Chosen Realm

"Chosen Realm" is the twelfth episode from the third season of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It's the sixty-fourth episode of the series, first airing on January 14, 2004. Enterprise is taken over by a sect of Triannons and Archer must re-take it before it's too late.[2]

"Chosen Realm[1]"
Star Trek: Enterprise episode
Episode no.Season 3
Episode 12
Directed byRoxann Dawson
Written byManny Coto
Featured musicPaul Baillargeon
Production code312
Original air dateJanuary 14, 2004 (2004-01-14)
Guest appearance(s)
  • Conor O'Farrell - Pri'Nam D'Jamat
  • Vince Grant - Yarrick
  • Lindsey Stoddart - Indava
  • Tayler Sheridan - Jareb
  • David Youse - Nalbis
  • Gregory Wagrowski - Ceris
  • Matt Huhn - N.D. Triannon
  • Kim Fitzgerald - Crewman (scene deleted)

Plot

The episode begins with Commander Tucker and Ensign Mayweather gathering readings on a third sphere in the Delphic Expanse. Some time later, Enterprise receives a distress call from a Triannon ship which reports they have been damaged by a spatial anomaly. Enterprise takes them aboard, and D'Jamat, the leader of the group, has dinner with Captain Archer where he explains they have been on a year-long pilgrimage to a sphere. They believe deities, called the "Makers," constructed the spheres to transform the expanse, their “Chosen Realm,” into a paradise. D'Jamat then rejects T'Pol's scientific logic that there are only 59 known spheres.

Some time later, D'Jamat demands Archer turn over control of the ship or it will be destroyed, and demonstrates this by having one of his group self-detonate, killing one crew member. Having little choice, Archer submits. D'Jamat then sets a course for his home world and explains that he intends to use Enterprise to end a religious civil war that has embroiled his planet for a century. D'Jamat also examines the ship's records and finds that Enterprise had extensive contact with the spheres—a severe violation under his faith. He then erases 19 XB of sphere data, but as a 'compromise' to his faith, rather than put the entire crew to death for blasphemy, he demands that Archer choose just one crew member to die.

While Archer is contemplating his decision he approaches Yarrick, D'Jamat's deputy, questioning his resolve, but Yarrick rebuffs him. Archer then tells D'Jamat that he has selected himself to be killed, but requests it be done using a device they use for "waste disposal". That device turns out to be the transporter, which T'Pol uses to beam Archer elsewhere on the ship. Archer then contacts Doctor Phlox and they develop an airborne agent to neutralize the Triannon's organic explosives. Archer again confronts Yarrick and convinces him to help disperse the agent throughout the ship, learning in the process that the religious war is primarily based around a difference of opinion over whether it took nine or ten days to for the Makers to complete their work. Meanwhile, four ships from the "heretic" Triannon faction intercept Enterprise. During the fight, the crew manage to subdue D'Jamat and end the battle. In the brig, D'Jamat remains convinced his actions were justified, so Archer takes him down to their planet - which lies in ruins, having been ravaged by the war. The episode ends with the Triannons staring in horror at their completely devastated world.

Cast

Reception

Chosen Realm is noted as a "menacing" plot and notes how there is a threat to Archer and the crew of Enterprise.[3]

Researching here[4] and here[5] will sample the many reviews that note how this episode completely steals/copies the ending of the TOS episode Let That Be Your Last Battlefield, with Bureau42 noting the simple switch of "using religion instead of racism".

Jammer[6] discusses how Season 3 has taken on the habit of grabbing action/fighting sequences to drive the climax of episodes. So the absurd taking control of the Enterprise again by aliens provides an opportunity for "the action climax ... to become a predictable punctuation mark".

gollark: I should rebrand my IQ test as a personality test!
gollark: Worrying. I might have to shut down the internet before it spreads.
gollark: Why?
gollark: umnikos, do YOU fear Minoteaur?
gollark: See Coinhive.

See also
  • Starship Mine (TNG S6E18 (airdate March 29, 1993) Picard must battle terrorists for the Enterprise-D)

References
  1. The Literary Galaxy of Star Trek: An Analysis of References and Themes in the Television Series and Films by James F. Broderick, 2006 (Page 151)
  2. The Literary Galaxy of Star Trek: An Analysis of References and Themes in the Television Series and Films by James F. Broderick, 2006 (Page 151)
  3. The Literary Galaxy of Star Trek: An Analysis of References and Themes in the Television Series and Films by James F. Broderick, 2006 (Page 151)
  4. "Enterprise - Chosen Realm". The M0vie Blog. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  5. "Enterprise - Chosen Realm". Bureau42. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
  6. "Chosen Realm". Jammer's Reviews. Retrieved 2020-07-08.
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