Summary
- Burnham’s decision to break the Prime Directive saved Tilly and the Halem’nites from certain death.
- Tilly’s struggles with Starfleet Academy students hint at a future storyline for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
- Culber’s spiritual awakening challenges Star Trek’s rationalism, leading to a deeper exploration of his character.
By the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6, “Whistlespeak”, Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew are one step closer to the Progenitors’ technology, following a mission to a pre-warp society that risked the life of Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman). After last week’s big revelations about the Mirror Universe, Moll (Eve Harlow), L’ak (Elias Toufexis), and the Breen Imperium, “Whistlespeak”, written by Kenneth Lin and Brandon Schultz, and directed by Chris Byrne, is a more traditional Star Trek adventure. Seeking the next clue on the planet Halem’no, Burnham and Tilly join the Journey of the Mother Compeer.
This religious pilgrimage takes the form of a race to prove devotion to Halem’no’s gods, in the hope of making it rain again. However, this religious pilgrimage has life-threatening consequences for Tilly, providing Burnham with a dilemma over whether she breaks Star Trek‘s Prime Directive to save her friend. Elsewhere, on the USS Discovery, Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio) is struggling to settle into their new role as science officer on the bridge, while Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) gets closer to coming to terms with his spiritual awakening, courtesy of some wise words from Cleveland Booker (David Ajala).
Captain Burnham Broke The Prime Directive To Save Tilly
The Halem’nites and Tilly would have died without Burnham.
Believing that the next clue to the Progenitors’ treasure was hidden in the High Summit, a weather tower disguised as a mountain, Burnham and Tilly joined the pilgrimage in the hope of making it inside. However, it quickly transpired that once inside the tower, there was no way out. Designed by Denobulan scientist Hitoroshi Kreel, the towers were designed to protect the Halem’nites from the punishing dust storms that take place on their planet. Tilly and young initiate Ravah (June Laporte) became trapped inside the vacuum chamber, meaning that they would suffocate to death unless they were rescued.
The Denobulans were introduced in Star Trek: Enterprise via the Enterprise NX-01’s Denobulan Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley).
Discovery was unable to beam Tilly and Ravah out of the weather tower due to the walls being made of tritanium, making it impossible to get a transporter lock. Which is why Burnham made the difficult decision break the Prime Directive by beaming into the weather tower’s control room to reveal the truth to Ohvaz (Alfredo Narciso). Burnham was right to break the Prime Directive, because the Denobulan weather towers were failing, and in drastic need of repair. Without Burnham’s intervention, Tilly and Ravah would have died for no reason, and the Halem’nites would have eventually been driven to extinction.
While it’s definitely a breach of the Prime Directive, Burnham is still very careful not to destroy Ohvaz’s beliefs, telling him that “Nothing we have shown you means gods don’t exist“. Indeed, Burnham’s quest for life itself is proof of some higher power in the Star Trek universe. While Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie), Tilly, and Burnham all lament the inevitable ramifications, it seems likely that Dr. Kovich (David Cronenberg) will brush off this breach of the Prime Directive in favor of Discovery’s Red Directive mission.
There is a Prime Directive exception to allow repairs to existing “contamination” as long as it doesn’t interfere with the natural growth of the populace, which is effectively what Burnham did on Halem’no.
Tilly’s Away Mission Sets Up Star Trek: Starfleet Academy
Starfleet Academy is failing its new students.
Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6, “Whistlespeak” appears to set up Star Trek: Starfleet Academy by revealing more about Tilly’s struggles to get through to her students. Discussing her new career with Burnham, Tilly reveals that one of her students wants to quit the Academy to take a position aboard a cargo freighter. Later, when they meet Ravah, Tilly notes the similarities between the young woman keen to prove herself to her gods and the Starfleet Academy cadet who wants to get out into the stars as soon as possible.
Tilly and Ravah’s instant connection is a welcome reminder of why Tilly’s such a good fit for Starfleet Academy. Tilly’s empathy for Ravah, and the gut-wrenching guilt when she realizes that she’s signed her death warrant demonstrates the huge responsibility involved in training new Starfleet officers. Confiding in Michael, Tilly reveals that she thinks Starfleet Academy is failing their students, perhaps focusing more on the theoretical than the practical. Tilly’s final mission on the USS Discovery, and interactions with characters like Ravah could help her to reform the institution when she returns to Starfleet Academy.
