Phasers Set To Stun: recapping Discovery: Erigah

0:04 Space the final Frontier. Join us for a bold conversation, our prime directive to recap our favorite Star Trek shows, both new and old, to engage and debate about all things Trek. Prepare to energize with Phasers Set to Stunt. Hello everyone, and welcome back to Phasers Set to Stunt, where we continue to show our love for everything Star Trek in this ongoing series from a film by a podcast which focuses on every quadrant of the expanding universe of Trek by covering television, animation, movies, directors and more. Plotted the chorus as always into your core Trek crew. I'm Skyt Hoffmann, I'm David Burns, and I'm Wayne Whiten, and we're continuing the coverage of the newest boy in the franchise with Star Trek Discovery Season five, the final season. Today we're covering episode seven, Araga. But before we get too much further, as always black Alert, there's spoilers ahead, so if you haven't seen the latest episodes, please stop, go see them and come back to join us.

1:18 So, without further ado, Dave, can you reminder our viewers what happened in this last episode? I sure can as you said, it's episode seven Arago, written by m Raven Metzner and directed by John Dudikowski. Mole and Lock have been captured by the Federation in our beamed on board the Discovery, where it has learned that Locke is badly injured and it's fading fast. But to make matters worse, the Brain are on the way, demanding fugitives be turned over to them, knowing they can't turn them over because of their knowledge of what they are seeking. A solution must be made, and that includes making a stand against the breen Burnaman Crue worked fiercely to find an answer from not only Mole and Locke, but also the next piece of the puzzle and to save the Federation from certain destruction. Yeah. This, I'm sure we all agree. This was another great episode. Yeah, absolutely, going in such a good direction, and this was I think it's what we've been wanting. Even though you know, following the Progenitor quest has been really exciting, it's it's interesting to take a kind of a pause in that and get a little bit more info on Molon Blocke's relationship and to spend a little bit more time with them. I think one of the one of the greatest things about this season in this episode, really it shines in is the relationship between mol and Locke. I really love their their their romance, their love for one another, and it really really shines in this episode, especially later on

2:49 in it. You know, when when Locke and Mall are standing there and you know, I think it was the doctor who was standing there trying to understand, uh, their relationship. We're not really a relationship, but you know, trying to say that he understands what Locke was, you know, coming from, and I mean Locke was basically, no, you don't know any of that. She does. She loves me for who I am, our differences, you know, something along those lines. But it was just written so well. And when he said that, damn man, this is a really good relationship we're seeing in this season. Yeah, it loves me for the difference, is not despite them. Yeah, yeah, that's it. Yeah. Yeah, you know, we finally we've had three stories that we've followed this season. Here finally in this episode they've all come together, and you know it, it actually works this as you said, this episode, we needed it, you know. Plus we get the the actual Breen entering the picture finally, you know that, you know, it's much different from their presence like eight hundred years back from Deep Space nine they were.

3:52 They're very formidable in this episode there right now, you know Starflee doesn't stand a chance against them. I'm interested in that. I mean, it had me glued to the screen the entire episode. Would you see the size of that ship? Yeah, that Dreadnought is crazy. Yeah, yeah, no, it really does. It did a great job of reinforcing the threat of the breed. When they were working with the Dominion, it was almost like they were a little bit more like soldiers, Like they didn't get a lot of their infrastructure, we didn't get a lot of their their culture. It's it's very interesting, like there are aspects of the remind me of Cleanon culture, their aspects that remind me of Romulin culture. But so it definitely positions them as a formidable adversary, not just for the size of their ship, the size of their army, but their their approach to what could have been a diplomatic situation. But they were just absolute in their demands. Yeah, and I really I really got the vibes like when we first were introduced to the board in the Next Generation. I mean, I know this isn't bring first introduction to us, but I really got those really those vibes in this episode from them where you're just like, man, we are at the edge, like this is doom. You know how they get how's the Federation when you get out of this? You know, I had all of those vibes going on in this episode. Yeah, and you're right, Scott. I mean, you know, back in Deep Space nine when we saw them, they were being used simply as foot soldiers, and here now we're actually seeing

