It’s time for some aggressive negotiations this week on Star Trek: Discovery 5×07 “Erigah.” There’s a political faceoff with the Breen, a risky gamble for escape, and a difficult trade to be made. The episode has truly excellent fight sequences and high emotional stakes, as well as fascinating political maneuvering by Federation HQ. Let’s dig into the meat of the episode with Star Trek: Discovery 5×07 “Erigah.”
Aggressive Negotiations
Yes, I know the phrase, “aggressive negotiations,” is a reference to that other Star franchise, but the phrase is applicable here. Only in Star Trek: Discovery 5×07 “Erigah,” there are actual negotiations! Watching President T’Rina, Michael, and Rayner negotiate with the Breen legitimately had me on the edge of my seat. First of all, President T’Rina is a complete and utter badass in her negotiations. The Breen are intimidating, and while yes, T’Rina is from N’Var and doesn’t display emotion overtly, even so the hard stance she takes with them is amazing. Well done, T’Rina.
Additionally, Rayner takes the horror he experienced growing up on a Breen-occupied planet and uses it to gain an advantage in their negotiations. No one who experiences trauma is glad they experienced that trauma. But if using the knowledge gained through that experience can provide protection or offer an advantage, then that feels like a triumph. It’s a victory over the evil he experienced, and that made me smile.
What I especially love about Star Trek: Discovery 5×07 “Erigah,” is that our heroes gain the advantage here through knowledge and understanding, not brute strength. As T’Rina says, “Do not equate a desire for understanding with a lack of nerve.” There is certainly no lack of nerve here. While I don’t think we’ll finish the season without a Breen showdown, Star Trek: Discovery 5×07 “Erigah” shows us that there is more than one way to win a fight. That’s something worth remembering.
L’ak’s Choice
We’ve got a heartbreaker with L’ak this week on Star Trek: Discovery 5×07 “Erigah.” It never once occurred to me that one of our big bads might off it, that is until one of my co-hosts on my Star Trek: Discovery podcast, We Are Starfleet, Craig McKenzie predicted it in our discussion of episode 5×05 “Mirrors.” Craig has a keen sense of storytelling, especially when it comes to Star Trek, so his predictions are usually on the money. That being said, it still snuck up on me when L’ak died.
It was a gamble that didn’t work out, but then this marriage reveal hits. It is both surprising and not. Of course, they’re married. They’re in love and want to make it official. But from a purely practical standpoint, this protects their interests. Were something to happen to L’ak, like this just did, Moll would be protected by his position and their legal bond. It’s a play the Breen didn’t expect, and I am here for that kind of drama! The blow of his death is kind of softened by the idea that there’s the potential to revive him with the Progenitors’ technology. But will this be a Pet Sematary sort of situation? Let’s hope not. I’m eager to find out how we can pull this off.
Final Thoughts
There are a few other things I’d like to note before I wrap my discussion on Star Trek: Discovery 5×07 “Erigah.” I love that Tilly’s first thought during an impending Breen attack is to go all Mama Bear to protect her students. She’s a one-woman army and I love it. This is another mark of her growth from a fearful cadet in season one to a courageous lieutenant in this last season. More of this, please! It’s also nice to see Commander Nhan back in Star Trek: Discovery. Nhan is always a welcome addition to the show.
My only other note for Star Trek: Discovery 5×07 “Erigah” is that I adore that Reno had another life as a rare book smuggler. I want to know about all her other previous careers. Could I get a Jet Reno spin-off series with every episode showcasing an adventure in her previous careers? Please and thank you. With our clue sorted, we’ve got our heading, and we’re en route to The Archive, or as I like to call it, The Space Library! I’m eager to see what we find there.
What did you think of Star Trek: Discovery 5×07 “Erigah?” Leave me a comment and let’s talk Trek.
The next episode of Star Trek: Discovery will air on May 16, 2024, on Paramount+.
