I’m guessing we’re going to be not sure who is who today. Spoilers.
This is an episode that has some fantastic parts, particularly the Ro/Picard show down. And that is, to be clear, easily enough to carry the whole episode. But the rest was just a little bit light, and it felt like there wasn’t much else here beyond a marginal step along in a couple of plots. Still, the return of Ro Laren after nearly 30 years for the long-delayed show down was all I really needed.
Maybe it’s just too much meta thinking, but it was clear to me that if it’s a changeling story we’re going to have ‘Starfleet is compromised at the top’. It almost goes without saying. So that ‘reveal’ wasn’t that important. Similarly, I’d also picked up that the Changelings were different this time, which pointed towards some new ‘avoid the sensors’ technology. But it was nice that there was at least a reference to some security system that existed.
So outside of Ro we get a nice sequence with Worf (with a slightly misplayed fakeout), and an advancement in the plot there. And Jack Crusher is the Bourne Candidate, with superpowers and strange visions. At least we’re not going down the path of ‘trying to hide it from everyone’.
My complaint really comes down to – we only get 10 episodes of this, there’s no time to waste in slightly padded stories that don’t do something interesting in terms of character.
Quick hits:
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That title makes me so nervous. Makes me think we’re about to be devastated somehow…
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Good dream sequence ambiguity there. Took me a while to be sure it wasn’t really happening yet.
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Hmm. Flashy red eyes and Vadik’s voice. Is Jack a changeling? The timeline would make sense, and we’ve never seen him any younger than his current appearance.
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Nice to hear that there is a security system around changelings. Feels like it’s a pretty easy to bypass system though – only touching on crew members coming aboard.
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OK, I did like Shaw’s ‘you are reinstated’ gesture. Lovely bit of writing the way he’s growing on me.
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Definitely seeing a rank up in paranoia here…
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Seems like Shaw has mostly only seen the movies…
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RO LAREN!!! OMG
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Glad that ‘last replicated form’ thing is turning out to be significant.
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Surely Picard would have heard something about Ro Laren being back in Starfleet before this?
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Manchurian Candidate Jack Crusher is up and running… If he doesn’t talk to someone soon I will be very frustrated.
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Arduous rehabilitation program sounds an awful lot like reprogramming…
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Gotta love a Vulcan gangster with IDIC bling necklace.
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NO, WORF!!!
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I really feel that Worf jumped to ‘good day to die’ way too soon. It’s also just a little underplayed in terms of the drama.
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Ah, there we are. Fake out.
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Lovely performance from Michelle Forbes. The Bajoran makeup is strangely understated though.
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Bye bye Ensign Ro. Sad to see it, but it would just be plot baggage if she was still around.
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Beautiful shot with the other ship rising into position to attack.
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$10 says there’s an encoded chip in that earring…
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Ah, there we are.
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Beverley knows more than she’s letting on.
888 down.