Ad Astra Per Aspera

Strange New Worlds, the latest manifestation in the Star Trek franchise adds Una Chin-Riley to the menagerie of USS Enterprise Commanders to face court-martial.

The bar is high when it comes to these right of passage episodes, indeed, they may be the measure of success of any Trek series, so this one had to reach for the stars and boy does it get there. The only disappointment is I can't score it more than 10.

Not a phaser fired, a warp drive engaged, or a new alien encountered - yet this will surely be rated as one of THE greatest Trek episodes of all time.

Outstanding writing, clever plot, and a brilliant understanding of Trek law. Starfleet may not be perfect, but this episode probably is.

After a less than stellar season opener this was the episode that season 2 should have started off with. We don't need random super soldier formula, dragged out fights, or even Klingons. All we need is our captain and his crew, and stories of things that remind us of the world around us but told through that Trek lenses that we love so much. Season 2 has started.

I've always enjoyed when Star Trek tackles deeper real life issues. When things aren't always black and white but have that grey in them. This episode really focused on those issues. Star Trek is at its best when it focuses on things that make you think.

'Ad Astra Per Aspera' is Star Trek holding a mirror to our society (social criticism), a direct reflection of who we are, and a prescription for who we can be (for the better). That mirror has been part of Star Trek from the beginning and this episode does a great job of giving us a close up look, showing every blemish. Court room episodes have been used many times in Star Trek to make a point, and I believe 'Ad Astra Per Aspera' will stand beside 'The Measure of a Man', and 'The Drumhead' as one of the best.

To those who don't want to look in that mirror, I remind them that Gene Roddenberry once said, "Star Trek was an attempt to say that humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate, but take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms."

I think Roddenberry would be very proud of this episode.

Pike's first introduction to Star Trek was in the famous courtroom episode Menagerie so it's appropriate that SNW should do a standout courtroom episode of its own.

This was really written in the style of a lawyer show, with a lawyer depicted as being smart and eloquent in defending her client, even if she has misgivings about said client.

The details of the case seem plausible as an example of future jurisprudence. I was a bit skeptical that the Vulcan admiral would really be allowed to ask the defendant a question to implicate someone else (Pike). Shouldn't that be done in an independent investigation outside the courtroom? But that was the only questionable detail.

I also appreciated that Uhura actually refused to go along with an illegal command. Imagine that, crew members behaving professionally! But mainly this episode stood out for depicting how this crew has jelled as a team, as friends, and as a family,

However, I don't think the theme of "genetic modifications are perfectly okay" is going to stand up too long. Even in DS9's time, long after SNW, it was still a taboo. So I figure there's another shoe that's going to drop, maybe not till next season.

Star Trek is definitely more than just a sci-fi show. It is dreaming of a better society, a better system. Looking for places to improve. It questions norms, argues. It asks what can be done and how can be done. It tries to give answers. It experiments with ideas, extrapolates thoughts, tries to see how they will work in practice.

For example; identifies money as the cause of some problems. Then removes money and creates a world where money is not needed or money's functionality is provided by other means.

"Ad Astra Per Aspera" is one of those episodes that is less sci-fi but more psychological, sociological and philosophical. It has brought about an unexpected flood of emotions and thoughts.

Excellent text and excellent acting as well. The Star Trek in the recent years have been sort of okay, but I had kinda forgotten that I loved Star Trek. Today, I remembered.

I'll for sure be more aware of 'opportunities to be my better self' and try to seize them. :)