monkee reviews 'The Forge'
First Impression: Wonderful - an episode that's 'working on all thrusters,' as McCoy would say.
A Novelist's Job: 'Don't send a television writer in to do a novelist's job,' is the old adage. Actually, it's not. I just made that up. But it's true in this case. I won't say that up until now Enterprise had made a big mess of the Vulcans. I'm not sure that's true, and even if they did, it might have been at least partly intentional. I will say, though, that there were a whole lot of loose ends lying around that needed to be tied up. The Vulcan arrogance that we were seeing didn't jibe with what we knew from TOS - it was too extreme. The notion that Vulcans 'weren't explorers' also didn't ring true. And the Vulcan stigma against mind melds was just perplexing. I knew it wasn't impossible for them to explain all of these discrepancies, I just knew they absolutely had to do it before the end of the series, and I wasn't confident that they would do it well. Fortunately, I was wrong.
Actually, there's only a slight difference between television writers and novelists. Television writers have to write as well as they can, as fast as they can. Novelists have the luxury of more time - more time to really delve into a culture that's just been touched upon on screen. This episode was written by Judith and Garfield Reeve-Stevens, who have penned dozens of Star Trek novels, many of which involve Vulcans. They've spent a lot of time fleshing out Vulcans and Vulcan culture - really thinking things through. All that headwork paid off in this episode. In 'The Forge,' so many loose threads are tied up so elegantly, you barely realize it's happening! I just wanted to single out the writing this week, because I thought it was especially good.
Setting the Mood: Mystery and intrigue are introduced early. In the teaser, set seventeen years ago, a Vulcan walks through ancient caves and finds a small statuette. He carefully brushes away the dust and sand to reveal a word, carved into the stone. Surak.
Admiral Forrest: Back in the present, in the Earth Embassy on Vulcan, Admiral Forrest and Ambassador Soval have a philosophical discussion as they await the High Command's decision on whether or not to allow joint Vulcan-Human missions. In this one scene, we gain a lot of insight into why the Vulcans are so wary of the humans. It took the Vulcans fifteen hundred years to recover from their dark days, and yet the humans went from their near-Armageddon to space flight in under a century. The Vulcans are perhaps afraid that human instinct has not caught up to human intellect, as Phlox would say. They're also afraid of what humans might become in the next century. (We, of course, know they have nothing to worry about. In a hundred years, Spock will be serving with pride on another Enterprise.)
What I also liked about this scene is that it's clear that this is not the first of such debates between the two men. Admiral Forrest never had the luxury of shouting at Soval, or threatening to shove him on 'his Vulcan ass,' like a certain impulsive Starship Captain we know. It was Forrest's job to be diplomatic with the Vulcans - to do his best to get things done the hard way. As Archer will acknowledge later in the episode, the mission always came first with Forrest. Perhaps that's why, when an explosion rips through the embassy, he instinctively throws himself on Soval. Soval is, after all, someone he's worked long and hard to reach - a political adversary who has also become a friend.
Forrest is killed, along with thirty other humans, and twelve Vulcans - a total death toll of forty-three.
Breaking the News: On Enterprise, a spirited basketball game is underway among most of the senior staff. What a terrific glimpse into the everyday life of the Enterprise crew! Trip good-naturedly pummels Hoshi when Phlox, who is on his team, effortlessly sinks the ball from clear across the room (apparently a hitherto unknown Denobulan skill). Hoshi retaliates by smacking him with a towel. It was a short scene, but I enjoyed seeing the obvious camaraderie. The game is interrupted by T'Pol, who wordlessly gestures for Archer to step outside. The expression on her face says it all - she hasn't come to express disapproval, and she isn't looking for an invitation to join in. She has bad news to deliver, in person rather than over a comm line, to her Captain and friend. We don't get to hear what she says, but we don't need to.
The Investigation: When Enterprise reaches Vulcan, they are surprised when they are greeted by V'Las, the head of the Vulcan High Command, and Stel, the Chief Investigator of the Security Directorate, as well as Soval, who expresses Vulcan condolences for the incident, and for Archer's own personal loss. "All of Vulcan grieves with you today." An investigation into the bombing of the embassy is already underway. They suspect the Andorians are involved, but Archer dismisses that immediately, saying the Andorians know very well that the humans are making every effort to stay out of Vulcan/Andorian affairs. When pressed, they reluctantly (or at least they make it seem like it's reluctant) bring up the possibility that the Syrannites may be responsible. Syrannites, T'Pol explains, are a small sect of Vulcans who follow a 'corrupted form' of Surak's teachings. V'Las and Stel imply that the Syrannites are becoming more violent, but they are vague.
