Damage (Star Trek: Enterprise)

Even though Enterprise is severely damaged, the Xindi unexpectedly break off the attack of the previous episode. Reptilian Commander Dolim, is angered by the recall, after the other Xindi begin to doubt that Earth ship represents the same threat they previously imagined. The Primate Degra argues that the evidence of interference in Xindi culture, provided earlier by Captain Archer, must be discussed first. Dolim submits, and the Aquatics send Archer back to Enterprise in an escape pod. He arrives to find the ship in disarray, with 14 members of the crew reported killed and 3 missing (3 Enterprise crewmen could be seen jettisoned into space when the hull was breached during the battle in the previous episode). The ship needs a replacement warp coil in order to travel at warp.[1]

Although adrift, Enterprise encounters an Illyrian spacecraft, damaged by the gravimetric energy generated by the Delphic Expanse. Archer attempts to trade with the captain, but he refuses to give up their sole warp coil. Meanwhile, a partial Xindi Council (Degra; another Primate council member, and Jannar, an Arboreal) communicate with "the Guardian" - the audience's first view of the prophetic time traveler of the trans-dimensional, "Sphere-Builder" species. The Guardian admits to transporting the Reptilians into the past (as per the episode "Carpenter Street"), and encouraging Reptilian and Insectoid to remain on the Council. Upset, Degra insists on further examining Archer's evidence regarding the Guardian-Sphere Builder connection.[1]

Meanwhile, Ensign Sato discovers a message from Degra hidden aboard the Xindi escape pod, asking Enterprise to rendezvous with him in a few days at a nearby location. Unable to travel at warp, Archer is forced to attack the Illyrian vessel and steal their coil, although this will leave them unable to reach home for three years. Archer's decision is met with an emotional outburst from Sub-Commander T'Pol, but Archer justifies his actions as a necessity of war, saving billions of lives while making the Illyrian's journey more perilous. The episode reveals T'Pol hid a three-month addiction to Trellium-D, which she finally admits it to Doctor Phlox. Despite further damage, the raid is successful, and Enterprise heads for the covert rendezvous.[1]

The episode was written by Phyllis Strong, who contributed four scripts to Star Trek: Voyager, and was executive story editor for Star Trek: Enterprise from the show's inception in 2001 until September 2002, when she was promoted to co-producer. (Strong left the show at the conclusion of its third season in May 2004.)[2] This was her 13th and last script for Enterprise.

In 2013, PaperBlog.com rated "Damage" the tenth best of all Star Trek: Enterprise episodes. It praised the show's contravention of standard Star Trek character rules, noting, "...there is a certain set of expectations as to how Star Trek characters will behave in most scenarios. That's why it's so interesting when that doesn't happen." The review found Jonathan Archer's self-loathing for committing theft well-written and an important characterization.[3]

In 2014, The A.V. Club gave this an honorable mention, in their list of recommended Enterprise television episodes.[4]

In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter ranked "Damage" as the 77th best episode of all Star Trek episodes (up to that time).[5]

• Erdmann, Terry J.; Block, Paula M. (2008). Star Trek 101: A Practical Guide to Who, What, Where, and Why. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 9780743497237.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

• "Damage" at IMDb
• "Damage" at TV.com

• Damage (episode) at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

• Damage at StarTrek.com