Proving Ground (Star Trek: Enterprise)

Enterprise, despite losing most of its map data, continues to traverse a series of spatial anomalies in the Delphic Expanse. When heavily damaged by a particularly dangerous vortex, Enterprise is suddenly pulled clear by an Andorian ship. The ship's leader, Shran, claims he is only interested in helping Enterprise in its mission to subvert the Xindi's weapon, in the interest of forming a closer alliance with humanity.

With the Andorian's true motives unknown, Captain Archer agrees to allow them to work together to repair their ship and to scan the test-site of the Xindi weapon. When the test-device overloads, Shran permits Archer to command his crew in the coming battle. With Enterprise distracting the Xindi, the Andorian vessel grabs the weapon and stores it aboard. With the prize secured, it is revealed that the Andorians actually have no interest in helping the humans, but are rather self-serving: they merely want to acquire the weapon to give them an advantage in their border conflict with the Vulcans. Archer is then escorted to an escape-pod.

Soon back aboard Enterprise, he threatens to detonate the weapon unless the Andorians surrender it. This ultimatum is resisted by Shran, but when Archer activates the detonation sequence, he reluctantly ejects it. The weapon explodes, damaging the Andorian ship but leaving Enterprise unscathed. As Enterprise resumes its mission, they intercept a hidden transmission, containing highly detailed scans of the prototype. Realizing Shran did indeed help them, since "whoever sent it obviously didn't want it to be noticed," Archer laughs and orders it transmitted to Starfleet.

Three scenes expand on the character of Shran. Two of these are small and depict his communications with his superior in the Imperial Guard. In one he defends Archer, and in another shows his displeasure at the coming deception with "The Weapon". In a third scene, as Enterprise is being repaired with Andorian assistance, the two captains are in Archer's quarters, with Shran again enjoying his opportunity to mock and insult his "pink skin" friend while sharing a new bottle of Archer's beloved Andorian Ale. Here Shran reveals that he volunteered for this mission (to seek out Enterprise and co-opt her mission for Andorian ends). And as is always the case with Shran (and Combs performance of him) there is the subtle hint that Shran has his own goals for the mission with the pink skins, goals which are apparently partially fulfilled by the transmission containing the weapon's technical plans.

Expanding the general theme of deceitful cooperation between Humans and the Andorians, Lieutenant Reed receives assistance from the Andorian Lieutenant Talas while repairing Enterprise's weapons. At first (again) combative and suspicious, the two eventually mollify their mutual distaste and work together to improve the various weapon systems. The notoriously romantically challenged Reed finds himself oddly attracted to his Andorian counterpart who, like himself, has multiple generations of family members holding significant military rank. Talas observes that "My mother's security clearance is higher than mine."[2] This attraction does not stop either party from sabotaging the plans of the other however. Providing an Andorian/Human mirror, both Reed and Talas gain a net (but not total) benefit from the interaction.

The Andorian episodes are noted as an important vehicle for the character Shran, who is noted as one of significant characters of the series.[3] The performance by Jeffery Combs who plays the character on the show was also praised.[4]

Critic Darren Mooney begrudgingly concludes that Proving Ground is "not a bad episode. In fact, it is quite a good one." In a wide ranging review, touching on multiple episodes, he notes that "Proving Ground contributes more to the arc than anything like Carpenter Street or Chosen Realm, featuring the testing of the Xindi weapon. It also features the Andorians, suggesting that Star Trek: Enterprise has not completely divorced itself from its original place in the Star Trek canon."[5]

Combs had previously made guest appearances in both Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager but as Shran on Enterprise producer Manny Coto once mentioned in an interview that he hoped to make Combs a regular on the show, had the series been renewed for a fifth season.[6][7]

• Journey to Babel (Andorians introduced to Star Trek, airdate November 17, 1967)
• The Andorian Incident (first ENT episode with Andorians in season 1, introduces Shran)
• ENT season 4 trilogy story with Andorians:
  • Babel One (S4E12, part one, airdate- January 28, 2005)
  • United (S4E13, part two, airdate- February 4, 2005)
  • The Aenar (S4E14, part three, airdate- February 11, 2005)

• "Proving Ground" at IMDb
• "Proving Ground" at TV.com
• Proving Ground at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Proving Ground at StarTrek.com