«Come, Let’s Away»: When Starfleet Academy Gets a Little… Sauron-y
So, *Star Trek Academy* decided to throw a villain party this week, and honestly? It was delightfully messy. The new antagonists – the Furies – look less like intergalactic threats and more like rejects from Peter Jackson’s Mordor, specifically the Mouth of Sauron after a particularly bad hair day. They’re threatening everyone with doom unless their demands are met, which is standard villain fare.
Enter Nus Braka (played by Giamatti), the delightfully scummy strategist we all knew was too good to stay sidelined for long. This episode confirms what we suspected: he’s a master manipulator whose entire existence seems dedicated to proving how terrible people can be. The plot, involving lies, theft and emotional sabotage, feels… perfectly *Braka*. He’s basically living his best life being the worst option available.
The real magic happens when Braka interacts with Captain Ake (Hunter). Their scenes are electric! Giamatti and Hunter play it like they have decades of history, a rivalry akin to Professor X and Magneto – far more compelling than the flimsy revenge plot the writers have given them so far. Giamatti delivers lines with gleeful cruelty, expertly picking at old wounds (like Ake’s son’s death) while reminding us that anyone who lives long enough makes compromises they regret. Hunter counters beautifully, and her eventual breakdown feels genuinely earned.
Will we care about Braka’s secret plan to steal experimental weapons? That remains to be seen. But credit where it’s due: the show is at least *trying* to surprise us. And “Come, Let’s Away” manages a few genuine jolts along the way.
Speaking of jolts… someone had to die for dramatic effect, and sadly, B’Avi got the short straw. Honestly, it felt rude to eliminate one of the only cadets with enough personality to register. At least he went out fighting and teaching Caleb some lessons about empathy (and was buried with his favorite comic book – seriously, I’m not heartless!).
But this episode truly belongs to Tarima. She’s been relegated to “love interest” duty up until now, but suddenly she’s a powerhouse capable of vaporizing entire squads of enemies with her mind! It’s a satisfying twist and frankly long overdue. The writers are wisely moving away from Caleb’s initial playboy persona, allowing his connection with Tarima to develop some actual depth. We’ve seen enough Betazoids reduced to romantic props in *Star Trek* history (Troi and Riker, I’m looking at you!), so it’s refreshing to see Tarima take control and unleash her full potential.
Zoë Steiner delivers a fantastic performance, balancing vulnerability with steely resolve as Tarima refuses to dim her light for anyone’s comfort. This episode is about her finally embracing who she is, which saves lives *and* fundamentally changes our understanding of the character. She’s currently in a coma (because, *Star Trek*), but we all know that won’t last. And frankly? I can’t wait to meet the woman who emerges from it.
