Heartwarming / Star Trek: Discovery

Heartwarming moments in Star Trek: Discovery.

WARNING: Spoilers are unmarked.

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Season One

"The Vulcan Hello"

• Georgiou and Burnham secretly saving the aliens from a deadly drought. This Starfleet is not so down with the Prime Directive they're willing to let species go extinct rather than intervene.

"Beyond The Binary Stars"

• The Klingons honouring their dead, having a mournful moment and retrieving all of them floating in space, despite Georgiou’s placing a bomb in one of them.

"Context Is For Kings"

• While Sarek and Michael’s relationship is a complicated one, as is hers and Spock’s, she speaks about Amanda with fondness, as they were the only humans in the house.

"The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry"

• Burnham making peaceful contact with the tardigrade. It shows, despite everything she's been through, she's still a Starfleet officer who is out there to explore and make contact with new species.
• Georgiou's So Proud of You moment while Burnham is watching her Video Will. Doubles as a Tearjerker because all of Georgiou's words are a postmortem Innocently Insensitive.
• Tilly becoming Burnham's biggest fan after her success in getting the spore drive operational.

"Choose Your Pain"

• Stamets and Culber, especially during the Relationship Reveal.
• Tilly offering a prayer for Ripper before it's released, and then the looks of joy she and Burnham give when it revives and goes on its way, especially given that two episodes before they were running for their lives from it.
• Saru and Burnham beginning to reconcile, with Saru admitting his jealousy and her supporting him given his doubts of how he performed as commanding officer.
• While working together with Stamets and Burnham on the spore drive, Tilly has an uncontrolled outburst of "This is so fucking cool!" She immediately apologizes for the inappropriate comment, only for the normally dick-ish Stamets to smile at her and assure her that it is fucking cool.

"Lethe"

• Michael’s training of Tilly is purposely hard, but Tilly manages to overtake her in the run, and Michael does a gorgeous smile, something that she doesn’t do often.
• During their first introduction in the mess hall, which requires Tilly's "encouragement" (lightly kicking her under the table so she'll be sociable), Burnham's attempt to greet Ash Tyler is interrupted by Sarek's telepathic distress call. After the events in the shuttle, Burnham meets him in the mess hall again and makes an honest effort at a proper introduction.
• Michael explains that aside from the goodness of their hearts, Sarek used her as a token to prove humanity’s potential, and Tilly calls it out, saying how could he put that pressure on a child.
• Probably for the first time in the series, and while she’s still mad at him, Michael feels a bit of peace knowing that Sarek didn’t actually feel that she’d failed him, and she can tell him off for making her feel bad.

"Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad"

• Burnham and Tyler dancing and having a snog. Awwwwww!
• Stamets talking about how he first met Culber to Burnham and the fact that, yeah, they are Like an Old Married Couple, but what Stamets likes is that they are both honest with each other.
  • That scene is the key to the whole episode! Time loop stories are always about someone who is emotionally stuck and unable to progress, and they break the loop by outgrowing it. Burnham is at an impasse because, for the first time in her life, she wants to initiate a romantic relationship but has no idea how—because absolutely nothing in her upbringing, education, or life experience has prepared her for it. Stamets’ fond, exasperated “would you let me lead, please?!" gives her one absolutely crucial clue: she needs to learn to trust and let go and let things develop rather than assuming there's a script somewhere. Stamets’ story of showing your partner your real self rather than a carefully constrained facade, and trusting in love even if it isn’t logical, gets her the rest of the way there. After that scene, she's able to dance and connect with Tyler for the first time.

"Into the Forest I Go"

• Tyler suffers a Heroic BSoD after unexpectedly coming face to face with L'Rell. Admiral Cornwell, herself in terrible shape, talks him through it, explaining that he's suffering from a PTSD attack but that he's safe. She's able to get him to pull himself together long enough to help fight off a pair of Klingon warriors.
• After everything is done, Stamets offers to jump the Discovery back to Starbase 46, safely away from Klingon reprisal, but Lorca tells him he's done enough, saying that warp drive will be fine. Stamets insists and then informs Lorca that this will be his last jump before he turns himself over to Starfleet Medical to find out what's going on in his body, a request that Lorca seems to readily agree to.
• Culber and Stamets' Anguished Declaration of Love and Big Damn Kiss as Paul is about to pull off an extremely dangerous set of spore drive jumps.

"Despite Yourself"

• Tilly is struggling with trying to impersonate her mirror counterpart, mostly because she is scared to death of what her counterpart is and what she has done. Burnham talks her down, saying that everything we know about the Terran Empire is just a facade. All the bluster and bravado that people in that universe project is to cover their deep and unrelenting fear of being stabbed in the back by those around them. But Tilly has something stronger—the belief of the crew that she can do this. And when a crew believes in you like that, that is what it means to be The Captain.
• It's quite sweet seeing the extremely morally grey Lorca be morally offended by the Terran Empire's racist totalitarianism. Unfortunately, it gets soundly negated when we find out he's actually from the Mirror Universe and has been plotting his comeback the whole time.
• Culber taking care of Stamets. "I'm not going anywhere." Followed up with a Big Damn Kiss.
  • Bonus points for being a male homosexual kiss that is in the context of homosexuality, in a (depending on location) standard broadcast, for a major series.

"The Wolf Inside"

• Voq got a rather sympathetic portrayal during the prologue, so it's rather sad to see him so straightforwardly evil once the brainwashing wears off. Given this, it's even more heartwarming to see that his mirror verse self is so awesome and heroic, demonstrating that Voq at least possesses the capacity for good.
• Saru gives probably the strongest reaffirmation of Star Trek's optimistic values in the series so far, when he confronts Voq and apprehends him aboard Discovery. Voq, disguised as Tyler, angrily spits at Saru that he should have been left to die in space. Saru replies:
  Saru: No. We are stranded in a cruel, anarchic world. But we are still Starfleet. And we still live and die by Federation law. No matter how heinous your crimes.

