With the unlikely help of Silik, Archer closes in on the temporal operative whose actions have altered Earth's past and threatened to destroy all of time.
Summary[]
[]
A newsreel segment from 1944 shows Adolf Hitler as he visits a conquered New York City, getting a hero's parade through Times Square, touring the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, and receiving the keys to the city. The newsreel's commentator reports Hitler has pledged to eradicate the "financial profiteers" that have plagued America's economy since the 1920s. It may be Earth, 1944, but the timeline has been drastically changed in favor of the Nazis that were destined to lose the planet's Second World War.
"Financial profiteers" is most likely a codeword for people of Jewish ancestry, as the Nazis (in our timeline) believed that it was they who controlled large amounts of the world's money, etc. Canadian prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King is shown as a "financial profiteer."
Act One[]
In the swastika-draped US White House, a German general continues to discuss the Nazis' occupation of America with Vosk, a 29th century Na'kuhl time traveler responsible for the corruption of the timeline. The general fears an imminent counter-offensive from the American resistance, a rumor that he argues is now fact. The Na'kuhl officer notices the general is holding an intelligence report in his hands. Vosk is offended when he learns that the Nazis have been spying on his people, including recent field tests of his squadron. In retaliation, he tells the general the Nazis will receive his squadron when he decides it is ready. Although the general retorts that Vosk's squadron is already prepared for deployment, the Na'kuhl leader replies that the Nazis' intelligence is mistaken. The general raises his voice in anger and throws the intelligence report on his desk, arguing that the Na'kuhl have promised to defend Germany yet they continually work to stall progress. Questioning Vosk's loyalty, the general tells the Na'kuhl officer that his people will not receive additional supplies until they have fulfilled their part in the alliance. Vosk imagines the devastation that the Na'kuhl's weapons, such as plasma cannons, could cause if the American resistance managed to steal them. When the Nazi general argues that Vosk's statements are treasonous, the Na'kuhl officer grows tired of the Human and threatens the general's very existence in history.
Above Earth, Enterprise orbits the planet. Aboard the starship, Alicia Travers, an inhabitant of 1940s Earth, stands alone in Ensign Patricia O'Malley's quarters. As Captain Jonathan Archer enters the room, Travers looks at a picture of Ensign O'Malley with her friends. Archer tells Travers that the Ensign died at age 26 in a battle with a hostile species. Travers is upset when she learns that war still exists in the 22nd century, but the captain adds that the Humans who reside on Earth in the future live there in peace – unfortunately, the same cannot be said about all of many species Humanity has encountered. Travers implies that she finds it hard to accept a reality that includes starships, aliens and time travelers. Archer realizes that she would more readily return to her homeworld than stay aboard Enterprise when it travels to the 22nd century. He offers to leave her anywhere on Earth and suggests that she may want to choose a place that the Germans have not invaded. However, Travers decides that she wants to remain in her neighborhood, where she can assist the resistance movement and help provide aid to the many people there who suffer every day under Nazi rule. The captain asks her to help him locate two of his missing crew members, Commander Tucker and Ensign Mayweather, and she promises to get the word out on the street. She appeals to Archer to destroy Berlin with Enterprise's weaponry, but the captain responds that he will use another way to stop the Nazi/Na'kuhl alliance. He informs Travers that the starship's shuttlepods are damaged, so she will have to use the vessel's transporter to return to Earth. Travers, with some reluctance, agrees. She wonders how the transporter works, but when Archer merely shrugs, she replies she has lost interest.
On Earth, Vosk supervises a test of his temporal conduit. He agrees with one of his officers, Kraul, that the Na'kuhl's prisoners, Tucker and Mayweather, are not temporal agents. Although Vosk has arrived at that conclusion due to the level of the prisoners' technology, he believes that their presence in 1944 is not accidental. When the temporal conduit powers up, Vosk turns his attention to the device. The test fails when there is a surge in one of the conduit's power modules. Vosk instructs a technician to determine the problem and orders Kraul to ensure that the prisoners receive medical attention. At first, Kraul is puzzled but he soon leaves to carry out his duties.
Later, two SS agents carry Tucker and Mayweather into a small holding cell. After undergoing demanding interrogation, the Humans are exhausted. Kraul enters and tells one of the SS agents to immediately bring a doctor to the holding cell. The agent exits the room, soon followed by Kraul and the remaining SS agent. As Tucker lies on the ground alongside an unconscious Mayweather, his blurred vision clears, although he is puzzled when he sees a strange silhouette of a humanoid figure stealthily creep on the ceiling above him. Soon, Tucker recognizes the figure is a Suliban agent as it falls directly onto him.
Analyzing the radio transmissions of the time, Lieutenant Reed has assembled a "working history" for their current timeline. In the captain's ready room, Reed informs Archer and T'Pol that Vladimir Lenin was assassinated in 1916, preventing the Communist revolution in Russia. Without a strong Soviet Union, Hitler concentrated his attacks on the West, conquering Belgium, France, the United Kingdom, and the eastern USA in conquest after successive conquest. T'Pol reminds Archer the Na'kuhl only arrived a few years ago, leading the captain to conclude that they were not responsible for Lenin's assassination. She speculates the assassin may have been working for a different faction in the Temporal Cold War, as suggested by Daniels, a temporal agent who had helped the crew of Enterprise on several occasions. Archer speculates that this might still be indirectly related to the Na'kuhl's being there (the chicken and the egg problem). From the bridge, communications officer Hoshi Sato contacts Archer and tells him Vosk is hailing the Starfleet vessel.
