STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS
Season 1, Episode 10
Season 1, Episode 10
A Quality of Mercy
Series: Strange New Worlds - (2022 - present)Season: 1
Episode #: 10
Production #: SNW-110
Original Airdate: 07/07/2022
Writer(s): Henry Alonso Myers and Akiva Goldsman
Director(s): Chris Fisher
Guest Stars
Paul Wesley as Captain James T. Kirk
Melanie Scrofano as Captain Batel
Dan Jeannotte as Lt. George Samuel Kirk
Co-Stars
Mathieu Bourassa as Romulan Subcommander
André Dae Kim as Chief Kyle
Rong Fu as Lieutenant Jenna Mitchell
Ali Hassan as Commander Hansen Al-Salah
Matthew MacFrozean as the Romulan Commander
Ian Rayburn as the Groom
Chris River as Maat Al-Salah
Megha Sandhu as the Bride
Carolyn Scott as the Praetor
Matthew Wolf as the Enterprise Engineer
Uncredited Co-Stars
Jennifer Murray as Trainee #3
Ana Shepherd as a Farragut Crewmember
Jesse Ship as an Enterprise Operations Crewmember
Shannon Widdis as an Enterprise Bridge Crewmember
Stardate: 1457.9 / 1709.2
Synopsis
On a mission to retrofit Outpost 4, one of the asteroid-based facilities that watches over the Neutral Zone separating Federation and Romulan space, Captain Pike shares a meal with Captain Batel, who he last saw when he was contemplating his destiny before resuming command of the Enterprise. Pike’s confidence reflects the personal growth he has endured since retaking the center seat. However, the captain’s conviction soon erodes when he learns that the son of the outpost’s Commander Hansel Al-Salah, Maat Al-Salah is one of the two cadets who he will be unable to save during a training accident seven years later. The unsettling realization prompts Pike to begin dictating a message to the young boy revealing the truth of his grim future, but the captain is soon joined by an unexpected visitor — Admiral Christopher Pike. Pike’s future-self used a time crystal from the Klingon planet Boreth to travel back and dissuade the captain from altering the timeline.
After explaining that changing events will have unexpected repercussions, Admiral Pike offers his younger counterpart another time crystal that allows the captain to experience a pivotal moment in history that doesn’t play out as it should. Captain Pike suddenly finds himself officiating a wedding aboard the Enterprise just as the ship is alerted to an attack on Outpost 4. Set in 2266, seven years after Pike’s chat with Batel on the Enterprise, the conflict initially unfolds with the Romulan vessel destroying Outpost 4, cloaking, and then setting a course for Romulus. The U.S.S. Farragut, captained by Sam Kirk’s brother, James T. Kirk himself, joins the Enterprise to pursue the Romulans. A briefing commences where Captain Kirk and Spock agree that they should attack the enemy; though, Pike orders that they aim to incapacitate their opponent rather than destroy it.![]()
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Despite the plan, the Romulans gain the upper hand and destroy the Farragut, forcing Kirk and the survivors to seek refuge on the Enterprise. Kirk criticizes Pike for what he believes was a brief hesitation to engage the enemy. Unlike the original timeline, Pike opts for a diplomatic solution, as he and the Romulan commander agree to a two-hour ceasefire. Sadly, when the ceasefire expires, the Romulan Praetor warps in with a massive armada. Pike’s reliance on mercy and diplomacy had been perceived as weakness, inspiring the Romulans to declare war upon the Federation. The Enterprise narrowly escapes thanks to a clever gambit employed by Captain Kirk, but the resulting conflict will drastically change the shape of the future. Additionally, Spock sustains horrific wounds from which he can never fully recover, thus inheriting the fate meant for Pike.
Admiral Pike later reappears to explain each time the captain tries to prevent the accident that ends his career, the outcome involves tragedy for Spock. The admiral alludes to the science officer’s importance to peace with the Romulans, an apparent reference to Ambassador Spock’s 24th Century work to reunite Vulcan and Romulus, which paves the way for the coexistence seen on Ni’Var in the 32nd Century.
Later, Pike meets with Kirk, who starts to tell the elder officer about his father’s service aboard the U.S.S. Kelvin. Pike then returns to his original timeline in 2259 and decides not to compose a letter cautioning the outpost commander’s son and future Starfleet cadet about the training accident. Pike understands that if he were to still captain the Enterprise in 2266, his command style would result in a catastrophic war with Romulus and the incalculable loss of Spock’s contributions to the galaxy.
Intrigued by his temporal trip, Pike begins reading up on James T. Kirk’s career to date. The captain then discusses his determination in trying to change the future will only transfer his burden onto someone else, which Spock astutely deduces as a reference to himself. Spock voices his appreciation for Pike’s actions, an acknowledgment that deepens their bond.
Just as normalcy sets back in, Captain Batel beams onto the Enterprise with orders to arrest Number One for hiding her Illyrian genetic modifications. As his first officer is beamed away under guard, Captain Pike promises that this action will not go unanswered.
Trailer
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