After capturing the Discovery, Osyraa seeks a meeting with Admiral Vance, while Burnham and the crew attempt to regain command of their ship.

For the third time this year, Riker comes to the rescue at the end of a season, though this time in the guise of director Jonathan Frakes, clocking up his third Discovery hour of 2020. The former Number One certainly knows how to handle the big action scenes in this second of the three-part finale, though it might not play out as you anticipated.

You’ll recall that last week’s episode concluded with multiple jeopardy, not least the drama of Culber, Saru, Adira and Su’Kal dying of radiation sickness. Quite how they’re doing is anyone’s guess, as they’re not present in this week’s entry, with the focus being on Osyraa’s infiltration of Starfleet and Michael going all Starship Mine, climbing through Jeffries Tubes, and her bare feet really cementing any Die Hard comparisons.

Jake Weber’s pantomime villain Zareh from episode Far From Home returns as one of Osyraa’s lackeys, but the more welcome surprise is Kenneth Mitchell (Season One Klingon Kol) as a new Emerald Chain character Orelio.

Janet Kidder continues to have fun by going bug with the emerald Osyraa, her proposal to the Federation not being what I’d anticipated, and Oded Fehr flexes his muscles to show just why Admiral Vance is in charge of Starfleet. But that moment when Michael has to take out a very emotional Stamets – that’s the real drama and the moment where there’s no easy decision.

Verdict: The finale trilogy arc will ultimately be judged on how successful the resolution is, but this is a great, gung-ho middle section to carry us to the ending. 8/10