STAR TREK: DISCOVERY
SEASON 3, EPISODE 7
SEASON 3, EPISODE 7
Unification III
Series: Star Trek: Discovery - (2017 - 2024)Season: 3
Episode #: 7
Original Airdate: November 26th, 2020
Writer(s): Kirsten Beyer
Director(s): Jon Dudkowski
Guest Stars
Oded Fehr as Admiral Charles Vance
Sonja Sohn as Gabrielle Burnham
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
Julianne Grossman as the Voice of the U.S.S. Discovery Computer
Oliver Becker as N'Raj
Stephanie Belding as Shira
Emmanuel Kabongo as V'Kir
Tara Rosling as President President T'Rina
Uncredited Guest Stars
Leonard Nimoy as Old Spock
Ethan Peck as Spock
Liam Hughes as Young Spock
Arista Arhin as Young Michael Burnham
Avaah Blackwell as the Osnullus Science Officer
Anthony Lake as a Trial Spectator
Nicole Dickinson as a Trial Spectator
Leeu as Grudge
Stardate: Unknown
Synopsis
A concerned personal log conveys Michael Burnham’s uncertainty over her place aboard the U.S.S. Discovery-A, yet the former first officer finds comfort and wisdom in her emerging relationship with Cleveland “Book” Booker. After Sylvia Tilly expresses her own misgivings about Burnham’s trustworthiness, the ensign reveals that the black boxes Michael recovered from the U.S.S. Yelchin, U.S.S. Gav’Nor, and U.S.S. Giacconi confirm that The Burn did not destroy the starships at precisely the same moment.
Although the data allows the pair to narrow down the coordinates to the catastrophe’s origin, Burnham hopes that information from a Federation experiment called SB-19 could help pinpoint the location. Admiral Vance seems impressed, but he surprises Saru and Burnham by telling them that SB-19’s results can only be accessed by the planet Ni’Var, previously known to the galaxy as Vulcan. The seeds of reunification that Ambassador Spock planted in the 24th century had eventually taken root, and the Vulcan-Romulan populace coexisted as part of the Federation for centuries.
The pre-Burn dilithium shortage prompted the Federation to pressure Ni’Var to develop SB-19, a program to instantly transport starships across vast distances. Believing that their own research caused The Burn, Ni’Var’s leadership blamed the Federation for influencing them to continue the experiment and left the coalition. Vance hypothesizes that, as the sister of the widely revered Spock, Burnham might have a chance to acquire the data they need from Ni’Var.![]()
[ Screencap Index ]
Burnham accesses a recording of her brother from Admiral Jean-Luc Picard’s personal archives. The footage elicits joyful tears from Burnham as she looks upon the face of her now much older brother. Book lightens the mood by playfully describing Burnham and Spock as chronic overachievers. Elsewhere on Discovery, Saru approaches Tilly and asks her to consider becoming his temporary Number One. Despite her doubts, the ensign agrees to give thought to the notion.
Discovery jumps to Ni’Var and is greeted by President T’Rina, who dismisses the Federation’s request to access SB-19. As a graduate of the Vulcan Science Academy, Burnham invokes the T’Kal-in-ket, a philosophical process that permits her to defend her hypothesis about The Burn before a scientific quorum. T’Rina informs Burnham that she will be provided with an advocate from the Qowat Milat, thus introducing the warrior nuns and their absolute candor into Discovery.
When the advocate unveils herself, Michael is stunned to learn that the Qowat Milat member is her mother, Dr. Gabrielle Burnham. Rather than landing on Terralysium as planned, it turns out that Gabrielle was flung to Essof IV, the planet where Discovery’s crew initially captured her prior to their jump into the future. The 32nd century colonists transported Gabrielle to the Qowat Milat, who brought her back to health. Michael confides in her mother, sharing her fears over her role aboard Discovery. Gabrielle briefs Michael about the impossible task of appealing to the three quorum members: N’Raj (a Romulan elder), V’Kir (a Vulcan purist), and Shira (a Romulo-Vulcan representative).
The ceremony begins, with Michael arguing that The Burn originated at a location other than Ni’Var. In a private moment, Gabrielle urges her daughter to be more honest with the group on a personal level. Back in the quorum, Gabrielle openly chastises Michael, questioning her past actions. An impassioned Michael defends herself by highlighting the sacrifices made by Discovery, ultimately admitting she isn’t sure why she feels so out of place among her crew. Discord grips the three representatives, causing Michael to withdraw her request in order to protect the peace on Ni’Var. Observing how the Vulcan and Romulan delegates interact, as well as the manner in which their cultures have become intertwined, proves to be captivating.
Michael’s forthrightness leaves a positive impression on T’Rina, who provides Gabrielle with the SB-19 data to supply to Michael. Having bonded during a discussion about the state of the Federation, T’Rina and Saru convene in Discovery’s ready room, where the two agree to continue their dialogue. In engineering, Paul Stamets organizes the bridge crew so that they can all encourage Tilly to accept Saru’s offer to become the acting first officer. On the Nautilus, Michael tells Book that she’s staying with the crew, and he responds that being with Michael feels like home.
Trailer
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