The Aenar

The Aenar, aired February 11, 2005

Kevin Thomas Riley's review

The Aenar are a subspecies of Andorians, who live in ice caves below the surface and who are blind and extremely telepathic. The Andorians had thought them to be mythical figures, but about 50 years before a community had been found. On a week with less T/T, we might learn a bit more about this fascinating group, but, well, priorities. These are the stories of Trip and T’Pol, going boldly…nowhere, apparently. Take a look. You determine how many times T’Pol actually meant to slap Trip down, or is she really that clueless what she was doing to him. Or, should we just…”Blame It On Surak!”

Remember, 1 point for new T’Pol outfit and 2 points when she refers to “Commander Tucker.”

T’Pol has determined that the drone was controlled by a “telepresence” from light years away. She needs to study the data Commander Tucker brought back. (2 points!)


T’Pol captures Trip’s attention with a plan to construct their own telepresence unit! She does spoil her human.


T’Pol tells Trip Phlox thinks he returned to work too soon after the experiences on the drone. You’ve talked about me with Phlox? Trip asks her. It was just came up in conversation, T’Pol responds. Ouch! Slap #1?


T’Pol tells Trip she can do it all. T’Pol is now apparently SuperT’Pol. Trip assures her that, although she may be good at crunching numbers, she isn’t that good at sticking things together.


SuperT’Pol is a bit miffed. She’ll make a note of the information Trip gave her about the unit they are working on.


Trip tries to talk to T’Pol about his last moments on the drone, and what was going through his mind. She assures him that, since joining Enterprise, they have all been on the verge of death.


Silly T’Pol! Not close calls with death – heck, anyone can do that – but being in a situation with no way out, and having time to think.


T’Pol remembers she felt that way in the Expanse when they were destroying Sphere 41.
Trip: What went through your mind?
T’Pol: Whether or not to transfer auxillary power to the deflector. Why do you ask?


Trip: Just curious.
Ouch! Slap #2?


Beautiful Andoria! Shran and Archer go to find the Aenars because they believe an Aenar is the telepresence guiding the drone.


(Blue! 1 point) Trip wants to be the first to test the neural interface.


“You’re not telepathic,” T’Pol chastises him. *Really, what is he thinking? My human is completely illogical. Once I finish being SuperT’Pol, I’ll teach him logic. Sigh, this human is so hard to train.*


Trip responds that, even so, he can help test for brain damage. Trip wants to protect his Vulcan!


T’Pol spouts her Vulcan SuperT’Pol logic about why she is perfect for the role of guinea pig. Trip gets a headache.


“The discussion’s closed.” Slap #3.





“We have a lot of work to do.” And she doesn’t even look at him to see how he takes what she said. But Phlox does, and Phlox is concerned.


Andoria!


“Coffee…strong.”


Walking back to work, who should be walking down the corridor but T’Pol. Don’t you just hate when that happens?
T’Pol: “Commander!” (no points because she addresses him directly)
Trip (walks on by): Hey.
T’Pol (a bit stunned, stops dead in her tracks): TTTTRRRRRRIIIIIPPPPPPP!!!!!!!!
Trip stops, looks like he might just keep on truckin’, but in the end turns around and goes back.


T’Pol assures her human she appreciates his concerns, but his feelings are affecting his work. Slap #4? You decide.


Trip grits his teeth. A. He doesn’t want Enterprise to lose a good officer. B. His work is as good as it ever has been. AND C…


…his feelings are purely professional. He leaves.


T’Pol wonders if perhaps Mr. Tucker doesn’t want to talk to her right at that moment. Nah. Not possible. He obviously just needed to be elsewhere for some emergency. Yes, that’s it.


Testing the unit, T’Pol starts to convulse. Trip orders the unit shut down.


