Discovery 1x11: The Wolf Inside
Jan. 14th, 2018 04:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rivendellrose posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
spacefunguspartyHere is your episode discussion post for Discovery 1x11: "The Wolf Inside."
Please be aware that there will be spoilery comments on this entry. As always, I'll be back later this evening to join in the party once I've had a chance to watch the episode, and if the conversation hasn't gotten too far without me I will add some discussion starters or other remarks behind a cut.
So, wow, I have to admit I did not expect shit to go down quite this quickly! I admit, part way through the episode I started wondering wtf the last four episodes were going to be about, but, well, I have a theory about that after the end of this episode.
First off, I think we can now safely say that if this episode had a moral, it might be "Don't put the weight of your entire sanity and ability to function as a human being on one person, no matter how much you love them." Ash, baby... my dear Lt. Bambi and also you goddamned face-eating Klingon... you could have avoided all of this to some extent if you'd just admitted way back when, "Hey, I might need help. I am probably not safe to be on duty in my current mental state. I should seek therapy. And not kill the doctor who grounds me out of concern and compassion."
Another good moral might be "When you're in an alternate universe, don't fuck up and call people by names they haven't told you yet," BURNHAM. "I've decided I'm going to call you that," says Burnham of Saru's actual name. Not like he's going to be at all suspicious about that one!
"Tell the people you trust the full truth," might also be a lesson to take from this. Burnham, maybe tell Saru!Prime that you did indeed find him on the Mirror Shenzhou. Saru!Prime, maybe tell Burnham that Culber is dead. You don't know if this information might turn out to be important. And the very fact that you left it out just basically ensured that it will be.
"When your friends start acting erratically, give them a break and encourage them to step back from stressful responsibilities that seem to be taking a toll on them." Hey, Burnham - notice how Ash is having a real hard time coping with this mission all of a sudden? Maybe send him outside to get some air rather than assuming he can handle it when you know damned well that's a 50/50 proposition. That way maybe he won't attackhimself the dude you're trying to have peace talks with.
"No good deed ever goes unpunished," as Burnham learns that while she can trick the crew of the Shenzhou into believing that she's just really into hands-on management methods in the destruction of the rebel base (...man, what fandom am I in right now?), there are other people who are less easily fooled.
And of course, the ever-popular "Shoot first, ask questions later." If your boyfriend says that he's a Klingon who killed Dr. Culber and remembers you killing his lord and trying to gouge his eyes out back at the beginning of the season, consider shooting him before he tries to finish you.
For the fans, "Be careful what you wish for" would seem like it might be appropriate wisdom to take to heart. Oh, have I wished for Georgiou back. So many times. As soon as I heard there was going to be a Mirror Universe episode, my first response was "I want Mirror!Georgiou." And I still do. But holy freaking hell is Emperor Georgiou going to be terrifying. I'm not sorry I wished for this, but... well, ask me again next week.
Lastly, a moral purely for me: "When one fan theory turns out to be 100% correct, don't dismiss the next you run across as unlikely." Because I am starting to seriously fall in line with this whole "Lorca is from the Mirror Universe" thing, and I think right now that it might be the best possible explanation of where the next episodes are going to go.
Please be aware that there will be spoilery comments on this entry. As always, I'll be back later this evening to join in the party once I've had a chance to watch the episode, and if the conversation hasn't gotten too far without me I will add some discussion starters or other remarks behind a cut.
So, wow, I have to admit I did not expect shit to go down quite this quickly! I admit, part way through the episode I started wondering wtf the last four episodes were going to be about, but, well, I have a theory about that after the end of this episode.
First off, I think we can now safely say that if this episode had a moral, it might be "Don't put the weight of your entire sanity and ability to function as a human being on one person, no matter how much you love them." Ash, baby... my dear Lt. Bambi and also you goddamned face-eating Klingon... you could have avoided all of this to some extent if you'd just admitted way back when, "Hey, I might need help. I am probably not safe to be on duty in my current mental state. I should seek therapy. And not kill the doctor who grounds me out of concern and compassion."
