#badmiral

OK, this is a difficult episode to watch, but holy crap, Admiral Pasalk gets up and pretends not to be motivated by emotion, and turns the trial from a court martial of Una into an attempt to take down the entire command staff of the Enterprise. And it is very clear, if you have seen Vulcans, that he is angry. Angry that he is not getting his way. Which was also clear when he went nuclear on the refusal of the plea bargain. This is a kind of Vulcan I have not seen since the head of the High Command decided to use photon torpedoes on a pacifist encampment in the quintessential Vulcan holy site, before trying to start an all-out war with Andoria. He has power, and he is seeking to remove obstacles to what he wants. And if he can’t do it subtly, he will do it overtly. And if he can’t do it overtly, he will do it by greater and greater application of force, until he gets what he wants. All of which, at every stage, is perfectly logical and about the facts, and everyone who disagrees is just going to have to be eliminated. I am reminded of Control having chosen to imitate a Vulcan Starfleet admiral, and I do wonder: was it just because the expectations of a Vulcan are different and easier to clear as a facade ... or was it because of all the admirals involved, the Vulcan had proved already to be the most bloodthirsty and calculating?

The badmiral high kick in "Conspiracy" is always pretty hilariously glorious.