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damnredthing · 2 years

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A lot of ramblings – SNW S1E06

This post – naturally – contains spoilers. If you haven’t seen the episode yet and do not want to read spoilers, please do not read any further.

This is not an episode review but rather just a bunch of ramblings which I’ve tried to at least sort a little bit into categories.

Season 1 – Episode 6 – Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach

Okay, there is so much to say about this episode. SO MUCH. I don’t even know where to start, ugh.

I have so much to say that this is going to be long, apologies. Also, apologies for me being even more scatterbrained than usual and being a grammar kamikaze. My mind is constantly wandering elsewhere these days and I have trouble to concentrate. I hope I still make sense to you.

Heart pain

This episode really left my heart in a lot of pain. Until the very last second, I hoped Pike could rescue the boy (who didn’t even get a name!). Especially when Pike went into berserk mode and clobbered the guards to get free from them, I cheered for him and expected a heartwarming rescue scene, followed by a heated discussion or an emergency beam out because Una and Spock somehow found a way to bypass the barrier.

But no! They did kill the kid! Okay, the boy didn’t die, but he will die, and he cannot be disconnected from the wires anymore. The moment Pike was knocked out I screamed, and I mean literally. I was even throwing a little tantrum. This felt so much like Hell on Wheels.

HoW-spoiler warning!

There are so many characters in HoW who die, some of them horribly, who Cullen cannot safe. And there were also situations when I fully expected him to rescue the person just in time, but then they died anyways.

This episode was just like that. And that it was a kid that had to die makes my stomach turn. Did you also see all the other wires in the background? Just how many kids did they have plugged in at the same time? Ugh!!!!

It is no wonder Pike was disgusted with Alora when he came to. Her comparison with kids suffering in the Federation was a weak excuse. There might be kids who suffer in the Federation, but not to such a degree that they have their lives sucked out of them in constant bodily suffering!

And they tried to find another solution for centuries? Give me a break. How about just colonizing another planet? I am sure the Federation would have gladly helped with that, without even demanding Majalan to join them.

Pike’s inner demons - continued

Pike talking about his fate to Alora came out of the blue for me. At first, I felt it didn’t fit into the scene at all. Sure, I get it why the writers added it here, just so that Alora has another very convincing argument to keep the man for herself, if not now then maybe in 10 years.

But then I watched the episode again (yes I am that masochistic!), and my opinion about Alora changed. When I watched the episode the first time, I thought she was manipulating and playing Pike from the moment she appeared on the transporter platform. But when I watched it the second time, I realized her feelings towards Pike are genuine and she truly believes in the ways of her people. If she was anything like this 10 years ago when Lieutenant Pike met her, I can see why he confided his fate to her.

Around Alora Pike felt like he could let go and just enjoy life for a moment. He felt safe around her. There was trust (that was unintentionally betrayed… why unintentionally I explain later). He didn’t in the slightest assume Alora would be capable of doing anything bad, neither to him nor to anyone else.

Pike only has confided to people he trusts: Admiral Cornwell (a longtime friend AND counselor), Una and Spock. And now also Alora.

I think he also told her about his fate to be fair to her right from the start. By telling her, he let her know they have no future together.

What surprised me was how fast he came up with this. Sure, by now I got it that he carries his feelings on his sleeves, but it came out so unstrained and direct that it baffled me a bit. But then when the scene ended and he was holding up his hand for Alora, and she took it, I think at that moment he really considered whether Alora maybe was THE right woman for him. I think at that moment he really considered staying with her, or at least returning to her after his accident. Maybe that’s why he opened up to her, to see how she’d react, whether her love was real or whether she’d turn away from him if she knew what drama was coming and that he wouldn’t look as dashing anymore.

Or maybe it was just a moment of melancholia and it just spurt out of him. If you have nothing to lose anymore and your future is written, what purpose would it have to keep it a secret? Why would it matter if people knew or not? And also, does it really matter anymore what people think about you?

I’ve read criticisms that Pike tells too many people about his fate and that it makes him look a bit wimpy. But that to me is a stereotypical perception of masculinity. Always stay strong, never show your feelings yadda yadda. SNW already established that Pike is not like that. I think it is healthy to free your mind and thoughts and get it out of your system. It’s not like he’s telling strangers about it (in detail, yes I do remember episode 1), or people he just barely knows. He confides in people he trusts and considers friends. And it’s good that he does that because I’d hate for him getting eaten alive from the inside because he just keeps it all for himself.

What the fuck were the doctors thinking?

Okay, warning. This is going to contain a rant because it really makes me angry.

