Heartwarming / Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

General

• Compared to Picard and Discovery, Strange New Worlds comes across as lighter, even optimistic, harking back to The Original Series and how it embodied the humanity's dreams of space travel.

Season 1

Episode 1: Strange New Worlds

• Stamets gets a shuttlecraft named after him (and, according to Memory Alpha, all TOS-era shuttlecraft are Stamets-type).
• On Picard, the cast were a Ragtag Band of Misfits that had difficulty working together at times and part of the first season of Discovery was about Michael's struggle to be accepted after her mutiny. By contrast, the crew of the Enterprise feels much like a well-oiled machine to the point of being like a family. Pike gives his Medical Officer a Man Hug after being reunited after three months, and he later greets Sam Kirk with similar warmth.
• Pike is spending some romantic downtime with a fellow captain, Batel, who is about to ship out for a month.
  Pike: I might still be here. So... give me a call, and we'll get together...
  Batel: That'd be nice. I'd like that. (kisses Pike) But I hope you're not. You've got better places to be.
• In the turbolift after returning to the Enterprise, Spock and Pike have a quiet moment where the Vulcan admits that he is struggling with his grief for his sister Michael. Pike sympathizes and admits that he misses her too despite only knowing her a short time.
• Its a Foregone Conclusion that things won't work out but Spock and T'Pring's relationship is quite sweet for two members of a species that actively work to suppress their emotions. Especially the scene where she proposes to him and his response:
  Spock: I was beginning to believe that you would never ask.
  • Spock takes a moment to take in the beauty of the Vulcan desert, saying he prefers it over any other landscape he's seen in his travels. It's a quick reminder that, for all the crap he endured growing up as a half-Vulcan, he fully embraces and loves his homeworld.
• Upon being rescued, Una and La'an are revealed to know each other and even friendly. Turns out that she was an Ensign aboard the Martin Luther King Jr. which was the vessel that found La'an after being left for dead by the Gorn. As well as the inspiration for La'an to join Starfleet. In a roundabout way, La'an is just returning the favor Number One did her all those years ago...
  La'an Yeah, she found me once, when I was in a bad spot.
  Number One: Didn't I tell you to stop being brave?
• Pike telling La'an the backstory behind Starbase 1: just before and during WWIII, scientists sent hundreds of plant seeds into space for preservation. When Earth was rebuilt, the resulting forests had grown to the point that it made more sense to build humanity's first space station around the biodomes. Symbolizing how in space there is literally endless room for growth and possibility, Pike ends the story by formally offering La'an a permanent position as Enterprise's Security Chief.
• Pike, upon realizing that the Kileans only have the technology due to the events of the battle against Control of which Pike was a part of, has this to say: "Screw General Order One". He proceeds to successfully convince the two waring political factions that the escalating conflict will only lead to the destruction of their world.
  Pike: (beams down directly between the opposing leaders) Hi. Sorry to interrupt. I'm Christopher Pike. My world is called Earth. And though it's far from here, uh, my people and yours are, uh, very much alike. (shows an orbital view of Earth) This is my world today. But we were not always peaceful. This is Earth in our 21st century. (shows vistas of 21st-century Earth) Before everything went wrong. It's a lot like your world today. Recently I was treated to a glimpse of my future. It was not all I'd hoped. After all, what good is there in knowing your future? A friend of mine asked me that recently and... didn't understand what he meant. (short chuckle) Until now. I've seen my future. Let me show you yours. (shows videos of conflict and strife) Our conflict also started with a fight for freedoms. We called it the Second Civil War, then the Eugenics War, and finally just World War III. This was our last day. The day the Earth we knew ceased to exist. (shows videos of super-bombs exploding) What began as an eruption in one nation, ended in the eradication of 600,000 species of animals and plants and 30% of Earth's population. Global suicide. What we gave you is the means to exterminate yourselves. And from the looks of you, you're gonna do it. You'll use competing ideas of liberty to bomb each other to rubble, just like we did, and then your last day will look just like this. Perhaps, somewhere, all your ends are written as indelibly as mine. But I choose to believe that your destinies are still your own. Maybe that's why I'm here— to remind you of the power... of possibility. Maybe that's the good in-in seeing my future— that I might remind you that, right up until the very end, life is to be worn gloriously. Because, till our last moment... the future's what we make it. So... go to war with each other. Or... join our Federation of Planets... and reach for the stars. The choice is yours.
  • The Kileans are shown to be neither right nor wrong in the conflict, with Pike outright noting it's more an escalating conflict between the people (who simply want to protect their freedoms) and the government (who are just trying to keep the peace while dealing with the more radical members of the other faction).

