‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Showrunner Teases ‘Major Flashpoint’ in Midseason Finale

Kim Taylor-Foster
TV Streaming
TV Streaming Star Trek

This article contains possible SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery.

Showrunner Aaron Harberts has opened up about the upcoming midseason finale of Star Trek: Discovery. Harberts was talking at a special event in London, which previewed Episode 8 to fans and followed up with a Q&A with the cast. He said that Episode 9, titled “Into the Forest I Go”, will involve “a collision of characters and a collision of storylines.”

Harberts added, “The war is coming to a major flashpoint. Stuff’s going to happen, and things are going to twist and turn, and I don’t think anybody will see what happens at the end.”

He also teased that loyal viewers will enjoy a big pay off.

“For everybody that’s been watching the show, I feel like Episode 9 is the reward for watching all of those [previous] eight [episodes],” he said. “Because lots of storylines get laced through, and criss-cross, and if you’ve been enjoying the serialization of it I think you will also just find this to be pretty exciting stuff. The performances are beyond.”

He also declared “Into the Forest I Go” one of his favourite episodes ever.

Will Ash Betray Lorca?

During the Q&A, the show’s cast deflected a question from an audience member about one of the most compelling fan theories surrounding the series. Fans are speculating that character Ash Tyler, played by Shazad Latif, is actually albino Klingon Voq in disguise. Voq is the Torchbearer appointed by Klingon messiah T’Kuvma before his death early on in the season.

The theory goes that in an elaborate plan, Voq has finagled his way onto the USS Discovery as a spy and is working with L’Rell — the female Klingon who had supposedly taken a liking to Ash while he was being held aboard the Klingon prison ship. The same ship on which Ash met and gained the trust of Jason Isaacs’ Captain Lorca.

In answer to the question of whether Ash is Voq, Latif said, “That’s the power of Star Trek fandom, how they’re such good detectives. Everyone has got all these crazy theories online. Some of them are right, some of them are way off.”

Isaacs then jumped in: “There was one the other day that said I’m a Klingon.”

Sonequa Martin-Green, who plays Michael Burnham in the series, added: “That signifies engagement so we appreciate it. Some are way off.”

Make of that what you will. In the meantime, here’s a round-up of thoughts from the internet on the topic:

The midseason finale airs November 12 in the US and November 13 in the UK.

Kim Taylor-Foster
Kim Taylor-Foster is Entertainment Editor for Fandom in the UK. She was raised on an unsteady diet of video nasties and violent action flicks.