'Star Trek: Discovery' Season 3, Episode 4: The crew is continuing to make waves throughout the 32nd century
Spoilers for 'Star Trek: Discovery' Season 3 Episode 4 'Forget Me Not'
The Discovery may have just arrived in the 32nd century, but they're already making waves, and affecting change in historic ways that will doubtless last centuries after they're gone. With the Federation gone, Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the Discovery have taken it upon themselves to bring peace back to a galaxy that's been torn apart by the Burn — proving to the future just how much it needs the Federation and its ideals.
On the last episode of 'Star Trek: Discovery', the team facilitated peace talks with a United Earth that had closed off its borders and the Titan raiders who had been cut off from Earth and had been in desperate need of supplies. The two factions hadn't talked to each other in at least a century — but thanks to some clever maneuvering by Burnham and Booker (David Ajala), and some unique diplomacy from the on-board crew, Earth and Titans' representatives were able to reach an understanding for the first time since the Burn.
This episode, Burnham takes Adira (Blu del Barrio) down to the planet of Trill, as she's having trouble unlocking the memories of her Trill symbiote. The Trill are first extremely pleased to have a new host join their ranks — ever since the Burn, their species has been slowly dying out. However, as the first human to ever bond with a symbiote, Adira is an abomination in the eyes of their people — or at least, most of their people.
At least one Trill recognizes that if the species continues to insist on genetic purity, they will all die out, and that by accepting hosts from other species the Trill may continue to live on. Helping Burnham and Adira to the sacred Trill pools, he helps them unlock Adira's memories — proving once and for all to even the more die-hard Trill representatives that humans are just as worthy of the symbiotes as the Trill themselves are.
Burnham is told that she and Adira have been responsible for a radical shift in Trill perspective. No non-Trill has ever been host to a symbiote in all their recorded history, but though Adira is the first, her actions this episode ensure that she will not be the last. Through this adventure, the Discovery has not only been responsible for the restoration of the Trill species, they have also managed to inspire a major cultural shift that will forever change their way of life.
The Discovery is just one starship, but it's carrying the weight of the entire Federation on its back, especially as it's the only ship capable of non-dilithium-based warp travel. It's taking on the role that the Federation ought to have been able to in the past century — and it's definitely making up for lost time.
The next episode of 'Star Trek: Discovery' airs November 12.