The third episode of Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 takes the crew back to Earth where things are very different. Also, in Episode 3, the Discovery gets a new crew member. This episode also reminds us that the path to working through major trauma is not linear.

Mild spoilers ahead.

Catch up on previous Star Trek: Discovery recaps, reactions, and ruminations.

Recap: The Long Road Home in Star Trek: Discovery Season 3, Episode 3

While most of the crew has just arrived, it’s been a long year for Burnham. In “People of Earth,” Burnham catches up the rest of the crew on what they’ve missed over the last millennium. Burnham has changed. It’s also decided that Saru will be captain.

Once the repairs have been completed, it’s time to take the magic mushroom ride back to Sector 001: Earth. Things have also dramatically changed there. Earth is no longer part of the Federation. The Federation may as well be a dirty word. Earth is once again United Earth: a hoarder of dilithium and extremely protectionist.

After submitting to a search from United Earth inspectors for hidden dilithium, the Discovery finds itself in the middle of a conflict. Turns out the Federation isn’t the only thing lost. So is the art of peaceful communications and negotiation. The attitude now is fire first, ask questions later… if ever. The conflict is between United Earth and raiders.

After some action, we learn that those raiders are humans who just need a little bit of help to repair their colony and once again become self-sufficient. Burnham moderates the negotiation. The crew take a brief trip to the former Federation HQ grounds.

Adira—pictured above—joins the crew. They are a human holding the Trill symbiont of Admiral Senna Tal, a United Earth inspector.

Reactions: Non-Binary People Have Hope After Watching Star Trek: Discovery Season 3, Episode 3

One of the things that excited the queer community leading up Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery was the inclusion of two new queer characters. These characters would be a non-binary character – played by non-binary actor Blu del Barrio (they/them) – and a transgender character played by trans actor Ian Alexander (they/he).

This week was the first time we saw del Barrio on screen. They play Adira, who is currently referred to by she/her pronouns, but we know that is going to change. Non-binary people are looking forward to watching the evolution of Adira’s pronouns and how that is handled.

People are also hoping that being host to a Trill symbiont is not the thing that makes Adira non-binary. When it was announced that we’d be getting true non-cisgender representation in Star Trek, a lot of cisgender people commented that we already had that with the Trill and J’naii.

This isn’t the case.

We are hoping that Star Trek: Discovery will explore why that isn’t the case so that those of us who are not cisgender don’t have to continually have the same conversations around gender and identity.

Normally, I’d offer my own thoughts here. But I want to hold off on tackling trans representation in Star Trek: Discovery for a bit… at least until I’ve had a chance to see how this plays out. I have other things to ruminate about this week.

Ruminations: The Difficulties of Finding Hope After Trauma

Even though I’ve been happy to see the theme of hope for Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery, my brain has also been nagging me about how glossy it all was in the first two episodes. I’m about to enter year seven of proper trauma therapy, and let me tell you: hope is not that easy.

Hope is a weird thing. Despite all evidence to the contrary, I do have hope for humanity and in humans as an idea. I strongly believe that Gene Roddenberry’s future is possible – that humanity is capable of such compassion and caring. It’s that compassion and caring that helped me to survive a lifetime of abuse and trauma. But I don’t have hope in the immediacy of time.

I always prepare for the worst – without thinking the worst is going to happen – and never hope for the best. Hoping for the best leads to disappointment and being upset. Preparing for the worst is pragmatic and realistic. At least, that is what I tell myself.

There was a moment in “People of Earth” when Tilly lamented the fact that everyone the crew knew and loved was dead. Not only were they dead, but the reality (and aftermath) of how the families of a ship full of people suddenly vanishing would feel hit her like a freight train. In an instant, all the joy and hope felt after being reunited with Burnham was gone.

And then we have Burnham. I saw some people say she finally looked at peace with herself. However, I saw something completely different. I saw someone resigned to believing her life was always going to be filled with trauma and that things that would feel insurmountable, until they weren’t. I saw a person who, naturally after a year where days felt like an eternity, has resigned herself to a galaxy void of everything she loved and believed in. This is only natural after an experience with complex and repeated traumas.

That doesn’t mean she’s given up or won’t continue to fight. We saw her reminding other humans what it means to negotiate and find common ground.

Showing the viewer that the road through trauma is neither linear nor clear was the highlight for me in this week’s episode. Not only does it validate my experiences as a trauma survivor, and that of other survivors, but it also validates the feelings of everyone who is currently experiencing a year where days feel like eternities.

What was the thing that struck you this week?

Until next week, Live Long and Prosper.