The unit works, but T’Pol needs a few moments to compose herself. Being SuperT’Pol can be a bit taxing. (Purple! 1 point)


Trip doesn’t want T’Pol to test the unit again, and Phlox tells him to back off and let T’Pol work.
Trip: I can’t believe I’m getting this from you now. Has everyone on this ship gone crazy?
Phlox (looking at Trip significantly): Not everyone….
Trip: Oh, *I’m* crazy.
Phlox: It’s not your fault. As far as I know there’s no species in the galaxy that have mastered the art of mixing romance and vocation.
Trip: You’re the last one that should be giving me a lecture. The Vulcan neuro-pressure was your idea.
Phlox: You were having trouble sleeping.


Trip (looking at T’Pol through the screen): What the hell am I going to do?
Phlox (ever helpful): This is one ailment that is universally untreatable. You’ll have to suffer through it.
Trip gives Phlox a thanks-a-lot look.

OK, T’Pol has excellent hearing. Are we really to believe she doesn’t hear this conversation which is taking place 10 feet away?


The Aenar girl tries out the unit.


It works, but takes it’s toll on her.


(Red! 1 point) Two drones come hunting Enterprise and attack her.


Oh, yeah, guess you need some info to understand what is happening. The girl Aenar is helping the humans because she believes the boy Aenar helping the Romulans is her brother, who disappeared from Andoria the previous year. She’s right! She tells him she is alive, as are all their people.


He thought everyone was dead. He suddenly realizes he killed so many people, and that is against everything he believes. (OK, why is it OK to kill everyone if all your people are dead, but not if they are alive? Did he believe the humans were those responsible?) Brother Aenar turns the two drones against each other and both are destroyed. The Romulan admiral kills Brother Aenar.


(Blue! 1 point) Enterprise returns Shran and Sister Aenar to Andoria. Shran is doubtful he will meet up with the crew of Enterprise again because he lost his ship. T’Pol assures him the Enterprise crew will speak up on his behalf. Yay! Another Vulcan and Andorian friendship! However, I’m very disappointed we never got a Trip and Shran scene – those two are excellent together.


Uh, oh, those slaps T’Pol gave Trip took their toll. He realizes he wasn’t focusing on his work and he might be responsible for what initially happened to Sister Aenar. Archer isn’t buying it, but Trip wants to transfer to the Columbia.


Archer wants to know what is really going on. I’ve said everything I want to, Trip responds. He asks Archer, as a friend, to grant the transfer. Archer asks, as a friend, for Trip to stay. “I can’t.” Archer grants the transfer and dismisses Trip, who leaves.


So sad! Archer, alone with two empty glasses, already missing his friend.

So, was T’Pol simply doing her job, and Trip flipping out? Was SuperT’Pol channeling Surak, a state of mind in which one becomes a bit unbearable and pompous, and Trip feeling confused because she shut him out so effectively? Was T’Pol just being a Vulcan and Trip a human, and at long last we are seeing that a Vulcan and a human have very different responses to a situation? Does T’Pol need to learn to take Trip’s feelings into account, or does Trip need to believe T’Pol knows what she is doing and not try to protect her? Maybe we will find out in the weeks to come.

6 points

Previews of T/T next episode:

A whole mess of folks have made comments

Great T\T Episode (FINALLY)!

As always, nice pics and super fast!

Great episode, very interesting T/Tp but some of the anghst is starting to get to me. A little up in their relationship, even just a normal exchange would be nice!

Wow...fast work and excellent screen captures as usual.

interesting conversation between trip and phlox...kind of reminded me of conversations t'pol\phlox have about trip

Great Screencaps! Thanx!!!

No comments but lotsa T/T pics!
I can't wait to see this ep.

Jiehoe!

This episode depressed the hell out of me - God I hope T'Pol gets her act together FAST and tells Trip how she feels, dammit!!

Can't wait for your take on the episode with your screen caps! :-)

Awoke this morning to find that you had captured an image that I hoped you would - the second from the end. Connor does such subtle things, yet is so expressive. Marvellous.

