Star Trek: Discovery review, Episode 308: “The Sanctuary”

The plot thickens and the mystery of the Burn comes closer to being solved in an exciting, action-packed episode of Star Trek: Discovery.

The last few episodes of Star Trek: Discovery have been light on the action and heavy on set-up. Fans were patient, and now things are heating up. “The Sanctuary” starts to connect the dots on some of the season’s lingering mysteries, and delivers some much-needed space battles.

There’s a lot to get excited about as we head into the home stretch of season 3, and it’s anyone’s guess where the show takes us next. “The Sanctuary” raises the stakes in thrilling fashion.

The episode starts by reminding us that Georgiou Phillipa is having disturbing visions that hamper her ability to operate effectively and interrupt her hilarious banter, which is dire indeed. She tries to dissuade Dr. Culber and Commander Burnham from helping her, but they’re on the case anyway.

Things really kick into high gear when Book tells Brunham that his brother, who has spent the last 15 years dealing with Osyraa and the Emerald Chain, sent him a message. He asks Burnham to go with him, and she runs it up the chain to Captain Saru and Admiral Vance.

It turns out Book’s planet was in trouble and the Emerald Chain helped handle it, but not in the same way the Federation does. Osyraa and her organization exploit lower level civilizations, the exact opposite of what Starfleet does. According to Vance, there are many other worlds going through the same thing.

Reluctantly, they head to Book’s planet as observers, under orders to leave at the first sight of trouble. Back on the mining planet Book was trapped on, Osyraa deals with her nephew’s mistakes and showcases how terrifying her can be by feeding her own kin to a deadly Transworm.

“The Sanctuary” — Ep#308 — Pictured: Sonequa Martin-Green as Commander Burnham and David Ajala as Book of the CBS All Access series STAR TREK: DISCOVERY. Photo Cr: Michael Gibson/CBS ©2020 CBS Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Back on the Discovery, Ensign Tilly is thriving in her new position as First Officer. Before they take off, she and Captain Saru learn that Stamets and Adira have figured out when the Burn started, thanks to the SB-19 data and the black boxes Burnham collected. It started in the Veruban Nebula, where even now someone (or something) is sending a signal.

The signal is music, the same music heard by Adira’s boyfriend Grey and the mother on the Seed Vault vessel, as well as Burnham. They claim it started once the Discovery arrived in the future, and eventually figure out that it’s a Federation distress call.

When they arrive at Book’s planet, they are unable to hail it, and their instruments indicate that Osyraa’s heavy cruiser class warship the Viridian is inbound. Elsewhere on the ship, Phillipa undergoes through several medical tests to find out what is wrong with her, with her hating every second of it.

Ryn, who was imprisoned for rebelling against the Emerald Chain, demands to be sent to the planet’s surface with Book. After Tilly tells him to check his attitude, she explains that Osyraa is on the way, and he quickly changes his tune.

When Book and Burnham reach the Sanctuary, they are introduced to sea locusts, and we get one of the most visually stunning scenes of the season so far. It gets even cooler when Book uses his face tattoo mind powers to get them to dance, but the fun ends when Book’s brother takes both of them prisoner in an attempt to secure Ryn for Osyraa.

When the Viridian arrives, Captain Saru takes a diplomatic approach with Osyraa. It doesn’t go well. She accuses them of harboring a wanted criminal, Ryn. When they don’t give him over, Osyraa threatens Book and Burnham, who are now in her custody.

Not getting any results, Osyraa begins to carpet bomb the planet. Despite orders from the Admiral, Saru goes Red Alert, as he cannot allow the killing of innocent people if the Discovery can do something about it.

To make it appear as though the Federation isn’t attacking the Emerald Chain, the plan is to have a Starfleet pilot take Book’s ship and get severely reprimanded for firing on Osyraa’s ship. Detmer is the obvious choice for such a task, with Ryn along for the ride to show her where the powerful vessel’s weaknesses are.

While Detmer and Ryn join battle, Burnham and Book take on all comers on the surface as they try to help the people of the planet. After the battle is over, Book and his brother come to terms and use the Discovery’s technology to use their empath powers to fix their planet’s issues, no longer being in need of Osyraa and the Emerald Chain.

Osyraa’s ship is heavily damaged and threatens the Federation with revenge. Ryn reveals to Tilly that the Emerald Chain is running out of Dilithium. Book tells Brunham he wants to become part of the Discovery’s team.

There were a bunch of game-changers in this episode, from the crazy Federation distress signal to learning the origin of the Burn to the promise of payback from Osyraa. There were plenty of great performances as well, along with heartfelt moments between characters. It was a well-balanced episode..

The space fight sequences were well-crafted and very entertaining. The show has done a fantastic job with the visual effects all season.

It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming weeks, particularly with Phillipa’s situation worsening.

Episode Grade: A

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