Shadows of P'Jem (ENT episode)

"Shadows of P'Jem" is the 16^th episode (production #115) of television series Star Trek: Enterprise.

Synopsis

Captain Archer and subcommander T'Pol are kidnapped while en route to a planet in the Coridan system, which results in a confrontation between Vulcan and Andorian forces.

Plot

After the discovery that P'Jem, a Vulcan monastary, in "The Andorian Incident" was being used as a cover for Vulcan spy activity on Andorians, the Andorians destroyed the monastary. In response, the Vulcan High Command calls for an end of joint fleet operations and orders T'Pol to leave Enterprise.

Examining the Vulcan database, Archer finds a system nearby: Coridan. One planet in the system is home of 3 billion humanoids and a large shipyard. Chancellor Kalev of Coridan invites Archer to the capital city. Archer invites T'Pol to accompany him. Realising that this might be her final taste of exploration for a long time, T'Pol accepts, admitting to Archer en route that she does not want to leave the ship.

As their shuttlepod approaches the capital city, Archer and T'Pol are kidnapped by the Downtron who are at war with Chancellor Kalev's people. The kidnappers make a ransom demand to Enterprise: 40 phase weapons for the safe return of "the captain", who they incorrectly identify as T'Pol, and her "steward" (Archer). The Vulcans' "logical response" to the situation is to take swift action against the kidnappers to deter future incidents.

Commander "Trip" Tucker and Lieutenant Reed take a shuttlepod to the surface to find their colleagues. They find the captain's abandoned shuttle, but they are kidnapped by an Andorians party led by Commander Shran as they approach the vessel. It turns out that the Andorians did it to prevent them from reaching the shuttle, which was boobytrapped to explode. Shran owes Archer a debt for helping to uncover the Vulcan outpost at P'Jem, and this fact has been keeping him awake at night – he hates owing debts – so therefore Shran commits himself to rescuing Archer in repayment of this debt.

Trip and Malcolm join a pair of Andorians to rescue the captain. An Andorian operative, posing as a guard to Archer's cell, slips Archer a communicator, which is used to inform them of the rescue attempt. After they enter the enemy compound, the Vulcans show up by destroying a hole in the perimeter wall. A short firefight later, the rival Vulcan and Andorian groups are face-to-face.

While they are arguing about treaty violations, one of the Downtrons takes aim at the Vulcan captain. T'Pol leaps in the way of the plasma bullet and takes the hit to the lower back (roughly in the location of her heart).

Having taken T'Pol back to Enterprise for treatment, Archer talks the Vulcan captain into discussing T'Pol's transfer order with the High Command, and the order is rescinded.

Notes

• The events of this episode (coupled that of with "The Andorian Incident") would have long-ranging implications for T'Pol and for her family (as revealed in the fourth season episode, "Home".)
• During their imprisonment, Archer orders T'Pol to eat food with her hands, making her break a Vulcan taboo. T'Pol would willingly use her hands to eat in several later episodes.
• Despite being generally considered one of the first season's best episodes, "Shadows of P'Jem" sparked controversy at the time of broadcast over a tongue-in-cheek scene in which T'Pol and Archer, tied back-to-back, try awkwardly to get themselves free, their efforts ultimately resulting in Archer momentarily being smothered by the Vulcan's ample chest.

Quotes

• Trip: "I'm gettin' real sick of bein' cut off"

Crew

• Director:
  • Mike Vejar
• Producer:
  • Dawn Velazquez
  • J.P. Farrell
• Teleplay:
  • Mike Sussman
  • Phyllis Strong
• Story:
  • Rick Berman
  • Brannon Braga

Guest cast

• Vaughn Armstrong as Admiral Forest
• Jeffrey Combs as Shran
• Steven Dennis as Tholos
• Gary Graham as Ambassador Soval
• Gregory Itzin as Captain Sopek
• Jeff Kober as Traeg
• Barbara J. Tarbuck as Chancellor Kalev

External links

• Shadows of P'Jem article at Memory Alpha, a Star Trek wiki