Once the captain, T'Pol and Reed make their way to the bridge, Archer talks with the Na'kuhl leader. Vosk tells the Human that he wishes to discuss the condition of his prisoners in a neutral location. He urges Archer to meet him in a remote area outside New York City. Vosk notifies the captain he will have five men with him – the two prisoners and three of his own officers. Archer makes his objections clear, fearing for the safety of the prisoners and recalling that Vosk attempted to kill him two hours ago. The Na'kuhl leader replies, "the situation has changed," and sends Enterprise the coordinates of his suggested meeting place. Vosk asks Archer to be there in one hour if the captain is interested and ends his transmission. Sato's console signals that the ship has received Vosk's coordinates.
Later, Archer beams down to a wooded embankment on Earth with two MACOs. The captain is puzzled that Vosk is nowhere to be seen, but a Nazi Dodge WC63 truck soon arrives on a road above the embankment. Vosk steps out of the truck with two armed SS officers and claims he is pleased to see Archer again.
Act Two[]
Upon Archer's request, Vosk orders an SS officer to bring Tucker and Mayweather out of the Nazi truck. The prisoners seem puzzled to find their captain alive; the crew of Enterprise believed Archer died due to the fact he was aboard the Xindi weapon when it was destroyed. When Tucker indicates that he and Mayweather have been treated harshly by their Nazi captors, Vosk apologizes. He explains his troops' perception of Tucker and Mayweather was mistaken. Archer sends the two officers back to Enterprise, using a communicator to contact the ship. Once they beam up to the vessel, Vosk comments he is slightly confused. The primitive technology Archer and his officers use suggests they have not developed time travel yet, although they obviously traveled to the past because their technology is more advanced than that of the 20th century. In response, Archer reveals his crew had assistance from the future. Vosk claims he expected as much and asks what Archer knows about him. The captain is aware that Vosk is stranded in 1944, has made a deal with the Nazis and is attempting to build a time machine with German supplies to return to the 29th century. Although Vosk's belief that Archer is a time traveler was mistaken, the Na'kuhl leader has now learned that the Human is working for temporal agents. Archer explains his motive for helping them – he fears that Vosk will initiate a war that will destroy the timeline if he manages to return to the 29th century. The Na'kuhl leader argues that Archer's view is biased, as he has only heard the temporal agents' version and not the Na'kuhl's. Vosk claims that the temporal agents are an oppressive faction in the Temporal Cold War that dictate their own rules to many cultures throughout history. Although Archer believes they enforce the Temporal Accords and work to protect the timeline from alterations, Vosk disputes this, stating that they manipulate and interfere with the timeline to suit their own needs. When Vosk remarks the temporal agents have an agenda, Archer retorts that the Na'kuhl also have a plan that they adhere to. However, Vosk answers that, unlike the temporal agents, the Na'kuhl do not attempt to hide their intentions. He admits he does not agree with the concept of the Temporal Accords, believing that time travel is a technology that can be used to improve the cultures and societies of all species. Archer wonders about the identity of the person or people who would decide the extent of the "improvements", but Vosk refuses to enter a philosophical debate with the captain. The Na'kuhl leader attempts to persuade Archer by offering to send Enterprise back to the 22nd century, but the Captain thinks that the changes in the timeline will severely alter his own time period. However, Vosk promises to restore the timeline after the Na'kuhl defeat the temporal agents. He adds that his people are extremely limited by the undeveloped technology on Earth and comments that the resources aboard Enterprise will greatly aid the Na'kuhl in their victory against the temporal agents. Vosk urges Archer to return to his ship, reunite with Tucker and Mayweather and consider Vosk's offer.
In Enterprise's sickbay, Doctor Phlox informs Archer that Commander Tucker and Ensign Mayweather are not seriously injured. As the Denobulan doctor scans Tucker, the Commander asks Archer whether he made a deal with Vosk. The captain responds that Vosk believes the crew are considering his offer. Phlox seems slightly startled as he shows the result of the scan to Archer. The captain realizes that Tucker is not who he appears to be; a shapeshifting alien intruder has switched places with Tucker and taken the commander's identity. When Archer asks about what the intruder saw on Earth, the alien responds that he and Mayweather were in a large building, possibly a factory, and that the Na'kuhl are building a large construction with help from the Germans. Phlox quietly activates a companel on a bulkhead. Mayweather tells Archer that he overheard a group of Na'kuhl speaking about a "temporal conduit", a device the ensign correctly suspects is a time machine. Archer notifies the two officers that Daniels transported the crew of Enterprise back to 1944 in an attempt to stop the Na'kuhl from building their time machine and using it to return to their own period. Archer notices that Phlox is no longer using the companel. The captain confronts Tucker, stating that a protective energy shield around the temporal conduit is proving to be problematic. Realizing that Archer is aware of his real identity, the alien intruder struggles with the captain while still using the disguise of Commander Tucker. Mayweather seems extremely puzzled when the fight breaks out. Eventually, Archer holds the intruder tightly around the waist, but the alien uses its shapeshifting ability to slide out of Archer's grasp and kicks the captain against a shelving cabinet. The alien runs to a door and escapes from the confines of sickbay.
However, the intruder doesn't manage to run far through a corridor outside before it is shot by two MACOs. Shortly after it falls face-down on the ground, Archer exits from sickbay and turns the body over. The facial features of Commander Tucker morphs into the alien's true identity – the Suliban agent Silik. Ensign Mayweather runs out of sickbay and is shocked to see the Suliban aboard Enterprise once again.