5:26 them as a direct threat to the Federation. You know, I'm not sure how they managed to survive and flourish during you know, after the burn, when when the Federation and all the other races seem to be decimated, but the fact that they haven't stepped foot in that part of the galaxy and that part of the Federation could be a reason for it. But I like the fact that we're now exploring this race that we've heard about for decades. We're finally seeing and learning more about them, you know, And you know, this is another episode that Rainer gets to shine. Oh yeah, you know, so many episodes in a row. Now we have seen his character just grow and grow and grow. We keep talking about it. But he gives Burnham the answer of what she needs to do to get them out of this situation. Didn't realize it, and she uses that, you know, to use the primark and all them against each other, you know, And it was brilliant. It really wasn't how she got out of that. I mean, granted, it's a big mess at the end that it turned into thanks to mold, but you know, still, I thought that was really cool on how they made Rayner give the answer and not realize it. And we got more background on him, you know, yeah, we did. You know, he has a pass with the brain, he lost his family.

6:41 It just for a character that was just introduced his season. He's getting a lot of doubts he is too, and I'm glad. I really like his character, you know. And at first he was rubbing me the wrong way and and he it was meant to be like that. He even did that with Burnham, you know, and then Burnham again in this episode had to like back him down a little bit. But you can tell they respect one another. It's not at that level that we get with riker in a card. But you can still see that respect for one another right there, even though there's that rubbing the wrong way sometimes, you know, yeah, yeah, And he's definitely true to his word, right He's not going to change who he is. He's respectful of Burnham's command, he's respectful of Admiral of Vance and of everybody else in the room. But he's definitely going to make his opinion heard. And given his history of the brain, I think he has every right to when they use his background as his info to try to negotiate their way out of that brain situation that I wouldn't want to play poker with anybody in that room because they had to have ice in their veins to get through that. Like at first, they called them on it and they were like, you know, a little kid wouldn't buy this ploy that you're trying, and they went they doubled down and went deeper and deeper into it, and ultimately it worked. But man, that was a tense situation.

8:07 Another thing that I really loved that they did here is when the brain appeared right away, you know, on the star base there. I love how the primemark refused to talk in English. You know, he had his translator do it for him. He eventually would, and I think he even made the comment, you know, I'm going to speak in your tongue just so that you understand me or whatever it was. But I love at first you could tell he's got He's at that where I'm above you and I'm not going to speak in your tongue because I feel that's very disrespectful to me, you know, It's what it felt like he was he was giving those vibes. I thought that was really well done. Yeah, and I love the sound design of their speech patterns. Oh yeah, whether they're speaking in their native language. Yeah, it's just so cool and so we're fine is so much better than what we've heard before. Ye yeah, yeah. I love the negotiation scenes that they had between bring And and Terina. You know, you're right, you know, it's like she was she was cool, but she's a vulcan, you know. It's I think Tera Rostling plays uh Terina wonderfully.

9:11 I haven't really talked too much about her so far, but I think she's doing a fantastic job. It's nice seeing seeing more of her in this episode. Plus we got to see a lot more of jet Reno again and that's I always love seeing her. We've hardly seen her this season, and yeah, and we're learning, you know, I'm really curious about her background. Every time we see her, we learn a little bit more about her and the more I like her. Yep, yep, yeah, I think you know, we we always talk about the visual effects of this show. Man, they just impress you in every episode. That just keeps coming. You know, the Bring ship showing up and just how gigantic it was and just dwarfed over everything. But the beginning again, they they like to blow you out of the water with those really incredible shots. You know, we get that the opening shot of Locke and Mall that are in that it's not in a skate pod, it's a what is that thats like, I don't know if it's a shuttle. It was something in the records, but you know, they go from that and then they they move over to Discovery and all in like one shot and they go into the ships as they're walking and talking. Man. I just love how they do that stuff. Man, It's so cool. Yeah, and that coded special offer, I thought that was kind of a nice touch that that's SOS for courriers. Yeah, I think a fascinating development we got here was Locke's lineage and where he fits with their their's, you know, societal structure. It seems like he's well positioned

