Star Trek: Discovery 3.10 Review: Ups And Downs From Terra Firma, Part 2

3. Guardian Of Forever (UP)

Star Trek Discovery Guardian of Forever
CBS Media Ventures

Once Georgiou is back on Dannus V with Burnham and Carl, she is disoriented. While Burnham assures her that she has only just stepped through the door that Carl created for her, Georgiou tells them that she has been gone for three months. Her recording device also registers three months worth of bio-data, and she almost immediately begins to shut down again. Panicked, Burnham asks Carl who he really is.

In a visually stunning reveal, Carl reveals himself to be the Guardian of Forever, the being originally encountered by Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy in The City on the Edge of Forever. While some eagle-eyed fans managed to guess the reveal last week (Star Dispatch!), it is nevertheless a breathtaking moment in the episode.

The actual design of the Guardian is both updated for a more modern look, and still honours the design from the original series (a design, incidentally, that Matt Jefferies reportedly hated!). The Guardian goes on to explain why he is now located here on this planet. He was used as a tool during the Temporal Wars, learning as he went that time should not be as loose as he had once treated it.

It is an excellent updating of an old idea, with a properly incredibly visual reveal.

Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"