STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Season Premiere Recap: (S03E01) Hegemony, Part II
RELATED: Read our recap of the previous Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode, 'Hegemony'
Near Parnassus Beta, the Enterprise is at red alert. It's being attacked by Gorn fighters. The bridge crew looks to Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) for orders. Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) notes that Admiral April (Adrian Holmes) has ordered retreat. But Pike says they weren't given a timetable. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Photo Credit: Marni Grossman/Paramount+
Pike asks for ideas. Spock (Ethan Peck) suggests diversionary tactics. Jenna Mitchell (Rong Fu) suggests venting the nacelles to make a cloud. Una Chin-Riley (Rebecca Romijn) suggests jamming Gorn communications, preventing coordination. Pike accepts this final idea. Uhura modulates the deflector array to emit a spectrum in order to confuse the Gorn. To beam aboard the Gorn vessel and save the rest of the crew, they'll need to hack transporter codes. But there's no time. Una suggests they retreat and rescue.
But how do they track the specific Gorn vessel carrying their crew? Spock posits using a rare element that they could track. Mitchell suggests tagging the Gorn ship with a dud torpedo containing the element. However, they must penetrate the Gorn's defensive systems in order to achieve this. Uhura points out that energy shields function via harmonics. By finding the correct frequency, they can ram the ship. Thus, the Enterprise rams the Gorn ship. Pike orders the torpedoes to be fired. Then the ship warps away. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, 'Hegemony, Part II'
The Enterprise arrives at the rendezvous. April beams aboard to debrief. In sick bay, Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) prepares a Gorn-impregnated Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano) to be cryogenically frozen. Batel reiterates that if it comes down to her or the crew, Chapel should take her out. Chapel assures her that stasis will prevent this. Batel is sedated, with the promise of waking up Gorn-free.
But soon, alarms sound. Batel's body rejects the serum. Chapel contacts the bridge. She says Batel is allergic to cryo-serum and cannot be put in stasis. Chapel laments the absence of Joseph M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun). Spock volunteers to assist with Batel. In the Observation Lounge, April informs Pike that the Federation fleet has standby orders. April says the Gorn are outside Federation jurisdiction. They can't afford to send ships in while still recovering from the Klingon war.
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Pike says the Hegemony will continue to encroach on Federation territory if they aren't stopped. April says he heard about the landing party. He asks after Batel. April says Pike's official orders are to monitor the demarcation line for encroachment. However, unofficially, April tells Pike to punch back and prove they aren't prey. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
In engineering, Pelia (Carol Kane) asks Montgomery 'Scotty' Scott (Martin Quinn) about his device. Scotty explains: it tricks the Gorn into thinking a ship is theirs. But Scotty doesn't exactly understand how it works. Pelia chides him for not writing it down. Pike enters and asks how soon it can be working. Pelia assures him that it'll be running before they cross the Hegemony line. Escape From the Sac
Aboard the Gorn ship, bodies are held inside glowing sacs. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) is having flashbacks to her brother's death. She awakens and fights her way free. She surveys the sacs and sees crew members inside them. After calming herself, she starts by freeing M'Benga. He frees Sam Kirk (Dan Jeannotte). Meanwhile, La'an frees Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia). Part of Ortegas' right hand and arm has been digested. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Ortegas begins panicking. La'an calms her before M'Benga issues treatment. He assures her they can fix it on the Enterprise . Inside other sacs, people have been fully digested. They ponder freeing the others trapped in sacs. La'an continues to struggle with flashbacks. However, M'Benga brings her back.
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Sam notes that there are evacuation piles below the sacs: whatever the ship can't process. From one of these, he pulls a weapon out. La'an says she wants to rescue all of the surviving colonists. Even if they have to shoot their way out.
Aboard the Enterprise , Scotty continues to work on the 'cloaking' device. Pelia rushes towards him in a panic. Panicking as well, Scotty makes several adjustments to the device. It's working! Pike calls for an update. Scotty realizes Pelia was feigning panic. Scotty is bitter about Pelia's tactic. But Pelia says she knows Scotty and knew the strategy would prove successful. However, it's clear that Scotty is still struggling with the loss of the U.S.S. Stardiver . Across the Demarcation Line
The Enterprise approaches the demarcation line. Pike orders them to activate Scotty's device. Realizing it's a modified EM pulse emitter, Uhura says it makes sense. The Gorn's evolution has moved beyond using optical data. They use 'biometrics, heat and EM signatures.'
