STAR TREK: DISCOVERY
SEASON 4, EPISODE 13

Coming Home

Series: Star Trek: Discovery - (2017 - 2024)
Season: 4
Episode #: 13
Original Airdate: March 17th, 2022

Writer(s): Michelle Paradise
Director(s): Olatunde Osunsanmi

Guest Stars
Tig Notaro as Cmdr. Jett Reno
Oded Fehr as Charles Vance
Stacey Abrams as the President of United Earth
Shawn Doyle as Dr. Ruon Tarka
Chelah Horsdal as President Laira Rillak
Tara Rosling as President T'Rina
Annabelle Wallis as Zora
Hiro Kanagawa as Dr. Hirai
Phumzile Sitole as General Diatta Ndoye

Co-Stars
Emily Coutts as Lt. Cmdr. Keyla Detmer
Patrick Kwok-Choon as Lt. Cmdr. Gen Rhys
Oyin Oladejo as Lt. Cmdr. Joann Owosekun
Sara Mitich as Lt. Cmdr. Nilsson
Raven Dauda, Cmdr. Tracy Pollard, MD
Orville Cummings as Lt. Christopher
David Benjamin Tomlinson as Ltjg. Linus
Seamus Patterson as Cadet Harral
Adrian Walters as Cadet Taahz Gorev
Michael Chan as a FHQ Ops Officer
Emmanuel John as a FHQ Security Officer
Jean-Paul Najm as a FHQ Security Guard
Fabio Tassone as the Voice of Book's Ship Computer

Uncredited Guest Stars
Jayne Dineo as a Discovery Sciences Crewmember
Pamela Mars as a Discovery Bridge Crewmember

Stardate: Unknown

Synopsis

With the Dark Matter Anomaly (DMA) on its way to impact United Earth and Ni’Var, the Federation fleet travels to the planets in an effort to mount an evacuation. Not only is Federation HQ capable of warp, but its individual decks are detachable and able to achieve faster-than-light speeds. Joined by Sylvia Tilly and her Starfleet Academy cadets, Admiral Vance sets out to save as many people as possible.

Back inside Species 10-C’s hyperfield, the U.S.S. Discovery-A’s crew works to free themselves from the 10-C’s orb so they can prevent Ruon Tarka from stealing the DMA’s power source, an action that would destroy the 10-C’s solar system. President T’Rina offers to telepathically connect with their captors, but the experience overwhelms her senses. Apparently, Species 10-C is linked as one, yet unlike the Borg, their union is harmonious.

Aboard Book’s ship, Cleveland “Book” Booker and Jett Reno emphasize to Tarka that, even if he makes it to an alternate reality, the Oros in that universe would not be his Oros. Having failed, the pair employ Grudge’s cat collar, which is equipped with a holodisruptor to prevent holograms from frightening the feline, to disable the containment field and knock Tarka unconscious.

The always reliable Paul Stamets figures out a plan to get Discovery out of its orb — however, the strategy will burn out the spore drive and leave them decades away from home. The gambit succeeds, freeing the starship to pursue Book’s vessel. Once in range, Reno beams back to Discovery and informs Captain Burnham that Book hasn’t been able to regain control of his ship. As debris from the DMA begins to reach Earth, General Ndoye suggests employing a shuttle to collide with Book’s ship in order to knock it off course. Burnham prepares to order Lt. Commander Detmer to undertake the potential suicide mission when Ndoye quickly intercedes and volunteers to pilot the shuttle, demonstrating her resolve to save Earth.

[ Screencap Index ]

In an emotionally charged exchange, Book finally manages to connect with Tarka, who understands that Oros would never want him to go to these lengths to reach an alternate universe. The revelation occurs moments before Ndoye’s shuttle strikes, saving the 10-C but sending Book’s ship toward the edge of the hyperfield. Discovery beams a wounded Ndoye to safety, but Tarka believes his interdimensional transporter might work once it hits the hyperfield. The Risan elects to save Book by transporting him back to Discovery¦

¦but Book’s signal is lost as his ship impacts the hyperfield and is destroyed. A grief-stricken Burnham must push her feelings aside to guide Discovery, which becomes ensnared in another orb that brings the vessel into one of 10-C’s gas giants. The 10-C dispatch a small “shuttle orb,” permitting the dignitaries and bridge crew to join the senior staff as they go to the planet and meet the 10-C in person.

In awe of the massive lifeforms, the Federation team conveys that, while they are individual lifeforms, they are united in their search for peace. Burnham details the destruction wrought by the DMA, and in a moment that displays the priceless nature of communication, the 10-C agree to move the DMA away from Earth and Ni’Var. The 10-C then provide a stunning gift, as they share that they had intercepted Book’s transporter signal and beam the courier down, alive, and well! Grateful to be reunited with Michael, Book nevertheless argues that the 10-C must stop utilizing the DMA, even in uninhabited space. Once again highlighting the power of connection, Book convinces the 10-C to halt the DMA for good and lower their hyperfield wall. The crew returns to Discovery, while the 10-C use their wormhole technology one last time and send the starship back to Earth.

As the crew celebrates their victory, two relationships take center stage. Saru and T’Rina openly acknowledge their feelings for one another, while Burnham and Book share a heartfelt goodbye — one they hope to only be temporary — before the courier serves his sentence for his renegade mission by assisting displaced refugees on Europa. Meanwhile, long-range sensors indicate the 10-C are keeping their promise and cleaning up the subspace rifts left by the DMA.

Having overcome The Burn and the DMA threat, the Federation seems to be back on track. Many new worlds have joined, with Burnham explaining that Tellar Prime never left and Andoria is in talks to return. The President of United Earth arrives to tell President Rillak that Earth is also ready to rejoin. The Federation is back!

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