Hot take. I liked this episode. I felt is landed better then most of the other gimmicks like the puppet episode.

I do believe this season has REALLY been stretching my suspension of disbelief, but I feel a Q episode works well enough as a way to make people perform out of character while also doing some character development.

I just feel like the character development feels a bit weird.

I feel like Ortegas is a simple premise for a character, but I feel like she has had the best, and most realistic character work.

M’Benga, I feel like his character is all over the place. He’s like a vengeful war veteran, a bit of PTSD, yet a caring healer. The tone of his character is wild.

But it was actually nice to give them both a bit of screen time together. If it wasn’t for the stuff around it being complete nonsense, it was honestly pretty heartwarming.

And I’ve been waiting for Sybok to get some screen time for so long, and then they take it away from me! I would have loved it if they had really had him, and have him played by Ethan Peck. Just play all of that complete nonsense straight! They foreshadowed he’d play a role, and you have no idea how insanely disappointed I am. Like he really could use some character development, so Star Trek V doesn’t feel like it just comes out of nowhere.

I also did find it interesting how they did weave Pike’s and Uhura’s shared drama of loosing their families. Its something I never thought they’d bother to deal with. And I thought they handled it pretty well.

Also, hilarious that Chapel had an entire adventure off screen. Honestly, kind of what seems like happens to Chapel all the time, like when everyone turned in to Vulcans.

So…I actually like this episode.

EDIT: Also stay tuned for the post credit scene for this episode.