Gorn Hunter ships approach the Enterprise . Thanks to the device, they harmlessly pass. The ships return to an uncharted binary system with unique stellar activity. The radiation in the system will prevent the use of all but impulse power, and eventually, will prove too much for the shields. Nevertheless, Pike orders them there.
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Spock and Chapel determine that Batel's body and the Gorn hatchlings are relying on each other. But all of their simulations result in 100 percent fatality. Spock suggests using an Orion street drug for treatment. Then he apologizes for how things went before Chapel left. She accepts his apology. Spock says the thought of losing her left him untethered.
Chapel says things have gotten complicated, and she's 'not good at complicated.' She says she's still going to spend three months studying under Korby. They can check in on her return. The simulation once again finds 100 percent fatality. Spock observes Batel's human DNA can't handle it. Chapel proposes using Una's Illyrian blood. Although against regulation, it could save Batel's life. Chapel begins the simulation.
Meanwhile, the away team plans to escape with the Gorn transporter codes. This will require stealing a Gorn ship. Ortegas is sure she can fly it. But before they can begin, the sound of snarling Gorn reaches them.
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On the Enterprise , Una and Uhura have gone over all their Gorn intel. In the observation lounge, they share conclusions with Pike. They have determined there is a relationship between coronal mass ejections and the Gorn. Pike says they already know that it can set off a frenzy. But Gorn inactivity follows certain stellar activity as well. Hibernation is triggered by unique solar phenomena. The team has identified this phenomenon. They have also identified the stellar activity that precedes frenzies. And a long cycle of Gorn activity is about to begin.
Mitchell informs them they'll soon be dropping out of warp. Uhura leaves. Una approaches Pike. She tells him she trusts Spock and Chapel with her blood. And because the mission is off-the-record, there's nothing to report. She urges Pike to be hopeful.
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Elsewhere, the simulation gives Batel her highest chance of survival yet: 86 percent. Chapel says they should continue.
Soon, the Enterprise arrives at the edge of the radiation zone. Mitchell refuses to leave her station until they get everyone back. Sensors locate the Gorn ship. But the ship is deep in the radiation zone. On the viewscreen, the ship seems poised to travel directly into one of the stars. It turns off the power and seemingly vanishes. Pike orders power to the shields. They're following the ship into the radiation zone. In medical, Batel is coding. Something has accelerated the Gorn's growth. Spock says a 14 percent chance of survival is better than certain death. Quarantine Mode
The radiation complicates the pursuit. The gravity wells of the stars do most of the work. Because of the bending light, which prevents seeing what happens after they pass through. Pike wonders if this is the Gorn homeworld. Myriad Gorn ships appear. They head towards Starfleet. Uhura sends a warning but can't confirm receipt. Una suggests dropping a long-range comm buoy. They must stop the invasion. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
In medical, Batel's condition worsens. Engaging quarantine mode, Spock and Chapel prepare for surgery. They inject Batel with the experimental serum. On the bridge, Uhura informs Pike that the Gorn are jamming their signal. The Gorn will reach the Federation before their warning does. Pike considers shooting. Una says the ship can't hold up against an armada.
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Pike summons Pelia. He recalls Una and Uhura's conclusion about the cycle that would put the Gorn to sleep. They must create a stellar flare. Pelia and Scotty arrive on the bridge. The latter informs Pike that creating a flare is impossible. Pike says they'll become the flare themselves. Scotty analyzes this strategy. Pelia says it's possible. By modifying deflector shields, they can magnetize the hull and gather stellar material. It's terrible odds, but Pike says they'll 'turn it off before [they] blow up.'
In medical, Chapel prepares to make an incision. But Spock stops her. He suggests they're looking at it from the wrong perspective. He proposes they treat the Gorn instead of Batel, feeding them and causing reabsorption. Chapel agrees. Ship Jacking Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Aboard the Gorn vessel, the away team heads towards the shuttles. La'an locates an interface. This leads to more flashbacks to her brother's death. M'Benga brings her back down. La'an gets the information that they need to save the colonists. They're interrupted by the approach of many Gorn soldiers. A firefight commences. La'an orders them to get to the ship. A Gorn lifts Ortegas, but La'an kills it.
On the Enterprise , Una says shutting down the EM device will cause the Gorn to attack them. Pike says this is desirable. They begin pulling solar energy to the ship. Meanwhile, the away team continues to flee. They arrive at the ship they plan to steal. Ortegas is injured and in pain, but demands she be put in the pilot seat.
