Ad Astra Per Aspera

Wonderfully written and acted very emotional episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. I don't think I will ever see the Una character in the same way, a great background story. I guess the people who love Star Trek will now remember Starfleet code 8514 forever. Don't mind the naysayers, this is one of the best Star Trek episodes I have ever seen.

While Starfleet isn't perfect, it'd be wonderful if we can achieve something similar for humanity's future in real life. That's why I always enjoyed watching the Star Trek series. It brings out the best of humanity and shows us we can do better.

Let's hope the future episodes will continue at this level!

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.

'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.

Ad Astra Per Aspera" provides a welcome breather from the fast pace of the season opener, focusing on a trial and drawing parallels to real-world issues. Number One's experience cleverly resonates with various struggles, without being too preachy and in your face, such as people hiding their identities or individuals unable to live openly. While the episode offers a just resolution for Number One, it acknowledges that the larger issue is not fully resolved and that Starfleet still has work to do.

It may not be Gene Roddenberry's space wagon action episode but probably explores Roddenberry's original vision of a modern society of the future more than most.

Overall, writers and director Valerie Weiss offer a wonderfully crafted and shot court room-type episode while the cast particularly Mount, Peck, Romijn and Chong are outstanding offering emotional depth.

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.