Episode 2: Children of the Comet

• While Uhura is initially put off by Ortegas' hazing, the Lieutenant treats her with good humor and makes it apparent that this is a ritual every new crewmember on the Enterprise have all likely been through, Ortegas included.
• Pike hosting a dinner in his quarters and inviting not only the experienced crew but cadets like Uhura is incredibly heartwarming, and he genuinely seems to enjoy preparing a meal for the people under his command.
• The episode being an Uhura episode as we learn about her backstory, specifically why she joined Starfleet, and going on her first away mission that involves saving a planet and kickstarting the development of an alien civilization.
  • Spock being supportive of Cadet Uhura throughout the episode even if his Vulcan-ness makes it hard to realize at times what he's trying to convey.
  • Uhura's first away mission is to travel to a comet that has apparently been converted into a starship; knew the landing party first arrives, she is struck with awe that she's standing on the surface of a comet as it hurtles through space.

Episode 3: Ghosts Of Illyria

• Commander Una gets put into her most troubling situation yet. The crew is infected with a disease that's causing them to become addicted to light (and are doing very dangerous things to get at it), Pike and Spock are stranded on the surface of a planet and under threat from a massive ion storm, and as the crew discovers, she's an Illyrian—a species of whom the Federation dislikes for performing various genetic modifications on themselves. And in spite of all of that, she not only saves the day, but Pike refuses to allow her to resign or be disciplined, despite of her breaking numerous Federation Laws; as far as he's concerned, she's the best first officer Starfleet has to offer. Of course, it does lead into tearjerker territory when she confides in her private log whether or not Pike would have such praise for her if she had failed.
• Dr. M'Benga is privately confronted by Una when Hemmer's diagnostic determines it was the private medical transporter that caused the bio filters to fail in the main transporter system. He confesses that his daughter is in there, kept immaterialized for her own safety until he can find a cure for the currently incurable disease she's afflicted with. At that point, he's prepared to face discipline and let his kid live out her final days for his mistake...only for Una to inform him that she'll be giving the transporter its own private power source so it won't happen again. He then pulls her out of the transporter so he can read her a bedtime story, which she listens in on with wonder and awe.
  • Better still, that same methodology M'Benga is using to keep his daughter alive? It's exactly what Mr. Scott did all those years later on TNG. Looks like the Miracle Worker picked up that trick from him.
• The Energy Beings that used to be the Illyrian colonists use their new forms to shield Pike and Spock from the ion storm.

Episode 4: Memento Mori

• Pike has to reluctantly seal the bulkheads to save the ship, killing an unfortunate blue shirt who doesn't make it past the line. As he ruminates on what feels like a bad choice, Spock assures him that it was the logical decision, and the reason he made it is the same reason he's so broken up about it:
  Spock: Because you value life.
• Hemmer's plot with Uhura showcases his softer side. The last episodes painted him as an irritable Insufferable Genius, but he has hidden depths. He tells Uhura about his pacifism and his spirituality. He even tells Uhura his purpose in life, and suggests she should find a purpose too.
  Hemmer: I fix what it is broken.
• Spock's mindmeld with La'an exposes her to his memories of Burnham, and how he grieves her disappearance. La'an, who'd lost her brother to the Gorn, isn't concerned that Spock just let classified information leak. Rather, she sympathizes with him because he lost a sibling just like she did.
• Upon hearing that Uhura and Hemmer survived the venting of the cargo hold, Pike is so relieved he sags for a moment, while the remaining bridge crew (save Spock and La'an) smile.

