“The Council” is episode twenty-two of season three of Star Trek: Enterprise.
Three of the Sphere Builders are talking. One says they have been successful; the Xindi weapon is days from completion. Another says the timelines don’t support that; the lines with favourable outcomes have decreased. A third says to take actions to correct that. The weapon must be launched. Earth must be destroyed.
Enterprise is travelling with Degra’s ship, which they rendezvoused with in the previous episode, “E²”. Phlox is checking out T’Pol; there’s no trellium in her system. She’s still having difficulty controlling her emotions, though. T’Pol stops explaining as Trip comes in and tells him she had a mild headache. After T’Pol has gone, Trip asks Phlox if T’Pol has been acting strangely. Phlox avoids the question. Trip thinks he’s pulled a muscle; the captain is in a rush to see the council. Phlox says to have faith in Archer. Trip has faith in the captain, but not in the Xindi. Phlox suggests that Degra seems reasonable. Not something Trip’s home town would agree with.
T’Pol and the captain are discussing the Spheres with Degra. There’s an AI in them that they hope will contain information on the Sphere Builders. They’re passing close to one and the captain is going to send a shuttlepod as they do. He’d like any information Degra has on the Spheres.
Reed speaks to the MACO Hawkins in the armoury. Hawkins has lots of EVA suit time and Reed would like him on the mission. The shuttlepod leaves Enterprise.
Degra is readying the information to send to Enterprise when a Sphere Builder tells him it’s not too late. He can turn back on his course and help the Xindi achieve what they are supposed to achieve, claiming that all is in jeopardy because of him. What have they done to lose his faith? Degra says they never deserved it.
Degra speaks to Archer. The Sphere Builders lied. He sees that, perhaps the Arboreals will. But others? Even the evidence might not be enough. The Builders saved the Xindi from extinction and in return were practically worshipped. They’re called the Guardians and Xindi are brought up to revere them. Perhaps the evidence will be strong enough. Hoshi contacts the captain; several Xindi ships are closing in. Humanoids, Arboreals and Aquatics. Degra says they’re with them. He briefs the captain on the other council members. There’s a rumour that Dolim killed his own grandson because of a mild deformity.
Dolim is told that debris has been found of the Reptilian ship sent to find Degra, then six ships, including the Earth ship, are approaching. Dolim contacts Degra and Degra says Enterprise is being escorted to the council. And he’s willing to destroy Dolim if necessary.
In orbit, Hoshi and the captain head down in Degra’s shuttle, with Degra briefing the captain some more. The council is in a place built by the extinct Avians, over 4,000 years ago. When they enter the council chamber, Jennar says they are prepared to listen to what they have to say. The captain says that they killed 7 million of his people and he doesn’t much like standing there. Yes, he knows they did what they thought was necessary. They were told Earth would destroy the Xindi world. This is a lie.
The Insectoid objects to this and the captain explains the Guardians are the Sphere Builders. Dolim doesn’t believe the data and gets into an argument with Degra until the Aquatic gets them to stop. The Primate agrees to get back to the subject at hand.
The captain agrees he’s trying to protect his world, but if the Xindi destroy Earth, they will destroy themselves. Earth defeats the Sphere Builders which is why the Xindi were manipulated into attacking. Dolim ends up storming out, and knocking Degra down. The captain gets stopped by an Insectoid when he tries to intervene.
The shuttlepod is heading towards the Sphere. It’s going to enter a giant spherical space station through an exhaust vent. Sounds sort of familiar. Meanwhile, the Sphere Builder is telling Dolim that the Insectoids and Reptilians need to take the weapon and use it themselves, so that a new, Reptilian-led Xindi empire is formed.