Discovery: Season One, Episode Three

Star Trek Discovery
Season One, Episode Three

Context is for Kings
[original airdate: 10|01|2017]
[spoilers ahoy!]

 [New hair, done with you already. (Michael's tidy, pressed out Vulcan-ish style is gone, her hair
is a natural corkscrew fluff. Her expression is done with everything.)]

And we start off with Michael's new hairstyle for the series. I like this a lot better, and it feels more true to her current character.

She is not impressed by the conversation being had by the other cons in the shuttle. I don't know where Tellun is, but the accident there sounds ~exciting~. Then they start bragging about killing Andorians (or the bald guy does) and Michael's like "oh cool, assholes". I like how bullies just exist everywhere. I mean... you really are in no place to be talking shit, laughing, and making fun, and then you do. Ahhh and let's not actually blame the Klingons for destroying the Europa, let's blame Michael! Or try to.

Proximity alert huh: IS THERE ANOTHER KLINGON TEN FEET AWAY WITH FIVE FEET OF BAT'LETH?

Noooo it's weird green sparkly shit instead.

 [At least it looks pretty. (Michael looking nervously out of the window at green sparkles.)]

OKay dude you live in the 23rd century have you literally not heard of autopilot before? And they said, JUST NOW, what she's doing are you deaf? She's going outside to "play exterminator". Geez. No wonder you were imprisoned you can't fucking listen for three seconds.

Hey check out the xenoanthropologist. Although it's totally not creepy that this species (which sounds like a type of car) "feeds off of electricity". Oh you must be fun at parties, Michael. Please tell me more about how we'll go adrift, run out of oxygen, and freeze to death.

"Everything's fine!" "Safety tether disconnected. Autopilot malfunction."

[a gif of Ron Weasley saying "Can we panic now?!"]

Everyone freaks out except Michael. Look I know you were raised by Vulcans, but what logical reason do you have for just sitting there like this is a meditation? Shouldn't you be panicking too? Oh. Okay no need then. That's a Starfleet ship rescuing you. Nice design too. I wonder what ship of the line that is???

Pan over the ship with triumphant music playing over it, letting you drool over the brilliant Starfleet design, and you get to see her-- the title ship. 

[a heroic angled shot of the USS Discovery over blue clouds. Her registry NCC-1031 is visible.]

What's up with the gap in the saucer section??? What does it do? Is it just a really cool design? *heart eyes* I am here for all the blue lighting. Also, coming up the back side of the ship- I am a big fan of those vent covers or whatever they are? Makes the ship recognizeable. Looks literally like nothing we've seen before. (Okay okay we knew it was Discovery from the intro credits, so sue me. I didn't recognize it from there the first time I saw this. }}}:P )

Oooh a lady chief of security. I like this ship already. I'd say "she's so rude" for calling them garbage, but from her perspective... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I wonder why Michael's jumpsuit is yellow and not gray. (My girlfriend interjects with "so she stands out more!" so that might be why). Clearly Landry is used to people following her instructions as well. I am in love with the uniform design, and hey, first time we see the ballistics vest off of Shenzhou! Yay. And it has a black badge. No Mr Convict we haven't seen it, and neither have you.

[a Starfleet insignia that is 3/4 black on the viewer's left,
1/4 silver on the viewer's right.]

Oh uh, hello there Detmer. That's a nice headpiece you have. With no explanation since you weren't injured during the Battle of the Binary Stars WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU.

 [Keyla Detmer and the Totally Awesome Augment. (Kayla Detmer from the pilot with a close-cut undercut revealing a silver band over her temple that branches into a Y-shape aorund her left eye.)]

And then we have total silence as Michael walks in and joins her fellow inmates at a table at which point they suddenly decide INSIDE A STARFLEET INSTALLATION (okay, ship) to kill Michael for no apparent reason except maybe they'd been interrupted in possibly killing her before. HMM.

