Greetings, and welcome aboard the bridge of the storied Enterprise once more. Nearly two years have elapsed since the thrilling premiere of the last episode of Strange New Worlds, so a refresher might be in order. Allow us to revisit the narrative thread and unveil the exhilarating adventures that await... Oh dear! Captain Pike and his valiant crew find themselves in a dire predicament! As menacing Gorn vessels loom ominously in orbit around Parnassus Beta, a Federation-adjacent colony where Captain Batel, Nurse Chapel, and the crew of the ill-fated Cayuga were aiding with supplies and vaccinations, Pike faces a grueling dilemma. He's received orders to retreat, lest he spark a galactic conflict. Yet, retreating would entail abandoning the Cayuga's captured survivors, the inhabitants of Parnassus Beta, and even some of his own Enterprise crew members. What course of action should he take!? (Moreover, Batel harbors Gorn eggs within her, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.)
Captain Pike isn't about to turn tail and run. This, we already knew. Yet, he's also not technically defying orders, as Starfleet's directive lacked an immediate mandate exit. (A child's logic, perhaps, akin to believing lies are permissible so long as one crosses their fingers, though no one aboard the Enterprise dares to challenge him on this point.) At Una's prompting, Pike decides to jam the Gorn's communications, achieving some swift, albeit fleeting, success. But with odds stacked against them in terms of both manpower and firepower (or, perhaps, Gorn-power), creativity becomes their sole ally. This translates into a reckless maneuver: ramming a Gorn ship to deploy a torpedo and tag the vessel holding their hostages, paving the way for their eventual rescue. It's a plan so crazy that it just might succeed. But will fortune favor their daring?
Back at the rendezvous point, Pike receives two disheartening updates. Chapel informs him that Batel's body is rejecting attempts to induce cryosleep, resetting their efforts to rid her of the Gorn influence. Fear and frustration grip him as he proceeds to his meeting with Admiral April (Adrian Holmes), who informs him that Starfleet intends no offensive action against the Gorn, despite amassing its entire fleet. For now, it's merely a "show of strength." However, Pike isn't the only Starfleet officer adhering to the law's letter but not its intended spirit. April gives him his official instructions to monitor Gorn advancements, adding, almost as an aside, that if Pike discovers a way to "strike back," so be it.
Striking back will require engineering marvels, relying on whatever Pelia and new recruit Montgomery Scott can come up with. There's an indissoluble bond between them. She remembers him as the student who skipped classes and cheated but was a gifted man. He remembers the harsh professor who gave him a bad grade. This dynamic is still evident when they are locked in an argument, with Pelia scolding Scotty for not keeping detailed logs of his counter-technology - a cloaking device - despite working in extremely dangerous conditions. But Pike's arrival quickly puts an end to their argument, as they now face a tight deadline: the device must be working before the Enterprise crosses the Hergemony Line. It's time to go all out.
Meanwhile, far behind enemy lines, La’An jolts awake from nightmarish visions of her Gorn-haunted childhood, trapped within the gooey confines of a Gorn pod. This locale is undeniably dire, yet if anyone is suited to orchestrate an escape and lead the other survivors to safety, it is La’An, who possesses intimate knowledge of Gorn behavior. Upon rousing Dr. M’Benga, Sam, and Erica from their slumber, they realize with a chill that they are ensnared within the bowels of a Gorn digestive system, while their fellow captives face the harrowing fate of being consumed alive—a peril they have only narrowly escaped themselves. Their dual objective: to break free and liberate everyone else. Indeed, La’An is steadfast in this resolve, refusing to accept any compromise. Fortunately, they find themselves adjacent to a cache of indigestible firearms, a glimmer of hope amidst despair.
Yet, all their efforts might prove futile if Scott cannot get his device operational, a challenge he ultimately overcomes after Pelia frightens him into completing the task. "Place a phaser to your temple, and presto!" she declares without a hint of apology. When Scott points out that she is not his actual commanding officer, who perished long ago, she experiences a modicum of regret. Though Scott feels utterly drained, his invention functions, albeit partially, thanks to the Gorn's evolution beyond visual sensors, relying instead on those that Scott is adept at jamming. They manage to slip past numerous hunters undetected, a crucial ability that keeps their rescue mission on course.
