The Sphere-Builders discuss the timelines. The woman thinks the Xindi weapon will be deployed imminently, but the others point out that the number of timelines in which it deploys is diminishing. Meanwhile, the Enterprise and Degra's ship are on their way to the Xindi Council planet. T'Pol goes to sickbay, where Phlox finds no traces of trellium-D, though she's still having a bit of trouble recovering from her addiction and feels awkward around Trip.
In the command centre, Degra, Archer, and T'Pol look through the data on the Delphic Expanse spheres. T'Pol discovers that they're controlled by AI and considers searching for information by accessing the redundant memory core. They make a plan to download the information and ask Degra for more data on the spheres' exteriors.
T'Pol, Malcolm, Travis, and Hawkins form an away team, while Degra goes to look for information, but is stopped by the female Sphere-Builder, who begs him to stop. He disregards her pleas and explains to Archer that many people, including Degra's children, are idolising the Builders, and also tells him about the different members of the Xindi Council.
The away team leaves in a shuttlepod, and a fleet of Xindi ships transports the Enterprise into the security zone. Commander Dolim refuses to let them in, but gives in when Degra orders him to power down his weapons and fires at him. Archer, Degra, and Hoshi (the latter of whom is there to translate) approach the Council chamber, while Degra gives them some etiquette tips. When they get there, Dolim threatens the humans.
Archer starts off the negotiation by pointing out that the Xindi attacked Earth because of a lie. The Insectoid disagrees, saying that they never lied to the humans. Archer tells the Xindi that the Sphere Builders want to colonise the Expanse, but Dolim claims that Archer is just exploiting false data out of desperation. After Kiaphet Amman'sor tells them to stop arguing, Archer says that both groups are in danger, and the Sphere-Builders have motivation to manipulate the Xindi because they know that he wants to attack them. Dolim again objects and tries to leave, hitting Degra when he tries to stop him. Archer tries to defend Degra, but is also hit by the Insectoid. Meanwhile, the away team finds their way into the sphere and enters it.
Degra's colleague is discouraged, but Degra himself sees this as simply a tough beginning. He decides that they need to convince the notoriously meticulous Aquatics. He goes to sickbay and gets data from Phlox about the test subject from "Harbinger", noting that Aquatics respond to visual stimuli very intensely. Degra asks Trip to help him rewire the pod the test subject was in, but this makes Trip angry.
The away team, now in EV suits, reaches the core, but then a giant claw comes out of the walls. In the ready room, Degra tells Archer that the modifications are complete and Archer notes that since there are humans and Xindi working together on the future ship, they're destined to work together.
Archer returns to the Council and restates that the person was in a pod made of the same material as the Spheres, adding that he wants to prove it was a Guardian. He shows a "biometric hologram" which they built with Degra's technology, and which appears to be a Guardian. The Insectoid thinks it must have been falsified, but Archer says that humans lack the necessary technology. Jannar, Kiaphet Amman'sor, and even Dolim are convinced, but the Insectoid still isn't.
In the Sphere, T'Pol begins working on the memory core, while Malcolm and Hawkins keep watch. The claw attacks them again and grabs Hawkins. Malcolm tries to save him, but fails, and the claw device vaporises Hawkins. The survivors make a run for the shuttlepod, pursued by more claw devices.
In engineering, Trip is talking to Archer, when Degra and the Primate council member interrupt, saying that Dolim is now for postponing the launch of the weapon. Trip and Degra then get to work on the power cells, with Trip admitting that he knows Degra "went out on a limb". Later, Dolim meets Degra, complains about Council chambers, and then reveals that he found a sensor, proving that Degra destroyed the Reptillian ship, stabbing him to death and threatening to kill the humans as well.
In the mess hall, Trip tells Phlox that he has finally let go of his anger, which feels strange. The Primate councilor contacts Archer, telling him that Degra was killed, the Reptillians have called an emergency session, and the ship is in danger. Archer calls a tactical alert.
While the away team makes repairs, Malcolm complains about the number of crew members who have died, and says he's sick of feeling fine with it. T'Pol brings out the "needs of the many" saying, but Malcolm is not consoled.