It is really nice seeing Michael doing some martial arts and basically wiping the fucking floor with these guys though. It was weird that Landry stopped the other security guard, but then again, maybe she just wanted to see Michael put them in their place for two seconds.

Oooh who might this "Captain" be? I'm curious.

Landry you shut your mouth. Suus Mahna huh? Sounds awesome. I'm here for Vulcan martial arts. And anyway, your argument that they should stick to logic would only apply if Michael failed. She had the upper hand.

That's not- wait. Is Saru the captain??? Is Michael going to be constantly haunted by her past??

IS THAT A TRIBBLE???

[A gold lit shot of Jason Isaacs looking heroic in a slight upshot. He is wearing a captain's uniform.]

Nope, Jason Isaacs.

Also it is hilarious when he says he has to deal with the lighting slowly and says he likes to think it makes him mysterious, and Michael is looking at him like "are you fucking kidding me" and he's like "no? okay." Like, he deflates and everything. LOL

This bastard sitting here crunching away on fortune cookies and being like "Don't be shy lol" and Michael's like "hella suspicious". God Jason Isaacs is good. He smiles and you're like "I trust you." (His little aside to me is so funny, about his family being in the fortune cookie business a century ago, I dunno why)

And he's like "I read all about you. You're something all right," and she's like "d u d e that is not the point why the hell am I here" and he's like "oh I guess you missed the storm out there."

It's interesting how he comes around the desk and she backs the heck away from him. It's like they're illustrating that she's afraid of Starfleet because she did something wrong and they shoved her in a tin can for life.

You know, you keep talking in a low, quiet voice like that, this post will go nowhere because my thirst will engulf the world. 

  [The thirst is real. (a gif of Blanche from Golden Girls breathing hard 
and spritzing herself with water.)]

MICHAEL. You are being given a chance to go back to what you love in some capacity. Stop with this martyr bullshit. Why do I feel like this is going to be a theme for you???

Wow like okay Captain Lorca sir, that seems a little rude to tell her that, but okay. I mean, you are right, she has no choice, and your mission must be urgent if you're saying what you're saying but.

Ah yes. You have to win the war with the Klingons. Okay, we do know that after six months it must have gotten bad, especially since someone wanted to know why they were so far from the front lines. So yeah, that's urgent. And fighting a war means people can be abrupt.

Cut to Michael getting new quarters and

PROTECT SYLVIA TILLY AT ALL COSTS.

"I talk when I'm nervous." DON'T WE ALL. She is instantly the most relatable character on this ship.

[a shy looking, round-faced redhead with her hair swept back in a severe bun.
She looked extremely innocent.]

"I'll call you Mickey I think that's a little more approachable." "No you won't." "No I won't." LMAO Tilly would probably befriend a space monster if you let her.

When she finds out Michael is actually that Michael, and then they're interrupted.

Black Alert. 

 [a brilliant image of Michael's reflected face with floating water drops. The scene is blue-tinted.]

Okay who the hell put a horror movie scene into my Trek??? When Michael asks Tilly what's going on it's like "horror movie scene, check".

And then it's like mood whiplash because Michael walks out of her quarters and there's Saru with a bowl of blueberries. "The bossfolk that be were impressed by me at the Battle of the Binary Stars. Wish I did more tho." "Same." "Blueberry?"

[a gif of Tony Stark offering Steve Rogers a blueberry. (Dr Banner is in the background)]

 

 I love Saru though. Whether or not that was a reference to Avengers or not... I love Saru. Just wandering around, eating fruit and talking shit. I mean he is roasting Michael right now. And yet he's also so kind to her at the same time.

Man, how much must it hurt to be told by a former colleague and friend that you're someone to fear. :C Also that is f u c k i n g coLD SARU. Damn. I mean shit what happened to her captain wasn't her fault, they were split up during that physical fight. I mean come on, Voq was strangling her and she broke away just in time to see it happen. 

[a gif of Han Solo in carbonite to illustrate how cold that was.]