10:46 to if he's brought back from the dead, which I assume, I mean we called that a while ago as soon as they kind of mentioned the progenitors, I might be able to bring people back to life. I wonder if we'll use that right. It does make me curious to see if that's going to be you know, a possible turning point for the brain. If he's brought back and he takes the leadership of the breed, Yeah, he'd be willing to, you know, at least open talks. I don't think it's going to be you know, we're all friends. But I thought that was a very interesting development that he's somebody who has the keys to the to the kingdom basically, but doesn't want it right. Not everybody else wants it exactly right right. You know. Another thing that there's so many cool scenes in this episode. I love the fighting sequence that did when male was escaping.

11:35 I thought that was choreographed extremely well. So whoever the choreographing of this episode. They did an outstanding job in that fight sequence, even Colbart getting in there and you know, giving his punches and trying to stop her from escaping. But I think what really got me really like, whoa did that just happen? And you see it in Burnham's face too, when Male turns on them and actually goes with the Breen and you know, you know, they don't want you to find out what I know and what they're looking for, and she totally turns on them and uses everything to her advantage to not only against the Brain but against the Federation too. I just thought that was a really cool twist. I mean, you could see it in Berno's face, you son of a bitch. Yeah, yeah, you see it. It was very chest like, right, like all these pieces being moved in and getting to see her leverage their marriage as a way to not only save Locke possibly but wipe out is Erica at the same time. M hm, damn.

12:37 That was clever. It was. It seems like it's a very gun that's been just waiting to be used. But what's one of the situations that you think that's not gonna happen. They're not going to go that way? You know where they're going to. You know a character is going to team up with the brain and just go on. I mean, you see what she's doing. You really do. She's using to bring to her advantage, of course, but you don't really think they're going to go that route, and then when they do, you're like, well, damn they did, so Gond talk to the writers. Well done. As far as cast, it was great to see Commander None come back. She's always been a favorite character of Line. We've only seen her occasionally, but her introduction here.

13:20 We saw that in the preview clip as kind of the head of security in this situation, and like you said in that the choreography, seeing None in those fight scenes was was very refreshing. I thought that was very appropriate for that character. Well, let's move on to the section of this series where we usually talk about which character shine the most. Dave, what's your pick? I'm gonna go with the Moon again. Eve Harlow did an outstanding job in this role, but not only with her incredible fight quence sequence that we see where she escapes even though she doesn't really get too far, which we knew she wouldn't anyway, but we get to see how much she loves Locke and how deeply in love with Locke that she is, and how much she cares for him, and you know, you get the understanding of that character going forward, and you see going back of why she's doing what she's doing.

14:13 But her intelligence. You know, she not only can fight, but she's smart, and she uses that to her advantage. She doesn't care who she tricks. She doesn't care who she uses except Locke because she cares deeply for him and will protect him at all costs. But you know, when she sees that she's backed into a corner, she realizes what she needs to do. She plays the chess game and she decides with Brain to get out of that situation with the Federation and sees that that's her way out. How she gonna do it. I'm looking forward to seeing that. But man, I just thought she shine in this episode. Yeah, there's a lot that's it'll be very interesting to see. We've only got a couple episodes left to see exactly how they unravel all this stuff and then end the series. It'll be very interesting. Wayne. What about you, Well, I agree with you one hundred percent, David. I think as a single character. She she just shined over everybody else. But I'm going to give it to the Breen Race, actually the whole race itself, because you know, this episode has just been a fascinating look into a star trek race that has really been a mystery to us for many years. And you know, with every appearance they've made this season, I believe this is well other than Locke, we get to learn a little bit more about them each time. We know.

