Star Trek: Discovery 3.10
Dec. 18th, 2020 05:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakIn which the Emperor tries to be like Genghis Khan, and an old acquaintance reveals themselves.
Okay, the Guardian of Forever hadn't been on my guess list for who "Carl" might be, and given that last year I wrote a story where Michael encounters it, it should have been, but in my defense, 900 years ago the Guardian was way worse at communicating and not into using avatars! Seriously though, in retrospect, they set this up well, given all the previous talk about the Temporal Wars and the damage they did. Because yes, it does make sense that once you have different factions fighting each other via changing the timelines, they'd try to control the Guardian. And good for the Guardian for going into hiding.
Given what's been established in ye olde TOS episode, it also fits that Georgiou was actually in the past and that only moments passed for Michael. I do wonder about the paradox she caused, though. I mean, if the Emperor dies/disappears three months after the first coup attempt, she can't be around when Discovery crosses into the Mirrorverse in s1, can she? Also, unlike Kirk and friends, Philippa did not on her own go back, so "Carl" must have changed the rules. Then again, he hints by "one version of you dies" etc. that we're still talking Multiverse here.
But enough about headache inducing time travel mechanics. What I did guess was that the Emperor would not manage to reform and save her daughter after all. Which imo isn't just because Mirror Michael is too far gone in cruelty, though that's part of it, but also because you really can't compare hardcore torture sessions with getting transported into another universe by the lightside doppelganger of your daughter who is attached to you already. (Thoiugh it's like the Emperor to equate the two and conclude if she could change, Mirror Michael can.) So Philippa in the end killing "her" Michael was inevitable, otoh, the all out mutinity I was expecting never happened, and the Emperor managed to retain the loyalty of part of the crew, Killy and Joann included, plus of course she did see Burnham's second betrayal coming (while hoping for the opposite).
I'm a bit torn on Mirror Saru, as when Georgiou told him he can and will survive the Bahara, I was expecting him to be enraged that all the other Kelpians had been brainwashed for generations into believing they couldn't and that their deaths were therefore inevitable. (Figures that the Terrans would be responsible in this universe, and it also explains why there hasn't been a Kelpian uprising yet.) Instead, it only strengthens his loyalty to her. Then again, Stockholm Syndrome, and also she was the first person to show him sympathy and give him hope since forever, and it's a fitting Dark Mirror version for Philippa Georgiou Prime answering Saru's call and taking him to the stars in the Primeverse.
Carl/The Guardian wanting to test the Emperor's current morals before sending her back to the past in the Primeverse, otoh, does work for me. Not just because mighty entities testing our heroes is such a ST thing and hasn't happened in this show yet, but also because of the Temporal Wars backstory, which, see above. (You know, back when watching ENT I would never have guessed it would be brought up again, and in such an useful fashion.)
Michael Prime and Philippa declaring each other's love for another (specifically for these versions of themselves) before saying goodbye really got to me, and was beautifully played by the actresses. This might be the last we'll see of Philippa Georgiou (either version) on DISCO, though you never know, of course. And while before I've been uncertain (when she was still written more like a token evil crewmate in s2), now I think the Emperor can actually carry a show. (Am tempted to ask someone to do a Xena: Warrior Princess style intro for it.)
Lastly, my two favourite details in this episode:. Mirror Aeriam (to whom, like Dettmer, no wounds needing surgery with tech has happened in this universe) being around... and Killy's reaction when the Emperor says she's the best interrogator (read: torturer) of the lot. That pleased school girl smile was pure Tilly, and precisely because Mary Wiseman managed to make Killy come across as her own person a disturbing reminder of the two sharing a basic set up.
Speaking of Mary Wiseman: here is a great interview with her.
Okay, the Guardian of Forever hadn't been on my guess list for who "Carl" might be, and given that last year I wrote a story where Michael encounters it, it should have been, but in my defense, 900 years ago the Guardian was way worse at communicating and not into using avatars! Seriously though, in retrospect, they set this up well, given all the previous talk about the Temporal Wars and the damage they did. Because yes, it does make sense that once you have different factions fighting each other via changing the timelines, they'd try to control the Guardian. And good for the Guardian for going into hiding.