A Ticking Time Bomb: Reed and Mayweather enter the bombed out embassy seeking clues and evidence. Mayweather lifts a piece of heavy debris and discovers an explosive that has not detonated. This was a tight, tense little scene that I enjoyed. Reed has to open up his communicator and hold it between his shoulder and ear the way you would a telephone in order to keep the signal open. You can almost hear him thinking, 'Gee - I wish I had a communicator I could just tap, one that could keep an open signal automatically...' He has Hoshi lock on to the signal, and tells her to stand by. When he scans the explosive, it may very well detonate, and they'll need an emergency beam out. Mayweather has to stand there holding up the debris and sweating bullets (sweating photons?) while Reed scans the device. At first, nothing happens, and both men are relieved, but then the device begins to beep alarmingly. Reed calls for the beam-out, and they are transported out in the nick of time.
When the device is recovered, the DNA of a known Syrannite is discovered. Her name is...drum roll, please...T'Pau! Now how cool is THAT?
Stel tells Archer that the Syrannite's involvement makes the incident an internal Vulcan matter. The High Command will keep him informed, but they are taking over the investigation. Archer's protestations are ignored.
Powerful Image: Archer enters a room full of flag-draped caskets, lined up in rows. It's an image that illustrates the ultimate price of violence, in a way we can truly understand. He has to read the names to find the one he's looking for - a beautiful touch, that. Forrest was an Admiral and Ambassador, but in the end, his life was no more or less important than the other people who were lost. Perhaps more important to Archer on a personal level, though. He stands over the casket somberly, wishing that his friend had not been taken from him so unexpectedly. He is angry when Soval enters the room and interrupts his mourning. But even in his grief, he can see that Soval is mourning too. The two men talk briefly about their mutual friend.
And here's where the episode begins to get interesting. Because Soval is not just there to pay his respects, he is there to warn Archer, and for a Vulcan, his warning is downright impassioned. He implies that things are not what they seem in the High Command, and that he should not back down from conducting his own investigation. "Don't let them keep you on Enterprise," he says, cryptically. "The answers you need are on Vulcan."
This is why I love Star Trek. Soval has been an arrogant SNOT for three full years on this show, and now he's an unlikely ally! There is more going on here than we've been led to believe. The plot thickens!
Parted from Me...T'Pol's new husband, Koss, comes to see her on Enterprise. Though they greet each other in the traditional way, touching their fingers together, there is no connection between them. When Sarek and Amanda did this, their affection for each other was obvious. When Koss tries to deepen the gesture by caressing T'Pol's face, she pulls away. She had to marry him, but he doesn't have her heart. He seems unfazed by her rejection. He has come to give her a family heirloom, and IDIC pendant, on behalf of her mother, who, he reveals, is a Syrannite and has had to go into hiding.
[The Vulcan IDIC symbol was introduced in the original series. It represents the Vulcan philosophy that it is the infinite diversity in infinite combinations in the universe that gives it beauty and strength. Here, we learn that the center of the pendant represents Mt. Seleya, where Surak died.]
There's a lot of subtlety going on in this scene. It's clear that T'Pol didn't know this about her mother, yet she has the presence of mind not to tell Koss that she has never before seen this 'family heirloom.' I'm not sure what to make of Koss at this point, either. Whatever else he may be, he doesn't seem stupid. He must suspect there's more to this heirloom than meets the eye. Is he trying to help T'Pol, or is he setting her up?
The Forge: T'Pol shows the pendant to Archer. It's more than a piece of jewelry - it contains a holographic map that shows the map of Surak's spiritual journey through a brutal Vulcan desert known as 'The Forge.' T'Pol, who seemed dismissive of the Syrannites in front of V'Las and Stel, certainly knows a lot about them, a further indication of more going on here than meets the eye! She tells Archer that the path shown on the map is the one that Surak took on his quest for enlightenment - it's a path that Syrannites follow even now, as a pilgrimage to honor the man and his 'true' teachings. T'Pol believes this is where the Syrannites are hiding, and that her mother wants her to find her. Archer wants answers, so he and T'Pol make the necessary preparations. Trip reveals the necessary plot complications - the desert is brutal, and there are electrical sandstorms and geomagnetic instabilities that prevent sensors from working in the area. Enterprise will not be able to beam them in or out, or communicate with them in any way.
