Embracing the Winds

Last updated
"Embracing the Winds"
Star Trek Continues episode
Episode no.Episode 7
Directed byJames Kerwin
Story byJames Kerwin
Teleplay byJames Kerwin
Vic Mignogna
Featured music Star Trek: The Original Series incidental music
Cinematography byMatt Bucy
Original air dateSeptember 3, 2016 (2016-09-03) [1]
Running time43:56
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
 Previous
"Come Not Between the Dragons"
Next 
"Still Treads the Shadow"
List of episodes

"Embracing The Winds" is the seventh episode of the Star Trek fan series Star Trek Continues , which sought to emulate and continue the original Star Trek series. It first aired on 3 September 2016.

Contents

Plot

Kirk and Spock are traveling to the Starbase at Corinth IV for a classified briefing, while Sulu and McKennah take some leisure time: Sulu to visit a museum, McKennah to chase up the social changes in Orion society following the Enterprise's incident with Zaminhon and the slave girl Lolani.

At the starbase, Kirk and Spock are greeted by Commodore Laura Gray, who informs them that the crew of the Hood has been lost due to life support systems failure. The Enterprise has been sent to tow the Hood home and due to several losses across the quadrant, when the Hood starts out again, it will need experienced officers assigned to it. She formally offers Spock a promotion to captain.

Meanwhile, with Scott in command, the Enterprise is investigating what happened to the Hood. Science officer Follet suggests it may be connected to the subspace anomaly they were investigating.

Back at Corinth IV, Gray informs Kirk and Spock of a complication. Commander Diana Garrett, first officer of Earth's Space Dock, had applied for the captaincy of the Hood but was turned down. She has now launched a formal appeal, stating she has been overlooked because she is a woman. Kirk and Spock are shocked at such an assertion in the 23rd century. Gray states that Tellarite diplomacy may be a factor, as 100 years ago the Federation was formed due to an alliance of humans, Vulcans, Andorians and Tellarites united against the Romulan incursion. Tellar Prime's resources played an important factor in the Federation's victory. Tellarite society frowns on females being starship captains, especially of constitution-class starships which are top-of-the-line, despite Starfleet having plenty of female captains in its history. However, although Starfleet and the Federation are not bound by Tellarite views, since the controversial admission of Coridan to the Federation, the Tellarites have indicated they may leave the Federation, robbing it of a vital resource and ally. Gray asks Kirk to interview Garrett and decide if she is a suitable candidate. Both Kirk and Spock are troubled by the notion that Starfleet may be engaging in undue bias against women, but also are both conflicted by the fact that Spock would have to leave the Enterprise.

On the Enterprise, all other systems on the Hood appear to be normal, nor is there any sign of the anomaly they were investigating. Scotty decides to learn more about what happened before they tow the ship home.

Spock confers with Dr. McKennah regarding Garrett and her claims. McKennah believes the Tellarite threats are not to be taken seriously, but there might be another issue at work. She states that how people evaluate others is a many-layered process and that if bias does exist, it is often subconscious. Spock, who knows what it is like to be treated differently agrees; however, he notes that there are incidents in Garrett's service record that warrant scrutiny, and this may be why she is being overlooked rather than her sex. McKennah asks Spock if Garrett would be under the same amount of scrutiny if she was male and Spock believes so although he cannot be sure if everyone else would concur.

Garrett arrives at Corinth IV with Vice Admiral Stomm, Kirk interviews her briefly and is impressed with her record; however, when he questions her about an incident she was involved in at Nimbus III where her captain was killed, Garrett refuses to discuss the incident and becomes defensive. She then calls a halt to the interview and leaves, leaving Kirk dumbfounded.

Later on, Gray informs Kirk that Garrett has now demanded a formal hearing to determine the captaincy of the Hood. The board will be presided by Gray, Stomm, and Kirk.