Episode 5: Spock Amok

• The body-swapping hijinks finally encourages Spock to come clean and not only admit his fears to T'Pring, but say that part of why he continues to serve in Starfleet is because none of his fellow officers care that he's half-human/half-Vulcan. He finally gets to be just "Spock." And after briefly experiencing the prejudice Spock endures from other Vulcans, T'Pring is much more understanding.
• As the negotiations take an ill turn Pike steps in to passionately defend Spock (who is actually T'Pring), and in doing so emphasizes how much Spock contributes to Starfleet, citing his sacrifice of leaving his culture behind, getting to know so many alien cultures and maintaining high intellectual standards.
• And then Pike wins over the R'ongovians by simply being Pike — i.e., making it clear that he understands their concerns about joining the Federation.
  • The R'ongovians are an empathetic race who attempt to see the point of view of whomever they are currently speaking to. Pike won them over by trying to see things from their perspective.
• It's hard to see, but if you pause at the right moment while La'an and Una are signing the Scorch, you can spot Lucille Ball's signature among the other names on the plate. Lucille famously took a chance on The Original Series by agreeing to produce it through her company, Desilu Studios; it's very possible that without her, Star Trek as we know it would never have been made. Seeing her name on the Enterprise's hull is a sweet tribute.
• La'an gazing up in awe as she and Una watch the R'ongovian flagship sail overhead, flying the Federation flag. It's lovely to see that even the stoic badass is still capable of wonder.

Episode 6: Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach

• Rukiya and First Servant playing hopscotch after he finds her quarters.

Episode 7: The Serene Squall

• Even though they're faking it, Nurse Chapel actually gets to kiss Spock. Even T'Pring notes that Spock's human side enabled him to kiss Chapel with convincing passion. Bittersweet as she cannot express her true feelings for him, and this is the closest she can come to doing so.
  • T'Pring doesn't act jealous of Spock and Chapel kissing, telling him she knew he wouldn't be unfaithful and appreciated his attempt to protect her career and reputation.
• Despite threatening to kill Spock earlier, when Captain Angel realises they've lost, they give him genuinely heartfelt advice on dealing with his human and vulcan natures.
  • It's later revealed that Angel's husband is Sybok, who despite their enforced estrangement seems to think highly of his brother.

Episode 8: The Elysian Kingdom

• The aftermath of M'Benga's Sadistic Choice proves it was the right one: A few moments after she leaves, a now-grown Rukiya appears to reassure him that she is happy, healthy, and thriving. she tells her father that she's going to be fine with her "friend" in the nebula, who she's named for her mother, (who is implied to be dead based on M'Benga's reaction to the news) and that she wants him to move forward with his life and find happiness.
• A small retroactive one to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, we see that "The Kingdom Elysian" was written by Benny Russell, the artist Sisko becomes in a vision in Far Among The Stars. Which confirms Benny Russell was a real person, and that no matter what he went through, he wrote a book that's still being read over 300 years later.

Episode 9: All Those Who Wander

• Hemmer's final words before his Heroic Sacrifice manage to be beautiful and poignant, giving fond farewells to Spock and especially Uhura.
  • Uhura was preparing to disembark from the Enterprise at the beginning of the episode. It's heavily implied at the end she decided to stay to honor Hemmer's memory, staring fondly at what would become her station on the bridge for years to come.
• Chapel's Cooldown Hug to help Spock get his anger under control.
  • Doubly so when you realize that he probably hasn't been hugged at all since he was a child, assuming Amanda was allowed to hug Spock when he was growing up.

