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Star Trek: The Next Generation : "Evolution"/"The Ensigns Of Command"

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"Evolution"

I always get nervous when I talk about a show's big themes. It's something I really should do more often. My favorite television critics are the ones who can take a full season of a show and discuss it as unit, making confident statements like, "The third season of  Breaking Bad  is far and away the show's best," or "This last season of  30 Rock  had some serious problems," and teasing out how individual episodes work together in service of a larger picture. Obviously  30 Rock  doesn't have the lofty goals of a serialized drama, but it's inevitable that a group of twenty-plus episodes, written and filmed as a rough unit, are going to have some kind of connective tissue, especially if there are stabs at continuity and a common writing staff. Part of my job as a TV reviewer is to try and tease out that tissue, even when it's not obvious.  Especially  when it's not obvious. And it always makes me nervous, because, y'know, I'm just this guy. How do I know anything?

Still, a pattern is emerging in  The Next Generation , and it's worth talking about as we move into the third season.  TOS  was a space Western, focused on exploration, and the danger and excitement of living life on the edge of civilization.  TNG  is about the next step: what happens when civilization has moved in and the paperwork begins. Which sounds boring, and let's face it, sometimes  TNG is  boring. Sometimes it feels like every exciting new discovery gets buried under hours of discussion and deliberation and debate. Yet that careful consideration arguably creates greater opportunity for drama. The best TV shows of the last few decades have been shows that have embraced the drudgery of second guessing, of realizing that no action can exist without consequences, and one of the elements of the show that excites me the most as we move forward is its willingness to deal with the aftermath. It doesn't always work, but when it does, the impact is incredibly powerful. (And really, aren't the best episodes of  TOS  the ones that embrace the idea that heroes don't live in a vacuum? "The City On The Edge of Forever" wouldn't work if Kirk and the others had found a way to save Edith Keeler; "Amok Time" wouldn't resonate if it didn't contrast Spock's stoicism against his temporary fury.)

"Evolution" isn't a great episode, but as a premiere, it is so much better than "The Child" that I'm in danger of overrating it. Beverly Crusher is back! That means we get more face-time with Wesley, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. The plot is a riff on the standard "alien force messes with the  Enterprise  systems," and it all comes down to Wesley not putting his toys away properly, which is the sort of storyline that would've worked a lot better if he was 10. (No, wait, I take that back, precocious kids are far more irritating than immature teens.) Plus, the ending resolution solves everyone's problems without any cost. I don't need every episode to be a tragedy, but in order for an upbeat ending to work, there needs to be more of a sense that it  won't  work, and that never really happens here.

It's never embarrassing, though, and there are enough good ideas thrown out that it's never boring, even if it fails to hit the high notes. It might just be my lingering affection from  Scrubs , but I dig Ken Jenkins as the prickly Dr. Paul Stubbs. He hits the line between off-puttingly arrogant and vulnerable, and Picard always gets more interesting when he's forced to deal with someone who doesn't immediately bow to his orders. (Glad as I am to have Beverly back, there was a potential in the Pulaski and Picard relationship that was never really fulfilled. I'm not sure it could've been with the show as it was, but the current crew of the  Enterprise can be a little too friendly.) The series has dealt with the problem of determining what constitutes life before, but there's something to be said for its commitment to its principles. Once Dr. Crusher raises the possibility that the force that threatens the ship could actually be more than just a technical glitch, the discussion over what to do changes without hesitation.

Basic plot: There's some science stuff going down (I appreciate the show's attempts to bring more hard science into the franchise, and I think it works, but I sort of zone out during those bits—I like knowing they're there, but I don't understand them well enough to summarize), and Dr. Paul Stubbs is on the  Enterprise  to complete an experiment he's spent a good portion of his life working towards. Wesley, being a dork, inadvertently lets some nanites loose on the computer systems of the ship, and those nanites breed, and gain sentience, and cause all kinds of havoc, inadvertently endangering Stubbs work and the rest of the crew. Stubbs and Wesley exchange some words about the dangers of being a child prodigy, Troi tries to break through Stubbs' arrogant shell, and Data lets the nanites used him as a puppet. Oh, and Beverly is worried that her son is too stressed. Happy endings all around, though.

There's conflict in the episode, and some minor suspense about whether or not the main problem will be resolved in time for Stubbs to complete his work, and yet… Well, it's very pleasant. I really don't have a problem with pleasant, and there are lots of times the show can use pleasant to its advantage; it makes the characters more immediately appealing, it helps carry us over the weaker writing beats, and it means we definitely pay attention when we get a legitimately serious threat. There are also times, though, when I wouldn't mind a little more edge. "Evolution" is a good example of an episode that starts to tighten the screws, and then leaves off a few turns too soon. Stubbs is pushy and single-minded, and a decent character—his obsession with using old baseball statistics to recreate plays could've been overly quirky, but Jenkins sells it well enough. His decision to take care of the nanites himself (or a portion of them, anyway) has potential, but it doesn't go anywhere. When Data lets himself be infected by the tiny robots, it's a little creepy, but that creepiness is half-realized. The nanites aren't particularly interesting, and the danger they represent never distinguishes itself.

