What a few weeks!
Following “The Sound of Thunder,” which we won’t be covering herein Canon Connections because it seems to be the one entry in Discovery‘s story without any connective references to the wider canon, the last two episodes built up to and then perfectly executed upon the telling of a sequel story to the very first Star Trek story, “The Cage” – in addition to introducing us to the latest version of the Spock character as portrayed by Ethan Peck.
So, let’s take a walk through the last 54 years of Star Trek history and examine the connections to previous Star Trek canon in “Light and Shadows” and “If Memory Serves.”
Mutara Sector
According to Burnham, the shuttle Spock stole to leave Starbase 5 disappeared “somewhere in the Mutara Sector.” Many years later, the Mutara Sector would be the site of a battle between the USS Enterprise and the USS Reliant that would take the life of Spock (for the first time) and lead to the formation of the Genesis Planet. (“Light and Shadows”)
Probe Launch
Discovery’s shuttle launches a probe into the temporal anomaly, the first time we have seen the scientific instrument that has appeared many, many times in previous Star Trek canon used on Discovery. (“Light and Shadows”)
Katra Stones
Sarek points out that Amanda hid Spock in a Vulcan crypt filled with katra stones to interfere with Sarek’s ability to telepathically locate Spock. Katras are the Vulcan soul, first established in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Katra stones must be vessels that carry the souls of dead Vulcans.
The crypt shares a number of similarities with the Katric Ark seen in Star Trek ’09. (“Light and Shadows”)
Kir’shara
Also on display in the Vulcan crypt is a pyramid structure that looks very similar to the kir’shara, a sacred Vulcan relic that preserved the original writings of Surak.
The color and writing on the surface of this item are not the same as the kir’shara as it first appeared in the Enterprise episode “The Forge,” and so it could be the same item, some kind of copy, or a symbolic representation of the original artifact. (“Light and Shadows”)
Burn, Plasma, Burn
When Discovery’s shuttle was pulled into the temporal anomaly, Pike ordered Tyler to burn off the shuttle’s plasma in bursts to try and help Discovery locate it.
A similar trick was later used by Spock aboard the Shuttlecraft Galileo to call for help from the USS Enterprise before it burned up in the atmosphere of Taurus II. (“Light and Shadows”)
Activate Self-Destruct Sequence
The shuttle’s self destruct display shares a distinct resemblance to the Library Computer Access and Retrieval System (LCARS) that was featured prominently in Star Trek shows set in the 24th century, beginning with The Next Generation. (“Light and Shadows”)
Previously, on Star Trek…
As a direct sequel to “The Cage,” this episode begins with footage from that original 1965 episode! Featuring the original actors from the Star Trek pilot, including Jeffrey Hunter’s Captain Pike, Majel Barrett Rodenberry’s Number One, and Leonard Nimoy’s Spock, the recap is set to the original Star Trek theme.
Interestingly, the appearance of Majel Barrett in the recap makes her the only Star Trek cast member to have made an appearance or been heard in every single incarnation of Star Trek. (“If Memory Serves”)
Trekking to Talos IV
At the conclusion of “Light and Shadows,” Burnham deciphers the sequence of numbers Spock is repeating as the coordinates for Talos IV, the planet first visited by the Enterprise in “The Cage.”
As Burnham and Spock’s shuttle warps to the planet, she listens to the records of Talos IV, which repeats the history of the planet that Pike learned in “The Cage.” (“If Memory Serves”)
A Familiar Environment
Though shot on location in Toronto and not on a set like “The Cage,” the surface of Talos IV shares many distinct similarities with its first appearance in Star Trek.
The planet is barren and rocky, with the only obvious life the occasional outgrowth of blue-colored plants that vibrate and case a high-pitched hum. (“If Memory Serves”)
A Restricted Part of the Alpha Quadrant
It is mentioned several times during this episode that Talos IV is restricted space, though there is no mention of General Order Seven, which indicated the Federation had imposed the death penalty on anyone who would revisit the planet.
It is unclear if General Order Seven was implemented later than the events of “The Cage,” or the writers chose to sidestep it because the death penalty has never synced well with the later presentation of the Federation as a more evolved political structure than our current governments. (“If Memory Serves”)
Vina
Talos IV’s only human inhabitant (at this point in time), Vina first appeared in “The Cage” played by Susan Oliver. She returns in this episode, played by Melissa George, serving the same capacity as she did in “The Cage,” as an intermediary between our Starfleet characters and the Talosians.
We also catch a glimpse of Vina’s injured form that she hides behind the Talosian projections. (“If Memory Serves”)
Talosians
Possessed of the same large heads with throbbing cranial veins, the make up design for the return of the Talosians is a faithful update of the original. The Keeper also appears wearing the same design of necklace as The Keeper during “The Cage,” though the gender swapped voices have been removed this time around.
The powers of the Talosians remain the same, as do the prices that they exact from those they interact with. (“If Memory Serves”)
Vulcan’s Forge
Spock describes his first encounter with the Red Angel as a child, which told Spock where Burnham had ran off to in Vulcan’s Forge. His premonition helped avoid her death. Vulcan’s Forge was first mentioned in The Animated Series episode “Yesteryear,” and seen most prominently in the Enterprise episode “The Forge.”
In previous appearances, we were exposed to the desert climate of Vulcan’s Forge, but according to this episode there are multiple climactic zones that also include forests. (“If Memory Serves”)
Icy Andoria
Burnham experiences Spock’s vision of technology from the 28th century launching attacks on, and destroying, the homeworlds of the major Federation races. This includes the destruction of Earth, Vulcan, and Andoria, which is shown to have several moons and rings – just like its appearance in the Enterprise episode “The Aenar.” (“If Memory Serves”)
Duotronics
Discovery tries to use its spore drive to jump to Talos IV, but the technology fails. Tilly indicates there is a corruption in the duotronics, a computer technology invented by Richard Daystrom that is in widespread use aboard Starfleet ships in the 23rd century.
The technology was first referenced in The Original Series episode “The Ultimate Computer.” (“If Memory Serves”)
Set Course for Starbase 11
Discovery heads to Starbase 11, which is in close proximity to Talos IV, to hide its plans to divert to the planet. Starbase 11 appeared in “The Menagerie” two-part episode as the starbase on which Christopher Pike was sent to convalesce following the crippling accident he suffered between the events of Discovery and The Original Series.
It is also the site of Spock’s court martial during the same episode, and was spotted during Burnham’s “spore vision” of the planet in “Context is for Kings.” (“If Memory Serves”)
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Finally, after several previous references this season, Control – who provides threat assessments and directives to Section 31 operatives – is revealed to be an artificial intelligence.
While I admit I am stretching the definition of “canon” on this one — since the novels are absolutely not canon — but can’t help but point out that in David Mack’s 2016 novel Section 31: Control, the literary equivalent is also revealed to be an artificial intelligence program.
We’ll be back with more Canon Connections after the next few Star Trek: Discovery outings, this week’s “Project Daedalus” and next week’s “The Red Angel.”