I see T'Pol changed her uniform a lot this episode, I guess that makes up for her not changing at all last ep.

Poor, poor Tucker.

Thanks again. You're the tops.

Very depressing episode, but i hope for witty comments anyway

So sad for poor Trip. *SNIFF* He'd better not transfer!

Great caps as usual, and once again, so fast!

Looking forward to this.

Myst,Great screencaps as always could you please post a picture of T'Pol in sickbay when Trip was talking to phlox please.The one where he was looking through the screen at her.Is there also any chance of posting screencaps from next weeks preview of T'Pol confronting Trip as the reason to why he was leaving Enterprise.My station doesn't show the previews.

Reanok, I've added the images you requested.

hey myst what happened to the shot of T'Pol wincing slightly in sickbay after she told Trip the discussion was over?

Ugh! This is worst than Days of Our Lives.

First T'pol cares for Trip but is getting married, then she doesn't care b/c she's finding herself. Trip says he understands and gives no indication that he misses/loves her. Then all of a sudden, we're to believe that he does love her and that being around her is affecting his job. What's going on Manny?

Add to that the fact that Enterprise has been cancelled and I fear that we may never get the level of emotional "completeness" that we want to see in the T/T relationship.

Sorry, blah, did I put back in the pic you wanted?

Reanok, startrek.com's episodes section has the previews. I go there to watch 'em because I don't get them either.

Yay thanks Myst it's back.

ent seen it yet but look grate kool trip & t'pol

WOW what an Episode! Great screen caps Myst. :)

he is so cute when hes buildin' n fixn' things (gush)
i loved how deadpanned polly was with the last thing she thought about before she thought she would die. (did that make sense?) and trip's curt "hey" in the corridor was classic. its that kinda sarcasm i like

and trip baby i know what the hell you're supposed to do, TELL HER THE TRUTH!!!!!!!

myst thanks so much for all your hard work, where would we be w/o you.

ps. i love the cap of andoria beutiful;)

Omg that preview is giving me the chills! *bbrrrrr*

I must admit, I kind of lost excitement during Babel One and United, but oh boy... I can't wait now!

Not Trip! He can't leave! T'Pol better get her act together, and soon, Trip's just too sad! She better figure it out, or I will not be amused. Nice pics, btw. :)

Depressing, but the scenes between Shran and Jharmel were very sweet and very much apprecuated. Nice to have chemistry that doesn't involve slapping. Sometimes, I'd like to slap both of them. they are great characters, but I still would like to slap them

OH MY GOD! guys i cant believe they will cancel this serie!!!!! i wish we could do something about! is a great serie! any ideas.... i already wrote a letter and sent it.....

Shran and Jharmel would make a nice couple if Shran was a little younger (he could have been her father!).
Jharmel is very cute, I hope they will cast her for more roles in the future.
Wait a minute!? What future?

And #4 is definately a slap!
Poor Trip is getting slapped again and again.
That cap of Trip looking at T'Pol through the screen sorta says it all. If T'Pol doesn't lower here shields there is no way Trips arrows of love gonna hit any target.

myst excellent screen caps and commentary as usual. Love the shot of T'Pol through the screen. The Trip & Phlox scene and the scene in the hallway were by far my favourite scenes. Can't wait for next week!

MysticGypsy and everyone! Help save this show! Please write to the following two people. Ask Ms. Hammer to negotiate with Paramount to put Star Trek Enterprise on Sci Fi Channel, and tell Mr. Stapf, who is the one who decides which Paramount programs will be made, you are a devoted fan of this series and will follow it to another station. Ask him to continue Enteprise and either put it into first run syndication or to shop it to another network, such as Sci Fi Channel or USA Network. Check out the main T/T page for more ideas. We have to unite to get our show renewed!

