Saru’s not expecting him to be flawless. Saru just wants to see him try, just wants to see him keep going.

Komi smiles, feeling a little lighter now, as he looks back up at Saru. "Yeah, next time, I’ll do better,” he says. “Thanks, Saru.” 

Saru gives him a small, knowing smile. He reaches across the desk, lays his hand on top of Komi’s, and squeezes gently.

And sure, the pain of his failure still lingers - but it doesn’t feel as heavy now. The weight and warmth of Saru's hand on his feels like an anchor, and Komi realises that maybe, just maybe, trying can sometimes be enough.

[weerd1]

For no reason other than this is Tumblr, my two favorite things about every Star Trek (even if I didn't like that iteration):

TOS: Spock, Stories balanced between decrying war and realizing some things are worth fighting for.

TAS: Yesteryear, a full-size inflatable decoy Enterprise

TOS Movies: TMP Uniforms, Klingon Shakespeare

TNG: Riker, The Klingon Arc

TNG Movies: The grey-shouldered uniform, Zefram Cochrane/Lily Sloan

DS9: Kira Nerys, Garak

VOY: Stories that don't mind being a little absurd, Kathryn Janeway

ENT: TnT, Jonathan Gee Whiz Archer

Kelvin Timeline: Leonard McCoy, Pure fucking adventure that has the commentary if you look

DISCO: Jett Reno, Saru/T'Rina

Short Treks: The keen animation of "Ephraim and Dot," Spock and Number One trapped in a turbolift

LOW: Character Development, Surprisingly COMPELLING stories in all that humor

PRO: Top tier SF storytelling, Gwyndala's entire arc

SNW: Recontextualizing TOS, Erica Ortegas

PIC: Liam Shaw, Captain Seven

S31: The concept of tiny intelligent life whose ships are humanoid robots to explore the galaxy; there were two of them so I'm counting that twice

Star Trek as a Genre: Beautiful Starships, Progressive before we even knew what progressive was.

[ussjellyfish]

For the fandom/ship/character ask game, please tell me...

17 ...the world-building aspect of the story you have the greatest admiration for IN DISCOVERY!

ooo thank you!

17 …the world-building aspect of the story you have the greatest admiration for IN DISCOVERY!

I love the jump to the future. I adore the future. I love that they got away from needing to tie in legacy characters, because that takes time away from the characters from the show. (looking at you, Picard season 3 and SNW adding more men...).

I love personal transporters and how the politics of the future has changed, and the hope and fear and the fight against being isolated. I love that they ask questions that we're asking ourselves and come down on the side of hope and connection. I love how much planetary leaders are women.

I love how the characters find their places (Michael as captain, Saru as a diplomat, Tilly as a teacher) and the supporting cast is really fun (Vance, Rillak and Kovich are all really interesting).

Going to the future let them tell new stories and I loved those parts of it. The what ifs of what happened are really interesting.

thank you!!

fandom asks

[jazzypizzaz]

I've been watching Enterprise recently, and I'm struck by the thought of each of the characters would react to being thrust into a later Trek show:

Hoshi on Deep Space Nine, first discovering how far the Universal Translator technology has come... then turning UT off and chilling at Quark's bar, letting all the incredible diversity of alien languages wash over her, all the people passing through from three quadrants (Dominion languages!!)

Phlox on Discovery, amazed at how diverse Starfleet is not all that long after he was alive, all these people coming together in Starfleet for exploration and discovery. I always get the impression that regardless of his curiosity and openness, he's a bit lonely on Enterprise, a bit of distance between him and the rest of the crew. Also I feel like he'd get along really well with Saru, plus -- non-human captain! he'd dig all the mushrooms / tardigrade business too I think lol.

T'Pol interacting with Spock!!! as a Vulcan on a human ship of course, a bridge between their people, the role he has had in that. and Amanda/Sarek married, having a kid?? also ongoing attempts at reunification with Romulans???

Mayweather on Voyager of course, nerding out with Tom Paris on the Delta Flyer. also everyone being so far from home, so much less connected to family in a way that original Enterprise was more than other Alpha/Beta quadrant crews I think. sacrificing that connection for their overarching mission together.

Archer, any Trek, seeing what Starfleet has become!!! Andorians and Vulcans and so many species all exploring the universe together in (relative) peace and cooperation! going boldly together! the way humans have brokered this peace throughout the centuries!!!

[vaspider]

Last night, I turned off ep 4 of Discovery out of disgust and went to watch Fallout.

I put up with a lot, but you don't drydock a fucking starship in atmosphere and Utopia Planitia is on Mars, for fuck's sake. It's not sitting in the fucking hills of San Francisco where you can see the Golden Gate Bridge out the window.

[Below there be spoilers.]

For 4 seasons, I have defended the FUCK out of this show. For 4 seasons, I have genuinely loved most of Discovery, and I've loved it enough to make me keep watching it even when we only found out that one character basically had a full-body prosthetic in the episode where they killed her off, and when the Red Angel turned out to be the hokiest answer ever, and when Disco fell prey to the storywriting trope I tend to call Skywalker Syndrome (you know, the one where there are only like 6 people who matter in an entire galaxy and anybody who matters has to be related to them somehow).