Another good moral might be "When you're in an alternate universe, don't fuck up and call people by names they haven't told you yet," BURNHAM. "I've decided I'm going to call you that," says Burnham of Saru's actual name. Not like he's going to be at all suspicious about that one!
"Tell the people you trust the full truth," might also be a lesson to take from this. Burnham, maybe tell Saru!Prime that you did indeed find him on the Mirror Shenzhou. Saru!Prime, maybe tell Burnham that Culber is dead. You don't know if this information might turn out to be important. And the very fact that you left it out just basically ensured that it will be.
"When your friends start acting erratically, give them a break and encourage them to step back from stressful responsibilities that seem to be taking a toll on them." Hey, Burnham - notice how Ash is having a real hard time coping with this mission all of a sudden? Maybe send him outside to get some air rather than assuming he can handle it when you know damned well that's a 50/50 proposition. That way maybe he won't attack
"No good deed ever goes unpunished," as Burnham learns that while she can trick the crew of the Shenzhou into believing that she's just really into hands-on management methods in the destruction of the rebel base (...man, what fandom am I in right now?), there are other people who are less easily fooled.
And of course, the ever-popular "Shoot first, ask questions later." If your boyfriend says that he's a Klingon who killed Dr. Culber and remembers you killing his lord and trying to gouge his eyes out back at the beginning of the season, consider shooting him before he tries to finish you.
For the fans, "Be careful what you wish for" would seem like it might be appropriate wisdom to take to heart. Oh, have I wished for Georgiou back. So many times. As soon as I heard there was going to be a Mirror Universe episode, my first response was "I want Mirror!Georgiou." And I still do. But holy freaking hell is Emperor Georgiou going to be terrifying. I'm not sorry I wished for this, but... well, ask me again next week.
Lastly, a moral purely for me: "When one fan theory turns out to be 100% correct, don't dismiss the next you run across as unlikely." Because I am starting to seriously fall in line with this whole "Lorca is from the Mirror Universe" thing, and I think right now that it might be the best possible explanation of where the next episodes are going to go.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-15 10:15 am (UTC)Omg, that was amazing. SHE LOOKED AMAZING and also I was scared. Aside from all the emotional stuff for poor Michael, I was just straight up scared of Philippa's face omg.
For a minute or two, when we knew Voq was leading the resistance, I thought "Wait, does that mean Voq-Ash could maybe bring about peace for the Klingons? Because I can't think of anyone better qualified right now." But then Ash went to pieces and I just don't know.
But I loved beardy!Sarek as a prophet. How awesome - I hope we get to see more of him.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-15 04:56 pm (UTC)I KNOW, RIGHT? I've seen Michelle Yeoh in a fair number of other things, but it's always been stuff where she's very much the good guy. I was not prepared for how terrifying she looked just standing there!
"Wait, does that mean Voq-Ash could maybe bring about peace for the Klingons? Because I can't think of anyone better qualified right now." But then Ash went to pieces and I just don't know.
I think we're still headed there? I am clinging to the hope that Ash and Voq manage to come to a sort of unified personality and that personality can lead for peace. This is probably more desperation than reasonable thought, though.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-15 06:23 pm (UTC)I think that's the endgame -- there are parallels set up between him and Michael, being hybrids and outcasts and rebels and so on, and I don't think they're just going to toss the Ash character, or leave the Voq part unredeemable. I think the long throughline is how the Klingons are going to be part of the Federation. But I don't really see how they're going to get there from here. Maybe that would be more S2.
I'm hoping the Mirrorverse isn't going to last until the finale, because it's such a fucking bummer.
except Evil Emperor Philno subject
Date: 2018-01-15 08:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-15 09:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-15 09:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-15 09:48 pm (UTC)One of the showrunners for Disco said on Twitter that they weren't interested in the "evil = promiscuous" thing for this iteration of the MU, and I'm quite delighted to hear it. Even though I still ship everyone, obviously.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-15 10:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-15 10:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-15 11:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-16 04:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-20 09:40 am (UTC)