As for Wesley, I like the idea of what they're doing here—I can't imagine him ever getting the full Quiz Kid Donnie Smith treatment, but I appreciate the awareness that being the smartest guy in the room has its downside. Yet, again, there's no follow-through. Wesley freaks out when he realizes that it's his fault that the ship is in danger (I do like that we start with him sleeping, presumably moments after his science project made its escape), he has a eye-rollingly on the nose conversation with Guinan, and he gets in a minor spat with his mom. There are no sanctions, and no one yells at him for his mistake. Even Beverly's concerns are pointless. She talks to Picard about being worried that Wesley isn't behaving like a proper 17 year old (when I was that age, I had no girlfriends, and I read a lot, and look how I turned out)(er, check that), but it turns out he's fine. He even has a girlfriend.

"Evolution" is very passable. It isn't great. While none of its plots are terrible (only the Beverly story comes close, as her conversation with the captain is kind of ridiculous), there's no risk. The characters are all where they need to be, my favorite doctor is back, and the show feels like it's ready to take that next step. It knows the way. It just needs a little push.

Stray Observations:

• Seriously, this is  so  much better than "The Child." I'd also put it higher than "Encounter At Farpoint," season premiere-wise. ("Farpoint" has great moments, but is too clumsy to be consistent.) Whatever the episode's problems, it's comforting to know the show is strong enough now that it can pull through a weak-ish script without embarrassing itself.
• The look is different, too. The effects are better (which I'm assuming is due to more money being spent on the first episode of the season), and the whole thing is shot on film.
• The Troi/Stubbs interactions never get into second gear, but it's good to have someone calling her on her invasiveness. "My dear counselor, no insult intended, but please turn off your beam into my soul."
• An actually, legitimately good Wesley moment: "I always get an 'A.'"
• Actually, the worst beat in the Beverly scenes is the comedy music cue at the very end.

"The Ensigns Of Command"

How many problems in this world come down to land? It can be a difficult concern to relate for those of us who don't identify strongly with our homes (I mean, I like Maine, I really do, but if somebody was throwing grenades at me to convince me to leave, I wouldn't be all that torn up about doing so), but that doesn't make it any less powerful or real. Identity is hard work, and one of the ways people figure out who they are is knowing where they came from. The threat of losing that, of being uprooted and thrown into an unfamiliar environment, one that doesn't have the same connections or memories… well, that can have a powerful effect on people. The threat of losing home can change normally peaceful men and women into, well, whatever they need to be to protect their piece of the world.

It's that desperation that drives the story in "Ensigns," and while I don't think the emotion is as well-developed as it could be, it's clear enough to create the sort of conflict that "Evolution" lacked. I really liked this episode, and while it's come down slightly in my estimation since I watched it, I still think it's got a lot to recommend it. The stakes are higher, the resolution forces characters to make strong choices, and the episode makes some smart observations about Data that aren't compromised or softened. There are weak spots—the colonists aren't as developed as they should've been, and their leader, Gosheven, is sort of a lump. (An aggressive lump, but still a lump.) Plus, the Sheliaks look like they belong in a  Dr. Who  serial from the '70s, although that's not really a bad thing in my book. Anyway, weak spots and all, this was exciting and clever, and I especially appreciated how the best parts were the ones you had to think about a little to really grasp the implications. "Ensigns" connects most of the dots for you, but not all of them, and that's important.

Let's put the issue of property aside, and take a look at Data. I don't think the question of his nature has been this prominent in an episode since "Measure Of A Man," and where "Measure" was primarily about proving what we all knew, "Ensigns" goes a step deeper, and questions whether or not Data's quest for self-actualization can ever be achieved. We tend to assume certain things about the character because humans tend to ascribe emotional content to actions, even when there's no proof of it. When Data should be happy or sad or excited or proud, it's nearly impossible to accept that he isn't those things, even when we're repeatedly told that the android is incapable of feeling the way we understand it. Partly that's because Data is played by a human actor, and he's written by humans, and given the natures of on-going television drama, there's going to be some occasional seepage. Really, though, we see what want to see. Data is polite, helpful, and calm, so it's easy to assume that must mean something more than programming.

