Aboard his Section 31 starship, Captain Leland alongside Georgiou deliberate with members of Starfleet Command about the recent escape of Spock at the hands of Burnham, which Admiral Patar indicates is another act of mutiny for Discovery’s commander. Taking full responsibility for the security breach and escape, Leland assures the Admiral that they will locate Spock and apprehend him. Not convinced of his abilities, Patar directs his questions about the likely location of Spock and Burnham to Georgiou. Georgiou suggests putting out a Federation-wide alert for Burnham's shuttle, with the exception of the Discovery to avoid any personal entanglements that may serve to complicate the search. With Section 31 agent Tyler aboard the Discovery, the admiral instructs Leland to inform them if Burnham makes any contact with the ship.
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Georgiou contacts Pike and Tyler onboard Discovery and instructs the Captain to comb through the debris of the recently destroyed squid-like probe to determine what it was made from and why it was trying to access the ship's computer. Pike points out that Discovery could be a more valuable asset in the search for Spock and Burnham, however Georgiou makes clear that Discovery's job is to find more intel on the probe and that she needs to know immediately if Burnham contacts them.
Meanwhile, aboard her shuttle, Burnham reviews the information on file about Talos IV – how it had a thriving population until it was devastated by nuclear war, and that the surviving indigenous population developed powerful psychokinetic abilities; the computer also adds that travel to Talos is prohibited by Starfleet. Burnham administers a hypospray to Spock and tells him they are approaching Talos, and that she hopes he finds what he is looking for. As they enter the restricted space, Burnham is astonished to find they are approaching a black hole, and attempts to reverse course to escape it. Spock rushes to the controls and holds Burnham back, taking the shuttle towards the singularity. As the computer counts down to structural integrity failure, the black hole disappears, showing the planet before them; the black hole was a Talosian illusion.
Back onboard Discovery, Stamets takes Culber, who is clearly still disoriented from his return from the dead, through the corridors of Discovery as he tries to reintroduce the familiarity of the ship to his husband. As they continue to make their way through Discovery’s corridors, Stamets suggests the two should take personal leave together to reconnect further. At that moment, both men spot Culber’s killer, Tyler, walking the corridors. Sensing a rise in tension, Stamets promises to make a formal request to have Tyler's quarters moved from that deck, minimizing any future chance encounters. Killer and victim make brief eye contact before the turbolift doors5 close, separating the two before any unfortunate actions may have developed.
While the crew of Discovery continue to investigate the wreckage of the squid-like probe, Pike continues his own investigation into the possible locations of Spock and Burnham, at the objection of Tyler who realizes that Pike is on the verge of defying strict orders from Section 31 not to get involved in the search. Meanwhile, Burnham lands the shuttle on Talos IV and begins to explore the surface of the seemingly barren world while leaving a still dazed Spock behind. Suddenly Burnham sees a woman approaching, and then entering the shuttle. Phaser at the ready, she returns to confront the woman who identifies herself as Vina, a human resident of the planet. Vina asks if Spock recognizes her from the first time he and Captain Pike visited this world years before. Vina explains to the confused Burnham that she had been on a survey ship that had crashed on Talos long ago, and that the Talosians have cared for her ever since. Vina relays the Talosians wishes to Burnham that she and Spock should transport below the surface so they can examine him. Realizing that this is why Spock brought them here, Burnham agrees and transports the two down.
Beaming into the underground Talosians' refuge, Spock and Burnham are greeted by the real Vina and three Talosians, including the Keeper. It is the Keeper who confirms Spock’s psychological illness and how conventional medicine would not be able to help him. Curious and concerned as to how Spock reached this state, Burnham asks the Keeper for some insight. The Keeper agrees to enlighten Burnham, but at a cost. She is to allow the Talosians access to her childhood memories that led to the rift between Spock and Burnham on Vulcan, explaining that this was how their raced had survived, and that that there was no other way to save Spock's sanity. Vina advises Burnham not to resist as one of the Talosians removes the illusion of Vina's youth and beauty, showing her scarred and deformed as she really is. Realizing what’s at stake, Burnham reluctantly concedes, but demands to see Spock's mind first. The Keeper agrees.
Within his memories, Spock explains to Burnham that he had begun the night she had run away, braving the dangers of the forests of Vulcan's Forge. That was when the Red Angel appeared to him the first time; he had thought it was a dream or a premonition, because the Angel had shown him Burnham's death - killed by a beast of the wilds. Spock went to Sarek and Amanda and explained where he had seen her, allowing Sarek to rescue her. Years later, the Angel appeared to him again, guiding him to a remote ice world where it showed him "the end". Spock performed a mind meld with the Angel, showing him the red bursts and powerful projectiles causing devastation to numerous planets. As the memory fades, Burnham collapses next to Spock, stunned and pained by what she had seen.
On Discovery, in their cabin, Stamets tries to normalize what has happened to Culber by continuing to assure him that things will get better while attempting to rationalize his disconnect as a type of shock. Culber only grows angry at notion that any part of what he has gone through is “normal”. Not truly understanding why he is becoming so angry with Stamets, who is only trying to help, Culber storms out of their quarters. Elsewhere in Pike’s ready room, the Captain talks to Tyler about the continuing search for his missing crewmates, reminding him that this is his ship and that he would not call off the search and leave two of them out there, particularly when one is accused of a crime Pike is not convinced he committed. Later, walking the corridors, Pike is approached by Saru, who tells him that someone onboard has accessed the transceiver array and sent out three encrypted, and unauthorized, subspace transmissions. Saru assures the Captain that he will find out who the culprit is.
