Star Trek SNW: Season 1, Episode Ten “A Quality of Mercy”

Stardate: 1457.9
Original Air Date: July 7, 2022
Writers: Henry Alonso Myers & Akiva Goldsman                 
Director: Chris Fisher             

“I regret that we meet in this way. You and I are of a kind.
In a different reality I could have called you friend.”

The Enterprise is on the edge of the Neutral Zone, a narrow band of space separating the Romulan Empire from the Federation, the remnant of a treaty from a hundred years ago during a destructive war between the Romulans and the Federation. The Enterprise and the USS Cayuga have arrived to help the outposts guarding the Neutral Zone with much-needed retrofitting and supplies. Here, Pike has been reunited with his girlfriend Captain Batel (the woman from the pilot episode). Rumors abound that the Romulans are developing a new weapon, though Pike is skeptical about speculating over the Romulans. He claims the Romulans are merely scapegoats and blamed for everything, not unlike the “boogeymen.”

While Pike meets with the outpost representative (I believe his name is meant to be Hansen Al-Salah), the representative’s young idealistic son named Maat Al-Salah comes bounding into the room. Maat hopes to join Starfleet one day. Pike suddenly has a flash-forward to the horrifying vision he received of his future: Maat Al-Salah is one of the children who does not survive the radiation accident. He returns to his quarters a little shaken up and he begins drafting a note to Maat Al-Salah instructing him not to join Starfleet when Pike is actually confronted by a strange person… himself from the future. Now, Future Pike displays a Klingon time crystal (which he has been given by some Klingon monks) which shows Pike’s future, a grim fate, if he attempts to alter the natural timeline of events –because “causality is complex.”

In this hypothetical alternate vision, Pike is transported seven years into the future (under a normal timeline his radiation accident was supposed to have taken place six months prior). Pike is in the midst of conducting a wedding ceremony, when it is interrupted (ring any bells?) Spock is now known as Number One, and Uhura has been promoted to a Lieutenant. There is a sudden red alert from Outpost 4, and the outpost is destroyed by a Romulan bird-of-prey (killing Hansen Al-Salah). Moments later, the Romulan ship cloaks and disappears.

Alarmed, the Enterprise searches for nearby allies. The closest Federation ship is The Farragut (a couple hours away). It is now La’an’s ship and it is helmed by none other than a young hotshot aspiring-captain named James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley).

Kirk, a “wild card,” suggests shadowing the Romulan ship, such that both Federation ships merely shadow or mirror the Romulan ship, thus remaining disguised. Then a comet appears ahead, and its trail is reflecting a signal on an unused EM frequency. Spock tries to decipher the encoded message. Moments later, the crew catch a glimpse of the Romulans –cue the iconic Fred Steiner music as the crewmen all turn to look at Spock noting a striking similarity between Vulcans and Romulans –and this is followed by Spock’s legendary eyebrow-raise. This is all wonderful fan nostalgia!

Next, Kirk proposes a plan, a “pincer move.” As the ships will drift closer, the Romulans begin to pass through the comet’s tail, allowing both Starfleet ships to lock on their weapons, though per Pike, they plan not to destroy the Romulans. However, the plan backfires. The Farragut is mostly destroyed, and Enterprise is severely damaged while firing upon the bird-of-prey. The crew of the Farragut is quickly beamed aboard the Enterprise. Once aboard, Commander La’an (no longer lieutenant) unexpectedly hugs Pike and reminds him that no one is allowed to speak with Una/Number One. She has been sentenced to a Federation penal colony on Salius VI where she has spent much of the last seven years –a result of a mysterious “deception” she made. What could this be? Is Una/Number One a traitor?

At any rate, this scene sets up a dichotomy between Kirk and Pike, the young bellicose war hawk versus the seasoned space commander. Kirk accuses Pike of flinching, but Pike points out that Kirk’s ship was nearly destroyed. At the same time, the Romulan bird-of-prey faces the same internal dynamic –a young warrior who stands against his experienced commander. The bird of prey’s power supply is damaged (it is trailing dilithium fragments). The Romulan Commander tells his sub-commander: “Pride is not something we can afford. We look at the world clearly on my ship, we do not make decisions based on ego.”

Taking a risk, Pike extends an olive branch. He offers the Romulan ship a temporary ceasefire for two hours. Ortegas protests, thinking they are liars, but Pike seeks to reignite the long dormant cold war. Equally, Pike informs his young hotshot counterparts that “pride is just not something we can afford.” Who will fire first? Can the enemy be trusted? Kirk suggests a back-up plan of sorts, he borrows a shuttle –but suddenly, the Romulan fleet arrives. As it turns out, the Romulan sub-commander notified the Romulan fleet of the situation, going against his commander’s orders. The Praetor of the Romulan flagship demands the surrender of the Enterprise until Kirk and dozens of Starfleet ships arrive. How has he accomplished this feat? Starfleet is days away from this location? It is quickly revealed that not one of these ships is manned, all are drone mining craft and other industrial craft used at the outposts along the Neutral Zone. But the Romulans do not know this level of detail. This is just enough to bluff the Romulans.  