Given what's been established in ye olde TOS episode, it also fits that Georgiou was actually in the past and that only moments passed for Michael. I do wonder about the paradox she caused, though. I mean, if the Emperor dies/disappears three months after the first coup attempt, she can't be around when Discovery crosses into the Mirrorverse in s1, can she? Also, unlike Kirk and friends, Philippa did not on her own go back, so "Carl" must have changed the rules. Then again, he hints by "one version of you dies" etc. that we're still talking Multiverse here.
But enough about headache inducing time travel mechanics. What I did guess was that the Emperor would not manage to reform and save her daughter after all. Which imo isn't just because Mirror Michael is too far gone in cruelty, though that's part of it, but also because you really can't compare hardcore torture sessions with getting transported into another universe by the lightside doppelganger of your daughter who is attached to you already. (Thoiugh it's like the Emperor to equate the two and conclude if she could change, Mirror Michael can.) So Philippa in the end killing "her" Michael was inevitable, otoh, the all out mutinity I was expecting never happened, and the Emperor managed to retain the loyalty of part of the crew, Killy and Joann included, plus of course she did see Burnham's second betrayal coming (while hoping for the opposite).
I'm a bit torn on Mirror Saru, as when Georgiou told him he can and will survive the Bahara, I was expecting him to be enraged that all the other Kelpians had been brainwashed for generations into believing they couldn't and that their deaths were therefore inevitable. (Figures that the Terrans would be responsible in this universe, and it also explains why there hasn't been a Kelpian uprising yet.) Instead, it only strengthens his loyalty to her. Then again, Stockholm Syndrome, and also she was the first person to show him sympathy and give him hope since forever, and it's a fitting Dark Mirror version for Philippa Georgiou Prime answering Saru's call and taking him to the stars in the Primeverse.
Carl/The Guardian wanting to test the Emperor's current morals before sending her back to the past in the Primeverse, otoh, does work for me. Not just because mighty entities testing our heroes is such a ST thing and hasn't happened in this show yet, but also because of the Temporal Wars backstory, which, see above. (You know, back when watching ENT I would never have guessed it would be brought up again, and in such an useful fashion.)
Michael Prime and Philippa declaring each other's love for another (specifically for these versions of themselves) before saying goodbye really got to me, and was beautifully played by the actresses. This might be the last we'll see of Philippa Georgiou (either version) on DISCO, though you never know, of course. And while before I've been uncertain (when she was still written more like a token evil crewmate in s2), now I think the Emperor can actually carry a show. (Am tempted to ask someone to do a Xena: Warrior Princess style intro for it.)
Lastly, my two favourite details in this episode:. Mirror Aeriam (to whom, like Dettmer, no wounds needing surgery with tech has happened in this universe) being around... and Killy's reaction when the Emperor says she's the best interrogator (read: torturer) of the lot. That pleased school girl smile was pure Tilly, and precisely because Mary Wiseman managed to make Killy come across as her own person a disturbing reminder of the two sharing a basic set up.
Speaking of Mary Wiseman: here is a great interview with her.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-18 05:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-19 04:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-18 08:42 pm (UTC)And I'm not overly familiar with the Guardian of Forever, but I was happy to see it wasn't some kind of variation on Q.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-19 04:26 am (UTC)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_on_the_Edge_of_Forever
And hasn’t been seen on screen since, though some of the tie-in novels have used it, like Peter David’s Imzadi.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-19 07:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-19 05:06 am (UTC)ME TOO.
no subject
Date: 2020-12-18 10:20 pm (UTC)I do strongly suspect that Empress Georgiou will actually reappear in the Star Trek franchise (one of the reasons for why the "cure" for her condition involved sending her back in time to when the two universes were closer together). Plus the apparent suddenness of it. I do wonder if the writer's room also felt that Georgiou was too strong a character and threatened to bifurcate the stories they wanted to tell. <shrug>
no subject
Date: 2020-12-19 04:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-12-19 06:23 am (UTC)