There's been a discernible shift in the writing style of the series this season. I'm not saying it's better or worse than what's come before, but there is a familiarity to it as individual episodes become more self-contained when it comes to conflicts and adventures.
Star Trek: Discovery Season 4 Episode 5 draws on the classic Trek tropes of the unknown genius joining forces with the resident genius, as well as the moral dilemma of personal agency versus the Federation's principles and mandates.
Thrown into the mix is the "Healer, Heal Thyself," message which shines a light on Culber's savior complex and what might be at its root.
Reminiscent of La Forge and (the real) Brahms' initial meeting or Bruce Maddox's visit to the Enterprise, Ruon Tarka boards with a reputation that precedes him and an unapologetic arrogance.
In keeping with the season's bent towards reintroducing known Federation worlds, Tarka's Risan heritage is an unexpected Easter egg.
His tattoo hints at more than an unusually intellectually-gifted childhood amongst hedonists.
Tarka: Great intellect can be costly.
🔗 permalink: Great intellect can be costly.
His death-wish antics suggest he's got other issues besides a brain that works orders of magnitude faster than his so-called peers.
And his whiskey-bearing encounter with Book at the bar intimates plotting that involves Book's ability to pilot the spore drive.
Book's moroseness at not being allowed to force Felix to give into being rescued is both understandable and hard-to-parse.
It's understandable from the perspective that he's seen the DMA destroy his entire planet and family and the personal mission he's taken on to prevent it from taking any more lives.
It's hard to accept from Book because his gift is empathy. That gift should've made him aware of Felix's intentions on an emotional level. But if his reaction to Kwejian's destruction still clouds him, his empathy is probably impeded.
Tarka: So much anger. No place to put it.
Book: You don’t know me.
Tarka: No, but I know anger. It’s a wonderfully productive emotion.
🔗 permalink: No, but I know anger. It’s a wonderfully productive emotion.
Tarka sees the anger driving Book immediately, and he's quite delighted.
I suspect that Tarka pushed Stamets on purpose to see how risk-aversive he is, and Stamets may have failed that test. For Book to be silently raging the way he is, he's easily shot to the top of Tarka's list of "Crew Members Who'll Lose Control With Me."
Here it is. The best five seconds in the history of #StarTrek. pic.twitter.com/iFP52c2RLo
— Patrick Patterson (@PDPdoesTrek) December 12, 2021
