It’s nice when we get two episodes of Star Trek: Discovery in one day. Star Trek: Discovery 5×02 “Under the Twin Moons” gives us a lot of action, another step in our quest, and some great relational sweetness with Michael and Saru. Let’s fly into some further thoughts on Star Trek: Discovery 5×02 “Under the Twin Moons.”
A Promotion and a Goodbye
It’s always a fine line, isn’t it? We want to see our friends grow and succeed, but it’s always hard to say goodbye. Star Trek: Discovery 5×02 “Under the Twin Moons” shows us just how much Mr. Saru has grown. Saru moving into a much more diplomatic position suits his character so well, that you love to see him thrive, but you hate to watch him go. This “last dance” he and Michael have on the appropriately named homophone planet Lyrek is a two-step for the ages. Let’s talk about Action(!) Saru.
Action(!) Saru!
We all love Mr. Saru, who is the sweetest, gentlest giant. I mean, how can you not? He’s a proper gentleman and a true example of positive masculinity. Heck, I would contend the leading men on all of our current Star Trek series are great examples of positive masculinity (and I did so in my interview with Doug Jones and David Ajala). That being said, when Action(!) Saru comes out, get out of the way. Kelpien physical strength is not to be trifled with. I love that we get a last big show of physical prowess from Mr. Saru in Star Trek: Discovery 5×02 “Under the Twin Moons.”
The run through the jungle that Michael and Saru go through in this episode is very exciting and genuinely had me on the edge of my seat. It has the feel of the jungle scenes in Raiders of the Lost Ark, including dodging obstacles, solving a puzzle to find the treasure, and what would a good quest be without facing near-certain doom? But instead of being flattened by a giant boulder, we’re getting blasted by drones with deadly lasers. Fun space trade-off! Even so, I appreciate the respect Michael shows for Lyric afterward, asking Linus and his DOTs to clean up and repair the sacred space as best as possible. I appreciate and value that kind of integrity. It’s why Michael is truly one of the best Captains we’ve had in Star Trek.
My Michael fangirling aside, what I really admire about Saru here is his courage. While he is truly a diplomat at heart, Saru’s got it where it counts when it comes to facing danger. The forehead touch he and Michael share as they say, “Goodbye…for now,” is truly heartwarming and demonstrates the warmth of their friendship. Doug Jones mentioned in his interview with me that the forehead touch is a symbol of friendship, of family intimacy that Kelpiens share. It is a symbol of familial love that he shares with Michael. Though I know the Discovery crew didn’t know this would be their final season, it also imparts a sense of finality. It’s a stepping stone to the future. I’m eager to see what the future holds for the noble Mr. Saru.
A New First Officer
With Saru making his exit from Discovery, we’re now faced with a vacancy in the first officer chair. Who could fill his unusually high-heeled boots? Michael mentions that Tilly would have been her first officer if she was going to stay on the Discovery. Of course, because Tilly’s the girl you want in your corner. She’s the first officer I would pick and the first officer I would want to be. But no, our girl has the heart of a teacher, and far be it from Michael to keep Tilly away from her calling.
Michael bringing in Rayner is an interesting choice. I can certainly appreciate the full circle moment of offering him another chance after she had been given a second chance. Rayner will be another good foil for Michael in the same way as Rillak was for her last season.
Something that makes Rayner a bit different though is that he is a bit prickly in the way that Rillak is not. While Rillak is more of a diplomat, Rayner is a tough-as-nails soldier. “I’m not a yes man,” he says, and no, he certainly is not. While I’m still not a big fan of his general gruffness, I admire his integrity. He stood behind his actions and took the consequences nobly. That takes guts, and for that, he has my respect. I look forward to watching him butt heads with Michael this season. I think they will bring out the best in one another.
Final Thoughts
Overall Star Trek: Discovery 5×02 “Under the Twin Moons” gets us solid footing to start our final season. I feel like we’re setting up for a great quest, and I’m looking forward to seeing it through to the end. Star Trek: Discovery 5×02 “Under the Twin Moons” is a nice adventure episode, and it brings us to our next stop—Trill. I do like the planet-hopping we’re getting to do, but it looks like it may be trouble in paradise for Adira and Gray. Strap in for the next episode, and we’ll see what we may find on Trill.
What did you think of Star Trek: Discovery 5×02 “Under the Twin Moons”? Leave me a comment and let’s talk Trek.
The next episode of Star Trek: Discovery premieres on April 11, 2024, on Paramount+.
