Ep 6. Lethe

After the thrilling events of the previous episode "Choose Your Pain", "Star Trek: Discovery" season 1 returns with the sixth episode "Lethe". This episode is directed by Douglas Aarniokoski and written by Ted Sullivan and Joe Menosky. The episode airs on October 22, 2017, on CBS All Access and on November 6, 2017, on Netflix for the international audience.

"Lethe" is an intense and emotionally charged episode that features a lot of character development. The episode explores the backstory of one of the main characters, Sarek, who is Spock's father. In the previous episodes, Sarek has been shown as a cold and distant figure, but in "Lethe", the audience gets a glimpse of what led him to be that way.

The episode opens with Sarek (James Frain) preparing for a diplomatic mission on board the U.S.S Discovery. Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) also boards the ship with him after resigning from the position of the first officer due to the guilt of her previous decisions. After the ship departs, Sarek receives a message from his wife Amanda (Mia Kirshner), who is on Earth. The message reveals that his life is in danger and he needs to be extra careful during his mission.

As they near their destination, the ship is intercepted by a Vulcan vessel and a communication is opened between them. The Vulcan ambassador, Sarek's rival for the position of "Vulcan Hello," accuses Sarek of having lied about his human wife and therefore being unsuitable for the position. Burnham defends Sarek and manages to convince the ambassador that Sarek is the best candidate.

After their success, Sarek claims he is too exhausted to continue and requests that Burnham undertake the final stage of the mission. However, his request is refused, and he takes himself out of the running for "Vulcan Hello," revealing to Burnham why he wants her to undertake the mission by sharing a powerful, psychic strand of his Katra (the Vulcan word for soul).

In a beautifully crafted flashback, we see young Sarek being put through the trial of his own soul, or the Kahs-wan, by his father, a method of testing one's own mental and physical ability, undertaken by any Vulcan undergoing the Kohlinar education. However, rather than succeed, he collapses in the intensely arid and dangerous desert of Vulcan. His human mother Amanda aids him and puts herself in grave danger. In the present, Sarek's condition worsens and the Discovery lies close to destruction.

"Lethe" is an episode that takes the audience back to the traditional Star Trek roots of mystery and philosophy. It's an exploration of what it means to be human and what it means to be Vulcan. "Lethe" also takes a deep dive into the relationship between a father and a daughter. The episode creates a bond between Burnham and Sarek and gives them an emotional depth beyond what we have seen in previous episodes.

In terms of scientific exploration, "Lethe" delves into the psychic abilities of Vulcans and the power of the Katra. It's one of the few episodes that doesn't feature any space battle or action scenes, yet it keeps the audience engaged throughout due to its strong storyline and character development.

Overall, "Lethe" is an episode that takes "Star Trek: Discovery" to new heights. Its focus on character development and exploration of emotional relationships is a fresh take on the traditional Star Trek formula. It's an episode that is sure to leave a lasting impact on the show and its fans.