Star Trek: Enterprise — 1x23 — Fallen Hero

Aired 2002-05-08

SpaceOpera.com rating:7

Average reader rating:5.22

Synopsis

Archer is ordered to transport Vulcan Ambassador V'Lar, an early role model of T'Pol's, from a planet where her integrity has been called into question.

Remarkable scenes

T'Pol's expression of concern in the teaser.
V'Lar's strange behavior when boarding Enterprise.
Trip insinuating that Reed enjoys space battles.
Archer deciding to outrun the Mazarite ships.
V'Lar explaining that Earth's World War III was the reason for her mistrust of humans.
Archer: "Archer to Engineering." Trip: "Please tell me you're ready to slow down." Archer: "Sorry Trip, but we need a little more speed." Trip: "I don't know how much more I can give you!" Archer: "It's called a warp five engine!" Trip: "On paper!"
Enterprise reaching warp 5.
The Enterprise crew putting on a performance for the Mazarites.
V'Lar regarding Archer and T'Pol: "I sense a great bond between you. A bond of trust and respect. But also a bond of friendship. I think it bodes well for the future relations of our two peoples."

Review

A nicely entertaining action episode with another embedded Vulcan mystery. But unlike episodes like Ent: Breaking the Ice, we get valuable insight into why Vulcans distrust humans so much. It's humanity's history. Having barely survived a global war, Vulcans offer their assistance but remain skeptical that Earth has really learned from its mistakes. Even the nicest Vulcan we've met so far, V'Lar, has trouble trusting humans. But alas, she does. Her giving into her preconceptions symbolizes the "bond of friendship" that humans and Vulcans will one day have.

1 reader comment

I liked this episode. I really liked this episode. In a lot of ways, this is what Star Trek is and should be.
However, like every episode of Enterprise there is always a moment when things start to unravel and stop making sense. 9 times out of 10 it is due to Archer, and this episode falls into the 9 times category. Putting aside Archers decision to turn the ship around (I'm just going to ignore it), it's his absolutely convoluted and ridiculously complicated plan (that never should have worked) at the end that made me have to roll my eyes once again.
Instead of getting into how ridiculous all the theatrics were and that the Mazarite captain fell for a trick a 5 year old wouldn't fall for, I'm just going to point out one thing. The second the Mazarite captain boarded Enterprise it was checkmate. Archer won. With him on board the Mazarites had no leverage. It was over. The fact that they let the Mazarites keep their weapons and let the whole drama unfold was ridiculous. Just once I'd like to see consequences to such incompetence.
by Zorak | 09/25/2016 at 5:52 pm