Thread by @casualgrace

Here we are again! New season (mostly) same chaotic commentary. #StarTrekDiscovery S4EP01 Kobayashi Maru.

Yes I love this gif. No I'm not tired of it yet.
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I want to start by saying that I think the entire situation that's happening with the international release of season 4 sucks. I hope that everyone who wants to watch this season is able to do so as soon as possible.
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I understand if you want to mute, unfollow, or block me to avoid #DiscoSpoilers. I'll try not to take it personally.
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Let's Begin!

We kick off with opening credits. We don't skip the credits around here. Especially during the first episode of the season. Previous opening credit sequences have given us clues as to upcoming important events of the season.
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I'm still waiting on @Artwithamirra to do the side by side breakdown that we all know we deserve. So I'll do a quick rundown of the things I noticed.

The clip of the rotating phaser has been replaced with a clip of Discovery flying by a what looks like a planet with rings that are distorted. (By what? The anomaly? 🤷🏿‍♀️)

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And a clip of what looks like a planet that has exploded from southern right hemisphere. (Hit by the anomaly? 🤷🏿‍♀️ are you sensing a theme?)

SMG has a PRODUCER credit that I don't recall from last season. Kudos to her. Make that money.
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Replacing the army of Dot-23s we have an image of...something. I don't know what this is. If I were to guess I'd say it's a 3D graphical representation of the anomaly we're about to encounter.
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Everything else seems to be pretty much the same, although some credits have been moved around to squeeze in some new additions.
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With that out of the way we're going to skip back to the beginning of the actual episode. We start, as always, with the recap blitz. Which I won't be re-recapping. It covers all the most pertinent details of plot points from last season.
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One thing I will say that I'm noticing now on my rewatch, Kwejian gets a lot of shoutouts. About how it's Booker's home and how important it is to him. Which should have tipped me off as to what happens to the planet later 🤦🏿.
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We open with some great shots of Discovery and The Tallowah (I'm pointedly not acknowledging the rumored name Nautilus , David Ajala himself said the ship is the Tallowah, I'm calling it the Tallowah until otherwise is CONFIRMED different ONSCREEN).
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You: "He never said that."

I assure you, he did. See Below @ 3:17. Question asked by Yours Truly.

If you aren't already, you should be listening to @BlackAlertPod.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/epi…

Then we get a cold open that I feel echoes both the first episode of last season, and the opening of #StarTrekBeyond.

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I love this double callback. The way Booker and Michael first met fighting each other then working together to escape and evade aliens that are shooting at them by jumping off a cliff.
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Now they are working together, diplomatically negotiating with aliens who they then have to escape and evade because they are shooting at them by jumping off a cliff.
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And of course the Star Trek Beyond open with Kirk speaking on behalf of the Fibonan Republic to the Teenaxi Delegation with a message of Goodwill to broker a peace treaty.
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The Teenaxi seem a bit paranoid and interpret the gesture of goodwill and friendship as an act of aggression. They end up attacking Kirk and he flees.
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The way the this TRON meets Trek meets Albino Glowy Space Butterflies guy is reading the Federation (and Michael by proxy) down is absolutely SENDING me.
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He's talking to her like she's the Ain't Shit Boyfriend who is crawling back after being dumped for being Ain't Shit. And you know what? They're not wrong for being suspicious of The Federation's intentions. 🤣🤭
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Anyhow Michael does the thing where characters think out loud for expository purposes and Booker says "You're not explaining, are you?" and I completely LOSE IT. 🤭🤣🖖🏿
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Because Booker is also not wrong. He doesn't need to know this. He can't do anything with this information. So who is she talking to? That's TV for ya!
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We get our first look at the Bridge crew in their new uniforms. Everyone looks fantastic. A quick look at bars and pips shows EVERYBODY got promoted. YAY!
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https://twitter.com/AJHalliwell/status/1462100560098775044?t=fFdyTGE8B4bBfRspxecz_g&s=19

Rhys is in THE CHAIR when Michael calls the ship. IS HE FIRST OFFICER ? That would be HUGE. I'm super excited that that we see so much of Rhys in this sequence. Back in April when Season 4 Promo Shots were released NONE hand Gen Rhys in them.
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There were concerns. There were (short lived) hashtags (#FindGenRhys #WhereIsRhys). So having him front and centre where you can't miss him is like the writers going HERE!
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Stamets and Adira do a cute thing where they nerdily figure out a solution out loud together. Adira also shows that they are now very much in tune with the memories, knowledge, and experiences of their previous hosts.