*****

Ms. Bonnie Hammer
President and General Manager
Sci Fi Channel
1230 Avenue Of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

and/or
Email: program@www.scifi.com

****

Mr. David Stapf
President
Paramount Television
5555 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038-3112

***

Thanks! --myst123

For me - that's it. There's no possible joy I could get from getting them together now. Not any more. Too much dishonesty, especially from T'Pol, too much coldness, angst... They should find Trip some good girl and let T'Pol suffer. Regret is a very difficult emotion to master...

Oh, look, it's the return of March the Troll.

There's not been any "dishonesty." T'Pol is trying to figure out what it means to be herself. Trip tried to give her space, and left rather than burden her with the fact that he couldn't hold up his end of the bargain.

And what's your deal against angst, anyway? It HAPPENS. What they are going through right now is ten times more realistic than "gee, I love you so much. Let's live happily ever after."

oww, my heart hurts.

Ice Ice baby

Angst was good until "Home" happedened. Everything after that is just overdoing for me.

And yes, there was dishonesty from T'Pol's side right from the beginning. Why did she tell him that she feels nothing about her mother's death? Was that a honest answer for a friend who wanted nothing more but to offer help? Instead he was treated as an annoyance and "it's not your business"-like answer.

No man would put up with this kind of shit. In this moment for me - T'Pol isn't simply worth it.

I hope the upcoming "farewell" scene will leave her with the exact feeling - that he has enough of it and if she won't make up for her faults - and fast - it's over.

cancelling the serie? are they all insane?
It's such a great serie. The may not do that!
Oh Please not!

Oh and yes, it was a real good episode (as far as I can see on the pics.)

Greetz from germany Enny

Marc, I'm sorry you're so disappointed with T'Pol, but there is no use harping upon it. The rest of us see these events as a logic backing-off before the final get-together. If you can't, that's fine, but please stop repeating yourself.

Katie, I agree with your positive spin, but please do not address insults to other posters, no matter how negative. Leave that to the site administrators.

Bucky

did anyone else get a "Thanks for letting us know your feelings and we appreciate your loyalty" e-mail from UPN?

let me tell ya that sucks out the butt!!

at first i thought the eyelines of the aenar were screwed up coz they dont look at the person their speaking to, then i realized:THEY'RE BLIND

so it was a fun ep.

DAMN THE MAN, SAVE THE ENTERPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!

TP'D, yep, I got one of those emails. Though, it said that there was other Trek series planned for the future...which I hope was the truth.

I have to agree to some extent with marc. t'pol's coldness is wearing a little thin. can she not even behave as a friend anymore? She was asking him to be honest (in the hallway scene, and it looks like in this week's ep as well) yet will share none of her feelings with him. maybe it is just her being vulcan (or figuring out how to be a new kind of vulcan) but it still seems a bit cold to me. i felt very bad for trip in this ep and didn't feel like he was getting any support from anyone.

i'm also wondering what people think of phlox's comment about her just doing her job. does anyone remember if the kind of concern trip was showing has happened before (in a simular situation of someone risking alot) between people not 'involved'? i can't decide if i thought trip was being too influenced by his feelings or not.

We'll see what happens.If this is the ending of the relationship, it is then.

I´m form Germany!
This is a very good Film!

He's better not transfer, or i'm gonna... "Big wide open spaces..."

he really does some good background out of focus acting, can you feel his frustation? you better damn well feel it woman coz he's starin' at you

good picks on the preview "ARe you leaving because of me?" I say WELL DUH

Great screencaps. I can almost feel Trips pain. I am pretty disappointed in how Manny has handled this relationship. Can't T'pol find herself without being so cold and stand offish to Trip. Can't she at least grant him the courtesy of not shutting him down every time he offers his help. She must recognise that he is hurting particulary since she has seen him like this before. Is compassion not in the teachings of Surak.

All the interpersonal relationship stuff is very interesting, but what I want to know is what is going on with T'Pol's hair? She looks like a chimp.

so sad im so sad about trip leaving the ship i think it's because of t'pol more than anything els.

ps.(oi don't say that about t'pols hair its fine clunkclick).