Rogue Planet

I can't believe somebody wrote an episode of a 'rogue planet' that apparently lost orbit and has no sun, is somehow M-class, and yet without that sun is somehow habitable at a reasonable temperature.

Last time I checked, the temperature of a planet is determined by it's distance from a heat/light source, ie a sun.

Without the sun, the planet would quickly freeze to a very(!) cold temperature.

Even with our planet still reliably in orbit, we still experience drastic temperature changes from day to night and season to season.

What the heck were they thinking?

I rather enjoyed it.

I had to dismiss the concept that a Rogue Planetoid would have not only a breathable "M-Class" atmosphere and temperature, but green plants without any Sunlight to make them green. But I suppose the "Greens" department didn't have time to paint them purple or whatever Colour plant life would have in such an environment.

What I enjoyed was the Archer plot that included a "Woman" from a poem he read, and the nature of who that woman really was. In my mind, it was a nod to Odo and the Shapeshifters from DS9, which was my Favourite part of that series.

And the fact that they kept the nature of these Rogue Inhabitants a mystery until the end of the episode. It was also a statement about people who will hunt endangered animals, with no thought to species survival. Even if the animals on our planet are not intelligent, we are the stewards of all life on earth, we have a poor record on how we deal with that stewardship. And today, we have leaders who don't seem to care about that, who would destroy our natural parks just for Profit and "Free Market" sake. They can't seem to get a grip on the fact that these are limited resources and should be respected and protected.

What I enjoyed was Archer's discovery of the issue and his tactful handling of the problem at hand.

Archer relives the Yeats of his youth. Brilliant.

"The Song of Wandering Aengus" W B Yeats 1899

I went out to the hazel wood, Because a fire was in my head, And cut and peeled a hazel wand, And hooked a berry to a thread; And when white moths were on the wing, And moth-like stars were flickering out, I dropped the berry in a stream And caught a little silver trout. When I had laid it on the floor I went to blow the fire a-flame, But something rustled on the floor, And someone called me by my name: It had become a glimmering girl With apple blossom in her hair Who called me by my name and ran And faded through the brightening air. Though I am old with wandering Through hollow lands and hilly lands, I will find out where she has gone, And kiss her lips and take her hands; And walk among long dappled grass, And pluck till time and times are done, The silver apples of the moon, The golden apples of the sun.

I believe this was supposed to be a Chakotay episode on Star Trek: Voyager. Seems like it was either discarded from VOY season 7, or was supposed to be a season 8 installment. As VOY had only 7 seasons and the story was too god to be abandoned, it was recycled as an ENT episode. It may seem very unusual as an ENT episode, but consider it a VOY episode, centered on Chakotay in order to enjoy it.

Quite different from previous episodes, "Rogue Planet" has a mythic quality about it that is quite appealing. It reveals a romantic (or Romantic with a capital R) side of Archer, while underscoring the humanism that makes him a true Roddenberry character, fighting for what is right.

The Enterprise's mini-adventure on a Rogue Planet that has escaped from its star system is nicely visualized in sets depicting jungle and cave, all taking place at night. Archer & crew encounter the Eska, humanoids from a distant star system who travel to this planet to hunt, supposedly lower forms of wildlife. The secret of what they're up to is nicely teased out, and Archer's own adventure responding to the siren call of a "nightgowned lady" he seems to know has a mystical aspect, all leading to a moving ending. Archer's sense of fair play is the key theme here.

Guest star Stephanie Niznik had previously appeared in the movie: "Star Trek: Insurrection", and is an effective and elusive heroine for Archer here.