Star Trek: Enterprise does not receive the same appreciation as many, or any, of the other Trek spinoffs, and for valid reasons. It was intended to be a prequel, set between the events of Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: The Original Series, but different in style and tone, emphasizing the rudimentary aspects and sense of discovery that would accompany humanity’s first deep space explorers, utilizing the first starship capable of warp five. Instead, the series immediately delved into a storyline involving time travel, complicating what should have been a straightforward premise of exploring an era of unprecedented revelations that lead up to where Star Trek: The Original Series begins. However, over the course of a three-episode arc in Season 4, Star Trek: Enterprise successfully achieved what it had failed to do until that point: embody what it was meant to be all along.
‘Star Trek: Enterprise’s Season 4 Three-Episode Arc Is Riveting
Star Trek: Enterprise‘s Vulcan Reformation arc unfolds over three episodes: “The Forge,” “Awakening,” and “Kir-Shara.” It commences with a deadly bombing of Earth’s embassy on Vulcan, which is quickly attributed to a faction known as the Syrrannites, recognized for their fanatic devotion to what they consider the “true” teachings of Surak, particularly a suspect named T’Pau (Kara Zediker). Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) and T’Pol (Jolene Blalock) embark on a mission to locate her and T’Pol’s estranged mother, T’Les (Joanna Cassidy). To accomplish this, they must traverse the Forge, an unforgiving Vulcan desert. During their journey, they encounter Syrran (Michael Nouri), the leader of the Syrrannites, who transfers Surak’s katra (mind-soul) to Archer via mind-meld just before succumbing to injuries sustained in a sand-fire storm.
Simultaneously, Vulcan Administrator V’Las (Robert Foxworth) initiates plans to annihilate the Syrrannites by bombing their hideout, which has been narrowed down to a specific location. To maintain secrecy regarding the operation, V’Las orders the Enterprise to vacate their orbit around the planet and commands Vulcan ships to open fire, forcing the Enterprise to retreat from the area. This hostility escalates when V’Las accuses the Andorians of plotting an invasion and begins mobilizing the Vulcan fleet to confront them, despite concerns raised by other High Command leaders.
Meanwhile, aboard the Enterprise, Ambassador Soval (Gary Graham) discovers that it was actually one of V’Las’ men who planted the bomb, not T’Pau. However, before chaos ensues, Archer and T’Pol return with the Kir’Shara, which contains Surak’s true teachings and presents it to the High Command. This revelation exposes V’Las’ lies regarding Surak’s teachings that falsely dictated how Vulcans are meant to live, setting in motion the Vulcan Reformation. What it does not reveal is V’Las’ secretive relationship with the Romulans concerning reunification.
‘Star Trek: Enterprise’s Vulcan Reformation Arc Corrects Course
The Vulcan Reformation arc is undoubtedly the best set of episodes in Star Trek: Enterprise‘s four seasons, for numerous reasons. The storyline is tight, thrilling, and intelligent: it involves V’Las’s machinations and the corrupt Vulcan High Command; reveals Romulan interference; showcases confrontations between Vulcans, Andorians, and the Enterprise; and represents significant progress in character development for both Archer and T’Pol. It explains how the arrogant and emotional Vulcans depicted in earlier seasons transformed into logical followers of Surak’s true teachings.
Scott Bakula’s Star Trek Series Reveals Mother of Captain Archer’s Son
The prospective series hails from Bakula and ‘Enterprise’ writer Michael Sussman.
Most significantly, the Vulcan Reformation arc accomplishes what Star Trek: Enterprise had failed to achieve in its previous three seasons. It corrects course for the series by finally making progress towards continuity and planting seeds of Trek lore. The revelation of Vulcan’s logic-centric society is merely the beginning, with these episodes explaining canonical elements about Vulcans such as mind-melding and katra while introducing T’Pau, first seen in Star Trek: The Original Series‘ episode "Amok Time." It also establishes a new trajectory for relations between humans and Vulcans as they begin to see humans in a new light after years of withholding advanced technology from them due to believing humans were unprepared (and easing Archer’s resentment towards Vulcans).
Moreover, this marks the first instance where humans, Vulcans, and Andorians collaborate to resolve a mutual crisis, fostering trust among them. This cooperation paves the way for what will become the Coalition of Planets and eventually lead to the establishment of the United Federation of Planets. These foundational elements of lore are precisely what fans had anticipated since the inception of Star Trek: Enterprise. Unfortunately, this realization came too late as Season 4 would be Captain Archer and his crew’s final season. Nevertheless, as an old proverb states, it’s better late than never. For Star Trek: Enterprise, delivering on its promise allows it to “live long and prosper” in the eyes of Star Trek’s devoted fanbase.