In a darkened room on Earth, Alicia Travers tends to an American resistance fighter's injured leg. The resistance fighter, Carmine, is a gangster and Travers' friend. His leg is in a bandage that Travers is carefully attempting to remove. When she asks who dressed the bandage, she is disappointed to hear the answer is Nicky Giorgo, a mechanic who she believes should only stick to repairing cars. Travers remarks that the injury doesn't look infected and Carmine adds that he could have been as badly injured as their friend, Sal. Like Carmine, Sal is also a resistance fighter and gangster. They were fleeing from Nazis when Sal was shot in the back. Travers indicates her amazement that Carmine managed to escape. Although she and Archer were with Sal and Carmine at first, they separated when the Nazis came. While Sal was injured, Archer and Travers ran into a nearby alley and Carmine stayed behind to shoot some of the Nazis. Carmine gasps in pain as Travers continues to tend to his wound. He informs her of a rumor he has heard – when the soldiers cornered Archer and Travers in the alley, they disappeared into thin air, like ghosts. In reality, they were beamed aboard Enterprise by the starship's transporter, but Travers claims that there is no truth to the rumor. Carmine reveals he didn't believe the rumor, but he also did not believe in "Nazi Martians", the term he uses for the Na'kuhl, until he saw Ghrath, a Na'kuhl officer. Carmine removes a communicator from one of his pockets and asks Travers what the device does. Travers is angry when she learns Carmine must have searched through her jacket to retrieve the communicator. Carmine answers that he was looking for a cigarette. When he repeats his question, Travers tells him that the device is a radio, but Carmine responds that the communicator does not look like any radio he has ever seen. Instead, he opines that it resembles a device Archer took from Ghrath in their meeting before fleeing from the Nazis. Travers grabs the communicator from Carmine and reveals that Archer gave her the device to contact him. Although Carmine inquires about Archer's location, Travers does not answer, even considering her long and close relationship with Carmine and the other members of the American resistance. As Carmine persists, however, Travers learns that she may have to disclose the truth about Archer and his ship that is capable of traveling to different worlds.
In Enterprise's brig, Silik paces around his cell. Archer enters and questions the Suliban about Tucker's whereabouts, and about a disc Silik had that contains technical schematics of Vosk's facility, including the temporal conduit. Archer theorizes that Silik came to 1944 to retrieve the disc. When the Suliban refuses to answer Archer's questions, the captain enters Silik's cell. The captain knows about a man from the 28th century who the Cabal are in contact with and who occasionally lends assistance to the Cabal, such as giving them genetic improvements. However, the Suliban's benefactor can only project his image to the 22nd century and cannot travel there himself. Archer thinks the man requires the disk to enable him to travel into the past. The captain believes the man discovered his enemy, Daniels, was sending Enterprise to 1944. According to Archer's theory, the man ordered Silik, a senior officer in the Cabal, to sneak aboard the starship, infiltrate Vosk's compound and send the disk to the future. Silik laughs at the captain's theory, and asks how Archer thinks the Suliban would be able to send the disk to the future. Archer suggests that Silik's return to Enterprise indicates that the Suliban needs the starship in order to complete his mission. Silik comments that he is impressed by Archer's theorizing, but does not reveal whether any of the Captain's assumptions are correct. Although Archer did not expect the Suliban to reveal the answers, Silik reminds the captain that he still does not know where Tucker is. Archer grabs Silik around the throat and forces the Suliban against a bulkhead. Archer guesses Silik abandoned Tucker inside Vosk's compound, and that Tucker is still there. The captain threatens Silik that he will pay the consequences if Tucker is dead. Silik judges that Archer has changed during Enterprise's intense search for the Xindi weapon in the Delphic Expanse. Releasing Silik, Archer states that those changes are not necessarily improvements. The captain leaves the cell while Silik stares after him.
In a small, darkened service conduit in Vosk's compound, Tucker regains consciousness. He lies on the floor in a room that has a single door with a small window that lets in a little amount of light. A glass lamp shines from a wall near one of the many vertical pipes that line the walls. Tucker's hands are bound together, as are his feet. Occasionally, he hears German voices as Nazis pass the other side of the door. Using his hands, he unties the bonds at his ankles. He stands and continues to look around the room.
Meanwhile, Na'kuhl technicians work in a computer control room, preparing the temporal conduit for operation. Vosk is in contact with Enterprise, telling Archer that the disk contains a large amount of data from the Na'kuhl's computer system. Vosk mentions that the Na'kuhl found trace amounts of bioresidue, indicating that the thief is from the 22nd century. Archer informs Vosk the thief is Suliban and is a stowaway aboard Enterprise. Vosk admits that the Na'kuhl have previously encountered the Suliban and asks to speak with the thief. Archer refuses and also reveals that his crew is analyzing the disc. Vosk demands the disc be returned and threatens the captain that a Na'kuhl plasma cannon is currently being focused on Enterprise. In response, Archer announces his starship has phase cannons aimed at Vosk's facility. When Vosk asks Archer to accept his offer, the captain refuses. The Na'kuhl leader ends his transmission, angrily turns to a Na'kuhl technician and nods. The technician interprets the gesture as an order to activate the plasma cannon.
On the roof of Vosk's facility, the weapon, decorated with several swastikas, is raised out of the ground on a platform. It fires green bolts of plasma into the atmosphere.
Aboard Enterprise, the bridge shudders violently and sparks fly from the tactical station. Archer orders Reed to fire back at the compound, but the shields protecting the facility remains in place. Taking heavy damage from the continual attacks, the captain instructs Mayweather to maneuver the vessel up to a higher orbit, out of range of the plasma cannon.
On Earth, a Na'kuhl technician reports this new development to Vosk. The Na'kuhl leader turns to see Kraul, who cautions his superior that they required resources from Enterprise. However, Vosk answers that they will use the technology on Earth to complete their task. The Na'kuhl leader directs Kraul to resume his duties. Vosk turns his back to the Na'kuhl officer as Kraul walks away.
On board Enterprise, Reed notifies Captain Archer the ship's engines are seriously damaged and the weapons systems are not functioning. Archer orders Reed to begin repairs and walks over to the science station. He tells T'Pol to examine the disc and to determine a means of disabling the shields that surround Vosk's facility.