But first of all, how much did Pike see (or experience) through the time crystal? We know that he saw a lot more than we did in Discovery – Through the Valley of Shadows. He told Spock in episode 1 that he experienced the entire time, every agonizing second of it. He knows what will cause the accident and how it will affect his body. He knows the names of all cadets he’s going to save. And now he told Alora that Federation medicine is insufficient to help him. So how far does his vision go?

It seems it goes as far as his time in the rehab center on Starbase 11, because at that time Pike was already in the chair and had gotten treatment, but before Spock took him from the base. If Pike knows there isn’t a cure, at least none that is known to the Federation, one can assume that the doctors told him that on Starbase 11.

Here is where my rant starts. WHY IN THE FUCKING HELL did the doctors not let him die when his time was up? Why did they have to give him an artificial heart to prolong his suffering?

I am not ableist here (or it’s not my intention if people understand it as such). He already HAD DIED or would have when his heart stopped working which is why they gave him an artificial one. More so, they put him in a chair with lung support. Without the chair, he’d likely die. If Federation medicine had nothing else to offer to help him ease his constant pain (and he will feel constant pain from how I understood Pike) and free his mind, what exactly was the purpose to bring him back from the dead?

I don’t know how it is in other countries nowadays, but over here where I live you have the last say if you want your life prolonged with artificial help or not. Why can other people make this decision for you in the future and force you to live in constant pain and suffering without having the means to really, REALLY help you?

I always hoped the writers would explain why Pike was put in a chair that only could do beeping sounds for yes and no. I hoped they would come up with a story that this was just a provisional chair they could create relatively fast to give him a minimum level of conversation, and a more advanced version was in the making that would grant him the ability to speak using a mind reading device or some such.

I always hoped they would explain why the doctors kept Pike alive. I hoped they would explain that it was just a minor step of many for Pike’s recovery and many more would follow. That the process of the delta radiation poisoning would have to come to a halt first before the doctors could start to work on proper aids and scar removal surgeries.

The fact that Spock came in the way and brought Pike to Talos IV doesn’t even mean this process has to stop. I don’t see why a medical delegation shouldn’t visit Pike on Talos IV after he lived a while there in the Talosian illusion. It would give the doctors the time to find a cure, or proper aids. They could work on quality and not rush things. Pike would then get the choice to stay on Talos IV with Vina or return to Earth with her. At least he could leave Talos IV again if he wanted, if only for a trip, and wouldn’t be exiled anymore.

When Pike told Alora that the Federation has no means to help him, it sounded so final and it shattered my hope that the series (or maybe a movie after the series ended) would develop Pike’s story further after he was brought to Talos IV. I said it a couple of times already. To me the Menagerie is not a happy end, just a compromise which is dependent on the goodwill of the Talosians.

Some people are too good for this world (or rather universe)

Pike is such a person, which this episode showed clearly to me. I am reluctant to call Pike naive for not seeing Alora’s true intentions and for having been manipulated by her.

Whenever I tell a person he or she is too good for this world, it is a mix of a compliment because they are amazing, caring, wonderful people, but also a warning, because they are in great danger of being taken advantage of.

Pike always assumes in the good in people. He can only be convinced otherwise if a person actually acts in a bad way. When he met Alora 10 years ago, he sure as hell had no idea about her society and how they kept their cities floating. She was probably very much the same towards him as she was in the episode: Gentle, caring, alluring, loving, flirting. We don’t know how much time they spent together when he was Lieutenant, but judging from the trust he has in her, it was probably some time. Although, I understand they did not have a love affair back then. But they probably already shared stories of their lives back then.

So, when she showed up again, there was no reason for Pike to think she would play or betray him. He trusted her, even confided his future fate to her. He felt comfortable around her and wanted nothing but her well-being. Was he blinded? Yes, but he wasn’t completely blind. When Uhura and La’an told him about the colony being originated of Majalan people, Pike did question Alora during the ascension ceremony about it. He didn’t press her to answer the question at that moment though, probably out of respect for the ongoing ceremony and because all the time the boy did play along with the whole ceremony willingly. When he asked Alora in the throne room how one child could save the entire civilization, it was too late.

The fact that he didn’t realize the guards at his sides were there for him, to keep him from interfering, also shows how he is unsuspecting of people. That in fact was maybe naive. If I had been in the same situations and I had 2 armed guards flanking me, all my alarm bells would go off.

The trailer was maybe too revealing for the audience in this case, because we as audience knew what was coming. Maybe not exactly how it happened, but that the boy was to be sacrificed somehow. But from Pike’s point of view, how could he know that?

