As the impending threat of a Klingon excursion draws nearer and nearer, the crew of the USS Discovery continues in earnest their mission to map the Qo’Nos and hopefully end this war once and for all. As the season finale, “Will You Take My Hand?” is sure to conclude this tumultuous adventure and hopefully establish future seasons to come.
Oh, Spoilers by the way!
So, before we address THAT ending, it would be prudent to briefly analyze the events that preceded it, including the importance (or apparent lack thereof) of them to the season as a whole.
Lead by the villainous Terran Emperor Georgiou, Tilly, Burnham, and Tyler make the unenviable journey to the location perfect to distribute the drone able to map the entirety of this hostile planet from the inside out.
In a clear departure from the typical Star Trek style of storytelling, the group encounters a marketplace rife with gambling, debauchery and sexually motivated forms of interrogation, an experience straight out of Georgiou’s wildest fantasies.
Entwined amongst the villainy is a fairly standard climax to the difficulties between Burnham and Tyler and a frankly hilarious interaction between Star Trek TOS alum Clint Howard’s resident character and Tilly. Her initial reluctance to take part in the recreational activities before her makes for one of the most unexpected lines so far. Merely hearing a Starfleet crew member say the words “I’m high” blew my mind and filled my heart with such joy at how far these writers are willing to go to push their vision.
Credit must also be given to Mary Wiseman, the unquestionable MVP of “Will You Take My Hand?”. Every scene is again stolen by her mere presence. The sheer optimism and exuberance displayed is something I will personally miss between now and the start of the next episode, especially considering the seed laid by Georgiou regarding her genuine self.
Anyway, as a whole, the episode rushed through particular factors otherwise given further depth. The way in which the war ends does not befit the journey we’ve traveled to reach this point, and the abject disregard to crew members Rhys, Detmer, Airiam, and Owosekun during the final puff of the chest toward the end baffled in comparison to the others.
Now then, on to that final scene. On the way to collect their new Captain from Vulcan, Discovery encounters a Level 1 distress call. Although the reveal was ever so slightly delayed, the realization of its origin becomes almost instantly clear. It’s Captain Pike and the crew of the USS Enterprise!! Accompanied by its familiar score, the grandiose Ship arrives before the Discovery to stare down their counterpart in a more than enticing way.
What does this mean? Why do they need their help? How will this meeting affect the canon we all know and love? According to Jason Isaacs, we aren’t due to find out until 2020, so get your theories in now folks.
Overall, a slightly underwhelming end to a season swamped with intriguing characters, mind-blowing visual effects, and a willingness to boldly go where no Star Trek series has gone before.
