History Recap / StarTrekDiscoveryS1E06Lethe

* AggressiveNegotiations: Hardly surprising that's what the negotiations with the Klingon "splinter group" turn out to be.

* BotheringByTheBook: Lorca plays by the rules and requests orders when Cornwell is captured instead of charging off to her rescue because that prevents her from removing him from command.

** Burnham specifically mentions the ''Constitution''-class USS ''Enterprise'', indicating it and others of its class are a highly desired posting for those looking to advance in rank.

** Sarek's inability to be the father Michael needed due to stubbornness is the same problem he had with Spock.

* DramaticIrony: Lorca's choice not to mount an immediate rescue operation for Admiral Cornwell and instead wait for instructions from Starfleet is exactly the kind of sensible, level-headed command decision that Cornwell expected of him in order to deserve to keep his command. In other words, any chance of Cornwell being rescued now depends on Lorca being the loose cannon whom she promised to strip of his command, ''because'' of his loose cannon behavior.

** Also played with. When Tilly orders a vegetable smoothie for breakfast after their workout, Burnham insists on her getting a breakfast burrito. She justifies it by saying Tilly needs the additional protein to make the most of her workout, but there is the clear implication of it being a reward for working hard.

* ExactWords: When Burnham asks Sarek if he remembers what happened during the mind-meld, he attempts to brush it off by noting that he was unconscious. She doesn't buy it for a moment. When she then tells him that if they'd talked about it they'd have grown closer as a family, he tries to get out of it again by noting that technically they aren't related to avoid admitting he screwed up. She doesn't buy this one, either, pointedly calling him "father" while promising to discuss it one day.

** There's a group of Vulcan "logic extremists" who use terrorist tactics due to their belief that humans are inferior and Vulcans should have nothing to do with them. Sarek's aide is one of them.
** The Vulcan Expeditionary Group would only accept either the human Burnham or half-human Spock (once he graduated the Vulcan Science Academy), because one-and-a-half humans would be unacceptable even though both were eminently qualified. The director of the VSA even refers to both Spock and Burnham as "experiments" and "not-quite-Vulcans".

* LifesavingMisfortune: Yet to be determined whether it shall be a life-or-death matter, but the sabotage does save Sarek from Klingon captivity.

* MyGreatestFailure: Sarek was forced to choose between Spock and Michael getting into the Vulcan Expeditionary Group. Instead of fighting for both he chose Spock, which turned out to be a waste as Spock later made the decision to go into Starfleet instead of attending the Academy, a prerequisite for joining the VEG. Sarek never told Burnham the truth, allowing her to believe that she hadn't been good enough.

** By attempting to kill Sarek, the Vulcan extremists unintentionally ensured he wasn't in position to be captured by the Klingons.
** By capturing Cornwell, the Klingons have made sure Lorca will retain his post, at least for now.

** Saru is taken aback when Lorca decides to seek Starfleet's opinion when Cornwell is captured, rather than simply rescuing her without delay. Lorca justifies this by noting her capture could be another potential trap and ''Discovery'' is too important to sacrifice, which placates Saru. (Of course, in reality Lorca doesn't want Cornwell and her psychiatric evaluation of him to get back to Starfleet, lest he lose the ''Discovery''...)

* TheReveal: The Vulcan learning center bombing that nearly caused Burnham's death as a child was caused by Vulcan extremists trying specifically to kill her -- and they ''succeeded''. Fortunately, she was OnlyMostlyDead when Sarek brought her back.

** Lorca decides to rescue Sarek in spite of the Vulcans' reluctance because it's important to Burnham, who he cares far more about.

* ScrewYouElves: When Lorca is told about Sarek's disappearance when he checks on his status and that the Vulcans don't want Starfleet to get involved, Lorca not only blows off their concerns and says he's going anyway, he hangs up on the Vulcan Starfleet admiral who tells him to stand down.
* ShellShockedVeteran: Lorca reveals himself to be one when he [[WakeUpFighting wakes up suddenly after having sex with Cornwell, chokes her and sticks a phaser in her face]]. Aside from keeping a phaser in his bed, he also secretly carries one in the back of his pants.

* SpottingTheThread: When Burnham explains the memory she keeps barging into when trying to get through to Sarek, thinking he was disappointed by her failure, Tyler realizes that Sarek wouldn't reminisce about the event unless it meant something more to him. This allows Burnham to get through to Sarek.

* ThisIsGonnaSuck: Sarek's reaction when he sees that his pilot is a suicide bomber. (His Vulcan emotional restraint keeps him from going all-out "OhCrap")
* UriahGambit: After Sarek is left unable to complete his diplomatic mission, Lorca suggests Vice-Admiral Cornwell take his place, knowing she'll value a chance at peace. He seems to have anticipated the Klingons wouldn't honor their word, and is in no hurry to rescue her once she's captured. This keeps her from returning to Starfleet and removing him from command.

* WorfHadTheFlu: Sarek's inability to fight off Burnham in the mind meld is indicated to be a side-effect of his deteriorating condition; he banishes her the first time and holds her off before Tilly revives her the second time, but by the third he's visibly flagging.

** {{Subverted}}, however, as V'Latak knows exactly where Sarek is going and what he's doing, and will blow himself up to keep Sarek from succeeding.

* SavedByCanon: It'll be a while yet[[note]]112 years, to be exact[[/note]] before Sarek dies, so his rescue here is guaranteed.