The boy’s biological father missed his chance to put his cards on the table. Probably because he noticed right away how Alora had such a huge influence on Pike that he feared he couldn’t confide in the Captain. But he could have talked to La’an or Una instead. Yes, he did talk to Una, but WAY WAY too late.

The boy himself did not ask even once for help or to be relieved of his duty (which turned out to be a sacrifice). He even begged Pike on the Enterprise to be brought to the surface, so the ascension could start. Even down in the throne room, he still agreed to give himself freely.

Alora appeared to Pike as being in danger herself from separatists. I don’t think she played him knowingly. She truly believes in the ways of her people, and she truly fell in love with Pike and hoped to convince him to stay. In the end she didn’t understand how he cannot see things as she does, she was shattered when she saw how disgusted he was.

But all in all, she did manipulate Pike, knowingly or not. And that was also because Pike was too unsuspecting of her, the guards and yes, also the boy.

The betrayal

When I watched the trailer, I already had the feeling this episode would break Pike’s heart. And it did. Not only did he have to watch 2 kids being sacrificed, which must have been like a dagger right through his heart, but he also learned in a shocking way that the woman he just shared very intimate moments with is a leading figure in this scheme.

Pike’s disgust was very visible when he woke up on the bed after he was knocked out by the guard. He just barely came to and the first thing he sees is Alora smiling down on him. His reaction was so swift, he tried to get away from her as fast as he could. He was probably also creeped the hell out (I know I was!). Not only was he carried and laid on the same bed he and Alora were intimate in before, but Alora was also watching him the whole time. When I saw that I was literally shivering with disgust, ugh how creepy!

In the following argument with Alora he was always so close to losing it. I could see the helplessness in his eyes and the realization that he brought the kid back down on the planet to be sacrificed. This was a very hard lesson for Pike. I am curious to see whether this will change him and make him more suspicious of people.

Are the writers hinting at an addiction?

We have seen in I think 3 episodes how Pike is drinking Saurian Brandy. I don’t think at that time Starfleet already discovered synthehol, so I think it is real alcohol. He also drank Brandy in Discovery. So far it didn’t bother me at all. It always appeared to me like he was just enjoying a drink after his shift. Nothing wrong with that.

But the way it was shown in the last episode felt like they put an extra emphasis on it this time around. The scene could have just ended with Pike looking out of the window or looking at the coin and then tossing it in the recycler or anything like that. But it ended with the camera zooming out, so the half empty bottle became visible, and then showing Pike drinking a glass. To me it felt like they are hinting at Pike losing his control over his alcohol consumption and it might even lead to an addiction.

It's very possible that I am imagining things here though, as alcohol addiction is a very sensitive topic in my family, but I cannot shake the feeling off.

The elephant in the room

Yes, I do have eyes in my head! Yes, I did see THE bed scene and yes, I also noticed how amazing and fit Pike looked. I already noticed in Doctor Strange 2 that Anson was in excellent shape at the time of shooting, and I was pleased to see he was also for SNW. 😇

(WTF, are those arms even real?)

I wouldn’t like him any less if he wasn’t tho (as I am sure most here wouldn’t). I am also still a huge fan of Russell Crowe for example, I don’t care for the weight, really. Awesome people are awesome because they are awesome, not because they have a specific weight or are fit. 😛

However, I must say kudos to Anson for staying so fit, and I mean that in all honesty! His workout plan must be very ambitious. Combine that with the insane shooting hours each day and a little baby at home and I cannot say enough how impressed I am that he doesn’t fall asleep in the middle of his lines (I must say he does look tired in some scenes though, and I heard stories about him falling asleep on set when he’s given the chance).

I’ve already read and seen a lot of posts about THAT scene on Tumblr and all the discussions that just had to come from that. I am sure the writers giggle when they write such scripts because they just KNOW what they kick off in the fanfiction world. 😂

I am not sure I should get myself on the slippery slope of discussing Pike’s sexual orientation and preferences, but I am beginning to get an idea in my head. But I keep that for myself… for now.

The entire route that led to the bed scene was initiated by Alora. She is the one who took matters in her hands and flirted with Pike to the point where she jump kissed him and flat out asked him to stay with her overnight. If she hadn’t done that, I think nothing would have happened except some friendly, maybe even a little bit flirty hanging around each other.