"Vaulting Ambition"

• It's twisted and dark, but Mirror Georgiou truly loves Burnham, and even considers her to be her true daughter. When Burnham doesn't call her "Mother," she's genuinely crushed, and she's genuinely disgusted by Mirror Lorca's Wife Husbandry behavior.

• This exchange:
  Stamets: I held your body in my arms. I thought it was a dream.
  Culber: I wish it were. I remember your arms around me. You made me feel safe. You always did.
• "Computer, play Kasseelian opera. The aria he loves, the one I hate."
• Stamets saying goodbye to Culber one last time, complete with a Big Damn Kiss. And Culber telling him, "Just open your eyes."

"What's Past is Prologue"

• Saru has been cold to Michael ever since she betrayed Georgiou, but when she contacts him, he earnestly calls her "my friend."
• Saru's Rousing Speech when the Discovery's crew realize their plan to blow up the Charon's mycelial core will either kill them outright or strand them in the Mirror Universe. From a man whose species know when certain death is looming, it goes to show how much faith he has in Discovery's crew—his crew—that he didn't sense it coming, even though the certainty that none of them would survive was great.
• A twofer! It begins with Redemption Equals Death getting subverted in high fashion. Emperor Georgiou decides that, since she'll never be able to reclaim her throne after being defeated, she might as well die saving Burnham, the closest person she has to a daughter - even if this Burnham is not really her Burnham. However, not wanting to watch Georgiou die twice, Burnham pulls her into Discovery's transporter and brings her with her to the prime universe.

"The War Without, The War Within"

• The crew is understandably not in a hurry to speak to Tyler when he gets out of sickbay and goes to the mess, but Tilly makes a point of moving to his table and telling him he can talk, or not, and she'll be there to listen. Then Detmer moves to his table as well, and soon other members of the crew are crowding around Tyler to give him their support.
  • Counterpoint this to when Michael first comes aboard Discovery, and Detmer is among the first to recognize and avoid her. It emphasizes Saru's speech in the previous episode; this is no longer Lorca's ship, a ship run by someone from a universe that is all about projecting strength to hide their fear. It's a ship from a universe where compassion, understanding, and genuine kindness are the way of things. Where Lorca's ship was a place where isolation was a primary attitude, here and now, Discovery is a place where people come together and offer support.
• Sarek and Burnham talk about her relationship with Ash. Sarek notes that there is irony in Michael, whose parents were killed by Klingons, falling in love with a Klingon. He then goes on to note that there is also grace, and sees it as a metaphor for how the Federation and Klingons might one day become friends.
  Michael: I've made foolish choices. Emotional choices.
  Sarek: Well. You are human. As is your mother. There is no telling what any one of us may do, where the heart is concerned.
  • And of course, by referring to Amanda Grayson, his wife, as Michael's mother, Sarek admits, in his own Deadpan Snarker way, that he sees Michael as his daughter, a level of emotional head-out-of-ass Sarek has a great degree of difficulty achieving.
  • Sarek is also admitting-without-admitting, in true Vulcan fashion, that he understands Michael's feelings, because Sarek loves his wife as Michael loves Tyler. And by extension, saying-without-saying that he loves Michael, as well.
• Tilly bluntly telling Michael she needs to talk to Ash, if only to break up, because both Ash and Michael need to deal with what's happened. She clearly cares for both of them.

"Will You Take My Hand?"

• Mirror!Georgiou finds she can't bring herself to kill Burnham. And while they don't part on exactly friendly terms, it's clear neither wants to face the other in hostility in the future.
• Sarek and Amanda come to Earth to meet Michael, and they are practically beaming when it comes to their adopted daughter. Sarek even graciously accepts the title "Father" from her, something he did not do the last time she called him that. And then calls her "Daughter".
  • Sarek smiles. It's a little, tiny thing, but remembering that Vulcans are creatures of deep emotion at heart, it shows how proud he is of her that he would crack even just a little.
• Michael's Patrick Stewart Speech at the award ceremony practically pole vaults the entire show over to the idealistic side of the scale single-handedly.
  Burnham: We are no longer on the eve of battle. Even so, I come to ask myself the same question that young soldier asked the general all those years ago: "How do I defeat fear?" The general's answer: the only way to defeat fear is to tell it "no." No. We will not take shortcuts on the path to righteousness. No. We will not break the rules that protect us from our basest insticts. No. We will not allow desperation to destroy moral authority. I am guilty of all these things. Some say that in life, there are no second chances. Experience tells me this is true. But we can only look forward. We have to be torchbearers, casting the light so we may see our path to lasting peace. We will contine exploring, discovering new worlds, new civilizations. Yes. That is the United Federation of Planets. Yes. That is Starfleet. Yes. That is who we are. And who we will always be.
  • During the awards presentation, not only do most of the Discovery's senior staff and bridge officers receive medals (and promotions, in a couple of cases), but we see that Doctor Culber also received a posthumous medal.
• The old girl herself, the USS Enterprise NCC-1701, on screen in all her glory for the first time in decades.
• In the end, the show demonstrates that idealism, compassion, loyalty, trust, and forgiveness—classic Trek themes—triumph over cynicism, hatred, and moral expediency.

Short Treks

"Runaway"

• After learning that Po is the heir to the throne of her homeworld, Tilly assures Po that she will do well as queen because of her love for her homeworld. Po, in turn, assures Tilly that she will make a great commander one day.

"Calypso"

• After Zora realizes that Craft views having an emotional relationship with her as cheating on his wife, she's utterly heartbroken, but she still helps him try to get back home to his family.

