The Protostar visits a society built in the Enterprise’s image in Star Trek: Prodigy’s latest episode, “All the World’s a Stage.” The thirteenth episode of Prodigy season 1 was written by Aaron J. Waltke and directed by Andrew L. Schmidt.
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In the Dauntless sick bay, Vice Admiral Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) asks The Diviner (John Noble) what he knows about the Protostar. The Diviner asserts that “they stole [his] daughter.” Commander Tysess (Daveed Diggs) arrives, accompanied by Doctor Noum (Jason Alexander).
Tysess says kidnapping doesn’t sound like Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran). The Diviner is shown a picture of Chakotay and he positively identifies him. He says he was taken prisoner, but his “mind is in pieces,” so he can’t remember what happened to them. Then he begins ranting about “his mission.” Noun tranquilizes him and says he needs rest.
Ensign Asencia (Jameela Jamil) arrives and says an escape pod from CR-721, launched by Barniss Frex, has been located. He was rescued by an unidentified vessel. The Dauntless is tracking the ship’s warp signature. Janeway says this isn’t a rescue mission any longer, but rather a manhunt.
Distress Signal
Captain’s Log, Stardate 61296.9. Captain Dal R’el (Brett Gray) explains that his crew’s shared dream of joining Starfleet has died. This is due to the “living construct” weapon concealed in a secret subdeck aboard the Protostar.
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In the previous episode, the crew learned there was no way to remove the weapon and no way to disarm it. As such, they can’t join Starfleet: any Federation-associated vessel will destroy itself, just like CR-721 did in “Asylum.” Nevertheless, Dal, Gwyn (Ella Purnell), Zero (Angus Imrie), and the rest of the crew are still wearing their uniforms and comm badges.
Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas) is unused to a problem he can’t solve. He continues attempting everything he can think of on the weapon, to no avail. In spite of the fact that they can’t so much as contact Starfleet, they’re using the Protostar to do good.
On the bridge, Hologram Janeway reports that she doesn’t know why the distress signal was sent. A subspace distortion field is interfering with their equipment. However she detects life signs. Gwyn says they should beam down and see if they can help.
Meanwhile Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui) cares for a sick Murf (Dee Bradley Baker). She implores him to eat something. Hologram Janeway assures Rok that he probably just needs rest. Gwyn tells her to remain with Murf, and they’ll call for her if they need her. Rok tries to fake a cough to get out of the away mission, but Dal is unconvinced and drags him along.
The Enterprizians
An away team consisting of Jankom, Dal, Gwyn and Zero successfully beam down to the planet. Dal comments on the duration of the beam-in. Zero surmises it’s the interference. While they can barely get a reading, they use their tricorder to locate two bio-signatures.
They follow the signal to a pair of aliens wearing stitched-together facsimiles of Starfleet uniforms. They fire a phaser-like weapon at Jankom. He falls to the ground, twitching and in pain but conscious.
The aliens are James’T (Baker) and Sool’u (Eric Bauza). They mistake the away team for a “Starflight Landing Party.”
Dal asks why he’s looking at Starfleet if they’re supposed to stay away from them. Hologram Janeway says it’s impossible. While Captains James T. Kirk and Hikaru Sulu are Starfleet legends, no Federation ship has been near the sector in a century. Plus, no record of First Contact with the planet is found.
Gwyn asks about the distress signal and James’T says she must mean the message of N’son. Sool’u says they must inform Starflight Command. Then he makes a mangled Vulcan salute and says, “Live logs, and proper.”
New Enterprize
The away team follows the pair to “New Enterprize,” a ground-based structure meant to emulate the Enterprise. The citizens of the structure, which contains a whole city, marvel at the away team. Gwyn says it’s like they’re playing make-believe, but Zero senses no deception from them.
They are greeted by Dr. Boons (Fred Tatasciore), who asks if they located “the cadet.” James’T says they must play the logs, and calls everyone to the bridge.
Familiar sound effects play as the Enterprizians sit down in front of a theater stage. A curtain adorned with an approximation of the Starfleet delta opens, revealing a reproduction of the Enterprise bridge. James’T begins performing, which elicits call-and-answer responses from an enraptured audience. Jankom munches on snacks as he watches.
The play tells of James’T (the lead actor’s namesake) and Sprock (“most illogical”). They arrived above the Enterprizian’s planet generations ago. Scott’ee announces that the people below need their help, but they can’t intervene. They need a hero.
That’s when N’son of Starflight Enterprise steps forward, communicator held aloft. The crimson-shirted N’son brought Starflight’s message of peace to the people. But he also warned that he had been followed by a monster: the gallows. The curse of the gallows claimed some foolhardy locals. A sickness arrived in the village, which the people believe to be the consequence of disturbing the gallows.
N’son spent his final months teaching them what he could. While he eventually died, he promised Starflight would come one day and rid them of the evil.
After waiting for generations, their saviors have finally arrived: the Protostar away team.
The Curse
Dal is heading back to the ship. Gwyn asks him what he’s doing, and says they need their help. But Dal says some Starfleet guy made First Contact with them too evil, and now they’re living a lie. Just like the Protostar crew.
But that’s when Huur’a enters New Enterprize, clutching her abdomen and gasping, “The gallows.” She collapses into Dal’s arms. Zero confirms this is not part of the play.
In the Enterprizian sick bay, Huur’a says she saw the gallows. It has two glowing eyes and breathes fires.