Elsewhere, Christine persists in her quest to find a cure for Batel, enlisting the aid of Spock, who, though mangling her exhortation to think creatively, conceives the ingenious notion of utilizing an "Orion street drug" to combat the implanted Gorn eggs. Spock also seeks reconciliation, desiring to apologize to Christine for their tumultuous parting. He even reveals a vulnerable side, in his Vulcan fashion, confessing, "The contemplation of losing you has profoundly affected me." Attuned to Spock's peculiar way of expressing emotions, Chapel comprehends his sentiment, though it does not alter her impending departure or guarantee their future reunion upon her return. Nonetheless, they can still collaborate on treatment strategies, converging upon the same conclusion: Batel might benefit from a transfusion of Una's Illyrian blood.
It is a long shot, yet potentially viable. Equally audacious is the prisoners' scheme to pilfer a vessel, infiltrate the Gorn mainframe, and provide the Enterprise with transport codes, facilitating the rescue of the remaining hostages. Meanwhile, aboard the Enterprise, led by Una and Uhura, they devise an equally improbable plan: induce the Gorn into hibernation. (The potential drawback being that the Gorn could be preparing for, in Uhura's words, a "full-scale Gorn invasion.")
As the Enterprise ventures deeper, trailing the Gorn towards a binary star system, bizarre occurrences begin to unfold. Initially, they witness a Gorn vessel seemingly diving headlong into the blazing twin suns, prompting Pike to deduce that they have been tracking the Gorn's path to their homeworld. This revelation aligns eerily with the surge of Gorn ships converging on Starfleet and Batel's condition taking a dramatic downturn, forcing Spock and Christine into an urgent surgical procedure against daunting odds of success.
Fortunately, neither scenario seems entirely beyond redemption—perhaps. Pike conceives an audacious plan: transforming the Enterprise into a solar flare to signal the Gorn it's time for slumber. A preposterous notion, one might think. Even Scotty doubts its feasibility when Pike summons him and Pelia to the bridge to unveil his strategy. Yet, Pelia discerns the potential, spurring Scotty to embrace the idea and lend his expertise. Pike's reassuring addition, "We'll just turn it off before we blow up," clinches the deal. They have their plan.
In the climax, success hangs by a thread. La'an masterfully guides the Enterprise crew off the ship, amidst harrowing (and emotionally scarring) battles and pushing Erica's piloting abilities to their absolute limits. The Enterprise ignites into a full-fledged solar flare. ("Make us shine like the sun," Pike commands.) The Gorn retreat to their world for their slumber. The colonists are safely transported away. And, although it's not immediately evident, the Chapel/Spock team pulls through triumphantly (earning Spock a kiss on the cheek for his endeavors).
As the episode concludes, Pike visits a recuperating Batel. After uttering, "Alright, dad. You win," he begins to pray at her bedside, only to be interrupted by her return to consciousness. This tender moment between the two, now firmly back in their "on again" phase, brings the episode to a heartwarming close.
What a thrilling ride indeed! It's as though the Strange New Worlds crew feared viewers might drift into a cryosleep during the episode gap. Far from slumberous, this adventure served up action on multiple fronts: the fugitive prisoners' escape, Pike's confrontation with the Gorn, Batel's medical emergency, and—if you count it—Pelia and Scotty's engineering endeavors. While some characters played more prominent roles than others (Dr. M'Benga largely tagging along), "Hegemony, Part II" never neglected the human element.
"Strange New Worlds" is not merely a saga centered around the romantic entanglements of the mighty; rather, such relationships have undeniably woven themselves into the very fabric of its narrative. Never before have we witnessed Christine exude such self-assurance as she navigates her bond with Spock. It is evident that the trajectory of their future, if any, lies squarely in her hands. Moreover, while we've glimpsed Pike as both a commanding figure of cool composure and a vulnerable soul, never have we seen him this openly susceptible—a facet that Batel seems to bring effortlessly to the forefront. Indeed, his vulnerability is coupled with an unmatched coolness. As we near the close, let us recall one final inspiring line: "Make us shine, as bright as the sun."