Dolim admits to killing Degra, angering the Council because he acted alone. Dolim and the Insectoids reveal that they plan to use the weapon and that the others can either join or be against them. The Primate councilor points out that they only have two of the three codes needed to arm it, but Dolim states that he knows that already. The Enterprise detects the weapon being launched, starting a fight between the Enterprise, the Arboreals, plus the Primates, and the Insectoids, but the weapon ends up launching and entering a subspace vortex. Then, the Reptillians transport Hoshi onto their ship and leave.
Tropes in this episode include:
- Alien Abduction: Hoshi ends up being kidnapped by Xindi Reptillians.
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: Archer recalls how he crushed on a girl in school that wasn't interested in him, until he got sent to detention for trying to pass her a note. Hoshi lampshades this.
- And Your Little Dog, Too!: After stabbing Degra, Dolim promises that once Earth is destroyed and the Xindi Council has been replaced by a Reptilian despot, he'll find Degra's family and kill them with the same knife.
- Back for the Dead: Remember Hawkins? Well, don't get used to him.
- Berserk Button: As part of his case, Archer presents a holographic recreation of the dead Sphere-Builder based on the scans Phlox took. Most Xindi simply stare in shock over seeing one of their supposed gods like this, but the Insectoids consider it a blasphemous illusion and demand Archer and Hoshi be kicked out for it.
- Bilingual Dialogue: Averted. Hoshi spends the episode translating the Aquatics and Insectoids during the Council meetings.
- Broken Pedestal: Degra makes it clear that he's had enough with the Sphere-Builders, who the Xindi practically worship as "Guardians."Sphere-Builder: What have we done to lose your faith?
Degra: You never deserved my faith. - Call-Back: Archer mentions facing a Klingon tribunal while assuring Degra that he can handle the Council.
- Cliffhanger: The Reptilians and Insectoids escape with the weapon, but not before abducting Hoshi.
- Cynic–Idealist Duo: Mallora and Jannar have a bit of this going on. Mallora thinks the council is cracking up (especially based on how Archer's first attempt to talk went), but Jannar is more optimistic on better natures prevailing. An incredulous Mallora responds with, "We were all in the same room!"
- Deadpan Snarker: Dolim asks Archer if he's manufactured more data when he's preparing to show the council a holographic model of the sphere builder they rescued earlier.
- Despair Event Horizon: Reed crosses it after Hawkins is killed, forcing T'Pol to try to talk to him."Maybe we're getting a bit too comfortable with losing people. 23 men and women. On any given mission, the limits of acceptable casualties is 20%. So says traditional military doctrine. Well, we've crossed that margin."
- Did You Actually Believe...?: After the Reptilians and Insectoids announce they've taken control of the weapon, Mallora reminds them that they only have two launch codes, needing another to arm it. Dolim asks if they really believe they haven't already considered that.
- Downer Ending: The episode ends with the weapon being launched, Degra murdered, and Hoshi kidnapped by the Reptilians.
- Dramatic Irony: When Archer likens his upcoming appearance before the council to when he faced a Klingon tribunal, Degra says Klingons weren't seeking to destroy Earth. In about a century, a number of Klingons would've certainly loved to try.
- Foreshadowing: A mook reports to Dolim that they've found the debris of a missing Reptilian ship and are investigating what happened. Dolim cites it as the reason why he murdered Degra.
- God Guise: According to Degra, what Archer and company know as the Sphere-Builders are known as "the Guardians" to all Xindi. After Xindus was destroyed in the civil war, Sphere-Builders appeared to survivors to guide them to habitable planets, life-saving resources, and the like. After all these years, they're revered and thus not something the council will casually dismiss.
- Ham-to-Ham Combat: Degra and Dolim get into quite the shouting match during the meeting, to the point that the Aquatics have to tell them both to shut up.
- Hyperspeed Escape: The Reptilians and Insectoids escape with the weapon.
- Hypocrite: Dolim murders Degra for being a traitor, but later takes control of the weapon with the Insectoids. Mallora is quick to point out his hypocrisy.
