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Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley) works with a previously unknown sub-species of Andorian to stop a deadly plot on Enterprise.
Another arc has concluded, and unlike the last one, this trilogy served to enrich Enterprise more than Star Trek as a whole. I think because of that, I found it more enjoyable.
After we — the audience — learn that an Andorian-like species has been operating the Romulan’s remote controlled drone, Shran reveals that there is a sub-species of Andorians called, the Aenar. The Aenar are highly telepathic, and the Romulans have been using one of them to control the drone.
The pale-skinned minority lives secluded and are pacifists. Archer and Shran journey to Andoria to contact the Aenar, and soon learn that one of them was abducted several months earlier. Although the Aenar refuse to help defeat the Romulan drone because of their disgust of violence, one of them volunteers to go. It was her brother that was kidnapped by the Romulans, and she wants to help save him.
To combat the Romulan device, the Enterprise crew create their own telepathic amplifier. The Aenar girl uses the device, but it could prove deadly as she struggles to reach out to her brother.
One of the things that I’ve noticed more and more in this fourth season is how the show has given the guest characters more onscreen time. In this arc, Shran is really given quite a few scenes, and in this episode the Aenar girl, Jhamel, grabs some good screen time as well. I liked the development seen here of Andorian society, with the introduction of a previous unheard of species.
What I didn’t like, however, was the subplot concerning Trip and T’Pol. I really just wanted that bit to be over, yet now it seems its going to get dragged out even longer. Talk about pulling a character down. Trip really was one of the more interesting characters in the sense that he was hotheaded and often acted without thinking. I liked that part of him. I’m not saying he was the most interesting character in Trek history, but at least he was likeable.
But, now he requests a transfer off Enterprise because he can’t get over his love for T’Pol? I mean, wow, talk about soap opera nonsense.
Trip’s entire character has suddenly become about this relationship, and that’s just sad. At least with T’Pol, the relationship was a growing experience, something that played to her cold, logical character. It was a conflict for her. But with Trip, it doesn’t do any service for him. He doesn’t learn or change or grow from the experience. The storyline doesn’t offer anything for him, and now they’re making him into this weak, sappy goofball who decides to run away. I don’t know, just came off to me as rather pathetic.
I think it’s interesting that he’s transferring to the new Starfleet ship, the Columbia, and with the end of the series coming that could possibly have new meaning. But his reasons were just so lame, and only served to weaken the character, I’m left hoping they’ll find some way to redeem him before the series concludes.
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