"Minefield"

Written by John Shiban
Directed by James Contner


In which the Enterprise encounters a cloaked minefield around a planet annexed by some rather infamous aliens, and Lt. Reed finds himself in trouble when he tries to defuse a mine attached to the hull...

Synopsis - Analysis - Memorable Quotes - Observations


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Synopsis

As the episode begins, Lt. Reed anxiously steps into the captain’s private dining room. Archer invites him to sit and eat sociably, but from the instant he walks in the door, Reed is unable to relax. Archer tries to discuss some sports, but Reed has no interest. In the end, Archer gives up and goes over Reed’s recent crew transfer recommendations.

The meal is interrupted as T’Pol informs him that they have detected an M-class planet nearby. The ship is diverted to investigate, and the planet appears to be rather boring. As they settle into standard orbit, there is a sudden explosion, and a rather sizable chunk of the forward section of the saucer is ripped open.

In the aftermath of the explosion, the ship is in general chaos, but Archer does his best to pull things together. He checks on the bridge crew, and finds Hoshi down with a head wound. When there is no sign of any cause for the explosion on sensors, he checks with Trip on the status of the engines. Finding there are no fatalities, he moves on to determining the cause of the explosion.

When something else strikes the ship on the aft side of the saucer, they try to get a visual, and see a small object phasing in and out of sight. Reed identifies it as a mine, and it’s armed...but not yet enabled. The mine has settled above a vital impulse linkage tube. Detonation would disable the ship completely. Reed suggests that he be allowed to go outside and disarm the mine, and Archer reluctantly agrees.

Knowing that there must be more than two mines, Archer uses the modified sensor array that was previously used to detect cloaked Suliban vessels. He finds the planet surrounded completely by a thick cluster of mines, just as Reed goes EVA to disarm the mine. Reed informs Archer that there are magnetic spikes attaching the mine to the ship. The mine’s proximity sensors are offline, so it’s unaware that it’s struck a target. As Reed gets into an access panel on the mine, Archer asks Trip if he could look into detaching the section of hull plating where the mine is located. Trip reluctantly agrees to look into it.

As Reed opens the access panel, a small green-tinged ship decloaks in space in front of the Enterprise. Archer asks if T’Pol recognizes the ship; she says she does not. The unknown ship hails them, but the translator cannot lock onto the language. When Archer asks after Hoshi, Dr. Phlox tells him that she’s in no condition to help. The unknown ship charges weapons, and fires a warning shot at the Enterprise.

Archer decides to allow Mayweather to manually steer the ship through the minefield. As they make progress, the unknown ship recloaks. Reed continues to look into the mine’s operating system, and notes that it has four distinct de-activation sequences. The design is unfamiliar, but he believe he can disarm it. Archer tells him to proceed. During a particularly rough maneuver, Mayweather jiggles the ship, and another magnetic spike releases from the mine...attaching to the hull through the meat of Reed’s upper leg.

Though his suit seals around the wound, he’s obviously in a great deal of pain. Archer immediately decides to be the one to go out and help him. Meanwhile, Hoshi tries to talk the doctor into letting her go, and he consents to letting them bring a comm down to sickbay. Archer makes it to Reed, and at first thinks that it’s as simple as cutting the magnetic spike. Of course, Reed quickly informs him that there are detonation circuits inside the spikes.

Reed asks for something for the pain, intent on finishing the job himself. Archer counters by telling Reed he’s going to disarm the mine himself...using Reed’s instructions. Reed thinks Archer’s out of his mind, but Archer insists. And of course, Reed doesn’t have much choice.

In sickbay, Hoshi translates the message from the unknown ship. They have ordered the Enterprise to leave immediately or be destroyed. The planet, it seems, has been annexed by the Romulan Star Empire. None of the humans react to the news, but T’Pol recognizes the name...and is rather disapproving about it. Archer, of course, recognizes the name as well (from “Shockwave Part II”), but he has nothing but a name to go on. T’Pol admits only that they are known to be an aggressive species. The Vulcan High Command has never made direct contact with them.

