This one is frustratingly close to being a really compelling episode but in the end aims at the wrong target.
It all starts with a call from admiral Forrest who orders them to turn back and go check on a freighter ship that failed to report. They are welcomed by a pretty jumpy crew that doesn't want help even they suffered damage from predatory Naausicans pirates (nice tribute to Ghibli btw). In charge is Ryan, a substitute for injured captain. Turns out Ryan is trying to hide the fact they captured one of them and is trying to get shield frequency out of him. In the meantime he very aggressively and directly guilttrips Mayweather for abandoning his family who are also running a freighter.
And here is where the episode falls a bit short. While the show gives Ryan very good motives for seeking revenge as he lost his family to pirates and is now constantly attacked by them it's hard to sympathize with him when he acts as a complete douche. Not only that he verbally attacks Mayweather for no good reason, he physically attacks 4 of the Starfleet officers after setting up ambush, even purposefully causes a breach so the Enterprise couldn't go after them.
To make matters even worse he is stupid enough that even after he stumbles upon Naausican base he doesn't retreat but goes after them believing captured Naausican gave him right frequencies, and to top it all off he doesn't surrender the prisoner but stubbornly tries to defend the ship. It doesn't help the cause that Naausicans don't seem that aggressive or unreasonable. Captain Archer saves the day with diplomacy and Ryan is demoted when captain wakes.
I think they went for a "revenge is never a good option" message, where they with just few small alterations to the script they could have had much more morally interesting and intriguing episode. If they made Ryan little less direct and more subtle, if he didn't endanger the crew of Enterprise on purpose by causing a hull breach (it could have been made as if it was accidental result of a firefight), and if he just went desperate after getting trapped by Naausicans it would make viewer care more for him and by extension all freight people that put themselves in danger and that in turn would add to the believability to the Star Trek universe. Really unfortunate, son.
Also, how does the almost unarmed freighter disables sensor arrays on the newest and best Starfleet ship in two shots? Wouldn't attacking Starfleet ship and officers warrant arrest of the crew?
Review by ChronosusBlockedParentSpoilers2019-10-10T20:20:30Z
Watchable
Themes: revenge
This one is frustratingly close to being a really compelling episode but in the end aims at the wrong target.
It all starts with a call from admiral Forrest who orders them to turn back and go check on a freighter ship that failed to report. They are welcomed by a pretty jumpy crew that doesn't want help even they suffered damage from predatory Naausicans pirates (nice tribute to Ghibli btw). In charge is Ryan, a substitute for injured captain. Turns out Ryan is trying to hide the fact they captured one of them and is trying to get shield frequency out of him. In the meantime he very aggressively and directly guilttrips Mayweather for abandoning his family who are also running a freighter.
And here is where the episode falls a bit short. While the show gives Ryan very good motives for seeking revenge as he lost his family to pirates and is now constantly attacked by them it's hard to sympathize with him when he acts as a complete douche. Not only that he verbally attacks Mayweather for no good reason, he physically attacks 4 of the Starfleet officers after setting up ambush, even purposefully causes a breach so the Enterprise couldn't go after them.
To make matters even worse he is stupid enough that even after he stumbles upon Naausican base he doesn't retreat but goes after them believing captured Naausican gave him right frequencies, and to top it all off he doesn't surrender the prisoner but stubbornly tries to defend the ship. It doesn't help the cause that Naausicans don't seem that aggressive or unreasonable. Captain Archer saves the day with diplomacy and Ryan is demoted when captain wakes.
I think they went for a "revenge is never a good option" message, where they with just few small alterations to the script they could have had much more morally interesting and intriguing episode. If they made Ryan little less direct and more subtle, if he didn't endanger the crew of Enterprise on purpose by causing a hull breach (it could have been made as if it was accidental result of a firefight), and if he just went desperate after getting trapped by Naausicans it would make viewer care more for him and by extension all freight people that put themselves in danger and that in turn would add to the believability to the Star Trek universe. Really unfortunate, son.
Also, how does the almost unarmed freighter disables sensor arrays on the newest and best Starfleet ship in two shots? Wouldn't attacking Starfleet ship and officers warrant arrest of the crew?