The Forge
- FIRST SHOWN (US)
- 19 November 2004
- ON
- UPN
- STARDATE
- None given
- DIRECTED BY
- Michael Grossman
- PRODUCTION NO.
- 083
WRITTEN BYWritten by Judith Reeves-Stevens & Garfield Reeves-Stevens
A bomb devastates Earth's embassy on Vulcan, and when the evidence points to a dissident sect, Archer and T'Pol head into the deadly desert known as the Forge to find the truth.
Red alert: the full plot, ending included. Haven't watched yet?REVEAL SYNOPSIS
A bombing at Earth's embassy on Vulcan kills dozens of humans and Vulcans, among them Admiral Forrest. The Vulcan High Command, led by Administrator V'Las, blames the Syrrannites, a sect claiming to follow Surak's true teachings, and names their leader T'Pau as a suspect. Ambassador Soval privately suspects his own government and urges Archer to keep digging. Using a map hidden in an IDIC pendant from T'Pol's missing mother, Archer and T'Pol set out across the Forge, a hostile desert, to find the sect. On the way they meet a mysterious guide, Arev, who believes in their mission. Caught in a deadly sandstorm, the dying Arev mind-melds with Archer and urges him to remember. Aboard Enterprise, the crew find that the DNA evidence was faked, and Soval melds with an injured guard. The true bomber is Stel, the chief investigator, which points to a conspiracy reaching V'Las's own administration.
- 01Simi Valley, California, stood in for the Forge. Filming ran from 14 to 22 September 2004.
- 02It opens a three-part Vulcan story, continued in “Awakening” and “Kir'Shara”, partly intended to reconcile Enterprise's Vulcans with those of the later series.
- 03The computer-generated sehlat was designed as a scarier version of the creature seen in the animated episode “Yesteryear”, where the Forge was previously seen.