RECAP: Star Trek: Discovery - Forget Me Not

In the aftermath of U.S.S. Discovery’s tumultuous visit to Earth, Dr. Culber kicks off the latest episode by expressing his concerns regarding the crew’s mental wellness. With most placing their hopes in the mantra “When we find the Federation,” Culber believes Adira’s repressed memories could hold the key to that elusive goal. Unable to recall any events that occurred prior to waking up in an escape pod the year before, Adira remains unaware of the circumstances surrounding the symbiont (which they jokingly refer to as “the squid”) and the joining procedure. Adira’s confusion over the symbiont’s influence on their talents is reminiscent of Ezri Dax’s initial struggles on Deep Space Nine, and “Niners” surely enjoy hearing a passing mention of Bajoran hasperat.

Culber theorizes that a trip to Trill could help solve the mystery, so Saru orders Discovery to make a spore jump to the planet. Greeted warmly by Commissioner Vos, the captain learns that The Burn decimated Trill’s population. While Adira prepares for a visit, Saru tasks Stamets with finding a way to allow others to operate the spore drive. Tilly suggests an interface with a dark matter system, which Stamets shoots down in an uncharacteristically icy manner.

Recognizing a parallel between Burnham’s time alone in the 32nd century and Adira’s own journey, Culber suggests that Michael be the one to accompany Adira to the surface. The move proves wise, as the pair’s meeting with Vos and Leader Pav goes awry when the Trill learn that Adira is human. Guardian Xi informs Discovery’s first officer that their post-Burn society lacks enough viable hosts who are capable of joining.

Leader Pav resists both Vos’s request to forcibly remove Adira’s symbiont and Xi’s plea that non-Trill hosts could be their future, ultimately deciding that Burnham and Adira must leave immediately. Vos’s anger prompts him to attempt to violently capture Adira, but Burnham subdues the attackers and finds an ally in Xi.

Culber presents Saru with evidence that the crew’s stress levels are off the charts. As he did when Captain Lorca was captured by the Klingons in “Choose Your Pain,” Saru consults Discovery’s computer for answers… with an unexpected result. After an image of the sphere from season two briefly flashes across a display, the computer’s tone and demeanor change completely. Observant fans will recognize the voice of actor Annabelle Wallis, who last took on the role of Discovery’s computer in the Short Trek “Calypso.” Could there be a connection?

Heeding the computer’s advice, Saru hosts a dinner party for the senior staff and bridge crew. The event begins well, as even Georgiou gets in the spirit by playfully reciting a haiku. However, the anguish that had been simmering under the surface since Discovery’s jaunt through the wormhole overcomes the officers and instigates a series of verbal conflicts.

Xi welcomes Burnham and Adira to the Caves of Mak’ala (another reference to brighten any Niner’s day), and the human teen unexpectedly submerges into the electricity-laden pools while in search of answers. Burnham follows in a rescue attempt, reuniting with Adira in a realm filled with tendrils that attach themselves to Adira and shed light on their past. As a passenger on a generational ship, Adira experiences several epically delightful moments with their partner Gray Tal, a joined Trill. The two engage in a fascinating discussion about identity, trust, and their enduring love.

Sadly, the exchange is interrupted by an accident that kills Gray and results in Adira inheriting the Tal symbiont. The emotional release permits Adira and Burnham to come face-to-face with six previous hosts, including Admiral Senna Tal, Gray, and a Starfleet officer in a Picard-era uniform. Back on the surface, Adira Tal receives some much-needed apologies from Pav and Vos.

The theme of forgiveness continues aboard Discovery, where the widespread catharsis at the dinner party sparks a series of heartfelt apologies amongst the crew. Stamets extends an olive branch to Tilly concerning her dark matter interface research, and Detmer reaches out to Culber for counseling. At a shipwide movie night that would make Trip Tucker proud, Saru confers with Culber and speculates that the sphere data has attained a desire to protect Discovery and its crew.

Using an algorithm from Senna’s memories, Adira calculates the coordinates for Federation headquarters and shares them with Burnham. Adira does not reveal that, for reasons unknown, they can still see and communicate with Gray. “Forget Me Not” supplies us with the opportunity to revisit a fan-favorite Federation culture and learn about 32nd century Trill society, but the episode’s true driving force is a spirit of reconciliation. The crew pushes through their repressed feelings, the Trill leadership makes peace with the notion of non-Trill hosts (not to mention Pav’s willingness to hear future updates about the Federation’s status), and Adira explores their sentiments about Gray’s tragic death. Stay tuned as we continue to boldly go...

Jay Stobie (he/him) is a freelance writer and consultant who has contributed articles to StarTrek.com, Star Trek Explorer, and Star Trek Magazine, as well as to Star Wars Insider and StarWars.com. Jay can be found on Twitter and Instagram at @StobiesGalaxy.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are currently streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the U.K., Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 are also available on the Pluto TV Star Trek channel in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. 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.

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