Title :
An Obol for Charon
Series :
Rating :
Overall Ep :
19
First Aired :
7 Feb 2019
Stardate :
1834.2512
Director :
Year :
Writers :
Season Ep :
Plotline
A planetoid-sized sphere pulls Discovery out of warp and immobilises it. The crew investigate and discover that it is alive and sentient. They also find that it has gathered enormous amounts of data from all over the galaxy. They surmise that it wants to pass on that data before it dies.
The Sphere transmits its information to Discovery and dies shortly afterwards, releasing the ship so that it will not be caught in the ensuing explosion.
Proximity to the Sphere triggers the Vahar'ai in Commander Saru, a condition that is fatal to Kelpiens. Saru asks Burnham to help him prepare for his death by removing his threat ganglia, a unique organ found only in Kelpiens, which sense threats. Before she agrees they fall out on their own, leaving Saru healthy and alive, but without the overwhelming fear that he has had his entire life.
Meanwhile, the parasite re-attaches itself to Tilly, causing her to have another hallucination of May. The parasite claims that Discovery has nearly destroyed its ecosystem by using its species' mycelial network to jump through space with the spore drive. It then envelopes Tilly, leaving no trace of her.