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Their Zhian'tara is gonna be so amazing and I hope we get to see it.
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You know, I really want to see more of The Adventures of Burnham and Booker. I need a short Trek or 2 of the year they spent waiting for Discovery. I know they had some WILD times.

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The B plot takes us over to Kaminar where Su-Kal seems to be before a council defending his right to live? exist? Stay on Kaminar? It's unclear. But this council room is GORGEOUS.

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But we do get to see some of how Kaminar has evolved in the last 930 or so years. Both Kelpien and Ba'ul are represented on the council so they seem to live peacefully together on the planet. Which is nice, especially given their history.
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Saru is a "GREAT" Elder. Which makes sense. He's probably technically one of, if not the, oldest Kelpien in history. Or at the very least, living memory.
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He's wearing a fancy pin. Which, according to promo images, he will keep and wear on a baldric moving forward. I'm looking forward to more details surrounding the pin and it's meaning.
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I'm so pleased with the NEW new uniforms (I'm sorry the grey at the end of season 3 wasn't it). Dress uniforms, that swanky excursion jacket Michael has, Booker's new black duster, everything. The cosplay's next year are going to be SO FIRE.
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Starfleet Academy is reopening Michael is introducing the Federation President. The long awaited President! Michael and Booker do some cute couple shit to remind me that I'm single.
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I think we might need to do another hair episode on @BlackAlertPod because I'm having a problem with how stiff these braids are in this scene. When Michael is actually giving the address they're fine. But here? YIKES.
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Do not get me started on Nilsson's wig. This thread is long enough as it is.
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https://twitter.com/fyeahjola/status/1462250370957078528?t=o2grrJJ4T5cKPeVDfBOctQ&s=19

Even the CADET dress uniforms are CRISP.
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First shot of Wilson Cruz this season.

I know Gersha is mad at this man because she has to craft a whole new set of uniform shirts every time there are GAINZ. Chest and PECS POPPIN'.
@WilsonCruzUpds 😏
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This is a good intro for the President that we were literally DYING to see all last season. Rillak having Bajoran, Cardassian, & Human ancestry makes me REALLY curious as to what's been happening in and around #DeepSpaceNine over the last millennium.
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Rillak unveils the 'Archer Space Dock' and a version/interpolation/reprise of Archer's theme from #StarTrekEnterprise plays.

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A Dot 23 flies by and we get a look at the Hot Admiral with his family. Dadmiral indeed.

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We get the only shot of Bryce we're gonna get this episode. In universe the character is 'consulting on The Curry for two another 2 days'. In reality it's because Ronnie Rowe Jr. has to split time between Discovery and The Porter.

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I'm not mad at him being booked and busy. So when Bryce is away we'll have Lt. Christopher (Orville Bryce) running communications.

Let's hope we get to see him semi regularly. Hey, whatever happened to Lt. Ina?🤔

https://twitter.com/casualgrace/status/1345217358907002881?t=JqtaFLmffmzG5srenGw8iA&s=19

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The Hot Admiral models his dress uniform for us while he briefs Rillak and Michael on the mysterious situation that drives the plot (and the season). The Admiral dispatches Michael and Discovery to see what's up. Rillak invites herself along.
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I missed this little thing SMG does with her eyes here the first time I watched. But I realized afterwards I'd made the same face at the same time. #StarTrekDiscovery
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Michael does NOT want her to come on the mission and tells the Admiral as much. But as the President, Rillak can do what she wants.
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I love how The Hot Admiral ends the conversation with 'Give Mr. Booker my best'. Its cute, but also a little bit messy.
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On Kwejian Booker, Kyheem, and Leto perform the Ikhu Zhen right of passage. It's a really lovely moment. Until I remember that we're never coming back here again. *sigh*

