The Vulcan Hello (Star Trek: Discovery, S1 E1) was recommended by Advik Goel (he/him) - Add-vic Go-El, who said: This episode was actually my entry point into the Star Trek franchise, outside of the first of the Kelvin-verse movies, so it holds a place in my heart even if DIS as a whole doesn't relative to other series anymore.

Beyond that, I think the debate over the Vulcan Hello and its merits has always fascinated me. The show lays it out as a debate between the Federation's principles of not being the people to fire the first shot in a potential conflict, and a signal which will ensure the Klingons' respect and prevent a war.

I think there is something delightfully contradictory about Vulcan and Klingon cultural norms and signals being seen as oppositional to the Federation's doctrine, despite the Vulcan's being core members of the Federation.

While Burnham's mutiny is clearly the wrong way to win an argument, I have to question why the characters meant to represent a more typical Federation viewpoint, like Georgiou, are unfamiliar or unwilling to entertain the merits of something like a Vulcan Hello. At least based on what the show reveals, T'Kumva would have been badly undermined if a Vulcan Hello was delivered rather than the perceived disrespect of diplomatic entreaty.

The Vulcan Hello first aired on September 24, 2017, written by story by Bryan Fuller & Alex Kurtzman, teleplay by Akiva Goldsman & Bryan Fuller, and directed by David Semel

While patrolling Federation space, the U.S.S. Shenzhou encounters an object of unknown origin, putting First Officer Michael Burnham to her greatest test yet.

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"Peace and Long Life" by Ruchira, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/26995765

"Twenty-four years after the founding of the Federation, a meeting between old friends."

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Whispers (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9), S2 E14) was recommended by He/Him, who said: Hello! Tis I, Nerdimus Prime! (Or is it The Derp Prime, we don't know yet, but we will figure it out one day... HUSH YOU, I AM TALKING RIGHT NOW!)

In Whispers we se Chief Brien'O once again. And a hint as to why I(we) called him the most Competent in Star Trek.

Here we see his investigative abilities. His skill. But remember, he keeps a station with Three Species variations of technology working properly. No Star Fleet Tech Shenanigans!

And his troubleshooting skills are exemplified here. He notices a problem, he solves it. As much as the Duplicate is not our Brien'O, he is.

Chief O'Brien is simply put, the greatest Engineer in the series. To. Date.

Whispers first aired on February 6, 1994, written by Paul Robert Coyle, and directed by Les Landau

While preparing the station for upcoming peace talks, O'Brien discovers that the crew have been hiding information from him and giving orders behind his back. O'Brien begins to suspect everyone on the station is gradually being altered or replaced by an unknown force.

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"Crow" by Arctapus [archived by Warp5Complex_Archivist], can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/8063995

"Archer and Reed muse about the Vulcans."

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Breaking the Ice (Star Trek: Enterprise, S1 E8) was recommended by nazzy, she/her, who said: This one is having fun with the show's premise - that these are the first humans to do genuine deep space exploration - as well as a great T'Pol subplot that hints at the fantastic odd-ball chemistry that would develop between her and Trip.

Breaking the Ice first aired on November 7, 2001, written by Andre Jacquemetton & Maria Jacquemetton, and directed by Terry Windell

Lieutenant Reed and Ensign Mayweather extract a rare chemical on a comet while Sub-Commander T'Pol considers marriage to Koss.

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"Course Correction" by Ruchira, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/26989174

"Different ending to "Course: Oblivion," VOY 5x18, if the Silver Blood Voyager had been able to launch their probe prior to disintegrating."

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The Savage Curtain (Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS), S3 E22) was recommended by Kaleb, he/him, who said: So, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the deathmatch?

This is always a good episode to sit down with a friend and just take the absolute piss out of; it's an episode that has a strangely high amount of warp cores given how much I like it.

The awful Lincoln makeup, mischaracterizing my favorite historical war criminal, and the comment to Uhura (which I know was trying to Make A Point, but kinda just makes me go “oh god Uhura, darling, if you wanna start punching I'm behind you all the way”).

Relatedly, though, I actually really like how Lincoln is characterized- it might just be because I'm from the same area, but I've always had a soft spot for the guy. In this episode, he has both admirable qualities and also prompts my above warp core, as would most guys from the 1800s.

I think the aliens are really cool looking, kinda like the Horta where their biology is so different from humans, especially given that they're filling the “advanced culture fucking with us for philosophical reasons” role usually given to disembodied beings or some beautiful twink.

It's ridiculous and stupid and I love it so much.

The Savage Curtain first aired on March 7, 1969, written by story by Gene Roddenberry, teleplay by Gene Roddenberry and Arthur Heinemann, and directed by Herschel Daugherty

Aliens force Kirk and Spock to battle illusionary villains in a test of good versus evil.[2]

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"The Good, The Bad, And The Lovely" by tinynerdlet, can be found at https://archiveofourown.org/works/8034478

"Deanna Troi, Worf, and Alexander ended up trapped on the holodeck in a program based around the Ancient West. All of the villains take on Data's appearance, though none of them seem to act like Data. During the final shoot out, another familiar face appears. This one says more about Data than any of the others do, and it raises questions that Deanna really wants answered."

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