10 Best Pike Moments In Star Trek Discovery
3. Through The Valley Of Shadows
The time crystal storyline in Discovery season two was a mixed bag. It seems relatively convenient that Boreth was home to mysterious time crystals that were exactly what Burnham needs to fix the suit. A macguffin if ever there was one!
However, pushing that to the side for a second, the chance to see the future is always fun in Star Trek, allowing characters to gain a different perspective on the current drama. For Pike however, it ends up being about as far away from fun as it is possible to be.
The audience knows that Pike has always been headed for the wheelchair, scarred almost beyond recognition, communicating only via blinking light. Pike's interaction with the time crystal allows him to see this final fate for him, with the accident that caused it as well. We know that he had been exposed to high levels of radiation.
Here, he is shown trapped in the engineering section of a Class-J starship, as it explodes around him. He is horribly wounded, leading to the reveal that the approaching shape in Pike's nightmare is none other than himself. He falls away, screaming.
However, this moment of terror builds on the courage he has already shown. Tenavik informs him that by witnessing this future, he has locked his fate in place. Pike swallows this and continues on anyway, the very definition of bravery and determination. He can handle what's coming if it helps to deal with what's already here.