Star Trek Enterprise: The Andorian Incident is one of the best episodes of the entire series. There is a big twist in this episode and I can’t give a full review without spoiling it. So if you have not yet watched the episode, do so before reading this post.
If you want to know the chronology of the episodes I’ll be watching, I’ll be going down this list. If you notice I’ve missed an episode, let me know and I’ll correct it. And if you missed my first post about Star Trek, you can check that out right here.
A peaceful retreat threatened
The episode does not start on Enterprise. It doesn’t even start in space. Instead it starts at a Vulcan retreat where several people are meditating. Someone bangs loudly on the doors and several blue aliens with antennae on their heads enter the room. We don’t know it yet but these are Andorians. Not only do these people become important in the episode, they will play a significant role in several episodes in the series.
On Enterprise Commander “Trip” Tucker complains to Captain Archer that they are only looking at things Vulcans have already discovered on their star charts. Tucker feels like it’s not true exploration but Archer does point out humans have never been to these places. But Archer also adds that there is a proto-star that isn’t on the Vulcan charts. In other words, these star charts are not fully complete.
T’Pol enters the room and Archer points out a planet they are near. T’Pol is familiar with it. Archer knows there is a small outpost on the planet. T’Pol says it is called P’Jem. It’s an ancient spiritual retreat for meditation and kolinahr. Kolinahr is the practice of purging one’s mind of all emotion. A sacred state in Vulcan culture. Archer wants to visit. T’Pol thinks it’s a bad idea and Trip assumes that’s because Vulcans think humans smell bad. But ultimately T’Pol agrees and looks up the proper customs humans should follow for the visit.
Infinite diversity in infinite combinations
At the mess hall T’Pol has lunch with Dr. Phlox. Phlox assumes T’Pol will be excited to go have a look at some of her own ancient history. And he figures she’ll be excited to introduce the Vulcans to the humans she is working with. But T’Pol is hesitant because it might feel a bit awkward if she is showing these human ruffians around a sacred monastery. We also see a bit of difference in outlook between Dr. Phlox and T’Pol here. T’Pol cuts and eats her celery with a knife and fork while Phlox just grabs food off her plate without asking until after he has done it.
Phlox admits he can feel out of place among the humans too but he keeps in mind the Vulcan motto, “Infinite diversity in infinite combinations.” And he points out diversity is a celebration of differences. Therefore the Vulcans should welcome the humans. And I have to say, I think that’s a good motto. And if you are a space explorer it’s an excellent motto to keep in mind.
Phlox then asks her what the mission of Enterprise is. She says, “Our mission is to make contact with those who humans consider new life and civilizations.” Phlox points out this is to seek infinite diversity. And Phlox says if that’s the case, a cultural exchange between humans and Vulcans is just a furtherance of their mission. Hand one to Dr. Phlox in the wisdom category here.
A surprise visit
While heading to the shuttle Trip is appalled the Vulcans don’t know they are coming. T’Pol says she couldn’t hail them because these Vulcans consider technology a distraction from their spiritual pursuits. Archer is worried about dropping in unannounced but T’Pol reassures him it will be fine as long as they observe the proper protocols. And she rattles off a long list of rules to which Archer says, “I thought Starfleet training was tough.”
When they first arrive things do look peaceful. But there is evidence the door was damaged which seems unusual. T’Pol writes that off to old age. But then no one answers the door. Archer walks in anyway. There, a Vulcan monk is in the room, standing silent. T’Pol speaks to him for a moment. She says the monk told her the entire order is in kolinahr and can’t be disturbed. T’Pol then observes the protocols by asking for the offering of the J’Kah stone as is normal.
The Vulcan leaves the room to get it but things seem off here. First, T’Pol notices a statue not sitting in its correct position. Then she says in the main atrium, where they are, there should be more than one member of the order present. Trip shrugs it off with a joke about calling Starfleet command. But T’Pol says the Vulcan elder also seems agitated. I don’t think any human could possibly have picked up on that.
To investigate further, Archer starts wandering the room and talking loudly. He never says this in the episode but I think her figures he can get away with being rude because Vulcans already think humans can be impulsive. But what he is really doing is trying to find out the problem.
