We are nearing the end of the season and on this week’s episode of Star Trek Discovery Season three, episode 9, “Terra Firma: Part One” Philippa Georgiou is back in the spotlight. This season she has mostly been a side character. A snarky comic relief and a character dealing with her own issues. But now she get’s her own big end of season episode.
Philippa’s Condition
Emperor Philippa Georgui (Michelle Yeoh) is dying. Her body just can not handle being in a different timeline AND a different universe. Paradoxes are unraveling around our favorite mean lady. She knows she’s dying and because she is horrible at navigating her own emotions she’s being extra cruel and mean to everyone around her. Her chances of survival are a mere five percent. She is basically doomed.
It is notable to point out that all of that sass and cruelty is a big wall of protection from her fears and emotions. Anger isn’t an emotion that comes alone. Anger is usually a sort of manifestation of a lot of other emotions. In this episode, it is fear coming across as anger. Fear of not knowing what is medically wrong with her. And she knows that there is little that can be done to save her.
Terra Firma
Micheal and Phillipa encounter what may be a futuristic version of the ghost of christmas past. On the planet, a man named Carl appears along with a door. He knows excatly who Philippa is and what is happening to her. And he acts as a mirror when he reflects back what Micheal is really feeling. He claims to know the future. He offers Philippa a chance to be saved. His answers are not clear enough to Micheal and so she is hesitatnt. But Philipa is determined to take the chance. She crosses over alone into the Terra Firma.
The door has led Phillipa into her past timeline and universe. It takes her to the day when Micheal and Lorca betray her and she has Micheal killed. It is her opportunity to change her past. She aligns herself with the Saru from that universe to fix her past. It is obvious now that being on Discovery has changed her. And she will do anything to save Micheal.
Having already lived through this once she has the advantage of being prepared for her attackers. She does not kill Micheal for betraying her. Instead she has her exsorted to the agonizer, a torture chamber used as a sort of brig.
What does it mean?
This cliffhanger leaves with with only questions. It’s hard to imagine how Georgiou will fit in her own timeline. She has grown so much since leaving her universe. Will she stay there in her new past forever? Or is this merely an opportunity to fix her wrongs before her death? Will she somehow be able to return to the future with the rest of discovery? Does this mean that the Emerald Chain aren’t this season’s big issue? Could this Portal send Discovery back to it’s own time? Definitely looking forward to season finale and some more the cool black and gold Terran outfits.
Star Trek: Discovery airs Thursdays on CBS All Access.
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