On the Enterprise, Ensign Chekov attempts to provide power to the Hood's engine room, long enough for several hours of life support to better determine what happened. However, he is disappointed when Uhura and Follet are selected to go on the away team and he is not. Uhura has noticed he feels overlooked and points out that while he has many skills, he is not focused and should prioritize which department will best suit his talent.

Back on Corinth IV, the hearing begins with Gray presiding. The Vulcan admiral Stomm questions Spock regarding his youth and whether his emotions and his human heritage played a part in his career choices, referring to when he turned down admission to the Vulcan Science Academy. Kirk objects as Spock's racial background should not have a bearing on his career outcome. Stomm counters by saying that the skills and abilities of all individuals are products of their race, religion, and even sex. Kirk, to quash any doubts of his favoring of Spock, states that while it is definitely time for a woman to command a frontline Constitution-class starship, he is not sure if Garrett is the right woman to do so.

When Garrett takes the stand, it is noted that she has a lot more qualifications and been decorated more times by Starfleet than Spock. On paper she would make an ideal captain; however, Gray brings up the Nimbus III incident, which concerns her. The official investigation into the incident suggested human error. Garrett disputes it by saying the report was conducted by a Tellarite, who may have had a bias against her and she protested the findings; it was determined that she was cleared of any wrongdoing. Gray also notes that Garrett and her other officers pled the seventh guarantee during the inquiry, where they refused to answer the questions presented to them to avoid self-incrimination. Once again Garrett denies any wrongdoing, as by law, pleading the seventh cannot be used to imply guilt. Gray states that she is concerned that there are other similar incidents in Garrett's record and it seems that Garrett reacts with hostility whenever her judgment is questioned, as part of being a Captain is being able to admit when one was wrong and take responsibility. Garrett states that she reacts with hostility because of the undue scrutiny she believes she receives as a woman and is once again adamant that she was not in the wrong.

In the Hood's engine room, Uhura, Scott, Follet, and Drake can find no evidence on an anomaly that could have caused the system failure which killed the crew. Suddenly out of nowhere, the Hood's engines activate and begin to overload, and their shield comes online, meaning the Enterprise cannot beam them out. The ship will explode in minutes.

Scott orders Lt. Hadley to clear away before the Hood explodes, but Chekov believes he can transmit a duotronic algorithm to the Hood, which would deactivate its shields. Scott protests, claiming it is too dangerous. Hadley allows Chekov to proceed, the circuits overload, and Chekov collapses, but it works and the Enterprise is able to beam the away team home just before the Hood explodes.

On Corinth, Stomm endorses Garrett for captaincy and Gray endorses Spock; however, before Kirk can vote, Gray is informed that the Hood has been destroyed, rendering the proceeding useless. Before it ends, Garrett declares that even though the Hood has been destroyed, the issue still remains that female officers are being overlooked for Captaincy and while it may not be intentional, it still exists and it is time something was done about it. Starfleet has the opportunity to implement change; although Garrett may not be a captain this time, there are still plenty of women who could be. Everyone agrees.

On the Enterprise, Chekov is recovering and Scott is admonishing him for his foolish actions, Chekov agrees but is confused when Scott refers to him as lieutenant. Scott has informed an admiral of his bravery and original thinking which has earned him a promotion. Despite the happiness, Scott is still worried about the mystery surrounding the Hood. Uhura thanks Chekov for saving them.

Kirk meanwhile is speaking with the Tellarite ambassador, who states that he is aware the biased view his people have of women is not in keeping with Federation values or modern standards and that he is part of a movement trying to make changes and tells Kirk when the time comes for a female captain, Starfleet will have his support. Kirk appreciates that Tellar Prime is embracing the winds of change.

In the final scene, Kirk and Spock meet with Garrett one last time. Garrett and Kirk part ways having developed a mutual respect for each other, Garrett hopes that one day a Garrett will command an Enterprise, and Kirk states that anything is possible. When Garrett leaves, both Spock and Kirk agree that despite sadness for the loss of the Hood, both are also somewhat glad as it means they will not have to separate. They then head back to the Enterprise.