Archer finds an intruder
Trip and T’Pol both pick up on what Archer is doing and walk around themselves taking everything in. Trip finds a broken pot which the elder says is there because of the process of kolinahr which can be violent. The elder then shows Archer the stone of J’Kah. Archer observes the protocol but then loudly asks what it all means. In case we had any doubt, we know this is a delay for time because T’Pol told him exactly what it was in the last scene. Archer continues to wander and badly misinterprets what it means just to delay further.
The gambit pays off because Archer notices on of the Andorians in a reflection. Archer gives a hand signal to Trip to let him know to be ready to fight. Trip gets closer to the captain and the Vulcan elder asks them to leave. Trip and Archer get the jump on the Andorian who is hiding behind a screen. They tackle him and his gun flies out of his hand. T’Pol grabs it but three more Andorians enter the room, all armed and pointing their weapons at our heroes. They’ve been captured!
Interrogation
The Vulcan elder, T’Pol and the two humans are put in a room with the other Vulcans from the monastery. The Andorians are angry at the Vulcans because there was a Vulcan in the landing party. The Vulcan elder points out he didn’t know because it was an Earth vessel. Andorians are not familiar with Earth and Archer tells them it’s where they are from. An Andorian we will soon come to know as Commander Shran asks Archer why they came there. And he refers to humans as “pink skins” which seems to be derogatory.
Archer maintains he only came to see the sanctuary. Shan demands to know what Archer’s mission is and he asks about surveillance equipment. Archer explains T’Pol is their science officer but Shan assumes that means Archer is working with the Vulcans. Archer asks what Shan is doing there and Shan gives him an elbow to the ribs. Trip is quite angry about this but there’s not much he can do.
Shan says they scanned Enterprise and thinks it’s a well armed ship for people who came for a visit. Then Shan claims T’Pol and the humans prove this place is far more than a sanctuary. Once they leave the room Trip says, “Now these guys are agitated.” He’s always there for the humor isn’t he?
The Andorians
T’Pol says the Andorians are known for their volatile and suspicious nature. One of the Vulcans explains Andorians and Vulcans are from neighboring systems and have been in conflict for years. T’Pol further explains these aliens are envious of Vulcan reasoning and technology and believe the Vulcans are planning to invade the Andorians. But there has been a treaty. However, some factions still are bent on conquest.
Trip asks what these guys want with a 3000 year old temple. The Vulcan elder explains the Andorians think they are hiding a long range sensor array. But he assures Archer there is no technology on the planet. It seems these Andorians have made a couple of visits to this temple already. They go through the place, cause some chaos looking for the technology and then leave empty handed. But with the arrival of the humans they are now even more suspicious than before.
Standard Procedures
Back on Enterprise Malcolm Reed is telling Hoshi about an alien ship they picked up on their scanners. He’s wondering why the shuttle didn’t pick this up. Hoshi asks why they would even bother to scan when they are going to an ancient monastery. Reed makes a good point, saying it should be standard procedure to do so. This show is still establishing some of the long running rules we know from later series.
Reed is also worried because he hasn’t heard from the landing party. Hoshi says you can’t expect them to check in every ten minutes and Reed says that also should be standard procedure. Hoshi assures Reed he is probably overreacting.
More interrogation
Shan beats Captain Archer pretty mercilessly trying to find out where the sensor array is. It doesn’t gain Archer any points having a Vulcan with him. But its complicated for Archer to explain her presence in a way that makes sense to the Andorians.
Enterprise tries to contact Archer. Shan answers it and tells Reed that Captain Archer is a prisoner of the Andorian Imperial Guard. And the Andorians smash all the communicators. Shan also tells Reed if they make any moves with Enterprise he’ll kill the hostages.
Reed does the right thing and preps a shuttle. Mayweather is worried but Reed says he doesn’t take orders from a comm voice unless it belongs to the captain. And Reed tells Hoshi to look up the Andorians.
In their search, the Andorians still don’t find any evidence of technology in the monastery and they become even more agitated.
The prisoners
The Vulcan elder asks T’Pol how long she’s been on the Earth ship. She says it’s been 9 weeks and 4 days so that’s how long Enterprise has been out there in case you wondered. The Vulcan elder says the smell must be intolerable but T’Pol says she got used to it and was given a nasal numbing agent. So I guess the Vulcans really do think humans smell bad.
