'Star Trek: Discovery' recap: 'Battle at the Binary Stars'

Star Trek: Discovery continues in "Battle at the Binary Stars" with the crew of the Shenzhou facing a battle against the Klingons.

On the first episode of Star Trek: Discovery, the crew of the U.S.S. Shenzhou finds more than expected while investigating damaged relays. First Officer Michael Burnham encounters a Klingon and tries to convince Captain Philippa Georgiou the threat is real. Michael is ready betray her Captain and Starfleet by firing first on the Klingons. The Captain stops her, and then they are surrounded by Klingon ships.

“Battle at the Binary Stars” begins with a flashback to seven years prior when Michael and Captain Georgiou first met. At this time, Michael is still very set in Vulcan ways. We learn she is the first human who went to the Vulcan Learning Center and the Vulcan Science Academy. The two get to know each other as Georgiou shows Michael her new home, the Shenzhou.

Back in the present, Saru announces there are 24 Klingon ships. Michael notes there are 24 Klingon houses and tells Captain Georgiou someone is trying to bring all the Klingons together against the Federation. Captain Georgiou replies by talking of Michael’s mutiny and asking security to take her to the brig.

Meanwhile, the newly arrived Klingons project themselves on T’Kuvma’s ship and question his authority to bring them together. He tells them of his childhood, and speaks of unity between the 24 houses. The Klingon High Council are not convinced and one does not like his association with Voq, the albino Klingon who does not have a house. T’Kuvma responds that his house is open to any Klingon and that they must remain “pure,” as in Klingons only.The Starfleet ships arrive as he finishes his speech.

The Klingons open their communication channel and Captain Georgiou calls. She tells them to leave or stay and negotiate, ending with “we come in peace.” T’Kuvma tells the Klingons that is the Federation’s big lie, as they are truly coming to destroy their way of life. The group responds with “remain Klingon,” and fire on Starfleet.

The crew of the Shenzhou sustains heavy fire with various bridge crew heading to medical. They begin firing at the Klingons.

Down in the brig, Michael tries to ask the computer for information, but it will not answer since she is a prisoner. One of her injured crew mates, Connor, comes to see her, saying she should be on the bridge. Connor is not thinking clearly and Michael tells him to call the doctor. He agrees but the electric goes haywire when the ship is hit and he is thrown back and Michael is knocked out.

In a flashback, Sarek mind melds with Michael as a child in what looks like the middle of a warzone. He asks her to come back to him, and Michael comes to in the present. The ship is taking extensive damage and the room she is in is in turmoil.

On the bridge, Saru tells the Captain there are haul breaches on multiple decks, hesitating for a moment because the brig is one of the decks. The Captain realizes Michael is in trouble and is worried.

The ship is diverting power to the bridge and Michael knows the forcefield around her will soon fall. Sarek appears before Michael. She asks how a mindmeld is possible over thousands of miles, and he tells her their connection is different. A part of him is with her since the terrorist attack when she was young. They discuss what has happened and he notes talking to her like this is hard on his body. She tells him to leave. He tells her to do more, to be better and be strong. She wakes and stands, ready to face what comes.

The fight is still going strong with Starfleet taking extensive damage. The Shenzhou shields fall and the ship ends up drifting into the binary stars. The Captain tells the crew to get ready to evaluate, but the Starfleet ship the Europa, locks onto them with a tractor beam. A projection of the Admiral shows up and he asks for details. He has them open up communications with the Klingons again, offering a ceasefire.

RELATED: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ premiere recap: ‘The Vulcan Hello’

T’Kuvma responds, accepting the ceasefire and saying he will send an envoy. Unbenounced to Starfleet, when the communication ends, T’Kuvma mentions his cloaking device. The Admiral is still talking to the Captain when his ship is attacked. Saru gets visuals up, and the crew sees the Klingon ship de-cloaking as it rams into the Europa ship. The Europa self destructs.

T’Kuvma tells the Klingon High Council to return to the Klingon capital and tell the people the Klingons are reunited. His followers then declare him T’Kuvma the Unforgettable. The Klingon ships warp away, minus T’Kuvma’s ship. T’Kuvma then hails the Shenzhou, telling them Klingons have united against the Federation and they only live to be messengers.

Having heard his message in her cell, Michael tries to reason with the computer to let her out. She succeeds and is able to get free.

The Klingons believe the Starfleet ships left are defenseless and no longer a threat. Given that belief, they focus on gathering their dead.

On the bridge, Saru and the Captain strategize their next move. There are photon torpedoes that can be sent with a transport. The Captain says she will take them and destroy the ship, knowing she will not return. Michael arrives during this conversation and entreats the Captain change her plan. She says killing T’Kuvma will make him a martyr. Capturing him makes him a symbol of defeat.

During their discussion, Captain Georgiou shares her disappointment in Michael. Michael in turn says what she did was because she did not want the crew to die. She asks to take the warheads in the Captain's stead. The Klingons begin transporting their dead and the Captain gets an idea.

The Klingons ready their dead for the afterlife, while the Starfleet crew readies their weapon. Saru beams the Captain and Michael to the Klingon ship. The two arrive and begin fighting with T’Kuvma and Voq.

Michael hits Voq over the head and goes to find her blaster, but is too late. T’Kuvma already stabbed Captain Georgiou through the chest. Michael shoots T’Kuvma and tells Saru to transport them to the ship. He says he cannot transport the Captain because she does not have a life sign. Michael refuses to leave without her body, but Saru says she is in danger and he must beam her aboard. Michael collapses in the transport room, crying.

Meanwhile, Voq sits by a dying T’Kuvma, saying he will be remembered. They recite a saying together about Kahless and T’Kuvma dies. The ships then all disperse.

Michael stands before the court and pleads guilty to all charges. She speaks about her life and how she wanted to protect her crewmates and friends from war, but failed to do so and became an enemy. The court strips her of her rank and sentences her to life in prison.

This was an action-packed episode. Even though I expected her death because I read Jason Isaacs would be Captain of Discovery, I am still upset about Georgiou. She was a good person and Michelle Yeoh was fantastic. I am also confused as to how the Klingons could transfer their dead, but Saru said he could not transport the Captain’s body without a lifesign. The show is also different than I expected in terms of setup. The first two episodes were basically a prequel to the entire season, showing us how Michael ends up on Discovery and how the war began.

The trailer below gives an extended look at the rest of this season.

I am still looking forward to the show, but I am concerned as it feels like a darker beginning than most Star Trek shows. So far, it feels more like the recent Star Trek movies, which are enjoyable, but not what some fans were looking for in a show. Star Trek has always been about exploration, about discovering the unknown. It is strange this show is called Discovery, because instead of exploring the galaxy, discovering new peoples and planets, and helping others, it looks like we are getting a show about war.

I hope it is more positive than the trailer appeared. I am still excited for the LGBT characters and to see Jason Isaacs and Rainn Wilson on my television again. And most of all, I am excited to for Star Trek to find new fans and invigorate old ones.

New Star Trek: Discovery episodes come out on Sunday nights at 8:30 p.m. on CBS All Access for the U.S. People from around the world can watch it on Mondays on Netflix, and Canadians can watch on Sundays at 8 p.m. on Space.