The Expanse (Star Trek: Enterprise episode)

"The Expanse" is the fifty-second episode of Star Trek: Enterprise, the twenty-sixth episode of the second season. This episode was the second season finale and marked a change of direction for the series.^[1] This featured an attack on the Star Trek version of Earth and introduced a new alien foe, the Xindi.^[2]

It launched the season-long Xindi story arc, a season-spanning story arc that would encompass all of Season Three and the first three episodes of Season Four. The next episode, the bridge to Season 3 is "The Xindi" which continues this story, and again S3E2, "Anomaly" takes us deeper into this storyline.

The classic TNG-era "turtle head" Klingons are also featured in this episode with an older retro Bird of Prey design. Enterprise was also upgraded in space dock, including "photonic" torpedoes and more shielding.

Plot

In April 2153, Enterprise is recalled to Earth by Admiral Forrest, after an unknown alien probe attacks Earth, cutting a destructive swath through Florida and killing millions. On the way back, however, Captain Archer is kidnapped by the Suliban. He is angry with the Suliban leader, Silik, thinking the Cabal are responsible for the Earth attack, but Silik professes ignorance. The Cabal's sponsor, a vague and shadowy holographic human, gives Archer information about Temporal Cold War and the Xindi, the race that attacked Earth.

Enterprise is again ambushed and heavily damaged, just outside the Earth's solar system, by a Klingon Bird of Prey commanded by Captain Duras at the behest of the Klingon High Council. Fortunately, three other Starfleet vessels soon arrive, forcing it to retreat. The crew then learn that more than 7 million people have been killed, one of them being Commander Tucker's younger sister, Elizabeth. Archer relates his encounters to Starfleet and the Vulcan High Command, and it is clear that the Xindi of the present are pre-empting the destruction of their home-world in the future. Ambassador Soval is dubious of Archer's temporal war argument, and tries to dissuade him from venturing into this dangerous section of space.

Archer, acting on advice from the shadowy informant, then scans the crashed probe, revealing a component with an unmistakable date stamp of minus 420 years, placing the date of construction in 2573. Archer then negotiates to enter an area known as the Delphic Expanse to try and correct the time-line. In time, Starfleet accepts, and begins refitting the Enterprise with improved weapons, shields, and a detachment of MACOs (Military Assault Command Operations soldiers). As Enterprise begins its journey toward the Expanse, they are again attacked by Duras. His ship is destroyed, and Enterprise continues into the unknown.

Novelization

A novelized adaptation of the episode by J.M. Dillard was published as The Expanse by Pocket Books in trade paperback format in October 2003. The novel also adapted the following episode, "The Xindi". These two episodes stand as the final televised Star Trek episodes to be novelized to date.

Awards

This episode was nominated for the 2003 Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Series.

References

See also

• The Expanse (TV series)

External links

• The Expanse on IMDb
• "The Expanse" at TV.com

• The Expanse at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

• The Expanse at StarTrek.com