Trivia

Garrett hopes that someday a Garrett will command an Enterprise. Nearly 80 years later Rachel Garrett is in command of the Enterprise C, as seen in The Next Generation 1990 episode "Yesterday's Enterprise".

This episode connects to the rebooted Star Trek films, where despite the change in reality, Spock still turns down a place at the Vulcan Science Academy, being the first person to do so and it is subtly implied he did it out of spite after the admissions council were disrespectful to Spock's human mother.

The episode also addresses some inconsistencies regarding female captains in the series. In the Original Series, it is implied in "Turnabout Intruder" by Janice Lester that women cannot be starship captains, which obviously would be discriminatory and not keeping with the Federation's values of equality. However, the line could have also been interpreted in other ways; for example, Lester was mentally unstable and possibly was not able to be a captain because of these issues. Lester was also bitter about her failed relationship with Kirk and may have also been stating as a captain, Kirk would not let her, a woman, get close. Later in the episode, Kirk, while trapped in Lester's body, stated that Lester craved power but her own issues prevented her career from progressing and were why their relationship failed. Gene Roddenberry at the time stated the line was purely sexist, but Kirk correctly states that from Starfleet's inception there have been female captains.

Also of note: in the opening scene of the episode, Sulu mentions that his great(x6) grandfather grew up in an internment camp during WWII. This is no doubt an homage to George Takei, the first actor to portray Sulu during the Original Series run. Takei, in fact, grew up in an internment camp during WWII.

This episode serves as the start of a story arc regarding the mystery of what happened aboard the USS Hood, which is resolved in the series finale.

Related Research Articles

<i>Star Trek: The Animated Series</i> American animated science fiction television series (1973–1974)

Star Trek: The Animated Series (TAS) is an American animated science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry. It originally aired simply under the title Star Trek, subtitled Created by Gene Roddenberry, on Saturday mornings from September 8, 1973 to October 12, 1974 on NBC, spanning 22 episodes over two seasons. The second series in the Star Trek franchise, it features mostly the same characters as Star Trek: The Original Series. Set in the 23rd century, the series follows the further adventures of the Starship USS Enterprise as it explores the galaxy.

<i>Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home</i> 1986 American science fiction film directed by Leonard Nimoy

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is a 1986 American science fiction film, the fourth installment in the Star Trek film franchise based on the television series Star Trek. The second film directed by Leonard Nimoy, it completes the story arc begun in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), and continued in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984). Intent on returning home to Earth to face consequences for their actions in the previous film, the crew of the USS Enterprise finds the planet in grave danger from an alien probe attempting to contact now-extinct humpback whales. The crew travel to Earth's past to find whales who can answer the probe's call.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Archer</span> Fictional character from Star Trek: Enterprise

Jonathan Archer is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. He is one of the protagonists of the television series Star Trek: Enterprise, where he was portrayed by Scott Bakula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nyota Uhura</span> Star Trek character

Nyota Uhura, or simply Uhura, is a fictional character in the Star Trek franchise. In the original television series, the character was portrayed by Nichelle Nichols, who reprised the role for the first six Star Trek feature films. A younger Uhura is portrayed by Celia Rose Gooding in the 2022 prequel series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, while an alternate timeline version of Uhura has been portrayed by actress Zoe Saldaña in the feature films Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), and Star Trek Beyond (2016).

"Mirror, Mirror" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Jerome Bixby and directed by Marc Daniels, it was first broadcast on October 6, 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Journey to Babel</span> 10th episode of the 2nd season of Star Trek: The Original Series

"Journey to Babel" is the tenth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by D. C. Fontana and directed by Joseph Pevney, it was first broadcast on November 17, 1967.

This article discusses the fictional timeline of the Star Trek franchise. The franchise is primarily set in the future, ranging from the mid-22nd century to the late 24th century, with the third season of Star Trek: Discovery jumping forward to the 32nd century. However the franchise has also outlined a fictional future history of Earth prior to this, and, primarily through time travel plots, explored both past and further-future settings.