But I can't fucking put up with what they're doing to Discovery.

It started with the decision the writers made - for the sake of POINTLESS DRAMA - to have an Admiral look at two captains about to go on an Extremely Crucial Mission, which they told us over and over again was Extremely Crucial, using a term nobody had ever heard before like we were supposed to know or care what that meant, "why don't you two try to get along" when they asked who was in command of the mission.

Okay, look, first of all, absolutely not, and you're a shitty admiral if that's what your response is. SOMEONE is in command of this mission. And second of all, if you're the admiral and that's what you said, then who is the one in trouble when things go to shit bc there is no clear chain of command? YEAH. IT'S YOU. Holding one of your captains responsible for making a decision that you wouldn't have made, and for "not listening to the better decision," and taking his ship away? That's bullshit. You put two captains at odds and then you hold them responsible and not yourself?

Dude, you fucking suck, and this shit ain't Starfleet. It ain't even acceptable under the "oh no we're post-Burn and getting our shit together." This is basic stuff. There's a chain of command for a reason.

Then you have Saru suggesting that Burnham make her Extremely Recently Ex-boyfriend, a convicted criminal who stole crucial technology from the Federation and tried to break the universe, her Number One bc Saru is resigning his commission to become an ambassador. Her never-been-Starfleet ex-boyfriend. Yeah, sure, I'm sure that's the Very Best Idea that a Federation and Starfleet idealist like Saru would suggest. Let's put this guy who has never worn a uniform and has been very loudly Not A Team Player and has no idea how Starfleet works and hasn't done his Time In Grade one heartbeat away from being in command of the Discovery. I'm sure that will be GREAT for crew cohesion, having this dude who has not put in the time just leapfrog his way past everyone who has been busting their ass for years and who literally left their entire lives behind, centuries in the past, to land in the XO spot because "he works well with you" and "he knows [this season's antagonists] and how they work."

Thankfully that didn't fucking happen, but having Saru even suggest it felt like a profound betrayal of Saru *as a character.* File that under He Would Not Fucking Say That.

I can't even enjoy Leoben's actor, and i can't even enjoy him being from an alien species that somebody dug up from one episode of DS9, because he is not just an asshole but he's an asshole who has no respect for anybody or anything. Star Trek's assholes are always the ones that you can at least understand why they are the way they are, and you can excuse it because they are Federation Idealists or they have such great skills or respect for an ideal that you might not understand but you understand that it's important to them.

No. This guy is just there to be a dick and make Burnham look cool and reasonable and nice by comparison, and he's 90% of the time incompetent as fuck. Like, one time his ideas are good, but when his ideas are good, it's only because he's been disrespecting chain of command so hard for so long that he has info he shouldn't have. They made him suck so much that I can't find ANYTHING about him to like, AND I LIKED LEOBEN.

"But at least we've got our gay relationship-- " Nope! They broke up one of the queer relationships pretty much right away, and the other one gets zero screen time and might as well not exist. They don't even really interact at the one party we've had. It's almost painfully obvious that they're avoiding having the two of them together.

"Maybe I can tough it out to see Tig, I love Commander Reno-- " Nope. We've gotten one scene in which she predicted the breakup of the baby gays.

It really feels like they took away all the writers who know and love Trek and understand what makes it good, and filled the writers room with people who are just standing around and peeing on the show Bible while saying "THIS WILL MAKE GOOD DRAMA."

I'm sad. I hate this season, and after suffering my way through s3 of Picard out of hopes they'd answer the goddamned question finally, I'm not putting myself through this again.

I used to love this show.

[ltwharfy]

How about your favorite Star Trek ship for the ask game?

Thanks for this ask, Babs! I genuinely appreciate it so much! Although "Bob's Burgers" may be the reason I came to Tumblr, I do like talking about my other interests on here, too, and it's fun to be asked about one of them. (Also, I feel like ship/characters asks in BB fandom can be a bit "Hey! Let me ask you about the thing you already talk about all the time!" sometimes. XD)

So, now for something completely different, I am going to talk about Saru/T'Rina from "Star Trek: Discovery". This is them:

Ship It

What made you ship it?

Saru was always my favorite character on Discovery, and when they first interacted in "Unification III", I thought they had an interesting, unique chemsitry and kept rooting to see more of them. And to my surprise, I did! (Since I love behind the scenes stuff, it was fun to find this interview with Saru actor Doug Jones where he talks about reading shippiness into the script for that episode, then finding out that it hadn't occurred to the writers, who then proceeded to run with it once he pointed it out to them.)

