Phasers Set To Stun: Starfleet Academy S1. E9 - 300th Night

0:01 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.

0:43 In this ongoing series from a film by podcast, we continue to show our love for every quadrant of the expanding Star Trek universe by covering television, animation, movies, directors, merchandise, and much more plot in the course, as always as your core Trek crew. I'm Scott Hoffman, I'm David Byurns. I'm Wayne Whited. And in this episode, we're continuing our coverage of Starfleet Academy by looking at the next to last episode of the season, three hundredth night. This sen's written by Kirsten Breyer and Kenneth Lynn, and in the director's chair is one of our favorites, Jonathan Frakes. Right, since it's so new, we're calling for a red alert on spoilers. If you haven't seen the latest episode, please go and watch and come back to join us later. All right, let's break it down, Wayne I wanted to give us a summary of what this latest episode is all about.

1:32 As the Cadets celebrate the end of the year, Caleb struggles with frustration over his missing mother until he discovers old messages revealing she is hiding on the planet u Kek. Ignoring orders, he and Sam steal a shuttle to find her, and after a difficult journey, they reunite, but Caleb chooses to stay with her rather than return to Starfleet. Meanwhile, the Veneri Row deploy stolen Omega minds capable of destroying warp travel, and when they'refore arrive on you, Caleb and his mother are forced to fight alongside the Cadets until the USS Athena rescues them, escaping with heavy damage and sacrificing its saucer section. The Athena discovers the Federation has been surrounded by Omega mines, leaving it as the only Starfleet ship outside the barrier.

2:19 I mean, Anisha is a very dedicated mom. I can definitely relate to reaching out to your kid several times and getting an answer to emails, but I also kind of feel like it's it's interesting that Sam gives him that breakthrough where he's able to find like the decryption code to be able to answer all those emails, but like how many years of. How many years of messages? Right? Like, oh, my goodness, right, you have to bold things. That's yeah, exactly. I was happy to see uh Tachiana Maslani come back. And that was the thing that I had seen last week when I had seen, oh there's a spoiler, because I knew that it would involve his his mother popping up again. What are your thoughts on seeing her back to start us off?

3:12 I mean, we knew she was coming back. She had to know, because that's that's Caleb has been wholess quest is to find her. You knew they had to do it this season, and it was either going to be this episode was going to be the finale, so clearly it made sense for this one it to happen at I find it interesting though, that all the shenny inigans that Caleb has pulled off by stealing the Shdow and leaving, actually I think has kind of saved Starfleet because it pulled the Athena out of that box. So I think, and you know, they maybe be able to be mad at Caleb, but and the on the flip side of that, you're like, oh, witnte, Caleb kind of saved this, so maybe not. Right, which is kind of an interesting flip, like if they, you know, if there's going to be a second season, it's not going to be formally known as Starfley to Kut, so I imagine they'll figure it out. But he's in kind of an interesting pickle because he finally, you know, reunites with his mom, but he's afraid to reveal that he's aligned with Starfleet. And I'm glad that this is the next to last that we're not left with this as the cliffhanger, because I understand there's dramatic tension for her to be like, I want nothing to do with Starfleet.

4:26 There's a reason I've been outside of Starfleet this entire time, and now my son is aligned with Starfleet and being raised by the lady who separated us. How devastating was that her to find out that he was part of Starfleet? For one, but the whole sequence when Nala comes walking in and they make eye contact was just like, damn you could you could cut the tension in that room with a knife. And there's nowhere to go like they're trapped outside of everybody else. So it's like, yeah, so how you been it was? I think it was a great I think Tatiana did a great acting performance in this one. A lot of range and you know, her reactions and you know, reuniting with Caleb. I liked the scene where they're all being kind of held in the square for kind of group interrogation or something, and she decides to help the kids.

5:26 She decides to step up and you know, be the one that kind of starts to save them. Anyway, even there, they're ultimately saved by the Athena, but I like seeing that turn. I kind of had a feeling at one point that they might make her completely leaned into the the role like the bad guy organization. But I'm glad they didn't go there. I'm glad they kept her as somebody who's independent. Yeah I am too. So so you go out, both of you. I'm going to throw the out right this question right here. So you guys both liked this episode. Yeah, okay, I would say I did.