"The Lorelei Signal" is the fourth episode of the first season of the animated American science fiction television series Star Trek. It first aired in the NBC Saturday morning lineup on September 29, 1973, and was written by Margaret Armen, author of three Original Series episodes.

"The Ultimate Computer" is the twenty-fourth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by D.C. Fontana and directed by John Meredyth Lucas, it was first broadcast on March 8, 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Gamesters of Triskelion</span> 16th episode of the 2nd season of Star Trek: The Original Series

"The Gamesters of Triskelion" is the sixteenth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Margaret Armen and directed by Gene Nelson, it was first broadcast January 5, 1968.

"The Immunity Syndrome" is the eighteenth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Robert Sabaroff and directed by Joseph Pevney, it was first broadcast on January 19, 1968.

"The Enterprise Incident" is the second episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by D. C. Fontana and directed by John Meredyth Lucas, it was first broadcast September 27, 1968.

"Turnabout Intruder" is the twenty-fourth and final episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Arthur H. Singer and directed by Herb Wallerstein, it was first broadcast on June 3, 1969.

<i>The Ashes of Eden</i> 1995 novel

The Ashes of Eden is a Star Trek novel co-written by William Shatner, Judith Reeves-Stevens, and Garfield Reeves-Stevens as part of the "Shatnerverse" series of novels. This is Shatner's first Trek collaboration.

<i>Star Trek: Starfleet Academy</i> 1997 video game

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is a Star Trek PC simulation game developed and published by Interplay in 1997. The game simulates the life of a typical Starfleet cadet, with the player learning the basics of flying a starship and engaging in roleplaying with a crew of cadets, with the eventual goal of becoming captain of their own ship. The game included full motion video featuring William Shatner, Walter Koenig, and George Takei reprising their roles from the original television series and movies, and a multiplayer simulation mode allowing for up to 32 players.

"Banned From Argo" is a filk song written and originally recorded by Leslie Fish, released in 1977 on the album Solar Sailors, and later as part of various compilations It won the 2003 Pegasus Award for Best Classic Filk Song.

<i>Star Trek: Of Gods and Men</i> 2008 miniseries by Tim Russ

Star Trek: Of Gods and Men is a noncanonical and unofficial Star Trek fan film, which contains many cast members from the Star Trek TV series and movies. Its backstory is Charlie X, the second episode of Star Trek: The Original Series. Described by the producers as a "40th-anniversary gift" from Star Trek actors to their fans, it was filmed in 2006, but its release was delayed until 2007–08. It was not endorsed by the rights-holders of Star Trek, but has been covered on the official Star Trek website.

<i>Star Trek: Secret of Vulcan Fury</i> Cancelled Star Trek video game

Star Trek: Secret of Vulcan Fury is a cancelled action-adventure game, in development by Interplay Entertainment from 1997 until its cancellation in 1999. Based on the Star Trek: The Original Series license, the game would have followed Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise through a series of adventures regarding the Vulcan and Romulan races. Secret of Vulcan Fury was to have been the latest in a series of games produced by Interplay based on the license. It would have featured a control method similar to those seen in LucasArts games of that period, and nearly seven hours of full motion video capture using clay models.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lolani</span> Episode of Star Trek Continues

"Lolani" is a fan-produced Star Trek episode released in 2014, the second in the web series Star Trek Continues, which aims to continue the episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series while replicating their visual and storytelling style. It was written by Paul Bianchi and Huston Huddleston from a story by Huston Huddleston and Vic Mignogna, and directed by Chris White.

"The White Iris" is a fan-produced Star Trek episode released in 2015, the fourth in the web series Star Trek Continues, which aims to continue the episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series replicating their visual and storytelling style The episode is dedicated to Leonard Nimoy, who had died earlier in the year.

References

  1. "Embracing the Wind on IMDb". imdb.com. November 4, 2019.