Star Trek: Enterprise — 3x18 — Azati Prime
Synopsis
Archer sets out on a suicide mission to destroy the Xindi superweapon as Enterprise faces a brutal attack.
Remarkable scenes
- Travis and Trip grazing the Enterprise hull with the insectoid shuttle.
- Archer destroying the remote Xindi lunar outpost.
- The sight of the underwater complex and the weapon.
- Daniels bringing Archer to Enterprise-J.
- Archer's interrogation.
- Dolim: "Is this a preemptive strike?" Archer: "I thought that was your specialty." Dolim: "You don't want to know my specialty." Archer: "Let me guess, stinking up the room?"
- Archer telling Dolim about the Earth dinosaurs and turtle soup.
- Archer meeting with Degra.
- The Xindi ships devastating Enterprise.
Review
A real thriller, but brings up some important questions. We learn that the sphere builders are transdimensional aliens who are terraforming the expanse to suit their needs. But if they can go back 1000 years and build the spheres, why can't they go back 1000 years and destroy Earth? Did they simply communicate with a species 1000 years ago and instruct them to build the spheres like they're instructing the Xindi to destroy Earth? If so, why didn't they instruct that species 1000 years ago to destroy Earth while it was still totally helpless? Furthermore, what's going on with T'Pol? Her blatant displays of emotion over the last several episodes have been not very Vulcan. One wonders if this is leading up to something or if the writers are just abusing her character again. Other than this, Azati Prime is a satisfactory climax for the Xindi arc. I'm a little annoyed that we get another overdose of time travel, but it doesn't really spoil the fun of Archer's capture and the Xindi nearly destroying Enterprise. Lots of eye candy, lots of fun to watch.