Star Trek: Discovery

Previously on Star Trek: Discovery...

There's a signal coming from the center of the nebula.

There's a ship lost in there.

This is Dr. Issa.

We are stranded.

The Khi'eth is still broadcasting

-this distress signal. -On a loop, sir.

I want to know what is happening inside that ship.

-I think I can help you. -Help?

We have a way of doing things.

So do you want me to read the field manual?

When we first arrived, I, too, was eager to assist.

Ultimately, we had to wait for our moment to prove ourselves.

I trust you will find your moment, as well, Mr. Booker.

Temporal travel can make you pretty sick.

Every molecule fights to either go back in time,

or jump a cosmic divide.

Every time we queried the sphere data for treatment,

no matter how we entered it, it gave us the same result.

Apparently, the cure can be found on Dannus 5.

-Well, look at that. -What the hell is this?!

-I'm Carl. -What happens if she goes through the door?

-She'll be on the other side. -Give me a straight answer.

This is the chance your computer was pointing us to,

and I'm taking it.

Terra Firma!

Let me make myself clear.

Lorca's coup will fail, Michael will return to the fold,

and the path of what has been set in motion will change

because I will change it.

From now on, you will be my eyes and ears.

: Our future is unwritten.

Let's make it count, shall we?

Take her to the agonizer.

I should be dead.

Kill me.

Give me the honor I deserve!

You deserve many things.

Then kill me for your own sake,

because every moment you hesitate is a moment

that everyone can see how weak you've become.

You're about to find out how weak I've become.

Why do you think Lorca has been able

to gather so many forces against you?

Why do you think he got to me?

You're rescuing Kelpiens?

Fretting over artists?

Half of your insipid death opera was a lie.

Propaganda to make you look strong.

I know the truth.

You're retiring to the Charon.

You think I'm retiring?

Why else would you build a palace in the sky

while the rest of us are still fighting on the ground?

Are you really this blind, Michael?

Or don't you want there to be an empire

left to rule after I'm gone?

If we don't give our subjects something to live for,

they will always be in rebellion.

How many revolts have we had to quash this year alone?

Twice as many as last year.

Even Genghis Khan learned

that his grip on power could not hold if he didn't let the people

he conquered worship their own gods.

You promised us new worlds to conquer.

You promised us spoils, never-ending growth.

There are no spoils from peace.

-You have a lot to learn, Michael.

You're the one who's blind!

Even now, the Romulans, the Andorians,

the Tellarites, the Klingons--

they're forming an alliance to destroy us.

It's called "the Coalition."

And the Denobulans and the Rigelians,

and the Coridanites will follow.

You should attack now!

We can't defeat the whole galaxy if they unite against us.

Well, they would think twice about alliances

if we flew down and roasted them on spits.

The rules of engagement are changing.

Oh. No! Mother, no!

I will kill all of you!

I will kill... all of you!

This is the orison of every parent, Michael,

as I hoped you would learn some day.

"Why can't they just believe what I say?"

"Why do they only learn from pain?"

Come.

Emperor, if I may,

why is Michael Burnham still using up oxygen on my ship?

You could kill her with the press of a button.

She's a traitor. She's doesn't deserve mercy.

She isn't getting any.

What shows more strength?

A mother who simply kills her daughter,

or a mother who locks her daughter in an agonizer booth

in order to change the course of the future?

We still need to find and deal with her accomplices.

Detmer, I'm sure, knew of her plans.

No better message to send to her co-conspirators

than a broken Michael Burnham

who has been re-forged into a loyal subject,

-thanks to you. -Me?

You are the most feared interrogator in the quadrant.

I must be given free reign.

Of course. Do your worst. Or best.

But I expect her to live.

And if you don't break her,

I will demand to know why.

Michael will come around.

Even the darkest night will end,

and the sun will rise.

Come back to me, daughter.

Your mother is too soft-hearted.

I told her you wouldn't have an appetite.

That's okay.

I'll have Dr. Culber force-feed you later.

Whatever you do, you won't break me!

Swear your allegiance to Emperor Georgiou,

and name your co-conspirators.

Rot in hell, bitch.

We'll try again tomorrow.

You don't mind sleeping in there, do you?

I wish there were another language you could understand,

but here, where strength is power...

...and terror is love,

there is no other way to reach you.

I've seen who you can be, Michael.

I've seen who I can be.

I've seen what this world can be,

and it is luminous.

We can have that.

We can be more.

But first, we must

remake ourselves.

We must leave behind all of that which destroys us.

Captain.

Detmer.

What?

I asked to see you.

They're... listening.

I know.

Why?

You have to give in.

-No. -You can't endure much more of this.

Nobody could.

Lorca.

No one has heard from Lorca.

I don't think he's coming.

You are the best of us.

There's no sense dying in here.

Come out.

It's time to end this.

I believe you can do this, Michael.

I believe you can change.

As I have.

Do you remember when you were a child?

You hardly spoke during the day,

but at night,

you'd scream,

fighting in your sleep to escape.

I would hold you down as you struggled.

One night,

I let you go,

and you ended up sleepwalking

to a field of fireflies.

You stood there

until you became calm

and I could carry you to your bed.

I walked with you every night

to that field after that.

And when you woke up the next day,

you never remembered.

I was sad when you outgrew the night terrors.

Now that I think about it,

maybe you never did.

If you trust me,

I will bring

all the fireflies to you,

daughter.

Yes, Michael. You asked to see me.

Mother...

Leave us.

I am sorry.

Get off the floor.

Look at me.

It's about more than a show of strength.

We have an empire to rule.

All I ever wanted was to rule it with you.

I pledge my loyalty to you, Emperor.

And I vow to name my co-conspirators and expose them.

I'm glad to hear that.

But you don't just need to make amends with me.

You need to make amends with all our subjects.

How are they ever to trust you?

I will execute the traitors with my own hands.

No foe will remain.

Detmer can assist you.

Thank you, Mother.

Go.