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Star Trek: Enterprise

“Kir'Shara”

3 stars.

Air date: 12/3/2004 Written by Mike Sussman Directed by David Livingston

Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan

"His name now means 'fool' in our language, just as yours will in Andorian!" — Soval to Shran, the tale of Nirak

Review Text

In brief: Some rough edges and a rushed ending, but a solid ride for most of the way.

The reason Deep Space Nine often worked so well was because of its expansive canvas of governments, societies, and characters with their own agendas. You got the sense that the characters were people populating a whole universe, and the overarching storylines had the will to throw that universe into chaos. And because the characters weren't all playing for the same team, there were plenty of possibilities for some characters to take unpredictable actions that were in partial or direct conflict with other characters.

I think that was ultimately the key to DS9 : It wasn't just about Starfleet officers. It was also about everyone else. As a result, a lot more could happen, and we could empathize with more people and situations, even the bad guys and the neutral people caught in between.

That's sort of why this three-part Enterprise saga, which wraps up with this week's "Kir'Shara," makes for such interesting fare. The starship Enterprise feels like a part of a bigger universe rather than simply all of it. This three-parter reminds me of DS9 's "Circle" trilogy from the beginning of its second season. Lots of characters, history, and political maneuvering. (Also, lots of names and objects that are spelled with apostrophes.)

That's not to say this Enterprise trilogy is perfect. " Awakening " had some notable logical gaffes (among them is one I didn't mention in my review for that episode, which is the lack of a reason for why Syrran didn't know the location of the Kir'Shara even though he carried Surak's Katra). Now "Kir'Shara" wraps things up with an ending of whiplash-like haste and overt tidiness — although it features a last-second revelation that's intriguing.

So — not perfect, but good.

One big thing in the episode's favor is that it's a mess for everyone involved, and there's disagreement in virtually every camp along the way. "Kir'Shara" has its obvious goals and solutions, but it also demonstrates that there may be various ways of working a problem, rather than just being about one problem and one solution.

For example, we have Trip making the decision to go to Andoria to warn Commander Shran (Jeffrey Combs) about the Vulcan surprise attack. There's a scene where Reed unhappily points out to Trip that warning the Andorians is a flat-out betrayal of the Vulcans — which Reed doesn't think is right. Trip has his own uncertainties, but in order to play the part of would-be peacekeeper, he must contact Shran so the Andorians can set up a blockade to intercept the Vulcan fleet. The thinking is that maybe the Vulcans will be forced to turn back if the stealth assault is revealed. If not, "I'll save you a seat at my court-martial," Trip mutters.

The Enterprise arrives at a nebula where Soval knows (from Vulcan intelligence reports) that Shran and an Andorian fleet are hiding. Shran reluctantly beams aboard the Enterprise and Soval lays out the details of V'Las' sneak attack. This initial meeting shows no signs of trust on Shran's part. Indeed, it could be said that the definition of Shran's character is that he's so paranoid that he trusts no one. He thinks perhaps Soval and the Enterprise are trying to lure his fleet into a trap.

Such distrust makes for scenes of charged drama, and it's in these scenes where the show's best visceral strengths lie. With Combs' performance, Shran is a guy always interesting to watch. Perhaps not as interesting as the very different Weyoun — who was more fun as a slickster politician, equal parts villain and sycophant — but engaging as this angry, distrustful man who needs proof and not just your word.

To get that proof, Shran is willing to take extreme and distasteful measures. He carefully kidnaps Soval from the Enterprise with an undetected transporter beam and puts him in a torture device designed specifically to lower the emotional inhibitions of Vulcans. This is a rather unique form of torture that makes for a series of potent scenes.

Gary Graham gets a chance to step outside the usual boundaries of Soval's character and deliver a memorable performance that shows his fear and anger in this appalling situation. He also reveals a bitter regret for having thought he could put faith in Shran's abilities to trust him in the first place. I especially liked Soval's tale about the Vulcan lookout guard named Nirak, whose incompetent inaction allowed an attacking army to destroy a city. Nirak now means "fool" in Vulcan; Soval predicts that Shran's legacy will be similar. Soval's tale is one of those welcome details that elevates plotting into storytelling.

What's also interesting about these scenes is that the role of the torturer, as angry as he may be, is not to be sadistic but merely pragmatic — to gather the information. Shran simply needs to know that he isn't walking into a trap. I found myself somewhat reminded of the great sequence in " The Die Is Cast " where Garak tortures Odo, although Shran here shows himself as more ruthless, putting his people's agenda first, far ahead of surrender. Combs' and Graham's performances carefully walk the line of being intense and in-your-face without straining to the point that it feels like overacting.

These kinds of situations would be impossible if we didn't have multiple conflicting forces in play, and if these forces and personalities didn't already have established backstories allowing us to identify with all points of view. It's interesting how Shran's character retains a certain self-serving integrity in arriving, via his brutal methods, at a truth that satisfies him. We disapprove of his methods and yet respect (if grudgingly) his eventual level of reasonableness, as he quietly laments, "There's been too much suspicion, too many lies, on both sides."

All the while, V'Las is moving forward with his planned invasion. It's worth noting that most — if not all — of the rest of the Vulcan High Command is initially in the dark about V'Las' plan, which leads me to question the wisdom (and indeed the possibility) of giving so much military control to one man, who then conducts large-scale operations in secret, unbeknownst to the other council members. The council's voice of dissent is Minister Kuvak (John Rubinstein), who is opposed to the invasion and later learns that the Syrrannites are looking for the Kir'Shara. V'Las dismisses the Kir'Shara as a myth.

The plot's other major strand involves Archer, T'Pol, and T'Pau trying to get the Kir'Shara to the High Command. The Kir'Shara, you see, contains Surak's original writings and will lead the Vulcans back to the proper Path. This could defuse the escalating tensions between the Vulcans and the Andorians, but only if the Kir'Shara reaches the capital before V'Las' attack unleashes an interstellar mess. Archer is aware of the Ticking Clock because of memories transferred by Syrran when he received the Katra. I for one would like to know: How would Syrran know anything about V'Las' war plans? (I'm calling it a plot hole.)

Along the way, we get a few insightful dialog scenes. I like how carrying the Katra gives Archer an understanding of Vulcans that he'd never had before.

In another scene between T'Pau and T'Pol, T'Pau explains that T'Pol's Pa'nar Syndrome (see " Stigma ") is actually a side effect caused by having melded with an inexperienced mind-melder. It can be easily corrected by an experienced mind-melder (which T'Pau performs). The notion that Pa'nar Syndrome is a permanent affliction is merely a lie spread by the High Command to discourage mind-melds. That's a rather sublime — if simplistically tidy — invocation of the Undo feature on the part of the writers. They easily solve what was purported to be a major character problem while keeping true to the parameters of the story at hand. (Follow-up question: What about the emotional imbalances caused by T'Pol's Trellium addiction? Wouldn't T'Pau have noticed those as well?)

That T'Pol still voices her doubts about the motives of the Syrrannites is good for the sake of discussion, but somewhat dubious in execution: Wouldn't she better understand them after having melded with T'Pau? And doesn't the 180 T'Pol pulls a few scenes later, after she is captured, seem a little confusing? For that matter, it might've been a good idea for the writers to better explore the Syrrannites' belief system. Were they really just another of many sects that claimed to have the true answers? What makes them special and a target for destruction by V'Las?

There are also, of course, the requisite fight scenes after the High Command sends soldiers into the Forge to capture the escapees. I enjoyed the touches in these scenes, especially the gag where Archer discovers his sudden ability to use the Vulcan nerve pinch, as well as the Vulcan soldiers carrying those staffs with the semicircle blades on the end, ported straight in from TOS .

The ending, as I mentioned, is hasty. The crises all climax simultaneously, as they must. V'Las refuses to back down when his surprise attack is foiled, and the Vulcan fleet opens fire on the Andorian fleet, with the Enterprise caught in the middle. Meanwhile, Archer and T'Pau gain access to the High Command with security codes they get from T'Pol's husband, Koss. (The business with Koss' security codes is probably one plot piece too many, especially considering by this point T'Pol is in custody and unavailable to make the plea to him herself.) They open the Kir'Shara and reveal Surak's writings in a light show that impresses everyone except V'Las, who loses his temper in a decidedly un-Vulcan display of frustration as all his plans fall apart. Kuvak finally shows some backbone and stuns V'Las and calls off the fleet.

What feels like only minutes later, V'Las is put under investigation for the embassy bombing, the Vulcans are talking about the dissolution of the High Command, Soval is instantly reinstated, Koss releases T'Pol from her marriage obligation, Vulcan has returned to the Correct Path, and the Vulcans promise to give Earth more leeway in its exploration missions. What a difference a day can make.

I'm not sure what the ideal ending would've been, but it might've involved more extended dialog and just a tad more ambivalence about all this change. This ending is so tidy it's as if the Vulcans had been waiting around for someone to hand-deliver the Kir'Shara so they could usher in an era of change. Perhaps it was that they were all obliviously following V'Las down the wrong path.

That's actually a possibility the very end of the show puts forward, when V'Las is revealed to be conspiring (for decades, it turns out) with a Romulan operative hiding in the shadows. The Romulan speaks of "reunification," a term fans will be familiar with. I must say, this is a cleverly appropriate way to insert the Romulans into this series, since we all know that no human will see a Romulan until TOS 's " Balance of Terror ." This twist sheds some light on V'Las' motives, actions, and emotionalism — although I'm still not sure how a war between the Vulcans and Andorians would help pave the way for Vulcan/Romulan reunification.

All in all, "Kir'Shara" makes for a reasonable cap to a good trilogy — far more successful and interesting than the "Augments" trilogy . As storytelling it has holes, but as Star Trek it shows the ambition of tying pieces together and providing prequel-worthy substance.