Episode 10: A Quality of Mercy

• Kirk immediately recognizes Spock's skill and insight, a subtle hint at their future friendship.
• Also, unlike Ortegas, Kirk doesn't hold Spock in any suspicion because of the Romulan/Vulcan connection, instead figuring that it's an attempt to create discord within The Federation and refusing to take the bait.
• Sam Kirk doesn't mince words about his brother's flaws, but he also states in no uncertain terms that Jim Kirk is one of the finest captains in Starfleet.
  Pike: Should we be worried that he's going to start a war?
  Sam Kirk: Look, I'm not gonna say that Jim isn't a pain in the ass. He is. He's a huge pain in the ass. But the truth is, he's as fine a Captain as Starfleet has.
• Jim and Sam Kirk giving each other a genuine Bro Hug when they re-unite on the Enterprise.
• Admiral Pike and Captain Pike talk about how important it is that Pike gives his life to preserve Spock's:
  Admiral Pike: And he's got things to do. Fate-of-the-galaxy type things.
• Pike opts to do one last thing before heading back to his original timeline; sharing a drink and a friendly chat with Kirk, his eventual successor, who he never got to know on a personal level (in the original timeline at least).
  Pike: Y'know, I don't think I can explain it, but I think I was supposed to meet you.
  Kirk: I get that feeling, too.
  [...]
  Pike: You're a good captain, Jim Kirk. Enterprise would be lucky to have you.
• Spock's actions in "The Menagerie" take on even greater meaning in the context of this episode. He deduces from Pike's reaction that Pike's sacrifice somehow saves his life, and is in his debt for that. It's no wonder he'd go to such lengths for a man who was not only his captain and friend, but willing to give up everything for him.
  Spock: I believe I may owe you a debt of gratitude, Captain, although for precisely what, I don't know.
  Pike: Spock, you are... You are very important to me.
  Spock: As are you to me, Captain. Chris.

Season 2

Episode 1: The Broken Circle

• Upon hearing that they've received a distress call from La'an saying the Federation is in danger the entire crew minus Pike and Number One (through no fault of their own) trust her to the extent they steal the Enterprise herself to go to La'an's aide.
• Spock desperately performing CPR on Chapel after she was beamed aboard from floating in space.
  • Him later standing vigil over her in Sickbay while she recovers from her vacuum exposure (and the broken ribs he inadvertently gave her during the CPR).

Episode 2: Ad Astra per Aspera

• Again the entire crew rallies behind Una at her trial with none of them holding her genetic engineering against her.
• La'an on the stand describes Una as family.
• Spock on the stand describing how much he's learned about leadership and command from her.
• After La'an brings Neera a copy of the Starfleet Uniform Code of Justice, Neera susses out that La'an is not only afraid that a personal log of hers is what exposed Una, but that La'an is also afraid that her own heritage of genetic engineering (as well as her ancestor being a vile dictator) might make her potentially dangerous. Neera then takes a moment to gently reassure La'an that neither of these things are true, which makes the ordinarily stoic La'an visibly emotional.
  Neera: There is nothing wrong with you, Lieutenant. No hidden monster inside.
  La'an: You don't know-
  Neera: But I do. It's how they make us feel: they look down at us for so long that we begin to look down at ourselves. Genetics is not destiny, despite what you may have been taught. The fear you have of yourself, it's not your own. It was drilled into you. You're not born a monster: you were just born with a capacity for actions, good or ill. Just like the rest of us. In any case, it takes six months at a minimum after a request from a boatload of admirals to subpoena a personal log. They haven't had nearly that long. I guarantee you are not the person who leaked Una's true identity to Starfleet.
• Una's testimony about why she joined Starfleet, what it means to her, why she wants to remain despite the organization having laws that discriminate against her. She talks about Starfleet, and by extension the Federation, accepting people as they are (genetic augments aside), and how it gave her hope that even she could find a place with them. The way she talks about how inspiring Starfleet was and is clearly affects the tribunal, seeing how even someone with every reason to hate the Federation and Starfleet was inspired to join them and become the best of them truly seems to get the tribunal reconsidering Una's position. That testimony was likely compelling enough to get the tribunal to accept any legal out they were offered, even without the the threat of the possibility of dragging Captain Pike's reputation through the mud next.
• The entire crew, and Captain Batel greet Una in the transporter room after she regains her commission. When the crew files out of the room, Chris and Una are alone. Cue Man Hug. After he regains his composure, he punches her lightly on the shoulder.
  Pike: Welcome back, number one.
  • Batel joins the crew in cheering for Neera on her departure, both showing respect to a Worthy Opponent and reaffirming that Batel was just doing her job as prosecutor during the trial.
    • Batel in general - she proves that as she said when arresting Una, she didn't want to do this to her or Pike, even being outraged when Una rejected the plea deal she called in every possible favor she could, knowing that the alternative would be the book getting thrown at her. As shown by her joining in the greeting of Una back on the Enterprise, and even in the moment of realization that Neera had found how to get Una back in uniform where she belonged, and even her meeting with Pike in the mess hall where she makes it clear why she wouldn't put him on the stand, she genuinely wanted to find the best solution for Una. Which is all the more reason that her joining the crew for Una's return and Neera's departure qualifies as well.