"The Brightest Star"

• Saru's sister, Siranna, knows that Saru intends to leave their world and offers him a knife ostensibly for harvesting night-blooming flowers, with the implication that she wants Saru to protect himself.
  Siranna: Look down, every now and then. There's beauty there as well.
  Saru: Stay safe, Siranna.
  Siranna: You too, brother.
• Saru finally gets to meet the alien he's been communicating with when a shuttle lands, and a Starfleet officer steps out to meet him:
  Philippa Georgiou: It's a pleasure to finally put a face to the name, Mr. Saru. An entirely new face, at that!
• The shuttle's registry prefix is SHN, implying that Georgiou was assigned to the USS Shenzhou, which would give the rather old ship a very special history for both of them when we first see it in "The Vulcan Hello".

Season Two

"Brother"

• Everything about Pike's approach to command on Discovery. He is fully aware that their last captain didn't do much to gain anyone's trust, even before it was revealed he was an impostor using them, so he sets about doing what he can to put them at ease and earn their trust, even stopping for a chance to learn everyone's name. His approach to Saru is notable; even when it's confirmed he's been assigned command, he asks Saru's permission before sitting in the Big Chair, and when his mission is apparently over after the rescue of the Hiawatha crew, he immediately hands command back. It's quickly becoming apparent why Christopher Pike was held in such high esteem by James T. Kirk and earned Spock's Undying Loyalty in TOS.

"New Eden"

• The survivors on New Eden have cobbled together a coherent religion based on all the various faiths from Earth. While the initial passage of their ad hoc bible Pike finds isn't exactly welcoming, the idea that different religions, frequently hell-bent on exterminating each other, can find some kind of harmony is profoundly inspiring.
• Despite his insistence that the crew maintain the Prime Directive, Pike returns to New Eden and trades a long-life power cell for the helmet cam recording, when he could have very easily just taken the helmet or copied the recording with Jacob none the wiser, simply so he could have an excuse to leave them a gift of electricity for their church.
  • Not just that: Pike confirms to Jacob that yes, Earth has survived, and that Jacob's family's quest to try and preserve their scientific knowledge was not in vain.
• The crew of Discovery don't hesitate when they realize the planet is in imminent danger and try to come up with a way to save the life on it.
• After Saru's initial What the Hell, Hero? dressing down of Tilly's actions that nearly got her killed, when she explains that she was trying to discover a way to fuel the spore drive without using Stamets as the gas, he instantly becomes sympathetic, sharing with her some of his own initial fears at having had something to prove as the only Kelpien in Starfleet, emphasizing that he understands, this doesn't disqualify her from the Command Training Program, and that he believes she'll go on to great things. Assuming, of course, that she curbs some of those risks.

"Point of Light"

• Michael congratulating Tilly on winning the half marathon at the start of the episode.
• Michael doesn't express a moment of disbelief at Tilly hallucinating someone that isn't there, offering Tilly total trust in the face of her seeming cracking, from an outside perspective, under the strain of the command training program, and managing to spot the thread that reveals just what her hallucination is.
  • What's more, Michael has just finished crying herself due to the break in her relationship with Amanda. Despite essentially just losing her mother, which she can't do anything about at the moment, she immediately tries to help her friend.
• Once the nature of Tilly's hallucination is revealed, Saru assures her that they'll get her fixed up and back into the command training program despite her outburst on the bridge. Tilly thinks she blew it with Pike, but Saru knows Pike has a sense of humor and will understand.
• Amanda doesn't believe Spock is a murderer because she's his mother; Michael doesn't because he's her adoptive brother. Then Pike reveals he cares just as deeply for Spock when he agrees with them and orders Burnham to break into the medical file.

"An Obol for Charon"

• Stamets trying to keep Tilly calm by singing her favorite song with her before he has to drill a hole in her skull. For bonus points, the song in question is David Bowie's "Space Oddity", a little fitting perhaps for both Tilly and Stamets. There is a whimsical smile on Paul's face when he realizes what the song is, and he joins in with the line "...and I think my spaceship knows which way to go".
• When both of them think he's dying, Burnham and Saru express to each other that they view themselves as brother and sister. Burnham even tells him she (platonically) loves him.
• When Saru looks like he's leaving the bridge for the last time, Pike and the other bridge crew silently stand as he and Burnham leave.
• Saru, as his last request, urges Burnham to re-establish her relationship with Spock, because he doesn't want her to permanently lose her younger brother as he believes he's lost his younger sister.
• As it turns out, the sphere only wanted to share its life with Starfleet and, as a sort of thank you, it also gives them its sensor data on Spock.

"Saints Of Imperfection"

• Pike and the crew of Discovery willingly risk the ship and their own lives on the chance they might be able to rescue Tilly.
• Of all people, the pragmatic self-interested Mirror Georgiou is the one to go above and beyond to help Discovery survive.
• Stamets convincing Culber he's not a hallucination or a threat by recounting part of their shared history.
• The pure joy shown by Burnham, Stamets, and Tilly when Culber makes it out of the network, and Stamets's face when Culber whispers "Paul?" to him is a sight to behold.
• Tilly and "May" bonding throughout the episode. It culminates with Tilly talking "May" down from shooting Culber in revenge for the deaths he unintentionally caused, and "May" asking for a pinky-swear when Tilly says that they'll see each other again.

"Sound Of Thunder"

• Saru's reunion with his sister, Siranna, and introducing her to the wonders of the galaxy, the hundreds of thousands of species beyond Kaminar. Followed by Saru introducing his birth sister to someone he considers as close to him as a sister, Michael. THIS is the wonder of first contact.
• Siranna's eventual reaction to meeting the first non-Kelpien she'd ever encountered and learning she was from another star? Asking her in for some tea.