Intriguing.

Previous episode: Awakening Next episode: Daedalus

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Comment Section

55 comments on this post.

They should've kicked out Archer and renamed this series The Soval and Shran Show. ;-) Season 4 still had some shaky parts, but it was a huge improvement over the previous three seasons of Enterprise.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Shran beams Soval away to kidnap him, but it was established when Shran took over P'Jem that the Andorians don't ahve transporter technology. Have the just recently aquired it?

Disagree with nerve pinch

"How would Syrran know anything about V'Las' war plans?" You call it a plot hole, why? Is it not possible Syrran has contacts and/or visits Vulcan city's under his other name? Doubtful, perhaps. A plot hole-no. You make this episode sound much worse then it really is.

I've got to get me one of those Vulcan torches. They never go out, even when being used as a quarter-staff!

Jeff Bedard

Overall I enjoyed this three parter. It certainly helped the Vulcans regain their original stature from TOS. I really wasn't happy with their portrayals up to this point. My overall complaint though is that the actors playing V'Las and Kuvak just didn't look Vulcan. Yes, they had the ears and the eyebrows, but their faces, especially the blue eyes, just didn't look Vulcan to me. I didn't buy it. Not to mention that they were emoting all over the place during the trilogy. Simply illogical. At least this trilogy fixed the damage initially inflicted on Vulcans in this series.

Funny thing about retcons: they only work after alienating the very audience who would care most. Surely when B&B rolled out the "mind-melding is like gay sex" idea, they didn't plan on undoing it later. But Trekkers revolted, setting the stage for this story, which would not have been half as rewarding without the initial misstep.

Too true Grumpy. Like Jammer said, simplistic yet sublime use of the "Undo" button, and further evidence of Manny Coto's skill at undoing 3 years of B&B bullsh**.

P.S. Without going into too much detail (contrary to my usual habits), I will just say that I second Jammer's thoughts on this three-part "The Forge/Awakening/Kir'Shara" story arc. I completely agree that logical flaws aside, the political relevance within the Trek universe (especially considering all the species involved... Humans, Vulcans (+ separate factions), Andorians, and even a tease of Romulans) is what makes the arc so interesting. At the cost of repeating myself, I am so glad at the change of pace & direction that's taken place in season 4. It really turned Enterprise into a different and proper TV show.

Jakob M. Mokoru

I agree with the posts above in this: This story arc was necessary to UNDO the terrible thing that had been done to the Vulcans in ENT (had you not called it the "Evil-Vulcan-Syndrome". Yesterday I rewatched TNGs "Sarek" - it is inconcievable how a man that was a producer at that time could demean the Vulcans years later!

This trilogy was great; it redeemed my like of Enterprise -- to properly represent the value of ST. Morality is everything in this series. It stands for something. In this case it stands for reforming corruption in the Vulcan gvmt and opposing war.

Kir'Shara wraps up an excellent trilogy. And the stinger at the end is right on, much better than the bat faced, red eyed, time traveling, Nazi space demons at the end of s3. I’m glad they explained the Vulcans being sort of jerky and showing the path toward the TOS Vulcans who don’t lie and are frequently pacifist. And though I’d like Shran to always be Archer’s buddy, I liked how they made him a dangerous frenemy again by his deplorable torturing of Soval who acted very well. It was cool to see Kuvak nerve pinch that guard with an aggressive sneer - I was like “go, pinch that a-hole guard!” And Kuvak gets to zap the warmongering, jerk-wad V'Las. All the story lines were excellent and it was great to see the migration from mind melds are taboo to mind melds are going to be much more common since by TOS-time Spock was melding left and right. Superb stinger at the end, I hope they get in a few more episodes of this arch. 3.5 for all three - great stuff!

Very good - what people say about ENT (that it finally gets good just in time to end) appears to be true. Better late than never, but sad nonetheless. Great to finally explain and fix the Vulcans!

I pretty much agree with you here Jammer although those negatives outway the positives. In addition: No one seems to have mentioned the inconsistency of having pacifist Vulcans, like T'Pau, fly-kick a guy in the head. And once again we have Archer beating up Vulcans at will even though they are meant to be significantly stronger than humans. So a good change of scope for Enterprise, yes. But aside from The Forge this is another wasted oportunity; An action romp that could have been so much more.

This trilogy gives me mixed feelings. On one hand it was a great voyage into Vulcan culture and politics. On the other hand, it gave a lot of deja-vu, because a lot of story elements where taken from some of the nest DS9 episodes. Blowing up the embassy to trigger an investigation, was taken from Garak blowing up his own shop in Improbable Cause. Creating fake evidence to be found after an explosion, that's taken from In the Pale Moonlight. And one character torturing another character, while begging to please give answers before he has to inflict permanent damage, that's Garak & Odo in The Die is Cast.

I agree: political imbroglios are often the best for arcs and entertaining shows. When episodes are good and give me substance, character and thoughtful dialogue, I tend to put aside some of the plot holes, particularly when they are manufactured to get the viewers to stay on edge. Although the end was too fast and it would have been great to ponder about the consequences. However Ives, you can take almost every episode on any series and draw parallels to other shows. If you take DS9 as example, well, it was a rip-off of Babylon 5's premise (B5 was written years before DS9, but Straczynski was never given the chance to produce it before DS9). I also don't agree with the fact that the story has anything to do with the Prophets. You could get the feeling, but Surak was/is a vulcan who's witnessing his people being led astray. Also, what Archer saw weren't visions, but memories of Surak. The Prophets were aliens who had almost no idea of what being humanoïd meant and didn't give a damn about bajorans. Surak was very well aware of vulcans flaws and that's why he deliberately chose to give an outsider the location of the Kir'Shara (and not half a descendent to fulfill a prophecy in order to ensure their own survival). You can blow apart the bad episodes, but please, give a little credit when it's due. Here, we have a fulfilling, introspective, innovative-in-a-prequel-way and very trekkian three parters.

And Surak said: "Don't be douchebags". And lo, it was done.

I appreciate all your reviews. What you forgot to mention is that the whole, "pre-emptive war" metaphor here clearly reflects the Iraq War arguments. They (Iraq/the Andorians) have weapons, or the potential of weapons, so let's kill them now!!

I gotta say, after being slightly bored by the first two parts of this trilogy, "Kir'Shara" really did it for me. I enjoyed every second of it. The pacing just seemed frickin perfect. Pretty much all of the actors did an excellent job on this one and the action scenes just worked brilliantly. Throw in the fact that all of the events in this episode feel highly relevant to the overall Trek universe and you have a total winner. Oh, and by the way: Did I mention Jeffrey Combs was in it? IMO this was easily the best episode of season 4 yet. A full 4 stars from me.

"What feels like only minutes later, V'Las is put under investigation for the embassy bombing, the Vulcans are talking about the dissolution of the High Command, Soval is instantly reinstated, Koss releases T'Pol from her marriage obligation, Vulcan has returned to the Correct Path, and the Vulcans promise to give Earth more leeway in its exploration missions." Also, Tal from TOS "The Enterprise Incident" performs a katraectomy on Archer, moving Surak's "living spirit" into himself. Which raises the question "Where is Surak's katra now?" ("Now" being TOS era and TNG era.) How long do those things last, anyway? If Surak's katra was still around at the time of "The Savage Curtain," wouldn't Spock have known about it?

As for the logical flaw Jammer mentions: "... which is the lack of a reason for why Syrran didn't know the location of the Kir'Shara even though he carried Surak's Katra" I think because Surak wanted Archer to find it and solve the conflict as a human mediator. Didn't he even say something like that to Archer in a vision?

What if Surak was in Sarek during the TOS and TNG era? Just grappling at straws, but Sarek, Spock's father, has always struck me as the most stoic and logical vulcan in Star Trek film/TV portrayals. If that is the case, then when Sarek passed on his memories to Picard before he died, he could have passed on the katra of Sarek and it eventually ended up in Spock. Just a guess and theory, there is no proof that this was how the Katra moved to the TNG era.

I had to laugh at the tunnels...leading to the big nicely marked door. So in all the time the Syrran were hanging out in the cave system, they never went down that particular tunnel (it had cobwebs)? Never found that door? Really? Even funnier was at the end, when they're coming out, it felt like they were going in circles. Probably walking through the same two sets over and over. That said, I got a kick out of the use of the katra (though heartily agree with "the lack of a reason for why Syrran didn't know the location of the Kir'Shara even though he carried Surak's Katra"). I also enjoyed seeing a young T'Pau. It took me a bit to get that this was THE T'Pau from "Amok Time," but once I did, I was totally into it. I had to do quick mental math to make sure they weren't just reusing that name, and figured it was definitely possible for it to be the same woman. The actress had the right attitude, for sure. Any TOS references that expand our knowledge of those characters and situations get big kudos from me. Plus, she ends up being the new minister, which makes sense. Interesting that she started out as a member of a rebel faction--love it. I really enjoyed seeing Vulcan, and Sehlats! I remember an animated series episode with young Spock and his Sehlat pet. I also really appreciated the explanation for why Vulcans were behaving so badly in the early ENT episodes. They had gone off the rails and needed a course correction. V'Las was such a Bush/Cheney, what with his plans for a preemptive strike to take out a WMD -- but with a secret agenda. Ugh. Almost too close to reality for entertainment. I agree about T'Pol's easy illness cure. Glad that disease is out of the way, but the lack of addressing her emotional imbalance from the trellium-D is worrisome. I hope it isn't forgotten. Also odd was how quickly Koss decided to end the marriage he was so insistent on a few episodes earlier. But at least that's over with!