Episode 3: Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow

• What convinces Alt Kirk to starting helping figure things out and erase his timeline in favour of the old one? The news that his brother is alive in the original timeline.
• For the first time in her entire life, La'an meets someone who accepts her for her, without any of the baggage her last name carries. It doesn't last, sadly, but she gets to be happy for a little while.
• Alt Kirk defending his middle name, since he was named after both of his grandfathers.
  • Adds a bit of Fridge Heartwarming to all the times in the past when he uses his full name, since he is doing so as a way of honoring his grandfathers.

Episode 4: Among the Lotus Eaters

• Even though it doesn't end up panning out, Ortegas's enthusiasm for the away mission really solidifies her Genki Girl persona and the hat adds to the ensemble.
• Ortegas is clearly irked when after being removed from the Landing Party to fly the ship, she's assigned to escort Uhura to sickbay while Number One relieves her at the helm, nevertheless she's consistently kind and reassuring to Uhura while doing so, and was the one who suggested an escort in the first place.
• After the landing party's first night on the planet, they are memoryless and disorientated. A local, Luq, saves them from the armed guard's abuse, and shows them the ins and outs of Kalar society and how to cope as best they can.
• Pike, even without his memories, instinctively rallies at the injustice of Kalar society and then sets out to save La'an because she was injured while fighting to save him.
  • Pike doesn't remember who he is or why he's there, but he instinctively knows La'an and M'Benga are part of his crew. He also knows that the charm he wears around his neck was a gift from someone he deeply cares about and needs to get back to.
  • Luq, who originally encouraged Pike to accept the Forgetting, decides instead to help Pike upon seeing the strength of his conviction.
• Ortegas is confused and disoriented, but the Enterprise computer is helpful enough to first get her back to her quarters, and to help her realize she's the ship's helmsman (after she asks the non-intelligent computer the right questions). Ortegas goes from wanting all the noise and shaking to stop, to knowing she can stop it.
  "I'm Erica Ortegas. I fly the ship."
• Ortegas, having figured out who she is, confidently states to the equally-amnesiac Spock that she is the only one who can pilot them to safety. Spock, seeing her resolve, simply responds:
  Spock: Yes. Yes, you are. I believe you.
• Pike finally gets his memory back and has Zac dead to rights... and lowers his weapon. Because Pike would never kill a member of his own crew. When Zac realizes this, he goes along willingly and only wants to know what will happen to him after this.
• When Pike is trying to convince Batel to take him back after he broke up with her, she learns that it was her gift to Pike that helped him regain his memories and save his crew. That it was their connection that helped him be a better Captain, when previously it was their responsibilities as Captains that convinced Pike he couldn't make their relationship work.