In the brig, Silik continues to pace to and fro. Archer enters the Suliban's cell, admitting he has realized that he and Silik are pursuing the same goal. Archer intends to join forces with the Suliban to kill Vosk and destroy the temporal conduit. Although Silik informs the captain that he doesn't care what happens to Commander Tucker, he agrees to help Archer because he wants Vosk to fail. However, Silik raises one concern he has – to enter Vosk's compound the first time, Silik used his genetic enhancements. Obviously, Archer does not have Silik's ability to alter his appearance and the captain's presence will mean that Silik will not be able to properly disguise himself. The captain assures the Suliban that they will find another means of entering the facility. Together, they exit Silik's cell.
As they walk through a corridor, Silik and the captain are dressed in clothing that is typical of the time period of the 1940s. T'Pol shows Archer a procedure of using a console to deactivate the energy shields surrounding the Na'kuhl facility. She notes that the data disc was extremely helpful in devising a strategy to shut down the shields, to which Silik sarcastically replies "You're welcome." The captain instructs T'Pol to destroy the facility ten minutes after the shields come off-line, to allow Archer and Silik ample time to escape. Although T'Pol mentions that the starship's targeting array is not responding and opines that Tucker would be able to assist Enterprise, Archer responds that the crew will have to try their best with the resources available to them. In case the need arises, the captain gives T'Pol permission to maneuver the ship extremely close to the compound and fire directly at the temporal conduit. She indicates that she understands her orders, as Archer and Silik step onto the transporter platform. T'Pol wishes them good luck before she activates the transporter and beams Archer and Silik down to the surface of Earth.
Meanwhile, in Vosk's office, the Na'kuhl leader sits at his desk and analyzes several papers as Kraul stands at his side. The German general approaches the desk and reports three divisions of American forces have crossed the Ohio River and two American divisions are advancing from the south towards Washington – the American forces have initiated their counter-offensive. Hitler has ordered Vosk's squadron to immediately be transferred to Luftwaffe regional command. The general seems pleased to announce that he has been given responsibility of the squadron's deployment. As he stands, Vosk argues that his squadron consists of weapons too complex to be operated by untrained officers. Pressed by the general to transfer the squadron, Vosk demands six hours to prepare the airplanes that will transport the weapons. The German general leaves, frustrated at the delay. After the general has exited the room, Vosk notifies Kraul that he plans to activate the temporal conduit before six hours have passed, returning to the 29th century and leaving the timeline corrupted forever. Kraul reminds Vosk that the Na'kuhl have experienced trouble in their attempts to open a stable conduit, but Vosk replies it is their destiny to return to their own time period.
In the dark service conduit where Tucker is imprisoned, he has managed to loop his bound arms around an exposed pipe in the room and is busy climbing up it. Near the top, he kicks and breaks a small lamp, plunging the room into an even deeper darkness. Tucker clambers back to the ground and starts to use a shard of glass from the broken lamp to slice through the bonds around his wrists.
Act Three[]
Silik, who now appears Human, follows Archer through the darkened streets of New York City at night. When they hear gunfire from somewhere nearby, they quietly hurry away from the noise. As they walk, the Suliban indicates he was surprised at the aggressive behavior of 20th century Humans when he arrived on Earth. He explains that he believed every Human was as peaceful as the crew of Enterprise, the only Humans he had encountered before coming to Earth of 1944. Still, even in the 22nd century, Silik believes that Humans are capable of taking action when it is required of them. He believes Archer's handling of the Xindi threat is an example and the reason that Daniels chose the captain to stop Vosk. Archer and Silik hide in a doorway as a Nazi truck passes. Waiting until the truck has disappeared from sight, Archer wonders why Vosk and Silik have never formed an alliance to defeat Daniels. However, Silik replies the Na'kuhl leader only cares about his own people and would never join forces with another species, as he considers them inferior. Silik tells Archer the Na'kuhl once traveled to the past and attempted to prevent the Suliban from becoming sentient, but the temporal agents allied with Daniels prevented the eradication of Silik's people. Silik and Archer continue on their way. Although Archer is surprised that the Suliban owe Daniels and his allies for saving them, Silik states the two factions will always be enemies. Archer and the Suliban stop when they see several men in the dark. As Silik and the captain approach the men, Archer tells them that they are looking for Alicia Travers. From behind the men, Travers and Carmine walk towards their visitors. Alicia comments that Archer "just missed Billie Holiday" and Carmine asks if the Captain is still hunting Martians or if he is now searching for the Loch Ness monster.
Aboard Enterprise, the crew learn of the American counter-attack. Hoshi Sato tels T'Pol that she is detecting many orders being issued over radio, in both English and German voices. From his station, Lieutenant Reed reports heavy bombing, primarily focused on Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern Virginia. He suspects the fighting may be an allied attack and tells T'Pol that the bombs are being dropped too far from New York City to harm Captain Archer. Left in command of the ship, the Vulcan plans to join the battle. However, Enterprise is heavily damaged and the targeting array is useless, meaning that Reed will not be able to aim at anything.
On Earth, Archer is telling Carmine he intends to destroy Vosk's compound. He explains that the Nazis are using the facility to build weapons of mass destruction. Carmine relates to Archer that Travers informed him of the captain's true identity and told him that Enterprise is also equipped with powerful armaments. He adds that he found the information hard to believe. Giving Archer his complete attention, Silik wonders why he and the captain need the 20th century Humans when he can't understand how they will help to destroy Vosk. Insulted by Silik's remarks, Carmine threatens to punch him, but Archer and Travers are able to break up the argument. Carmine is reluctant to assist Archer after seeing how Sal was so badly injured helping him. Travers confirms she will help Archer and tells Carmine the only decision he has to make now is whether to help her.