DS9 SPOILERS AHEAD Something I haven't seen addressed that I thought was interesting (given the references in the review to DS9) was the use of Robert Foxworth as V'Las. If you recall the other role he played in Trek: Admiral Leyton in DS9's Paradise Lost and Homefront. In both that 2-parter and this 3-parter, he plays a leader who takes matters into his own hands and performs a false flag attack on his own people to solidify his control/authority. And while there are real threats to his people out there, Andorians and Changelings, he magnifies their apparent threat for his own purposes. There are other parallels in his methods as well, though the Founders made up both the local and external threats in DS9, the Syrrannites in this existed to bring the threat home as it probably would have been much harder to hide a bunch of Andorians in the desert. I just thought that there were interesting parallels between the two sets of stories, utilizing the same actor. I don't mean to offer any opinion on the effectiveness of the stories or Leyton vs V'Las as characters.

"Where is Surak's katra now?" Good question. Well a couple of places. He could be stored in.a katric ark(apple sized crystalline structure. ) in the the Hall of Thought on Mount Selaya. Could be passed to a Monk. If he was in Sarek and then Spock, that would be intriguing. Sarek preffered Terrans.

Of course the show ends too quickly. Nearly all of the Enterprise episodes do, which I attribute to the shorter run time that they had (42 min vs. 50 on TOS and 45 on DS9). To me, this is one of the most frustrating things about Enterprise.

Transformer SWO

How would war with the Andorians serve the reunification goal? Several reasons: war inevitably damages the Vulcans which makes them prepared to accept an offer of help from their long-lost Romulan cousins when they really need it against the very capable Andorians. Further, the Romulans are not looking for an equal partner in reunification; they'd prefer a weakened, dependent Vulcan that's just happy to be on the team. Overall for the trilogy - yes rushed, yes unnecessary martial arts, but I really appreciated the smart efforts to show that this planet Vulcan grew into the Vulcan of Spock's time. This looks much more like the same universe at different times, unlike JJ Abrams' alternate universe. Liked seeing a fiery (for a Vulcan) T'Pau who could age into the only person to turn down a seat on the Federation Council. Loved seeing Vulcans using the lirpa. Liked them fixing the stigma of the mind meld, and curing T'Pol's syndrome while still leaving her obviously suffering from being emotionally unmoored from her addiction. Good storytelling (not great but very good) and good to see this level of respect for the ST universe.

The arc was far from perfect, but overall this is probably my favorite story arc in Trek since the beginning of DS9 season 6. After seeing the Vulcans turned from one of Trek's most fascinating (hee) races into a bunch of sniveling, uptight control freaks just to induce artificial conflict, it's nice to see the Vulcans placed on a path to how we know them from TOS onward. Thank you Manny Coto for fixing Berman and Braga's screwups! A lot of it felt too close to the headlines for my comfort (e.g. embassy bombings) since I watch Trek to get away from that stuff for a while, but I suppose that was rather the point, to show that 22nd century Earth is still rougher around the edges than the near-utopian Federation of Kirk and Picard. Lots of little references to TOS too - the Vulcan guards using lirpas, the IDIC medal, the selhat from the animated series. Fans appreciate these little things. My theory as to why the Romulans wanted a Vulcan/Andorian war is that such a war would have weakened the Vulcans enough that they would have been forced gone to their Romulan cousins for help, thus ensuring reunification. Pity we never got to see that play out in season 5; in some ways I wish that season 3 had focused on the Romulan War instead of the Xindi (although I liked season 3 overall). I agree with Jammer, this was the best story arc of ENT season 4.

So V'Las is a Romulan or a Romulan sympathiser? I think we could have done without that tease at the end of this episode. A great three-parter that didn't really need the silly fisticuffs or rather tired space battles. Seriously is there anyone out there Archer can't beat up? He kicks the crap out of Klingons and Vulcans--hell I bet he could have bitch-slapped the Gorn Captain from Arena with one hand behind his back.

Okay, now we know the Vulcans of Spock's era sprang from these Syrannites. Good. But my big problem was V'las. He was completely unhinged by the last act. The ranting and hysterics were just too un-Vulcan even for this era. The paralells to the Bush adminstration's WMD fumble was a little too heavy-handed. The bat-upside-the-head way Manny Coto delivers his moral messages (think "Stigma") could use a bit of subtlety.

Very good triplet of episodes, probably the best thus far. It makes me more sad that this show suffered and died by Paramount's attempts to compete with prime time TV and the prime time show-advert combo (which is rapidly loosing its dominace). By today's standards, competing with shows like Game of Thrones, we'd no doubt be treated to a solid hour with conflicts which could play out fully. And hopefully with writing to tell a story...which poor Enterprise is just now getting a little breathing room to do so. I was fine with what they did, but like Picard in The Inner Light, I think Archer should have experienced a lasting effect. (A more Vulcan Archer would be a good compliment to a more human T'Pol.) And Porthos....what the heck!? I can't believe his lack of scenes. Sigh. It's neat to see I'm not the only one on these boards currently watching the show. I'd seen most of it before - perhaps all - but long ago in a very different life. I'll be curious about other fan reactions as the show winds down.

Greattrekker

If this show had continued, I hoped it would have done what the novels are now doing. If you the ENT novels "Rise of the Federation" and "Romulan War", it explains away a lot of things. According to the novels, V'Las was Romulan deep cover agent, he wasn't even Vulcan to begin with. Archer does mellow out with some vulcan mindscaping thanks to Surak's Katra. As for the Romulans and their method of waging wars, quite ingenious parallel to our modern use of Drone warfare instead of actual troops. If that were continued, it could have been a nice Trekkian social commentary on the unwise nature of inhuman warfare.

Diamond Dave

Definitely a solid conclusion to the arc and one that as others have noted did much to put the Vulcans on the path to where they would be in TOS in a sensible and well presented manner. Interesting that perhaps the best scenes were between Soval and Shran - it hasn't really been since DS9 that the secondary cast have been able to put on a compelling show so it's noticeable that Enterprise has at least evolved to a point where this can happen. Although given the Archer-Emmisary parallels in this perhaps the aping of DS9 was more considered. Good moment right at the end too. 3 stars.

This trilogy offers perhaps the best tribute to Roddenberry's vision that vast, positive societal changes can happen in a short time. By showing the "anti ST" Vulcans in the earlier parts of enterprise, we can see the effect of what is called a "significant emotional event" on a society. I find it plausible that that the high command as pictured in Error could move logically down this path because of the way Spock behaves in the Mirror universe. I don't know the backstage bickering or rights of whether this trilogy was planned from the start. It's immaterial because this trilogy puts the work of previous episodes in harmony. And it offers a hopeful message that determined, relatively nonviolent activists can move a society toward more skillful methods of governing.

"Overall I enjoyed this three parter. It certainly helped the Vulcans regain their original stature from TOS. " Oh really? They original stature from TOS? You mean like the less than diplomatic Sarek or the female betrothed to Spock who forced him and Kirk to fight to the death?

If T'Pau was able to cure T'Pol's Panar Syndrome with a "corrective" mind meld, couldn't the sympathetic Vulcan doctor from "Stigma" two years ago have cured T'Pol too?

Greatly enjoyed this three parter sets up TOS and has a good balance of intrigue, exposition, action, and thoughtfulness. If only Enterprise had carried this through from season 1. Then I think the show would have lasted the seven years.

A satisfying conclusion to the trilogy that put Enterprise, belatedly, properly into canonical Trek territory and finally opened its local universe up into a real place where interesting characters do meaningful things. All the same it's perhaps by a slight margin the least of the three episodes - which is surprising since Shran is back. In fact there was something ever so slightly unsatisying about Shran this time. Was it just that the show had improved to such a degree that he wasn't automatically the most exciting character in the episode? Very possibly. Jeffrey Combs is as outstanding as always, but I think part of the source of my misgivings is just that I don't really buy that Shran would torture Soval - or if I do buy it, then I think perhaps it damages Shran a little. But I'm sure Combs can recover Shran from this discrepancy unless he's given some truly stupid material in later episodes. The final scene, introducing the Romulan conspirator is a sweet moment, ripe with all sorts of potential for future plot arcs, even if, like Jammer I'm confused as to how war with the Andorians does anything much to foster Vulcan/Romulan reunification (or at this juncture why that's the object of a conspiracy at all). All in all a very satisfying three parter, which perhaps doesn't have quite the emotional clout of the outstanding three episode run towards the end of season three (the sequence which included 'Damage'), but is ultimately more important and significant. Incidentally Manny Coto intended for Shran to become a permanent member of the Enterprise crew (an adviser' of some sort) in season five. The things we missed out on because of those addled opening seasons...

Weyoun Zero

Is it really so hard to comprehend or believe that B&B made the Vulcans the way they did in the beginning for the express purpose of giving them this arc later? I for one would like to think they had a rough outline of a full 7 season show before it began, leading into the Earth-Romulan war and concluding with the Federation's founding. I believe those first two seasons may have been better received if 9/11 hadn't happened, and then we would've gotten 7 seasons. Another criminal act to blame on bin laden-HE killed Enterprise!!!

OR George Bush did, depending on who you want to believe was responsible for 9/11

A good conclusion to the 3-part tale -- plenty of stuff going but it's hard to believe Archer/T'Pau make it on foot all the way to the Vulcan high command. Also hard to believe how far V'Las nearly got with his plan. Interesting that he's working with a Romulan operative and the whole pre-reunification thing. "Kir'Shara" is a good story but I guess I'm still miffed at how the Vulcans were portrayed throughout the whole thing. But it does fill in some Star Trek cannon holes somewhat adequately. Enjoyed seeing Shran again -- he's got an interesting character in that he is ultimately trying to do the right thing but he can be pretty brutal (pragmatic is a more polite way of saying it) in getting there. The torture scene with Soval was good -- 2 good actors here going at it. Must say, T'Pol's ongoing skepticism of everything is a bit annoying. Also thought Archer after walking in the desert outfighting Vulcans a definite stretch. I agree with Jammer's rating of 3 stars for "Kir'Shara" -- it does wrap up awful quickly and conveniently after like 3 or 4 decent subplots come together. Overall a good few episodes for ENT that did have a bit of a DS9 feel to it.