Episode 5: Charades

• Spock gaining a new appreciation for his mother and all the sacrifices she made for him in the face of Vulcan prejudice.
• The entire bridge crew bands together to help Spock get through his dinner with T'Pring's parents, knowing how much it means to him.
• Despite the drama of the dinner, Sevet is a much needed counterpoint to T'Pring's mother, showing appreciation for Pike's cooking (and his attempt to mingle Vulcan and Earth cooking styles) and being genuinely enthusiatic about the titular game when it is mentioned.
• Pike and Spock commiserating after the failure of the dinner over glasses of Saurian brandy.
• Although it comes after T'Pring's relationship with Spock is further strained, it's still lovely to see Spock and Christine finally acknowledge and act on their feelings for each other.

Episode 6: Lost in Translation

• Kirk's unconditional support of Uhura throughout the episode's events. You can see why she trusted him so much after he became her commanding officer.
  • His concern shows most clearly when, during a hallucination, she punches him in the face and breaks his nose. His first concern is keeping her out of trouble for striking a superior officer and he avoids going to sickbay to protect her.
• When James and Sam sit down for a drink, they have Scotch whiskey. When Uhura sits down, she orders a Saurian brandy, which she and James share at the end of the episode. Saurian brandy was James Kirk's drink of choice in The Original Series, implying that Uhura may have introduced him to it here.
• Kirk and La'an have a talk about Kirk's dad, who was always missing in his youth. It's clear La'an understands the issues this caused Kirk while also sharing her own history underline the real good Starfleet does in the galaxy.
  • Kirk's description of growing up on the move due to his father's career mirrors the experience of many military children in modern times, a representation rarely seen in media.
• Pike trusts Uhura enough to summarily destroy Starfleet's new refinery nearly entirely on her say so. Afterwards he reassures her that any blowback will land on him as it was it was his decision.
• Uhura introducing Kirk and Spock to each other at the end, playing a part in their friendship to come.

