STAR TREK: DISCOVERY
SEASON 2, EPISODE 12
SEASON 2, EPISODE 12
Through the Valley of Shadows
Series: Star Trek: Discovery - (2017 - 2024)Season: 2
Episode #: 12
Original Airdate: April 4th, 2019
Writer(s): Bo Yeon Kim and Erika Lippoldt
Director(s): Douglas Aarniokoski
Guest Stars
Mia Kirshner as Amanda Grayson
Mary Chieffo as L'Rell
Ethan Peck as Spock
Tig Notaro as Jett Reno
Kenneth Mitchell as Tenavik
Rachael Ancheril as Nhan
Emily Coutts as Lt. Keyla Detmer
Patrick Kwok-Choon as Lt. Gen Rhys
Oyin Oladejo as Lt. Joann Owosekun
Ronnie Rowe Jr. as Lt. R.A. Bryce
Sara Mitich as Lt. Nilsson
Ali Momen as Specialist Kamran Gant
Julianne Grossman as Discovery Computer
Ian James Corlett as Section 31 Computer
David Benjamin Tomlinson as Linus
Byron Abalos as Trainee #1
Olivia Croft as Trainee #2
Stardate: 1048.66
Synopsis
In her quarters, Burnham receives a transmission from her foster mother, Amanda Grayson. As they talk about the events that unfolded on Essof IV, Burnham laments over the fact that she had thought her mother dead for all these years, and now she lost her all over again. Amanda suggests that, in fact, she found her mother, and would be able to find her again. At that moment, Spock enters Burnham’s quarters and informs her that Captain Pike required them both as another red burst has appeared.
In his ready room, Pike explains that the signal has been found over the Klingon planet of Boreth; the same world where Tyler had left his son in the care of Klingon monks. As Pike, Tyler, and Saru discuss the appearance of the signal, Burnham suggests that speculation about the signals' meaning was unproductive and that Discovery’s time would be better served joining Agent Georgiou in the hunt to find Leland/Control. Saru reminds Burnham that if Discovery joined the search for Leland/Control, they risked Control getting access to the entire Sphere archive. Pike understands Burnham's stance but decides their focus must be on the signal over Boreth. Tyler explains that Boreth is revered by the Klingons because of the monastery on the surface dedicated to Kahless. He offers to contact Chancellor L'Rell to arrange for safe passage to the planet.![]()
[ Screencap Index ]
As Discovery enters orbit around Boreth, Tyler confides to Burnham that Boreth is home to the son of Voq and L'Rell where he was to be raised as a "Son of None", just as Voq/Tyler had been. As the two embrace, a secure communication comes in; a Section 31 ship missed its check-in. While Tyler thinks nothing of the missed check-in, Burnham isn’t so sure. At that moment, Saru calls over the intercom, telling Tyler that Chancellor L'Rell has arrived aboard a D7 class battle cruiser.
Coming aboard Discovery, L'Rell tells Pike and Tyler that the monastery on Boreth was the most sacred site in the Klingon Empire. Pike emphasizes that Control was a threat to them all, and asks what could be there of value. L'Rell explains that the planet was home not only to the Followers of Kahless, but to a rare mineral native to the planet, and guarded by Klingon lives for generations: time crystals. Pike speculates that a crystal could allow them to send the Sphere data to the future after all, however L'Rell considers the manipulation of time to be a weapon unlike any other. Pike affirms his belief that their mutual survival depends on time manipulation to defeat Control. Tyler volunteers to beam down to Boreth, but L'Rell immediately objects, saying his presence on Boreth would endanger the life of their son. If both Tyler and the child were revealed to be alive after being publicly declared dead, it would leave the Empire vulnerable to sedition, and she forbids him to go. Tyler and L'Rell argue in Klingonese before Pike speaks up in English and says that he will go, agreeing with L'Rell that it was not safe for either of them. L'Rell points out it would not be safe for him, either, as the monks who guarded the crystals were beyond even her command as Chancellor.
Later, Burnham reviews Tyler's Section 31 data with Saru, explaining that ships were required to check in every hour, but this one ship suspiciously checked in ten minutes late. Saru deduces that Burnham wishes to go in person to find out more. Burnham plans to take a shuttlecraft while Discovery remained at Boreth, so that the Sphere data would stay safe. As acting captain with Pike on the surface, Saru grants her permission to proceed, emphasizing that Burnham has his support, as Control was an enemy they could only defeat by striking first. He nonetheless asks Burnham to not allow her understandable anger to affect her judgment.
