"The Sound of Thunder" Primer

Episode six of Star Trek: Discovery's second season, “The Sound of Thunder,” will stream tonight. We at StarTrek.com are here to get you prepped for it with four highlights from "Saints of Imperfection” and a preview of “The Sound of Thunder.”

Burnham Wants to Have Faith

Burnham mourns the apparent death of her friend and shipmate, Tilly. “I want to have faith,” she says in a voiceover, “but in its absence only duty remains.” Perhaps Michael should lean more -- and more often --  into faith. Stamets believes Tilly is alive within the mycelial network and endeavors to get in so they can get her out. It turns out he’s correct. Inside the network, a bewildered Tilly contends with May, who needs her help. A “monster” in the network threatens to kill everything and all her species, the JahSepp. Tilly – offering a pinky swear that prompts May to ask “What are you doing with your tiny finger? – promises to help.

Does Georgiou Look Retired?

Burnham’s duty at hand involves finding Spock, and everyone is surprised when someone on Spock’s shuttle wants no part of Discovery. Turns out it’s… Captain Georgiou. She’s greeted by crewmen aiming phasers at her, with Burnham the last to lower her weapon, an action Captain Pike registers. Pike surmises that Georgiou is on a classified mission, and she is: tracking down Spock, the escaped accused murderer. As she acerbically notes, “The innocent don’t run.” There are tense moments all around as Pike and Burnham interact with Section 31 in the persons of Georgiou, Ash Tyler and Leland. We’re also treated to one of the episode’s best exchanges: “I’m sure you’re ready to go back to your snake pit,” Burnham taunts at Georgiou, prompting the Empress to parry with, “Sssssssssssssssssss.”

Paging Dr. Culber

Stamets is on the money about entering the mycelial network, with Burnham, Stamets and Pike locating Tilly, May and… the “monster,” which turns out to be a terrified, feral and injured Dr. Culber, who’s only been trying to protect himself. Stamets comes to a horrible realization: “I brought him here.” On the other hand, his partner is alive. However, at first, Culber heartbreakingly can’t join his Discovery mates in returning to the ship, which involves crossing over, using the Discovery as a “doorstop,” and a major assist from Section 31, including, of all people, Georgiou. As this story thread ends, May helps Culber return to Discovery. Cue the smiles and tears. But is Culber whole, physically and emotionally? And can/will Tilly find a way to save May and her people?

Play Nice

Pike and Leland are not pleased to see each other. Admiral Cornwell reveals that Starfleet has new and critical information about the Seven Signals and… tachyons – and Spock is the only connection between them. “I need both of you to find him,” she says, “and I need you to help each other.” She reads them the riot act, dressing down Leland for camouflaging himself to help an old friend and pointing out to Pike that nation building is never pretty. Like it or not, Cornwell notes, they’re on the same team. Oh, and Tyler -- in a sure to be very, very awkward development -- is staying aboard Discovery as Section 31 liaison, unless, of course, Pike would prefer Georgiou? Pike and Cornwell can’t reject that idea fast enough. “No, thank you,” Pike says, while Cornwell simply intones, “Nope.” Speaking of Georgiou, she reaches out to Burnham, insisting, “You’re going to have to start trusting me eventually.” Burnham replies, “Said the scorpion to the frog.” Georgiou gets the conversation’s final word: “Have a little faith, Michael.”

Global Preview: “The Sound of Thunder”

In episode six, when a new signal appears over Saru’s home planet, Burnham, Saru and the crew embark on a perilous mission that puts Saru in danger and raises questions about the Red Angel’s intentions. Meanwhile, Dr. Culber struggles to come to terms with his new reality.

Star Trek: Discovery streams exclusively on CBS All Access in the United States and is distributed concurrently by CBS Studios International on Netflix in 188 countries and in Canada on Bell Media’s Space Channel and OTT service Crave.