Warning: Spoilers for the Star Trek: Discovery Season 1 finale, "Will You Take My Hand?" are below.
When it comes to adapting a major franchise like Star Trek, which has such a sprawling universe of TV shows and movies, it's important to figure out where in that timeline everything exists. We know that the J.J. Abrams movies, which started in 2009, are in a parallel universe, for example, and it's helpful for fans (at least, those who want to go deep into the lore) to keep things straight when it comes to canon.
In the Star Trek: Discovery Season 1 finale, things just got a little more complicated, as the Discovery gets a distress call on its way to Vulcan ... from the U.S.S. Enterprise (with Captain Christopher Pike in command). EP and co-creator Alex Kurtzman spoke to Variety about what that reveal will mean for Season 2:
Image via CBS All Access
“The show is called ‘Discovery.’ It’s not ‘Enterprise. So yes, the Enterprise will play a part of Season 2 but it will absolutely not overshadow Discovery. And I think with Enterprise’s arrival in the finale we recognize that the audience has a lot of questions about our synchronicity with the original series, which really means or synchronicity with canon. So the promise of the Enterprise holds the answers to a lot of those questions, including Spock’s relationship with his half-sister who he’s never mentioned. Which does not necessarily mean you’re going to see Spock, just that we owe an answer to that question.”
That connection now feels like a very bold move, as it starts to encroach on canon territory. There were other Star Trek universe allusions in the finale as well, as the trade pointed out, including "a quick glimpse of the Ceti eels from 'Wrath of Khan' being cooked up as a tasty snack. Clint Howard, who previously appeared in several different 'Trek' iterations, also makes an appearance."
When it comes to Discovery's story specifically, it's also worth pointing out that the finale was a mirror of the pilot. Kurtzman explained that the whole idea for the season was reverse engineered how they knew they wanted to end things in Season 1, in following with the idea that protecting the ideals of the Federation are more important than the individual, and that mutiny (or the threat of mutiny) may be the only way to achieve that.
He added that one of the major themes of this first season centered on "how the war tested our ideals of Starfleet." And, that in addition to Michael becoming more comfortable on Discovery, it was "about bringing [the] crew together as a family."
Did all of that come through for you? How do you feel about the reveal of the Enterprise? Let us also know what you thought about the first season and finale in the comments. Star Trek: Discovery is available on CBS All Access.