6:07 I think it's interesting, Like I saw some of our producer's earlier comments that he was born into tears by the first half. Well, no, there's there. Well, I understand what he's talking about, but because there's a lot to like in this episode, there really is, but I just can't. I'm torn between whether I like it or not. I can't make that decision yet, only because I feel like there was so much story crammed in here, you know. It's it feels like that like the writers really went like, oh damn, we only have two more episodes left. We got to get move on here with the story, and I just there's there was so much going on and this I really wish that they could have had like three episodes maybe to to let this like flesh out and breathe a little bit. But you know, instead we got an episode, in my opinion, felt a little bit, a little bit rushed and a little bit difficult to take in, which I guess that's why it makes me so frush trade with this episode. But I'm going to wait and reserve judgment until next episode because I really want to see how this story is going to flesh out, you know, in the end, see how they they resolve this two parter.

7:13 I want to know how they're going I want to I'm hoping that it makes more sense, But I just I really had trouble watching this episode, but there are a lot here that I do like, So I don't know, I really am torn whether I like it or not. This is this is what happens when you waste an episode like they did a few weeks. Yes, yes, I agree, I agree. I think that we should not have made that one episode and taken this and expanded it to three, because there's a lot they could have done with these two with the two main storylines going on here, because we all knew that he was going to find his mother and we were all looking forward to that part because you know, obviously that's where the story's been gone, and it's just like you know, boom, here it is. You know, we could have used an entire episode just with that story, right.

8:01 So is that how you would What I was about to ask you is how would you split this episode? Like? Would you have it be something where it's totally focused on the mirror reunion and then kind of running out and then the other half would be focused on Brucca's plot. Yeah, well, I would have made this a three parter with part one centering around the the you know, finding his mother and not bringing in the whole omaga and the wall that was created until maybe part two. Yeah, yeah, I think that one of the things that just seemed strange to me. And I know that they're basically, I assume, using the Omega to create a sphere around Federation space.

8:46 It just sounds like a lot of work. Well, if you knew what the omaga is, you would understand how you know why it's doing. It's not something you know. It's not like they have to put like a million minds out there. It's incredibly powerful. I'll get into that a little bit later at the Easter Eggs, but it's not a new concept to Star Trek. Okay, all right, it's good to know. What do we think about the I guess one of the things that I had a little bit of a struggle with, even though it worked out, and I understand why ultimately everybody was on the shuttle at first when it was just Caleb and Sam. I liked that duo kind of getting trapped, getting swept into it. I could even see Genesis possibly becoming an accidental third but it kind of bothered me when Raymie stumbled in basically drunk accidentally into the shuttle that felt a little too convenient, But.

9:46 Was I the only one? No, I kind of agree with that. It's a pity that, you know, the fact that they crammed so much into this episode, some of the characters really had very little to do or barely appears in like a scene or two. I think that was one of one of the faults of this episode. But yeah, yeah, I agree his his story. He just seemed like he was kind of, you know, squeezed in there just because they wanted him there rather than an actual purpose. What were some some favorite moments that stood up for this one? So it was it was the scene when Remy was Ramy was talking about Jayden and remember we had that ceremony between Jayden and all the group, uh basically you know, calling them the brothers and stuff like that, and Caleb got up and walked.

10:35 Away kind of thing. I love it when Remy lost his temper uh to Caleb because you know, he basically said it was just a ritual and Rami at the you know, as loud as he could saying not to him. Talking about Jaden. I love the fact that Remy is now like protecting Jaden. Remember they started this series off, you know, basically being a bully. You know, Ramy was a bully to Jayden. Now you know they it's a protected friendship. So I like that scene there just to show the mere of fact of how their relationship has grown strong. But for the metre of fact to him. That the whole sequence really when Caleb was basically giving that, you know, I'm letting you guys go, and I'm want to tell you what I think you want to hear, just I piss you off and make you go away so that I can feel good about myself to go with my mom kind of that scene. So I like that whole sequence there, even though it really pissed me off what Kayla was doing.

