Star Trek: The Original Series brought us the episode “Is There In Truth No Beauty?” Now, Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 Episode 8 brings us “Is There In Beauty No Truth?” This episode was written by Keith Sweet II and directed by Ruolin Li and Andrew L. Schmidt.
RELATED: Read our recap of the previous Star Trek: Prodigy episode, “The Fast and the Curious.”
Star Trek: Prodigy “Is There In Beauty No Truth?”
Aboard the USS Infinity, Zero (Angus Imrie) records a personal log for stardate 61881.4. They recount that it’s been a week since the events of “The Fast and the Curious.” Despite assistance from Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas), Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui), Gwyn (Ella Purnell), Dal R’El (Brett Gray) and Murf (Dee Bradley Baker), the Infinity is not equipped for such repairs.
A telepathic message interrupts Zero. Another Medusan has contacted them. There’s a colony of non-corporeal beings. They inform Zero they can fix their suit. Furthermore, the coordinates aren’t too far from their current location. Zero says the mission comes first. However, Gwyn says they’re going to get Zero the help they need. The USS Protostar can wait. Zero is ecstatic.
When the Infinity arrives at the colony, they find it populated by corporeal entities. Ion (Christine Rose Schermerhorn) greets them. Dal says they thought this was a colony of non-corporeals. Ion assures them they are. Their eyes are swirly. Ion explains that this planet has a unique ability to provide bodies to non-corporeal entities. From within their broken suit, Zero is amazed that Ion is corporeal.
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Jankom’s Bouquet
Ion announces that a feast transpires that night. Meanwhile, other locals take in Jankom’s bouquet. Ion shows the cadets around. They explain that the rings of the planet are degrading into the atmosphere. This affords unique hydrocarbon chains, allowing non-corporeal entities to create organic bodies. Ion says having a body is far more rewarding than Zero’s containment suit.
Zero asks if they can take part in this transfiguration. Ion tells them it is their choice. Rok is enthusiastic about the idea of bio-transference. Ion promises to take good care of Zero. Zero and their containment suit are placed in an ornate chamber. Another villager says Ion didn’t tell Zero everything. Ion says they offered Zero the choice. They’ll have to learn the rest for themselves.
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On the USS Voyager-A, the holo-cadets play parrises squares with Nova Squadron on the holodeck. Maj’el (Michaela Dietz) offers another round to demonstrate their unusual behavior to Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), The Doctor (Robert Picardo) and Tysess (Daveed Diggs). The Doctor observes their life signs are nominal but their personalities are strange.
Holo Dal, apparently possessing Zero’s personality, recalls The Doctor’s holonovel. This causes The Doctor to realize the real cadets have adopted his idea of holographic duplicates. Janeway orders all the holographic nodes but The Doctors’ to be shut off. The holo cadets vanish. The real cadets aren’t aboard. Tysess and Janeway deduce they stole the Infinity and escaped. Janeway orders the ship to reverse course and Holo Gwyn to be found.
The Feast of Senses
On the planet, Zero regains consciousness in their new body. They emerge from the chamber and walk on shaky legs. Ion appears and asks them how they feel. Zero is thrilled to experience sensations. They’re greeted by the rest of the cadets, who are awed. Rok and the rest hug them. Ion tells Zero they will experience more sensations at the Feast of Senses.
The feast involves singing and dancing. Zero approaches the buffet and goes wild. Then, they join other corporealized non-corporeals in dancing. Jankom urges Rok to join everyone on the dance floor. Meanwhile, Gwyn and Dal get some food. They observe that Zero looks joyful. Dal is glad Gwyn convinced them to bring Zero there.
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Ion approaches Gwyn and Dal. They ask about the crowns some of the partygoers are donning. Ion explains that these individuals are taking part in a race. This celebrates the “forgotten” sense—fear. Ion explains that the feeling of mortality makes them feel “most alive.” Furthermore, Ion reveals that non-corporeals who leave the planet will lose their bodies. Dal and Gwyn resolve to inform Zero of the truth.
The flower crowns are revealed at the race start point to draw the “Nazoth.” This turns out to be a giant creature that soars through the air. Anyone it captures will be digested within for eternity. The corporeal non-corporeals relish the sensations. Gwyn and Dal reveal Zero’s body will degrade if they leave the planet. Anyone who finishes the race will be too attached to their bodies to leave. Gwyn and Dal will support this, but Zero wants to know the score up front.
A Sense of Fear
However, they’re interrupted by Dal being swooped up by the Nazoth. Zero jumps in its mouth, too. The Nazoth takes off and climbs in altitude. Gwyn says they must lure it back. Meanwhile, Zero and Dal take in the view from inside the Nazoth’s mouth. The other cadets hurl flowers into the sky to attract the Nazoth. Zero is terrified but exhilarated. As the Nazoth nears the ground, Zero and Dal jump out.
The cadets cross the finish line. Ion asks them how they feel. Zero says the experience transforms them. They say they don’t want to leave. However, they point out that their friends risked their lives to clarify Zero’s choice. Zero says they belong with the cadets.
RELATED: Read all of our Star Trek: Prodigy recaps.
Zero concedes their body may degrade. But they say it could also be a journey of self-discovery. Whatever comes, they’ll take the path with their family. Ion says they’re proud to have met them. The cadets return to the Infinity, which takes off.
In Voyager’s sick bay, The Doctor has located Holo Gwyn and restored her personality. In the process, he’s determined that eight minutes of log are missing before Gwyn disappeared. Holo Gwyn is unfrozen. She seems scared. Janeway and Tysess ask Gwyn about what happened to the cadets. Gwyn shares the information about the secret message they received. But she says she can also hear “them.” She begins having flashbacks to the tentacle encounter. Holo Gwyn starts to panic. The Doctor deactivates her. Maj’el says it was like she was trapped in a bad memory. Janeway says they must find the cadets before whatever is searching for them does.
All 20 episodes of Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 are available to stream on Netflix.
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