Back On Talos IV, a far more lucid Spock and Burnham discuss the Red Angel and the premonition of the destruction of multiple planets, including Earth. Spock explains that his attempt to mind meld with the Angel largely failed because he was unable to fully infiltrate the quantum field surrounding it. However the thoughts he did receive from it in the mind meld were in fact Human, much to Burnham's surprise. Spock suggests that, with the help of the Talosians, Burnham should experience more of what drove him to madness.
The Talosians share Spock's memories of his time in a psychiatric unit on Starbase 5, where he spent weeks scribbling equations, maps, and other data on the floor of his cell. After being informed by a psychiatrist that there have been signals detected across the galaxy, just like the ones he described, Spock realizes that they are an attempt to communicate. He attempts to leave the facility, but the psychiatrist informs him that Section 31 officers were waiting to take him to a specialized facility where the Vulcan would spend the necessary time to heal. Realizing he needed to escape, Spock knocks out the psychiatrist and both the security guards. Burnham, silent up to now, asks what happened after that, as Section 31 believes Spock killed these people. Spock replies that her faith in his character has not changed since they were children, asking her if she saw murder here, before leaving his cell.
Back aboard Discovery, an agitated Culber enters the mess hall and approaches Tyler's table, kicking the chair across from him aside and knocking his food tray across the room. As Saru, Tilly, Airiam, and others watch in stunned silence, Tyler apologizes and tries to explain how it was not him who killed Culber. The doctor acknowledges that it was Voq and then proceeds to tackle Tyler. The two fight as Culber attempts to get Voq to surface so he can take his just revenge against the Klingon. As their fight winds down, Culber admits he doesn't know who he is anymore, slumping into a nearby chair.
In his ready room, Pike is shocked to see Vina standing in front of him. She explains to the Captain that the Talosians' ability to project across space was limited, and more difficult the further away they were. Then she tells him there was someone he needed to see; Pike turns, and is surprised to see Burnham, with three Talosians behind her. Burnham explains that she found Spock, and that he directed her to bring him to the Talosians, and that she had learned the truth: Spock was indeed innocent, and there were no murders. When Pike asks what Section 31 wants Spock for, Spock himself steps forward to respond that they wanted his memories of the future. He tells Pike he has seen the end of their current timeline, and to avoid it, they must follow the Angel's design. As the image of Spock, Burnham, and the Talosians fades, Vina tells Pike to hurry for his friends, as they were counting on him, before her projection also fades.
Pike orders a black alert, intending to make a spore drive jump to Talos IV. However just as Airiam initiates the spore jump, the drive disengages due to a failure in the spore hub caused by a corruption in the duotronics, one that appears to have been introduced intentionally. As Tyler enters the bridge, wondering about the black alert, Pike explains the intention of going to Talos to retrieve Spock and Burnham, then reveals the apparent sabotage. When Tyler is suggested as the likely saboteur, after Saru mentions the unauthorized transmissions using his command codes, he denies any involvement. As Tyler is escorted off the bridge, he warns Pike that Section 31 will track him regardless. Pike orders a course be set for Starbase 11, which lies close to the Talos system, at maximum warp.
On Talos, as Spock and Burnham prepare to board their shuttle, the Talosians now ask her to share in on one of her memories, the price she agreed to for her brother’s recovery. The Talosians awaken her memories of the time when she was young and living on Vulcan with Sarek, Amanda, and a young Spock. Concerned for her family because she was human, she tries to distance herself, but the young Spock does not want to see his sister leave. When Burnham insists she is going, Spock tells her he is going with her. Burnham replies that she did not want him in his life, ending with an insult that leaves Spock tearful by her statement. As the memory fades, Burnham tries to explain she did not mean any of it. Spock understood she was trying to sever their emotional attachment so that he would be less distraught by her absence. He concedes that she was right about the foolishness of his idolization of her when he was young, and how he regretted it deeply. As Burnham looks shaken by this statement, Vina approaches to tell them that Discovery was approaching, with another ship close behind.
Discovery approaches Talos IV at maximum warp, with Leland's Section 31 ship close behind them. Leland hails Discovery and tells Pike he knows where he's going, and orders him to stand down. Pike ignores him as Discovery comes out of warp over Talos IV where they begin to scan for their people. Once they located Spock and Burnham, both Discovery and the Section 31 ship initiate a transporter lock. Leland hails again, telling Pike to disengage his transporter beam or Spock and Burnham would be torn apart. Reluctantly, Pike concedes. As Burnham and Spock beam aboard his ship, Leland instructs Pike to report to Starbase 11 for disciplinary action before warping away. It’s only then that Leland realizes that the Spock and Burnham he beamed aboard his ship were merely illusions.
In orbit of Talos IV, a shuttle arises from the surface and head’s for Discovery’s shuttlebay. There, the real Burnham and Spock step off the shuttle and inform Pike of the Red Angel’s intention to change the current timeline – a timeline in which all life in the galaxy will be eradicated. With Discovery now a wanted vessel, Pike with the full support of his crew, orders his ship to leave the Talos system at maximum warp.
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Posters courtesy of Laz Marquez and J.J. Lendl
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