"Project Daedalus"

• Airiam's ongoing banter with Tilly and Detmer.
• Although also a Tearjerker, Spock's argument with Michael included Spock telling Michael that she has no reason to blame herself for her parents' death, the Logic Extremists' attack on her new family, or the start of the war with the Klingons. As Spock points out, literally none of these things were events Burnham had any chance of changing regardless of her actions.
• Airiam sorting through her day's memories. She erases all the boring bits of the day and stores all the moments hanging out with her friends.
• When Pike and Cornwell butt heads over how the Klingon War was fought, the former accuses the latter of ordering the Enterprise away from the fighting so he couldn't stand up to her morally-questionable tactics. Cornwell counters that the real reason he sat out the war was that if the Federation was conquered, she wanted the best of humanity to survive. Pike is floored by the compliment and can only utter a simple, sincere "thank you".
• Tilly's "I Know You Are in There Somewhere" Fight with Airiam, complete with Platonic Declaration of Love. Also a Tear Jerker, since it only partially works.

"The Red Angel"

• Airiam's funeral is attended by everyone on the ship, leaving no doubt that she mattered to her shipmates—her friends.
  • Later, after the funeral, Nhan approaches Michael, apologizing for ignoring her attempt to rescue Airiam from Control's programming. Michael acknowledges that Nhan was acting in the interests of the ship and crew and that, effectively, there's nothing for her to apologize for, that she did what needed to be done, and there are no hard feelings.
• Georgiou definitely cares about Michael on a deeply personal level, and is barely even trying to hide it at this point. When Michael almost dies during the gambit to lure out the Red Angel, she basically screams at Spock to let her and Culber in there to rescue her.
• The Reveal that the Red Angel is coming to protect Michael, her daughter.

"Perpetual Infinity"

• Gabrielle and Georgiou ("Phillipa") have a conversation where Gabrielle reveals she knows that despite all her bluster, denials, origins and history, Georgiou has come to love Michael like a daughter and is a far more noble person than Georgiou believes herself to be.
• Gabrielle reveals to Burnham that although she's been trapped in the future and unable to stay in the past more than brief periods, she's been able to watch Michael grow up.

"Through the Valley of Shadows"

• Burnham, grieving the renewed loss of her mother, takes a call from her adoptive mother Amanda, who comforts her and assures her that she will find her mother again. They are interrupted by the entrance of Spock, and Amanda can be seen smiling warmly at her two children finally being together again.
• Jet Reno bonds with Culber over having married similar people, then urges him not to waste the second chance he's been given.
• Pike proving why Starfleet named one of their highest honors after him: When confronted with the fate that awaits him if he takes the time crystal to stop Control, he wavers for a moment before re-affirming his oath as a Starfleet officer and accepting his fate.

"Such Sweet Sorrow"

• Tilly and Po are extremely happy to see each other again, to the point that Po basically ignores Pike so she can greet Tilly. Tilly is proud of the woman Po has become, now that she's taken up her responsibilities as Queen. Po is still steadfast that Tilly is on the path to be a great captain.
• With Michael having to take Discovery and the sphere data into the far into future to keep it out of the grasp of Control. Knowing it will be a one-way trip, the rest of Discovery's crew (minus Pike, Tyler, and any who accepted the offer to leave) insist on going with her into the future.
• Just before leaving Discovery for the final time, Pike delivers a speech to the bridge officers about how It Has Been an Honor to serve with them. In response, they all stand at attention to give him a proper send-off.
• We see several of the crewmembers recording messages for loved ones before going into the future, and while they include many Tear Jerkers, they are also full of affirmations of how much they value their friends and family.

"Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2"

• Cornwell's parting words to Pike:
  Cornwell: And Chris? Whatever your path may be, you can handle it.
• Stamets is lying wounded on a bio-bed in sickbay, and Culber goes to treat him. During this, Culber states that he came back from the Enterprise because his home isn't there. His home is wherever they go, together, and that he's sorry it took him so long to realize it.
• Burnham telling Spock that he doesn't need her to remain grounded, and that he will find the balance he needs between his Vulcan and human halves out in the galaxy as long as he finds the person farthest from him and reaches for them.
  • By telling Spock that, she laid the foundation for one of fiction's greatest friendships. Perhaps two. . . after all, the person "farthest" from Spock isn't Kirk, but McCoy.
• As Discovery races for the wormhole, their friends and loved ones among the ragtag fleet protecting them watch them leave... It is bittersweet at best, verging on Tear Jerker status.
• The looks of wonder on the Discovery bridge crew's faces as they travel through the wormhole, mixed with Tear Jerker as several are also shown with tears in their eyes, possibly at what they were leaving behind.
• Somehow, even if it wasn't supposed to be possible, either Michael or her mother makes a jump back in time to create a final red burst so the ones who knew the secret would know Discovery, and their loved ones, had made it.

Short Treks Season 2

"Q&A"

• Spock and Number One discuss the need to be The Stoic if one wants to be taken seriously as a potential for the Command track. And since Number One accidentally saw Spock smile, she returns the favor by letting him see her sing Gilbert and Sullivan, leading to Spock joining in with a huge grin.
• What makes Spock crack a smile? Beaming aboard the Enterprise for his first assignment in Starfleet, following in his big sister's footsteps.
• Spock comes aboard the Bridge for the first time and meets Captain Pike. The exchange is heartwarming in large part for what it says about the perpetually stuffy Vulcan race.
  Pike: Do Vulcans... ever feel awe, Spock?
  Spock: They do, Captain... but they tend to keep it to themselves.

"The Trouble With Edward"

• The episode starts with a beauty shot of the USS Enterprise as Captain Pike remarks on the bittersweet occasion of wishing one of the ship's company farewell as she departs for her first command. Captain Pike and Captain Lucero trade jokes about how difficult her first command will be, and how if the Enterprise gets in trouble, Lucero can come save the day in her little science ship.

"Ask Not"

• At the end of the test, Pike congratulates Sidha on her performance, quickly reassuring her that neither she nor her husband is in any danger, and apologizing for what they just put her through. And then he takes her on a tour of the Enterprise, hew new assignment.

"Ephraim And Dot"

• Ephraim's Stern Chase with the Enterprise shows her devotion to her unhatched children, considering that she keeps at it for years.
• Dot reveals that it rescued Ephraim's eggs before the Enterprise was destroyed, and an overjoyed Ephraim adopts Dot into the family.

