monkee reviews 'Daedalus'
First Impressions: Solid writing, beautiful acting and a moving story. Any Trek episode that makes me cry earns my affection and respect.
Summary: The inventor of the transporter, Emory Erickson, and his daughter Danica beam aboard to test Erickson's latest upgrades, precursors to a subquantum teleporter which may enable people to beam vast distances and make starships obsolete. Emory is confined to a wheelchair, having injured his back in an early test of the first transporter. Trip is excited because Erickson was his inspiration and the reason he became an engineer, and Archer is pleased because the Ericksons are close friends, practically family to him. However, a strange spatial distortion in the region of space they're in, the Barrens, kills a crewmember. It soon becomes clear that the transporter test Erickson is performing is merely a smokescreen. He has another agenda. His son, Quinn, who had been Archer's best friend, was lost fifteen years earlier in the first test of the subquantum teleporter. His signal, however, reappears at fluctuating intervals in the Barrens. Erickson believes he can retrieve his son. He hadn't trusted that Starfleet would allow the attempt, so he invented the transporter test as an excuse to get him out there. He claims that he didn't know that the signal manifestations would be dangerous enough to kill anyone. Once his hidden agenda is revealed, he asks for Archer's help. Archer agrees over the objections of Trip and T'Pol, who feel that it's too dangerous, especially after another reappearance of the signal manifestation nearly destroys Enterprise. The attempt is made and nearly succeeds, but in the end, Quinn's signal has degraded too much. He dies soon after he rematerializes. The Ericksons board another ship which will take them back to Earth, Emory to face the consequences of his actions, and Danica to finally begin a new chapter of her life.
The story is simple, and takes place entirely on the ship (something known as a 'bottle episode'). Although the episode is not perfect, and there are times when I'm not sure if the writing is brilliant or just sloppy, it has a whole lot of heart, and it works for me. There is an extremely understated B story involving Trip and T'Pol which is also done well.
Hero Worship: At first, Trip is eager to get to know the man who inspired him, reveling in conversations, both one-on-one and at a dinner party in the Captain's mess, about the early days of transporter developing and testing. But Emory becomes stubborn and secretive about the power he needs for his experiment and where, exactly, it's to be utilized and Trip starts to get disillusioned. When the deception is revealed and Trip learns that Emory has risked lives for his own personal agenda, it's all he can do to be civil. "Oh, you liked me better when I worshipped your shadow?" he asks Emory. "Yes." Emory replies. "And you may want to reserve judgment on me until you've lost a son." Trip bristles at that. "I have lost someone close," he says, "and I'd do almost anything to get her back, except put other people in danger."
Old Friends: Emory and Henry Archer were close friends, frequently having friendly debates about whether the future of space travel would be dominated by transporters or starships. After Henry's death, Emory became a father figure to Jonathan, and Danica was like a sister. The warmth of these various relationships is obvious and nice to see. Archer advises Danica, who has put her life on hold to care for her father, that it's time for her to get out on her own. In private, Danica implores Emory to tell Archer what he's up to, but he won't take the chance. "He's a Starfleet captain," he tells her. "His first duty is to his ship." When the deception is revealed, Danica's apology to Archer is heartfelt. Emory's is, too, but he makes a personal appeal for Archer's help. "Please help me, Jonathan," he says, dropping all facades. "Help me save my son."
To Save a Son: Emory's desire to retrieve his son from limbo is at the heart of the episode, and it works largely because of the acting. Bill Cobbs makes us care about Emory, even though the scientist's motivations might not be entirely noble. Bill Cobb's Emory reminded me strongly of Tony Todd's aged Jake Sisko in DS9's 'The Visitor.' Since 'The Visitor' ties TOS's 'City on the Edge of Forever' for monkee's 'Best Star Trek Episode EVER' award, I was bound to love an episode that so closely mirrored it. It must be something about that father-son bond. In 'The Visitor,' it was the son, Jake, who made questionable decisions and ultimately sacrificed his life to save his father from subspace. Here, it's Emory, the father, making the sacrifices for his son, and he's bringing a daughter down with him.