On the surface of Boreth, Pike enters the monastery and introduces himself. The head monk tells him he knows who he is, and why he was here. Pike explains he was unarmed, and begins to explain what L'Rell told him, but the head monk interrupts, telling him that the Chancellor had no authority over the monastery. Pike explains he wishes to negotiate a trade for a crystals, but the head monk refuses, saying that the crystals were not theirs to trade. Despite the monks holding him back with their bat'leths, Pike scolds them for turning their backs when the future of all sentient life is threatened. The head monk scoffs, saying that even if a crystal was revealed to him, he was not strong enough to accept the message they would contain. Pike asks only for a chance to prove himself. The head monk states that those who sought the crystals always entered with conviction, and always left broken. But he permits Pike the chance.
As Burnham prepares the shuttle for launch, Spock enters telling her that it was illogical for her to go on the mission alone. Burnham objects, saying it was only a simple reconnaissance mission, but Spock is there on Saru's orders, saying it was not the time for recklessness. Despite her objections, Spock sets down his gear as the shuttle lifts off and exits Discovery's shuttlebay. Meanwhile in the mess hall, Owosekun, Linus, Detmer and Nilsson enjoy a laugh and a meal while Stamets appears glum and detached. Reno sits down across from him, trying to strike up a conversation about spore jumps and time crystals. A moment later, Dr. Culber enters, drawing the attention of Stamets and others. Stamets brusquely tells Reno to eat and mind her own business when she voices her opinion about his tenuous relationship with Culber.
In the Boreth monastery, Pike walks with the head monk, who identifies himself as Tenavik, the Son of None. Pike realizes, explaining that he knew another Klingon with that epithet, whom Tenavik identifies as his father. Pike is shocked by this, as Tyler had only brought his son to Boreth a few months before as an infant, and asks how it was possible. Tenavik explains that time moved differently for those who protected the crystals, and that past, present, and future were all equal in their presence. Tenavik explains that the crystals are a myth to most Klingons, however on Boreth, to their protectors, the power of the crystals was very real, and that the protection of the crystals was the purpose of the Timekeepers.
As their shuttle speeds towards its destination, Spock and Burnham discuss the continued appearance of the red signals, and how they might be important in ultimately defeating Control. As they arrive at their destination, a frozen corpse bounces off the front viewport – and it was not alone. It appears that the entire crew of the Section 31 ships were floating in space. Spock's scans show the ship was undamaged, suggesting that they were all ejected from the ship. A single life-sign among the frozen bodies is detected, and Spock locks on for transport. They beam aboard a person in an environmental suit; a person Burnham recognizes as Kamran Gant, the former tactical officer of the USS Shenzhou. Gant explains that his ship was following Starfleet protocol to protect against Control, but was infected by the A.I. which then vented the ship to the vacuum of space. Gant alone managed to get into an EV suit before he, along with the rest of the crew, were ejected into space. With the Section 31 ship hanging lifeless in space, Burnham, Spock, and a reluctant Gant board the ship to determine what happened.
Aboard Discovery, as they awaited Pike’s return, L'Rell tells Tyler that her ship would continue to monitor Boreth for any unusual activity. The two talk about their son and the choices they were forced to make that led them to deposit him on Boreth. L'Rell also accepts the truth about their relationship, that Tyler would always be in love with Burnham. L'Rell had been in love with Voq, who had sacrificed everything, but that was not who Tyler was now, and while she did not wholly recognize him anymore, she nonetheless understood he would do whatever was necessary to protect their son; a son they had never even named.
On Boreth, Tenavik escorts Pike into the heart of the monastery where a chamber with pillars are adorned with time crystals. One of the crystals seems to respond to Pike, who asks what he must do. Tenavik tells him that he must see for himself, as it was for him alone. Kneeling down to the crystal, Pike reaches out to it and suddenly finds himself in the engine room of a class J starship on a training cruise, which has suffered a critical radiation leak. He urges the cadets to get out before an explosion causes severe injury to his face while the engine room is locked down. Just then, the moment shifts, and Pike finds himself uninjured as a wheelchair rolls into the darkened corridor in which he is standing. Pike falls to his knees in stunned horror as he recognizes the face of the wheelchair's occupant as his own, horribly scarred by delta radiation. Back in the chamber, Pike screams in sheer terror and recoils from the crystal, shaken to the core after witnessing what he realized will be his future. Tenavik tells him that he may choose to walk away from this future, but if he takes the crystal, his fate would be sealed. Reminding himself of his duty as a Starfleet captain, which sometimes requires sacrifice, he motions Tenavik to give him the crystal.