11:30 But in the end he did come back and so did his mom. So yeah, Wayne, what about you? Yeah? No, I do agree with David. I like that scene, the whole ritual and the way they were arguing. But I also liked the scene between Remy and Sam when she helps him discover the messages I got. First of all, I like the fact that she pops right into the rooms. It reminds me of a conversation we had during Discovery about the way they're transporting back and forth in the rooms and how we can figure out why the hell they're doing this. But that that just that made me laugh. But I like that scene because I like these little intimate scenes between between the you know, one or two characters, and it's it was just it's just it was just such a Sam moment. I like that and I love her character.

12:17 Yeah, yeah, I think Sam did a great job in this. I like seeing where her character is going. I just hope with the emergence of Sam two point zero, we don't lose Sam one point Oh. You knows the enthusiasm, you know, not that it has to hang around all the time, but just I don't know. I'll be interested to see where her character is going. She has that distance that's starting to be created between her and Genesis, and I understand she has to find herself a little bit more, but I hope it doesn't turn into isolation. You can already see that that she's fighting herself in this episode. You've been brought this up last episode that you were wondering when that was going to take place, but they they didn't wait long to start making that happen, so you already see it, and I agree with you.

13:06 I hope she doesn't take over one point zho because that was just pure joy to watch her. And now I see her as this teenager who's struggling with herself finding herself, you know, and she's losing what we love about her, and I hope that doesn't happen, but only time will tell. Yeah, well it might also be interesting, like you know, thinking of this, and Dave, you started off this whole series by comparing this to Hogwarts. Yeah, when you're talking. About that, it's making me think about the fact that this is the end of the first year. In the second season, there's going to be a new freshman class yep, technically right, So now you've got the opportunity for Sam to have somebody do what Tillie had done for Sam.

13:56 Like I could see the possibility of a new freshman coming in and Sam needing that one point zero brightness and enthusiasm to come through for somebody else as kind of a mentor role. So hopeful, hopefully that kind of brings it back. You know, you brought up something I never really considered, in the fact that you know they will be moving year per year kind of like uh, like Harry Potter did and that could mean that, you know, introduction of new characters along the line within within the seasons, new ones that could start interacting. I'm not talking about main cast members, but it also means that we could also see some of these characters that we're familiar with leave as well and be replaced by some of these, uh, these newer characters. So you know, it kind of gives a new, uh new light on on what can happen in the future for the series.

14:45 Yep. And I think they have that formula for bringing in fresh blood like Strange New Worlds does and in surprising ways, so I'll be interested to see where that goes. One of my favorite moments was when Cayleb talks to Tarima in the hallway. I thought it was an interesting moment of catching a bitazoid off guard where she couldn't really read someone that she should be able to read more than anybody else because of being so close to him, despite the inhibitor, but his I think their dialogue when he was basically saying goodbye to her, I thought there was some great acting performances between the pair, her just having that moment of like, this is what I have wanted to hear from you. This is him really being genuine, This is him really kind of reaching out to her.

15:40 And she's like, but I can kind of understand, you know what's happening that you're basically saying goodbye. You're being genuine. With me, but I don't know what that means, Like you're leaving the Academy, you're leaving the ship, you're stepping out for a summer sabbatical, whatever might be happening. But that was an interesting that. Well, let me I also want to throw this out because this is this is absolutely bonkers. Okay, but just what I got to tell you this because it popped up in my head when I was watching this And this is some crazy speculation. But you know, for practically every episode we've had of Starfleet Academy, we've been hearing about this. How would you put troublesome Telaxian fur fly that keeps being called up by the Digital Dean? You know, this time it's gone missing and it's entered the Science Lab replicator. What if that plays a factor in the solution of everything? You know we've been seeing this mentioned, It's mentioned in every freaking episode. What if if I'd be really disappointed if that doesn't come somehow come into the storyline and and makes you know, even if it's just a little thing that makes them you know, hey, you know we can use this or whatever, but I don't.

