Will You Take My Hand? (episode)

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(written from a Production point of view)

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With Georgiou at the helm of the plan to end the Klingon war once and for all, the USS Discovery crew struggles to fathom and tolerate her hostile tactics. Memories of past hardships are rekindled within Burnham. (Season Finale)

Summary

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Teaser

As Klingon forces bear down on the Sol system, the USS Discovery mirrors their approach as it closes in on the Klingon homeworld, Qo'noS. Michael Burnham muses on fear and how to defeat it, as Emperor Georgiou gathers status updates from the bridge crew, the crew (who are still under the impression that she is her counterpart) reacting with surprise at the hostile and belligerent attitude the Terran puts forward – declaring the Klingons to be animals, and uncaring as to what the ship's sensors are detecting.

Saru asks Burnham to assist him with an issue, before exclaiming unease at having to follow the orders of someone with such ideals, which Burnham responds to by noting that this was at the request of the Federation. Georgiou orders Burnham back to her station and challenges Saru, making reference to the fact that, in her universe, his species is a Terran delicacy. Burnham then attempts to expose Georgiou's origins by commenting on that remark and quizzing her on her counterpart's birthplace. The former emperor deflects the questioning easily, ordering the specialist to walk with her.

Out in the corridor, Georgiou warns Burnham not to attempt such an action again, or she will find herself in the brig. Burnham comments on the Federation's desperation in agreeing to give the Terran command of the mission, which Georgiou notes is in exchange for her freedom. She comments on Burnham's actions at the Battle of the Binary Stars, suggesting that her failure was a lack of following through on her intentions. The specialist grabs Georgiou by the arm, and demands to know the real plan. Georgiou tells her that the Federation is losing the war, and that Burnham must decided whether she will stand with or against her, before walking away. Burnham resignedly agrees that she is with her.

Act One

Act Two

Act Three

Act Four

Memorable quotes

"Oh, shit! That is not a drone!"

-Sylvia Tilly, upon discovering that the "drone" she is carrying is in fact a hydro bomb

Log entries

Background information

Story and script

On 24 September 2017, when AT: "1" was produced, as well as the series premiere two-parter "The Vulcan Hello" and "Battle at the Binary Stars" were released, Aaron Harberts was working on the writing of this first season finale. (AT: "1")

Cast and characters

Sarek (as played by James Frain) is included in this episode's cast. (AT: "1")
Clint Howard has previously appeared as Balok in TOS: "The Corbomite Maneuver", Grady in DS9: "Past Tense, Part II" and Muk in ENT: "Acquisition". Howard has the distinction of being the actor whose appearances span the longest time interval (51 years) in the franchise, having filmed "The Corbomite Maneuver" in early-June 1966 and "Will You Take My Hand?" in October 2017. This marks the fourth species he has played (Balok's species, Human, Ferengi, and Orion, in that order). In addition, he has portrayed different characters living in each of the 21st, 22nd centuries, and 23rd centuries (two different ones in the last).
Despite being credited, Jason Isaacs (Gabriel Lorca) does not appear in this episode.

Production

This episode was scheduled to start filming on 25 September 2017. (AT: "1") It was still being shot on 7 October 2017, though production on the episode (as well as the first season in general) wrapped five days later, on 12 October. [1]
The scenes in Paris were shot in Vaughan City Hall, north of Toronto.

Trivia

This episode marks the first time that urination was actually seen on screen in the franchise.
This episode's closing credits are set to the end credits theme of Star Trek: The Original Series instead of the usual theme.
This is the first time the Enterprise has been seen on screen since 1996, in Troubles & Tribillations.
This is the second earliest chronological appearance of the USS Enterprise; The Cage is the only earlier appearance. It is also the second time the Enterprise appears on screen under the command of an officer other than James T. Kirk, that officer again being Christopher Pike.
This is the first appearance of a redesigned CGI Enterprise intended to be an update of the original ship within the main timeline. Previous CGI Enterprises were either intentionally unchanged from the original design (the remastered episodes, where the recreation was so faithful that it used caliper measurements of the original studio model to create the most accurate CGI model possible) or explicitly in alternate timelines (Alternate reality).

Production history

13 December 2017: Title publicly revealed [2]
11 February 2018: Premiere airdate on CBS All Access
12 February 2018: International release date (outside Canada and the USA)

Links and references

Starring

Special guest star

Michelle Yeoh as Philippa Georgiou

Guest starring

Co-starring

Michael Ayres as Transport Officer
Matthew Binkley as Shavo
Emily Coutts as Keyla Detmer
Riley Gilchrist as Admiral Shukar
Anthony Grant as Er'Toom
Julianne Grossman as Discovery Computer
Harry Judge as Admiral Gorch
Morgan Kohan as Weapons Trader
Patrick Kwok-Choon as Rhys
Crystal Leger as Klingon Player #2
Clare McConnell as Dennas
Damon Runyan as Ujilli
Sara Mitich as Airiam
Oyin Oladejo as Joann Owosekun
Ronnie Rowe Jr. as Bryce
David Benjamin Tomlinson as Klingon Player #1
Bree Wasylenko as Shava

Uncredited co-stars

Ilan Rosenberg
Adam Winlove-Smith as Klingon

Stunt doubles

Nicole Dickinson as stunt double for Mary Chieffo
Melanie Phan as stunt double for Michelle Yeoh

Star Trek: Discovery
Season 1

Next episode:
Not yet announced