2. What are your favorite things about the ship?

I love that they are not a pair of young, cool, conventionally attractive humans. Because of their species and their personalities, they both tend to be a little emotionally reserved and cautious. Although they are both middle-aged (or maybe older), you get the sense romance hasn't been a big part of either of their lives previously. It's not easy for them to open up and be vulnerable to each other, but they do and it works out and they make this amazing connection. So, even though they are a pair of aliens in the 32nd Century, I basically see them as a sweet couple of awkward middle-aged people finding each other, which is one of my favorite relationship dynamics (and, yeah, has an element of personal relationship goals to it.)

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

Honestly, "Discovery" is the Trek show I've probably engaged the least with the fandom for, so I genuinely don't know how popular they are or how other people see them. Since fandom tends to be a horny place, it might be unpopular for me to say I have no interest in thinking about their sex life! I love them, but have no desire for NSFW fics or art about them. Maybe they have amazing incomprehisbly awesome alien sex. Maybe their relationship is loving but sexless. I could see either way being plausible, but that aspect isn't what makes them compelling to me.

[morns-fevered-dream]

Well I've tried to avoid spoilers but their are a few things I know going in the appearance of a character from ENT I'd originally guessed Trip Tucker because he died in a weird way and in non-cannon he did things after his "death" but a sci fi news article discussing Daniels gives me a feeling it's him makes more sense though and I saw two images one of a old Burnham and one of Burnham and Moll standing in front of some light on a cliff or something due to a current boycott of Paramount and Paramount+ I'm watching this from a pirate cove and I'd encourage you to do the same and without further ado live blogging of Star Trek Discovery and as always 🌟SPOILERS🌟

Season 5 Episode 10

I'm still sad this is the last episode of DIS

Well I'm glad it's longer then a regular episode but part of me was hoping for a 2 hour finale but considering it wasn't known until after shooting that it was the last episode and then reshoots that I'm sure are the extra length of this episode

I wonder if we'll see the Breen that went in before Moll and Burnham?

Huh Burnham had the same thought

Nooo Burnham

Oh there's one of three Breen cracked like an egg

And their is the other Breen not a happy one either maybe if the Breen had sent scientists instead of Soldiers they'd be more willing to work together Burnham

Damn that was a football tackle

About to be pulled away by a hurricane and still trying to punch damn Burnham is right "STOP IT"

Lots of slow mo

Damn the Breen is back

Why is Moll flying with a gun?

Why did Moll shoot the Breen? I mean the Breen is under her command

No wonder the Breen was so mad their own boss killed the other Breen like a cracked egg I'd be pissed too

Damn Moll is not likable even for a villain

Yeah that's what I thought

Now thinking about it I definitely thought that Detmer and Owosekun would be back by now tbh

Yeah Nhan stepping up suck it admiral

"At least the Breen have a vested interest" didn't you just kill your own Breen soldiers?!

Return of the spinning camera and a surprise appearance of shaky camera

Since it's the last episode I want to say I think DIS has my favorite Engineer crew out of all the Trek shows between Stamets, Adira, Reno and the occasional Booker, Tilly or Culber it has my favorite dynamic

There's one of the images that was spoiled them standing in front of whatever that ripple thing is

Oh they aren't fighting Tahal yet? Then what Breen Is Discovery fighting oh is it the Ruhn Breen Dreadnought or whoever runs it now Moll or that Asrisar Breen

"Ambassador Saru are you insane?" Is hilarious

Just like her Breen colleagues don't turn your back on Moll

Moll isn't very smart Burnham told you the clue and you didn't even use it

What was that scream Moll that was some serious yelling in lower case

Yes trust the good doctor odd visions or whatever

Damn Seru that was cold as ice

I swear Burnham is like the perfect Federation Captain because I would have been pissed

I kind of like that the most powerful tech in the universe is represented with some simple glass triangles

Ancient humanoid appearance!

Something before the progenitors? Mmmh interesting I know Q and the Guardian Of Forever were before the ancient humanoids I'm pretty sure but not much else is known

I love that it's Booker that's with Hugh others would try to explain or theorize but Booker is just like "damn that's crazy" the same nonchalant attitude when Hugn decided to join in the shuttle in the first place

Wow that's a lot of camera spinning

Separate the what?

Damn the ancient humanoids really trying to put this technology off on someone else

A TNG Enterprise D style saucer separation WOOOOOOOOOOO BABY

Is that the Breem Scout ship it looks nice

Ain't no way they just spun that colossal giant Dreadnought like a bayblade that was totally cool

Damn the Progenitor really gave Burnham a crash course on almost all of existence huh?