But does it? "Ensigns" doesn't spend all its time on the issue, but it opens with Data preparing to perform in a concert, and the relationship he develops with one of the colonists on Tau Cygna V makes it more than just a matter of curiosity. That Data wants to be more human makes sense, because it's inherent in his design. I can't remember if he's brought this up himself, but the fact that he was built to  look  like a man, and given the basic tools required to interact with other men (and, hubba hubba, women), at least implies that his purpose is to be as human as possible. How exactly he goes about that is by getting better and better pretending to be a real live boy, with the hope that eventually there will be a transition between pretending and simply being. I never really liked the emotion chip he gets in  Generations . (Which is otherwise an absolutely perfect movie that I have no problems whatsoever withahahahaha, who the hell am I kidding, it stinks) It's a shortcut to the solution that actually makes him more robotic than before. Here, at least, when he doesn't feel anything in the face of Ard'rian's affections, it's honest.

I'm making it sound like the episode is dryer than it actually is, but one of the reasons I liked this one so much is that it manages to balance all this heaviness with a gripping, well-paced story arc. The core conflict is very clear: an immovable object (15,000 colonists who've made their home on Cygna through years of sacrifice and struggle) meets an irresistible force (the Sheliak, to whom the planet technically belongs). The Sheliak want to colonize Cygna immediately, and threaten to wipe out anyone who gets in their way, while the colonists, led by uber-dick Gosheven, want to stay and defend their home. Against an alien race with vastly superior technology. Maybe it's an arrogance born out of decades of struggle, but the colonists aren't really making smart choices.

The ep is split between the sides of this struggle: on the one hand, there's Data trying to convince everyone to run for their freaking lives, and on the other, there's Picard, negotiating with the Sheliak to buy enough time for the evacuation. (The atmosphere of the planet prevents easy transport.) Both sides are great fun to watch. Like I said, Picard does well when faced with a strong adversary, and he's besieged on multiple fronts here. The Sheliak are inflexible and contemptuous, and Starfleet isn't much help in the deliberations; when Picard asks for assistance, they tell they can get him the extra ship he needs… in about three weeks. Even the normally reliable Geordi is unable to solve the transporter problem in time. Picard is only able to get the time by relying on the Sheliak's obsessive attention to detail, putting them in a corner and forcing them to accept his demands.

The emotional core of "Ensigns" comes from Data's struggles on Cygna. As with everything, his approach is logical, and the solution he eventually settles on is striking while still being consistent with everything we know about the character. I do think the deck had to be a little stacked to force him to the point of violence. While we don't see every conversation Data has with the colonists trying to convince them of the dangers of the Sheliak threat, what we do see is more vague than it needed to be, and if he'd done a better job of explaining the nature of the danger, the episode probably would've ended a lot sooner. (It seems like he doesn't actually say, "They have really, really good weapons" until the very end.) I like his progression, though, from direct honesty, to reverse psychology, to shock value, and I like how his decision to shoot some of the locals (with the phaser on stun, of course) is both perfectly sensible and surprising. It's not like Data is in danger of becoming an anti-hero, but he takes a risk here that a human character might not have taken, and it's an excellent reminder of Data's potential to make the right choices the rest of us might not be capable of. (I worked very hard not to have that sentence end in preposition, but it was not to be.)

Another reminder of Data's oddness comes in his relationship with Ardy, a geeky tomboy who's first fascinated, then emotionally drawn to the android. This is the first time we've seen Data dealing with romance since (shudder) "The Naked Now," and it could've been disastrous; it's easy to imagine the writers trying to soften the character or wink at the audience. (I didn't really get into it at the time, but one of the disappointing elements of "Pen Pals" is that it relies on Data having an emotional connection with someone, and it reduces him. He's more interesting if he's pretending to have feelings, not losing his judgment to them.) I wouldn't call their final scene together stark, exactly, but it does show there are certain limits to Data's development, even while his conversation with Picard at the end of the episode argues otherwise. Ardy kisses Data, and he analyzes the action, and then tries to respond in kind—not because he shares the emotional connection, but because he's designed to mimic appropriate behavior. Ardy realizes this, and while you could argue that she's a little naive to think she might've won the android over, her self-awareness mitigates this. She knows she's being foolish, but she tries anyway, and Data comes as close as he can to reciprocation.

It's a nice scene that only gets better in retrospect, because it's the sort of touch this show needs to jump from good to great. It goes back to the idea of consequences I mentioned earlier.  TNG  has tried to achieve the same levels of pulpy fun that were  TOS' s stock in trade, and never quite managed it. Our new leads are more thoughtful, more deliberate, and that means it's harder to buy them as two-fisted, hormone-crazy action stars. (Obviously  TOS  was capable of thoughtfulness, but it's a much rawer show than  TNG  is.) That's something the series needs to embrace, and both "Evolution" and "Ensigns" are good examples of the returns the writers can get when they know what kind of show they're working on. "Ensigns" is the better of the two, because the compromises it reaches to arrive at a semi-happy ending are organic and satisfying. Bring on the rest of the season, please.

