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Terra Firma (Star Trek: Discovery)

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Martin Urbanec (talk | contribs) at 01:43, 1 January 2021 (Marking submission as under review (AFCH 0.9.1)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

  • Comment: Wikia links should be removed as user-generated content is not reliable. A couple of reviews from non-Star Trek-specialist sources like national newspapers would show notability. The article says "The episodes were widely well-recieved across general websites and review forums" but again, this is user-generated content. Wikipedia cares about professional critics. — Bilorv (talk) 19:59, 29 December 2020 (UTC)
"Terra Firma"
Star Trek: Discovery episodes
Episode nos.Season 3
Episodes 9–10
Directed by
Story by
Teleplay by
Original release dates
  • December 10, 2020 (Part 1)
  • December 17, 2020 (Part 2)
Episode chronology
← Previous
"The Sanctuary" 		Next →
"Su'Kal"
Star Trek: Discovery (season 3)
List of episodes

"Terra Firma" is the respective tenth and eleventh episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Discovery. The first part of the episode was directed by Omar Madha and written by Alan B. McElroy, Bo Yeon Kim, and Erika Lippoldt, while the second part was directed by Chloe Domont and written by Kalinda Vazquez, Bo Yeon Kim, Erika Lippoldt, Alan McElroy. Part 1 began streaming on CBS All Access on December 10, 2020, and Part Two was released one week later on December 17, 2020.[1][2]

The episode centers on Philippa Georgiou as her molecules struggle to be contained in the Prime Universe, and she and Michael Burnham are sent down to the surface of a planet to find a cure for her ailment. Georgiou is sent through a portal and ends up in the Mirror Universe back aboard her old ship, the ISS Shenzou, where she realizes that he time in the Prime Universe has changed her, and she decides to let her adopted traitor daughter, Michael Burnham, live in that dimension.[3] The episodes serves as Georgiou's departure from the show.[4]

The two-parter episode received mixed reviews upon its release, with some reviews observing the character development throughout the story arc,[5] and some sites finding the plot to be weak and undeveloped and the episode to be too long overall.[6]

Plot

Part 1

Kovich, a mysterious Starfleet operative born in the 3100s, explains to Hugh Culber that because Philippa Georgiou has travel thought time and different dimensions, her molecules have moved too far from their origin and will begin to rot away. Culber learns from Zora, the ship's computer, that Georgiou has a possibility of survival is she beams down to the surface of an uninhabited planet named Dannus V to find a cure.

Paul Stamets and Adira are able to trace the source of the Burn to a specific nebula, and are able to recognize a Kelpein starship's distress call. Now on the surface of Dannus V, Georgiou and escort Michael Burnham encounter a mysterious stranger who tells them that his came is Carl. Carl shows Georgiou a door, which he says is a portal. Georgiou is initially concerned about going through the portal, but Carl says that doors are only meant to be crossed, convincing her, and when Georgiou emerges she finds herself in the Mirror Universe, on the USS Shenzou, in a time before she was transported to the Prime Universe by Burnham.

Georgiou resumes her duties as Emperor of the Terran Empire, but question's Carl's motives, and wonders who or what he may be. Georgiou discovers that her time in the Prime Universe has changed her, and even saves slave Saru from the wrath of an important Terran officer. As Georgiou suspected, the treacherous Michael Burnham betrays her in this timeline as well, and decides to spare her life even though Burnham begs her to end it, and instead puts her in captivity, provoking the thought that she might be weak in the other Terran's minds.[7]

Part 2

Georgiou tries to convince Burnham to rule the Terran Empire faithfully by her side, but Burnham just ignores her, refusing to speak or eat from her prison cell. Georgiou resolves to torture Burnham until she pledges her alliance to the Empire. Meanwhile, she is able to warn Saru, merely a nameless slave in the dimension, of the Vahar'ai, and that it is actually possible to stop itInitially, this does not work, but Burnham decides to go along with her adopted mother. Georgiou orders her to kill all of Burnham's former love interest Gabriel Lorca's spies, and she does. They begin a search for the evil Gabriel Lorca himself, and Georgiou feels that she has turned the Terran Empire around and work has begun to make it a better place, but while trying to beam down to a planet, the remaining spies shoot Georgiou's guards and she realizes that Burnham has tricked her into gaining her trust.

The two engage in a fight, with Saru, who have survived Vahar'ai and wants to pass on his knowledge to the fellow Kelpiens, helping out to kill Burnham's allies. Both Georgiou and Burnham die in the fight, with the prior dying in Saru's arms, proud of him. Upon closing her eyes for the final time, Georgiou finds herself back on Dannus V, and is surprised that Burnham does not try to kill her, then realizing that this is the Prime Universe Burnham, not the Mirror Universe one. Carl then informs them that he is the Guardian of Forever, and closed his portals to normal humans during the Temporal Wars because they were being overused. He also claims that what Burnham experienced was only a test, and that she has passed, and will now return to her own universe for good.

The Guardian opens up another portal for Georgiou to go through, and she and Burnham say goodbye. Back on Discovery, Book wishes to be useful aboard the ship and finds the the Emeral Chain tech can help the crew find the nebula where the Kelpien distress call is coming from. Also, Burnham lies to the officers, telling them that Georgiou is dead, and a small service is held.[8]

Production

Development

The 38th and 39th episodes, respectively, of Star Trek: Discovery were released separately but advertised as one longer episode. Part One was directed by screenwriter Omar Madha. In addition for developing the plot for Part Two, Bo Yeon Kim, Erika Lippoldt and Alan McElroy created the story for Part One as well. Chloe Domont directed Part One and producer Kalinda Vazquez wrote Part Two. "Terra Firma" is preceded by the episode "The Sanctuary" and succeeded by "Su'Kal".