"Children of Mars"

• Combined with Tear Jerker, the two classmates who didn't get along finding common ground after they learn the shipyard both of their parents work at has been attacked and destroyed.

Season Three

"That Hope Is You, Part 1"

• Burnham orders the Red Angel suit to scan for life signs, asking if there's life anywhere at all, to determine if her mission to stop Control suceeded.
  Red Angel: Multiple life signs detected.
  Burnham: YEEES!!! A-HAA! YEEES!!!
• Book pegs Burnham as a "true believer," because she wears the Starfleet badge long after most people have written off the once-great Federation as a memory of better times.
• Sahil, one of the Federation's "true believers", has been keeping a faithful vigil at the relay station for decades, serving as a Federation Liaison for any who needs the Federation's services. All this time, he has patiently waited for a Starfleet officer to visit so that he can take his Oath of Service and officially become a Starfleet Officer. This faith is rewarded when Commander Burnham arrives, needing help finding the Discovery, and being more than happy to give the Oath and appoint him her Communications chief.
  Sahil: I don't know how much of the Federation still exists. I simply do my part to keep it alive.
• When Sahil tries to locate the Discovery, the station's limited sensors can't detect the ship, but they do detect two other Federation ships, implying that Starfleet is still out there somewhere.

"Far From Home"

• All of the scenes of Stamets bickering with Culber. Even though they are arguing about Stamets not listening to Culber, it's clear that they care deeply about each other. They're just both equally stubborn.
• Reno takes it upon herself to follow Stamets around and help him with repairs, despite being too badly hurt to do much physical labor, and not getting along with him particularly well. Just because she doesn't like him doesn't mean she's going to let him wander off and hurt himself. To say nothing of her ongoing Shipper on Deck status for Stamets and Culber.
• Saru continues to mentor Ensign Tilly, who is very unsure of herself. She doesn't know why he's brought her along on a potential high-stakes First Contact situation, as opposed to countless other crewmembers, to include the highly-capable Georgiou.
  Saru: We are introducing ourselves to the future. You, Ensign Tilly, are a wonderful first impression.
• Despite the fact that the Coridan colony has been on its own for years, Kal is still a true believer in the Federation. Even his more pessimistic brother comes around.
• The ship is repaired, and is struggling to lift off with the parasitic ice trying to drag them back down. Another ship approaches, and they don't know if it's friendly or not, until it grabs them with a tractor beam and yanks them free of the ice. They're hailed by the ship and discover that Burnham is aboard, and their crew is finally reunited.
• Michael's reunion with the crew in person, especially the hug between Saru and Michael. He gently holds her as she bawls into his chest at how much she missed him.

"People of Earth"

• After two years of acting in the position, Saru finally gets to ascend to the captain's chair. Michael doesn't even hesitate to tell him that he's earned the honor; she has that much faith in his capabilities. And it's with this episode that Star Trek finally seats an alien in the all-important position.
  • In turn, he graciously makes Burnham his first officer. And keep in mind, this is in spite of the fact she just went behind his back and enacted a plan that relied on him acting entirely in her defense. Adjusting to being back or no, Saru clearly has a great deal of faith in her just as much as she does in him. She even stays with him on the ship while everyone else visits Earth.
• Much of the episode's plot centers on a struggle between the United Earth Defense Force and a group of raiders led by Wen. Once the crew discovers that Wen and his raiders are struggling colonists from Titan, and that their fight with United Earth began over a tragic misunderstanding, both sides agree to find a way to cooperate with each other (United Earth sending engineers and supplies to help the Titanians, and Titan sharing their scientific research with United Earth).
  • The meeting is a great demonstration of what Starfleet is supposed to be. Both Ndoyu and Wen are unwilling to talk at first, but when they finally make each other start to consider each others' points of view, they accept putting in the effort to speak, and in the end both sides begin to work together.
• Adira receiving permission to leave the UEDF and join Discovery's crew. Not to mention the adorable scene where Stamets finds where they are hiding in the Jefferies tubes.
• Some of Discovery's crew visiting Earth and Starfleet Academy at the end, seeing a tree that stood on the grounds when they were all once cadets. Something of the past they came from has traveled to this strange future with them. More importantly, despite Starfleet and the Federation having left Earth 100 years ago, it seems Starfleet Academy still stands: abandoned, but waiting for Starfleet to come back. The people of Earth may have left the Federation, but they haven't forgotten it completely, and perhaps hope to see it again someday.

"Forget Me Not"

• Culber and Saru struggle to find a way to get the crew to open up to each other. Saru quizzes the computer trying to come up with ideas, which results in the Sphere Data developing a familiar personality. The computer suggests giving the whole crew the night off to rest, and holding a dinner for his senior staff. The dinner ends up kind of a disaster due to everyone struggling with their own traumas, but this convinces several crew members to reach out for the help they need, or to apologize to those they lashed out at.
  Culber: Are you OK?
  Detmer: ... No. Obviously. [sigh] It was hard to admit.
• The previous Tal hosts accepting Adira as one of them — including Adira's boyfriend Grey.
• After the trainwreck of a dinner earlier in the episode, it ends with a much more successful movie night, with the entire crew relaxed and laughing at cheesy slapstick movies.