Oooooo! A Romulan! How I wish there had been a season 5, 6 and 7 to build on that promising scene... I can't decide if V'Las was a rubbish Vulcan because he was supposed to be (ie he'd spent too much time hanging around Romulans or was even part Romulan) or because the actor was rubbish. Love the Shran and Soval scenes.

After the Forge/Awakening = explosions, csi and philosophic travel (which I love, being a fan of cops movies and kung fu series), could this get even better? It seemed difficult but... OH YES!!! Shran! And not out of the blue/laughable, but the really dangerous (and in the end honest) Shran of the first season! Soval, honest at no matter the cost, for his planet and for his debt with Forrest. He might have been a jerk in the past, but he was never corrupt and his world is at stake, so his change makes sense. Trip risking his career (and maybe his home planet, if thins go wrong), just like Soval: on a really tough decision to prevent a war between Vulcano and Andoria. And he's not moving anymore out of anger like at season 3, but for peace. He's a commander, but he's starting to think like a real captain of something bigger than his world - a real captain of the Federation! Surak as a Buddhist-like but understandable wiseman. Archer as someone not posessed, but wise and open to toughtful ideas. T'Pau as a brave and understanding leader with the rare quality of overcoming her initial fanatism. T'Pol so tender and protective towards Archer - he is her true love, and not sexualized, just best friends - so brilliant! Koss, such a good guy, ready to help when Archer exits the Forge and contacts him. Corrupt government ala Game of Thrones, not too well portrayed but still enjoyable. And ROMULANS!!! The end of the Xindi arc was great. But the Forge/Awakening/Kir'shara is pure genius! Best Enterprise arc ever !!!!

This trilogy is certainly a high point of the series so far. There are lots of problems with it (Among them: the object was too easy to find---right down this tunnel!; Archer being able to beat up anybody at any time is boring; I would like to see a bit more restraint from some of the Vulcan actors). It probably would have been better to do this story over two different blocks of episodes (say, introduce the divisions within Vulcan in the first one and come back for the embassy bombing in the second). Still, for anyone who's a fan of the world-building of Star Trek, this is an entertaining three episodes. I don't really have much to add that hasn't already been said by Jammer or by the commenters. There's lots I could nitpick, but Enterprise again does well when it sticks to diplomacy and world building (like DS9). I do have a few comments on what others have said: -Remember, "reunification" doesn't have to happen peacefully. If Romulans want to conquer Vulcan, it's much easier if they're already at war with the Andorians. If they do want to reunify peacefully, they'll have more influence over a Vulcan at war. -I do think Berman & Braga would have eventually done something to bring the Vulcans in line with the other Trek series. They introduced the idea of Andorians & Vulcans being close to war, but they also had Future Guy talk about a future with a Federation, which Archer would be instrumental in forming. So it was clear they were going to do something to change the status quo, though I'm guessing they hadn't even sketched out how they were going to do it.

Am I the only one irked by the fact that the writers here got the mind meld words wrong? It's "your thoughts to my thoughts" not "my thoughts to your thoughts".

Karel Kramer

Jez: Further evidence of the need for knowledgeable editors/proofreaders in all areas of writing. An interest of mine. TO ALL POSTERS: I greatly appreciate reading the comments on how certain elements of the plot fit into Trek canon. I’ve been watching the series solely for its entertainment value, which has upped the game this season. Learning the lore here is an added benefit. Thank you.

Steve McCullagh

At least this trilogy explains why the Vulcans were such dicks the first three seasons.

John Rollins Rollins

Just a remake of Ds9 Homefront and Paradise Lost. They even used Robert Foxworth to play the exact same character. It was decent to watch, but hard not to notice the similarities.

Startrekwatcher

3 stars A pretty solid outing that would have benefitted from A little more polishing by the writers to smooth the rough edges It was neat to bring in the Andorians to the Vulcan trilogy but the torture of Soval was boring and went on too long. Shran came off as very one note. And the Vulcan Andorian fleets facing off against one another possessed a certain cool appeal but it also didn’t help that it reminded me of far superior such engagements from DS9 that had more suspense and unpredictability attached to them than a prequel will allow here I liked the episode remedies Tpol’s panar disease. The reveal of the Kir’Shara’s writings was a good moment. The best moments though were the last few minutes of the hour when the relationship beywwwn Vulcan and Earth takes a more friendship and less adversarial turn followed by the closing scene where we learn V’Las wasn’t just a Vulcan who was opposed to Surak’s peaceful teachings but also someone actively allied with Romulans for decades trying to undermine Vulcan progress and restore the society to a more militant Romulan philosophy which sets them up as a genuine threat In fact, the Romulans were never as threatening as in ENTERPRISE.

Fun fact: the actor who played V'Las and the actress who played T'Pol's mother played a husband and wife on Six Feet Under (they played Rachel Griffiths' character's parents).

Frake's Nightmare

So Emperor Palpatine is actually Darth Sidious ???? Sorry must have been watching something else. Can't think why I said that.

Jeffery's Tube

If you had "T'Pau breaks some heads" on your Star Trek fanfic wishlist, well, Enterprise has you covered. Seriously though, this trilogy did more than anything else to fix Enterprise as far as fans are concerned. Without it, I don't know that much of the fandom would accept Enterprise as "real" Star Trek at all!

It's amusing that everyone's beam weapons are the same color as their blood.

zzybaloobah

Best ENT arc. 3.5 - 4 for the arc, 4 for this episode. Nitpick: Archer goes from being beat up in every episode (Seasons 1 & 2) to kicking butt and taking names -- even outnumbered against Vulcan security forces, who you'd think would be extremely well trained. But, I must admit, seeing him use the nerve pitch was great. Nitpick: The Kir-Shara itself appeared to be metal. It certainly appeared to be high-tech -- which I thought was a no-no. Why are high-tech societies so dependent on high-tech? Any pre-1970 car would have had no problem driving in The Forge -- no electronics to fry. No energy weapons? How about a hand gun -- they work via primitive chemical explosive, and have a much greater range than the lirpa. Can't have metals? Fine, make it all out of ceramics. And what makes you think the Romulans really wanted unification? As opposed to simply wanting warfare among their neighbors?

I enjoy this trilogy, and this episode in particular, even if it does suffer from devolving the intellectual plot of the first two episodes into a much more mundane action stuff. Although most of my thoughts have been covered in Jammer’s review and the comments, I feel obligated to point out a bug pet peeve of mine. In normal circumstances, I get taken out of TV/film when a single or small group of characters out battles a half dozen others. Particularly when two of the small group are women who don’t appear to have any extraordinary strength (and one who is a pacifist and ought not have much fight training compared to dedicated soldiers/law enforcement staff. But Trek often goads me one step further when it comes to Vulcans. They are supposed to be several times stronger than humans. So even the otherwise most qualified fighter of the group, Archer, ought to be easily smacked down by the multiple Vulcan attackers. This is not the first episode of Enterprise to include this anachronism.

Awesome three-parter! Like an earlier poster, I saw a Dick Cheney type allegory in the V’Las character, with his false WMD claims. I kept waiting for reveal of a Vulcan version of Halliburton, and V’Las to be exposed as some shabby war profiteer. When that didn’t happen, I was still confused by his motivations. Then right at the very end we get the surprise Romulan connection, loved it! This trilogy is a series high point! Bravo!

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Kir’Shara (Part 3 of the Vulcan arc)

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In the third part of the Vulcan arc, the Enterprise crew and their Vulcan allies take on a mission to recover the Kir’Shara, a treasured Vulcan artifact believed to contain the original writings of Surak, the revered Vulcan philosopher who founded the modern Vulcan way of life. With the help of the Andorian Imperial Guard, the crew of the Enterprise has finally traced the Kir’Shara to a secret location in Vulcan’s Forge.

The crew of the Enterprise, led by Captain Jonathan Archer, is determined to save the Kir’Shara and uncover the secrets it holds. However, the Vulcan High Command is determined to keep the Kir’Shara hidden, as it contains the writings of Surak, which could potentially cause a dramatic upheaval in the current Vulcan way of life.

The crew of the Enterprise is joined by T’Pol, a Vulcan diplomat who was sent by the Vulcan High Command to keep an eye on the mission, and by Soval, an experienced and respected Vulcan ambassador. Together, they must find a way to recover the Kir’Shara without drawing unnecessary attention from the Vulcan High Command.

Archer and his team eventually locate the Kir’Shara in a hidden temple in Vulcan’s Forge and break in to retrieve it. Soon after, they find themselves in a fierce battle with members of the Vulcan High Command, who are determined to stop them from returning the Kir’Shara to the Vulcan people. Despite the odds, the crew of the Enterprise is able to fight off their attackers and escape with the Kir’Shara.

Back on Earth, the crew of the Enterprise presents the Kir’Shara to a group of high-ranking Vulcan officials. Upon reading the ancient texts, they are amazed to discover that the original teachings of Surak have been intact all along, and that these teachings could revolutionize the Vulcan way of life.

In the end, the Kir’Shara is returned to the Vulcan people, and the crew of the Enterprise is hailed as heroes. The crew of the Enterprise also gains a new ally in the form of T’Pol, who is determined to use the knowledge contained in the Kir’Shara to help the Vulcans create a better society. With the recovery of the Kir’Shara, the Vulcan arc comes to an end, and the crew of the Enterprise can move on to new adventures.