My Mind to Your Mind...As soon as they leave, Phlox discovers that the DNA found on the bomb was the DNA Vulcans regularly collect from their infants - it is T'Pau's, but it's from when she was only a few months old. It is evidence that has been planted. Phlox, Reed and Trip tell Soval, because Archer told them to trust him. They want help in locating a Vulcan who would be willing and able to do a mind meld on the only survivor of the attack - a human guard who is in a coma. Because a mind meld is a procedure that the Vulcan High Command disapproves of, Soval says no one would be willing to risk his or her career to do it in such a high-profile case. Phlox, Reed and Trip appeal to his sense of honor, though, and he says he can indeed find someone willing to do it - himself. The meld reveals that the cloaked person surveillance tapes had shown entering the embassy with a package - a person everyone had assumed was T'Pau - was, in fact, Stel. Soval breaks the meld, stunned by what he has learned.
He immediately confronts V'Las and Stel, but they insist that telepathic impressions are not evidence, and that he must now be brought before the High Command to explain his participation in the distasteful act of melding. Soval agrees to go. Trip thinks he should put up a fight, but Soval says, grimly, that it's the only way he'll be able to reach other members of the High Command.
Sehlats, Mysterious Strangers and Firestorms, Oh My! Archer and T'Pol begin their trek through The Forge. These shots are all slightly overexposed, so it really looks like a blinding, hot place. Archer has to be more careful with water and eye protection than T'Pol does, because, as she logically points out, her species evolved on this planet. The Vulcan inner eyelid is mentioned again for the first time since TOS's 'Operation Annihilate.' There's another nod to TOS when the pair is stalked by a sehlat. Like Spock, T'Pol also had a domesticated pet sehlat as a child. "You have Porthos," she tells Archer, defensively. Hee. The sehlat that has them cornered up on a ridge is far from cute, though. It wants to tear them apart! Another Vulcan appears in time to scare the creature off.
The mysterious stranger is Arev, who claims to be a mere spiritual pilgrim. Archer says that he, too, is seeking enlightenment with T'Pol as his guide. They don't trust each other, but begin traveling together, even though Arev says Archer will never be able to survive in The Forge. He may be right. Archer's disadvantages in the desert conditions now become even more apparent. He can barely keep up with Arev and T'Pol. When the 'sandfire' suddenly tears down the canyon, they all take refuge in a cave, where they will be safe as long as they can keep the entrance adequately blocked with stones.
In the cave, Arev sees T'Pol's IDIC and recognizes it. He knows that she is the daughter of T'Les, and now knows who Archer is, too - the human who exposed the spy station at P'Jem. Archer wonders if that's going to be a problem for him, but it is not. Arev disapproved of what the High Command was doing on P'Jem. Now that Arev trusts them, the pieces of the puzzle begin to sort themselves out. He tells T'Pol that her mother is safe with the others, and tells Archer that the Syrannites had nothing to do with the bombing of the embassy - that would not be compatible with the teachings of Surak. He also says that the Syrannites believe that when Surak died on Mt. Seleya, his katra survived. It is said that the katra has been found and is now carried by a Syrannite. Whoever touches the carrier may touch Surak's mind.
Katra and Katra! What is Katra? (Sorry. I couldn't resist.) Archer doesn't know what a katra is, so Arev explains it to him. He says that when the storm clears, he will take them to the others, who are hiding in a nearby sanctuary. At this point, however, the storm breaks through the pile of rocks at the cave's entrance. T'Pol is disabled, and as Archer tries to help her, Arev is struck down as well. T'Pol is unconscious when Archer approaches Arev, who is mortally injured. Arev tells Archer that he must 'carry it to the sanctuary.' He reaches up and grasps Archer's face. "Remember," he says in Vulcan, as Archer gasps and loses consciousness.
::shiver:: For the second week in a row, we get a wonderful 'Wrath of Khan' homage. This is exactly what happened when Spock transferred his katra to McCoy.
When Archer comes to, T'Pol is up and about, and Arev is dead. Archer has only vague memories of what happened. "I think he punched me," he tells T'Pol, confused. After they bury Arev, they continue on their way. Vulcan High Command ships are flying over the area. Their sensors won't work here either, but they will be able to make visual contact, and T'Pol and Archer know that's it's critical that they reach the other Syrannites at the sanctuary.
