“Will You Take My Hand?” is episode fifteen of season one of Star Trek: Discovery and the season finale.
In the previous episode, “The War Without, the War Within”, Burnham had sought out Emperor Georgiou for advice on defeating the Klingons. She has said to destroy the tumour at its source. So, a mission to Qo’nos was planned. However, Sarek had also spoken to the emperor, and she had told him the Terrans had defeated the Klingons by destroying their homeworld. The emperor has now been brought on the bridge of the Discovery, pretending to be Captain Georgiou, as part of what Starfleet has planned.
The Klingons are waiting outside the Solar System to attack Earth. Discovery is similarly waiting outside Qo’nos’s system. It starts with Burnham reciting a tale about fear, then to the bridge where the emperor is doing a rather poor job of pretending to be Captain Georgiou. Saru asks for Burnham for help with a glitch; he actually wants to speak to her about Georgiou, for he isn’t impressed either. Burnham tells him that the Federation put the emperor where she is. Emperor Georgiou tells Burnham she didn’t give her permission to leave her station, and then pokes at Saru, talking about tough Kelpians – and she eats them. Saru knows exactly what the emperor is doing, and says he is tough; many consider him unpalatable. Burnham herself questions the emperor about her past, trying to get her to slip up, and in turn Emperor Georgiou tells her to take a walk with her.
If Burnham tries to expose her again, she will have her thrown in the brig. The Federation was desperate for a solution to beat the Klingons and asked Georgiou how her empire beat them. She’s read Burnham’s history; she should have killed Captain Georgiou and attacked the Klingons. The Klingon armada is waiting to attack Earth. Is Burnham with her or against her? With; but not enthusiastically so.
Next stop is the brig, where Emperor Georgiou wants L’Rell to say where the best spot for a landing party to reach the dormant volcano system is. L’Rell won’t help. The Klingons will crush the Federation, united under T’Kuvma. Burnham says she has already lost, and the emperor resorts to more physical questioning until Burnham stops her. She knows another way. That way is speaking to Tyler, who still has Voq’s memories, and he’s willing to share, but not with the emperor. He’ll share with… Starfleet, though it looks like he’s thinking of saying Burnham.
Most of their information on Qo’nos comes from black market surveys bought by the Vulcans a century ago. One location is the best place for the drone to map the underground caves. According to Tyler, the volcanos were once used, when they were active, to perform sacrifices. Since then, they have been shielded. He indicates the best location, which is land given to the Orions to place an embassy and outpost. Emperor Georgiou says in her universe the Orions are pirates, delinquents and slave traders. Burnham informs her they aren’t much different here. Tyler will accompany them and Georgiou wants someone else as well.
That someone is Tilly, who is excited to meet Captain Georgiou, until Georgiou’s words about crushing and subjugating people causes her to realise this is the Terran Emperor. She does the Terran salute, and Burnham tells her not to. Tilly says she isn’t the same person as in the other universe. The emperor tells her not to be so certain. Tilly will carry the mapping drone whilst Georgiou goes through Lorca’s things, looking for something to trade.
Saru asks if Stamets is ready to jump. He gives a sarcastic comment, but yes, and Discovery arrives underground. Not exactly the best place for a starship, but it’s stable. The landing party beam down and are accosted by an Orion. She is convinced they have useful things to trade and Tilly says that arms dealing gets her appetite up and she wants to eat. A ploy to speak to Burnham, which Burnham realised. Both are concerned about Georgiou.
Their next stop is inside some sort of circus, to try and find out information about a shrine, and Georgiou decides to spend some ‘me time’ with two Orions. Burnham and Tyler watch a Klingon game, which apparently Voq was good at. Voq thought the universe was making up for him having a rare mutation which led other Klingons to consider him a freak of nature. Tyler joins in the game, playing like a Klingon, and Tilly is invited to sit by an Orion. And convinced to try something that knocks her out.
Burnham explains about how her parents died to Tyler, because the Klingon game brought back unpleasant memories. When she finds out what the Federation is really planning to do to Qo’nos, she wants to find a different way, because obliterating a homeworld is a bit un-Starfleet.
No cliff-hanger ending, but a new thread for season two.