On the hull, Reed has managed to lead Archer through one disarming sequence, and begins with the second. As they work, Archer decides that it’s a good time to resume their breakfast conversation about sports. When Reed swears off sports, Archer moves on to hobbies. Archer’s attempt at conversation annoys Reed to no end.

When Archer notes that Reed was ill at ease, Reed explains that he’s not comfortable fraternizing with the captain in that fashion. Archer believes it’s time Reed learned to do so, which Reed objects to. He’s been trained that the captain and crew should never interact socially. Archer explains that he also had a CO with similar notions, and when he considered the demands of the Enterprise mission, he realized that kind of command wouldn’t work.

He asks Reed’s opinion on other topics. Reed, of course, believes that Archer allows too much open discussion on the bridge, and that Archer takes too many personal security risks. Archer counters that open discussion helps him see alternate points of view, and that he’s aware of Reed’s security opinions. As the Enterprise clears the minefield, Archer completes the second deactivation sequence, and begins the next.

Archer and Reed continue their conversation as they work, with Reed becoming more and more sure that he is going to die. Archer keeps trying to speak with him, draw him out, to keep him focused. He asks about Reed’s background, admitting his own relative lack of command experience. Reed explains that his family had a long history of naval service, but Reed chose space over the navy because of his personal weakness: aquaphobia.

Reed explains that he also had a great-uncle with the same condition, who signed up with the submarine service to conquer his fear. He had become a chief engineer on the HMS Clement, when there was a disaster during a routine patrol. They hit a mine, and the submarine was trapped under an ice shelf. Engineering was flooding, and though he was afraid of drowning, Reed’s great-uncle sealed himself in the compartment to keep the reactor working long enough for the rest of the crew to escape.

Reed’s point isn’t lost on Archer, but Archer isn’t in the mood for Reed’s desire for heroics. As they continue to work, two Romulan vessels decloak behind the Enterprise. When T’Pol and Trip explain the situation to the Romulans, they order the Enterprise to jettison the plating and sacrifice Archer and Reed. Espionage will not be tolerated.

Unfortunately, just as Archer is about to disarm the mine and end the crisis, a secondary arming system is activated. Reed informs Archer that the secondary system cannot be reached in time, and that the mine essentially cannot be disarmed. Once again, he offers to sacrifice himself for the ship. Once again, Archer doesn’t want to hear it. He’d rather take the mine apart piece by piece.

When Archer demands that Reed help him disarm the new system, Reed tries to force the issue by detaching his air supply. Archer promptly re-attaches the line and gives Reed a portion of his own oxygen. Archer browbeats Reed into estimating how long it would take for the mine to explode, and how large the yield would be. He orders Trip to detach the hull plating on his command, and then orders him to bring two shuttle door hatches to him at once.

Trip detaches the hull plating as Archer gives the command, and once they are the necessary distance from the Enterprise, the Romulans decloak again. Archer cuts the spike holding Reed, and as the mine arms itself, Archer and Reed jump from the plating, holding the shuttle hatches in the direction of the explosion. The Enterprise tries to hail them, but there is no answer. As the Romulans prepare to fire, the Enterprise picks up Archer and Reed and quickly goes to warp.

Down in the launch bay, Archer and Reed recover from the effects of the explosion, but they are all right. Reed admits that Archer’s style of command does have certain advantages...


Analysis

One of the most common criticisms of “Enterprise” since its inception has been the soft command style of Captain Archer. Unlike many of the other captains in the Star Trek franchise, Archer comes across as overly reckless, yet also far too affable. While many of the other captains were friendly and even socially active with their senior staffs, there was still a distinct level of authority that constantly shone through.

It’s true that this series is as much about how Starfleet managed to develop its sense of command on long-term space exploration missions as the details of what that entailed, but by starting off with a somewhat insecure central figure hasn’t done much good. Perhaps in response to the criticism, this episode takes the issue head on, letting Reed speak for many of the fans.

Reed, in his extremely stiff and unyielding personal way, expects a very regimented command style from Archer. He expects a captain to stand apart and above the rest of the crew, whose only duty is to execute the commands they are given. This is not unlike the very rigid yet time-tested chain of command utilized by many military forces around the world, and while it can be brutal, it is effective in that sense.