Honestly I've been thinking all season that kind of technology needs to go permanently

I'm sad Stamets won't get his legacy dream the spore drive program was canceled and made secret, spore drive didn't replace the regular warp drive in the 32nd century and now unable to study the progenitors tech what I'm really sad about is that this arc for Stamets won't be resolved because this is the finale

Picard Wine, Geordi old visor and a baseball presumably something to do with Sisko interesting

Kovich was Daniels all along?! This isn't what I thought the returning ENT thing was gonna be I'll be honest I was actually surprised

Yes! The Saru x T'Rina wedding what everyone was hoping for

Talaxian pirates? Mmmmh

All of the dress uniforms and fancy wedding clothes look great

Old Burnham and old Booker look like themselves but with gray hair I look forward to seeing irl old compared to TV old like they did for TOS, TNG and DS9 episodes where it showed a older version of a character and then people put up a image of them later irl when the actor was actually older

Burnham 33nd century civilian clothes look like she ready for the wild west I guess some fashion just comes around huh

Admiral you say

Oh that's a alien deer cool

Ooooo another uniform

They got kid in Starfleet already wow future jumps do that though

I like these even further in the future 33nd century uniforms that admiral one is nice I like the line going down the pants but I also liked that on the PIC S3 uniform too so I guess I'm just a sucker for that uniform design choice

I also like the new 33nd century Starfleet logo

For future versions of the Starfleet logo post ST Nemesis I think this new one and the Future Imperfect TNG one from the fake future are probably my favorites

Damn how many refits has that ship undergone to be still be in service

For a minute I thought she was about to pass down Discovery to her son

So a short explanation of Calypso but I still don't understand why Zora had to wait for Craft or the importance of Craft tbh and poor Zora has to wait 1000 years alone is so strange I also assume it was a life or death thing with the crew abandoned ship rather then this whole red directive thing its just kind of odd

Ah Detmer and Owosekun finally returned for the last few minutes of the finale

Ah a impressive fleet shot I do love the Merian Class, Kirk Class, Courage Class of my personal favorite out of the 32-33nd century ships the Eisenberg Class

So that's it the end of Discovery it had its hurdles but it also started Nu-Trek I personally am indeed a fan of the show this and Lower Decks are definitely my favorite of the Nu-Trek shows I am sad to see it go

It started my tradition of watching Nu-Trek and drinking canned Guayaki Yerba Mate late at night and it started many fond memories I've never said this online before but I never watched the last episode of ENT until the pilot of DIS came out I waited years to watch it but I couldn't bring myself to "finish" Star Trek until a new show was announced so I waited years to watch that last episode of ENT and after years of waiting and it was terrible but luckily this finale was better then that

[leohtttbriar]

(saw a post going around exclaiming about the brilliance of some star trek lines i didn't particularly care for (including that dumb odo-democracy line) so to make myself feel better i came up with my own list of favorites that i can now pull from with ease and pretend i'm quoting from something a little more sophisticated than prime-time tv.)

some of my favorite star trek lines/dialogue:

"So much we still do not know. But I am certain of one thing: we are both looking up." Saru

"What if it's smart fungus?" Jadzia Dax

"I saw the sunlight. I can't believe that our caretaker would forbid us to open our eyes and see the sky." Kes

"I can't say for sure, but they desperately want to know others and to be known. They...are the planet." Saru

"It seems we're in a situation now where the rules have changed. And maybe, if we're going to survive out here, we have to start changing, too." Chakotay

"It can only be what it is, not what you want it to be." Michael

Spock: I noticed that about your people, Doctor. You find it easier to understand the death of one than the death of a million. You speak about the objective hardness of the Vulcan heart, yet how little room there seems to be in yours. McCoy: 'Suffer the death of they neighbor,' eh, Spock? You wouldn't wish that on us, would you?

"It's almost like being on the deck of an old sailing ship. Only the stars are not just up in the sky--they're all around us." Sisko

"Your job is to find the truth--not obtain convictions." Odo

"I have nowhere to go back to. The only thing I can do right now...is trust something." Michael

"In Kenya, we have 22 native languages. I found out early that, if I wanted to be understood, it's best to communicate in someone's own tongue. So I learned them." Uhura

"I canceled my death for you. I was really looking forward to it." Terminally ill character to Julian

Julian: I was so arrogant. I thought I could find [a cure] in a week. Dax: Maybe it was arrogant to think that. But it's even more arrogant to think there isn't a cure.

"I object to you. I object to intellect without discipline. I object to power without constructive purpose." Spock

"You treat death like a lover. I think living is lot more attractive." Jadzia

Odo: Every 16 hours, I turn into a liquid. Lwaxana: I can swim.

"As for you, there is one favor I would ask. Live, Jadzia Dax. Live a long, fresh, and wonderful life." Enina

"Let me help. A hundred years or so from now, I believe, a famous novelist will write a classic using that theme. He'll recommend those three words over 'I love you.'" Kirk

"That baby I'm holding in my hands now is the universe itself, and I need to study its face." Sisko

Pike: But we can't see them or detect them in any way. Uhura: I can hear them.

"Vulcans are capable of suppressing certain levels of physical pain. Beyond that, we must simply endure the experience." Tuvok

Julian: I'm sure we'll see each other again. Garak: I'd like to think so. But one can never say. We live in uncertain times.

"Maybe that's the good in seeing my future--that I might remind you that, right up until the very end, life is to be worn gloriously." Pike

[annakie]

From Broken Bow to Calypso - Check-in #6

Continuing my Star Trek by Stardate rewatch!!