Facing the temporal conduit, Na'kuhl scientists and officers observe Vosk as he makes a speech. He quotes the greatest Na'kuhl scientist to ever live and promises that his people will soon make their journey back to the 29th century.
Meanwhile, an American automobile rams through the front security gate of Vosk's compound. As the car comes to a halt, Nazi officers take their positions. They start to fire their weapons as Carmine and another gangster step out of the vehicle.
As the battle continues, Archer and Silik make their way down a nearby alley. Using a phase-pistol, Archer shoots the guards they encounter on their way. When they reach the end of the alley, they come to a door that can only be opened from the other side. Silik uses his biological enhancements to slip through a narrow grating next to the door. When the Suliban is completely on the other side, Archer moves to peer through the grating.
Elsewhere, the battle between the gangsters and the Nazis is going badly. Carmine orders a retreat, outnumbered by the Nazi soldiers, but the gangster is relieved when a second car arrives, providing valuable reinforcements. When Travers exits the vehicle, Carmine mentions he is pleased to see her. Travers acknowledges Carmine's remark and joins the fight against the Nazis.
Outside the entrance to Vosk's compound, Archer regains his breath. The door opens and Silik motions the captain to enter the building. Archer moves quickly inside and quietly closes the door.
Meanwhile, Kraul reports the battle to Vosk, commenting that the Nazis are unsure of how many Americans are attacking the compound. Vosk remarks the incident is fortunate for the Na'kuhl. He instructs Kraul to ignore the American insurgents, as the Germans will deal with the threat, and to continue preparing the temporal conduit.
In a corridor inside the building, Archer contacts Enterprise, notifying T'Pol that he and Silik have gained access to the facility. He adds that they are moving towards the console that will bring down the shields surrounding the compound. The captain hears T'Pol state that Enterprise's targeting array is still not functional, making it necessary for the starship to move further into Earth's atmosphere. When she asks Archer if he and Silik have managed to find Tucker, the captain replies negatively but assures her that they mean to locate him after they deactivate the shields. Archer ends the transmission as he and Silik reach the console. The Suliban moves to a corner to watch for approaching guards as Archer begins his work. Soon, however, Silik runs back to the captain and tells him to hide. Na'kuhl technicians walk past without detecting their presence, but as he stands, Silik hears the temporal conduit being activated. He turns his attention to Archer and tells the captain to work quickly. Reading from a scanner, the captain types a sequence of keys on the console. When he has finished his work, he deactivates the scanner. However, he and Silik are shocked when they hear alarms sound overhead.
Aboard Enterprise, Reed informs T'Pol that Archer was successful. The Vulcan orders Ensign Mayweather to break orbit of Earth and maneuver the ship closer to the planet's surface.
In Vosk's facility, two Nazi guards have been alerted to the presence of intruders. They fire machine-guns at Archer and Silik, who hide behind barrels. The captain waits for the right time before he peers around the barrels and shoots one of the guards with his phase-pistol. The Nazi officer falls to the ground, but the remaining guard continues his attack.
Aboard Enterprise, the senior officers wait as the bridge shudders around them.
Above a layer of cloud, the spacecraft heads towards the light of Earth's sun, Sol, slowly descending through the atmosphere of the Minshara class planet.
Act Four[]
As Archer continues to defend himself and Silik behind a group of barrels in Vosk's compound, the Suliban asks for a weapon. The captain responds that he only has one weapon – the phase-pistol he is already using. Paying close attention to the two Nazi officers shooting at him, Archer loses track of Silik. However, the Suliban soon jumps from the top of the barrels and expertly attacks the Nazis. Believing that the two soldiers are dead, Silik walks back to Archer, but another Nazi enters from an open door directly behind Silik and shoots him twice in the back. The Suliban falls to the ground, experiencing intense agony. Although Archer shoots the Nazi in return, Silik is seriously wounded and lies on the ground, breathing heavily as he resumes his Suliban appearance.
In another room of the compound, Kraul informs his leader that Enterprise has entered Earth's atmosphere. Vosk permits the officer to use the plasma cannon, but the weapon would need too much power to be operated. Vosk then gives the order to send his squadron of airplanes to destroy the starship, but the German general immediately enters with two Nazi guards. The general refuses to allow the squadron to be deployed, arguing that the planes are to be transferred to the front line. Although Vosk instructs the General to follow his commands, the German officer still ignores his orders. When the general relieves Vosk of command of the facility, the Na'kuhl leader shoots the Nazi. The general's two guards attempt to fire their own weapons, but they are killed by a Na'kuhl officer before they succeed. On the ground in front of Vosk, the general groans in pain. The Na'kuhl leader apologizes for having to end their alliance and kills the German general.
Meanwhile, Archer desperately struggles to contact Enterprise. Silik, who remains on the ground, believes the starship can't receive the captain's signal due to the ionization in the atmosphere. Archer ensures the Suliban they will find a way out of Vosk's facility together, but Silik doubts the captain's sentiment is likely. The Suliban chokes and states that Archer has been "a worthy opponent". As he continues to suffer in pain, Silik tells the captain he would have preferred to have died in battle with Archer, but as he must concede to the reality of his actual death, fighting at Archer's side was an acceptable alternative. Silik's entire body then freezes. For a moment, Archer rests a hand on the Suliban's shoulder before he hurries to escape Vosk's compound. He stops running when he sees Commander Tucker, who promptly points a gun in his face. At first, Archer is mystified, but when an enraged Tucker threatens Silik with dire consequences should he keep up this disguise, the captain responds that this is not a good idea, and upon looking over and seeing the Suliban's dead body, the commander's anger turns to amazement as it dawns on him that Archer truly is alive. In disbelief, Tucker stumbles forward to embrace Archer, who tells the commander that the building is about to explode and leads him out of Vosk's facility.
