'Star Trek: Discovery' recap: 'Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum'

Star Trek: Discovery continues with “Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum,” in which Michael, Saru, and Tyler go on a mission to the planet Pahvo.

In the previous episode of Star Trek: Discovery, Mudd forced the crew to endure multiple time loops to figure out Discovery’s secret. Stamets and Michael saved the day, and Michael became closer to Tyler.

“Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum” returns viewers to the war. Discovery responds to a distress call from the USS Gagarin, a fellow Starfleet ship facing Klingon attack. They are unable to fire at cloaked Klingon ships and the Gagarin cannot warp because of the damage. Multiple Klingon ships attack and the Gagarin is destroyed. Lorca calls for black alert and they activate the spore drive.

Stamets stumbles out of the chamber, staring at Tilly in confusion and asks what she is doing in engineering. He calls her captain, then verbally attacks Tilly when she questions what he said.

Meanwhile, Lorca questions Terral and reports all the Klingon ships they encountered have the cloaking technology. Terral says Kol is offering cloaking tech to Klingon houses who pledge their loyalty. Lorca and Terral talk about a mission to the planet Pahvo, where Lorca sent Michael, Tyler, and Saru hours before.

On Pahvo, Michael discusses the mission in a personal log voiceover They explored Pahvo for eighteen hours and believe it to be uninhabited. Everything on the planet creates a kind of sound and is audible from space. They walk towards a tall crystal like structure that helps broadcast the sound, believing they can somehow use its power to help decloak the Klingon ships.

While Michael is enjoying the planet, Saru is not. He tells them the constant noise hurts his senses, just before a shapeless alien appears before them The being is strange, like a floating mess of light trying to communicate. Its readings are the same as the planet, which explains why they thought Pahvo was uninhabited. Saru attempts to communicate with it and more of the Pahvans appear.

The group follows the Pahvans to a structure and Saru determines the aliens mean them no harm. Michael tells Tyler they must follow protocol for first contact, meaning they must get consent to use the transmitter. Saru continues his efforts to communicate with the Pahvans, while Tyler and Michael talk about the future. Tyler shares his plans to fish, camp, and watch the stars. Michael says she will return to prison when the war ends, and they two share a moment and kiss.

Meanwhile, L’Rell speaks to Kol, congratulating him on bringing the houses together. He reminds her that he is no T’Kuvma and wants to rule all Klingons. L’Rell offers her loyalty, which he declines. She then offers her skills as an interrogator, which he agrees to consider.

L’Rell goes to Admiral Cornwell’s cell with torture devices. She tells Cornwell to scream, then roars until Cornwell screams. The Klingon guarding the room leaves and L’rell says they can talk now. She asks what happens to Starfleet prisoners of war and Cornwell answers they are questioned and treated well. L’Rell says she wants to defect, saying she is all alone. Cornwell is wary but ultimately accepts L’Rell’s idea that they escape together.

On the Discovery, Tilly confronts Stamets about his behavior. He claims nothing is wrong, but she will not relent. He says sometimes his thoughts are jumbled and he does not know what he should. Stamets will not tell Culber because that would lead to Stamets being sent to a lab or for Culber to lie and have his career ruined. Either way, he cannot stand to hurt his partner. Tilly comforts Stamets, and says she will observe his behavior.

Back on Pahvo, Saru shares his findings with the others. The Pahvans are part of the planet itself. Saru says their conversation is slow going but believes they want to get to know others. Later, Saru is unable to find sleep with the noise of the planet. He goes outside and asks one of the Pahvans if they can help make the noise stop. The alien enters his body and during the experience, Saru sees his previous experiences in the war.

In the morning, Saru tells the others he contacted Lorca using the transmitter as a booster. He says the Pahvans will give them anything, but neglects to answer Michael's question about their mission. He asks for their communicators, then destroys them and says they are staying on Pahvo. Saru says the planet has and knows everything, then tells the two he must tell the Pahvans they accept the offer to stay. When he leaves, Michael and Tyler argue about what to do, but Tyler pulls rank and says they must try to continue their mission.