Oooooooo classified lab inside Engineering!!! Only accessible with a breath-print huh? Weiiiiiiiird. And cool.

"We have assigned seats" OMG literally? I am cackling here. I think Tilly might be a tiny bit afraid of you, Michael.

HI STAMETS I like you already. Grumpy and adorable. And covered in dust. [I'm reminded a little of Bones in this segment.] Their exchange is amazing. I love the banter and dialogue on this show, damn!
 

[also he is a pop culture nerd and i love him already]

I'm right, there is no assigned seating! HA. God I love this show. Also let me just say I love how they're indicating the passage of time while Michael works, as people move and then fade out, as they leave her awareness. A+

Oh no I don't think Michael is supposed to be hearing thiiiiiiiiiiiis. Also just, Stamets interacting with his friends. "I think 12 is a perfectly robust number. What's the Glenn at?" "Speirin 240." "I hate you! How?" "A sudden breakthrough." "I hate you! How?!" *giggle*

"LURKER."

Michael don't eavesdrop.

  

[Look, real code! Disco's still running Windows. lmao (image showing

real Windows code)] 

Caught a mistake in my fake busywork? DISMISSED. Also let me show you how this top secret system works before you leave even though you're nosy and shouldn't know about it.

Michael you know it's super creepy for you to stand over Tilly when she's sleeping like you're Edward Cullen or something.

[gif of Edward Cullen saying "I like watching you sleep."]

Poor Tilly, snoring and drooling on the pillow... Michael you swapped pillows didn't you? *accusing face* Oh my god are you catching her spit? You're so weird. What is THAT. Oh my god you are using her spit and some. Air. Spray. Thing. To sneak into that classified section??? MICHAEL NO MICHAEL STOP.

Okay that's a pretty amazing shot of the plants in here, what is that growing- floating- what. What is all this??? Whatever it is, the ambient music jingles. That usually means something.

Above top secret. Oooh. Of course since they have classified areas, black badges, and whatever this "black alert" is... I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. I have to admit, I probably watched Avengers too many times because I'm expecting Nick Fury.

Aww, we don't get to see it either! Damn, Lorca does not like being back-talked to, geez! But we're already hearing "fighting a war here" for the second time. Is this going to turn into his catchphrase?

Oh no, Tilly is a theoretical engineer? Yay! Apparently she's the best and top of her class? I stand by my statement that she must be protected at all costs. She's also so excited, like a dog going to the dog park. "This is my... very first... boarding party."

 [Look at this dumpling! She's so cute! Cinnamon roll must be protected. (Michael appearing done with everyone's shit. Tilly is beaming to her right because of the mission.)]

 Oh man it's eerie seeing the Glenn adrift. If you're familiar with Trek (and I'm sure most of you here are) seeing a starship floating at an awkward angle, like an ocean warship that's floundered on shoals or reefs, is very disconcerting.

Stamets, stop trying to leave Michael out of the conversation. She has to know what's going on. Don't be that guy.

*is distracted when he finally starts explaining*

 [Mushroom Daddy Stamets explains spaceshrooms. (Anthony Rapp as Paul Stamets explaining.)]

Stamets: *takes a breath*
Michael: 

[an image of Adam Jensen from Deus Ex 

captioned "I never asked for this."]

So apparently the USS Glenn is the same build as Discovery. That's interesting. That means something about both ships is related to whatever the speirins they were discussing are.

Oh hey this doesn't look creepy at all as they go to investigate a dead ship with dead people who did classified things no one wants to talk about except that astromycology (space mushrooms) is involved and bad things happened.

Who put a horror story in my Star Trek?

Oh my god that's gory. I'm warning you now, if you haven't seen it or you're watching along for some crazy reason that is g o r y.

It's not the worst but it's bad. Also there's something on the ship. I dunno what it is, but this has gone from nope to NOPE.

Klingons, in my adrift starship?

    

[It's more likely than you think. (a dimly lit bat'leth on the corridor floor.)] 