We finished with Enterprise, time for three Short Treks, The Cage, and Discovery Season 1.

2/5/25 - Episode 94 - Short Treks - The Girl Who Made the Stars Very cute, beautifully animated. Hello little Michael Burnham, I guess this is the only time in canon we see Michael's dad?

2/5/25 - Episode 95 - Short Treks - The Brightest Star Introduction to Saru. Not a bad little story, will help guide what's coming in the future, and hey! Captain… I mean, Lieutenant Georgiou! Also, a Universal Translator moment that makes it clear(er) how it works generally. Saru is just that special that he gets to figure out how technology works and somehow managed to contact Starfleet with a Baou(sp?) communication device, amazing. :p Just a normal "ignore the specifics and let the story work" bit of Star Trek, but again, beautifully shot and a good introduction.

2/5/25 - Episode 96 - Short Treks - Q&A Our first Spock and Una! Ensign Spock! And Pike at the end! I forgot that we first needed to get through Q&A and The Cage before Discovery proper. Oh no, it's got the stupid turbolift exterior shot in it. Did you know apparently the insides of starships are CAVERNS? So bad, so dumb. Anyway, the story itself is good, and a cute introduction to these two, but I'll take their singing bit as being loopy from the electric shock -- but the smiling part is a good intro to all the smiling in The Cage. Speaking of which….

2/5/25 - Episode 97 - TOS - The Cage Blasting alllll the way back to the most original of the original. The Red Alert sound is atrocious. The Columbia is missing! ERIKA HERNANDEZ WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR SHIP'S SS-NAMESAKE? (This is like, a hundred years after Enterprise. And we know what happened to the Columbia in the Novel-verse.) Second scene in the episode… Pike lounges around on his bed and calls his doctor in. Doctor's prescription: Martini. Pike's being all grumpy and already talking about horses. Oh boy, Orion "Green animal women slaves". We sure are in the 1960's… Pike can't get used to having a woman on the bridge (except Number One… yeeeesh.) We will attempt to ignore that line and that kind of blatant sexism from here on out and try to focus on the fact that here in the mid-60's there was even a woman on the bridge at all, who is in command most of the episode, and a scant few non-white faces in the background and remember that was way more than we'd get in most shows at this time. We also know Roddenberry would go on to do some pretty progressive (and some regressive) things in the full show but they had to get the show on-air first. I don't want to make all my TOS episode thoughts resolve around "60's bad/weird". But I will say, The Cage is a bit of a hard rewatch, as will be a lot of TOS from a 2020s sensibility, we know that. We'll judge it on a curve. I think in the end it's clear what wasn't working here and they kept some of the better parts, and thankfully diversified the crew more. This Pike is a harder man than SNW Pike, with Kelvin Pike being more in the middle. I think it's a little hard to see SNW Pike and Cage Pike as the same person sometimes, and not just because of the 60's sexism stuff. SNW Pike is more empathetic and open than Cage Pike, but that's OK. We can just say his experience here changed him. Also Cage Pike talks about horses more, but it made me laugh retroactively remembering how Una tells Spock to not get him started about his horses in Q&A. Overall, The Cage is what it is, and even if a few things like Una, Vena and the Yeoman fighting over Pike feels horribly cringe-y, we have to appreciate that The Cage lays the groundwork for so, so much more to come. And it's even more meaningful now with SNW being a thing.

DISCOVERY, SEASON ONE

2/6/25 - Episode 98 - The Vulcan Hello Hello Discovery officially! Look, I like Discovery more than most people. AGAIN, I agree with MOST of the common criticisms people have about it, but even with those shortcomings I still am all in while watching, and find a lot to love in it. But I definitely do NOT love the Klingon redsign (also I very much do not buy into the silly theory that one throwaway joke in the LDS next to last episode makes Discovery set in an AU, which also would mean SNW is in an AU.) Really need more Captain Georgiou. Really need less having to read Klingon subtitles. Georgiou was right though, sorry Michael, I do think just based on his rhetoric that T'Kuvma just wanted a fight and probably would have gone into battle either way. Forgot Detmer didn't have her eyepiece yet. There's some definite cheese here like Georgiou and Michael walking around, making a Starfleet symbol and voila, the Shinzou finds them, but it's just indicative of the optimistic cheese Discovery will have loads of.

2/6/25 - Episode 99 - Battle of the Binary Stars Michael being stuck in the force fielded up brig is a genuinely cool concept with a very Star Trek solution. The cinematography and effects during the battle is very good, and the shot of the Klingons gathering their dead. The fight on the Klingon ship is really well choreographed. Prime Georgiou, you are gone too soon. Discovery is really pretty in general. I still do not love that Michael is Surak/Amanda's surprise adopted daughter. Honestly I think her story could have worked almost as well if they were other important Klingons at the time. Hell, maybe Soval or T'Pol? BUT I guess in the end this story gives us Spock, which gave us Pike and Una, and thus SNW. So I get over it.