Daedalus and Icarus: In the Greek myth, Daedalus fashions wings out of feathers and wax so that he and his son, Icarus, can escape from prison. He cautions Icarus not to fly too close to the sun, but Icarus ignores him, the wax melts, and he falls into the sea and dies. Since Quinn is Icarus in this scenario, I wish we had gotten a little more information about him. We learn that he was Jonathan Archer's best friend, and that he insisted on being the one to try the subspace teleporter first. Did he learn nothing from his father, whose own risk-taking put him in a wheelchair? Just a few more lines of dialog from either Archer or Danica could have taken care of this. While Archer was chasing Danica around the back yard with a plastic laser pistol, was Quinn trying to climb the highest tree he could find? Did Emory warn Quinn to be more cautious? Knowing more about Quinn would help us understand Emory (Daedalus) better.
The Things We Do, and Why: The motivations of Emory aren't made entirely clear at times. Why did he let Quinn go through with the experiment? He admitted that he knew even then that the subquantum transporter was fundamentally flawed. First he tells Archer that he was desperate to recapture some of the glory of his first invention, then he turns around and tells him he wasn't thinking of the consequences. I like to think he didn't see the danger he was allowing his son to step into. Perhaps he didn't know the device would fail in quite the way it did. In addition, he tells Archer that he didn't know Quinn's signal manifestation would occur as it did, killing a crewman, yet records show that such a manifestation did appear once before on one of Quinn's 'research' expeditions. Again, I like to think that the danger was such a fluke, he just didn't see it coming. Emory goes back and forth in his explanations - is it sloppy writing, or just very realistic? People don't often completely understand why they do the things they do. When asked, they find it difficult to articulate their motivations. Because I like my Star Trek with lots of shades of gray, I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt, and assume that Emory was meant to be a little confused. Aren't we all at times? Especially when traumatized.
Archer's Motivations: Likewise, Archer's motivations are open to interpretation. Is he putting his personal feelings for the Ericksons before the safety of his ship, as Trip and T'Pol seem to think? Or is it simply a matter of practicality - they're aware of the danger the signal manifestations pose now and can exercise caution, so turning away from a chance to save a life would be wrong. I think, again, it's a little of both. He believes Emory's plan can work, so it's worth a try, whether the life at stake is a friend's or a stranger's.
Letting Go: "I'm scared," Emory confesses. "I've waited so long for this moment - planned for it. What if something goes wrong? What if I fail?" His son's life is hanging in the balance. Sadly, when the attempt is made, something does go wrong. They have his signal, but can't get it to materialize. Phlox must tell the collected friends and family that the pattern shows massive cellular deterioration. When Quinn materializes, he will live for only a few seconds. Emory can't accept this, and his desperation is wrenching. He is Data, frantically trying to restore Lal's neural pathways, or Chakotay, shouting at Janeway to "Breathe, Dammit!" He is Ben Sisko, cradling his aged and dying son in his arms, whispering, "Jake. My sweet boy...'
*SOB*
Ahem. Sorry. I'm getting carried away. It sure got to me, though! I'm a sucker for parent-child angst.
Finding Peace: Emory completes the transporter cycle and has just enough time to apologize and say goodbye to Quinn before he dies. He believes Quinn should be either alive or dead, not somewhere in between. Archer agrees that's what Quinn would have wanted. "I came here to bring my son home," he tells Archer, sadly. "I suppose I accomplished my goal." He knows now that not only has he lost Quinn for good, he must also let Danica go. Archer hopes that she'll end up in space, where he's always felt she belongs. I hope so, too.
T'Pol of Vulcan: In an understated B story, T'Pol has spent her every spare waking minute since leaving Vulcan reading the Kir'shara. Trip has been trying to draw her out, engaging her in conversation, and inviting her to movie night again, but she won't budge. He thinks she is mourning T'Pel, but true to Vulcan form, T'Pol claims to have put her mother's death behind her. This time, though, instead of shutting Trip out completely, she explains to him that she needs time. In reading the Kir'shara, she is learning what it is to be Vulcan for the first time. She appreciates what he is trying to do for her, but she needs to deal with this on her own. She asks for, and receives, his understanding.