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Some cute banter about jargon and colloquialisms on the bridge. Then we get our first glimpse of Gray. The lastest official log explains that they are working together on a solution to make Gray perceivable and tangible.
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instagram.com/p/CWVt1Z0s6OW/

Adira is very excited about their mission. To the point of talking too much. Tilly looks at them and you KNOW it's bringing back memories. Someone on the writing team is a Stevie Wonder Fan.
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Those in favor of the #JolaAgenda are EATING because Owo and Detmer are absolutely flirting with ear other in plain sight. Detmer is on her cocky pilot high horse and Owo is very much into it.
@fyeahjola
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The choice to have the gravity inverted in the scenes on Repair Beta Six is interesting. It makes it easy to differentiate where we are in two very similar looking locations if nothing else.
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The assist mission quickly turns into a rescue mission when things get dire. As Captain, Burnham turns to Stamets to transport everyone safely but systems are damaged they don't have time for repairs before things fall apart. #StarTrekDiscovery
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Stamets is still a concerned Dad though, it's Adira's first mission!
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The Dot 23s are still getting shoutouts. I like that they aren't an ex machina that we never see again. Rillak is doing her homework on Nalas, when Michael decides to leave the ship to save the day and not risk Discovery.
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The President balks, Burnham goes anyway. 🤷🏿‍♀️

She gives Rhys the conn again. He's totally First Officer right? Acting First Officer? At least until Saru comes back?🧐
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Jump back to the B Plot. Saru and Su-Kal talk. Saru longs for Discovery. Su-Kal kindly assures Saru that he'll be okay should he choose to leave. So we have that closure as an audience. No ifs, ands, or buts, Saru will be back on Discovery, soon™.
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Michael is in the worker bee clearing debris when the small craft gets hit. Queue that slo-mo sequence from trailer. Michael yeets herself into space once again (Shoutout Season 2 finale) and manages to finish clearing the debris herself.
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Adira, Tilly, and Nalas make it off Repair Beta Six by the skin of their teeth. The disintegrating shuttle flies into the eternally open Discovery shuttle bay right as the ship jumps.
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RickiCulber in the White uniform is on the scene with emergency medical teams in the shuttle bay. He is also firstly a concerned Dad. Nalas doesn't make it.
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I feel like the relationship between Michael and Rillak this season will be much like Michael and Vance last season. I'm not sure the president will ever warm up to Michael though.
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That 'Growly face' Booker was describing earlier? Michael makes it a lot here.
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Rillak isn't wrong in her evaluation. As Captain she needs to be the Authority and the Example. She can't fling herself into the middle of everything all the time. She needs to mitigate and delegate and she hadn't demonstrated that.
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I feel Michael and her response to this. It's a lot of confidence. She truly believes she can do anything she WANTS to do. So she claims to NOT want to. And how DARE Rillak insinuate that she couldn't.
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The things she's done are a big source of pride for Michael. She seems almost offended that someone would judge those actions as a negative. There's a lot to read between the lines of this exchange.
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It will be interesting to watch the revelopment of the relationship between these women.
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Who else was excited about the fact that the prototype 32nd century spore drive is getting installed in the Voyager-J?

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The Tallowah returns to Discovery on Auto Pilot. I think it's adorable that it still does that. For love or Grudge it works. It turns out Kwejian was hit by the anomaly/Gravitational Distortion.

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It also looks like the planet in the opening credits might me Kwejian. If so, Wow. 😬

I'm only slightly annoyed that the blast pattern in the opening credits and this SFX shot don't match.
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I think this is an okay start to the season! I'm interested in where we go from here.

Also, this episode needed more Reno and Pollard. I'll be expecting a double dose next episode.
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I'm sorry that this thread was late and so long. I forgot how long these can take.😅 But if you made it this far down thread you should follow me. And if you like #StarTrek you should also follow and listen to my friends and I at @BlackAlertPod
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What did you think of the episode? What did you think of the thread? Should I keep doing these threads? Feedback is always welcome.🖖🏿

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