Countdown

This episode begins with the Reptilian and Insectoid Xindi having stolen the super-weapon. While they need a third code to launch the weapon, the Aquatics are neutral and the Arboreal and Primate Xindi are against it. So how will they get this third code? They have kidnapped Hoshi and have used brain medicine on her to make her help them decrypt the Aquatics' code!

In the meantime, Archer learns that the combined Arboreal and Primate fleets cannot defeat the Reptilians/Insectoids so he must appeal to the Aquatics to try to get them to intervene and throw the balance towards the good guys. But, even if they do, the temporal jerks may try something to prevent a good guy victory.

This show is the most action-packed in the long multi-part show about the Xindi/Human war. Lots of explosions, betrayals and nastiness make it very exciting and well worth seeing.

The Reptilian forces Hoshi through brainwash to decipher the code of the Aquatics and activate the weapon with the Insectoids and their own codes. Archer manages to convince the Aquatics to help them against the Reptilian, promising to help them to destroy the sphere system in the Expanse. The Humanoids, the Arboreals and the Aquatics join the Enterprise and they battle against the Reptilian and Insectoids. Meanwhile Major Hayes and his team are beamed to the Reptilian vessel where Hoshi is imprisoned. When the enemy is near to be defeated, the Sphere-Builders cause a strong anomaly destroying many ships and allowing the Reptilian to escape through a vortex.

"Countdown" is another engaging episode, with a great star battle and dramatic fate of important characters. The saga of the Enterprise in the expanse seems to be near to the end with many casualties. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Contagem Regressiva" ("Countdown")

Just like the "10C" from Discovery. Non Humanoid, hard to talk to. And Trek brought them to life.

The Female Guardian is a BEEP though, Ugh Shudder. Perfect casting, I recently saw an interview with the woman who played that part, you would never know.

The Senior Senior Trekker Speaks. And I've been that ever since "The Man Trap" premiered on NBC and The Salt Vampire tried to suck out Kirk's salt. I was 8 years old.

This is where everything kicks into high gear.

The Xindi storyline, if the pertinent episodes were lined up back to back, would only fill about six to eight full episodes. Season three kept on having side trips to "Loqueckeck" and Northstar and Carpenter Street, even though Carpenter Street was part of the story.

And we miss Degra, but his legacy continues in this two part finale, four parts if you include Storm Front 1&2.

The Xindi Insectoids wake up, but it's too late.

So now it is a race to Earth. Fortunately Enterprise will have unexpected help...

And Robert Duncan McNeil's direction is definitely NOT weak. Otherwise he would not be producing Resident Alien these days... he is a fine director.