The second episode of Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery took us one year further into the future. In Episode 2, we also got a renewed lesson on the concept that teamwork makes the dream work. Corny, I know, but that phrase/meme/book title has been an earworm inside of my brain since I watched the episode.

Mild spoilers are ahead in the very brief recap. Don’t read until you have watched “Far From Home.”

If you missed it, read the recap, reactions, and ruminations for Episode 1 of Season 3.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 Episode 2: “Far From Home” Recap

The Discovery arrives! But things go to hell pretty damn quickly as the crew crash lands on a planet that has some very bizarre properties. Lt. Detmer begins acting peculiar after hitting her head.

Ship’s communications are down. To keep everyone safe while repairs are carried out, he orders people to work in pairs. This leads to the hilarious pairing of Stamets and Reno, both injured.

Nhan and Georgiou are paired up, but that doesn’t last long. Which isn’t at all surprising when you remember that Georgiou is a mirror universe troublemaker.

Despite Tilly’s protests, she joins Saru on an away mission to meet the inhabitants of this strange planet. After making first contact, they quickly learn the inhabitants of the planet are being exploited. The exploiters arrive. There is some action that moves that story forward and gives us more worldbuilding to tell us what has happened since the collapse of the Federation. Georgiou shows up just in time.

After the action, the Discovery’s repairs are complete enough to leave the planet, and Burnham hails them.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 Episode 2: “Far From Home” Reactions

Even though we were thrust nearly 1,000 years into the future, we were taken way back in time during Episode 2. There was also a comedic nod to those few who complain about swearing in Discovery.

As always, Tilly provided some wonderful comedic beats – this time, also with some help from Saru, like when he stopped her from dropping yet another F-Bomb. She also remained hilarious while she literally kicked some ass. It’s great watching her hold her own.

It was also nice to see Culber and Stamets back in adoration for each other. It may have taken a long time with some stuff having to happen off-script, but we once again have a happy queer couple!

Online, people made a lot of comments about how this episode reminded them of the time the original Star Trek did a Western (“Spectre of the Gun”). For me, it reminded me of something further back in the Star Trek timeline. Specially, it reminded me of the Enterprise episode “Marauders.”

The plots were nearly identical, and teamwork helped them overcome an adversary. The biggest difference was that in “Marauders,” the exploited inhabitants didn’t know whom they should hope for to help them. In “Far From Home,” there were true believers who waited for the return of Starfleet.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 Episode 2: “Far From Home” Ruminations

I have to say it one more time: teamwork makes the dream work. It’s horribly cliché, I know, but it’s true. The Federation was borne out of teamwork. The Discovery wouldn’t have been repaired if not for teamwork. The antagonists wouldn’t have been defeated if not for teamwork and a crew so in tune with one another, they can communicate with discrete gestures.

This isn’t only contained to the fictional universe of Star Trek. People don’t thrive alone. Societies are built on teamwork. You can’t have hope and advancement without it. Even our biggest gains in space travel wouldn’t have been possible without teamwork between and among nations.

In short, behind every great achievement is a team of people.

I think this week, it’s even more proper to quote Fred Rogers:

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’

Until next week, Live Long and Prosper.