2/7/25 - Episode 100 - Context is for Kings The prologue is over, time to get into actual Discovery. First of all, I certainly hope that the Discovery rescued the prison shuttle pilot, have to assume that they did but they never said. Crazy that the shuttle didn't just fly up the like, 100 feet out of the cloud where Discovery pulled them to lol. Gotta say, right from the start they do a GREAT job dropping little hints about Lorca's true origins that a lot of people wouldn't catch onto. I'm sure some people guessed, but I didn't the first time around. And if I were watching this in my current watch order for the first time, I'd have no idea since we haven't even seen In A Mirror, Darkly yet so no hints that there even IS a Mirror Universe. They also set up the mystery about what's going on on the ship really well, too. And yeeeah Saru! Detmer! Tilly! I missed these guys. And Jerk-Stamets! Then Bryce later (his Memory Alpha page is hilariously short for someone who was in all 4 seasons. Oh, Rhys, Bryce, Christopher… in so many episodes and yet had so little to do but share bridge information. Ariam got an episode! Owo and Detmer have it slightly better, but not much. I know none of these people are main cast but STILL.) The action sequence on the other Starfleet ship is pretty great. Also, no Klingon scenes in this one, which is kind of a relief. Almost a second pilot, and I enjoyed it.

2/7/25 - Episode 101 - The Butchers Knife Cares Not for the Lambs Cry The place I watched this episode in didn't have subtitles working at all so I had to go back and read summaries of what happened in all the Klingon scenes, kind of annoying. Maybe I should just learn to speak Klingon. But the story between Voq and L'Rell is really good here. Hey, it's Hugh! High on the list of my favorite Star Trek characters of all time, I love him. A lot more questions than answers here and we really start seeing what an asshole Lorca is. Honestly, Lorca is SUCH a great character, too. Sad that we never get to see original universe Lorca. Also, holy shit I forgot Voq and L'Rell ate Georgiou's corpse, that's some dark shit. Oh also, this episodes has one of the worst lines in all of Trek: calling Elon Musk a genius. Not only is he NOT, but… fuck that guy. At least it was Lorca who said it, so I guess in the Mirror universe Musk is a good guy. :p

2/8/25 - Episode 102 - Choose Your Pain Love this episode. Rainn Wilson deserved better after The Office and this and the next Mudd episode show why, he's so good here. Introduction to Admiral Cornwell! She's great, I'd forgotten about her a bit but was really happy to see her again. Oof, another all-time terrible line in this episode, but not as bad. Tilly "Really, I love feeling feelings." Urgh. Voq --> Tyler is a great reveal later, especially since the actor was credited with an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT NAME, I don't think anyone who didn't know the BTS would guess it. In episode though it's been THREE WEEKS since the last episode took place, so that's a pretty fast transformation :p It is fun to watch Tyler use some pretty classic bonding techniques to manipulate the man from manipulation universe and it works. Leaving Mudd behind is SO NOT THE STARFLEET way and it's hilarious. Also, Saru gets his first command (temporarily) and does a pretty good job having to make hard calls. I get it that people were mad about Discovery being so dark, but this war, and is about on par with some of the ENT S3 episodes tbh.. except last weeks' cannibalism. Also fun, I watched this and the next one on my VR headset so that the screen was about as big to my eyes as an IMAX and it's just really gorgeous that way. Might do it again some more.

2/8/25 - Episode 103 - Lethe Still not a huge fan of the Burnham & Sarek stuff, but it is VERY Sarek to do such a dickish thing as in this episode. I guess it all worked out for the best. I do like Discovery's portrayal of Sarek overall, especially knowing he can't really have that much character growth since, well, TOS is coming. I do appreciate that Sarek's story here deepens his rift with Spock. Mia Kirshner is a great Amanda. Love the Lorca/Tyler Bromance. I love the Lorca/Cornwell stuff -- love that Lorca is good enough to MOSTLY fool people, even Cornwell, to a point, but eventually she just KNOWS something is off. Also just seeing two characters in their 50's have this romantic connection, and seen as sexy, idk, I thought it was good. And Lorca sleeping with a phaser and being a psycho about it.. just a verrrrry Mirror universe thing to do. I liked Tyler/Burnham just fine but thought Book was a better match for her, this will do for now, though. It's almost unbelievable that Voq and Tyler are the same person in episodes like this.

2/9/25 - Episode 104 - Magic to Make the Sanest Man go Mad Pretty much universally thought of as the best Discovery Season 1 episode, and it IS great. Mudd is back and he is PISSED, and time looping. I used this episode as part of the inspiration for a very important NPC in my D&D campaign a few years ago (except the NPC was not a bad guy.) The only time loop episode I can think of that doesn't mainly follow the person who figures it out, if there is one person. I think the compression of the Burnham/Tyler relationship from just meeting last episode to really pushing the relationship forward in this one hurts the narrative flow, they had 15 episodes so it just feels a bit fast here, like maybe if they'd swapped the arc between the next episode and this one so that in Si Vis Pacem (next ep) they got closer and then this episode happened as is, IDK. Anyway, Rainn Wilson is again fantastic, there's so many cool loop moments (Lorca biting it over and over is fantastic). The purple ball thing supposedly being the most painful way to die is clearly not true, neither Tyler nor Burnham seemed bothered by it much. And Stamets being the looper is fantastic in the role, though the last loop seems to happen in slow motion with everything they accomplished ahead of time. That's OK, still a great ep.