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Published Jan 6, 2023

Nearly 20 Years Ago, One Enterprise Epic Set the Stage for Discovery

Both Enterprise and Discovery featured a new look at Vulcan culture that shook up the status quo.

Illustrated banner of the NX-01 Enterprise and Discovery starships overlapping

StarTrek.com / Rob DeHart

When Sarek and Amanda Grayson grapple with the complicated destinies of their children on Star Trek: Discovery , it’s easy to forget that the political landscape these outer space parents are navigating is a kaleidoscope of various canonical influences from across the entire spectrum of the Star Trek timeline.

From “ Amok Time ” to “ Yesteryear ” to the lush depiction of the planet Vulcan in the Star Trek feature films, nearly every Vulcan-centric episode of Discovery pulls something from other facets of Star Trek . But, arguably, the origin of the Vulcan culture, as we understand it, was best defined in an epic three-part episode of the prequel series Star Trek: Enterprise that probably doesn’t get the props it deserves.

It’s hard to believe that it’s nearly two decades since the first airing of “ The Forge ,” on November 19, 2004, but this Enterprise story would change Star Trek canon forever. Throughout its three-parts — “The Forge,” “ Awakening ,” and “ Kir'Shara " — Star Trek not only redefined the Vulcans as we know them, but also set the stage for a huge Vulcan comeback in Star Trek: Discovery .

Star Trek: Enterprise -

StarTrek.com

The secret to doing this was simply making Vulcan culture seem real and, importantly, flawed . The knowledge that the Vulcans are a complicated race of people with as many pitfalls in their history as our own is one of the most important things about not only these characters, but the mythos of Star Trek in general. After all, Star Trek has proven time and again that there’s more to their recurring alien races than viewers initially perceive.

There’s a fairly hilarious scene in the second part of the Enterprise arc, where Commander Tucker and Ambassador Soval have a conversation that could have very well serve as the plot synopsis for the first episode of Star Trek: Discovery . In a tense moment during “Awakening,” Tucker asks, “How many warning shots do Vulcans usually fire?" to which Soval answers, “None.” In microcosm, these two quick lines of dialogue sum-up the relationship between humans and Vulcans throughout all of Star Trek . Sure, the Vulcans are basically pacifists, but you don’t mess with them because of their violent past; they have the ability to be as militaristic as the rest of the quadrant but choose not to. That dichotomy is deeply profound, not only for these specific two series — Enterprise and Discovery — but also for the various metaphors the Vulcans represent in real life.

Star Trek: Enterprise

While some naysayers might complain that Enterprise changed the background the Vulcans too much, the reality is the entire depiction of this culture in the series was brilliant because it added depth that was previously absent. Clearly, we have decades of fan devotion that prove that Vulcans were cool before Enterprise but they were mostly cool when they were part of Starfleet. What Enterprise did was make the whole planet into a realistic political body, and that meant there was a diversity of different political viewpoints. In other words, Enterprise got rid of the concept of a stereotypical Vulcan, and showed, perhaps for the first time, how truly infinite and diverse this culture actually is.

Star Trek: Enterprise

A good example of this is Robert Foxworthy as the war-mongering V’Las . When we meet him, V’las is hell-bent on wiping-out a religious sect of Vulcans called Syrrannites. He’s not doing this because it’s moral but, because in his own twisted logic, he’s trying to frame the Syrrannites for the bombing of the Earth embassy. His people blew up the embassy, and he wants humans off Vulcan, so “logically” he needs a scapegoat. In a sense, V’las is the beginning of the logic extremists we see in Star Trek: Discovery ; the biggest difference being those Vulcans don’t even bother framing people for their bombings. A knee-jerk reaction would be to say that V’las doesn’t act like a real Vulcan. And yet, we know that Spock can smile as seen in “The Cage,” and that his brother, Sybok, can belt out huge belly laughs and commit the crime of ‘grand-theft-starship.’ There’s an entire emotional spectrum for Vulcans, and this Enterprise puts all those feelings into harsh perspective.

At this point, the Vulcans lack the faith to believe in the existence of Katras ; the spirit of a Vulcan’s mind that is such an integral part of Spock’s journey in The Search for Spock , and Michael Burnham’s travails in “The Vulcan Hello,” “Battle at the Binary Stars,” and “Lethe.” In “Awakening,” we find out that Captain Archer is given the Katra of Surak — the spirit of the Vulcan who prevented his people from turning into the Romulans, or as they were known in ancient history, “those who marched beneath the raptor’s wings.”

Star Trek: Enterprise

On the other side of all the corrupt politics is the young Vulcan T’Pau , played in this episode by Kara Zediker, (previously famous as the elder played by Celia Lovsky in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Amok Time”). If you were to watch Enterprise before TOS (which is arguably a good way to do it), T’Pau becomes an amazing character who goes on a fairly revelatory journey. In “Awakening,” T’Pau distrusts humans to the point of prejudice, but after a human, Captain Archer, is given the Katra of Surak, T’Pau comes around to the idea that humans probably are the ticket to a saner and more stable version of her planet.

In First Contact , and throughout all of Enterprise , it’s implied that Vulcans swept in and helped save us humans from ourselves. But, by the end of part three of this story, “Kir'Shara,” it’s clearly the other way around. With a human bringing the original Surak texts back to the Vulcan High Command, and a Starfleet ship preventing an all-out war with the Andorians, the slightly irrational and less experienced human race ends up being the missing piece that helps bring logic and sanity back to Vulcan.

Michael Burnham stands before her parents Sarek and Amanda Grayson on Star Trek: Discovery

If you then fast-forward to Star Trek: Discovery , you find that everything about the Vulcan society Sarek, Amanda, and Michael Burnham are dealing with is still there. In “The Vulcan Hello,” we’re again reminded that Vulcans don’t fire warning shots, and in “Lethe,” a group of extremists uses terrorism as an act of xenophobia. Even though the planet Vulcan is a little more sophisticated and its government less corrupt than it was during Enterprise , the planet Vulcan of Discovery is still dealing with the same old problems. Fictionally, the Vulcans and humans are separate species, but in terms of social commentary, the moody Vulcans of both Enterprise and Discovery present a kind of dark mirror for our own political turmoils on planet Earth. Surak was able to stop all-out war thousands of years before the events of Enterprise , but extremists nearly take over the government in the 2150s. About 100 years later, Sarek is still dealing with highly prejudiced people on the one side, refusing to admit Michael to the Vulcan Expeditionary Group; and on the other side, he’s got logic extremists blowing up shuttle crafts and learning centers.

Star Trek: Enterprise -

Watching this three-parter of Enterprise back-to-back with Discovery might make you feel bad for the good Vulcans. After all, in both eras, they are struggling to make sure their logical culture lives long and prospers, but are faced with more problems from within than from without. If you were just to scan the plot synopsis, the message might read as cynical - the more bad Vulcans change, the more they stay bad. But, when you watch these Enterprise episodes, there’s not a shred of cynicism in the stories at all. At this point, the Vulcans may not have gotten to the point of solid stability we see in Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation , but they’re changing and getting better all the time. This fraught Enterprise epic isn’t about illogical Vulcans behaving badly; it’s about the hope that they’ll find a way to get over all this chaos.

So if you love Spock and Michael Burnham on Star Trek: Discovery , it might be a good time to thank Captain Archer, T’Pol and T’Pau on Star Trek: Enterprise . The future might not have been rediscovered without them.

This article was originally published on November 19, 2019.

Ryan Britt's (he/him) essays and journalism have appeared in Tor.com, Inverse, Den of Geek!, SyFy Wire, and elsewhere. He is the author of the 2015 essay collection Luke Skywalker Can't Read. He lives in Portland, Maine, with his wife and daughter.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are currently streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. Internationally, the series is available on Paramount+ in Australia, Italy, Latin America, the U.K. and South Korea, as well as on Pluto TV in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland on the Pluto TV Sci-Fi channel. It will also stream exclusively on Paramount+ in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland and Austria later this year. In Canada, it airs on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel and streams on Crave. STAR TREK: DISCOVERY is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Stay tuned to StarTrek.com for more details! And be sure to follow @StarTrek on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

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Recap / Star Trek Enterprise S 04 E 09 Kir Shara

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In the Vulcan High Command's HQ, Administrator V'Las shows the assembled Vulcans the Andorian ship activity around Paan Mokar. Kuvak points out that the Vulcans gave them back that planet and doesn't understand why the Andorians would mount a defensive position over it. V'Las explains that the Andorians believe that the Vulcans want the planet back and are creating false warp signatures with probes. Kuvak asks why the council wasn't informed, and V'Las explains that he was keeping on the down-low lest the Andorians had penetrated the High Command. He then shows Kuvak the location of some Vulcans preparing to invade Andoria, since the Andorians are suspected to have stolen a probe of the Xindi weapon.

Meanwhile, Archer, T'Pol, and T'Pau keep heading to the Vulcan High Command, with Archer and T'Pau intent on bringing them the eponymous sacred item. On Enterprise , Malcolm gives Trip an update, then asks Trip why they're going to Andoria despite being ordered to Earth. Trip says that the journey to Andoria is just a "detour" and that it's an attempt at preventing war. Soval enters, so Trip dismisses Malcolm, and then Soval asks Trip says that the Andorian Imperial Guard probably won't believe them, but they might be able to trust Shran. Trip doesn't know where Shran is, so Soval offers assistance.

