To Boldly Step Forward (Enterprise: Season 3) [3.2]

(Continued from 3.1)

This was a really cute shot so I just had to include it.

Proving Ground: Thank goodness, a really good one. And the Andorians and Commander Shran are back! As a "frenemy" alien race/supporting character to interact with Archer, I really am growing to like the Andorians and Shran. They bail Enterprise out of a massive anomaly, helping to repair the damages it caused while also assisting them in tracking down where Degra, the Xindi in charge of making their planet killer, is testing his prototype. There's a lot to love here, and though there's a little friction, that utopian idealism shines through as humans and Andorians work together to accomplish more than they could on their own. Of course, things sour a little bit when it turns out Shran's orders are to swipe the Xindi prototype for Andoria so they have a WMD deterrent to keep Vulcan from going after them. It's particularly disappointing because the episode makes a big deal about the human crew not exactly trusting the Andorians with access to their sensitive systems... only for them to be rather cynically proven right when it turns out fucking with them was part of their plan all along. That is a bummer, but Archer plays chicken with the Xindi weapon in the Andorian's cargo hold, and it's Shran who blinks. He even sends over their scans anyway at the end, taking their defeat in stride. It's a complex relationship between humanity and the Andorians, but they still remain favorites of mine. Cynicism aside? This is really good, and it delivered a blow against the Xindi plot. Well done!

To Boldly Step Forward (Enterprise: Season 3) [3.1]

PREVIOUSLY ON "TO BOLDLY STEP FORWARD": 

I mean what I said just above with The Expanse, though; I'm absolutely terrified for what may come. There's a Star Trek arc I haven't visited, the latter years of Deep Space Nine. They had a big extended arc called the Dominion War, and from what I understand it's peak grimdark "there are no heroes" nonsense. Far be it from me to critique your own personal taste if you liked this, but the thought of this doesn't sit right with me. Throwing a redux of it into Enterprise would... lessen my love for the show, I feel. I just have this anxious sense that the second I put this live, one of you who knows what's coming is going to rub their hands in glee and tell me to buckle up. I'm pre-emptively buckling right now, so there's that. I love you, Enterprise. Don't betray me for the grimdark like Sailor Moon did.


AND NOW, THE CONCLUSION...


Part Three: Strength Of The Soul


In case you forgot where we left off, a little primer: A mysterious probe has blasted the shit out of Florida and killed seven million people. Upon investigation, an alien race known as the Xindi are responsible. One problem in stopping them; they live in the Delphi Expanse, a region of space that is full of strange anomalies that the Vulcans insist will fuck us up in all of two seconds flat if Enterprise goes in. Regardless, we're going in. Archer, the Enterprise crew, and some soldiers are going on a long-term journey into the vast Expanse in order to find the Xindi and stop them from launching a bigger weapon to blow up Earth. The tension isn't just from whether or not we'll succeed, but whether or not this show will succumb to grimdark war arc horseshit. Can we keep our proto-utopian ideals, even in this hell world of space? Let's find out. Together.

To Boldly Step Forward (Enterprise: Season 2) [2.2]

(Continued from 2.1)


Cease Fire: Oh good. MORE Vulcan stuff. Well, they're part of it. This is another step in the Andorian story arc, and we have the same Andorian dude, Commander Shran, who was at P'Jem and showed up in "Shadows Of P'Jem" because he owed Archer a solid. The Andorians and Vulcans are fighting over occupation of a moon in close proximity to their space borders, and Shran has specifically called for Archer to come in and help be a mediator between his people and the Andorians. The Vulcans are here again, of course, back to their default mode of trusting Archer as far as they can throw him as opposed to being portrayed as homophobes again [INTERNAL SCREAMING]. Archer makes an interesting neutral position for Vulcan/Andorian peace talks. He's allied with the Vulcans as a human, of course, but he also understands frustration and animosity with them like the Andorians have. This, of course, leads Shran's second-in-command to betray the peace talks and try to kill Archer and the Vulcan ambassador. She doesn't succeed, and it shows that Andoria has a way to go... but hell, that's what we say about humanity. Shran, in his own way, has been touched by the utopian idealism of humanity, and that leads the peace talks to have some sort of success. This one's okay, I guess. I kind of like the Andorians, they have a good nuance. A hell of a lot more nuance than the goddamned Klingons, I'll give them that.

To Boldly Step Forward (Enterprise: Season 2) [2.1]

PREVIOUSLY ON "TO BOLDLY STEP FORWARD":

"These are but our first steps forward, and yet they've been wonderful steps. Sometimes we've stumbled, of course, and sometimes things have just been okay. Other times, though, this show has sung with a confidence and determination to prove itself amongst the sea of other Star Trek shows, much like humanity in the show moves forward with confidence and determination. I'll see you for the Season 2 writeups, whenever I get around to starting that (and then finishing it). Until then, let's leave Archer in the 31st century. Don't worry. Think fourth-dimensionally. He'll be fine with the wait here."

AND NOW, THE CONCLUSION...


Part Two: Nothing's Gonna Bend Or Break Me


Well, Season 2! I'm writing this part as I finish it, so know that the rest of this was written in sequence as I watched. It certainly does move a lot of arcs along, and that's both good and bad. I'll be upfront. This is a season of extremes for me. When Season 2 is good, it's astoundingly good and really inspiring for me personally. When it falters? Holy shit it blunders into the offensively terrible for me. Like, metaphorical frothing at the mouth... as you'll see when we get to those. Well then! On with the adventure, and let's start by resolving that little tricky bit of cliffhanger from last time...