2/9/25 - Episode 105 - Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum Had actually forgotten about the planet side plot completely, only remembered the L'Rell & Cornwell stuff. Honestly planet side stuff is mostly forgettable, though it does lead towards the war effort and advance Saru's character quite a bit. Closest thing we get in S1 to like a normal planet exploration Star Trek episode. But yeah the Klingon side of this episode is actually the better half. Oh, except the opening with the battle to defend another ship against multiple Klingon ships. Really exciting, great visuals, tense on the bridge… honestly THAT was the best part of the episode.

2/10/25 - Episode 106 - Into the Forest I Go Absolutely love Lorca being like screw orders, we'll comply in the most roundabout way possible that still lets me do what I want and oops Stamets can't jump us, in the cold open. Although it's pretty dark, I thought the episode was great. Good exploration of PTSD with Tyler. Crew came together to do what they needed to do. Deepens some of the mysteries while giving a few answers. Love Stamets/Culber even more in this episode, a cool solution to the cloaking problem. But wow it really feels like it brings an end to the war FAST, feels like it should last more than half the season. But the ending is definitely a "Woah, what the fuck happened?"

2/10/25 - Episode 107 - Despite Yourself It's really interesting to have this be our introduction to the Mirror Universe. First mention of the Defiant. Not watching In A Mirror, Darkly until most of the way through TOS (After The Tholian Web) so this is all NEW INFORMATION (even though it's the next to last Mirror Universe in our timeline, only the Prodigy episode is last.) RIP -- for now, Hugh. It was SO gutting watching them kill a beloved character, one that we actually took the time to get to KNOW, and in such a fast, callous manner, the first time. Despite what they claim later, I do not believe it was ever the intention to bring Hugh back originally, but the outcry happened, and it was absolutely the right thing to do. Look, I know other people hate the Mirror Universe arc, and I get it, but idk, I think generally it's a pretty neat diversion.

2/10/25 - Episode 108 - The Wolf Inside Big Burnham/Tyler episode here. More Mirrorverse shenanigans. Seeing Stamets cradling Culber is heartbreaking. Interesting for Mirror Voq and Sarek to team up. Spock SHOULD be impossible in the Mirrorverse, but I guess Sarek and Amanda get together even then? Else, Mirror, Mirror would be VERY different. Maybe MM!Spock was a spy all along, what with his father so important to the resistance… and then likely dead afterwards. Good fakeout with Tyler's death / retrieval. And the Georgiou reveal at the end is shocking and fantastic, and brings so much to future episodes.

2/11/25 - Episode 109 - Vaulting Ambition So much happening here! Tyler going nuts and we find out the truth, that there was an Ash Tyler and now the two are kinda fused and at war in one body. L'Rell isn't helpful, til maybe she is. Stamets and Culber deal with Culber's death in the Mycellial Network. I'm glad they gave Hugh a real goodbye in this one. Even the notes in Memory Alpha say that they claim they were going to bring Hugh back all along but IDK, it really doesn't feel like they were. He even says he's not actually in the network, and then… well whatever happens in S2. Still, they get a beautiful time together. And then STUFF SURE HAPPENS on the Emperor's ship. Georgiou and Burnham's relationship is fucked up in both universes, haha. Also, Burnham (and Georgiou) EATS A KELPIAN (for a minute I thought it was Saru but nope.) Holy crap I had forgotten that dark bit of happening. OK, this season DOES get too dark, the haters are right. Georgiou talking about the Franklin and I do feel like we missed something now but not having watched IAM,D yet. But still glad to get there with the rewatch. The real star here though is Lorca… it was SUCH a good reveal. Truly. I'm sure some people guessed it but I didn't really the first time around and it's SO much fun doing the rewatch knowing what we know now. Like it's just really effective, and the code switch Jason Isaacs does is… chefs kiss

2/11/25 - Episode 110 - What's Past is Prologue This episode is so action packed and so very fun. Lorca's heel reveal works so well, we get Mirror Landry (and Owo). Lots of technobabble with Stamets and Tilly that I barely paid attention to lol. Saru really starts coming into his own as Captain here. Mirror Georgiou and Burnham's relationship really starts to blossom. I know, I know, she's a murderous genocidial human supremacist maniac. Memory Alpha says they wanted to stay in the Mirrorverse longer but TBH this was the longest consecutive number of episodes any Trek stays there and it was enough. This is also a very Die Hard episode. Honestly I was kind of rooting for Lorca, but it's just two troops of horrible people killing each other and we know either way it turns out the humans stay on top for quite awhile. This does start Discovery's tradition of fighting against a universe (or in this case all of creation) ending threat. Gotta do that once a season, doncha know. The fight scenes really work though, especially when it's a 2-on-2 fight with Lorca/Georgiou/Landry/Burnham. Really good stuff. Goodbye, Lorca. You were a truly interesting character and I wish they'd been able to bring Jason Isaacs back again. In the end, the Discovery gets back home, due to Stamets Tilly and Stamets save the day with technobabble magic. Annnd… we time jumped. So many tropes in one 15-episode season.