Back on the Klingon ship, L’rell and Cornwell walk through the corridors and L’Rell shares her disgust for Kol. Two Klingons see them and they look at each other and say the other was not what they expected. Cornwell grabs L’Rell’s weapon and attacks her, but L’Rell is victorious. She tells Kol Cornwell escaped with her blade and she will dump the body. L'Rell takes Cornwell’s body to a room and sees various dead beings, including Klingons she knows. She swears to their bodies that she will destroy Kol.

Meanwhile on Pahvo, Saru returns with food. He tries to leave to find Michael, but Tyler stops him by asking how he is dealing with the planet noise. Saru says the Pahvans helped him find harmony. They discuss Tyler’s feelings about the Klingons and how he wants them to suffer as he did during his imprisonment. Saru offers Tyler a crystal the Pahvans gave him and tells Tyler to find peace. Saru realizes Tyler has been attempting to distract him and attacks him, asking for Michael’s location.

Michael is working on connecting tech to the crystal transmitter when sees Saru running towards her and tries to hurry. She sends a message to Discovery, but is unable to hear a reply because Saru attacks. The two fight and he tries to destroy the tech transmitting to Discovery. Michael shoots at him and they discuss the war. He says she continues to deny him peace and cannot take Pahvo away as well. She argues Starfleet needs him and no one can truly have peace while the war continues.

One of the Pahvans brings Tyler and he runs to Michael. The Pahvan talks to Saru and he apologizes. Michael asks the Pahvan for help to end the war, while Saru encourages them not to because he believes the Klingons will attack Pahvo if they help Discovery. The Pahvan listens to Michael and activates the signal. Discovery contacts them and says they are ready to transport. Saru cries out and tries to stay, but the three are beamed board Discovery.

In medical, Michael checks on Saru and asks after his well being. Saru has troubling looking at her, saying he could have killed her and Tyler. He says the Pahvans helped him be without fear for the first time in his life.

Meanwhile on the Klingon ship, L’Rell tells Kol Discovery has advanced capabilities. Kol is angry she got so little information and L’Rell says she will leave if he does not appreciate her work. She attempts to leave but is stopped by his guards. She bows and swears her loyalty. He paints her face and says they will need an interrogator, but he knows she is lying. He has his guards take her away, saying to show her how liars are treated. One of his people announces a message from the planet Pahvo.

On Discovery, Michael and Tyler are confused to learn the Pahvans changed the frequency and they will not be able to uncloak the Klingon ships. Instead, the Pahvans sent out two messages, one to Discovery and one to the Klingons. Lorca blames Michael, but she corrects him saying the Pahvans know of their war and believe in harmony. The Pahvans just want to help. The Discovery sensors find the Klingon ship is on its way. Michael tells Lorca they must stay to protect the Pahvans.

This is not my favorite episode of the season, but it has some good moments. In some ways this episode reminds me of the old Star Trek, the first contact storyline and seeing a new planet for example. I think Saru finding peace and unable to give it up was good, but even when he was fighting Michael and Tyler I never worried for their safety. In general the Pahov part felt a bit predictable, but the Klingon storyline was different. I enjoy the Cornwell and L’Rell interactions and although it seems like Cornwell is dead, I am hoping otherwise. Though L’Rell wants to destroy Kol, I question if her choice to defect was only to steal Discovery intell. Another possibility is a crewmember is a spy and she wanted to connect with them, which lends to the Tyler is a spy or Voq theory.

The next episode of Star Trek: Discovery will be released Sunday at 8:30 p.m. on CBS All Access. Canadians can also watch Sunday nights on Space at 8 p.m. while other countries can watch Monday’s on Netflix.

Watch out the preview for the fall finale of Star Trek: Discovery below.