15:35 We now know about their command structure, we know about their relationships, their their sense of honor, the fact that it's the first visit to the Federation at eight hundred years. You know, I'm really enjoying that, the fact that the writers and producers chose this unexpected, you know, race from a long time ago to peer because this is a surprise. I when this before the season even started, I had no idea that this would be one of the main villains of the season. And I'm enjoying it. I'm really enjoying it. Yeah, Yeah, they're really using them to great effect. Yeah, good call on that, Wayne, that's good, good choice, good choice. Scott, what about you, Well, so it's interesting I kind of have something to common with both of your choices, Dave, because I found it very hard to choose between Mull and Locke. I must have rewritten this like two or three times and then I was like, it's one, it's the other. But Wayne, you know, I'm going to give it to our main Breen Locke. I think there was so much more significance and depth given to his character, not only his emotional investment with Mal, but his understanding of his role in the Breen Empire and his complete disdain for it.

16:52 And you know, there are things worse than death. He doesn't want to go back. He hates everything that he's forced into, not necessarily everything that he hates about his home world, probably in his culture, but where he is being kind of positioned and probably used in that that heartfelt, yes yet misguided plot to help Mall escape. Kind of unfortunate that he had to use the entire dose. I'm sure he couldn't just kind of pick and choose and make it not as bad, but he essentially ended his own life. It seems like his willingness to you know, self sacrifice for those that he loves, his temperament. It seems like, like I said before, he'd be well suited to leave the Breed into the future without necessarily compromising who they are if he has the chance or any kind of interest in doing so.

17:48 Yeah, No, it's it's a good a good choice, Scott. Those two characters are just so fantastic and written so well. I love them both, and it is if you went either way, you're it's a choice, all three. Everybody's got a good choice on this one, for sure. I think all three of us will agree that that the writers have done a fantastic job at creating an antigetus this season. We oh, yeah, they're they're the highlight. They're really the highlight of the season. We're we love watching them. And what's what's cool about you know, we've always know that a good villain you care about them, right, Yes, and yes, these these almost are they villains? Are they not villains? Because we see what they're doing, we see what they're trying to do. I know they're using things and doing things that they really shouldn't, But you feel for them, and that's what you should for a villain, because if you care for them, you're gonna care about the story. And that's where we're at.

18:37 Because of so many different layers. You know, it's they're not just you know, a one sided villains, you know, two dimensional characters. These are three dimensional, great creations by the writers, and that's why we we care about them, That's why we want to know more about them exactly. Yeah, So, of all the characters that we've seen in this episode, who would it have if you could be any one of these characters? Wayne, who would be? And why? Well, to be honest, I'm not sure i'd want to be anybody in this week's episode, right, They're all all in a really bad spot. I wouldn't want to be looking down the brains guns, you know. But I guess, I guess I'm gonna choose Reno just because I've liked your character and she just she has such an interesting background that we learn more and more about her, and you know, she's she's got so many great stories to tell, and you know, it's a pity that the series is coming to an end because I'd really like to see more and explore her character in some of this background, some of this knowledge she knows. You know, I'm hoping that once the series ends that you know, other writers will take her character, like in novels and comics and and expand her stories because we just, for me, we just don't have enough of her. Yeah. I think that makes me think I'd love to see her in Starfleet Academy. Yeah, oh yeah, kid, Betsy very happy. That would be fantastic. Seeing her as a teacher, Oh my god, that would be hysterical. Yes, I totally watched that,

20:12 Dave, what about you? Who's your pick? So before I give my answer, I do want to make one call out from a character in this episode, and that's Tilly. I want to call out her the fact that she was heading back to protect her students. Yeah yeah, and then you know she was stopped. Stems you know, says we need you, we need to figure this out. You know, he basically had to talk her into not leaving. But I just want to call her out for that because she was showing respect to her students and was going to go protect them and fight with them. I thought that was awesome of that character. But my answer, and it's kind of funny because it's going kind of where Wayne was talking about, I didn't want to be anybody that was in this episode. Technically he's not in it, but he's mentioned I want to be so rude because he is far far away from the fight, so nothing up as far as possible. Good choice about your buddy, hard choice, like on the one hand, like you said, as far away as possible. On the other hand, there's so many people that had so many important roles in this, so many dynamic roles. I'd go with Paul Stamens kind of unraveling that Betazoid mystery, having to look at it from different angles, work on with different experts on different parts of the team to try to figure out where they had to go. It seems like kind of a language based mystery, which I've always thought was interesting anytime they had the DC works where you'd have Kryptonian or Interlack that you'd have to translate for the Legion to Superheroes. Although you