James’T says she’s plagued by the curse of their land. Dal says curses aren’t real. However, his hand shows the mark of the curse. Zero’s scans are being obstructed by the distortion field. They say they need to go to the source: the gallows.
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Roars erupt from an ominous cave. Meanwhile, on the Protostar, Rok continues to worry over Murf. She promises him it won’t hurt as she takes a sample. An incoming transmission from Gwyn for Hologram Janeway and Rok says that the away team needs Rok to bring down EV Suits and medical supplies ASAP. Rok says she’s on her way and tells Janeway to take good care of Murf.
Legends of Starflight
Soon Rok, Gwyn, and Jankom are suited up and head toward the gallows.
Back in sickbay, Huur’a tells Dr. Boons that she went to the cave because she believes in Starflight, and N’son told them to bravely explore. To help the helpless. Dr. Boons tells her she made Starflight proud.
Meanwhile, Dal grows stressed about his situation and beings to freak out. “Why did we think we could help,” he moans. But he calms when Dr. Boons places a wood leech on his neck. Boons explains that when the sickness began they determined their secretions decreased the immune response.
Boons says he knows how Dal must perceive them. He acknowledges their woefully incomplete knowledge and inferior equipment. Boons says N’son told their ancestors about the Prime Directive, and how the Enterpizians weren’t ready for their ideas. “We know we aren’t Starflight,” acknowledges Boons. “But you don’t need a real ship to believe in what it stands for.”
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He asks Dal if he believes in what it stands for.
The Gallows
Gwyn, Rok, and Jankom observe dead trees as they get closer to the gallows. Soon, they experience seismic activity. They approach the glowing cave. Inside are plentiful dilithium crystals. Jankom says he is afraid. Gwyn says she’s learned never to fear the truth.
Green clouds erupt and cause more seismic activity. The trio comes face-to-face with the pair of glowing red eyes that belong to the gallows. But it’s not “gallows,” it’s the Enterprise’s shuttlecraft Galileo. The ship’s warp engine is leaking plasma on the dilithium and causing a chain reaction. The cause of the sickness.
Gwyn attempts to contact Zero. Communication is a non-starter. Rok determines that this is the source of the comm interference, as well. Jankom says he’s studied his share of 23rd-century Starfleet ships. He asserts that he can fix the ship. Gwyn extols caution, but Jankom says he can’t call himself an engineer if they come across one more thing he can’t fix.
“If this thing goes sideways, promise me a royal Tellarite funeral,” says Jankom as he climbs into the Galileo.
In the sick bay, Boons tells Zero they’re losing Dal and Huur’a. Fortunately, Jankom successfully activates the shuttlecraft’s comm unit and uses it to contact Zero and explain the situation. This information is sufficient for Zero to synthesize an antidote. This revives Dal and Huur’a.
Dal orders Hologram Janeway to beam them out. But the distortion means she can’t get a lock on them. Furthermore, getting that close to the source will knock out the autopilot and Janeway, so she can’t rescue them herself. But how can Dal do it when he’s down three crew members?
He looks at the revived Huur’a and says, “maybe not.”
Warp Me
Dal and Zero beam onto the bridge of the Protostar along with Huur’a, James’T, and Sool’u. Hologram Janeway is skeptical. They want to be Starfleet, but can they command a starship? Dal says she just has to believe.
The Enterpizians are befuddled by the Protostar controls. Dal asks if Hologram Janeway has anything more “old school.” Janeway orders the computer to load “Constitution class holo-console, mid-23rd century.” A holographic version of the Enterprise bridge appears. It is instantly familiar to the Enterprizians, who take their stations promptly.
In the cave, things are falling apart. Gwyn and Rok join Jankom in the Galileo. They inadvertently activate the final message recorded for Starfleet by Ensign Garrovick (Tatasciore again; of Star Trek: Lower Decks):
“Hope’s a funny thing, isn’t it? I tried to do my duty. Salvaged what I could from the wreck. Went to save the locals from the danger before I fell to my injuries. But then, they welcomed me. Healed me. Gave me hope when I had none. In the end, they were the ones that saved me.”
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In the meantime, the Protostar navigates its way into the collapsing cave. Before the Galileo can fall into the molten plasma/dilithium combo, the Enterprizians beam Gwyn, Rok, and Pog aboard. The ship flies out of the cave and lands outside New Enterprize.
They are greeted as heroes by the New Enterprizians. Including the trio of locals.
Captain’s Log, Supplemental
Dal says people can surprise you sometimes. He says they found a new chapter of Starfleet today. While they may have gotten a few things wrong, they got a few things right.
The Protostar crew models the correct way to execute the Vulcan salute for the Enterprizians.
Janeway says the rules on Second Contact are a bit fuzzy. It’s up to the Enterprizians on how they want to evolve.
Jankom leads the Enterpizians in sealing off the poisonous cave using combined phaser fire. Zero gives Boons a suitcase full of medical equipment.
Dal says that if the Enterprizians can accomplish so much without even a ship, maybe they can too.
A new Enterpizian play incorporates a cut-out of Jankom. Dal says that if they need to, they’ll find a way to reach Starfleet without the Protostar.
Later, Rok returns to find Murf missing. She follows a trail of slime and finds him in a cocoon near the ceiling.
RELATED: Read all of our recaps of Star Trek: Prodigy!
New episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy are available for streaming Thursdays on Paramount Plus.
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