The Meaning of Denobulan’s Progenitors Clue Explained
“…we need to be so careful.”
In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5, “Mirrors”, Burnham and Book realized that each of the clues to the Progenitors’ treasure contained important lessons. For example, the clue hidden on Trill, in the heart of an Itronok nest, was designed to test whether Book and Burnham valued life-forms different from their own. As with all the previous clues, the one left behind by Denobulan scientist Kreel contains a message, which is discussed by Burnham and Tilly, after they secure it from the dormant fifth weather tower.
It transpires that the cultural impact of the technology installed on Halem’no by the Denobulans was the lesson. When the towers began failing, the Halem’nites began sacrificing themselves to make it rain, something that the Denobulans could never have predicted. It’s a reminder to Burnham and Tilly that when they eventually find the Progenitors’ technology they have to be very careful with how they use it. The fifth and final clue, located in the fifth weather tower, is written in Betazoid text, left behind by the fifth and final scientist, Marina Derex.
All 5 Scientists Who Hid The Progenitors’ Treasure | |
---|---|
Name | Species |
Vellek | Romulan |
Jinaal Bix | Trill |
Carmen Cho | Terran |
Hitoroshi Kreel | Denobulan |
Marina Derex | Betazoid |
Dr. Culber Is Coming To Terms With His Experience On Trill
Culber’s had a “thrilling” spiritual awakening.
Dr. Culber’s spiritual awakening has been one of the most interesting storylines in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, as it challenges the franchise’s stance on religion. The clash between Star Trek‘s rationalism and Culber’s spiritualism is exemplified by his discussions with a hologram of his Abuela (Maria del Mar), a spiritual woman who raised Hugh to be a man of science. However, after spending the episode trying to find a scientific explanation, Culber instead realizes that there isn’t one, and that his mind is instead opened up to new possibilities and something larger than himself.
At the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6, Dr. Culber discusses his new awakening with Book, who acknowledges that it “sounds kind of wonderful“. Book advises Culber not to be so concerned that his husband, Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) doesn’t quite understand Hugh’s new perspective. Reflecting on Culber’s situation as a Kwejian, Book helps Hugh come to terms with it by sharing an observation of human relationships, and the obsession with sharing a personal passion with a partner:
“It’s an odd quirk, really, this human tendency to consider something less meaningful if it’s just for yourself.”
Will Book And Michael Get Back Together In Star Trek: Discovery Season 5?
“One answer at a time, Doc”
To return the favor, Dr. Culber tries to get Book to open up about his break-up with Michael at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 4. It’s been clear throughout Discovery season 5 that Book and Burnham still have feelings for one another, but they’re yet to act upon them. Michael got a reminder of how happy they were in “Face the Strange” when she time traveled back to an earlier point in their relationship. In “Mirrors”, their relationship was a reflection of that between Moll and L’ak, and there was a strong sense of Burnham and Book still being a great team.
Dr. Culber quizzes Book about Burnham at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6, seeing through Booker’s front. Asked whether he thinks he can get back what he once had with Michael, Book simply replied “One question at a time, Doc“, proving that affairs of the heart can be even more complex than the search for the Progenitors’ treasure. As Book is still determined to get through to Moll after the events of “Mirrors”, his “sister” could still provide a major stumbling block for a romantic reunion between Burnham and Booker in Discovery season 5.
Discovery Is Taking A Detour To Deal With Moll And L’ak
The USS Locherer just found Moll and L’ak.
At the start of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6, “Whistlespeak”, Burnham is ordered by Dr. Kovich to forget about Moll and L’ak and focus on the next clue. By the end of the episode, Federation Headquarters informs the USS Discovery that Moll and L’ak have been located by the USS Locherer. This feels suspicious given Kovich’s insistence that Burnham focus on her Red Directive mission and forget all about tracking Moll and L’ak. It remains to be seen if the USS Discovery is about to enter a trap or instead engage in another desperate attempt to bring Moll and L’ak on side.
The title of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, “Erigah”, is a reference to the Breen blood bounty placed on Moll and L’ak by Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo). It’s likely, therefore, that the translation of the Betazoid clue will be taking a backseat in the next episode, as Burnham and the crew reckon with the ramifications of a Breen blood bounty. As the Discovery crew is so close to the finish line with the Progenitors’ treasure there could be no worse time to engage the Breen as Star Trek: Discovery season 5 continues.