• Nearly gave this one an A-, and I'm still on the fence. If I'd seen this late S1 or early S2, I definitely would've graded higher, and I'm not entirely convinced I still shouldn't.
• So are Beverly and Picard dating now?
• "Here we stand." "Then here you die."
• How awesome is Picard's stalling?
• "But nothing more?" "I do not understand."
• I didn't really get into Picard's pep talk to Data at the end, but it's a nice way to temper the bleakness of the Ardy goodbye scene without denying it's truth.
• Next week, we get into "The Survivors" and "Who Watches The Watchers."

Star Trek: The Next Generation

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Whoopi Goldberg

Ken Jenkins

Dr. Paul Stubbs

Scott Grimes

Amy O'Neill

Mary McCusker

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The Enterprise brings eminent scientist Dr. Paul Stubbs to the site of a binary star system, expecting a massive stellar explosion to occur in a few hours. He has waited many years for this event and has devoted his entire life to its study. The Enterprise, however, begins to suffer a series of malfunctions, some minor but others far more serious. 

Whoopi Goldberg

Scott Grimes

Ken Jenkins

Amy O'Neill

Randal patrick, mary mccusker, cast appearances.

Patrick Stewart

Jonathan Frakes

LeVar Burton

Michael Dorn

Gates McFadden

Marina Sirtis

Brent Spiner

Wil Wheaton

Episode discussion.

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• View history
• 2.1.1 Revealing mistakes
• 2.2.1 Plot Oversights
• 2.3 Nit Central

Summary [ ]

The scientist Dr. Paul Stubbs has spent 20 years of research to observe a stellar phenomenon in the Kavis Alpha system that occurs only once in 196 years. His mission is endangered when the ship is plagued by computer malfunctions. Wesley discovers that the reason is his experiment to improve the performance of nanites that got out of control when the microscopic robots escaped and developed a consciousness and the ability to reproduce themselves. The nanites now occupy the ship's computer.

Wesley reluctantly confesses his error to his mother Beverly, who has recently returned from Starfleet Medical. Stubbs, who is afraid that his experiment could fail, begins to destroy the nanites, whereupon the nanites attack him and sabotage life support on the ship. Data establishes a communication link with the nanites. Picard then urges Stubbs to apologize, upon which the nanites help to repair the computer. They are transferred to a planet in the Kavis Alpha system to continue their evolution.

Errors and Explanations [ ]

Internet movie database [ ], revealing mistakes [ ].

• In the opening shot Enterprise is in a geosynchronous orbit around a giant red star and faces a smaller neutron star. Later, Riker tells Shuttle Bay 2 to prepare to launch Dr. Stubbs' probe. As the shuttle bay doors open, the scene shows the giant red star and the smaller star in the distance. But Shuttle bay 2 is on the back side of the ship. To see this view, Enterprise would have to turn 180 degrees from the previous shot. The position of Enterprise was probably adjusted during final preparations for the experiment.

The Nitpicker's Guide Next Generation Trekkers Volume 2 [ ]

Plot oversights [ ].

• The surviving nanites helping Stubbs with his experiment, despite him earlier killing thousands of nanites earlier. This could have been part of the relocation agreement insigated at the end of the episode.
• Enterprise using reverse impulse engines to halt it's progress towards the matter stream between the stars, even though this would push the ship closer, due to it facing away at the time. Maybe the reverse thrust would be intended to turn the ship around.

Nit Central [ ]

• Keith Alan Morgan (Kmorgan) on Tuesday, July 10, 2001 - 1:53 am: Stubbs calls the Neutron star the interstellar counterpart to Old Faithful. The problem is that Old Faithful has been getting less and less faithful. I believe an earthquake affected it's old schedule and the last I heard it was becoming less faithful. Federation science may have corrected the problem.
• Data says, that "There has not been a system wide technological failure on a starship for 79 years." What about the Iconian computer virus in Contagion , the year before? (Or did the alien program erase the events of that episode from Data's mind?) That was not truly system wide, as some equipment on the three ships affected - such as life support and the transporters - still operated normally.
• 1 The Paradise Syndrome
• 2 The Enemy Within
• 3 Star Trek III The Search for Spock

Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994): Season 3, Episode 1 - Evolution - full transcript

The Enterprise is carrying an eminent scientist, Dr. Paul Stubbs, to the site of a binary star where they are expecting a massive stellar explosion to occur in a few hours. He has been waiting many years for this to occur and has devoted his entire life to its study. The Enterprise however begins to suffer from a series of malfunctions, some minor but others far more serious. Meanwhile, Dr. Beverly Crusher has returned to the Enterprise after a year at Starfleet Medical. She's concerned however if her presence may be limiting son Wesley's development. Can a 17 year-old boy develop normally if his mother is always around him? Wesley may be responsible for all the problems on the ship when his experiment in nanotechnology escapes from the lab. Fearing that the attack on the ship might prevent him from completing his experiments, Stubbs takes matters into his own hands.

Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series)

Evolution (1989), marina sirtis: counselor deanna troi, quotes .

Counselor Deanna Troi : Dr. Stubbs, I know how much this means to you...

Dr. Paul Stubbs : My dear Counselor. No insult intended; but please turn off your beam into my soul.

Counselor Deanna Troi : Your self-portrait is so practiced, so polished.

Dr. Paul Stubbs : Yes. Isn't it, though?

Counselor Deanna Troi : It's stretched so tight, the tension fills this room. And if you finally fail - I fear it will snap.

Dr. Paul Stubbs : A good try, Counselor. But sometimes, when you reach beneath a man's self-portrait - as you so eloquently put it - deep down inside, what you find... is nothing at all.

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Paul Stamets

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Commander Paul Stamets was a male Human astromycologist and Starfleet officer who lived during the mid- 23rd century before skipping ahead to the 32nd . He became part of the team that discovered the mycelial network and helped develop the experimental spore drive propulsion system. In that capacity he served as the spore drive specialist of the USS Discovery in 2256 , traveling the network hundreds of times. ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ", " Choose Your Pain ", " Project Daedalus ")

As the Discovery 's spore drive specialist, he was the first to make the spore drive viable for traversing great distances by using himself as an organic navigation computer , making the ship an invaluable asset in the war with the Klingon Empire . His frequent exposures to the mycelial plane led him to exist partially outside the universe 's normal flow of time . This caused progressive neurological damage to Stamets' body, and when Captain Gabriel Lorca deliberately sabotaged a spore drive jump to take the Discovery into the mirror universe , Stamets was left almost catatonic . His consciousness survived inside the mycelial network, however, and he was restored to health by Cadet Sylvia Tilly . Using his knowledge of the network, Stamets was able to devise a plan to return to the prime universe by destroying the super-mycelial reactor of the Terran Empire flagship ISS Charon . ( DIS : " Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad ", " Into the Forest I Go ", " Despite Yourself ", " What's Past Is Prologue ")

Upon the Discovery 's return to the prime universe in mid- 2257 , Stamets' control of the spore drive was instrumental in allowing the vessel to conduct a mission to Qo'noS to force an armistice in the Federation-Klingon war. For his role in the conflict, he was awarded the Starfleet Medal of Honor and promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander . ( DIS : " The War Without, The War Within ", " Will You Take My Hand? ")

• 1.1 Pre-war
• 1.2 The tardigrade
• 1.3 Acting as navigator
• 1.4 Trapped in the mycelial network
• 1.5 After the war
• 1.6 32nd century
• 2 Personal relationships
• 3.1 Appearances
• 3.2 Background information
• 3.3 Apocrypha
• 3.4 External links

Pre-war [ ]

Stamets confers with his colleague Straal for the last time before Straal's death

Stamets trained as an astromycologist . Prior to the outbreak of the Federation-Klingon War in 2256 , Stamets and his research partner, Straal , were working on an experimental propulsion technology known as the spore drive . This made use of prototaxites stellaviatori spores linked to the so-called mycelial network and could theoretically allow a starship to travel great distances instantaneously. Stamets and Straal worked on the project together for nearly twelve years, but failed to achieve decisive results. When the war started, Stamets and Straal were co-opted by Starfleet to develop military applications for the technology. Stamets and Straal were assigned to the Crossfield -class starships USS Discovery and USS Glenn respectively, experimental vessels that were the first to be built around spore drive technology. ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

The tardigrade [ ]

While aboard the Discovery , Stamets shared quarters with his husband, Lieutenant Commander Doctor Hugh Culber . He was uncomfortable with his work being co-opted for military purposes, and regarded his commanding officer , Captain Gabriel Lorca , as a warmonger. Despite six months of research, by late 2256 both the Discovery and the Glenn were still unable to make spore drive jumps greater than intervals of Speirin 12 for the former (a few hundred kilometers) and Speirein 240 for the latter. Stamets remained in regular correspondence with Straal, who by the end of the year was ready to consider a spore drive jump of Speirein 900, which Stamets felt was unsafe. ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

Stamets joins on away mission to the Glenn

At this time, Stamets met Michael Burnham after her disabled prison shuttle was rescued by the Discovery at Captain Lorca's direction. Despite being a convicted mutineer, Lorca assigned Burnham to work under Stamets in the hopes that her predictive mind and determination would help him make the spore drive viable. Initially affronted by this, Stamets was soon forced to confront other issues when a distress call was received from the USS Glenn . Stamets and Burnham were part of the team sent aboard to investigate, and discovered that the ship was a derelict with the entire crew having been severely mutilated, including Straal. Stamets deduced that the Glenn had been destroyed by an accident with its spore drive, and the team was soon ambushed by an immense creature . With the aid of Burnham, the creature was captured and brought aboard the Discovery . ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