16:56 I don't know why. Like I said, that's crazy. So then in the upcoming season of short Tracks, they need to have some kind of collaboration with DreamWorks or Pixar or something like that. And then you've got a Bugs Life starring the fur Fly and the Warp Slug. Yeah, I do. I do. Like the Digital Dean talking about going into the closet. I thought that was hysterical. Yeah, Stephen Colbert is doing a great job as the Digital Dean. I'm glad that's like a recurring character. Yeah. Well, of all the crew members, which one do you think shine the most way? Let's start with you before we go to that hold on, hold on, I guess i'd want to mention you know, one thing that they do not want to take as a detractor from this episode is I thought it was directed extremely well with Jonathan Freaks.

17:44 Oh yes, the scene where Caleb. Is looking for his mom on the planet, and like you get a lot of the steady cam like moving around, turning at different angles and stuff like that. Adding to that that dimension of he's looking around to give you that vibe, that feeling is an audience that you're there with him. But on top of that, and again every week we talk about the amazing score that we get. Once again, there are so many pieces in this episode that are done extremely well. I love the fact that we get when he's on that planet looking for his mom, that we get like that Arabian style of music. Did you recognize that? Yeah? I thought that was brilliant.

18:26 Yeah. Russell's been doing a fantastic job with the score of this and I'm glad you brought up because I didn't even think about it. But I can understand why they give this episode too to freaks. It definitely reeks of his style, and he does have a directing style that you see it in first contexts on Insurrection and I definitely see it here. And he is excellent, absolutely excellent. I wonder if he'll come back for the next episode. Because I I don't think so. Now. They just he just mentioned and a lot of people are taking this out of context. He said that he has directed his his last Star Trek episode. They forget to add the part to date because he I guess he didn't direct any during the season two. I think he could work out his schedule. But if they go into season three, I'm sure he'll be back, he said he would.

19:14 Interesting. Okay, well I hope not. I know that he has to slow down at some point, but yeah, no. He doesn't anything else we wanted to highlight. All right, Wayne wanted to talk to us about which crew member you think shy the most. All right, well, I think this is pretty obvious. It's like, there's so much happening in this episode, like I said before, and most of the characters really didn't get too much to do. But uh, you know this is this is Caleb's episode. We knew this was going to happen. We knew that he was always going to be reunited with his mother, which is you know, I got to give it a shout out to I know he's pronounced her name wrong.

19:56 Teddy and a touch Ada Maslotti. Thank you very because she she's a fantastic actress. I think I'm probably the only person in the world that liked she Hulk. But did you thank you? Thank you? She's fantastic actress Star Trek is blessed to have her on the show, and she did a great job, and the combination of the two of them together was it was fantastic. And that's why I'm given the shine to both of them, because it really was the emotional highlight for the episode, the moment we've been waiting for, and a really powerful performance from the both of them. Dave, what about you? Yeah, I mean, I'm gonna agree with with Wayne on this one. It's obviously Caleb's episode, and I already talked about I thought the standout moment with when he's, you know, deliberately pushing his friends away. I thought there was there's a lot of good content right there, and it was just one of those moments where you know, he didn't mean anything that he said, He just had to say it so that he could get them to run away.

20:56 It's kind of like those movies where you know you've got a wild animal and you've got to let it go and you just basically berat it with language to get it away from you because you know you've got it, set it free. You know, it's the same scenario here, and I just thought he did such a fantastic job with that. I like this scene too where he goes into the office because he wants to say something too novel, but then he turns around and leaves. Remember, yeah, he doesn't explain himself of what he needs and what he's going about to do. That he had gotten contact with his mom because she had a lot on her plate at the time, and he recognized that. So you know, he had to leave and basically do everything on his own, which we thought would be on his own until his friends came to his rescue. So yeah, definitely Caleb episode.

21:38 There's no doubtbout it, and he was starting. There was elements throughout the episode that some of the other characters had some strong moments, but Caleb is clearly the winner. I agree with you too completely. I'll just start there, but one of the standout crew members to me was Admiral Vans when he has don't bullshit a bullshitter moment. You know, we've had some. Moments with admirals in the past don't get just started, but you know, it's one of those moments where he could have doubled down and said, you know, if they're gonna go rogue, they're gonna go rogue and we can't risk the academy and everything else. He's like, I'm not even gonna waste my time. I know that you're going to try everything that you can, and I'm essentially going to officially say that I'm allowing you to go right to the edge, right to the brink, and reach out with colms as much as you can, but just know that if you go beyond that, there's nothing I can do to help you. There's no like threat, there's nothing where he's saying, if you cross that line, kiss your career goodbye. And Holly Hunter had this great you know delivery where she's like, you know, thank you for being such a good friend. Like they have that connection and that moment that is a turn from what we've seen from a lot of admirals. But I like their friendship, I like their stance. I like his trust and he