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Ortegas takes off. Other Gorn fighters pursue them. Ortegas' blood spills onto the ship's controls. Meanwhile, beta particles and gamma rays cover the Enterprise . The Gorn fighters are on an intercept course. Uhura receives the signal from La'an. She sends the transport codes and tells them to beam the Parnassians out.
The Enterprise 's hull integrity approaches critical failure. The Gorn ships vanish. Pike orders the deflector shields turned off. The Gorn have gone home. La'an and the others are heading back to the Enterprise . Our crew rescues the Parnassians. But have they just pushed the problem to someone else? She Flies the Ship
After losing so much blood, Ortegas collapses on the ship's controls. The rest of the away team surrounds her. 'I fly the ship,' Ortegas declares. Then, the away team is beamed back to the Enterprise .
In medical, Spock and Chapel have completed Batel's procedure. Chapel kisses Spock and thanks him for his assistance. Spock says, 'You're welcome,' and begins to walk away. But before he does so, he turns back to look at Chapel once more. Pike arrives to check on Batel. Spock is gone.
RELATED: Read our Star Trek: Strange New Worlds recaps
Una reports Ortegas is critical but stable. Pike orders a course for Earth. In medical, he approaches Batel. She remains unconscious. Pike tells his late father that he wins. He sits beside Batel and begins to pray. Batel awakens.
A tearful Pike relates what's happened. He tells her he really doesn't want to lose her. Batel says she's still there. The Enterprise leaves the binary star system.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds streams on Paramount+ on Thursdays.
Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: ERICA ORTEGAS Avery Kaplan (she/her) is the author of several books and the Features Editor at Comics Beat. With her spouse Ollie Kaplan, Avery co-authored the middle school textbook on intersectionality Double Challenge: Being LGBTQ and a Minority. She was honored to serve as a judge for the 2021 - 2024 Cartoonist Studio Prize Awards and the 2021 Prism Awards. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her partner and a pile of cats, and her favorite place to visit is the cemetery. You can also find her writing on Comics Bookcase, the Gutter Review, Shelfdust, the Mary Sue, StarTrek.com, in the Comics Courier and in many issues of PanelxPanel, and in the margins of the books in her personal library.
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The Pike/M'Benga dynamic, playing out alongside the Una/Ortegas one, is an elegant narrative construct, and my Big Hit of the episode. We already knew that Pike (Anson Mount) and M'Benga's (Babs Olusanmokun) friendship goes back a long time. Here, it's reestablished and embellished by their reminiscing at the beginning of the mission. (Three ex-wives and an annulled marriage, M'Benga? Really?) Ultimately, their friendship holds despite hard truths coming to light during their time on Kenfori. The last thing Pike says to M'Benga sums it up: 'You're not a monster, Joseph, just a man. And my friend.' RELATED: 4 Star Trek Romances Conversely, Una (Rebecca Romijn) must respond to Ortegas's (Melissa Navia) very public insubordination and actions, which endangered the ship and its crew. Professionally, both women recognize that mistakes were made. In contrast to Pike and M'Benga, in their final exchange, Una asserts that this can't ever happen again, with Ortegas acknowledging and apologizing. Side by side, these plotlines are a masterclass in Starfleet crew dynamics. Avery Kaplan: I thought this episode had some very good continuity. I like seeing the trauma Ortegas experienced at the hands (claws?) of the Gorn continue to be explored. It was neat to see the little cameo from the R'Ongovian in 'Wedding Bell Blues' pay off. And I'm curious to see where this whole Batel-Gorn thing leads. I do still think it's a little odd that, after the Gorn had such a profound effect on the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, they are essentially not recognized a few years later in Star Trek: The Original Series' 'Arena.' Also, do they start wearing pretty dresses later on? Or wait … is Pretty Dress Gorn a descendant of Gorn-Chimera-Flower-Hybrid Batel (Melanie Scrofano)? Big Whiffs DK: To give in to my superficial side for a moment, what the heck is going on with Una's hair in this episode? Photo Credit: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ But seriously, my Big Whiff here is the eternal irrationality of the Klingon code of honor – no reference to the TNG episode implied – and its utter disregard for timing and context. If I have it straight, Bytha (Christine Horn) must restore family honor by killing her father, Rah (Robert Wisdom). He brought dishonor by defecting to the Federation. But M'Benga beat her to it. Now, she must kill M'Benga to avenge her father – the same one she was going to kill – and regain honorable standing. And the best time to do this is while a horde of ravenous plant-hybrid former humans and Klingons surrounds them? Talk about taking me out of the moment. And when their fight damaged the field generator? #FacePalm RELATED: When Franchises