Archer is brought back to the room with the prisoners where Trip tends to his wounds. And Archer says these Andorians are going to start killing people if they don’t find what they want. And he mentions the contact from Reed and tells them Shan said if a rescue comes, they will start killing people. T’Pol says Reed wouldn’t be that reckless but Archer says he didn’t recruit his tactical officer to sit on his butt when he’s threatened. Probably a smart move on Archer’s part. Archer knows its only a matter of time before Reed comes and things fall into chaos.
The Vulcan elder says there is another option. A transmitter that is very old in the catacombs. But Archer catches on to the fact the Vulcans said there was no technology here. Trip and one of the Vulcan monks go to find it. But the Vulcan elder also says if the Andorians find these tunnels, they will damage Vulcan culture in ways humans can’t understand.
Plans and transmitters
Trip and the Vulcan do find the transmitter but along the way, Trip notices a sealed off door.
Meanwhile, the Andorians continue to try to find the sensor array while the prisoners attempt to come up with an escape plan. T’Pol and Archer also have a moment together and share a blanket to keep from freezing. T’Pol at first says the cold is preferable to the odor but she ultimately gives in. But she does convince Archer this conflict is larger than this monastery. Archer still sees it as the Andorians bullying the Vulcans though. T’Pol says Vulcans don’t respond to violence with violence but Archer says under the circumstances a little violence might help. He does say he’d like to find a peaceful solution but he doesn’t think that will happen.
Archer then says he needs to know he can count on T’Pol when the time comes. Considering what has happened so far in the series already, I think this is pretty unfair to T’Pol. She’s had multiple instances where she could have betrayed or gone against Archer but every single time she has sided with him. She should really be given the benefit of the doubt at this point. And she makes a point to remind him she has never disobeyed orders.
Plans are made
Enterprise does pick up a faint signal from the planet. This is Commander Tucker on the old transmitter. He explains the situation. Reed asks if Tucker is certain they can’t negotiate. Trip tells him the last negotiation resulted in Archer coming back with a face full of bruises. It’s still early on in the series but if there is one thing that is certain about Malcolm Reed, it’s that he does not appreciate it when someone does violence to his captain.
The prisoners try to figure out a way out of the building. Archer hopes the catacombs can help and he asks about the reliquary. The Vulcans say it’s ancient and no one has been in it in years. Trip mentions a stairwell he saw near it. This stairwell is right under the atrium where the Andorians are.
The Andorians themselves are fast running out of patience. But Shan is absolutely sure he’s right. And out of nowhere, Archer calls for the Andorians and tells Shan he needs to speak with him alone.
Star Trek Enterprise: The Andorian Incident
Archer uses his time with the Andorians as a distraction. He basically jokes about how annoying it is to be stuck in a room full of Vulcans. This earns him more beatings but it does allow him to signal Trip who is waiting in the stairwell under the atrium. The prisoners now have their plan of attack with the element of surprise.
Reed takes a landing party to be transported down to the planet. Several of them are hesitant to get in the thing but they do it. The Andorians pick up on the energy fluctuation and rush to the room with the prisoners. Reed and company go up to the tunnel where the stairwell is. And they blow the door off and get the drop on the Andorians. But two of them run down into the catacombs.
Archer goes after them and they head to the reliquary. And here is where the true Andorian incident takes place. Archer stumbles on an actual sensor array. This whole time, the Vulcans were lying and they were the ones who had violated the treaty. This throws the whole episode on its head and we realize the Vulcan monks are not so innocent after all.
Star Trek Enterprise: The Andorian Incident conclusion
Star Trek Enterprise: The Andorian Incident ends with Archer having T’Pol get photographic proof. One of the Vulcan monks tries to stop her but Archer knocks him out. T’Pol gives Shan the scans of the place and she communicates up to Enterprise not to attack the Andorian ship when it leaves the planet. Shan tells Archer they are in his debt. He doesn’t seem happy about it at all.
Star Trek Enterprise: The Andorian Incident really does launch the series into new territory. The humans already didn’t entirely trust the Vulcans but now there’s evidence of them violating a treaty they negotiated. And while Andorians are not friends to the humans, there has been contact made. Archer comes to trust T’Pol a bit more because of incident and Reed knows he needs to restructure some things to make away missions safer.
It’s a great episode and quite entertaining. In the next episode, titled Breaking the Ice, we’re going to learn even more about T’Pol and her relationship with the Vulcans.
Until next time, live long and prosper.