Archer is behaving strangely. He seems to know exactly where to go. At times, he actually thinks he's Vulcan. T'Pol has to remind him to drink water. He locates an entrance to a series of caves, holographically concealed, and steps through. T'Pol has no choice but to follow him. "Don't resist," he tells her, as Syrannites step out of the shadows and surround them. Then those dreaded words appear...To Be Continued...
The Last Place the Vulcans Will Look! Someone's katra is in Archer's head. It might be Arev's, but somehow I doubt it. I think this katra very likely belongs to Surak. Surak's katra! In Archer's head! Hahahahaha! As the preview for next week says, it's the last place the Vulcans will ever think to look for it! I hope it's not permanently damaged in there! Surak's essence - thoughts of peace and a new way of life for all of Vulcan, intermingling with thoughts of Porthos and water polo! Yikes!
Character Interactions: As I mentioned, I just loved the basketball game. We need more throwaway scenes like this - they make the characters seem much more real. It was fun watching Trip and Hoshi playfully shove each other around. T'Pol and Archer got a lot of good quality time together, too. Their friendship is very appealing to me, whether it's right up front or between the lines. T'Pol brings out the best in Archer, whether he's kidding her about her choice of pet, or rushing to her aid when she's hurt. It's sweet even if it isn't meant to be romantic. I also really enjoyed Soval's interactions with both Forrest and Archer. He's suddenly become much more interesting to me. I was tired of his relentless arrogance.
Archer Watch: Archer, once again, is doing all the right things at all the right times. It just completely cracks me up that he's got Surak's katra in his head, though. I'm dying to see him try to do a Vulcan nerve pinch on someone, or would that just be too cute?
Mayweather Watch: He actually got something to do! He got to hold up debris, sweat bullets (or photons), and almost get blowed up real good! All right, Travis!
'shipper Watch: T'Pol has no interest in Koss. She looked up in dread when he chimed, and pulled away when he tried to touch her. This is, as we all know, because she loves Trip. She LUVS him, I tell you! I think Koss had better be careful in the weeks ahead. As I've said, he is an obstacle in the path of true Trek LUV! And in the world of Star Trek, that's almost as bad as wearing a red shirt.
Best Lines:
"You have the arrogance of Andorians, and the stubborn pride of Tellarites. One moment, you're as driven by emotion as Klingons, and the next you confound us by suddenly embracing logic!" "I'm sure those qualities are found in other species." "Not in such confusing abundance." (Soval, Forrest, Soval)
"Beep. Beep. Beep Beep Beep." (the bomb, to Reed and Mayweather)
"That can't be good." (Mayweather, to Reed)
"His death was a loss to both our people." (Soval, to Archer)
"Recheck everything, Captain. Question everything. And don't let them keep you on Enterprise; the answers you need are on Vulcan. And however far you have to take this, you have my support." (Soval, to Archer)
"Let me guess. With the originals lost, whatever's left is open to interpretation." "You find this amusing?" "I find it familiar." (Archer, T'Pol, Archer. And ain't it the truth?)
"Porthos doesn't try to eat me when I'm late with his dinner!" (Archer, to T'Pol. And just try cutting back on his cheese again, pal. We'll see what happens!)
"Vulcan children are never late with their sehlat's dinner." "I can believe that." (T'Pol and Archer)
"YOOWWLLL!" (sehlat, to Archer and T'Pol)
"Sounds like that Klingon opera Hoshi made us listen to." (Archer, to T'Pol. Hee.)
"This desert is called the forge for a reason. It will test you, and destroy you." (Arek, to Archer)
"Vulcans do not lie." "I've worked with the High Command. Vulcans can lie and cheat with the best of them." (Arek and Archer)
"The High Command defiled P'Jem when they used it to spy on Andoria. You exposed their hypocrisy." (Arek, to Archer)
"You allowed this distasteful act to take place?" "I performed it." "Soval, you have shamed Vulcan and yourself." (V'Las, Soval, V'Las)
"I've been told the Vulcans have never been explorers." "I think you've been told many things about us that aren't true." (Archer and Arev)
"I'm good for a few more days." "Captain, you aren't Vulcan." "Right." (Archer, T'Pol, Archer)
Rating: 9.5/10. I had to dock it a few tenths for dragging in spots, but this one was a winner!
Next Week: Can they keep it up? Will the rest of the arc be as good as the beginning? We shall see. The preview gets a lot of credit for making me laugh so hard. 'It's buried in the last place the Vulcans will look!' Hee. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
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