"Die Trying"

• The Discovery crew's excited reaction to seeing the futuristic Starfleet ships at Federation headquarters, with personnel flocking to the windows and the bridge crew openly gushing at the viewscreen closeups and sensor readings. Wide smiles abound.
• The U.S.S. Nog, an Eisenberg-class starship, can be seen briefly. Out of universe, it's a touching tribute to Aron Eisenberg, who passed away in 2019. In-universe, it means that Nog made such an impact on Starfleet that they still honor him centuries later.
• Saru is extremely gratified to learn that the Kelpiens joined the Federation, quite possibly following his example.
• The existence of the U.S.S. Voyager-J, the 10th descendant of Janeway's ship. For a series that's often despised, it's nice to know that it's still considered a part of the Star Trek family worth remembering so much later, especially given it's a 32nd century version of the Intrepid-class. Loved as it is, warts and all?
  • Also, her registry number is NCC-74656-J. While Legacy Vessel Naming is nothing new in Starfleet, reusing the registry number has until now been something they only did with the Enterprise. Clearly, the brass decided that Voyager deserved the same honor.
  • Voyager is not the only ship that receives that honor either, the ship Owo calls a "New Constitution" has the designation NCC-1864-M, which can only mean one thing: That ship is the Reliant. Despite Khan's reprehensible actions, the name continues to be used.
• After Michael and the Discovery return from the Tikhov, several futuristic Exocomps can be seen floating in Starfleet's headquarters, showing that the Exocomps survived 2385's synth ban and stayed with Starfleet despite everything that happened to their kin in the last years of the 24th century.

"Scavengers"

• Stamets bonding with Adira over loving people who are / were dead but still present. It's a sweet moment between two not-very-social geniuses, which Adira follows up by offering to get rid of his arm implants.
• After an extended period of mutual denial, Burnham and Book acknowledge their feelings for each other. Also, Book outright tells Burnham that she wasn't supposed to undertake a personally dangerous rescue mission to save him. He sent his ship (and Grudge) to her because he wasn't sure he would make it.

"Unification III"

• It may have taken centuries after his death, but Spock ultimately succeeded in reuniting the Romulans and the Vulcans. This also means that the Romulans, one of Earth's oldest enemies, became one of Earth's allies in the Federation.
  • And speaking of enemies becoming allies, Daniels mentioned to Captain Archer that the Klingons (the blood enemies of the Romulans) also joined the Federation. The fact that those two races put aside their mutual hatred to that degree exemplifies the highest ideals of the Federation.
  • Perhaps the most touching scene in the whole episode features an archived recording of Spock from "Unification Part II." Just to see Leonard Nimoy back, five years after he passed away, is a testament to how much he impacted the entire franchise through his portrayal of the Vulcan. It only seemed fitting that this episode followed upon the last efforts his character made on tv (prior to his return in Star Trek (2009)).
  • It's also very touching that Spock, who in life was often poorly treated by his fellow Vulcans first for his Human heritage and later for his affinity for Romulans has, in death, become a cultural icon for the inhabitants of Ni'Var with some speaking of him with the same reverence with which they would speak of Surak himself.
  • Ni'Var left the Federation. . . but it was the Vulcans who swung that vote, the Romulans wanted to stay. 900 years to go from the Federation's most dreaded enemy to a staunch supporter. That's something beautiful.
• In addition to the Eisenberg-class U.S.S. Nog, Starfleet also had a U.S.S. Yelchin in honor of another fallen Trek actor.
• Burnham and her mother are finally reunited, with Gabrielle being far less brusque and emotionally distant than on Essof IV.
• Saru chooses Tilly as his acting XO. Despite her obvious reluctance as an Incompletely Trained ensign, the rest of the crew gather to support her.
  Tilly: You told them?
  Stamets: Of course I told them.
  Tilly: I..I haven't given an answer yet. I...
  Stamets: Say yes.
  Tilly: But I...
  Rhys, Nilsson, Bryce, and Owosekun: (in turn) Say yes.
  Detmer: Just say it!
  • As the group starts to bombard her with (light-hearted) grievances and requests, Burnham pops in to join in the fun, even lampshading that she missed the big moment.
• As Michael and Gabrielle have a heart to heart at the end of the episode, Michael realizes that her mother isn't going to stay with her on Discovery. After all, the Qowat Milat only bind themselves to lost causes, and Michael is anything but.

The Sanctuary

• Adira now feels comfortable enough with the Discovery crew to come out as non-binary for only the second time in their life, and in turn Stamets is immediately accepting and acts like it's no big deal. What really makes it is that the dialogue makes clear this has nothing to do with the Trill symbiote, and Adira always felt they weren't a cisgender woman even before getting it.

Terra Firma, Part One

• Georgiou's farewell to Saru and Tilly. She is nicer to them than she has probably ever been. Then Tilly outright gives her a goodbye hug. Georgiou is briefly shocked at the display of affection, but then looks quietly pleased.
• Georgiou subtly showing discomfort over the awful things going on in the Mirror Universe, which she previously wouldn't have batted an eyelid at. Despite knowing that she will be perceived as weak - which may well be a Terran emperor's death sentence - she is disturbed by Mirror Burnham mutilating a family of artists, saves Mirror Saru from being butchered, and spares Burnham from execution despite Imperial law mandating the death penalty for treason. This suggests that the Federation and the Discovery crew have rubbed off on her a good deal more than she cares to admit.

Terra Firma, Part Two

• Even while pulling a 2 + Torture = 5 on her own daughter, Georgiou reflects on how she accompanied young Burnham whenever she sleepwalked to a field of fireflies, and even leaves a jar of fireflies in Burnham's cell.
• Georgiou probably wouldn't want to admit it, but in the end, the Federation won: when she leaves to go to her Spin-Off, Burnham says farewell by giving her the Vulcan salute, and Georgiou accepts it as praise. (Likewise, Burnham does not quibble over receiving the Terran fist-over-heart salute as tribute.)
• Carl points out that even though Georgiou failed to bring Captain Burnham around, and the two women ended up killing each other, Georgiou did save Saru, and Saru will save others. He implies that this was the test she needed to pass for him to send her to a time and place where she could live without the effects of the time travel sickness.

Su'Kal

• Tilly admits she's nervous about being left in command when Saru, Burnham and Culber beam down. Burnham reassures her that she was terrified the first time Captain Georgiou left her in command of the Shenzhou and that Tilly is ready for this. She also tells Tilly that there's a small burr on the underside of one of the armrests of the captain's chair, and that any time Tilly feels like there's a hundred things going on she should touch that burr to help her focus.
• One of the holoprograms reveals that the Kelpiens and the Ba'ul put aside their animosity and formed an alliance, allowing Kaminar to join the Federation.