23:09 knows that she has a responsibility to these kids that is so parental that he's like, I can't override that, so you do what you have to do, Please be careful, but know that you can't have any backup. So that that was a standout moment for me well as far as who you would want to be. I'm imagining not one of the kids in the square that's getting punched repeatedly for Remy. Yeah, way, let's start with you. Who would you want to be in this episode? This is hard because you know, I don't really want to be anybody except for maybe Advance because he's not really there. But I'm gonna I'm gonna choose Caleb this time because you know, he finally, with a little help from Sam, found the missing link that he was able to track down his mother, which was the whole point of his character up at this point. You know, I don't envy him some of the choices that he had to make, you know, just having to decide between his mother and his friends and cadets fellow cadets snary thing.

24:07 But you know, he made the choice. We'll just have to wait till next episode and see if it was the right one. But I chose him, Dave, what about you. I'm pulling the same card up a few weeks ago because this bastard Advance comparently could be wherever he's at, safe and sound, and he could just pop in and out whenever he wants to be with no harm. So I mean where is this guy? I mean, are you kidding me? Ye? I'm gonna borrow that card next time. I don't know why I didn't do it this time. Like what the hell? It's ridiculous, is what it is. It's almost to a point where it's becoming humorous because yeah, somebody and the crew needs to point Oh dude, you need to come about and help us out here instead of just pop it in and out.

24:49 Where the hell are you? I'm picturing the next episode, Dave. He's going to show up into Lebowski robe just like man like, right, are you good? Maybe they're is no Adboro Vans. Maybe he's an EMH because the real Aborrow Vans died. Or he's going to be in the next moment. I don't know. I mean never know. For me, I'm going with jet Reno again. Taking Nataro did another great job and it seemed like she was having even though it was a pretty stressful situation, had a lot of fun at the helm, had some great lines. She's one of my favorite characters from this Discovery era.

25:33 I'll have to say, I'm glad that they introduced this character and that this character continues to stay with us. So I'd go with jet good cool. Yeah, all right, I think we have some Voyager easter eggs, right, wait. A few, Yeah, there are definitely a few here. Of course, the big easter egg in this episode is obviously the Omega particle, and let me go into that one. In the Search Voyager episode the Omega Directive, it's revealed that Omaga is a highly unstable particle and one of the most destructive elements known to exist. The Starfleet has a directive that only those of the rank of captain or above have any knowledge of this particle, and should they come across it, it has to be destroyed because of its ability to disrupt subspace and render warp travel impossible.

26:28 That directive stands above all others, including the Prime directive. You can you can disobey the Prime directive. In order to destroy Omaga, Captain Janeway and the Voyager came across the civilization that had produced up to two hundred million of the Omaoga particles, but were killed off by their experiments. So Voyger was able to neutralize these particles before they could do any more damage. And the graphics that we see in this episode of Omaga is exactly the same as the graphics in that Voyager episode, I got to omit a good good call for the design. They really know their stuff here, all right. And also another thing is it's no surprise that this episode's writer, Christen Bayer would write this episode that features the Omaga particle, because back in twenty twelve, she'd wrote a Star Trek Voyager novel called The Eternal Tide, which revealed that Omaga is a fragment of the Omaga Force, which is a force that caused the Big Bang and created the universe. It's because of this that it's revealed that that Omaga could be synthesized and re re created, leading to the Omaga forty seven that we get in this episode. You know, let me say that The Eternal Tide is a really good novel and I'm hoped to be reviewing that soon.

27:41 I have to pick up a copy of it. I've lost my copy of quite a few years ago. But it's a really really good one. Now there's another thing. I'm not sure if you guys caught this, but that klingon bonding, right, What is a rouste that Jaden and the Cadets performed. We've seen that once before in the Star Trek the Niction Ration episode, the bonding Lieutenant Warf performs it with the young boy named Jeremy Astor after his mother had been killed on away mission. See what else do I got? Oh? Yeah, Captain Aki mentions that she's going to have the Athena Pola Kimal And that's a reference to what Captain Burnham and Captain Reiner did with their starships in the atmosphere the planet Camal in the Star Trek Discovery fifth season episode read directive. We reviewed that last year or so.

