A bombing at the human embassy on Vulcan leads to accusations against a desert-dwelling faction with disfavored views of the historic Vulcan leader, Surak. When T'Pol learns that her mother is a part of this outcast sect -- and is now missing -- she and Archer set out into some of the most hostile terrain on Vulcan for answers. Meanwhile, the rest of the Enterprise crew find an unexpected ally in their perennial adversary, Soval, who himself doubts his government's evidence in the bombing investigation.
It's all but impossible to remember today, but there was a time where the legacy of Star Trek was carried only by the occasional film starring the original cast, and a series of licensed novels written by a parade of authors. Those novels remained popular with fans even after The Next Generation and other spin-off series arrived, with certain authors being especially beloved. Among those was husband-and-wife team Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, who were tapped for the writing staff of Enterprise in season four, and whose first credited episode was "The Forge."
I read more than my share of those Star Trek novels back in the day, and remember them as being BY the most ardent of Star Trek fans, FOR the most ardent of Star Trek fans. So it seems like a perfect fit to have the Reeves-Stevens at the keyboard for this tale of "how Vulcans became Vulcans," featuring a mind meld, two different characters who first appeared in the original series, a new look at Vulcan consciousness enduring beyond death, and more. You want to see colossal statues wielding Vulcan ritual weapons? The first live-action appearance of a sehlat, an oft-mentioned Vulcan animal? Multiple homages to Spock's beloved story arc of Star Trek II and III? It's all here.
Maybe you're more of a then-modern Trekker than a fan of the original series. Don't worry, you're covered too. Actor Robert Foxworth, who guest-starred so effectively in a multi-part Deep Space Nine story about isolationists seizing control of government, returns here to do it again in Vulcan makeup. Much like the just-finished Augments story arc, there's a wealth of ways for a longtime Star Trek fan to get into this new story.
But if you're an Enterprise fan, first and foremost? I'm not sure this episode is nearly as fun. It kicks off with -- uh... 20-some-year-old SPOILER here -- the unceremonious death of Admiral Forrest, killed in the bombing on Vulcan. The episode tries to give him a dignified final scene with Ambassador Soval, but I really struggle getting over the fact that actor Vaughn Armstrong's recurring character sat out for the entirety of season three, only to finally be brought back here for a couple minutes before being killed off-screen. Even though Soval "mourns" his death (by Vulcan standards, at least), it feels like a writing trick -- cruel, cheap, or both.
It's at least a better episode for the regular
characters. Trip is really the one to finally crack Soval's icy shell.
Reed actually shows marginal skill (at last) during the investigation of
the bombing. Phlox is able to expose the fraud in the official
findings. And while I don't love Archer's behavior through most of
the episode (antagonizing Soval; being rather chauvinist toward T'Pol),
he seems on a path to learn something by the end of this episode, now
that he's carrying the katra of Surak.
Other observations:
- Phlox's weirdly stationary approach to basketball seems appropriate to the character, though I'm not sure how it's so effective.
- I'm actually with Archer when it comes to the idea of a sehlat as a pet. "Porthos doesn't try to eat me when I'm late with his dinner."
I'm really not down with the treatment of Forrest to get this story rolling. But once it is, that story shows promise. I give "The Forge" a B.
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