7 Ups & 1 Down From Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 3.1 — Hegemony, Part II
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is back with a second half that largely rules.
The long wait is over. The long wait, through no fault of anyone involved, was chiefly worth it. Hegemony, Part II is an altogether admirable episode and a fine concluding half. It is also the first season-straddling two-parter with the same name since Star Trek: Enterprise's Shockwave and Shockwave, Part II. It is Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' first bona fide two-parter full stop.
Hegemony, Part II has all the hallmarks of great and classic Trek — alien threat, scientific solutions, engineering wizardry, space battles, phaser fights, dramatic scenes in sickbay and so on. Yet, in that, it falls short of something more extraordinary. It is a little too 'by the numbers,' moving from plot point to point, location to location, all too mechanically.
A certain lack of surprise was compounded by the fact that the opener was a re-watch of a New York Comic Con exclusive clip. Added to that were other teaser and trailer spoilers as to the survivors from Parnassus. Strange New Worlds is also forever condemned to hit a prequel wall of character expendability.
But then, those are minor criticisms in the grand scheme of things, and the grand scheme of things is now five seasons thanks to the powers that be. We'd better just enjoy it whilst we can.
9. UP — Arc Of The Camera Roll
Hegemony, Part II wastes no time in returning to the action. The longest wait for any '… and now the conclusion' is quickly forgotten as camera pulls back from star to follow Gorn hunters back to the Enterprise. "Orders, Captain?" Spoilt though it was at NYCC, this opener is simply thrilling. We, the audience, are spoilt by some fantastic direction on the part of Chris Fisher.
As the shot makes its way towards the Enterprise, it rotates a full 360 degrees, matching the pirouettes of the Gorn hunters. Plunging into the bridge, the camera then turns another 360, this time with Pike as its focal point. At the cliffhanger of Hegemony, and now here, Pike's world was spinning out of control on a moment of indecision.
The camera lands the right way up, and so does Pike. Turning around to face the lens, he shakes his confusion almost as quickly as it had arisen. Those orders are forthcoming.
At the end of the episode, the camera goes back to space to face the Enterprise as it flies out from the centre of the binary stars. As the ship moves past, the camera rolls over one last time from ventral to aft. The Enterprise travels away and onwards, glowing in reflected light.