- I Did What I Had to Do: Archer opens his argument by admitting that he's not comfortable standing in front of the ones who had seven million people killed. Jannar replies that they did what they felt was necessary at the time.
- Implausible Deniability: Degra denies firing on the Reptilian warship two episode ago, but Dolim found an image of Degra's ship doing just that.
- Manipulative Bitch: The Sphere Builders tell the Xindi-Reptilians exactly what they want to hear, that they'll be the leaders of a powerful Xindi empire if they destroy humanity.
- The Needs of the Many: T'Pol quotes that Vulcan axiom after Hawkins' death, saying that he understood the risks he took to save others.Malcolm: That doesn't make his death any more acceptable.
T'Pol: No...but it makes it honorable. - No Name Given: We finally learn the names of Jannar, Dolim, and Kiaphet Amman'sor (the Aquatic councilor), but still not the other Xindi-Primate. The novelization of "The Expanse" named him Mallora.
- Nothing Is Scarier: Degra says the "Guardians" convinced the council to build a weapon by presenting a supposed recording showing humans destroying their future home world. It was powerful enough to sway the normally obstructive Aquatics to agree to the plan.
- Obstructive Bureaucrat: Degra describes the Aquatics as such, saying they go over every possible detail before making a decision.
- Offing the Offspring: Degra tells Archer a rumor about Dolim: he poisoned his grandson for having a deformity that kept him from joining the military. Archer admits that, given everything he knows about Dolim, the rumor isn't hard to believe.
- Oh, Crap!: The look on Archer's face when Hoshi gives a simple report:"Bridge to Captain Archer. Five Insectoid ships are descending towards the surface."
- Overly Long Name: According to Degra, Insectoid names get longer as they get older.
- Passing Notes in Class: Archer tells Hoshi about being caught doing this back in school.
- Playing Sick: Downplayed. T'Pol pretends she has a headache to get out of talking to Trip in sickbay.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Mallora is still not entirely convinced by Archer, but he does his utmost to ensure he gets to say what he came to say and that the meetings stay on track. He is also sure to warn Archer that Degra is dead and the Reptilians are likely planning something. Jannar and Kiaphet Amman'sor are also nominally on Archer's side.
- Red Shirt: Hawkins ends up falling victim to the machine Malcolm and co. have to contend with, driving Malcolm into a Heroic BSoD in the process.
- Sacrificial Lion: Degra, who had received a good deal of character development by this point and pulled a Heel–Face Turn, winds up murdered in cold blood by Dolim.
- Say My Name: "HOSHI!"
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: Dolim and his aide walk out of the first meeting, seeing Archer's argument as an affront to the defense of the Xindi.
- Talk to the Fist: Dolim motions for this as a counter to Degra's arguments during the first meeting.
- Tempting Fate: Upon reaching the sphere's memory core, Malcolm says that it's "practically gift wrapped." That's when the security system activates.
- This Is Gonna Suck: When Archer learns that Degra is dead and orders a tactical alert.
- Too Much Information: Trip is surprised to learn that Phlox has a tapeworm in his gut to help him lose weight, and really doesn't want to know how he's planning on extract it when he's done.
- Tragic Keepsake: The Xindi council's headquarters is in a structure built by their Avian brethren. An Avian skull is kept in one of the chambers as a reminder of what the civil war cost them and of their original goal to find a new home world.
- Villains Out Shopping: We see Dolim reclining in his personal thermal chamber.
- With Us or Against Us: Dolim delivers this ultimatum to the council when he announces that the Reptilians and Insectoids have taken control of the weapon. The others refuse to be intimidated.
- Would Hurt a Child: According to Degra, it's rumored that Dolim had his grandson murdered because of a deformity would've kept him from military service. No one's quite sure if it's actually true, but they don't doubt it. Dolim later outright threatens to personally murder Degra's children.
- You Do Not Want To Know: Stated verbatim by Hoshi after she translates what the Insectoid councilor said to Archer after knocking him to the floor.