In the High Command's chambers, Kuvak tells V'Las that their patrol has returned with eight Syrranites from the destroyed sanctuary, and that their leader is dead, but two Vulcans and a human (who was identified as Archer) survived. He reveals that the Syrranites told him that Archer is carrying the Kir'Shara, but V'Las thinks the Kir'Shara doesn't exist. Kuvak orders a sublieutenant to inform Talok to find and kill the rest of the Syrranites.

Enterprise arrives in Andorian territory near a nebula. Soval and Trip contact Shran, who is hiding in it, then Shran boards the Enterprise . Soval and Trip tell Shran that a Vulcan fleet is planning an attack on Andorian space near Regulus, but Shran isn't so sure.

Back on Vulcan, T'Pol and T'Pau see a Vulcan patrol craft flying by, and T'Pol notes that they have to get Archer (who is asleep) to a doctor, also apologising for her grief-induced (relative) moodiness. She and T'Pau talk for a bit about the late T'Les, which eventually ends up with T'Pol revealing she has Pa'nar Syndrome. T'Pau cures T'Pol by doing another mind meld, revealing that the High Command lied about the disease being incurable. In the nebula, Shran orders the abduction of Soval and beams him into a restraint.

Shran demands that Soval tell him the truth, but Soval says that he is telling the truth, pointing out that he was honest during previous negotiations. Shran continues to torture Soval, using a device that makes Vulcans unable to suppress their emotions. Enterprise notices that Soval isn't onboard, find that he's on Shran's ship, and hail, but they get no reply. The Andorian ships go into the nebula, followed by the Enterprise which fires on Shran's ship, but they lose track of them.

In the desert, Archer, T'Pol, and T'Pau have stopped due to Archer's weak health. T'Pau scouts the area and Archer tries to get T'Pol to have another look at the Syrranite philosophy. T'Pol, however, notes that there have been similar groups that turned out badly and she has no reason to believe the Syrranites are different. She also believes that their beliefs are unscientific, but ends the conversation when T'Pau returns.

Soval, despite being tortured, stands his ground, insists he's trying to save the Andorians, and compares Shran to an infamous Vulcan man named Nirak, who made a mistake that was fatal to his village, leading to his name being synonymous with "fool". This, however, angers Shran, and he increases the torture. Archer, T'Pol, and T'Pau then run into Vulcan High Command members, leading to a skirmish that separates Archer and T'Pau from T'Pol. T'Pol pretends to be a Syrranite to convince the High Command members to go to Mt. Seleya.

T'Pol is sent to the High Command, where she meets Talok. He asks why she "betrayed" him, and she responds that the Syrranites weren't responsible for the embassy bombing, refusing to answer the question. Meanwhile, Shran gets contacted but ignores it. Soval, despite being not all there and laughing, is still relatively confident— when Shran threatens to raise the setting to a dangerous level, Soval believes he's bluffing and cares about him. Enterprise fires on Shran's ship, causing Shran to relent and accept Soval's words as true. He returns Soval to the Enterprise , where Soval is put in sickbay, and Shran reveals that the Imperial Guard is re-deploying their forces to Regulus and wants Enterprise to join them.

Meanwhile, Archer and T'Pau track their attackers— they are going away from the capital with T'Pol. Archer decides to save her and they find and attack a group. They learn that T'Pol is at the High Command and Archer nerve pinches one of them. Enterprise and the Andorian ships gather outside to meet the Vulcan fleet, but unfortunately, the rest of the Andorian fleet is running late.

Archer and T'Pau reach the outskirts of the city but they need to find a way in. In the council chamber, meanwhile, Kuvak is trying to convince V'Las that they should call off the attack, since there is no evidence that the Andorians possess Xindi tech. However, V'Las wants to destroy the entirety of Andoria.

Trip orders Enterprise to move between the two fleets and hails the Vulcans. V'Las answers, and orders them to leave, but Trip refuses, revealing that he's informed Admiral Gardner about the situation. V'Las, however, orders the fleet to engage. Kuvak wants them to call off the attack, but V'Las threatens to have him arrested if he tries to interfere again. A fight begins, during which the Kumari takes a hit for the Enterprise , causing Shran to claim Archer owes him two favours.

Archer and T'Pau enter the High Command chamber, and V'Las tries to contact security, but Kuvak pinches the guard and steals his weapon. Archer then reveals to the council that it was V'Las who bombed the embassy, as part of a plan to get the Syrranites destroyed so they wouldn't find the Kir'Shara. V'Las still insists it doesn't exist, so Archer activates the Kir'Shara, which shows holographic teachings of Surak. Kuvak and T'Pau decide that the artifact needs to be studied, and V'Las tries to destroy it, only for Kuvak to stun him and tell the assault fleet to call off the attack.

Tropes in this episode include:

  • Call-Back : T'Pol's Pa'nar syndrome is brought back up, and is promptly cured by T'Pau.
  • This would not be the last attempt to reunify Vulcans and Romulans .
  • Vulcan society nominally being under the control of a civilian government, but in practice being controlled by a military organization with a hostile agenda, with the military eventually being overthrown and dismantled in order to return power to the civilian authorities, echoes what happened to the Cardassians two centuries later. Humorously, the Vulcans would likewise end up part of a much larger organization within a few years, though they co-founded it instead of being subsumed into it.
  • Chekhov's Gun : The electromagnetic deposits in the cave come in handy as an Improvised Weapon when T'Pau lures the Vulcans searching for her and Archer near one by mimicing a sehlat call, electrocuting two of them and forcing the third to discard his lirpa staff.
  • Cruel Mercy : In his "The Reason You Suck" Speech to Shran, Soval tells the story of Nirak, a guard tasked with guarding the gates of Gol. He mistook an enemy army for a mere sandstorm, and his failure to alert anyone led to the city being destroyed. The invading army opted to spare Nirak, and his failure became so well-known that his name means "fool" in the Vulcan language. Soval then tells Shran that his name will mean the same in Andorian if he doesn't heed Soval's warning.
  • The Dog Was the Mastermind : Talok (a minor figure throughout this episode) is revealed to be a Romulan deep cover agent and the liaison for their plan to conquer Vulcan.
  • Don't Make Me Destroy You : Shran begs Soval to tell the truth because he doesn't want to destroy Soval's mind—he just can't believe that a Vulcan ambassador would reveal his people's attack plan and thinks it's his duty to uncover what Soval is "hiding."
  • Get Out! : With Malcolm still having reservations about warning the Andorians, Trip tells him to leave the ready room with a very pointed "dismissed."
  • Go Through Me : Trip tries to forestall a Vulcan-Andorian war by putting the Enterprise in front of the Vulcan fleet to draw their fire.
  • Graceful Loser : Talok in uninterested in V'Las fuming about their defeat. He considers the failure of a plan that had decades of prep time put into it to be just "a minor delay" and nothing to get terribly upset about.
  • I Did What I Had to Do : Shran's response when Trip chews him out for torturing Soval.
  • Jack Bauer Interrogation Technique : Shran tortures Soval to make sure he's telling the truth. The device doesn't inflict pain, rather, it weakens a Vulcan's emotional control in an extremely distressing fashion.
  • Mutually Assured Destruction : Shran tells Soval and Trip that Vulcan will be completely devastated once the Andorian fleet launches their retaliatory counterattack.
  • Never My Fault : V'Las blaming Talok for his own failures and getting called on it. V'Las: You failed! Decades of work have been lost. Talok: Am I to be blamed for your incompetence?
  • No Full Name Given : We never find out Gardner's first name.
  • Nothing Is the Same Anymore : T'Pau tells Archer that with the High Command dissolved, Earth will now stand on its own. Archer: We're ready.
  • Only Sane Man : As previously, Kuvak remains the only member of the High Command to question what V'Las is doing.
  • Permission to Speak Freely : Malcolm, when asking Trip if warning the Andorians about the Vulcan attack is a good idea.
  • Purple Is Powerful : T'Pau wears purple robes upon being installed as Minister.
  • Real Life Writes the Plot : The writers had always intended to do a Romulan twist in the final scene, but it was going to just be some generic officer instead of Talok. According to Mike Sussman, they couldn't do that for budget reasons; he had to make Talok the Romulan or else the scene would've had to have been cut.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech : While under emotion-intensifying torture by Shran, Soval tells him the parable of a Vulcan soldier who mistook an army's dust for a mere sandstorm, allowing his city to be overrun—his name became their word for "fool". This is a lead-in for saying that the name Shran will soon take on the same meaning in Andorian.
  • The Reveal : The Romulans were hoping to instigate a war between Vulcan and Andoria as part of their long-term plots. Also, Talok being a Romulan.
  • Standing Between the Enemies : Trip tries this to stall for time, but as they begin suffering damage, he's forced to fire on the Vulcan fleet.
  • Unwitting Pawn : The Andorians were to be this for the Romulans, as they'd ensure a nasty war that would leave Vulcan too weak to resist a Romulan invasion. The various actions of Archer's crew ensures this doesn't happen, while everyone remains unaware of the Romulans' hand in all this.
  • Villain Ball : Major Talok calls out V'Las for involving the humans in their plans.
  • Villainous Breakdown : V'Las loses it when Archer and T'Pau show up with the Kir'Shara. In contrast, Syrannite T'Pau is perfectly calm as she dismantles him.
  • Wham Shot : The ending reveals that V'Las was actually working with the Romulans to bring about reunification.
  • With Due Respect : Malcolm telling Trip that they shouldn't get involved in a Vulcan/Andorian war. Trip's response is that they're already involved.
  • You Owe Me : After Shran distracts a Vulcan cruiser from attacking Enterprise : "Tell Archer that's two he owes me!"
  • Star Trek Enterprise S 04 E 08 Awakening
  • Recap/Star Trek: Enterprise
  • Star Trek Enterprise S 04 E 10 Daedalus

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star trek enterprise kir'shara

Memory Alpha

  • Vulcan High Command personnel
  • View history

Talok was a long-term, deep-cover Romulan operative who posed as a Vulcan military officer in the 22nd century . In that capacity, he served under T'Pol during the Tomed mission , and secretly attempted to further the efforts of the Romulan Star Empire to conquer Vulcan .

