Read this review to see if the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode “What Is Starfleet?” is worth watching.
About Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
- Season 3, Episode 7: “What Is Starfleet?”
- Directed by Sharon Lewis
- Written by Kathryn Lyn & Alan B. McElroy
- Synopsis: While aiding a war-torn planet, Pike and crew face scrutiny from a probing journalist.
- Airdate: August 21, 2025
- Starring: Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Melissa Navia, Babs Olusanmokun, Martin Quinn, Rebecca Romijn, Melanie Scrofano, Mynor Luken, Shaun Majumder, and Steffi DiDomenicantonio
If you want to avoid spoilers for this episode, skip to the overall section at the end.
Warning: Spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Episode 7 “What Is Starfleet?”
Recap Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2025): S3E07 – “What Is Starfleet?”
The new Strange New Worlds episode features an Umberto “Beto” Ortegas’ documentary that contains declassified security footage in “the spirit of transparency.” The fancy intro about space travel and Starfleet is narrated by Beto, and he asks if Starfleet is a military organization. This high-concept premise conflates episodic TV with high-concept gimmicks, offering an interesting perspective on the Enterprise crew. It could be lame, but it works.
The Enterprise is depicted in battle, highlighting Betos’ belief that they’re just colonizers imposing laws on others. The crew is portrayed as soldiers, pushing the “warship” Enterprise. Interviews with Ortegas, Spock, La’an, Una, and Uhura reveal their fighting prowess, their job, and their mission to maintain Starfleet’s orders.
Spock tells a childhood story about being ashamed to be half-human. Ortegas defends using weapons, while La’an displays her fighting prowess with a long list of injuries. Una says it’s important to follow Starfleet’s orders, while Uhura explains they don’t always know the mission before arrival.
Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) emerges in an EV suit, revealing her bloody cheek. Beto questions if Starfleet officers are explorers or soldiers. Starfleet’s vehicles resemble warships, and the documentary title card reads “What Is Starfleet?”
At the mission brief, Lutani VII was attacked by the neighboring planet Kasar, claiming its resources. It’s a one-sided battle with nine million Lutani casualties and 119 thousand Kasar casualties. Uhura inquires if the Enterprise’s mission is to transport cargo to Lutani VII. Erica questions the Lutani’s involvement in helping the Klingons, but Pike explains it’s a need-to-know. La’an orders phaser and torpedo crews for Enterprise’s arrival in the active warzone. The ship will transport “livestock,” named Jikaru, for their rebuilding efforts. But the creature will be outside the ship. Erica explains Starfleet’s assistance to the Lutani due to the war. Uhura shares Jikaru’s evolution and its ability to travel in space, but Beto questions why they’re moving it to a warzone. Once again, it’s need-to-know.
The Enterprise arrives at Tychus-B, preparing for an encounter with the Jikaru. But a Lutani scout ship fires at it, causing little damage, prompting Pike to prepare for further action.
The crew is disturbed by the Jikaru’s attack on the scout ship, causing interference on audio and visual feeds. A flash of energy disables the Lutani scout ship, prompting Pike to send medical personnel and beam the survivors on board. Spock feels the effect more than the rest but recovers quickly, citing Surak’s meditations.
Dr. Joseph M’Benga asks the Lutani pilot (Steffi Didomenicantonio) why she’d sacrifice herself to sabotage their own project. The only thing she can say before she dies is that they made a terrible mistake.
Then we cut to M’Benga being interviewed. As a veteran of the Klingon War, he’s seen death many times. When Beto asks if he’s ever been ordered to kill anyone by Starflee, he entones “I don’t recall” over and over again. It’s clear he’s hiding terrible secrets.
Uhura shares that her only friend in Starfleet was Elaina Cho before. She’s shocked when she learns Cho was killed by the Gorn with the Cayuga. How in the world did Beto know to dig up this fact? This is the first sign he has an agenda.
Uhura plans to send a message to keep ships away, while La’an suggests a plan to kill the creature if they lose control. Chapel, Spock, and Uhura learn that the Jikaru has a shock collar and was developed as a weapon by the Lutani.
Spock believes he sensed the Jikaru’s emotions, and Beto asks Uhura if she believes in every mission. She says she does. Pike and Una discuss the morality of using the creature while Uhura and Spock attempt to establish communication with Jikaru. But the neural dampener prevents communication. The Jikaru damages Enterprise, and Pike orders Beto off the bridge.
