12mo ago

Literally heartbroken over here

19 comments

Doing my first watch through in chronological order and I was not prepared for this damn episode, holy shit.
- No doubt. Doing the same and watched it a few months ago. Still runs me right through the heart.
- You using the Chronology Project too??
  Starrdate order in case anyone wondering: https://thestartrekchronologyproject.blogspot.com/2009/09/and-now-conclusion.html?m=1
  
  Holy shit no, thank you so much for sharing that with me!!! So glad I'm still on the first big chunk! What series is ST?
- It's pretty messed up!

So I'm not really a star trek fan but can someone explain to me what the fuck the lesson was supposed to be other than Archer is an irredeemable monster? Cause that episode seems to be trying to say something and it doesn't seem to be that all people should have basic worth/rights.
- My fiance and I just finished watching all of Enterprise and were discussing this too. We got the impression that the writers and producers really wanted us to like Archer and think he was a good guy, but we both decided that he's really just an inconsistent asshole.
  
  People like to say that Kirk is the reason that the rules are so much more strict for Picard.
  But Archer is the reason that they're so much more strict for Kirk.
- Man, I love the bit where Archer is already force feeding Trip a plate of shit for giving a person kept in sexual slavery a glimpse of a better life, and to add insult to injury he's all, "And on top of it all, now the Vissian couple will have to wait to be able to conceive."
  Archer is the worst captain.
  
  Archer being the worst captain, while being on track to becoming a founder of the Federation etc. was what made me bail on the show for a long time.
  I really came to loathe Archer, and writing T’Pol as having respect for him really damaged her character over time.
- What the writers were trying to convey is that meddling with other cultures can have serious negative consequences (the person trip tried to help killed themselves, relations with starfleet were very negatively affected etc) but it doesnt come off that way. It comes off as shitty society sexually enslaves people after brainwashing them to think thats normal and once they find out that it isnt for other cultures, they want no part in it. So Archer comes off as an uncaring dick for scolding trip for trying to do what he thought was right. And beyond that, it makes trek's non-interference policy look like a really bad idea when applied with no regard to the context. Which has been a longstanding issue in the series. i.e the prime directive is problematic.
- I feel like it just showed that those responsible for the wrong thing happening often lash out at those that were trying to do the right thing,, I wouldn't have come to this conclusion if it wasn't for Tripp telling Archer that it wasn't his fault while he was chewing him out, and Archer didn't even acknowledge him saying it because he knew that it was his fault, not Tripp's, that Charles was dead.

ENT rarely attempted the classic "Star Trek ethical conundrum" episode but the few we have are some real bangers.
- it was refreshing among all the episodes of Tripp and Malcolm trying to get laid.

19 comments