Talok had entered into a covert alliance with Administrator V'Las , the head of the Vulcan High Command , to facilitate what Talok referred to as the "reunification" of the Vulcan and Romulan peoples . In 2154 , Talok, who held the rank of major on Vulcan, embarked on a mission to retrieve the Kir'Shara , the record of Surak 's original teachings. As the revelation of Surak's true philosophy would seriously undermine V'Las's authority, thereby eliminating the Romulans' control of the Vulcan government, this mission was considered to be of the utmost importance. However, Talok ultimately failed in stopping Starfleet captain Jonathan Archer from presenting the Kir'Shara to the High Command, leading to the relief of V'Las as Administrator, and the dissolution of the High Command. During the search through Vulcan's Forge , Talok captured T'Pol who was sent back to the capitol, but was defeated by Archer and T'Pau . After getting answers from Talok, Archer subdued him with a Vulcan nerve pinch that Archer learned with the help of Surak's katra within him.

In response to these events, Talok was forced to return to Romulus , as his position had become compromised. Prior to Talok's departure, V'Las confronted Talok, accusing him of failing in his mission to preserve Romulan influence on Vulcan. Refusing to take V'Las with him, as V'Las's disappearance at the same time V'Las was being investigated would cause too much suspicion, Talok reassured V'Las that recent events were only "a minor delay," and that reunification was "only a matter of time." ( ENT : " Kir'Shara ")

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Talok was played by actor Todd Stashwick .

In the final draft script of "Kir'Shara", Talok was described thus; " Two meters tall, he's a powerful figure. "

In the original draft of "Kir'Shara", Major Talok was a native Vulcan and was not an undercover Romulan operative. Originally, the Romulan spy in the final scene was to have been a new, never-before-seen character, but there was no money left in the budget to pay for another speaking role. Writer Michael Sussman adjusted the scene, turning Talok into the Romulan spy, as the major's role had already been budgeted for.

The re-use of a Romulan uniform from Star Trek Nemesis helped trim the budget further, allowing the scene to be included in the finished episode. Had the scene been cut, as it very nearly was, the Romulans' role in the political strife on Vulcan would have remained completely hidden, even from the audience. ( Information provided by Mike Sussman . )

External link [ ]

  • Talok at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
  • 2 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-G)
  • 3 Star Trek: The Next Generation

Kir’Shara

Archer and T’Pol endeavor to expose an ancient Vulcan artifact to Vulcan society, while Enterprise becomes involved in a standoff between the Vulcan and Andorian fleets.

In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss “Kir’Shara” and the conclusion to the Syrannite Arc of Star Trek: Enterprise. Plus! The guys talk about continuity notecards, the spikey thing, and the dearth of Romulan interference.

  • Post author By Wes
  • Post date 11/18/2021

star trek enterprise kir'shara

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star trek enterprise kir'shara

Our adventures on Vulcan come to a conclusion in “Kir’Shara”! Archer and T’Pol must bring the Spikey Thing of Vulcan Knowledge to the High Command in time to prevent a war from consuming the Alpha Quadrant. The Syrannite Arc has been somehwta underwhelming to this point, so we need an episode to start questioning things and digging deep to uncover the core conflict that threatens to tear Vulcan society apart. Will “Kir’Shara” be able to do it?

The Wikipedia plot summary for “Kir’Shara”:

Enterprise  heads to  Andoria  after Ambassador  Soval  informs them that the  Vulcans  believe they have been developing  Xindi  weapon technology. Soval guides  Enterprise  to a nebula where the Andorian fleet is hiding. Commander  Shran  is dubious, and abducts and tortures Soval. After believing him,  Enterprise  joins a fleet of six Andorian ships to intercept the Vulcans. Commander  Tucker  attempts to buy time by ordering  Enterprise  directly between the two fleets — this works for a while until Administrator V’Las orders them to be targeted too.

Meanwhile, at The Forge, Captain  Archer , Commander  T’Pol , and T’Pau, having found the sacred Kir’Shara [a]  (which the Syrrannites believe will usher a Vulcan enlightenment), endeavor to take it to the capital. En route, T’Pol and T’Pau discuss the  taboo  of  mind-melds , and T’Pau offers to mind-meld with T’Pol. She states the meld is safe when performed by those trained in the art, and that  Pa’nar Syndrome  is merely the by-product of an improperly conducted meld. The trio are then attacked by Major Talok and Vulcan commandos, and T’Pol is captured while the others escape. She tells her captors that they are headed to  Mount Seleya  in order to mislead them from their true destination.

She is then taken to the capital. Archer and T’Pau also arrive after T’Pol’s husband, Koss, provides transporter security codes. They present the Kir’Shara to the High Command and reveal that the embassy bombing was merely a pretext to weaken the pacifist Syrrannites prior to the Andorian strike. Visibly angered, V’Las lunges for the Kir’Shara, but is stunned by High Minister Kuvak, who orders the fleet to stand down.  Enterprise  returns to Vulcan, and Koss visits to release T’Pol from their marriage. Meanwhile, the  Vulcan High Command  is dissolved, granting Earth greater autonomy, and the  katra  of  Surak  is transferred to a Vulcan high priest. V’Las, relieved of his post, meets secretly with Talok, revealed to be a  Romulan  agent, who states that the  reunification of their worlds  is only a matter of time.

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Kir'Shara Original Airdate: 3 Dec, 2004

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10 "No Body, No Death" Cases In Star Trek

1. t'pol.

Ro Laren Star Trek Picard

Although it may be a bit much to hope that T'Pol would make an appearance in Star Trek: Legacy , were it to be set in the 25th Century, there would be no issue including her in Strange New Worlds . 

As she was barely in her sixties by the close of Enterprise , she could still be an active officer by the time the Enterprise is zooming around with Pike in the chair, especially with T'Pau, with whom she studies the Kir'shara, alive and well to officiate Spock's wedding with T'Pring.

Though the same can be said for the entire roster of Enterprise's  main cast, T'Pol seems to have been somewhat overlooked in Trek  history. There are a myriad of issues surrounding the treatment of the character on the show, so dealing with her fate and career post-NX 01 would, in this writer's opinion, be a fascinating way to bridge the gap between the newer Kurtzman-led Star Trek  series and the older 00s era shows.

Bring back T'Pol, we say! 

Writer. Reader. Host. I'm Seán, I live in Ireland and I'm the poster child for dangerous obsessions with Star Trek. Check me out on Twitter @seanferrick

Den of Geek

The New Star Trek Movie Will Finally Explore a Missing Part of Enterprise Lore

The upcoming Star Trek movie Section 31 adds a surprising new character: Captain Rachel Garrett of the USS Enterprise-C.

star trek enterprise kir'shara

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The Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation

The Enterprise-C has returned! Again!

According to a Variety report about the future of the Star Trek franchise, the upcoming Section 31 movie will feature Kacey Rohl as a “young” Rachel Garrett, presumably before she became the captain of the Enterprise-C. It’s a surprising but exciting turn of events, to be sure, since Garrett has only appeared in a single episode of Star Trek , leaving much of her history yet to be explored. In fact, digging into more of Garrett’s story would be a way to unlock a piece of Star Trek captain lore that’s long been missing despite the Enterprise-C’s introduction over 30 years ago.

Fans first met an older Garrett (Tricia O’Neil) and the Enterprise-C in the season three Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise.” When that episode aired in February 1990, the arrival of the Enterprise-C addressed a question that had lingered since the show’s premiere three years earlier. Obviously, The Original Series took place on the USS Enterprise, which was destroyed in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock and replaced by the Enterprise-A at the end of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home .

The TNG premiere “ Encounter at Farpoint ,” which is set almost a century after The Original Series , introduced the Enterprise-D. But what about the Enterprise-B and -C? The answer for the former came in Generations , which begins with the Enterprise-B’s troubled maiden voyage, and would go on to live in non-canonical stories outside of movies and television.

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But “Yesterday’s Enterprise” tells a much richer onscreen story about the Enterprise-C. Destroyed 20 years before the episode’s setting, the Enterprise-C goes through a time distillation and arrives in a changed future. In the original timeline, the -C was destroyed while attempting to rescue a Klingon outpost. When the time shift prevents the -C from completing its mission in the past, the future changes and the Federation is suddenly in the midst of a protracted war against the Klingons. In this reality, the Enterprise-D is a battleship, led by an embittered Picard and his military-focused crew, including Denise Crosby’s Tasha Yar.

Directed by David Carson and based on a story by Trent Christopher Ganino & Eric A. Stillwell, “Yesterday’s Enterprise” serves as a proper send-off for Tasha Yar, an original crew member who died an ignoble death at the “hands” of a blob monster in the season one episode “Skin of Evil.” Yar, and the crew of the Enterprise-C, choose to send the time-displaced ship back into the past and complete its deadly mission, sacrificing themselves to prevent the Federation/Klingon war from ever happening.

It’s a glorious episode, one of the best in the series, and a fitting end for Yar. However, Garrett puts in a great showing as a model Starfleet Captain too, embodying the courage and selflessness that marks the best captains. Even though she suffers a surprisingly gnarly death before her ship can go back to the past and complete its mission, Garrett remains a compelling figure from Star Trek lore.

Garrett later got a nod in Star Trek: Picard , which revealed her statue stood on M’talas Prime. But that’s all we currently know about Garrett, unless you count the non-canonical Lost Era novels The Art of the Impossible and Well of Souls , which flesh out her character. In canon, though, Garrett remains a compelling mystery.