* CallBack: Sarek involuntarily uses the interstellar mind meld that he used in the pilot to contact Burnham.

--> '''Lorca:''' Clearly, your trip down the mycelium path has lightened your mood, Lieutenant.\\

* TheReveal: The Vulcan learning center bombing that nearly caused Burnham's death as a child was caused by Vulcan extremists trying specifically to kill her.

** The Vulcan Expeditionary Group would only accept either the human Burnham or half-human Spock (once he graduated the Vulcan Science Academy), because one-and-a-half humans would be unacceptable even though both were eminently qualified. The director of the VSA even refers to both Spock and Burnham as "not-quite-Vulcans".

* BodyCountCompetition: After their VirtualTrainingSimulation, Lorca has 24 kills and asks Tyler for his score. Tyler says 22, but Lorca checks his rifle and reads 36. Tyler tries to brush it off, but Lorca insists that he needs to be proud of excellence. He also expects his Chief of Security to shoot better than him.

* BodyCountCompetition: After their training simulation, Lorca has 24 kills and asks Tyler for his score. Tyler says 22, but Lorca checks his rifle and reads 36. Tyler tries to brush it off, but Lorca insists that he needs to be proud of excellence. He also expects his Chief of Security to shoot better than him.

* LuredIntoATrap: The negotiations with the Klingons were a ruse by Kol to capture a high-ranking Vulcan. A Starfleet Admiral is a decent consolation prize when Sarek is waylaid. Lorca may have expected this outcome when sending Cornwell, given how calmly he takes the news of her capture.

* SpaceClouds: Sarek's shuttle is knocked out of warp in the middle of a highly radioactive nebula. The radiation scatters sensors and its size makes probes impractical for a search. ''Discovery'' can't fly in to get him because it would react explosively with their spore drive. Burnham has to fly in with a shuttle so she can get Sarek to activate his locator beacon.

* {{Ambadassador}}: In the mind meld, Sarek proves to be nearly the equal of Burnham in hand-to-hand combat, despite being near-death.

** The Vulcan Expeditionary Group would only accept either the human Burnham or half-human Spock (once he graduated the Vulcan Science Academy), because one-and-a-half humans would be unacceptable even though both were eminently qualified.

* ScrewYouElves: When Lorca is told about Sarek's disappearance when he checks on his status and that the Vulcans don't want Starfleet to get involved, Lorca not only blows off their concerns and says he's going anyway, he hangs up on the Vulcan Starfleet admiral who tells him.

Lorca offers Tyler the position of security chief on ''Discovery'' and faces questions on his fitness to command by Admiral Cornwell. Sarek is nearly killed while on a secret mission and Burnham must find him before he dies.

!!Tropes:
* ActionBomb: Sarek's aide blows himself up in an attempt to kill Sarek and sabotage his mission. He fails in the former, but succeeds in the latter.

** Burnham specifically mentions the Constitution class USS ''Enterprise'', indicating it and others of its class are a highly desired posting for captains.
** Spock, his half-human heritage, and decision to refuse Sarek's wishes and joining Starfleet instead of the Vulcan Science Academy is referenced.

* DramaticIrony: Lorca's choice not to mount an immediate rescue operation for Admiral Cornwell and instead wait for instructions from Starfleet is exactly the kind of sensible, level-headed command decision that Cornwell expected of him in order to deserve to keep his command. In other words, any chance of Cornwell being rescued now depends on Lorca being the loose cannon who she promised to strip of his command, ''because'' of his loose cannon behavior.

** Also played with. When Tilly orders a vegetable smoothie for breakfast after their workout, Burnham insists on her getting a breakfast burrito. She justifies it as saying Tilly needs the additional protein to make the most of her workout, but there is the clear implication of it being a reward for working hard.

* ExactWords: When Burnham asks Sarek if he remembers what happened during the mind-meld, he attempts to brush it off by noting that he was unconscious. She doesn't buy it for a moment. When she then tells him that if they'd talked about it they'd have grown closer as a family, he tries to get out of it again by noting that technically they weren't related to avoid admitting he screwed up. She doesn't buy this one, either, pointedly calling him "father" while promising to discuss it one day.

** There's a group of Vulcan "logic extremists" who use terrorist tactics due to their belief humans are inferior and Vulcans should have nothing to do with them. Sarek's aide was one of them.

* FascinatingEyebrow: Burnham gives one to Stamets during his one scene

* JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind: Burnham has to enter Sarek's mind through a remote mind-meld in order to wake him up and send out a distress signal from his damaged ship.
* LifeSavingMisfortune: Yet to be determined whether it shall be a life or death matter, but the sabotage did save Sarek from Klingon captivity.
* LuredIntoATrap: The negotiations with the Klingons were a ruse by Kol to capture a high-ranking Vulcan. A Starfleet Admiral is a decent consolation prize when Sarek is waylaid. Lorca seems to have expected this outcome when sending Cornwell.

* PillowPistol: Lorca hides a phaser under his pillow. Cornwell understandably treats it as a sign of mental instability, combined with the choking.

-->'''Stamets''': Groovy.

* UriahGambit: After Sarek is left unable to complete his diplomatic mission, Lorca suggests Vide-Admiral Cornwell take his place, knowing she'll value a chance at peace. He seems to have anticipated the Klingons wouldn't honor their word, and is in no hurry to rescue her once she's captured. This keeps her from returning to Starfleet and removing him from command.