Character Interactions: Great acting all around makes the character interactions shine this week. I've mentioned Bill Cobb's performance as Emory, and Leslie Silva is also excellent as Danica. All of Bakula's scenes with the two of them were standouts. It was easy to believe that the Ericksons and Archer were practically family. Some of the regulars had some nice moments, too, particularly Blalock, Trinneer and Billingsley. T'Pol and Phlox had a nice scene together in sickbay in which they discuss the sudden disappearance of her 'incurable' illness, and her current philosophical turmoil. And I could appreciate the confrontation between Trip and Archer even if it made me uncomfortable - terrific acting from both of them.
'shipper Watch: Well, it looks like Trip and T'Pol are going to be on the back burner for a while, as T'Pol explores her Vulcan heritage. That's fine by me. I enjoy the subtle tension more than the in-your-face sexual scenes anyway. The ease with which T'Pol says 'Trip' now is far more interesting to me than the backrubs ever were. And I loved Trip's little joke, "Well, at least my warp engines still need me." Hee.
Mayweather Watch: May-who?
Archer Watch: As he told Trip, he made a decision and it was the right decision. It was. But did he have to be such a jerk about it? I'm having the same problem with Archer that I used to have with Voyager's Janeway at times. Yes, you're the Captain, and no, you shouldn't have to defend and explain every little decision. But don't jump down your officer's throats and accuse them of insubordination every time they question you, either. They wouldn't be good officers if they DIDN'T question these kinds of orders! There were times when Janeway could have saved everyone, including herself, a whole lot of grief simply by discussing a decision in a civilized manner. Archer does the same thing. Lighten up, Jonathan!
Aside from being too harsh with his officers, Archer was fine this week. He did do the right thing, and I enjoyed seeing him interact with his 'family.' He seems more real to me now that I know he used to chase Danica around his backyard. I hope she turned around and walloped him real good every now and then! Any kid sister worth her salt would!
Quibble: A sharp-eared friend of mine picked up this inconsistency. Archer talks to Emory about a conversation that he had with his father right before he entered flight school, yet he told Phlox in 'Cold Station 12' that his father died when he was twelve after being ill for several years. Isn't ten years old a bit young for flight school? It's just a small thing, but sheesh - Cold Station 12 was only five episodes ago! Can't they maintain continuity over the course of two MONTHS?
Best Lines:
"Want a mirror?" "You got a mean streak in you, you know that?" (Archer and Trip, joking about how nervous Trip is about meeting Erickson.)
"I see no point in discussing that - it's in the past." "Your mother died a week ago!" (T'Pol and Trip)
"When I materialized, the first thing I did was lose my lunch. The second thing I did was get stone drunk, a trick I learned from Zefram Cochrane. Now there was a man who knew the benefits of a little liquid courage." (Emory, to Trip)
"I know. It's hard to take advice from someone who used to chase you around the backyard with a plastic laser pistol." "It's good advice, Jon. I just wish I could take it." (Archer and Danica)
"I wonder what he would have to say about all this - about what we're doing." "When we're done, you can ask him." (Danica and Emory, regarding Quinn)
"I'm not here to test a new transporter. I'm here to bring back my son." (Emory, to Archer)
"Quinn wanted to be the first to go through - a lot like his old man. A lot like YOU." (Emory, to Archer)
"Quinn was like a brother to you." "You were like my second father. You should have trusted me!" (Emory and Archer)
"I wonder what it must be like for him, you know? Is he in pain? Is he conscious? If he is, does he think we've forgotten him? He was everything to my father - to both of us. Getting him back is all we've thought about for fifteen years." "Let's hope when this is over, you'll have something else to think about." (Danica and Archer)
"I can't let him go - I can't!" "Emory, you can't save him." (Emory and Archer)
"Oh, Quinn." "Dad...what's wrong?" "Quinn. Please forgive me." (Emory and Quinn - *sniff*)
"I've managed to let go of one of my children. Now I guess it's time to let go of the other." (Emory, to Archer)
"You seem more certain of yourself." "I've never been less certain." "You're reexamining your core beliefs - something most people never do." (Phlox and T'Pol)
"I'm learning - for the first time, it seems - what it truly means to be Vulcan." (T'Pol, to Trip)
"What do you want me to say?" "That you understand." "I do." (Trip and T'Pol)
Rating: 9/10. Give me a good Greek myth and some parent-child angst any day!
Next Week: "Observation Effect." I don't know much about this one, but it looks like there will be lots of Hoshi and lots of Trip, so I can't wait!
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