Actress Michelle Yeoh portrays Philippa Georgiou in "Terra Firma".

Aftershow

Main article: The Ready Room

On the same day that the episodes were released, two episodes of the same name as part of the Star Trek aftershow The Ready Room were also streamed on CBS All Access; in them host Wil Wheaton discussed the events that took place during "Terra Firma". The episode of the after show featured star Michelle Yoah, as well as other actors who portray officers aboard the USS Discovery.

Casting

Michelle Yeoh stars in the episodes in her recurring role as Philippa Georgiou, an emperor in the Mirror Universe.[9] Other series regulars appear minimally in the joint two-parter episodes their Prime Universe selves, but most of them also act as their Mirror Universe versions of themselves.

In addition, Paul Guilfoyle portrays The Guardian of Forever,[10] also known as Carl, from the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "The City on the Edge of Forever".[11] The Guardian had watched over the universes and let people use his portals until the Temporal Wars occurred. In the end of the episodes, The Guardian reveals that Georgiou's return to the Mirror Universe had only been a test, one which she had passed.[12]

Bartell LaRue provided Carl's voice when he revealed that he was actually The Guardian of Forever.[13]

Release

"Terra Firma, Part 1" was released on the American streaming service provider CBS All Access on December 10, 2020, which was a Thursday.[1] One week later, the second half of the two-parter episode was released on December 17, 2020.[2] The episode was broadcast by Bell Media on CTV Sci-Fi Channel and Z in Canada on the same days as the episodes were released.[14]

Reception

The episodes were widely well-recieved across general websites and review forums, with commenters likening to Georgiou's return to the Mirror Universe in the plot; however some criticism was noted about the episodes, with some reviewers commenting that the two-parter episode could have been just one normal episode..[15] A review on TrekCore noted the character development story arcs, as well.[5] "But as the plot drags on, you’re left waiting for the other shoe to drop. Characters continue to give hints about how Georgiou remains weak and vulnerable, even though she is convinced she’s changing the future," said Tell-Tale TV. "It’s hard to ever buy that Mirror Burnham changed her loyalty back to Georgiou."[16]

TheYoungFolks split "Terra Firma, Part 1" into two halves: one that takes place in the Prime Universe, and one in the Mirror Universe. They noted that the second half was "by far" the better one, and also commented on the character development and emotional moments dropped in the middle of the episode.[17] FanSided called the episode "overlong" and "lackluster" and though that Georgiou's story arc across the episode was weak and that the character "deserved better."[18] Another site, What To Watch, had mixed feelings about Part 2, calling it "predictable but satisfying. About the first half of the double-episode, their review said that the likability of the first episode depends on the conflict resolution of the second half.[19]

References

  1. ^ a b "Terra Firma, Part 1 (episode)". Memory Alpha. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  2. ^ a b "Terra Firma, Part 2 (episode)". Memory Alpha. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  3. ^ "Recap: Star Trek: Discovery - Terra Firma, Part 2". Star Trek. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  4. ^ December 2020, Scott Snowden 17. "'Star Trek: Discovery' concludes Georgiou's journey in 'Terra Firma, Part 2'". Space.com. Retrieved 2020-12-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b Perry, Alex (2020-12-10). "STAR TREK: DISCOVERY Review: "Terra Firma, Part 1" • TrekCore.com". TrekCore.com. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  6. ^ "Georgiou tries to mend her ways on a too-long Discovery". TV Club. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  7. ^ "Recap: Star Trek: Discovery - Terra Firma, Part 1". Star Trek. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  8. ^ Maloney, Devon (2020-12-17). "Star Trek: Discovery Recap: The Spoils of Peace". Vulture. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  9. ^ Ulster, Laurie. "Interview: Alex Kurtzman And Heather Kadin Talk Picard, Georgiou, And How They'd Handle Star Trek Movies". TrekMovie.com. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  10. ^ Britt, Ryan. "How Carl Sagan inspired 'Star Trek Discovery's big Season 3 twist". Inverse. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  11. ^ "Guardian of Forever". Star Trek. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  12. ^ Pascale, Anthony. "Review: 'Star Trek: Discovery' Cuts Deep In "Terra Firma, Part 2"". TrekMovie.com. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  13. ^ "Carl". Memory Alpha. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  14. ^ "International Broadcasters Set for New Star Trek Series". Star Trek. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  15. ^ December 2020, Scott Snowden 11. "'Star Trek: Discovery' revisits the Mirror Universe in 'Terra Firma, Part 1'". Space.com. Retrieved 2020-12-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ "Star Trek: Discovery Review: Terra Firma, Part 2 (Season 3 Episode 10) | Tell-Tale TV". Retrieved 2020-12-28.
  17. ^ "Star Trek: Discovery 3x09 review: "Terra Firma, part 1" | The Young Folks". 2020-12-12. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  18. ^ "Star Trek: Discovery review, Episode 310: "Terra Firma Part 2"". Winter is Coming. 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2021-01-01.
  19. ^ December 2020, Leigh Monson 10. "'Star Trek: Discovery' 3.09 Review: Terra Firma, Part 1". whattowatch.com. Retrieved 2021-01-01.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links

Category:Draft articles

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