In a tragic “culling” of the Romulan fleet, the Praetor orders the destruction of the original offending Romulan bird of prey (mainly because it was caught by the Federation). The Romulan captain bids a solemn farewell to Pike, echoing the classic TOS lines –“…in a different reality I could have called you friend” before he dies.

Facing the massive Romulan fleet, the Enterprise undertakes evasive maneuvers (“Pattern Zeta-3”) however, due to technical issues, the Enterprise cannot warp out of the area. Kirk sends the drone ships between the Enterprise and the Romulans, giving just enough time for the crew to repair the ship (cue the audio cameo of Scotty!) As the Enterprise flees, the Romulans institute a declaration of war against the Federation on all sub-space frequencies. Despite escaping, the Enterprise is now facing severe damage, many are horridly wounded, including Spock who lies lifeless in sickbay beside Nurse Chapel, facing massive cerebral trauma, major blood loss, spinal fractures, and radiation burns across 40% of his body. His leg has been blown off. Nurse Chapel notes that if Spock survives, he will never be the same.

This has all been the vision of a future if Pike attempts to alter his fate –war will be renewed with the Romulans, millions will die, and it only gets worse. Spock, the best chance at peace, lies dying in a bio-bed. In many respects, the fate of the galaxy is now in Spock’s hands.

“We all want to think our future is important. And ours –yours and mine—it is… just not the way you think. Time is… complicated.”

Before “Future Pike” returns “Past Pike” back to his normal timeline, Kirk enters the room and they discuss his background… In the end, Pike admits he had tried for a better situation and lost. In order to protect Spock, as well as the broader galaxy, Pike seems content to accept his forthcoming fate. He is returned to his normal timeline, armed with this dark knowledge. The episode is nearly ready to end but then Captain Batel of the Cayuga beams over to the Enterprise and arrests Commander Una Chin-Riley/Number One under Starfleet code of conduct 587.63 because, as an Illyrian, Una has violated Starfleet’s anti-genetic modification directive. As the Starfleet officers depart with Una, Pike vows “this isn’t over.”

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My Thoughts on “A Quality of Mercy”

An inspiring homage to the essential TOS episode “Balance of Terror,” the final SNW episode of season one “A Quality of Mercy” is peak Trek –it features time travel, fan nostalgia, maritime-themed warfare, psychological tension, moral ambiguity, and a challenging, unexpected conclusion. The contrast between two legendary Starfleet captains –Pike and Kirk– is stark as the Enterprise crewmen deliberate whether or not to risk warfare by striking the Romulans. Should they risk war? Is inaction already an act of war? Will the enemy respond to an olive branch? “A Quality of Mercy” offers an intimate lesson in steady-handed leadership during tough times and it shows the virtue of sometimes tempering prideful ambitions while also exploring a nuanced narrative –after all, in the end Pike’s mercy toward the Romulans is ultimately a flawed diplomatic policy. In fact, “A Quality of Mercy” shows us that mercy is not always the right course of action.

Like Oedipus, Pike must learn to accept his fate –he is left with only his pursuit of amor fati. Brilliantly, this is not a retcon because this whole adventure takes place entirely in an alternate glimpse of the future. In closing, I had a few minor issues with the episode, namely the underwhelming portrayal of James Kirk, and the uninspiring quotation of the iconic lines “in a different reality I could have called you friend…” But these are minor quibbles. “A Quality of Mercy” is simply another truly great episode in the SNW series. I continue to be blown away by SNW and am excited for the upcoming release of its second season!

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Star Trek Trivia:

• This episode offers a futuristic “what if” scenario that reimagines the classic TOS episode “Balance of Terror.”
• Pike’s says his first pony was named “Sir Neighs-A-Lot” but the horse broke his leg and Pike’s parents had to put him down.
• It has been speculated that the USS Farragut is a Miranda-class Starfleet ship.
• Klingon monks from Boreth are mentioned in this episode.
• The Klingon “Bat’leth” mentioned in this episode is a nod to TNG.  
• This is only the third mission of the hawkish Romulan sub-commander. The Romulan commander served with his uncle Tarqan during the Reman campaign.
• The familiar Scottish accent of Scotty returns in this episode!
• Future Pike wears the “monster maroon” Starfleet suit in this episode, similar but slightly different from the uniforms worn in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
• Spock suffers severe injuries in the future vision, including a blown off leg and horridly burned face –and we can see his green blood.
• There is a terrific audio cameo of Scotty in this episode –“I’m an engineer not a miracle worker!”
• The Romulan Praetor in this episode is a female not unlike the female Romulan commander from “The Enterprise Incident.”
• In this episode, the bride dies instead of the groom as in “Balance of Terror.”
• Kirk’s bluff in this episode is reminiscent of a similar bluff in the TOS episode “The Corbomite Maneuver.”
• Kirk briefly mentions his father, George, who served aboard the USS Kelvin (a nod to the modern “Kelvin Timeline” Star Trek film series, though Kirk also mentions he was born in Iowa rather than in space as in the “Kelvin Timeline”).  
• The song playing at the end of this episode is “Makin’ Memories” by Melissa Carper.
• The title of this episode is a reference to Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. It was also used as an episode title in The Twilight Zone which starred Leonard Nimoy.