On Enterprise's bridge, Lieutenant Reed notifies T'Pol that the vessel is a hundred kilometers from the Na'kuhl compound. With the targeting scanners continuing to malfunction, Reed activates his station's visual scanners. T'Pol instructs Mayweather to decrease the craft's velocity to two hundred kph. When a console at Reed's station begins to signal, the lieutenant informs T'Pol that a group of aircraft are approaching from a base north of New York City.
Outside Vosk's compound, the American resistance fighters are still shooting at Nazis. When Carmine notices Archer and Tucker attempting to escape from the building, he tells a gangster called Nicky to shield the Starfleet officers from harm until they are safe. Nicky runs forward and shoots at the Nazis until Archer and Tucker can get past. With Archer safely behind one of the automobiles, the captain advises Carmine to order a retreat, but the gangster claims he is "having too much fun" – however, when Archer informs Carmine that the building is about to be heavily "bombed", Carmine pays attention to the captain's words and directs the gangsters to withdraw from the battle. Together with Carmine and the resistance fighters, Archer runs to the back of the car farthest away from the Nazis. There, the Starfleet captain says goodbye to Alicia Travers for the second time. He promises he will try to reset the timeline to the way things were for Alicia, living in her old neighborhood with her husband. When Archer thanks Travers, Carmine attracts the captain's attention and indicates he is happy to help. The captain gazes up at Carmine and smiles. Suddenly, a squadron of planes passes high in the sky directly above them.
Aboard Enterprise, Reed identifies the planes as German Stukas. The lieutenant recalls that the planes don't pose much of a threat and are fitted with sirens intended to frighten the enemy during an assault. When Reed seems to become too engrossed in the fact that the planes fire 7.92 millimeter rounds, T'Pol draws the lieutenant's attention back to reality. Reed tells the Vulcan that Vosk's facility is still too far away from Enterprise for him to target it.
However, in the skies above Manhattan, the German dive-bombers begin to attack Enterprise using Na'kuhl technology.
Following several explosions on the bridge of the Starfleet ship, T'Pol concludes that the planes seem to be equipped with more highly-advanced weaponry than simple bullets and sirens. Captain Archer enters from a turbolift and gives Reed a command to ready photonic torpedoes.
On Earth, the temporal conduit's internal machinery pulses like a warp core.
In the control room, Vosk watches his time machine stabilize. Kraul notes that the temporal conduit is holding.
At the science station on Enterprise's bridge, T'Pol detects a massive power surge emanating from the interior of Vosk's compound. Archer grows impatient, interpreting the surge as an indication that the temporal conduit is active, but Reed reports that Enterprise is still one kilometer away from the facility.
Meanwhile, the battle rages between the starship and German Stukas.
On Earth, Vosk approaches the temporal conduit, uttering a single word – "Destiny".
Aboard Enterprise, Reed targets the facility and Archer orders him to destroy it.
Above the New York skyline, the starship swoops down and fires three torpedoes at Vosk's compound, causing the building to explode.
The Na'kuhl shouts as his face becomes distorted in the temporal conduit.
On an ethereal plane of intangible existence, Archer finds himself next to Daniels. They witness the timeline untangling and righting itself. Daniels, who is obviously very pleased with the captain's accomplishments, tells him that Vosk is dead. Archer has prevented the Temporal Cold War from turning hot, thereby restoring the timeline, even reversing the recent death of Daniels himself and ending the war for good.
At Archer's request, the temporal agent agrees that he will never visit Enterprise again. Daniels thanks Archer. He tells him it has been a privilege to know him and says goodbye to the Starfleet captain, who suddenly finds himself on the bridge of his starship.
Communications officer Hoshi Sato picks up signals from the Lunar One Colony and multiple orbital platforms, indicating that Enterprise is indeed in the right time, as well as in the right place. A makeshift armada of vessels (Earth Vessels, and Vulcans) rushes out to greet Enterprise, swooping protectively around her, surrounding the battered but unbeaten ship in a victory formation as they head home to an ever-grateful Earth.
Memorable quotes[]
"You are a fool. You think we're equals because I allow you to participate in this struggle. You fight to control nations – we dominate entire worlds... we extend our will across time. If your race were to endure for a million years, you couldn't begin to approach what we've accomplished. The next time you feel the urge to threaten me, remember this: I can erase you from history as if you never existed."
- - Vosk, to the German Generalmajor
"There's still war in the future?"
"On Earth, between Human beings, war has been eliminated. But the galaxy's a big place, with thousands of species – not all of them have the same values we have."
- - Alicia Travers and Captain Archer, assuring her that the future he knows is a bright one
"I think I've pinpointed where the timeline changed. Someone assassinated Lenin in 1916."
"Who took his place?"
"No one. So without Lenin, the Bolsheviks never gained power, Russia didn't become communist, and Germany never considered it a threat."
"Hitler was able to concentrate on the West."
"Yeah. After France, Belgium and the Netherlands fell. Hitler quickly took England, and then the eastern United States."
- - Reed and Archer
"At least I don't hide my intentions. It's true, I don't agree with the Temporal Accords. I believe that time travel is a technology no different than your warp drive, to be used for the benefit of all species. Countless societies can be improved by... careful manipulation of historical events."
"Who decides what improvements are needed?"
"I won't be drawn into a philosophical discussion."
- - Vosk and Archer
"You don't have the answers you're seeking – the whereabouts of your missing crewman."
(Archer grabs Silik by the throat and shoves him against the wall.)"I think you left him somewhere inside Vosk's compound – and for your sake, he better be alive."
"You've changed, captain."
"And none at all for the better."
- - Silik and Archer
"From my dealings with you and your crew, I'd come to believe your race was inherently... unagressive."
"We've come a long way in a short time."
"One thing is clear, when necessary Humans are fully capable of reverting to old methods. The way you handled the Xindi threat was extremely effective. No doubt, it's the reason why Daniels chose you to stop Vosk."
