Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Episode 8 Ending Explained

At the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, "Labyrinths", Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) is forced to hand over vital information to the Breen Imperium, setting up a thrilling two-part finale. Discovery season 5, episode 8, "Labyrinths", written by Lauren Wilkinson & Eric J. Robbins, and directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, sees Burnham complete one final test to acquire the coordinates for where the Progenitors' treasure is hidden. While Burnham navigates the labyrinths of her mind, the USS Discovery, Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) protect Michael and the Eternal Archive from attacking Breen forces.

With Moll (Eve Harlow) now in the custody of the Breen Imperium in the wake of the events of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, "Erigah", she begins manipulating the political situation for her own ends. Proving that Moll will stop at nothing to resurrect her dead husband, L'ak (Elias Toufexis), she instigates a coup against Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo). With both the USS Discovery and the Breen Dreadnought in possession of the location of the Progenitors' treasure, Star Trek: Discovery season 5's final two episodes are set to be an epic struggle for the secrets of life itself.

Moll Becomes The Breen’s New Leader - Was She Star Trek: Discovery Season 5’s True Villain All Along?

Primarch Ruhn had to go.

Moll pulls off her most impressive feat yet in Star Trek:Discovery season 5, episode 8. Held in the custody of the Breen, Moll is able to engineer a coup against the Primarch, with the help of the sympathetic Lieutenant Arisar. Throughout "Labyrinths", Moll challenges the Primarch's authority, sowing the seeds of doubt in the heads of his followers. As the Primarch becomes increasingly reckless in his attempts to secure the final clue, he risks all-out war with the Federation. This is something that Moll points out will further exacerbate the political upheaval among the Breen in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

When the Primarch attempts to destroy the Archive even after securing the location of the Progenitors' technology, Moll launches a revolt, murdering Ruhn and uniting the Primarch's followers behind her and the one true Scion, L'ak. In doing so, Moll has positioned herself at the head of the Breen Imperium going into Discovery season 5's two-part finale. While Moll is driven by her love for L'ak and her belief that the Progenitors' technology can resurrect people, she also seems to be enjoying the very position of power that her husband rejected, foreshadowing a potential clash between the two lovers.

Why Captain Burnham Gives The Breen The Progenitors’ Complete Treasure Map

Burnham made a calculated tactical decision to save the Archive.

Burnham's decision to hand over the collected Progenitors' scientist's clues may seem like a huge mistake, but it's worth remembering that she was placed in an impossible situation. Primarch Ruhn was prepared to destroy the Eternal Gallery and Archive, which would have been a devastating loss to the galaxy. If the search for the Progenitors' treasure in Star Trek: Discovery has proved anything, it's that culture and history matter. On top of the lives that would be lost, the Breen's destruction of the Archive would have eradicated an astonishing amount of artifacts that make up the cultural legacy of Federation and non-Federation worlds alike.

However, Burnham's decision at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, was also influenced by the knowledge she had gained from her time in the mindscape. After finally completing the test, Burnham learned that she needed one last piece of information to acquire the Progenitors' treasure. So far, only Burnham knows this information, as it wasn't even voiced on screen. Therefore, Burnham is banking on the Breen being unable to figure out the final piece of the puzzle before the Discovery crew can acquire the Progenitors' treasure.

To further throw the Breen off the scent, Captain Burnham pulls off an impressive Star Trek captain maneuver which effectively fakes the destruction of the USS Discovery. Venting plasma in from the Discovery into the charged atmosphere of the Badlands, Burnham orders Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) to jump to the final location at the exact moment the Discovery's shields began to buckle under the strain of the Breen's weaponry. With the ship gone, the Breen's weapons instead ignited the plasma, resulting in a huge explosion that made it look as if they had destroyed the USS Discovery, giving Starfleet a tactical advantage ahead of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 9, "Lagrange Point".

Burnham Faced Her Greatest Fear - How Michael Earned The Progenitors’ Final Clue

Burnham must know herself before acquiring the Progenitors' treasure.