28:28 Check that one out. The iceolinic burst weapon that the vender Raw used is very similar to what the Sona used against the Enterprise and Star Trek insurrection. And this is not an Easter egg, but I'm going to mention it once again. Someone needs to tell Starfleet that calling all their ships back into one area is really, really bad idea. Come on, guys, you remember Star Trek Bicards season three, Remember Wolf three five nine? It never ends well? Right and advertising it maybe, yes, keep it on the download. Not that it's easy to hide an armada. But this is the same group who puts all their trusts in a droid. Yeah, I'm i keep bringing that one up too. Yeah, yeah, you know what I do have to say before we go any further. The ending to this episode, the cliffhanger I thought was incredible where they're you know, she's calling out for a may Day, and it to me, it really resonated as like aliens.

29:29 I don't know, I don't know why, but I just got that vibe on how you know when Ripley puts out that call, I got that vibe in this episode. I just thought that was really really well done and you just see that like they are literally by themselves now and they are the only hope for Starfleet at this time. Yeah, when I thought it was a great way to end it, where it fades the black and you still hear that may Day being called out. Yes, yeah, It's also interesting that when that was happening, all I could hear was India golf nine or nine er aboard their children on board for the Incredibles. But yeah, I'll be interested to see where they go with it and what kind of cliffhanger were left with.

30:15 I don't know. Much about Omega other than what's been told here and what Weighing shared with us. But. I'm imagining that the damage that's done is maybe not impossible to repair, but probably pretty difficult. Like it's not a matter like have they set these things off and now it's the damage is done or is it just the threat that those are all there? I believe it's the threat because they had mentioned that if she brought the Athena through that line, it would set them off, and it is. It would be devastating. I mean, like I mentioned, this is the particles that caused the Big Bang. You know, this would be extremely devastating, not just to to to the Federation, but to the galaxy.

31:03 We're talking you know, this is we're talking about a galaxy wide threat, which Star Trek does you know pretty well, especially in recent years, so you know, the sticks are very high. For this next episode, I'm looking forward to hearing Bracca's for somebody to get him monologue, for him to talk about, like you know, why he's doing it and what his mustache twilling agenda is with them. But I will have to see. I think it's brilliant though he's not in this episode at all, but he's still present. Oh yeah, yeah, threats to there from it? So well done. How they did that? Yeah, it's it's a great villain. We've said that from the beginning, so I hope that, hope that obviously continues.

31:47 All right, Well, I think that wraps up for us. One more to Go, doesn't. Next week we've got Rubicon. I'm looking forward to it. They gave a bit of a blurb for it. It's very vague, but oh go ahead. I had a dig for this one too. It wasn't exactly out there, but says in the season finale, the return of an old enemy force is knowledge to confront her own mistakes as the cadets and instructors undertake a seemingly impossible mission to save the Federation while defining the future of Star Feet. So there you go. Interesting. Yeah, could they possibly sneak in through the transworp conduit wormhole whatever they used to get there.

32:28 In the first place? Well, yeah, you know, that is a thought too. And I also want to bring up Discovery doesn't use that type of warp drive too, They just pop in and out as well. They could use that, right, yeah, Well, as Nala found out, there are design flaws. Yeah right, exactly one or two? Yeah, one or two? But all right, well, thank you both. As always it's always a pleasure. I appreciate it. That's for great fun. We'll be back next week to talk about that last episode of the se and listeners, we hope you come back with us. Hailing frequencies are always open for you to share your thoughts on and questions on Facebook, Instagram, and your favorite social platforms. Find us online at a film by podcast dot com for our articles and episodes stream for free. Make sure to watch for us on YouTube and emails at a film by Podcast at gmail dot com. If you're looking for more exclusive content and swag, send some latinum our way through our Patreon and we'll see you next time for another episode of Phasers said to Stunt.

33:29 Thanks everybody,