Star Trek: Discovery knows Trek needs less logic and more crying

“Who do we want to be?”

Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) poses that question to the United Federation of Planets council at the climax of “… But to Connect,” the seventh episode of Star Trek: Discovery’s fourth season. This council was formed to deal with the new species’s arrival into the galaxy. Burnham suggests diplomacy in recognition of a unique opportunity for first contact.

Star Trek has a long history of disagreements. The Star Trek classic scene features a peaceful group debating complicated issues. But DiscoveryThe unique method of using this trope requires a different approach. Burnham talks as her camera follows her around, snapping every wrinkled brow, desperate smile and expression, which underlines her feelings more than her words. Martin-Green is completely present in the moment. When she’s sincere, Martin-Green lowers her voice to a whisper and when she offers hope, raises it to an octave. Her speech ends in a blur, with her eyes almost tearing up.

Scenes like these are a major problem for the show’s detractors. Over its 3 ½ seasons, DiscoveryStar Trek: The Openly Emotional Star Trek Series has been a hit. Characters openly discuss their trauma, share hugs and cry with each other in every episode. DiscoveryThis series examines emotions more deeply than any other in the franchise. It highlights an important part of human nature that is often overlooked by the franchise.

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Michael Burnham was not the only Trek character that shed tears at the end of the frontier. After all, who can forget William Shatner stifling a cry during Captain Kirk’s eulogy for Spock (Leonard Nimoy) in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan?

Right from the start of Star Trek, Doctor McCoy (DeForest Kelley) was there at Kirk’s side, countering Spock’s cold logic with a passionate outburst. Star Trek’s best episodes are those that tap into the emotions of characters. They let them be human and messy instead of insisting on logic. It was the Deep Space Nine episode “The Visitor” captures the longing and joy Jake Sisko feels as he grows to an adult, only seeing his time-displaced father in short intervals every few years, while the bittersweet final moments in the life of George Kirk reverberate not only throughout 2009’s Star TrekAll three reboot films are available.

These moments are powerful, but they can be fleeting. TrekEmpathy is often seen as a challenge and a problem that must be overcome in order to achieve the greater good. Take the classic episode “The City on the Edge of Forever”, in which a delusional McCoy disrupts the timestream, inadvertently preventing the death of social worker Edith Keeler, thus allowing her to found a humanitarian movement. However, her actions have the unexpected consequence that they delay the U.S. entering World War II. That allows Nazis far more victims than would otherwise be possible. As Spock describes it in his characteristically blunt manner, “Edith Keeler must die.”

It is clear that the scene of Kirk’s death honors his sorrow at preventing McCoy saving Keeler. But the message is clear: Because the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, Kirk’s emotions take a back seat to demands of logic.

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The Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry is responsible for similar plots appearing throughout the series. Roddenberry envisioned a utopia for humanity that had transcended issues like racism, capitalism and sexism. While Roddenberry didn’t explicitly outlaw emotion, he did reject plots that dealt with emotional issues, including interpersonal conflict, irrational responses to trauma, and grieving death. In a world where everyone could heal themselves and survive without struggle, he thought, logic would — and should — always win out.

The Trek series can’t always be there for the emotions. They either ignore them or they lose interest. Deanna Troi, an empath as well as a ship counselor, seemed ideally suited to fulfill the McCoy position. Next Generation (TNG), but the writers too often relegated her to describing other characters’ obvious feelings. It was too late. Voyager’s Neelix matured from a manipulative coward into an empathetic morale officer, the show had turned its attention to hologram The Doctor and ex-Borg Seven of Nine. Similar problems plague other shows. Enterprise’s genial Captain Archer, who was often overshadowed by the Vulcan T’Pol.

The Star Trek series were able, after Roddenberry’s death, to allow emotions to build more through their programs. Deep Space NineIt lets its main characters experience traumas and fall in love. It even takes a nuanced look at the feelings associated with 20th-century racism (“Far Beyond the Stars”) and PTSD (“It’s Only a Paper Moon”).

Three of the current Trek series are more consistent in embracing emotion than previous Treks. Picard uses audience nostalgia for the title character as a contrast to Starfleet’s callous bureaucracy, while the young Delta Quadrant outcasts in ProdigyThey will be filled with wonder and childlike joy as they take on the role of crew members for the USS Protostar. Lower decksComedy is not only found in Trek’s goofier bits, but also in its neurotic ensigns’ foibles.