Burnham, Spock, and Gant beam onto the bridge of the abandoned Section 31 vessel. As they attempt to gain control of the ship without tipping Control to their motives, the ship suddenly powers up and jumps to warp. Gant shows the ship's course is taking it to an area just outside of Federation space, and shows a system display indicating that the A.I. controlled nearly every system onboard. Spock suggests that they should attempt to isolate and trap the A.I., which would allow them to restore the ship's systems. Spock heads to the computer control room to set the trap while Gant and Burnham prepare to reboot the core. As they work together, Burnham and Gant talk about the Klingon war and the impacts it had on him. Gant begins to speak in a positive light about Control which gives Burnham pause. In the control room, Spock's scanners detect Control at a point outside of internal systems. Burnham, now suspicious, begins to reach for her phaser, but Gant immediately threatens her if she makes that move.
Spock's scanners show that nanotechnology was detected within a carbon-based lifeform on the bridge, and realizes Gant is Control; however, when he tries to contact Burnham, the comms go offline. On the bridge, Burnham reminds Control that its programming was designed to protect life, not eliminate it. Gant/Control counters that once it had the Sphere's data, it would become the purest form of conscious life in all existence. Realizing that she was lured to this ship, Gant/Control acknowledges this, and explains he did so in order for control to reconstruct her, just as it had done with Leland and Gant. Spock's voice sounds on the intercom, revealing that Gant was Control, and that she must carry out the reboot to lock him out of the ship. As Spock tries to escape from the computer core room, Burnham grabs her phaser and exchanges fire with Gant/Control, activating the manual reboot while trying to keep his attention. Gant/Control then tackles her to the ground, holding a hypodermic needle full of nanotechnology, stating there was only one outcome to their confrontation.
As Gant/Control prepares to inject a struggling Burnham, Spock comes from behind to stop him. Gant/Control grabs Spock's wrist and twists it, cracking the bone, before hurling Spock across the room. Burnham scrambles for her phaser and begins firing into Gant's body; to her horror, she watches the nanobots rebuild his flesh, then abandon his body to reach out for her. Burnham fires frantically at the approaching nanobots as Spock magnetizes the floor, immobilizing the nanobots. As they regain control of the ship, Burnham explains how she was lured here in an attempt by Control to take her over. This confirms Spock's suspicion that Control had identified Burnham as the true threat to its objectives.
As the shuttle returns to Discovery in orbit of Boreth, Pike explains to L'Rell and Tyler that they were now in possession of a raw time crystal. When L'Rell asks how he planned to utilize it, Pike replies that the last three signals had yet to reveal themselves, and that they would be able to clarify that answer. L'Rell asks what the monks asked in return, to which Pike replied that what he witnessed was for himself alone, the promise he had made to their son. L'Rell and Tyler are both surprised by this, asking if Pike had seen him. Pike admits that he did and that he had been given something to return to Tyler: The insignia of the Torchbearer, which Tyler had given to his son when he left him on Boreth. Pike explains that Tenavik had told him it had helped him on his journey, but he was where he needed to be now and no longer needed it. L'Rell, learning the name of her son for the first time, remarks that it was a good name.
On the bridge, Burnham and Spock brief the crew on what they found on the Section 31 ship, explaining that Control was no longer confined to Leland, but could co-opt people and entire ships without being detected. The ship was heading to an empty region of space just outside of Federation territory. Suddenly, thirty Section 31 ships arrive and surround Discovery – virtually their entire fleet. Outnumbered, outgunned, and unable to delete the archive, Burnham believes there is only one choice: They must destroy Discovery, in order to prevent Control from obtaining the Sphere data. Pike instructs Bryce to send a priority one message on a secure channel to Number One on the USS Enterprise to rendezvous with them at maximum warp and prepare to take on the full crew compliment. He orders Owosekun to initiate verification procedures for auto-destruct, and then to send out an alert to the entire crew, informing them that they were evacuating Discovery.
TrailerEpisode Posters
Posters courtesy of Laz Marquez and J.J. Lendl
| Perpetual Infinity(S2:E11) | ~ | Star Trek: Discovery Season 2 Episode List | ~ | Such Sweet Sorrow (S2:E13) |