There is a Tide...

• Five words: "I have one [a child] as well." Stamets, the same Stamets who started the series as an almost textbook Insufferable Genius, confirms with those words that he's come to view Adira as his child, just as much a part of his family as Culber is. When he hears from Burnham later that Adira is back in the radioactive nebula too, she has to physically restrain and then Vulcan nerve-pinch him to keep him from jumping the ship back to the nebula to save them.

That Hope Is You, Part 2

• When Adira beams into the Citadel, Grey manifests as a Holo, allowing the others to see him for the first time, and allowing Culber to give him a hearty hug and note that Adira was right about him having kind eyes.
• Ni'Var sends a fleet of ships to break the siege on Federation HQ.
  • Also one in the absence - Michael’s message to Ni’Var also addressed her mother directly. But she does not come with the fleet. Meaning Gabrielle Burnham, now a member of the Qowat Milot, saw the situation her daughter faced... And decided this was not a hopeless cause, so she didn’t need to be there to aid her daughter. She trusted Michael to make it through this without her help.
• The Sphere Data risks itself to save Owo in the warp nacelle, even though just being near the nacelle is incredibly dangerous for it.
• Saru promises Su'Kal that he won't cause another Burn because he will never be alone again. The two later travel to Kaminar, now a glistening metropolitan utopia.
• With the victory over the Emerald Chain, The Federation has begun to rebuild itself. Trill has rejoined, and Ni'Var may soon follow.
• Burnham runs into Sahil again at Federation Headquarters, the latter now officially a Starfleet Lieutenant wearing an Operations Division uniform.
• Despite the two having butted heads more than once, Vance acknowledges how effective Burnham's methods are by honoring Saru's request to promote her to Captain. The crew of Discovery is only too happy to see her take the big chair.

Season Four

Kobayashi Maru

• The address to the first class of Starfleet Academy cadets in over a century confirms that the Federation is indeed rebuilding after the defeat of the Emerald Chain, up from 38 member planets last season to 59. Nowhere near its peak of 350, or even the 150 during Picard's time, but it's a start.
• The unveiling of Archer Spacedock. We see the Voyager-J standing proudly inside the spacedock, lights lit up around it like it was the Enterprise back in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and all to the moving tune of "Archer's Theme" from Star Trek: Enterprise.
• Admiral Vance has finally been reunited with his wife and daughter, who are among the guests attending the Academy commencement address.
• Saru is respected on Kaminar as an Honored Elder. He's also done a good job in helping Su'Kal find his place on the homeworld. Su'Kal, for his part, is clearly grateful to Saru as well as understanding of his desire to return to Discovery.
  • The fact that the two species that live on Kaminar are living harmoniously side by side is also a nice touch. And Saru has clearly accepted this, moving beyond the fear of the Ba'ul that the Kelpiens used to have. (Even though he later admits that he still feels lingering resentment towards the Ba'ul, he refuses to indulge this because the alliance between their species is more important.)

Anomaly

• It's made clear that Stamets has forgiven Michael for the hard call she made regarding separating him from Discovery during last season's climax, to the point of making bad jokes about it.
• Everyone happily welcoming back Saru, who turns down the captaincy of the Sojourner because he feels that Discovery needs him more.
• After having previously snapped at Adira due to the tension of the situation, Tilly is sure to congratulate them on a job well done after successfully getting the data from the anomaly.
• She initially doesn’t do a great job, but Michael tries her best to comfort Book.

Choose To Live

• Mind-melding with T'Rina and reliving the destruction of Kwejian allows Book to gain some small measure of closure by seeing Leto's face one more time and seeing the love in his face. The reserved Vulcan goes on to offer her condolences for his loss.
• Book asks T'Rina to teach him how Vulcans repress their emotions. She notes what Sarek failed to in his own time: Vulcan control of their emotions works for Vulcans, but not for everyone else. She believes it would be actively harmful for Book to try, given his people's strong empathic nature.
• The effort to resurrect Gray in a synth body succeeds. Gray awakens and is immediately grateful to be alive again, and shows it to both Adira and Hugh.
• The Qowat Milat murderer and dilithium thief turns out to be an Anti-Villain trying to save a Sleeper Starship from the anomaly.
• Stamets apologises to Book in advance because he has to give the other scientists a cold forensic discussion of Book’s loss. Book says he can handle it.

All Is Possible

• After some political bickering, Ni'var rejoins the Federation.
• President Rillak, who has been critical of Burnham for her leadership style in the past, arranges for Burnham and Saru to be present when the negotiations go south, trusting her to do her typical thing and find her own solution to the problem, free of the baggage of the formal negotiation process.
  • It is later revealed that President Rillak was secretly warned of the impending complications by President T'Rina, giving her time to prepare.
• T'Rina has some Kaminar-style tea brought to Saru, leading Burnham to playfully note the Vulcan president seems to fancy him after their previous meeting.
• Tilly reassuring Adira that They Are Better Than They Think They Are.
• Mixed with funny, but Michael and Tilly reminiscing about when they first became roomies, and laughing about snoring and being scared to sleep with a famous mutineer.

The Examples

• After Felix dies at the colony, Burnham returns the lalogi orb that he stole to the very pregnant daughter of its (deceased) rightful owner. She's grateful to have it back and be able to add herself (and presumably her soon to be born child) to the family tree contained therein.