Star Trek: Discovery's Counselor Troi tribute becomes more pronounced in "Labyrinths" as Dr. Marina Derex's test was a mindscape that effectively acted as therapy for Captain Burnham. Given a sassier, more impish version of Book as her guide, Burnham makes several missteps in her quest to escape the labyrinths of her mind. With time running out and the lights going out all around her, Burnham settles on the solution being that she simply has to navigate the maze to its exit.

After she winds up back where she started, Burnham breaks down and begins discussing her fears with the interface of Dr. Derex's program. Telling "Book" that she has no fear of death, Michael instead reveals that her greatest fear is failure; as a captain, as a friend, as a partner, and as the seeker of the Progenitors' treasure. Predictably for a test designed by a Betazoid, Burnham's introspection is the lesson, as she comes to terms with who she is as a person. As the interface states to her:

As well as securing her the final clue to the location of the Progenitors' treasure, Burnham's personal journey finally allows her to confront her failings with Book. Now that she's shared her doubts with the interface, it may make it easier for Michael to finally be honest with Book, leading to their romantic reconciliation. However, with the Breen on their tail, the romantic reunion between Burnham and Book will have to wait until later in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

The Importance Of Book’s Kwejian Artifact Explained

How will Book reconnecting with Kwejian affect his story with Moll?

Book's presence at the Eternal Gallery and Archive is requested because they need his assistance in identifying a Kwejian artifact. As one of the last surviving members of his race, Book is one of the few people who can give the archivists the context that they need. The artifact is two cuttings of the World Root, the network of tree roots that symbolized the Kwejian's ancestral chain. So far in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Book has struggled to find a connection in the wake of his planet's destruction. It's one of the reasons Book has become so intent on saving Moll, who he sees as the closest thing to a living relative.

However, now that Booker's connection with his home planet has been renewed, and Moll has seized control of the Breen Imperium, he may be forced to abandon his crusade. Book's relationship with Moll is borne out of an obligation to his mentor, the late Cleveland Booker III. If Moll is too far gone, Book might not be able to bring her back from the brink in the remaining episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5. With his connection to the World Root restored, it may be easier for Book to cut ties with Moll. Alternatively, it could provide Moll with the means to Book him onside, by suggesting that it, combined with the Progenitors' treasure, the cuttings could bring back Kwejian.

Why Star Trek: Discovery’s Eternal Gallery & Archive Is So Important To The Federation & The Breen

The Eternal Archive and Gallery is open to all races, even if they're at war with each other.

The importance of the Eternal Gallery and Archive in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, "Labyrinths" isn't restricted to the clue to the Progenitors' treasure. As Hy'Rell (Elena Juatco) stated before she was rudely interrupted by Burnham, the Eternal Gallery houses the largest collection of historical and cultural artifacts in the Alpha or Beta Quadrants. As Michael states to the interface during her test, history is important, as those who don't learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them. However, cultural preservation is also hugely important, as proven by the World Root cuttings.

Given how many planets get destroyed in Star Trek, it is vitally important that cultural artifacts are kept to preserve the legacies of those worlds. It's likely for this reason that the Eternal Gallery and Archive exists independently of the Federation, so that all worlds can submit items to their collections. This is why archivists like Star Trek: Discovery's Hy'Rell are well versed in negotiation, as they have to keep warring powers like the Federation and the Breen Imperium apart, to preserve the peace and sanctity of the Eternal Gallery and Archive.

A Damaged USS Discovery Is Now In A Race Against Time With The Breen For The Progenitors’ Treasure

The Discovery's only an hour ahead of the Breen Imperium.

At the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, the USS Discovery and her crew are battered and bruised from their fight with the Breen. On their way to the location of the Progenitors' treasure, the Discovery's spore drive malfunctioned, leaving them 22 lightyears off target. To make matters worse, the USS Discovery's warp drive is also damaged, with the Breen just six hours away from reaching the Progenitors' treasure. With the crew racing to get both the spore and warp drives operational, the window to protect the Progenitors' treasure from the Breen is closing as Star Trek: Discovery season 5 enters its endgame.