Episode 7: Those Old Scientists

• La'an suggests that Boimler avoid making any attachments during his time travel misadventure, confiding in him that she made that mistake herself and doesn't want him to get hurt in the same way.
• Fans of Star Trek: Enterprise get thrown a bone here; a piece of the NX-01 containing horonium was used in the construction of Pike's Enterprise, per ship-building tradition on legacy vessels. Ortegas and Uhura get a chance to gush about helmsman Travis Mayweather and communications officer Hoshi Sato respectively; while Enterprise was a controversial show in its day, it's nice to see it acknowledged and know that the crew was fondly remembered in-universe.
  • The fact that it's Hoshi Sato and Travis Mayweather SPECIFICALLY who are cited is all the more heartwarming, since they are often among the most cited elements of the series by fans that tend to be considered underutilized in the series itself. Even if Enterprise didn't give them their due, at least in-universe it's confirmed they're now considered Starfleet legends.
• For about a quarter of the episode, Una has thought that Boimler has a pin-up poster of her in his bunk. Before they depart the Enterprise, revealed that it's a recruitment poster, bearing the phrase "Ad astra per aspera"; Una tears up as she realizes that, despite Starfleet trying to jail her months earlier, both she and that phrase become iconic enough to inspire Boimler, and countless others, to join Starfleet. Una has been worried that she will be memory holed by Starfleet for her heritage, and finds out not only will she not be forgotten, she will be so respected that she becomes the literal face of Starfleet.
• Boimler mentions that Pike's birthday is coming up, something the crew did not know about, and convinces them to throw him a surprise party. Pike finds out and tries to put a stop to it because it will be his first birthday where he is older than his father ever was. Boimler suggests it will mean a lot to his crew one day that they were able to celebrate it with him when they were all still together, which convinces Pike.
• Much of Boimler's bungling of the situation is due to him knowing that Tendi's ancestor is on the Orion ship. Despite knowing better than to interfere with the past, he convinces the crew to find peaceful solutions with the Orion ship because he's afraid they'll accidentally erase his friend from history.
  • Also worth noting: Pike becomes much more accommodating of Boimler's suggestions once he realizes Boimler is trying to protect his friend and crewmate.
• Mariner coming through the time portal after Boimler; no matter the rules or the risks, he's her cha'Dich and she will always look out for him.
• There's some poignant Reality Subtext to be found in Mariner and Boimler's respective adoration of Uhura and Number One:
  • Uhura in TOS has gone down in history as a positive Black woman role model for many young girls who watched it growing up (including Tawny Newsome herself, as she's spoken about on multiple occasions). Seeing a younger version of her speak to a Black woman main character of another Trek series, the latter alluding to how important she'll eventually be, holds great emotional weight, particularly after the passing of Nichelle Nichols.
  • Number One was singled out as one of the reasons The Cage was rejected (as a woman in command would ostensibly not be accepted by audiences), and it took over 50 years for her to appear again in Discovery and eventually this series, where she's set to become the "literal poster woman" for Starfleet. Ad astra per aspera indeed.
• When Boimler and Mariner depart the Enterprise for the final time, Spock sends Boimler off with a Vulcan Salute and "Live Long and Prosper." While Boimler's fanboy reaction is adorable, it's also worth noting that Mariner's immediate reaction is to break out in a huge smile and look at Boimler. She knows what that moment means to her crewmate.
• The Orion captain is shown throughout the episode to despise the connotations of Orions as all being space pirates, and repeatedly responds with exasperation to the Enterprise crew treating them as such. When Boimler explains that this stereotype is effectively discredited in his time and that his crew is remembered as the scientists they are as a result of the discovery, he looks to be on the verge of tears. He's also touched when Pike agrees that discovering the portal will be credited to Orion scientists.
  "That's all I've ever wanted."
  • Throughout the final conversation the Orion Captain slowly lets his walls down. First when he hears that in the future Orions are not seen as just pirates, with his brow no longer furrowed. Then he gets a bit disbelieving that there is an Orion in Starfleet... until Mariner reveals Tendi's Orion title, something no one in Starfleet would know. When they known her great grandmother's name he becomes utterly shocked. And finally Pike telling him that he will go down as an Orion Scientist who discovered the array... as stated above he is nearly tearing up.
• Ransom inadvertently reveals to Boimler than Mariner had volunteered and pestered to go on the mission to the portal rather than it just being chance and a pain as she'd been telling him until then.

Episode 8: Under The Cloak Of War

• Ortegas and Uhura have an discussion about the Klingons at the start of the episode but when it gets heated Ortegas immediately takes a moment to calm down and reassure the younger officer that she values and respects her and her point of view while not backing down on her own.
• Similarly, Spock recognizes that Chapel is in a bad place with Dak'Rah on board and does his best to help her through it.

