If you think about it for more than the second it took the writers to come up with the plot, this episode doesn't make much sense. Why would the Klingons leave their homeworld so vulnerable by having giant craters that expose its core and are possible to drop a bomb into? Why would these vents not be heavily guarded? Why couldn't Phillipa simply kill Michael when she comes from a universe where emotion is weakness? And why would a loyal Klingon suddenly switch sides to the Federation's side and threaten mass destruction of the Klingons? It's so easy to pick holes in the plot that it's incredible that they weren't spotted in the making of such a prestigious series. Or, more likely, they were spotted, but neither the writers nor CBS cared.
Oh, another thing. The moral dilemma (Do we blow up the Klingon homeworld, killing millions in the process, or do we find a peaceful solution? Peaceful of course, because we are Starfleet) is predictable in the way it turns out, and laughable. Yes, you could say that it's a good way to resolve the war as it shows how the Federation became the peaceful entity it is in the original Star Trek series. Except that doesn't make sense, as Enterprise comes before Discovery chronologically anyway. Oops.
Much of the dialogue is cringey, especially anything involving Ash. The moment where he chooses to leave with the Emperor is random and thoughtless, like much of this episode. But at least he leaves Michael some rope, because that's a reference to earlier in the episode where we saw him playing with rope and that MEANS SOMETHING (it means he likes rope).
Okay, there were a few things I liked. The visuals were excellent. Spending time on the Klingon homeworld was pretty good and the glimpse of the new Earth is nice. Michael and Sylvia got some good moments and it was interesting working out Phillipa's true motivation in what she was doing. That's enough to save this mediocre episode though.
Oh, another thing. The moral dilemma (Do we blow up the Klingon homeworld, killing millions in the process, or do we find a peaceful solution? Peaceful of course, because we are Starfleet) is predictable in the way it turns out, and laughable. Yes, you could say that it's a good way to resolve the war as it shows how the Federation became the peaceful entity it is in the original Star Trek series. Except that doesn't make sense, as Enterprise comes before Discovery chronologically anyway. Oops.
Much of the dialogue is cringey, especially anything involving Ash. The moment where he chooses to leave with the Emperor is random and thoughtless, like much of this episode. But at least he leaves Michael some rope, because that's a reference to earlier in the episode where we saw him playing with rope and that MEANS SOMETHING (it means he likes rope).
Okay, there were a few things I liked. The visuals were excellent. Spending time on the Klingon homeworld was pretty good and the glimpse of the new Earth is nice. Michael and Sylvia got some good moments and it was interesting working out Phillipa's true motivation in what she was doing. That's enough to save this mediocre episode though.