Star Trek: Discovery Episode 3.7 Review: Ups And Downs From Unification III

Honestly folks, what is going on with Burnham's trajectory this season? After a strong opener, where Michael was the same one that we left at the end of season two, she goes and spends a year adapting to life in the 32nd century. She develops a relationship with Book (i.e. one of her first successful relationships....ever) and is overjoyed to see her crew again.

Then, she walks the line of being a mutineer again, pushes her luck with the Admiral, gets demoted and puts Saru in an awful position (not to mention poor Tilly) and very dramatically ends the last episode by removing her combadge. This has consistantly been shown in Star Trek to be the sign of someone turning away from either Starfleet as a whole, or their duties in the constraints of the rules they must follow.

This episode details Burnham's journey from uncertainty to a seemingly established (again) member of the crew. It rings hollow. Now, in the previous episode, I described my disappointment at what seemed like an undoing of her growth, so having her seemingly sweep all of that unsanctioned mission away as a job well done.

Just pick. Just pick what you want her to be. Is she an officer? Is she going to move into civilian life? Does anyone truly care at this point?

Sonequa Martin Green is being done a disservice with the wildly varying paths her character is being written to take. If this is the end of it, and the show moves forward with her as a solid member of the crew from here on out, then there is plenty to be done with both her character and her place in the crew.

This down is not so much a simple down for her decision here, rather a down for her arc in this season so far.