‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Recap – ‘Rubicon’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 409 of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One particularly important lesson that we absolutely have to learn early on in life, is to remain objective in just about everything that we do, and we are asked to learn that lesson for one reason and one reason alone. Because emotion, tends to muck things up more often than not and by keeping that out of the equation we can function in important moments and complete critical goals in our day. But while that lesson is indeed important and we see its value often in life, it’s a tough one to follow sometimes. Because when the situation is right and emotions are high, being objective just seems like a waste of time since our heart believes it knows what is best in this situation.
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If anything, that particular conundrum is top of mind today, simply because it is the very one that Captain Michael Burnham faced in this week’s episode of Star Trek: Discovery. For when we catch up with her and the intrepid crew of the U.S.S. Discovery in ‘Rubicon’, they’re preparing for a tough mission. One that will involve Michael taking the ship to Book and Tarka’s location to stop them from destroying the DMA and potentially causing a war and while Burnham believes she is up to the task no problem, Admiral Vance and President Rillak have concerns about Michael’s objectivity and rightfully so. For nothing clouds judgment better than love and that in turn motivates Vance to enact a contingency plan aboard the ship.

One that involves Commander Nahn serving as a special attaché to the captain. Wherein she can relieve Burnham of command if her objectivity wavers and well… it doesn’t take long for that to be put to the test. Because thanks to Tarka’s new security system, the away team sent to retake Book’s ship almost dies horribly and once the ship caught up with them again, serious concerns about Burnham's objectivity came into play. All because Book and Burnham played a dangerous game of cat and mouse, one that involved exchanging low level fire and brought about constant maneuvering and that brought Nahn close to the edge of executing a rough plan. One where she would indeed assume command and hit Book’s ship with a torpedo at a weak point, that would immediately end this mess and Book and Tarka.

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But Burnham was convinced she could reach her love and pressed for more time and thankfully got just enough… to present Book with a lovely plan to make everyone happy. For if he stood down now, for one week, which was long enough for the Federation to try make First Contact while the DMA harvested its share of Boronite… no trouble would befall he and Tarka and their plan would be given the green light if First Contact with Species 10-C failed and thankfully… Book agreed to that plan. Giving rise to a sense of peace and joy, all while making it clear that Burnham had no problem with objectivity. Since she did separate herself just enough… to outmaneuver Book and buy herself enough time to get the resolution she desperately needed.
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Which means that in the end, the only person with a genuine issue with objectivity here… was Tarka. Because he didn’t listen to a word that Burnham had to say and disobeyed Book’s orders when the deal was made and fired his nasty little weapon. Destroying the DMA controller and that led to quite the unfortunate surprise. In that, there was no power source to be found because the real controller was on the source side of the wormhole. Ergo, Tarka’s desire to get home at all costs, put emotion before logic and science and in doing so, allowed for him to neglect the possibility that 10-C had sole control from their end. Making his mission a dangerous and wasteful venture, one that might have some immediate repercussions.

Since we learned at the end of this tale, that 10-C sent the DMA through regardless of having the original controller destroyed, making it clear they want that Boronite and that they are aware now… that a strong force is in their way. So, in a strange offshoot way, First Contact has been made. But while wait to see if 10-C is willing to talk or if they’re going to be a bit more aggressive in getting what they need, we can bask in the majesty of another character centric tale. One that really showed us how close Michael and Book have become since they new each other’s tactics and maneuvers to a tee, and how to communicate properly with one another, and hopefully now… this failure and this ugliness will finally motivate Book to heal as Michael and the crew of the Discovery prepare for the next steps in dealing with Species 10-C. Until next time.

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