2/12/25 - Episode 111 - The War Without, The War Within We're back in the prime universe, 10 months late. There's a lot to unpack here, from Georgiou being around to Ash Tyler back to being fully Ash but also has all of Voq's memories. Honestly I'm fine with Georgiou still being there because I mean, Michelle Yeoh. I get Saru's decision to let Ash be mostly free but if I were Paul I would be pissed and not accept the decision at all. I just feel like everyone moves on from Culber's death too easily here. Paul did get closure in the mycellial network but still needs a period of mourning and although he's clearly not OK with it, man, I'd be way more upset. Love Cornwell and Sarek being there and Cornwell taking over but wow it was convenient for them to be so close to where Discovery shows back up. I think one of the biggest things my brain can't stop pointing out is how much has to be coincidental in some of these episodes but then, thinking about ALL of Star Trek, that's pretty much true as well. L'Rell & Cornwell together are still great. Love Sarek counseling Burnham. Terraforming scene is beautiful, but so much technobabble. NGL I got a bit teary when Cornwell namedropped Archer. And I also loved Burnham telling Ash that he has to put in the work to get better. We need more of that message rather than "Next episode, everything's OK!" but hey, that's Trek for ya.

2/12/25 - Episode 112 - Will You Take My Hand? Finale time! Making Georgiou the (fake) captain certainly was a choice. Like good for the visuals/drama but not sure how needed it was to actually put her in charge and give her access to sensitive information. Like, this turns into a Badmiral episode pretty quick, Cornwell included. Jumping INTO Qo'nos is a cool scene. Everyone dressed as Civilians is a good look on all of them. Hey, Clint Howad! Also, maybe the horniest episode since Enterprise's Orion episode. Ash stays behind with L'Rell, which was probably the right choice. L'Rell's grasp on the Empire depending on not blowing up the planet fees a bit tenuous. But anyway, the ending is exciting with the Enterprise showing up, huh? It was a long wait until season 2 started. Thankfully, it won't be this time.

----

Final Thoughts on S1:

Overall, even though most people think season 1 of Discovery is the worst, I still loved it. And I agree with so many things that a lot of people hate about it, it's true. There's some real cheesy and cringey dialog. They pile too much on Burnham, even though Sonequa Martin-Green does an amazing job with all of the things they give her. Even knowing all the main Bridge Crew's names and a little bit about them, they're mostly just familiar faces and not real characters. There's a lot of speechifying, technobabble and coincidence, even for Star Trek. I hate the Klingon redesign and there's not really a good way to explain it away, since EVERY Klingon we see has that design. Tyler/Burnham feels like a speedrun of a relationship. And SO MUCH happens in one season, there's not a lot of time to catch our breaths from one episode to the next, with just a couple of exceptions and the time-loop Mudd episode is the only outstanding one of those. And yes the technology is way too advanced considering we know TOS is coming.

AND YET… there's some fantastic characters anyway. Lorca might be the best example, everything about him really comes together and WORKS in the end, despite people (kinda rightfully) saying he's too dark and harsh for a Starfleet captain (turns out, for good reason.) Aside from the fact that she's a Redesign Klingon, L'Rell is also a great character, like a full-on brainwashed cult leader, but Chieffo really sells the character and brings so much to her, makes her believable in every emotion. Stamets and Culber are of course standouts as a couple, even if at this point Hugh is no more. The plot DOES clip along. They really were trying to do something different and the show always stands out for that, love it or hate it. Maybe they do go too dark here and there, try to get a bit too edgy, but the show really believes in the Star Trek ideals. Actions have consequences for the most part. It's also just absolutely visually stunning almost all of the time.

There's a lot to correct, and they definitely do some of that starting in season 2. Like, even if there are a lot of swings and misses, season 1 swung HARD, and some of the things really hit right.

[antimatterpod]

Anika and Liz put buckets on their head and infiltrate a Breen ship, pausing along the way to have a serious personal conversation. We’re discussing the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Discovery (WE ARE NOT READY), “Lagrange Point”! Including…

What sort of ending do we want for Moll? 

We already have a crush on Primarch Tahal

Michael and Book parallel Michael and Ash in “Into the Forest I Go” – is infiltrating an enemy ship a date? 

We are briefly interrupted by an appearance from Anika’s cat’s butt

Paul and Hugh have been sidestepping drama all season and it’s great? 

Saru: relationship role model

We’re not NOT shipping Rayner/Tilly