21:45 were always fascinating, so despite the tension and the pressure of that situation, I'd be fascinated to be on that team and just to see where it goes. I do think it's a little slightly disappointing that it doesn't seem like we're going to go to Beta's. Here's a clue that it takes it a bit of that, but not quite You're just going to go to the giant traveling intergalactic bookmobile, Yeah, and try to find this one work that's hopefully not in the landfall. I mean, I guess we've we've been to Beta Z before, so you know, maybe they just figured we'd seen enough of it. Yep, exactly, I get. How about easter eggs, there were a few in this episode. Rayner mentions using thoron fields and duranium shadows to make Starfleet Headquarters look like it's more heavily armored. I laughed when he said that, because I recognized it right away. This is the same tactic that Commander Cisco used against the Kardashians and the Space nine's pilot episode Emissary when they were trying to Yeah, yeah, and Tilly states at the last time the brain where in Federation space was eight hundred years ago. That is a direct reference to the event when the Green attacked San Francisco during the Dominion War and the seventh season episode The Changing Face of Evil, which is right at the end of the season, really good episode if you want to want to catch that. I'm sure we'll be talking about that when we get to Deep Space nine. Oh yeah, and I look forward to the season two and then

23:18 the final The final big easter egg I noticed was at the end of the episode when Discovery warps off to the bad Lands. This is that area of space between Beijor and Cardassia which is known for its plasma storms. That's where the Marquis used to hide during between their attacks during Deep Space nine, and it's also where the USS Voyager was when they were pulled and flung off to the Delta Quadrant in their pilot episode Caretaker. Oh interesting, and we get to see it next season our next season, sorry, next episode. It was yeah, right, I know. Did you guys notice that this is like the second time they mentioned tribles this season. Yes, they must love the tribles in this season apparently. Yeah, they'll be in Starfleet Academy tribles to their teachers, and I would no, this will be a great a great place to kind of look at ties to those series. I kind of wonder if we're going to see some easter eggs in the bad Lands. I kind of doubt it. It's not like there's going to be you know, ships floating through, but they're they're making so many ties it'll be it'll be fascinating to see where that goes. It will be and I think we're see some interesting things in our next episode. Yeah, really called labyrinths. And look from the clip that I've seen, there's kind of a a librarian that

24:49 greets them and kind of walks them through it says, I just want to take you through this, this little introductory speech that we always do, and then they're kind of like, yeah, can we skip this? And sure we're not responsible for any destruction, dismemberment or death that if you don't listen to what it was. That was a fun clip. I actually liked this episode and and at first I thought the library and didn't she looked kling On. But I'm I'm making a guest here. I think she's Euphrosian. I think she said the same race that the Federation president was in Star Trek six on this covered country. The ridges on her forehead kind of matched what he did, plus the white hair, So I'm thinking, you know, I said, I think I was mistake. I don't think she's clinging. I think she's that good call off that is. I think it'll be very interesting to see there's first I mean, you know, it's probably I'm being a little too obvious here, but it gave me some doctor who vibes like from the the David Tennant. Oh yeah, specifically, I see that excelence in the library where it's like, you know, it should just be a place with a lot of books, but it's actually going to be very very perilous.

25:56 So but you but you do you think David Bowie is going to show up if Jennifer Connelly is in it? Well, thanks for joining us for another episode a Phasers sent to stun diving into Star Trek Discovery. Open a channel and talk to us if you have any thoughts, any predictions, any questions on social. As always, Dave Wayne, thanks for joining us again. Always a pleasure man, love it and as always, thank you to our listeners for joining us. Haling frequencies are always open for you to share your thoughts and questions on social. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and any social channels that you follow. Email us at a Film by Podcast at gmail dot com. You can find us online at a film by podcast dot com. And if you're looking for more exclusive content and swag, send some latinumar way through Patreon. We'll see you next time for another episode of PHAs said to stun