Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Episode 8 Review: Labyrinths

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Episode 8, “Labyrinths,” whisks Captain Burnham and her crew away to a massive library in space, which houses the final clue. Of course, it’s not long before danger rears its ugly head, with the Breen hot on Burnham’s heels. 

Labyrinths

This episode builds on the U.S.S. Discovery crew’s official introduction to the Breen last week. While they start as a legitimate threat, Moll kills the Primark, solidifying herself as the one in charge by the outing’s end. It feels … too easy, especially considering how formidable the Breen seemed in “Erigah.”

That said, “Labyrinths” adds more layers to Moll. She’s not a cookie-cutter villain but a “baddie” with a moral compass. Well, a partial one, at least. This isn’t exactly the first time we’ve seen a nuanced, complex villain in science fiction; however, it makes Moll far more interesting than the alternative. 

Performances

Meanwhile, Sonequa Martin-Green and David Ajala deliver their season-best performances thus far. Book’s brief scene with Hy’Rell introducing him to the world root is so touching and viscerally felt.

We experience Book’s simultaneous pain and catharsis at being reunited with a piece of his destroyed homeworld. Ajala really goes for it here, offering up vulnerable work with which we connect. 

Martin-Green consistently churns out solid work, but Season 5 hasn’t given her too much to work with acting-wise. Thankfully, “Labyrinths” puts the actor’s impressive acting chops on display. 

Captain Michael Burnham 

While some fans will complain that it’s another “therapy” episode and that Burnham is crying again, her admitting to her insecurities is crucial. It’s challenging not to see Burnham as infallible, especially when she constantly saves the day.

However, “Labyrinths” allows Burnham to lay bare her deepest fears. She’s always terrified. We walk away from this episode relating to her more than ever. It’s a stark reminder that courage isn’t the absence of fear but acting in spite of it. 

Martin-Green injects more depth into Burnham in “Labyrinths” while getting out of the character’s way to allow for more growth. It’ll be interesting to see how our intrepid captain fares in the series’ final two episodes. 

Formulas

“Labyrinths” falls victim to Star Trek: Discovery‘s standard formula: a threat arises, attacking the ship’s shields. Burnham goes on an away mission to investigate. Burnham almost dies. The enemy descends upon her, but the Discovery beams her out and zips away before anyone gets hurt. 

This reliance on formulaic tendencies hurts more than it helps, especially in the final season. There’s a severe disconnect between us and the characters, too, with so many vanishing from view. No Saru, no Detmer, no Bryce, no Owosekun. Very little Tilly, Culber, and Stamets. While Burnham has always been the star, the ensemble should never be sacrificed for total focus on a singular character. 

Because of this, it doesn’t feel like the final season. It doesn’t feel like this show is ending in two episodes, not when it won’t let us say goodbye to its characters. “Labyrinths” is good—not great, not bad—but it could be more (at least the performances keep it afloat).

It should be more. 

Stray Observations: 

• Rhys looked good in the captain’s chair. I’d love to see him take on more of a leadership role beyond the occasional seizing of the conn when Burnham and Rayner are out. 
• You might recognize Elena Juatco, who plays Hy’Rell, as Lomax from SurrealEstate. She appeared in the most recent season. 
• The exterior of the Archive is gorgeous. 
• Did anyone else get “Silence in the Library” vibes while watching this outing? On another note, “Silence in the Library” is easily one of Doctor Who‘s strongest episodes. 
• Book really pulls off those silver robes. I get it, Burnham. I get it. 
• My guess is that Book will take the world root and utilize it, as well as the Progenitor tech, to rebuild Kwejian. 
• Rayner calling the Breen “gelatinous assholes” gives me life. I love seeing him in action when he’s not confined to the Discovery. 

What did you think of this episode of Star Trek: Discovery? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Star Trek: Discovery drops new episodes every Thursday on Paramount+. 

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