Star Trek Strange New Worlds (Season 2)

[CharlesPhipps]

I didn't list bad shows.

I listed FUNNY shows.

There's no Spock's Brain on that list. I love Lower Decks.

[stryke]

Brilliant, brilliant episode. I had high hopes as I like both shows, but they went and exceeded them. Just amazing stuff. Even more so as I have found this season a bit subpar compared to s1 so far. The Kirk time travel adventure was decent, and some of Charades was amusing, but the rest was not exactly wowing me. Clearly they saved all the effort for this one and it paid off, and how.

[m4a2000]

Well that was a hard turn into 'war makes everything horrible'. I mean, good episodes, but holy crud!

M'Benga... I am not sure what to think of him. I think he might be the first main cast doctor to truly break his oath.

[CharlesPhipps]

My take on the end is that Pike’s own argument defeated itself. M’Benga, to me, was flat out confessing to Pike without precisely saying the words and Pike knew it. However, Pike’s argument is that a murderer going free if he does good things is superior to a murderer being punished.

So, what the hell is his argument for arresting M’Benga then?

M’Benga as a doctor who has saved countless lives and will save countless more. Arresting him would only stop him from doing so.

So Pike had no choice but to leave in order not to be a monstrous hypocrite.

(People are also complicated and Pike has his own feelings about “murderers who go free who do great good” with the “Ones who Walk away from Omelas” episode that I’m blanking on the name right now. The “what if I told you he murdered children” was where Pike decided to let it go even if he didn’t want to investigate anyway)

[stryke]

Well that was bloody bleak. Not saying it wasn't also good, but dang very, very bleak. The repeated use of 'incoming transport' was really effective.

M'Benga... I am not sure what to think of him. I think he might be the first main cast doctor to truly break his oath.

I'd make a case for Bashir. Well, unless mirror universe killing of a changeling and klingon lobotomies don't count.

[CharlesPhipps]

Weirdly, a thing that occurred to me in this episode is this is possibly the ONE time I would ever think using Section 31 would be justified since DS9. I would have loved to have it reveal that Dak’Rah was manufactured by a Operation: Paperclip except the idea wasn’t science but DIPLOMACY.

“Starfleet Intelligence grabbed me, lied about my involvement in the massacre, gave me a fake honor and had me going around various planets where I told about how corrupt as well as awful the Klingon Empire was. It’s been incredibly effective and we’ve caused many races to join the Federation or settle the feuds the Klingons have been promoting for their own interests.”

I would 1000% prefer THAT Section 31 to the one that does horrific war crimes like experimenting on Changelings.

[Frustration]

But that's not the Section 31 the showrunners want to have. They actively desire Star Trek to betray the ideals it was established to portray, and so there has to be a "Section 31" that commits atrocities.

[m4a2000]

I'd make a case for Bashir.

Are you referring to when he and O'Brien went into Sloan's head?

[stryke]

Are you referring to when he and O'Brien went into Sloan's head?

More the two examples I mentioned so exploding mirror Odo and lobotomising Worf's brother.

[m4a2000]

Are you referring to when he and O'Brien went into Sloan's head?

More the two examples I mentioned so exploding mirror Odo and lobotomising Worf's brother.

I don't think those equate to what was implied with M'Benga. Just for clarification, at least to me, M'Benga attacked the ambassador and murdered him and Chapel covered for him.

Murdered, not kill. There is a difference.

Bashir killing someone to escape or him giving, for a lack of a better term, assisted suicide to someone by request of a loved one doesn't match just straight up murdering someone.