Episode 9: Subspace Rhapsody

• When Jim Kirk beams aboard, the first thing he does is ask where Sam is. After the falling out they had on his previous visit, it's nice to see they've buried (or at least put away) the hatchet.
• La'an is not having the whole confession by musical thing and cuts the transmission to the Cayuga, abruptly cutting off Pike's song "A Private Conversation" for his sake as his lyrics make it clear he doesn't want to do this in front of his crew.
  • In the same song, Pike and Batel are probably the best at resisting the field's effects and not saying anything truly hurtfully true to each other, sticking to a refrain of 'this is a private conversation' to ward off the effects at first. When Pike finally does succumb, he sings that he doesn't want to hurt or fight with Batel.
• In the midst of their bickering, Sam reveals that Jim had specifically requested to work with his brother when tasked with rewiring several systems, despite Sam (a xenobiologist) being a less logical choice to assist.
• One of Number One's songs is advice to La'an to open up and not keep secrets because she'll be much better for it. After La'an has confided to her in general terms about her issues with Kirk. Noticeably while Una sings, she doesn't drag La'an into a duet, honouring her preference to keep quiet and the end of the episode Una seeks her out to find out how it went and comfort La'an.
  • It's also worth noting that Una's song also made it clear that she understood why La'an would want to stick to herself and not open up to others, acknowledging the problems it could open her up to, and why someone in La'an (or a younger Una's) position would find it beneficial to put on a façade. The song instead emphasizes that she doesn't need to do that anymore.
• When La'an decides to confess her feelings to Kirk, he does his best to let her down as gently as possible, not wanting to make it any more painful for her than necessary. He also shows that, despite his reputation as The Casanova, he wouldn't cheat on Carol while they're in a relationship.
  • On La'an's side, as her chat with Una in the lounge at the end shows, while she was hurt by being turned down by Kirk, she is still glad to have taken that chance and is not opposed to taking chances again, that despite this time not turning out the way she would have liked, it is not putting her off putting herself emotionally at risk like that again. The heart of her song was about being uncertain of taking that risk, and here she is, saying that despite it not working out like she'd wanted, the risk was worth it and would be again.
• Uhura's song is about how she seems to be alone everywhere she goes, due to the losses of her family and later her mentor Hemmer. Until she realizes that her crew depends on her to keep them connected, and that she's not alone at all. This leads directly to her figuring out how to solve the episode's problem.
  • An ongoing theme of her song is that despite her own pain, she always listens to others, giving them someone to talk to and share their own pain with so they don't need to be alone with it. Of course, this extends to her actual job on the ship, keeping hailing frequencies open in case others call for help.
• After finding her purpose in orchestrating the grand finale song, Uhura is the happiest that she's been seen so far in the series.
  • Captain Pike introduces Uhura as "The Voice of the Enterprise."
  • At the line "Uhura, you saved us", she gives a quick, cheerful curtsy.
  • After Uhura's introduction singing about how the crew needs to work together, La'an (one of her mentors in the first season) happily sings that this was exactly what she needed to hear.
  • Spock sings about how studying the universe gives him meaning and purpose.
  • Pike sings about how well the crew has come together, and that he is proud to be their captain.
  • When the finale hits the line "Cause we work better all together", Jim Kirk points to Sam, who smiles back. For all their quarreling, they're still brothers and clearly love each other.
  • At the climax of the song, Jim Kirk joins in singing about how proud he is to be a crewmember on the Enterprise, foreshadowing his eventual captaincy of the ship.
• When La'an arrives on the bridge and heads to her station during the finale, she and Jim Kirk smile warmly at each other. As awkward and painful as their conversation was, there's still a connection there, and it was an emotional breakthrough for her.

Episode 10: Hegemony

• When Pike admits he's having to force himself to be optimistic, La'an eases up on him considerably and cheers him by complimenting Batel's toughness with a joke at his expense.
• TOS fans get an unexpected treat when the Enterprise crew is looking for survivors, and instead get caught in an elaborate trap meant for the Gorn. Said trap was set by none other than Montgomery Scott himself, and despite the perils he faces, is nothing but helpful to the crew and ends up on the Enterprise—the same ship he's destined to take care of in a few years. And she's same ship that in less in a decade Scotty will throw hands over any time she is insulted, as a group of Klingons will learn.
• Ortegas helps M'Benga out treating injured colonists and there share a moment worrying about Chapel before remembering she would be encouraging them to help as many people as possible if she were there.
• Spock and Chapel have been having some issues in the latter half of the season so seeing them reunited, holding hands and watching the explosion and then talking on the transporter pad was very sweet.
  • They both agree that, assuming they survive their current disaster, they will have a heart-to-heart about their relationship.
• Number One takes a moment to comfort Spock when they believe that Chapel had been killed aboard the Cayuga, including placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

---