Collide: Star Trek and the Marvel Cinematic Universe AK: As a huge fan of George A. Romero's six Dead movies, I had high hopes for this episode. In Romero's zombie movies, the undead aren't just a horror movie threat; they're a vehicle for exploring social issues (often in an extremely unsubtle manner (complimentary)). Given the strong social commentary in Strange New Worlds Season 1 and Season 2, I had hoped that the tradition of undead thematic exploration would have been included in 'Shuttle to Kenfori.' But while the episode does pick up on M'Benga's plotline from Season 2's 'Under the Cloak of War,' I cannot for the life of me suss out any social commentary in connection with the zombies, which are — unfortunately — essentially reduced to 'just a horror movie threat.' In my opinion, it's definitely the Big Whiff of the episode. Photo Credit: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ Episode VIP DK: Sometimes, it's just one scene that steals the show for a character. Here, my VIP vote goes to Marie Batel for her honesty in the episode's closing moments with Pike. When she tells him that he's the reason she didn't share the plan with him, 'because I don't have the space to worry about how my dying affects your feelings,' it's not callousness, it's truth. Her life is hers, and so are her choices. To be fair, when Pike admits he wanted to be in on the decision so that he could support her making it, he's being honest, too. But stupid honest. All feeling, no thought. It's a selfish sentiment, and she calls him on that – 'It wasn't about you!' Batel's said before that she knows she's living on borrowed time. When Spock mindmelds with her to help control the pain, we see the level of horror she's been living with, something harrowing enough that it breaks a Vulcan's control. The fact that she chooses to live despite everything she knows she's risking is inspiring. RELATED: TV Review: Wynonna Earp: Vengeance AK: I have to give Episode VIP to M'Benga. I loved his line deliveries throughout the episode, from his assertion that he never gets caught to his stating, 'I like to think of myself as a work of progress.' Same, M'Benga, same. Photo Credit: Marni Grossman/Paramount+ Best Easter Eggs/Inside Jokes DK: Full disclosure: I've never watched any of Romero's Dead films. So, if I hadn't been checking Trek canon for a previous mention of the planet Kenfori, I would never have realized that Ken Foree starred in 1978's Dawn of the Dead. Well played, writers. And kudos to the many visual references to iconic scenes from Dawn, especially that last shot of Bytha's outstretched hand as the horde chows down on her. AK: Ken Foree as Peter in Dawn of the Dead is one of the best characters in a zombie movie ever, so I'm glad the title paid him homage. On a similar note, I assume the title 'Shuttle to Kenfori' is a play on the title of the 2016 zombie movie Train to Busan. While Romero's Dead movies are (and almost always shall be) my favorite zombie stories, I appreciate the reference to another influential flick of the undead. And yes, I am inclined to assume 'the z-word' is a reference to 2004's Shaun of the Dead. When there's no more room in hell, the dead will be referenced on Star Trek. Elements That Will LLAP DK: M'Benga and Ortegas both have trauma and personal demons to contend with. I hope their healing processes are given the time and space needed. Clearly, the Federation needs some notes on Kenfori before the next ship decides to disregard the Klingon 'Turn Back Or Die' beacon. (As an aside, I'd love to know when Klingons got remote-controlled ornithopter shuttles like the one Bytha summoned to the landing pad.) It'll be tricky for Pike to explain how he knows what happened to the Kenfori scientists without a mission on the books. Finally, if the chimera blossom works to help Batel survive her Gorn parasite, there's probably going to be a discussion about the status and security clearance of human-Gorn hybrids. RELATED: Geek Girl Authority Crush of the Week: Erica Ortegas AK: I'm definitely looking forward to the continuation of both M'Benga and Ortegas' plot lines as well. I especially like the way M'Benga has not been defined by a single subplot over all three seasons, but instead has had multiple storylines explored. I want Ortegas to continue to play a bigger role throughout this season and through to the end of the series … but of course, her absence from The Original Series makes me nervous about her possible fate. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds drops new episodes every Thursday on Paramount+. Hit It: Best Quotes From the STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS Season 3 Premiere Diana lives in Vancouver, BC, Canada, where she invests her time and energy in teaching, writing, parenting, and indulging her love of all Trek and a myriad of other fandoms. She is a lifelong fan of smart sci-fi and fantasy media, an upstanding citizen of the United Federation of Planets, and a supporter of AFC Richmond 'til she dies. Her guilty pleasures include female-led procedurals, old-school sitcoms, and Bluey. She teaches, knits, and dreams big. You can also find her writing at The Televixen, Women at Warp, TV Fanatic, and TV Goodness.
