Star Trek: Discovery (3×10) Terra Firma, Part 2 Review

For our review of the last episode of Star Trek: Discovery, click here.

Synopsis: Georgiou uncovers the true depths of the plot against her, leading her to a revelation about how deeply her time on the U.S.S. Discovery truly changed her. (IMDb)

Discovery continues its multi-episode trip to the Mirror Universe this week as Georgiou lives in her alternate history in the hope of saving her own life. It plays out exactly as expected with one-dimensional, evil versions of the crew, a ton of betrayal and eventually Georgiou’s survival and sendoff from the future back to a time in which her molecules won’t implode on themselves. Unfortunately, the episode fails to amount to anything in the down point of this intriguing season.

Trips to the Mirror Universe were interesting enough as they popped out in episode stories, but a two-episode arc that drags as a way to send off an antihero that most of the crew had no relationship with is perplexing. The evil counterparts bring no development to the crew, but just a way from the cast to enjoy acting as different people. It distracts from the plot of the season and creates an unnecessary separation from the tension the season was building, especially with how close it is to the finale.

There are some moments of clarity for the real Discovery: the ongoing Kelpian distress signal, Booker becoming part of the crew and Vance praising Saru. However, these are merely blips in the larger story that feels irrelevant to the arc of this season. This is not the 20-something episode seasons of generations past. It makes no sense to waste two full episodes in a short season arc, but here we are!

It also doesn’t help that this also feels like a redemption arc for Georgiou to prove how much she has changed in order to set up her own spin-off series for Section 31. They need the character to be likable enough and with her lack of screen time in season 3, the writers needed to make her relevant again. However, with how many series are going to fill the Star Trek Universe in the next few years, Section 31 is at the bottom of the interest list and so wasting these two episodes in one of its ongoing series to set it up felt pointless. There needed to be a reason and it just never came to pass.

Captain’s Log

• Will Book and Ryn be new permanent crew members?
• What other species will Discovery manage to bring into their New Federation?
• What happened during The Burn?
• Will Tilly be a good Number One?
• What is the Emerald Chain’s plan?

What did you think of “Terra Firma, Part 2”? Let me know in the comments below!

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Dylan Phillips