- - Silik and Archer
"Our greatest scientist once said: 'Every moment we live, we are moving through time.' We've earned the right to choose which direction. The mastery of time has allowed us to perfect ourselves, to reach our full potential as a people, and to vanquish those who oppose us. There's just one last enemy to deal with. Soon, history will belong to us. We will stretch out our hands and mold it according to our will. Not even the gods of our ancestors could have imagined... such power. My brothers, we are going... home."
- - Vosk, to his followers
"I am taking command of this facility. You are relieved.'"
"I'm sorry general, but I'm afraid I have to end our alliance."
- - The German Generalmajor and Vosk, as Vosk shoots his former ally
"You've proven a worthy opponent, captain. I would've preferred to die fighting you, but I suppose I can settle for this."
- - Silik, to Archer, as the Suliban breathes his last
"Captain?!"
"Good to see you, commander."
"You're alive?"
"As long as you don't pull that trigger."
"I... I can't... I can't believe it!"
(Tucker moves to embrace Archer)
"The building's about to blow up."
"Gotcha."
- - Archer and Tucker's post-Xindi reunion
"It's quite a sight. The timeline's resetting itself. You did it. Vosk is dead. He didn't make it back. All the damage he caused, it never happened."
"And you're here to give me a pat on the back."
"In a way."
"Well, I don't want it. I want you to leave me and my crew alone. We're done with you and your damn Temporal Cold War."
"It's coming to an end because of what you did. You have no idea how many lives you've saved."
"I'll take your word for it. Just send us home."
"It's almost ready. Goodbye, Jonathan. Captain. It's been a privilege."
- - Daniels and Archer
Background information[]
- The opening alternate timeline "newsreel," featured many images that were synthesized digitally; footage of Adolf Hitler in Paris, for example, was digitally altered to remove the Eiffel Tower and put the Statue of Liberty behind him. Additionally, it also contained footage from the well-known Nazi propaganda film Triumph of the Will, a film previously sampled from in "Patterns of Force". One clipping however, was not digitally altered, a seldom-seen actual 1930s meeting of the American Nazi Party. It depicts a Nazi rally before a stage bearing Nazi banners on either side of a full-body portrait of George Washington. This imagery was taken from the "Mass Demonstration for True Americanism" event, held by the German-American Bund, which occurred at Madison Square Garden, New York City, on 20 February 1939. [1]
- In this episode's script, it is revealed that Tucker was to have only seen the familiar shimmer effect of a transporter before losing consciousness, not Silik himself, as it is in the episode.
- The actor who performed Silik, John Fleck, appears here without his usual Suliban make-up. In fact, this is his only appearance throughout all his Star Trek appearances where he has not worn any facial prosthetics.
- Among the images identified in the timeline-resetting scene are a fish, a dinosaur, a cave painting, Stonehenge, the Pyramids, the Easter Island heads, an Egyptian wall painting, Romulus and Remus, Roman chariots, a knight of the Middle Ages, Christopher Columbus, several sailing ships, the Roundheads in the English Civil War, a herd of buffalo, Native American tepees, a canoe, the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, a locomotive, a car, various airplanes, Vladimir Lenin, Adolf Hitler, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, members of the Ku Klux Klan, man's first lunar landing in 1969, people watching television, President John F. Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline, the Civil Rights movement, President Richard Nixon, President Jimmy Carter, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, President Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, a meeting between President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair, the space shuttle, the September 11th terrorist attack on New York's World Trade Center in 2001, the International Space Station, Enterprise NX-01 in drydock, Valakis, Quarra, the Xindi probe attacking Earth in March 2153 and Captain Archer destroying the Xindi weapon in February 2154.
- This is the final episode in the Temporal Cold War arc and marks the death of Silik. However, as the timeline resets, it is possible that he, like Daniels (Matt Winston), is still alive and well in the 22nd century. This episode marks the final appearances of Silik and Daniels in the series.
- The final shot is similar to the last shot in "Endgame" of the USS Voyager returning to Earth in front of a large fleet of starships.
Production timeline[]
As a two-part episode within the same season, it obviously followed that the two parts were concurrently in production, and filming in particular was for efficiency reasons done with scenes filmed disorderly for both episodes. [2](X)
- 21 July 2004 (Wednesday): Principal photography starts with scenes of actor Fleck in Suliban makeup, as well as several scenes on the interior sets of Enterprise, such as the brig.
- 26 July 2004 (Monday): Exterior wooded area scenes, featured in both parts, are shot in Griffith Park, the large park just a few miles north of Paramount Pictures that surrounds Dodger Stadium and holds the Griffith Observatory (seen in VOY: "Future's End"). An unusually short day, coming in well under budget at 6.5 hours for two scenes in a "Wooded Area", it included Scott Bakula, Connor Trinneer, Anthony Montgomery (all in period clothing), Jack Gwaltney as "Vosk," a few Nazi soldiers and a couple of MACO extras.
- 27 July 2004 (Tuesday): All bridge set scenes are filmed involving the principal cast.
- 28 July 2004 (Wednesday): Vosk's interior compound scenes are filmed, whereas the day-light scenes of the attack on the compound are filmed in the alley behind Paramount Stage 9.
- 29 July 2004 (Thursday): Principal photography wraps for Part I, with the filming of the ambush scene on the Sable Ranch grounds in Canyon Country, north of Los Angeles, along with the New York City scenes for that episode, filmed on Paramount's "New York Street" backlot standing set.
- 30 July 2004 (Friday): The New York City scenes for Part II are filmed.
- 2 August 2004 (Monday): Principal photography for Part II wraps.
- 3 August 2004 (Tuesday): Second unit photography also wraps with the filming of the firefight scenes for the attack on the compound in the alley behind Stage 9, featuring stuntmen dressed in German uniforms.
