Star Trek: Enterprise — 3x13 — Proving Ground
Synopsis
An Andorian ship led by Commander Shran arrives in the Delphic Expanse to help Enterprise hone in on the Xindi superweapon.
Remarkable scenes
- The teaser, showing us Shran and the inside of his ship!
- Shran's antennae appearing over Archer's head... hah!
- The Xindi testing their weapon.
- Shran: "We are looking for a rare element... Archerite!"
- Shran: "Take us out of the system. But not too quickly. The Andorian mining consortium runs from no one!"
- Talas and Reed starting to get along.
- Archer crediting Gralik (Ent: The Shipment) for the Xindi prototype weapon's spectacular failure.
- The Kumari stealing the weapon.
- Shran betraying Archer.
- Archer threatening to use the Xindi activation codes to blow up the Xindi prototype while it's still aboard Shran's ship.
Review
Well, my complaint about wasting time that could be used on the Xindi arc with filler has finally been put to rest here. We get to see a new prototype for the planet killer weapon in action, we get to see an Andorian ship strut its stuff, and we get to see humans and Andorians working together, even if there is an ulterior motive for the Andorians. The ulterior motive was actually quite cool. The Andorians were totally in character the whole time and the cameo was more than welcome; this episode was just as good as the last Andorian showing, Ent: Cease Fire. My only complaint was that Shran was too loyal to the corrupt Imperial Guard. I would have liked to have seen a permanent human-Andorian alliance after this episode. Oh well. Hopefully they'll play a role again. I want to see more of Shran! What an awesome character.