Enjoying the series so far. I've heard the criticisms about whether this is Trek or not. I think it is. I have a friend who posits that the characters are actually in the Mirror Universe and are evil. No, there's no evil unless you're talking the evils of war and what humans, any of us, would do in a similar circumstance.
To say there's no precedence for these characters' behaviors is not to understand a few episodes across the Trek universe that were considered classics: DS9's "In the Pale Moonlight" where Sisko looks the other way while Garak assassinates the Romulan Senator Vreenak under false pretenses to bring the Romulans into the war with the Dominion. DS9, where Nog lost his leg, surrounded by Star Fleet officers who had the months-long task of holding their position against impossible odds -- those weren't your typical "Roddenberry" types. "Yesterday's Enterprise" where they were at war with the Klingons. Is anyone seeing a pattern here?
When Quark rightly spoke the following (paraphrased): Federation (Roddenberry) ideals are fine while your belly is full. Take that away and you really see who people are. Discovery is showing humanity for all it's worth...the good and the bad...in times of FREAKING WAR! That's real. That's appropriate.
I'll bet if Roddenberry were alive today, he would be onboard. Hey, even his son is.
If there had been an episode in any of the previous Treks where some character spoke a throwaway line that "there's only been one instance of mutiny in the history of Starfleet", I think the same critics would be onboard then.
And in spite of all this criticism, last eve's episode was a paean to so much Star Trek lore it was delicious...and to setup conflict via the tardigrade and resolve that same conflict in glorious "Roddenberry" fashion at the end was a beautiful thing. It's far more compelling to be in a dark place to eventually get to that Federation ideal we love so much...that's the conflict...that's the struggle...that's the tension. That's GOOD writing! It will make getting to that Utopia all the more sweet when it comes.
So, people, be realistic. Be reasonable. There's little more human than what was depicted in this episode. Chill out!