As she demonstrated on the series Hannibal , Rohl knows a thing or two about portraying under-explored fan-favorites. On that Bryan Fuller -created adaptation of Thomas Harris’ novels, Rohl played Abigail Hobbes, the daughter of Garret Jacob Hobbs aka the Minnesota Shrike, a serial killer only mentioned in passing in Harris’ books.

Coincidentally, in Section 31 , Rohl’s Rachel Garrett will appear alongside another Fuller creation: Philippa Georgiou, played by Michelle Yeoh . As the original creator of Discovery , Fuller introduced Georgiou as Michael Burnham’s commanding officer, who dies in the Battle of the Binary Stars, only for her Mirror Universe equivalent to arrive and take her place.

The Mirror version of Yeoh’s Georgiou will be the main character of the upcoming Section 31 movie, which focuses on the secret ( and, frankly, overused ) intelligence wing of Starfleet. While she traveled to the 32nd Century with the USS Discovery at the end of that show’s third season, Georgiou’s body began to suffer from traveling across dimensions and timelines. She was forced to return to her previous time, presumably to resume work with Section 31.

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Georgiou’s experience moving across timelines and dimensions might explain Garrett’s role in Section 31 . After all, Garrett did also cross timelines and dimensions in “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” and while she died before the effects of the journey could set in, that information would be of interest to Section 31.

However Section 31 plans to handle Garrett, her inclusion will finally shed some more light on the most mysterious of Enterprise eras. Where even the Enterprise-B lived on in non-canonical novels, comics, and video games, the Enterprise-C exists only to die. Perhaps, Section 31 and Rohl’s Rachel Garrett will give fans more to love about this doomed ship, and make sure that history never forgets the name Enterprise.

Star Trek: Section 31 is slated to release in 2025.

Joe George

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

IMAGES

  1. 409: "Kir'Shara"

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  3. Watch Star Trek: Enterprise Season 4 Episode 9: Kir'Shara

    star trek enterprise kir'shara

  4. 4x09

    star trek enterprise kir'shara

  5. Star Trek: Enterprise 4.9 "Kir Shara"

    star trek enterprise kir'shara

  6. 409: "Kir'Shara"

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COMMENTS

  1. "Star Trek: Enterprise" Kir'Shara (TV Episode 2004)

    Kir'Shara: Directed by David Livingston. With Scott Bakula, John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating. While Enterprise travels to Andoria to warn them of the attack, Archer tries to bring the Kir'Shara to the High Command.

  2. Kir'Shara (episode)

    Archer and T'Pol endeavor to expose an ancient Vulcan artifact to Vulcan society, while Enterprise becomes involved in a standoff between the Vulcan and Andorian fleets. In the chambers of the Vulcan High Command on Vulcan, Administrator V'Las shows the assembled Vulcans the Andorian ship movements around Paan Mokar. Kuvak points out that the Vulcans themselves gave the Andorians that planet ...

  3. Kir'Shara

    Kir'Shara. " Kir'Shara " is the ninth episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It was writer Michael Sussman 's third episode of the season, while it was director David Livingston 's second. The episode was the third in a three-part story arc, following on from the episodes "The Forge ...

  4. Kir'Shara

    Appendices [] Background []. An object of very similar shape and size as the Kir'Shara was seen in a sacred crypt on Vulcan in the Star Trek: Discovery episode "Light and Shadows".. Apocrypha []. In the novel Forgotten History, the USS Enterprise is briefly sent into a universe in which Humanity was destroyed before First Contact and the Kir'Shara was never found, resulting in a far more ...

  5. "Star Trek: Enterprise" Kir'Shara (TV Episode 2004)

    "Star Trek: Enterprise" Kir'Shara (TV Episode 2004) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Menu. ... STAR TREK ENTERPRISE SEASON 4 (2004) (9.0/10) a list of 22 titles created 06 Mar 2013 Top 30 Star Trek Episodes a list of 30 titles ...

  6. "Kir'Shara"

    All in all, "Kir'Shara" makes for a reasonable cap to a good trilogy — far more successful and interesting than the "Augments" trilogy. As storytelling it has holes, but as Star Trek it shows the ambition of tying pieces together and providing prequel-worthy substance. Intriguing. Previous episode: Awakening.

  7. "Star Trek: Enterprise" Kir'Shara (TV Episode 2004)

    They try to contact commander Shran, who is hiding in a nebula. On Vulcan Archer is still possessed by the Katra of Surak. He is determined to bring the Kir'Shara to the High Command in the capital city. T'Pau and Archer think it will bring a tremendous difference on Vulcan, but T'Pol has doubts. Meanwhile V'Las explains his attack plans to the ...

  8. The Trek Nation

    Kir'Shara By Michelle Erica Green Posted at December 4, 2004 - 5:10 AM GMT ... When Enterprise discovers that Soval is missing, the ship follows the Andorians into the nebula where part of their ...

  9. Kir'Shara

    Star Trek: Enterprise Kir'Shara Sci-Fi Dec 3, 2004 40 min Paramount+ Available on Paramount+, Prime Video, iTunes S4 E9: Archer, T'Pol ...

  10. Star Trek: Enterprise

    The fourth season of Star Trek: Enterprise is renowned for its focus upon continuity. That is as true of the Kir'Shara trilogy as of any other episode. The script is saturated with references and nods to the rest of the franchise, tying together thirty-eight years of Vulcan continuity into a cohesive narrative structure.

  11. Watch Star Trek: Enterprise Season 4 Episode 9: Kir'Shara

    Kir'Shara. Help. S4 E9 43M TV-PG. Archer, T'Pol and T'Pau attempt to take a sacred, but controversial artefact back to the Vulcan High Council, in hopes of settling an internal struggle going on among the Vulcan people.

  12. Kir'Shara (Part 3 of the Vulcan arc)

    The crew of the Enterprise, led by Captain Jonathan Archer, is determined to save the Kir'Shara and uncover the secrets it holds. However, the Vulcan High Command is determined to keep the Kir'Shara hidden, as it contains the writings of Surak, which could potentially cause a dramatic upheaval in the current Vulcan way of life.

  13. Nearly 20 Years Ago, One Enterprise Epic Set the Stage for ...

    Throughout its three-parts — "The Forge," " Awakening ," and " Kir'Shara " — Star Trek not only redefined the Vulcans as we know them, but also set the stage for a huge Vulcan comeback in Star Trek: Discovery. The secret to doing this was simply making Vulcan culture seem real and, importantly, flawed. The knowledge that the ...

  14. Star Trek Enterprise S 04 E 09 Kir Shara / Recap

    Recap /. Star Trek Enterprise S 04 E 09 Kir Shara. In the Vulcan High Command's HQ, Administrator V'Las shows the assembled Vulcans the Andorian ship activity around Paan Mokar. Kuvak points out that the Vulcans gave them back that planet and doesn't understand why the Andorians would mount a defensive position over it.

  15. Captain Archer Carrying the Kir'Shara

    Star Trek Enterprise Season 4 Episode 09 Kir'Shara

  16. Talok

    Talok had entered into a covert alliance with Administrator V'Las, the head of the Vulcan High Command, to facilitate what Talok referred to as the "reunification" of the Vulcan and Romulan peoples.In 2154, Talok, who held the rank of major on Vulcan, embarked on a mission to retrieve the Kir'Shara, the record of Surak's original teachings. As the revelation of Surak's true philosophy would ...

  17. Watch Star Trek: Enterprise

    Archer tries to unveil a revered artifact that could change Vulcan society.

  18. Kir'Shara

    Kir'Shara. Archer and T'Pol endeavor to expose an ancient Vulcan artifact to Vulcan society, while Enterprise becomes involved in a standoff between the Vulcan and Andorian fleets. In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss "Kir'Shara" and the conclusion to the Syrannite Arc of Star Trek: Enterprise. Plus!

  19. "Star Trek: Enterprise" Kir'Shara (TV Episode 2004)

    The Vulcan priest who extracts Surak's katra from Archer also performed T'Pol and Koss' wedding ceremony in Star Trek: Enterprise: Home (2004). He was portrayed by Jack Donner, better known for his role as Tal in Star Trek: The Enterprise Incident (1968). Donner's appearance in this episode makes for the longest time period between an actor's first and last appearances in a Star Trek ...

  20. Kir'Shara

    "Kir'Shara" is the ninth episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise. It was writer Michael Sussman's third episode of the season, while it was director David Livingston's second. The episode was the third in a three-part story arc, following on from the episodes "The Forge" and "Awakening".

  21. The Enterprise Transcripts

    Star Trek Enterprise episode transcripts. Kir'Shara Original Airdate: 3 Dec, 2004 . T'POL [OC]: Previously, on Enterprise ... Find the Kir'Shara. V'LAS [High Command]: Blanket the area. Use all necessary force. Make sure there are no survivors. ... The Star Trek web pages on this site are for educational and entertainment purposes only. All ...

  22. Protecting the Kir'Shara

    Star Trek Enterprise Season 4 episode "Kir'Shara"

  23. Star Trek Enterprise: In the Crossfire

    Star Trek Enterprise Season 4 episode "Kir'Shara"

  24. 10 "No Body, No Death" Cases In Star Trek

    As she was barely in her sixties by the close of Enterprise, she could still be an active officer by the time the Enterprise is zooming around with Pike in the chair, especially with T'Pau, with ...

  25. The New Star Trek Movie Will Finally Explore a Missing Part of

    The Enterprise-C has returned! Again! According to a Variety report about the future of the Star Trek franchise, the upcoming Section 31 movie will feature Kacey Rohl as a "young" Rachel ...