Declassified security footage shows the Jikaru pursuing the Enterprise, with Erica evading it. La’an suggests firing torpedoes against the Jikaru, but Spock disagrees. Beto asks Erica about her injured hand, and she reflects on facing the unknown. Uhura apologizes, and Beto clandestinely films a conversation about the morality of transporting a “weapon of war” on behalf of the Lutani.
Uhura questions Beto’s intentions and advises him not to return to the bridge. , Spock, Chapel, Uhura, and Pike plan to connect with the Jikaru using a shuttlecraft. Spock makes a psychic connection with the Jikaru using the shuttle, but a Lutani warship approaches. Trunn Voor (Shaun Majumder) questions Starfleet’s wisdom and powers up weapons. As the Vukcan’s vitals spike, the Jikaru attacks the warship, hitting Galileo in the crossfire.
In another testimonial, Pike concedes that people die and asks Beto if he’s ever seen it and would want to be questioned about it. At the same time, Spock and Chapel are sent to medical while a traumatized Uhura looks on.
Back in the Ready Room, the remaining crew discusses options. They’re tracking the Jikaru, but it’s “running laps” in a circle. M’Benga stabilizes Chapel, while Spock is put into a coma for his brain to heal. He reveals that the Jikaru’s been altered to focus only on “violence and destruction.”
Uhura, despite M’Benga’s warning about permanent brain damage, refuses to give up and volunteers to be neuralinked to the Jikaru. In a testimonial clip, Uhura shares her last photo of her family. During the mental link, Uhura reveals that the Jikaru wants the Enterprise to attack her and let her die in peace.
Pike shares a story of having to mercy kill a bronco. He communicates with Command, who agrees with the plan. Enterprise fires a shot at the Jikaru, gaining its attention. Uhura reports that the Jikaru’s children are unaltered, and Pike assures her that Starfleet will ensure their safety.
Uhura, somber in her quarters, recalls her friend Elaina died for her beliefs. In medical, she and Beto discuss the importance of action, citing Starfleet’s resources. Uhura admires Beto’s bravery in asking questions, urging against blind acceptance. He tries to counterpoint Uhura’s argument, but she points out that he blames Starfleet for taking his sister and her injury. But the Federation doesn’t stop Uhura from fixing things.
Una reports the creature is pursuing them, but they are out of range. The Lutani warship is damaged but functional. Voor contacts the Enterprise, and Pike tells them they’re respecting the Jikaru’s wishes and plans to shut down the metamorphosis program. Tychus-B will be classified as a sanctuary for animals. Federation will assist, but Voor fears countless Lutani deaths. Pike warns that threatening one ship like the Enterprise is threatening the whole Federation.
The Jikaru flies into a star’s flames, dying with a final burst of energy. Erica, who joined Starfleet, admits joining was a matter of control, but almost dying was out of her control. Beto records her rehearsal, and Erica feels the Enterprise crew is her family.
Beto listens to Pike playing guitar in his quarters, witnessing a different side of Starfleet. The command crew gathers for dinner, and Uhura emphasizes that people make Starfleet what it is. The Strange New Worlds theme plays as credits roll over a star where Jikaru died.
Overall: Watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2025): S3E07 – “What Is Starfleet?”
This episode is worth watching. I truly get that this series is big on leaning into the found family motif of the Starfleet crew much more than some past series have been. But even I rolled my eyes a tad at having each character spell out their character journeys in such obvious ways in that final series of talking heads.
The best part of the episode, in my book, was that it finally allowed her to address her PTSD from not only her time in the Klingon War but also through her capture by the Gorn. While this wasn’t necessarily the Erica-focused episode I continue to hope for, it was great to hear her stress that yes, she was scared in the past. That’s the kind of smart, character-focused writing the series can do so well.
While I was disappointed in the disjointed story structure this week, it certainly felt a little bit closer to a normal Strange New Worlds episode than what we’ve gotten the past two weeks. I was also a bit intrigued to see the show going back to the Spock linking mentally with someone else.
The episode’s first half is disjointed and lacks a cohesive story structure, but it feels closer to a normal Strange New Worlds episode than the past two weeks. This show can do better – and I hope as we approach the end of the season, things will even out a bit.
I’m giving this episode 3.5 out of 5 stars
All episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds are available to stream on Paramount+. New episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds drop every Thursday.
Click the link to read our review of the previous episode, “The Sehlat Who Ate Its Tail” Review
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