Star Trek Discovery Curveballs

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SPOILERS: Just when you think you've got things figured out

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I posted this on January 28, but had some additional speculation so I updated it on January 30.

 

I just finished watching Star Trek Discovery episode 13, "What's Past Is Prologue." What I love about the show is that they keep surprising me. And even when I see the twist coming, they figure out a way to make it amazing. I enjoy watching Discovery on Sunday nights and I'm disappointed that there are only two episodes left in this season.

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Spoilers

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Last week, I started a blog post (that I did not finish) that surmised that time travel was going to come into play. And of course, this week, it did. Discovery wrapped up the Mirror Universe storyline this week and ended by traveling into a future where the Federation has pretty much lost the Klingon War. I'm not sure I love the time travel twist, but I'm willing to give the creative team the benefit of the doubt. This show has been amazing so far...

 

What’s awesome

  • Saru’s speech
  • "Just kidding. I hate poetry."
  • The fight scene in the throne room
  • "You are not a reliable source."
  • The Jabba-the-Hut-style trap door
  • Both Stamets
  • Starfleet idealism
 

Wild speculation

My assumption is that they’ll go back in time and change something with the Battle of the Binary Stars. Maybe Starfleet defeats the Klingons or avoids the war all together.* Burnham never becomes a convicted mutineer and is instead, the hero of the Battle of the Binary Stars.

She’s rewarded with the command of a new science vessel, the USS Discovery. And the crew includes Tilly, the real Ash Tyler, a never-killed Dr. Culber, Stamets and Saru. Maybe without evil Lorca and the Klingon War, the spore hub drive never becomes a thing – which would explain why no one ever mentions it in future shows. This would set up season two with Burnham as captain of a science vessel that’s doing more traditional Star Trek exploration.

I can't wait to see how everything pulls together.

 

Updated Speculation
1/30/2018

So a few days after I wrote this, I had another thought. Remember that device that Harry Mudd had that let him go back in a time loop. What happened to that device? As I recall, the problem with the technology was that it was challenging to power, but we now know that the mycelial network can create an unthinkable amount of energy. Enough power to send Burnham back to the Battle of the Binary Stars and change the outcome of the battle? Maybe.

 

One last question

What was Captain Killy up to?

* Remember the moment in the first episode when Burnham loses consciousness for a few moments after defeating the Torchbearer. I think that detail is going to be important for some reason.

Bob Wertz writes about design, technology and pop culture at Sketchbook B. Bob is a Columbia, South Carolina-based designer, creative director, college instructor, husband and dad. He’s particularly obsessed with typography, the creative process and the tools we use to create. He's currently in the middle of a project to design a new shirt a week for an entire year. Follow Bob on Twitter, Instagram and Micro.Blog.