Review: Strange New Worlds 2×04 – “Among the Lotus Eaters”

The fourth episode sees Bayek returning to a familiar place. And it’s the first Star Trek episode ever to have the reviewer fall asleep. Not a good sign, is it? We’ll get a look at what’s really inside, but spoilers beware.

Back to Rigel

Once again, the producers revisit something of the past when we return to Rigel, to the mission where Pike lost three lives just before The Cage. It’s been five years now, which places this episode in the year 2259. By the way, a law book with the inscription “Current Laws 2259” has already been seen in Episode 2.

Going back to the pilot, it was a very traumatic experience for Pike at the time. On the planet itself we see a slightly nicer version of the 1965 castle and of course the enemies look a little different too. However, Zack, one of the crew members who survived, is now in control there. A little bit of Baek’s shock leads to absurdity, but then again no, after all he still has to go through character development to the very end.

Because in the final battle his personality explodes again and before he can remember again, he releases his rage. It kind of fits with the grumpy Pike from The Cage, but I was wondering the whole time if this work was really needed again. Because looking back, Pike did it more than well in the “cage”.

Of course, reconciliation with Patel is also nice in this context, especially against the backdrop of the court proceeding in Episode 2, even if the argument between the two seems a bit artificial at first. Sure, you want to show Bayek evolving, but you already knew that, so the result was predictable. Since we know Pike will be celibate in 8 years, 2267, since he’s going back to Vienna, I would have found it a bold move to slowly end the relationship. Don’t get me wrong, I love Wynonna and er Batel and so does their relationship, so it was a shame, but the conflict in this episode really didn’t need it. Especially since an evil Vulcan lawyer is behind freezing Batel’s promo…

No, that was too much.

In addition, do you seriously want to sell me that five years ago you didn’t know about the memory eraser (“Forgetting”)? It is mentioned that you only stayed here for a short time, but if you only had to walk around the area for a day, like now, it seems a bit unreasonable. I also wonder why they showed up in uniform five years ago when they now end up debating Directive One. Again, it’s been exaggerated a bit…

Amnesia on the enterprise

At the very least, it’s nice that Erica Ortagas is getting a little more attention. Fans had already complained that it might be another episode of Lan. But I clearly see Ortegas and Pike in the lead here, even if La’an and M’Benga are also involved.

Despite his amnesia, Pike is allowed to perform his transformation on the planet and also to “redeem” Zack. After that, Ortigas is allowed to wander the ship for a while and come to his senses – so, back to the bridge and take the Enterprise back to safety. Unfortunately, the poor are not given the deep. She ran to her quarters and then returned to save the ship. But unfortunately, I don’t learn anything about what drives her personality, her fears and desires, or her past. So, he’s still about to try.

Unfortunately, Una and Chapel also stay on the ship as signs, because they contribute something to the end. Sure, the thing about Uhura and such is nice, but somehow it only seems possible for the duration. So she could have left her looks completely off. After all, the asteroid sequence looks beyond reasonable doubt and is good, and there’s nothing to complain about.

Basically, cue giver can also be used to refer to La’an and M’Benga on the planet. That’s not a bad thing in this case since it involved Paek, but in more detail Lan’s injury somehow seems like she just wanted to get out of the way. After all, M’Benga admitted to a gunshot wound to the knee at the end.

The interaction of the three makes for a nice pastime, however, when they no longer recognize each other. And then, of course, there’s the obligatory foreman, who gives tips for clarification. But this brings us to the last point.

the solution

Well, now one can debate whether his traumatic memories should really be restored, as Foreman said, eventually, and whether they are a good part of himself. But this topic is only marginally discussed.

Likewise the asteroid pull issue. It’s fine and understandable, but I would have preferred some of the smaller scenes in which the crew works through amnesia.

So in the end, it was the protective metal that brought the solution to the planet and space? Well, in the end they also found a shield frequency, so far so good, but again I would have liked to see more context on the planet. Should the little poor keep working there? Was one leader replaced by another? But basically it doesn’t really matter…