The creature was dubbed a "tardigrade" for its resemblance to the microscopic Earth creature . Soon nicknamed " Ripper " for its apparent aggression, Stamets soon realized that it was able to communicate with the mycelial network and that the Glenn had used it to improve its spore drive. Though initially reluctant to attempt the same process, Stamets was convinced by Lorca's appeal to his sense of scientific wonder. Linking the tardigrade into the spore drive while exposing it to prototaxites stellaviatori in the spore chamber transformed the creature into an organic navigation computer , and allowed the Discovery to make a long jump to halt a Klingon attack on the mining colony of Corvan II . ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ", " The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry ")

Acting as navigator [ ]

Stamets had made the spore drive viable. Intensified development of the spore drive began on Earth while all Federation ships, starbases, and colonies were placed on alert to search for more tardigrades. However, forcing Ripper to act as a navigation computer caused it immense pain and it soon became obvious that each jump was severely debilitating to it. After Captain Lorca was taken prisoner by the Klingon Empire , repeated use of the spore drive in attempts to rescue him resulted in Ripper entering an extreme state of cryptobiosis and becoming unresponsive. It was subsequently released by Michael Burnham. ( DIS : " Choose Your Pain ")

Stamets was under pressure from the first officer , Commander Saru , to restore the spore drive. With the help of Cadet Sylvia Tilly , Stamets resorted to injecting himself with a sample of tardigrade DNA and entering the spore chamber to act as the navigation computer. The jump was a success and Lorca was recovered, along with another Starfleet prisoner, Lieutenant Ash Tyler . The exertion of the jump briefly knocked Stamets unconscious, but he recovered with apparently no ill effects. ( DIS : " Choose Your Pain ")

Events soon proved that Stamets' exposures to the mycelial network were changing him fundamentally: due to his mixing of tardigrade DNA during his usage of the spore drive, his consciousness came to exist outside the universe 's normal flow of time . He began seeing flashes of what were later discovered to be events in the mirror universe, including images of his counterpart , and once briefly mistook Cadet Tilly as hers . His crewmates, however, only noticed that his scientific success had caused more positive sides of his personality to emerge. His partial displacement in time meant that he was the only crewmember to notice when the Discovery was trapped in a repeating thirty-minute time loop created by the con man Harcourt Fenton Mudd . Mudd used the loop, generated with a time crystal , in an attempt to steal the Discovery and sell it to the Klingons; however he was unable to account for Stamets, who was able to alert the crew and foil Mudd's plan. ( DIS : " Choose Your Pain ", " Lethe ", " Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad ")

To improve his connection to the spore drive, Stamets accepted cyborg augmentations to his arms. However, he was increasingly aware that use of the spore drive was taking its toll on his mind. He confided only in Cadet Tilly, refusing to tell Dr. Culber out of fear it would place his partner in emotional conflict over whether to alert the rest of Starfleet to his condition. ( DIS : " Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum ")

While investigating the planet Pahvo , Captain Lorca saw an opportunity to destroy the Klingon starship Sarcophagus and develop a way to penetrate cloaking devices . To accomplish this Stamets would have to conduct 133 micro-jumps with the spore drive so the Discovery could gather data from multiple angles to generate the algorithm to penetrate the cloak. In the subsequent battle at Pahvo , the Discovery succeeded in destroying the Sarcophagus , killing the Klingon leader Kol and capturing L'Rell , who was believed to have tortured Ash Tyler while he was a prisoner. However, Stamets was visibly distressed from the effort of conducting so many jumps in such a short time, and declared to Lorca that he would conduct one last jump to get the Discovery to Starbase 88 before submitting himself to Starfleet Medical for evaluation. However, the man who the Discovery crew believed to be Captain Gabriel Lorca was in fact his mirror universe counterpart . This Lorca deliberately sabotaged the jump, using a theoretical application of the spore drive to take the Discovery into the mirror universe. The effect of this plunged Stamets into near- catatonia : his eyes became a blank white and when he spoke it appeared incoherent and delirious . Without Stamets, the Discovery had little chance of returning to the prime universe. ( DIS : " Into the Forest I Go ")

Trapped in the mycelial network [ ]

Stamets' consciousness was in fact trapped in the mycelial network. Through that he still had some contact with the physical world, violently blurting out " Don't go to palace ! ", and whispering " The enemy is here " in brief moments of lucidity. Dr. Culber saw this as insane rambling. However, while Stamets was still unconscious, Culber was murdered by the increasingly-unstable Lieutenant Ash Tyler. It was subsequently discovered that "Ash Tyler" was in fact the Klingon Voq , physically – and mentally – transformed into the real Tyler's form to act as a spy, and Voq's personality had been partially-awoken by the presence of L'Rell. Stamets remained aware of this though his mind remained disconnected from his body, and he was discovered in one of Discovery 's corridors cradling Culber's corpse ( DIS : " Despite Yourself ", " The Wolf Inside ")