The whole after sex scene felt very gentle and soft, and as a woman I must admit I felt like the scene was tended towards my desires and likes. I can at least speak for myself that I like to see a guy being soft every now and then and allowing the woman to take the lead. This doesn’t emasculate a guy at all. It also shows how much trust Pike has in Alora, and how much he sees women as equals. I actually think Pike sees everyone as equal, which is why he doesn’t force a situation. The after sex scene could very well be the other way around with Alora snuggling up in Pike’s lap, and that would have been just as fine. It just so happened it was the other way round this time, and that is no big deal for him. I have to admit I love that.

In yo face!

Here is a message to all the people who whine that Star Trek is too woke and that the white guy is always the baddie or weakling.

The guard with the broken coin was a white guy. He was neither weak nor the baddie. He was a separatist who opposed using kids as batteries and who fought the selfish civilization of Majalan.

So there, your theory stinks.

*drops mic*

Some Randoms

Finally we got a Pike centered episode! (sorry for being a bit salty here, but his screentime in some episodes were just meh)

Minor nitpick, but how did Una beam Pike up so fast? She had no idea what was going on planet side. And if she noticed that the barrier was removed, she would have called Pike already long ago, or beam him up when she didn’t get an answer. Or beam a team down to look for him. But she beamed Pike up almost instantly after he called her through his communicator.

No Robert April and again no Hemmer. 😕

I guess Captain Batel is a friend with benefits, which makes sense. When she left in episode 1, she told Pike she hopes she won’t see him when she returns in one month, meaning she hopes he overcomes his crisis and goes back to his own ship. A relationship between two Starfleet Captains is very difficult to maintain I suppose. Both are married to their ships and duties, both know the risks, both might not return. If Pike had retired, it might have worked out. But not if both remain on duty. So, I guess I am fine with this.

I still hope Pike won’t turn into a second (or first?) Kirk as in fooling around with too many women. I get it that he needs some relief, too. He’s not a monk. The issue is that with just 10 episodes per season, you cannot squeeze in too many affairs without turning Pike a bit into a slut (there, I said it!). I think I’d rather have him in a relationship on the enterprise with someone than having him sleep around. We’re just 6 episodes into season 1 and he already had 2 different sex partners. Dayum!

Also, where is Vina? 🤔

The guards were sloppy. They vowed to protect the first servant. But when they were in the chamber guarding Pike, the two guards weren’t able to restrain him. Pike got himself loose and would have gotten to the boy if not for the last guard who was pretty much the last line of defense (at least that guard wasn’t sloppy). I am glad it worked out this way though in a weird, twisted way which requires some explanation. I hate it when in the movies or tv shows people are being restrained in a way that it is so obvious for the audience that the captive can escape, but for some weird reason (bad writing, bad acting, low budget maybe so the director doesn’t want to do another take) they don’t and instead act all helpless as if the restraints were inescapable *big groan here*. For example, every normal person would wiggle out of sloppy tied rope, especially when the knot is at mouth’s reach. When I saw how the guards were holding Pike, I was facepalming inwardly because it looked like Pike could wiggle himself out easily. To my surprise he did just that! This pays into the kind of realism I prefer in productions and I really appreciated that.

Okay here is a funny one, but I noticed that Anson’s stunt double is a little bit too slim, especially around the shoulders. I can clearly see when it’s Anson and when it’s his stunt double. 🤭

Why was Pike not bruised when he came to in Alora’s chamber? He got a hefty blow in his face with the lance weapon. My guess is that Alora’s words were true, that the least she wanted was for him to be hurt. So, I guess his wound was treated while he was still unconscious, and with the Majalan’s medicine being that advanced, the healing was done within minutes, if not seconds. It would also explain how Pike could get up so fast without falling flat on his nose from nausea.

Also, Pike can take a beating! Notice how he didn’t pass out right away? He was still there for a moment. After that blow that’s quite an impressive thick skull material!

My OCD was going apeshit when I saw Alora’s headdress not being exactly centred…

On a funny side note, I wait for the first fanfiction story that has the following lines “What did you do to that boy?” – “The last thing I wanted to do is hurt you.” – “So, I am your prisoner now?” – “YES!” 🤭😈

I know I keep repeating myself, but Anson’s acting was amazing. The repertoire of facial expressions he can pull off is stunning. When he asks Alora whether the boy will suffer and she answers with yes, the sheer hurt and horror in his expression was heart wrecking.

#strange new worlds spoilers #snw spoilers #christopher pike #anson mount #lindy booth #this was a crass episode #which was hard to watch #it was still well made don't get me wrong #but it was just so heartbreaking #and for the protocol: I love Anson's hair!#but I still laughed at all the hair memes on Twitter 🤣#oh and Anson is one naughty fish 😋#(I accidently posted this on my other blog because I'm stupid... gah!)

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