Khan’s people settle in and begin to explore their world, while Khan and Marla struggle to find common ground.

Last episode we had the carefully framed nostalgia of Tim Russ and George Takei’s cameos. That helped nest the show inside continuity, sugar coating it to avoid fans’ mistrust of ‘content’. This episode the show starts to feel like its own story and it’s so much better for that trust being established.

Kirsten Beyer and David Mack’s framing narrative here is the Arabian Nights and how Scheherazade used story to survive and change her fate. It’s a smart, very Star Trek, metaphor and it’s one that cleverly reframes both Khan and Marla’s narratives. The latter is very aware of the fragile nature of her situation; the former is very aware of the fragile nature of their situation and his leadership. Marla sees who he should be, and wants to be, but she doesn’t see who he was and that’s central to both the conflict and their relationship.

That becomes clear across a series of intense conversations between the two that provide context but no justification for their past actions. Naveen Andrews’ Khan is painfully aware of the second chance he’s been offered and even more painfully aware of his past. There’s a key moment here where they discuss who writes history. where he makes it clear that the stories about him are, if anything, more palatable than the truth. It’s a great performance of a great role, Andrews showing us how desperate this man is to redeem himself even as he coldly jokes about his terrible past choices.

But Wren Schmidt’s Marla is who really stays with you this episode. She gets a moment talking about life on the Enterprise that speaks directly to Lower Decks, Strange New Worlds and the larger issue Trek has explored in the modern era of the line between crew and family. For Pike there is no line. For Mariner, Boimler and co the same is true, albeit from the other direction. Marla wasn’t so lucky and her loneliness is a driving force behind her choices just as Khan’s need to redeem himself drives his. Whether it drives them towards or into each other remains to be seen. Especially as the episode closes with a very familiar creature from Star Trek II making its first appearance and the sense that Eden has fangs after all…

Verdict: Literate, witty, heartfelt and brilliantly written and acted. This is shaping up to be something special. 10/10

Alasdair Stuart