That Hope is You, Part 2 – Star Trek: Discovery S3, Ep 13 review

That Hope is You, Part 2 concludes the latest run of Star Trek: Discovery. Wrapping up the Series 3 storylines, we saw the resolution of Su’Kal’s story – as well as dealing with the threat of the Emerald Chain.

There is a tide… finished with Saru, Culber and Adiria still stuck inside a radioactive nebula, amid the decaying holo-fantasises of Su’kal; a troubled Kepian man-child who was inadvertently responsible for ‘The Burn’.

Negotiations between Starfleet’s Admiral Vance and Osyraa had broken down, leading the Emerald Chain’s representative (currently in charge of Discovery) to shoot her way out of Starfleet headquarters.

Meanwhile, Discovery’s crew, under acting Captain Tilly, have had an offer of help from an unexpected quarter – the Sphere Data; the mysterious AI which has made its home in Discovery’s computer. Oh, and Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), having excised the spore drive pilot and sent plea for help, had been captured by Osyraa’s forces…

All Action

After reacquainting us with Saru’s predicament, we were treated to a series of big action scenes. As Discovery blasted her way out of space dock, the cavalry arrived; a fleet from Ni’Var in response to Burnham’s call. With Vance persuaded to let Discovery go rather than destroy her, the story became a race against time; the crew taking back their ship, in order to rescue Saru and friends before their anti-radiation medication ran out.

While scenes in the nebula handled the emotional crux of the story, those onboard Discovery were all action. With Tilly and pals granted a mission, to knock the ship out of warp, Burnham and Book ran riot, battling the Chain’s Regulators inside turbolift shafts. This was a surprisingly effective setting for a punch up in at least three dimensions! It culminated in a terrific one-on-one between Burnham and Osyraa, the glorious green skinned scenery-chomper played memorably by Janet Kidder.

It is difficult not to see Anthony Rapp’s Stamets as unfairly side-lined though; not only was he ejected from the plot (literally), but his unique skill was revealed to be something that Burnham’s empathic lover Book can handle too. As a moment of heightened tension, this fell utterly flat for us; surely there was a way to return Stamets to the heart of the story in the nick of time? We assume Book’s new found prowess provides some set up for the future, should he stick around.

We have some sympathy for Tilly too. Despite leading that suicide mission, six characters with enough plot for two, she promptly cedes command to Burnham. Might this have sated her desire for the big chair?

The apotheosis of Michael Burnam

With Saru enjoying leave of absence, it seemed inevitable that Burnham would be granted the captaincy of Discovery. She has been pointed in that direction for some time. We could argue that she lacks the discipline, or even the temperament, for command. However, given her successes (and position as the lead character) it was surely undeniable. Where does that leave Saru though, should Doug Jones be coming back for Series 4? And we really hope that he does!

That Hope is You, Part 2 ties up most of the loose ends, and so with new uniforms and a new Captain, Discovery sets out to find its place in the 32nd century. First up, as bringer of dilithium to far flung corners of the Federation. This past series has been a fun, if occasionally frustrating, ride. Let’s hope the next one can readdress the woeful story imbalance between Captain Michael Burnham and her crew!

Star Trek: Discovery Series 3 is available in the UK on Netflix