Stormy Weather

• Zora is generally concerned that the crew won't trust her now that she is self-aware and experiencing emotions. The crew, in particular Burnham and Gray, work with her to figure things out.
  • Gray, learning that Zora is growing distracted by her inability to sense anything beyond her hull in the subspace rift, offers to help take her mind off of things by playing a game.
  • They need to disable life support to leave enough power for the ship to escape the rift. The solution is to stow the crew in the transporter buffer for the few minutes it will take to reach safety, a risky technique only used occasionally in Starfleet history. Burnham orders that everyone gather in groups to beam up, so nobody is forced to do it on their own. She then dons an EVA suit so she can stay with Zora.
• Zora and Burnham comfort each other during the perilous journey, Burnham giving Zora advice on how to endure her current situation (the damage the ship is taking is comparable to painful injuries for Zora due to her being connected to the entire ship), and Zora offers to sing a song for Burnham to help distract her from her own suffering (the entire ship is getting hot enough to start fires).

...But To Connect

• While Earth has yet to return to the Federation, Burnham and Discovery's actions last year have made great strides in improving relations. In particular, the now-General Ndoye tells Burnham that United Earth's government now includes Titan and is more inclusive.

The Galactic Barrier

• When it looks like Discovery might be destroyed trying to traverse the Barrier, the bridge officers begin talking about their plans for when they get home after succeeding at their mission. Detmer and Owo decide to go on a trip together.
• After the crew and delegation are informed that the DMA has changed course and is now set to destroy Earth, Titan, and Ni'Var, Saru asks T'Rina if she'd like him to join her for a meal. She accepts, saying that his presence would be a comfort.
• We get some backstory on Tarka, and learn about the time he spent with Oros in an Emerald Chain work camp. Oros is not interested in making friends, and we soon learn that he was traumatized watching his old cellmate die during an escape attempt. When the camp alarms later go off, Oros freaks out and Tarka runs over to comfort him, showing that he wasn't always the abrasive Jerkass we know in the present day.

Coming Home

• Tilly addresses a gaggle of cadets as Starfleet Headquarters arrives at Earth to begin the Homeworld Evacuation. She tells them that the evacuees will terrified, and looking to the Federation for leadership and support, and that the cadets are ready for the challenge that awaits them.
• During the evacuation of Earth, Cadets Gorev and Harral are worried that they won't be able to evacuate all of the Earthers in time, showing they have come a long way since their original training mission where they were distrustful of cadets from other worlds.
• A shuttle trying to escape Earth is about to be run down by a large chunk of debris, much like what happened to Adira and Gray's ship in the previous season. Instead the starship Mitchell warps in and blasts it just in time.
  • The truly heartwarming detail is that the Mitchell is named for Kenneth Mitchell, who has played a number of different Discovery characters and is suffering the effects of ALS. We also hear reports from the USS Yelchin and the USS Nog, referencing two previous Trek cast members who passed away in recent years.
• Earth is ready to rejoin the Federation, with Andoria likely to follow. It's also revealed that Tellar Prime never left, meaning that the four founding members will be together again.

Season Five

Under The Twin Moons

• Despite not agreeing or getting along with Captain Rayner, Michael is extremely reluctant to speak badly of him to Tribunal out of respect to him as a fellow officer. Vance even acknowledges the "unwritten code of conduct" between officers as he forces her to answer truthfully, and Rayner doesn't begrudge her having to do so.

Mirrors

• The Discovery crew discovers that one of the clues lies on a Terran Ship. To their surprise, it's the I.S.S. Enterprise, revealing her fate after nearly 60 years since she was last seen. It turns out, when Spock's reforms failed, denizens who knew of the Prime Reality hijacked the old girl and fled from the hellish Mirror Universe to seek out a better life, and most of them succeeded in doing so. The person who led them? Saru! And though Burnham and Book don't learn about Spock's reform efforts, the former does take a solemn moment to reminisce about her brother when Book explores his old science station.
• Moll and L'ak's relationship is built on a genuine love for one another, as they seek to flee to the Gamma Quadrant and live out a peaceful life. And unlike Mirror Lorca, Control, or Osyrra, all of whom had genuinely unsympathetic motives that none of Discovery or her crew agreed with, Burnham and Book recognize that the two just want to remove the bounty on their heads by selling the Progenitor's tech so they can live out their days in peace. Both of them try to reach out to the outlaws, recognizing their own efforts to redeem themselves. L'ak is even willing to consider a surrender if Moll shares in his sentence. It doesn't get through to them, but it's sweet to see Starfleet can see the humanity in the two.
• Commander Rayner is implied to have his doubts about assuming the chair again, but Burnham has absolute faith in his abilities. True enough, he collaborates with the crew and manages to pull off a successful rescue of the Enterprise and bring her and everyone onboard out of the pocket dimension. And he never sits in the chair either, patiently waiting to ensure Burnham is the one to take it back when she's brought home safe.
• The biggest triumph of the episode is the resurrection of the original Enterprise herself. Yes, it's the Mirror Universe version, and the Prime iteration has long been blown to smithereens, but after decades is a version of the old girl back to where she belongs. Detmer and Owosekun are given the honor of bringing her back to HQ, where Starfleet no doubt plans to restore her, and add her to the lineup at the Fleet Museum. Now, the original 1701 will finally be granted posterity alongside the Defiant, the NX-01, Voyager, the Enterprise-A, Excelsior, and the similarly resurrected Enterprise-D as the legends of the pre-Kurtzman Trek era will now all get to be under one roof. As Kirk would have said, "My friends, we've come home."

Whistlespeak

• Burnham geeking out about the society of the week's language and culture is very touching, she's an explorer at heart.
• Culber's having a spiritual awakening since the Zhian'tara ritual and consults a hologram of his grandma, Stamets and Book in turn.
• When Tilly is in danger, Burnham doesn't hesitate to break the Prime Directive, in part for the sake of the mission but mostly clearly out of concern for Tilly's life.
• Having broken the Prime Directive and revealed to the local head priest the truth, Burnham comforts him that the knowledge of technology and alien life doesn't invalidate his religion but adds to it, and that he should let his people know the truth and let their beliefs grow and evolve to cope with it.

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