- August and September 2004: Post-production, editing, and addition of CGI visuals.
Links and references[]
Starring[]
- Scott Bakula as Jonathan Archer
- John Billingsley as Phlox
- Jolene Blalock as T'Pol
- Dominic Keating as Malcolm Reed
- Anthony Montgomery as Travis Mayweather
- Linda Park as Hoshi Sato
- Connor Trinneer as Charles "Trip" Tucker III
Special guest star[]
Guest stars[]
- Jack Gwaltney as Vosk
- John Fleck as Silik
- Matt Winston as Daniels
- Christopher Neame as German Generalmajor
- Steven R. Schirripa as Carmine
Co-stars[]
Uncredited co-stars[]
- Geneviere Anderson
- Jef Ayres
- Jorge Benevides as R. Azar
- Edward Conna as Nazi guard
- Evan English as Tanner
- Ricky Lomax as W. Woods
- Andrew MacBeth as E. Hamboyan
- Tom McComas as Nazi guard
- Trampas Thompson as Nazi guard
- Unknown actors as
Archive footage[]
- Identified
- Tony Blair
- Willy Brandt
- Leonid Brezhnev
- George H.W. Bush
- George W. Bush
- Jimmy Carter
- Fidel Castro
- Winston Churchill
- William J. Clinton
- Hillary Rodham Clinton
- Mikhail Gorbachev
- Hermann Göring
- Adolf Hitler
- Hussein Bin Talal
- Saddam Hussein
- Jacqueline Kennedy
- John F. Kennedy
- Ayatollah Khomeini
- Osama Bin Laden
- Vladimir Lenin
- Abraham Lincoln
- Nelson Mandela
- Richard M. Nixon
- Ronald Reagan
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Betsy Ross
- Norman Schwarzkopf
- Margaret Thatcher
- Harry S. Truman
- Unidentified
Stunt doubles[]
- Shawn Crowder as stunt double for Connor Trinneer
- Paul Sklar as stunt double for John Fleck
References[]
20th century; 1916; 1929; 2153; 29th century; .45 automatic; Allies; aluminum; America; Aryan; Belgium; Berlin; benefactor; Bensonhurst; Board of trustees of the Starfleet Academy; Bolshevik; bomber; Brooklyn; Buick Series 60; cannula; carbon steel; cigarette; coin; communism; Cordero Gardening Service; counterattack; cripple; damage; Dean of Astronautics; Dodge Half-Ton Pickup Truck; Dodge WC63; Dorton, Louise; dozen; Earth; energy cell; energy shield; England; English language; Empire State Building; field test; financial profiteer; Flag of Nazi Germany; Flag of the United States of America; France; freedom; French language; Führer; German; German language; Germany; gram; Holiday, Billie; Humanoid Figure; impatient; insurgent; Karabiner 98k; Keys to the city; kilometer; knuckles; leader; Lenin, Vladimir; Loch Ness monster; Luftwaffe; Luftwaffe regional command; Lunar One Colony; Manhattan; Martian; masses, the; Master of Astronautics; mechanic; Mercedes-Benz G4; metric ton; Milky Way Galaxy; millimeter; MP40; Na'kuhl base; Netherlands; News on Parade; New York City; O'Malley, Patricia F.; Ohio River; orbital platform; pat on the back; Pennsylvania; Pepsi-Cola; photonic torpedo; plasma cannon; plasma rifle; President of the United States; Ruppert; Russia; Sal; San Francisco; sect; squadron; Starfleet Academy; Stuka; Statue of Liberty; Suliban; swastika; targeting scanner; Temporal Accords; temporal agent; Temporal Cold War; temporal conduit; Temporal War; Thompson submachine gun; time machine; Times Square; ton; treason; truckload; tyrant; Virginia; visual scanner; Vosk; Vosk's compound; Walther P38; Washington, DC; Wehrmacht; White House; Xindi incident; Zimmerman, Herman
Starship references[]
Arctic One-type (unnamed); D'kyr-type (unnamed); D'Vahl-type (unnamed); Intrepid-type (unnamed); Rigelian scoutship (unnamed); Sarajevo-type (unnamed); "Steamrunner" ships (unnamed); Vahklas-type (unnamed); Vulcan survey ship (unnamed); "Warp Deltas" (unnamed)
Time stream[]
American Civil War; atomic bomb; Bin Laden, Osama; Brezhnev, Leonid; buffalo; Bush, George H.W.; Capitoline Wolf; Carter, Jimmy; Castro, Fidel; Clinton, Hillary Rodham; Clinton, William J.; Civil Rights Movement; compact disc; Concorde; DC-3; dinosaur; DNA; Earth city; Earth shuttlepod; Edison, Thomas; Gorbachev, Mikhail; He 111; horse; Hussein, Saddam; International Space Station; Kennedy, Jacqueline; Kennedy, John F.; Khomeini, Ruhollah; Ku Klux Klan; laptop; Lincoln, Abraham; Mandela, Nelson; Moai; Model T; Native American; Nicholas U. Mayall Telescope; oil well; parachute; peace symbol; pointer; Reagan, Ronald; Rockwell X-30; Roosevelt, Franklin D.; Roosevelt, Theodore; Saturn V; Second Chinese horse; Schwarzkopf, Norman; space shuttle; Stonehenge; Thatcher, Margaret; Three Mile Island; Toyota Fine-N; train; Truman, Harry S.; Vitruvian Man; Washington, George; Wilson, Woodrow; World Trade Center; World War I; Wright Flyer; Xindi probe; Zedong, Mao
External links[]
- "Storm Front" at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
- "Storm Front" at Wikipedia
- "Storm Front, Part II" at the Internet Movie Database
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Star Trek: Enterprise Season 4 |
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