 Okay this just has all the good horror movie stuff in this scene: flickering lights, blue-tinting, heavy breathing, flashlights, blood smears and half-seen bodies...

Torn double reinforced metal...

YOU IN THE SHADOWS -- Tilly, you're so brave. I'm not sure I'd be as brave as you.

"Is he-

[Shhhh. (A Klingon in spiked armor doing the "shh" gesture.)]

Yes he is, Landry.

Well, he's not anymore. And there's something else in the shadows now. *chills* Seriously this is so good. RUN. The phasers, they do nothing.

Okay, guess we don't get to know what that critter is yet. We'll just hide out here in Engineering and download the ship's logs, get the telemetry and check on the spores. Cool. Meanwhile whatever is out there is rampaging and roaring. Fun.

Man Stamets' friend has looked better. *cringe*

I do like the little screech from whomever it was when the creature outside smashes into the door. Unless that was the door. I don't like that. And the logs are corrupted and there's a weird hack on the navigational array? Which they're taking with them.

You know it's bad when a phaser rifle can't burn through the jammed door. *chewing on nails!!!*

Michael: I need a phaser
Landry: Mutineers don't get guns
Tilly: You can't kill it
Michael: Not trying to kill it. Trying to piss it off
Stamets, an intellectual: Have a gun *fling*

Michael, terrified out of her wits, crawling high speed down a tunnel with an angry space monster chasing her, reciting Alice in Wonderland.

Annnnd superhero landing!

[a gif of Deadpool clapping, saying "Whoo! Superhero landing!"]

As usual, I love Saru and his amazing face. Saruuuu you're so nice, telling Michael she's such a valuable asset, and that she was a good officer until. Well. Yeah.

MICHAEL YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH. You cannot tell me you actually want to go back to jail. Lorca may be weird and bossy, but he seems fairly decent, and the Discovery is cool and Tilly wants to be your friend. STAY.

It's cute how you think the spore thing is a weapon, Michael. And now Lorca's gonna show you what's going on. Bwahahahaha *rubs hands together*

[ a gif of Mr Burns from The Simpsons tapping his fingers together
saying "Excellent" and grinning.]

I literally adore the scene where Lorca has her in the spore chamber, and she's surrounded by them and in awe, and he's like "check this shit out," and explains them, and then shows her where they're going, where they've been, places they've seen and places they haven't. It's so awesome. And him selling it to Michael, well, he's selling it to me.

[He could sell encyclopedias to a blind man. (an image of Lorca's earnest (and attractive) face.)]

The thirst in this OP is real. He knows all the right things to say, unf. I would go to war for this man and I hate the idea of it. I hate everything war is about, I'm terrified of it, but if he said what he said to Michael to me? I'd be like how soon can I start.

Also. Just posting this here.

[Saru is heavily salting his cup of tea. Two alien crewmembers in the background.]

  Tilly's HAIR. I love it. And yet again, I feel a great surge of love for her. "Here's a thing most people don't know about me: I'm gonna be a captain someday." Yes I think Michael should help you. [Also her hoodie has thumbholes! Gimme]

And now we find out about where Michael gets Alice from. Yes please give Tilly the book to read. She takes it so reverently.

[Tilly's hair is loose, but tamed. It is very curly and past her shoulders. She wears a navy hoodie with
thumbholes and has a real paper copy of Alice in Wonderland that Michael gave her in her hands.]

So I know they have to destroy the USS Glenn so no one else, especially the Klingons, can get their hands on it, but damn it's sad to see it go. And Lorca's just like "it's just a ship" EXCUSE ME SIR. And is that a Gorn skeleton behind you?

[a slightly blurry image of Lorca looking off screen with what looks like an
almost complete Gorn skeleton on display behind him.]

Of course Lorca beamed that monster thing aboard. Well... yet another excellent episode! I think this one gets a 10/10 because of Tilly alone. Although Stamets and Lorca do bring it up a notch as well.