History Recap / StarTrekStrangeNewWorldsS2E06LostInTranslation

* InnocuouslyImportantEpisode: The episode seems to play out as the standard issue of the week style adventure. But the episode reveals how Kirk meets his future friends Spock, Uhura, and his first contact with the ''Enterprise'', his beloved ship that would make him a legend.

** Kirk points out a mistake that Spock makes while playing 3-D chess against Christine, upholding his status as [[SmartPeoplePlayChess a chess master]] established in "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" (albeit an alternate version of him).

The sole exception is the ''Farragut''[='s=] soon-to-be NumberTwo, an up-and-coming lieutenant named James Tiberius Kirk (guest star Creator/PaulWesley, playing the PrimeTimeline version of the character for the first time). He beams over to the ''Enterprise'' to say hello to his brother, George Samuel Kirk Jr., who is a little resentful of his brother's rising star: Kirk is now the youngest first officer in Starfleet history, a record he took from a certain George Samuel Kirk ''Sr.'', and "Sam" feels alienated by Jim's willingness to eclipse him. James is taking in a drink at the bar when he encounters Uhura. He recognizes that the young ensign needs a friend, and promises he's not hitting on her... but he does follow her out of the bar, where Uhura is having a vision of the floor littered with Starfleet dead. She's then attacked by a version of herself. Uhura punches back -- inadvertently catching Kirk in the face. Kirk, despite everything, believes that she's hallucinating, and the two begin to investigate.

* MildlyMilitary: In the next episode, Pike introduces Number One as "Lieutenant Commander" Una Chin-Riley. Meanwhile, Pelia holds the rank of Commander, which is higher. The fact that the second-highest-ranking officer on the ship -- Number One -- isn't the second-highest-ranking officer on the ship is unusual, even for Starfleet's "Ranks are mostly things the screenwriters just throw in when they feel like it" standards.

In her cabin, Uhura admits to Kirk that she's having trouble processing death; she still isn't over the shuttle crash that claimed her family. Kirk gives her a DareToBeBadass speach encouraging her to face death head-on. This allows Uhura to finish watching Hemmer's [=YouTube=] tutorial, in which the first step is to turn down the gain on the subspace antenna lest they burn out the receiver. This is the EurekaMoment: she realizes she's being communicated with, but that the signal is overwhelming her brain (and overwhelmed Ramon's). A quick visit to Lt. George Kirk of Xen-Anthropology brings up the possibility of sapient life forms living in the nebula, and Uhura realizes that said cozmozoans are not only the source of her visions, but also their cause: she saw the bodies of dead Starfleet officers because the refinery is killing the aliens; she saw herself attacking herself because Starfleet is responsible; she's been seeing visions of a dead Hemmer because they are trying to appeal to her empathy. Uhura rushes to the bridge. At her advice, Pike has the refinery evacuated, and ''Enterprise'' and ''Farragut'' dismantle it as rapidly as possible: with photon torpedoes. Uhura gets one last vision: Hemmer, smiling at her in gratitude.

In the denouement, Number One admits that her grudge against Pelia dates back to a C grade in a course Pelia taught at the Academy. Pelia, who of course is a lot more experienced than that, recognizes the true source: Pelia reminds her of Hemmer, of the friend they loved and lost. She agrees to [[FriendshipMoment let it be about the grade]] if that makes Una feel better. Additionally, Uhura and Kirk relax after the mission. Both admit that Sam rubs them the wrong way sometimes, only to be joined by someone else who feels the same way: Spock. He and Kirk shake hands -- the beginning of a friendship that will define them both -- and the camera pans out on three future {{Living Legend}}s with their destinies still before them.

* MildlyMilitary: In the next episode, Pike introduces Number One as "Lieutenant Commander" Una Chin-Riley. Meanwhile, Pelia holds the rank of Commander, which is higher. The fact that the second-highest-ranking officer on the ship -- Number One -- isn't the second-highest-ranking officer on the ship is unusual, even for Starfleet's "Ranks are mostly things the screenwritres just throw in when they feel like it" standards.

* AnythingThatMoves: {{averted}}. Contrary to his reputation as a womanizer -- and to the Kelvinverse version of their first meeting -- Kirk does not attempt romantic advances with Uhura or indeed with any character.

During a mission to repair a deuterium refinery, Uhura begins hearing a strange droning sound, and odd visions soon follow.

* InnocuouslyImportantEpisode: The episode seems to play out as the standard issue of the week style adventure. But the episode reveals how Kirk and Spock first met, forging their lifelong friendship.

** Jim's struggle with his father's legacy in the Prime Reality stems from the fact that the elder George Kirk was always away helping others, and famed for being the youngest officer in the fleet to be promoted to First Officer. In the Kelvin Timeline, Jim struggled with the fact that George was revered for having sacrificed his life on the ''Kelvin'' to save its crew, including Jim and his mother.

** George Kirk is discussed as still being alive by his sons. Spock Prime told the Kelvin Timeline's Kirk that in the Prime Reality, George lived long enough to see Kirk become Captain of the ''Enterprise''.
* DramaticIrony: In his rant against his younger brother, Sam tells Jim to go back to the ''Farragut'' while he cozily stays on the ''Enterprise''. Audiences who've watched ''TOS'' will know that Jim will take over as ''Enterprise'''s Captain in a few years, while Sam won't be on it, and will be dead shortly after (although given the context of the situation, it seems like Sam inadvertently challenged his brother to become Captain of the ''Enterprise'').

* GreenEyedMonster: Sam Kirk is jealous of his brother Jim now being the youngest First Officer, upset he’s being outshined by his little brother, and feeling like he's TheUnFavorite for not being as ambitious as his little brother.

** Kirk is promoted to First Officer of the ''Farragut'', though it won't happen for a few months until they can train his replacement.

* WhenYouComingHomeDad: Jim reveals that the elder George Kirk was so busy with his Starfleet work that he was rarely home with his family, making him wonder why his Dad would choose to help total strangers rather than make the effort to be with his sons.