‘EMBRACING THE WINDS’ (STC)
Please feel free to comment on my review.
The seventh episode of ‘Star Trek Continues’ called ‘Embracing the Winds’ is another enjoyable instalment in the fan-made ‘Star Trek’ series. It’s an episode that begins a story arc on a certain mystery as well as addressing an issue from an original series episode. 🙂
In the episode, Kirk and Spock travel in a shuttlecraft to the Federation starbase on Corinth IV for a classified briefing. Sulu and Dr. McKennah join them, as Sulu intends to visit a museum whilst McKennah intends to follow up on the changes in the Orion society.
This is a reference to the events of the second episode of the series ‘Lolani’ where slave girls in the Orion society are an issue. I like the scene between Kirk, Spock, Sulu and McKennah in the shuttlecraft, as it highlights some of their character aspects in the series. 🙂
Sulu also mentions that one of his ancestors grew up in an internment camp during World War II. This happens to be a homage to George Takei, the first actor to play Sulu in the original TV series, who apparently spent time in an internment camp during World War II.
At the starbase, Kirk and Spock are greeted by Erin Gray as Commodore Laura Gray. This isn’t the first time Commodore Gray has been in the ‘Star Trek Continues’ series, since she appeared in ‘Lolani’, albeit via a viewscreen in Kirk’s quarters aboard the Enterprise.
In her office, Commodore Gray informs Kirk and Spock the crew of the starship Hood has been lost due to life support systems failure. The mystery of the Hood and its crew is part of the story arc featured in ‘Star Trek Continues’. This does get resolved in the two-part finale.
The Enterprise has been sent to tow the Hood starship home. Due to several losses across the quadrant (Beta Quadrant, I think), the Hood starts out again and will need experienced officers assigned to it. 🙂 Spock is then offered a promotion to be the captain.
This is something that wasn’t expected, as Spock does end up becoming a captain in the ‘Star Trek’ movies. Although Kirk is surprised by this announcement, as he knows he’s going to lose his first officer. It’s very nice that gets touched upon throughout the episode.
There’s a complication though. Gray informs Kirk and Spock that Commander Diana Garrett, first officer of Earth’s Space Dock, has applied for the captaincy of the Hood but was turned down. 😐 Garrett has launched a formal appeal, stating she’s been overlooked.
The reason why Garrett believes she’s been overlooked is because she’s a woman. This ties to an issue I raised in my review on the final original ‘Star Trek’ episode in Season 3 called ‘Turnabout Intruder’ where I questioned women not being allowed to be a captain.
I questioned it because I assumed that surely women would be allowed to be a starship captain in the 23rd century. I also raised the point that Dr. Janice Lester, who took control of Kirk’s body to be captain of the Enterprise, was mentally unstable and wanted revenge.
Now ‘Embracing the Winds’ does address these issues I raised about ‘Turnabout Intruder’ and it does it quite well with how gender equality is still an issue, even by today. Apparently, whilst there are female captains within Starfleet, there aren’t female starship captains. 😐
‘Turnabout Intruder’ was also written at a time where sexism was still quite a thing in 1969. So, it’s good how an episode like this in ‘Star Trek Continues’ addresses the issues I identified in my review for ‘Turnabout Intruder’ by providing quite a modern resolution. 🙂
It’s also interesting to learn that Tellarite diplomacy may be a factor in this, as 100 years ago, the Federation was formed due to an alliance of humans, Vulcans, Andorians and Tellarites. The Tellarite society frowns on females being starship captains within Starfleet.
Commodore Gray asks Kirk to interview Garrett on whether she’s a suitable candidate for the Hood starship or not. Kirk does so and we’re introduced to Diana Garrett, played by Clare Kramer. The interview doesn’t go well once Kirk brings up an incident on Nimbus III.
That’s the planet in ‘Star Trek V: The Final Frontier’. Garrett becomes defensive when she refuses to discuss the incident. She calls a halt to the interview and departs, leaving Kirk dumbfounded. Doubt begins to seed in him on whether Garrett is right for the captain job.
Later, Gray informs Kirk that Garrett has now demanded a formal hearing to determine the captaincy of the starship Hood. The board is to be presided by Gray, Kirk and Beau Billingslea as Vice Admiral Stromm, who happens to be Vulcan and a black Vulcan at that.
The hearing scenes featured in the episode did put me in mind of the ‘Court Martial’ episode from Season 1 where Kirk was put on trial. Though Kirk isn’t put on trial, since it’s Spock and Garrett being questioned about their credibility to become a starship captain.
When Spock takes the stand during the hearing, Stromm questions whether his emotions and his human heritage played a part in his career choices. A reference is made to the time when he turned down admission to the Vulcan Science Academy as a younger man.
This is a reference to the 2009 ‘Star Trek’ film from the Kelvin timeline where a similar thing happened. Whilst I have issues regarding that ‘Star Trek’ film and the Kelvin timeline overall, it’s good it’s referred to in this Prime timeline version of ‘Star Trek’ in this episode.
When Garrett takes the stand, the Nimbus III incident is brought up again to challenge her reliability as a potential starship captain. Garrett insists she didn’t do anything wrong during that incident, though it’s noted she tends to react with hostility in some situations.
Meanwhile, the Enterprise, commanded by Scotty, manages to find the Hood starship out in deep space. Scotty takes an away team, including him and Uhura, to investigate more about what’s going on with the Hood. Soon, the Hood’s engines mysteriously go crazy. 😮
Chekov manages to find a way to get Scotty, Uhura and the rest of their away team back to the Enterprise ship by utilising a dangerous duotronic algorithm to the Hood. This works, although it causes Chekov to collapse before the Enterprise ship leaves the Hood.
The Hood explodes in space, leaving the mystery unresolved. In sick bay, Scott gives Chekov a reprimand before telling him that he’s been promoted to lieutenant junior grade for his commendable service. I’m pleased Chekov received his promotion in this episode.
Back on Corinth IV, Gray, Kirk and Stromm are informed of the Hook’s destruction during the hearing with Spock and Garrett. Whilst the Hood has been destroyed, Garrett declares the issue of female officers being overlooked for captaincy is still unresolved. 😐
In the last scene of the episode, Kirk and Spock meet up with Garrett one last time. Kirk and Garrett part on good terms, with Garrett hoping that one day a Garrett will command an Enterprise. 🙂 Which does happen by the time we get to ‘TNG’s ‘Yesterday’s Enterprise’.
‘Embracing the Winds’ has been a very enjoyable and insightful instalment in the ‘Star Trek Continues’ series. I’m pleased it gets to address the issues that I raised in my ‘Turnabout Intruder’ episode review and how it addresses gender equality being an issue.
‘Embracing the Winds’ (STC) rating – 8/10
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