- For the DS9 novel see Twilight (novel).
| T'Pol commissioned as a Starfleet captain. | |
| Series: | ENT |
| Episode: | 3x08 |
| Original Airdate: | 2003-11-05 |
| Production Number: | 060 |
| Year: | 2153 and an alternate 2165 |
| Date: | Unknown |
| Written by: | Michael Sussman |
| Directed by: | Robert Duncan McNeill |
The effect of a Delphic Expanse anomaly leaves Archer unable to form any new long-term memories. Twelve years later, he wakes up one morning and is stunned to learn the outcome of the Human-Xindi conflict, including the loss of Earth, and the near-annihilation of the Human race.
Summary
Jonathan Archer wakes in his quarters in the midst of battle. He rushes to the bridge only to see Earth annhilated by the Xindi superweapon.
Archer wakes in a small house where he finds T'Pol. T'Pol reveals that twelve years have passed since the last thing Archer remembers. The last thing Archer recalls was saving T'Pol from a spacial anomaly on board Enterprise. T'Pol explains that the anomaly infected Archer's hippocampus with interspatial parasites that prevent him from forming new long-term memories. Each day, Archer wakes up with no memory of anything that had occurred since the accident. Doctor Phlox had long searched for a cure, but nothing worked. As a result of his profound disability, Archer was removed from command and replaced by T'Pol, who accepted a field commission as a captain in Starfleet.
After the change in command, Enterprise was unable to find the Xindi superweapon. When Enterprise drew close to the superweapon in 2154, it came under attack by Xindi-Reptilians. Many crewmembers, including Travis Mayweather, died in the assault. The ship also suffered severe damage limiting it to Warp 1.7. By the time Enterprise reached the Azati Prime system the weapon had already been launched. After destroying Earth, the Xindi continued searching the galaxy, determined to hunt down and kill all Humans. Almost all of humanity was ruthlessly wiped out.
Enterprise, Intrepid, and another Starfleet starship led a convoy of around 6,000 surviving Humans to Ceti Alpha V. On this remote world, a secret, desolate refugee camp was built to house the remanants of Human society. Enterprise, under the command of Charles Tucker, remained in orbit with the remaining Starfleet vessels. Archer retired to the civilian community on the surface. T'Pol, refusing an offer to return to service with the Vulcans, chose to remain at the refugee camp to care for Archer. For over nine years, this last outpost of humanity had survived by remaining hidden from the Xindi.
Shortly after T'Pol explains all this, Phlox arrives from Denobula, ready to try out a revolutionary new treatment for Archer's parasites. Many of Pholx's colleagues in the medical community were convinced that nothing short of a subspace implosion would be needed to destroy the parasites, a treatment which, of course, would also kill the patient. Phlox perservered and deveolped an alternative but energy-intensive treatment which would target and destroy the parasites without any harm to Archer. With T'Pol, they return to Enterprise, where the warp core will provide the energy necessary for the treatment. Archer receives a hero's welcome on board his old ship.
After the first phase of treatment, Phlox and T'Pol examine records of Archer's brain scans from twelve years ago and realize that the parasites they have eliminated in the present have dissapeared from the past as well. If Phlox were to successfully complete the treatment, eliminating all the parasites, then it would be as if the parasites had never existed. This would effectively change history, and Archer would never have suffered from memory loss. Perhaps with Archer in command, Enterprise would have stopped the Xindi weapon, Earth would not have been destroyed, and humanity would not have been nearly wiped out.
Unfortunately, Archer's treatment is cut short when Enterprise detects a Yridian spy near Ceti Alpha. This spy tips Tucker off to the fact that the Xindi have found the last outpost and are on their way to finally annihilate the last of the surviving Humans. With Enterprise's power needed for battle, T'Pol and Phlox cannot complete Archer's treatment.
A short time later, the Xindi attack. Humanity's last stand does not go well. As Enterprise is ripped to pieces, Archer recalls that Phlox said a subspace implosion would destroy the parasites, though it would also destroy the ship in the process. Desparate and with nothing to lose, Archer, T'Pol, and Phlox feverishly work at the warp core to set up a catstrophic subspace implosion. With Xindi soldiers firing around them, Phlox and T'Pol are killed. Archer is shot, but with his last breath, he pushes a lever and initiates the subspace implosion, destroying Enterprise.
Archer wakes up in sickbay after saving T'Pol from the spacial anomaly. Although Archer suffered concussion, Phlox expects a full recovery.
Background Information
- About 100 years after these events would have occured, Ceti Alpha V was the planet on which Kirk exiled Khan.
- An Earth convoy destroyed in the Mutara sector is mentioned by Soval, a reference to the Mutara Nebula seen in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
- Computer monitors aboard the future Enterprise sported a red, yellow and green color scheme (rather than red, yellow and blue), similar to the computer panels used during the 23rd century in The Original Series.
- This episode, along with TNG's "Cause and Effect" and Voyager's "Year of Hell" (Parts I and II), form a genre of episode that some fans called the "Bad Dream." In each of these episodes, catastrophic events occur, and then a time-change returns everything back to normal.
- This episode was chosen as the #1 fan favorite in an on-line poll conducted by UPN. It was re-broadcast on April 8, 2005 in that context. Note: The poll was conducted before the final 6 episodes of the series aired.
Links and References
Guest Stars
- Gary Graham as Ambassador Soval
- Brett Rickaby as Yedrin Koss
- Richard Anthony Crenna as Security Guard
References
2155, 2156, Alpha Centauri colony, alternate timeline, anterograde amnesia, Carlos Ramirez, Ceti Alpha system, Hoshi Sato, Jupiter Station, Malcolm Reed, Margaret Mullin, Martian colonies, Mutara sector, Mutara system, Rosemary's Baby, Rigelian flame gem, Shran, Vega colony
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