Cadet Tilly compared Stamets' brain scans to those of the tardigrade, and discovered that Stamets' brain had developed a similar makeup. Since the tardigrade had been cured before its release by exposure to the mycelial spores, Tilly reasoned that a similar treatment might improve Stamets' condition. Under such treatment, Stamets' physical signs improved across all biological metrics, though mentally he remained in the mycelial network. There he encountered his mirror counterpart, who had been working on similar experiments and had been responsible for Stamets' visions of the mirror universe. Together they explored the " USS Stamets ", an illusory starship created by the network from Stamets' memories, attempting to find a way out. They encountered a spreading corruption within the network, and fled into the " main engineering " of the illusion. Inside the illusion, Stamets encountered an illusion of Culber who revealed that it was in fact the mirror Stamets who was responsible for the corruption of the network. With Culber's encouragement, Stamets managed to wake himself up in the real world at the cost of awakening his counterpart as well. ( DIS : " Vaulting Ambition ")

Following his awakening, Stamets was able to devise a plan to repair the mycelial network by destroying the ISS Charon and his counterpart's super-mycelial reactor . Using the power generated by the explosion, Stamets managed to transport Discovery back to the prime universe, but he overshot, returning the ship nine months after they had left. ( DIS : " What's Past Is Prologue ")

After the war [ ]

After the war ended, Stamets considered taking a permanent job at the Vulcan Science Academy , but eventually decided to stay on board the Discovery , temporarily under the command of Captain Christopher Pike . ( DIS : " Brother ")

Stamets agreed to navigate the ship when they used the spore drive to jump to Terralysium . ( DIS : " New Eden ")

Teamed up with Jett Reno , Stamets helped removing a multidimensional fungus creature known as jahSepp from Ensign Sylvia Tilly , when the creature infected her, posing as " May Ahearn " in Tilly's mind. ( DIS : " Point of Light ", " An Obol for Charon ")

When the creature abducted Tilly into the mycelial network , Stamets navigated the Discovery itself into the network, and, along with Michael Burnham , volunteered to venture into the network, in search for the missing Ensign. Stamets found his partner, Hugh Culber , previously presumed dead, inside the network, and succeeded in rescuing him, removing the "Monster" which "infected" the jahSepp's living environment. ( DIS : " Saints of Imperfection ")

Stamets was among the Discovery crewmembers, who volunteered to stay on board and accompany the ship and Michael Burnham into the far future, with no chance of return. Stamets was injured during the battle near Xahea , and was in a comatose state, treated in sickbay when the Discovery crossed into the 32nd century . Afterwards, he was presumed dead by Starfleet , based on the testimonies of the USS Enterprise senior officers. ( DIS : " Such Sweet Sorrow ", " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 ").

32nd century [ ]

After Discovery crash landed on The Colony in 3189 , Stamets was awakened and put into a cellular regeneration chamber due to his biobed being needed. Despite not being fully recovered, Stamets helped Jett Reno in repairing the EPS conduits, restoring power to the ship, but putting his body under enormous strain is his still-injured state. ( DIS : " Far From Home ")

In 3189, Adira Tal developed a method for Stamets to have his cybernetic enhancements removed due to a new Spore Hub Control mechanism they developed. Stamets later admitted after their removal that he always hated them. ( DIS : " Scavengers ")

By 3191, Stamets, like most of the senior staff, had been promoted. Stamets was given the rank of commander. Stamets, along with Tilly, Saru, and Adira worked on finding out information about the DMA . When Admiral Vance assigned Ruon Tarka to help Stamets in his endeavors, Stamets was resistant, but allowed Tarka to help with the work aboard Discovery . Tarka and Stamets had some conflict working with each other, as Tarka reminded Stamets of himself in the past when he was far more dedicated to his work and did not care for the safety of others. During this time period, Stamets and Book became closer, Stamets deciding to solve the case of the DMA for Book. ( citation needed • edit )

Personal relationships [ ]

Stamets and Culber kiss in engineering

Stamets was in a relationship with Doctor Hugh Culber . The two first met in a cafe on Alpha Centauri . ( DIS : " Choose Your Pain ", " Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad ") Michael Burnham described him as a widower shortly before Hugh was resurrected from the mycelial network. ( DIS : " Saints of Imperfection ") Culber and Stamets had a brief period where they were separated and lived in separate quarters. (" Project Daedalus ") During the battle against Control when Stamets was gravely injured, Culber took care of him and Culber claimed Stamets was "his home." (" Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 ") When in the 32nd century, they moved back in together and Stamets confided his relationship with Adira in Hugh. ( DIS : " Scavengers ")  Stamets is also seen worrying for Culber several times when Culber was on an away mission in the Verubin Nebula . ( DIS : " Su'Kal ", " There Is A Tide... ", " That Hope Is You, Part 2 ")