Of course, Archer sees it differently. He sees the mission as mostly one of exploration, not just in the sense of “strange new worlds”, but also in terms of how a small crew must survive the psychological rigors of a deep space mission. He believes that risks will need to be taken, and that various options must be explored. His style of command has its place, and it mirrors that of Kirk and Picard.

What Archer is slowly beginning to learn, as we have seen in these first few episodes of the season, is the delicate balance that must be maintained. Yes, the captain should be accessible, and should be willing to hear other options, even solicit them. But in the end, there should be no question that the captain makes the final decision.

Archer’s problem has been making sound final decisions. As that side of his character grows, it ought to help Scott Bakula find Archer’s voice more naturally. When the writers can simply depict Archer as acting within his character, rather than making silly speeches or sound bites, Bakula might be able to stop delivering his lines as though he’s acutely aware of the fact that he’s carrying a franchise on his back.

Reed represents a bit of a problem for the writers, which is unfortunate. By casting him as an incredibly isolated man with a career-biased case of tunnel vision, there’s simply not much that can be done with him. He’s great in terms of having a character with the necessary technical expertise, but when it comes to character interaction, there’s more luck in striking up conversation with a bulkhead. Unless Trip is involved, and that’s only because Trip can actually have a conversation with a bulkhead, and have it turn out mildly amusing.

The plot itself is relatively straightforward, and it’s all about giving us a chance to see Archer addressing Reed’s fatalistic tendencies. If the writers are intelligent, they were planning on using this episode as a turning point for Reed’s character. If not, then another episode of Reed giving in to his despair will be more than anyone has any reason to bear.

As someone who enjoys character exploration, I thought this was one of the best episodes of the series. That’s not to say that it was without flaws. As much as I understand the reason for introducing the Romulans at this stage of the game, so they can slowly evolve into a greater threat as time marches forward, I’m not sure that this episode needed them to be the mysterious enemy.

It was also a little too easy for Hoshi to translate the language in, at most, a matter of hours. I really like Hoshi, but part of the allure of not having a perfect universal translator was the need to work out the new languages and deal with potential misunderstandings. That happened in the first season more than once, but even then, it had started to fade into a quick, “Just ask Hoshi” plot device.

My only other complaint is that the writers have to let go of the fear of killing off the occasional member of the crew. When the ship gets a huge chunk blown out of it, people ought to get killed. Otherwise, it feels convenient. People were lost left and right until “Voyager”, and even then there were some serious losses along the way. As the first human deep-range mission, there should have been casualties by now.

Even so, this is one of the best episodes of the series to date, and that comes as a bit of a surprise. It was written by John Shiban, widely reviled as one of the most lackluster writers on the “X-Files” staff during the later seasons of that series. This is his first effort for “Enterprise”, and it works very well. Perhaps this is a case of a writer finding the right material.


Memorable Quotes

ARCHER: “Thought you might need a hand.”
REED: “Actually, I’d prefer a leg...”

REED: “Please, sir...may I have some more...”

REED: “Well, I’m afraid I haven’t started following one since breakfast, sir...”

ARCHER: “So, how long was it?”
REED: “I counted ten seconds.”
ARCHER: “Ten? It was more like twenty.”
REED: “Respectfully, sir, it was ten.”
ARCHER: “I’m not gonna argue with you, Malcolm. It was twenty. (Pause.) That’s an order.”


Observations

- I don’t know about you, but if I were the captain, I’d remind myself never to invite Reed to anything. Ever.

- The detonation of the Romulan mine is easily the most impressive battle damage on the series to date. Simply awesome!

- Is it me, or does T’Pol look slightly different in this episode? She strikes me as looking more Asian than usual, though it could have just been an effect of the lighting...

- Sigh...once again, the problem with the EVA suit effects!

- How many people can eyeball exactly 70 degrees, especially under pressure?

- Gee, Archer’s a little touchy about that personal security issue, ain’t he?

- As odd as it sounds, the “urination” conversation is a wonderful moment...very human.

Overall, this is easily one of the best character episodes of the series to date. We get some crucial insight into Archer’s command style, and a deeper look into why Reed is the stiff and introverted man he is. All in all one of the best episodes yet.

I give it an 8/10.


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