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In each case, these series work precisely because it counters the franchise’s usual focus on logic over emotion. Picard is the principled leader we all know. TNGWhen he defies Federation pragmatism by creating a new crew. Holographic Janeway is determined to win the ProdigyKids in good shape. The joy of the series is watching their ability to understand Starfleet regulations. Lower DeckFunny because it subverts the Starfleet officer image. These series are exceptions to the rule because they take a different approach with their characters. Picard’s rag-tag crew, the kids on the USS Protostar, and the Lower decksGoofballs can indulge in their emotions, Starfleet members do not.

Of the current ongoing Star Trek series, these “real, proper” Starfleet personnel can only be found on Discovery. Captain Burnham’s actions and those of her crew are more important than Enterprise Captains Kirk and Picard. The USS Discovery A plays an integral part in rebuilding United Federation of Planets. It’s a flagship vessel, both for the show and the greater series. The show’s flagship vessel is something viewers need to pay attention to Discovery This is a departure from Star Trek’s usual portrayal human emotion.

One of the clearest examples of the difference in Trek’s approach to emotional issues can be found in the season 2 TNG episode “The Measure of a Man.” Taking the form of a courtroom drama, the episode centers around a debate about Commander Data’s personhood status, prompted when Starfleet defines him as mere property. Captain Picard argues for Data’s sentience, while Commander Riker has been ordered by Judge Advocate General Phillipa Louvois to contend that Data is property, fit for experimentation by Commander Bruce Maddox.

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Riker feels guilty about prosecuting Phillipa Louvois, Picard has complicated feelings because of a past relationship, Maddox wants to try his own experiments. Picard passionately explains his case. Patrick Stewart adds Shakespearean gravitas and charm to his speeches. “Starfleet was founded to seek out new life,” he declares in his booming baritone, pointing at Data; “Well, there it sits!”

But while Picard states his case lovingly and movingly, it’s a fundamentally logical argument that he wins with. Starfleet must change its definition of life to reflect the forms it understands. Moreover, everyone involved must overcome their own emotions to accept Picard’s claim. This episode is arguably the best of all. TNG, “The Measure of a Man” chrystialized the focus on logic found in TOSThe early films. Trek made it clear from that point forward: Humans evolved don’t use emotions to solve problems.

It Discovery episode “…But to Connect” has clear parallels to “The Measure of a Man,” but the more recent episode emphasizes feelings over reason. Once again, the characters debate the distinction between personhood and property when Discovery’s computer Zora gains sentience, and Adira even echoes Picard when they call Zora an “entirely new lifeform.” But while there is certainly a logical structure to the various positions, director Lee Rose focuses on emotions. Stamets, who argues they should use Starfleet protocol to put Zora in a new form and follow Starfleet protocol, recounts how he felt when she refused Captain Burnham’s direct orders to save the crew. Gray and Adira both argue Zora should remain in Discovery. Gray and Gray share their rejections and acceptance of Zora’s failure to meet social standards. Zora even describes her affection for the crew, and worries about their safety.

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Zora and her supporter win the debate with an appeal to ethos, not a tight syllogism. While investigating Zora’s memory structure, Adira finds a new section, which they identify as Zora’s subconscious. There are also images within this field. Discovery’s crew, connecting with and caring for one another. Partly, Stamets & Kovich are convinced by this because Zora is not artificial intelligence. But as the music and camera movements make clear, empathy for Zora drives Stamets’ decision.

You can find some here Discovery’s critics, this plot resolves too easily, the equivalent of “hugging it out” instead of facing the issue (if they apply the same level of rigor to the fallacies in “The Measure of a Man”, I cannot say). This reading misses the point of the Zora discussion. The goal of the debate isn’t to comb through legal proceedings, but to allow the participants to have their feelings recognized and validated. “It feels marvelous … Being seen,” Zora says after her official status is changed.

These scenes are DiscoveryStar Trek: The Future Revisited focuses on the utopian future which has been the core of Star Trek. Future humans are able to be their best by not ignoring their emotions but rather by caring for others and recognizing their needs. DiscoveryHe insists on the effectiveness of empathy in seeking out new life, new civilizations.

Michael Burnham asks the Federation council “Who do we want to be?” Discovery answers, boldly, firmly — and, yes, tearfully — “Fully human, both logical and emotional.”