Stamets had at least one sibling, who he considered his best friend. He also had a mom and a dad, and an uncle named Everett who sang in a Beatles cover band. ( DIS : " Such Sweet Sorrow ", " Context Is for Kings ")

Stamets was good friends with his research partner Straal and was distressed when Straal was killed aboard the USS Glenn . ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

Over the course of Sylvia Tilly 's assignment to Discovery , the two grew to be close friends and colleagues. When he was offered a position at the Vulcan Science Academy, Tilly was among the first to ask him to reconsider. ( DIS : " Brother ")

Stamets struck up a friendship with Adira Tal after they joined the crew. ( DIS : " People of Earth ") Adira confided in him both about their gender identity and about the fact that they were having visions of their late boyfriend, Gray Tal . They also bonded through their shared love of music and their work to trace the source of the Burn . ( DIS : " The Sanctuary ") This bond grew in warmth to the point that, in conversation with Aurellio , Stamets referred to Adira as his child. He was distraught to learn that Adira had secretly transported themself onto Su'Kal 's planet in the Verubin Nebula with Saru and Hugh Culber , putting themself at risk of dying from radiation . ( DIS : " There Is A Tide... ")

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• Star Trek: Discovery except:
• " Context Is for Kings "
• " The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry "
• " Choose Your Pain "
• " Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad "
• " Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum "
• " Into the Forest I Go "
• " Despite Yourself "
• " The Wolf Inside "
• " Vaulting Ambition "
• " What's Past Is Prologue "
• " The War Without, The War Within "
• " Will You Take My Hand? "
• " Brother "
• " New Eden "
• " Point of Light "
• " An Obol for Charon "
• " Saints of Imperfection "
• " The Sound of Thunder "
• " Light and Shadows "
• " If Memory Serves "
• " Project Daedalus "
• " The Red Angel "
• " Perpetual Infinity "
• " Through the Valley of Shadows "
• " Such Sweet Sorrow "
• " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 "
• " Far From Home "
• " People of Earth "
• " Forget Me Not "
• " Die Trying "
• " Scavengers "
• " Unification III "
• " The Sanctuary "
• " Terra Firma, Part 1 "
• " Terra Firma, Part 2 "
• " There Is A Tide... "
• " That Hope Is You, Part 2 "
• " Kobayashi Maru "
• " Anomaly (DIS) "
• " Choose to Live "
• " All Is Possible "
• " The Examples "
• " Stormy Weather "
• " ...But to Connect "
• " Rubicon "
• " The Galactic Barrier "
• " Rosetta "
• " Species Ten-C "
• " Coming Home "

Background information [ ]

Paul Stamets was played by Anthony Rapp .

This character was named for real-life mycologist Paul Stamets , who was the inspiration for the science of Discovery . However, much of the character was based on Executive Producer/Writer Aaron Harberts , who commented, " Stamets is kind of cranked up. But when writing Stamets, there was a lot of 'What would I say here? Probably that.' " ( AT : " Context Is for Kings ")

Stamets, along with his partner Culber, are the first openly gay regular characters in a Star Trek television series. Prior to the Discovery premiere, original showrunner Bryan Fuller commented, "Star Trek started with a wonderful expression of diversity in its cast… we're continuing that tradition. " [1] In " The Red Angel ", Stamets became the first Star Trek character to specifically refer to himself as gay (also so describing Culber).

Paul Stamets' life signs, indicating he is the "Chief Engineer"

A graphic seen in " Choose Your Pain " referred to Stamets as the chief engineer , but Ted Sullivan discarded this as a production mistake, quipping, " I'd say he's the chief engineer of spore drive but not of engineering. " [2]

Apocrypha [ ]

Stamets appears in the "Awakening" expansion to Star Trek Online , with Anthony Rapp voicing him. In the mission "Beneath the Skin", the renegade Klingon matriarch J'Ula unleashes a mycelium-based weapon at Andoria , which tears open a rift that leads to the mycelial network. As astromycology is a largely forgotten science by 2410, and most of what is known is classified by order of Starfleet Command (following the "destruction" of the Discovery in " Such Sweet Sorrow, Part 2 "), Captain Sh'marois of the USS Hoffman creates a holographic Stamets, his memory based on the real Stamets' Starfleet record and research notes. The holographic Stamets is equipped with a mobile emitter and accompanies the player character and their away team into the mycelial network, where they encounter a jahSepp in the form of deceased USS Buran security chief Amna Patel, asking for help in repairing the damage done by J'Ula. The holo-Stamets is granted memories from the real Stamets that remained from his time in the network, allowing him to better guide the player captain.

External links [ ]

• Paul Stamets at StarTrek.com
• Paul Stamets at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 3 Ancient humanoid