Today I sat down again to watch the ninth episode of the first season of Star Trek: Discovery. To be honest, I sat in silence for a while after watching this episode. Because the whole story progressed in a way where not only war or sci-fi, but also questions of fear, faith and identity within people came to the fore. The episode was called “Into the Forest I Go” and to me it seemed like one of the most tense and important episodes of the entire season.
There was a suppressed tension from the beginning. It seemed like everyone was moving towards a mission from which no one knew whether everyone would be able to return safely or not. Everyone on the USS Discovery was preparing to make a last-ditch effort against the Klingons. The atmosphere of the entire ship was strangely heavy.
What I liked the most was the change in Michael Burnham’s character. It's really nice to see how he was shown in the beginning, and now how he's slowly realizing his mistakes and becoming responsible again. There was both fear and confidence in his eyes in this episode. It seemed like he was fighting not only for the mission, but also with his own inner guilt.
Captain Gabriel Lorca seemed more mysterious in this episode. There was something unusual about the man from the beginning, but it became more clear here. Although his decisions seemed very difficult at times, somewhere he seemed to have calculated everything in advance. However, the strange aggressive look in his eyes kept me uneasy the whole time.
The issue of Ash Tyler also becomes very important here. The suspicions that were slowly building about him deepened in this episode. Especially when the memories of his relationship with L'Rail come to the fore, the whole thing feels very uncomfortable. The mental battle that is going on inside him is clearly understandable. Honestly, my head was spinning with this character.
Paul Stamets' performance was also extraordinary. The effects of using the spore drive on his body and mind were shown very well in this episode. At times, it seemed like he was stuck between reality and fantasy. Even the look in his eyes looked strange. The scenes towards the end especially made me think a lot.
Saru also has to be mentioned separately. The character has always been calm, disciplined and responsible. But here, both his fear and caution felt very real. He always wants to keep others safe, and that's what set him apart.
Tilly's presence, as always, brought a little relief. Even in such a stressful situation, his natural speech and behavior made me laugh at some moments. However, in this episode, he also seemed much more serious than before.
The biggest surprise of this episode was the last part. The way Discovery suddenly went to another reality was really dizzying. The last few minutes were giving me goosebumps all over my body. It seemed like the story was going to take a completely different turn from now on. And to be honest, after that moment, it was almost impossible not to watch the next episode.
Speaking of visual effects, the space scenes were great. The battle scenes, jump sequences, lighting and sound were all very well done. It would have been even more amazing if seen on the big screen. Especially when Discovery uses the spore drive, the scenes really give a different feeling.
However, one thing I found a little bad. In some places, the events moved so fast that there was no time to feel some emotional moments properly. It would have been nice if the inner conflicts of some characters had been shown a little deeper.
Still, the entire episode did not disappoint me. Rather, it was an episode that left many questions swirling in my head after watching. Who is really telling the truth? Who is hiding their identity? And where did Discovery actually end up?
All in all, Star Trek: Discovery Season 1 Episode 9 is not just a sci-fi episode for me, but a wonderful mix of mystery, fear, psychological conflict and unknown reality. This episode is really special for those who like to slowly move towards a deeper story. I personally enjoyed this episode a lot, and I still can't get the twist at the end out of my head.