Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 3 Episode 5 Ends With A New Evil On The Starship Enterprise

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 5 introduces a new but ancient evil threat to the USS Enterprise and, possibly, the galaxy. Directed by Andi Armaganian and written by Onitra Johnson and Davy Perez, "Through The Lens of Time" is an intense and thrilling brain-teaser that sets up a new menace for the rest of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3.

Investigating the M'Kroon's ancient temple on Vadia Nine, Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush) leads a landing party consisting of Dr. Roger Korby (Cillian O'Sullivan), Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), Ensign Dana Gamble (Chris Myers), and documentarian Beto Ortegas (Mynor Luken). After being joined by Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) and Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong), the landing party is trapped inside the temple.

Ensign Dana Gamble is blinded by an ancient artifact, but upon beaming back to the Enterprise, it becomes clear that Gamble has been possessed by a malevolent entity called the Vezda. The Enterprise crew must stop the Vezda while Chapel's away team simultaneously works to solve the mystery of the temple and its ability to exist across different dimensional planes.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Introduces A New Evil Enemy

The Enterprise Crew Defeats The Vezda, Or Did They?

The Vezda are an evil entity that is thousands of years old. Commander Pelia (Carol Kane), herself a Lanthanite who has lived for millennia, provided crucial background on the Vezda, citing her belief of how truly old the evil aliens are, and that they give her the "heebie jeebies." The malevolent Vezda that took control of Ensign Dana Gamble lived up to Pelia's fears.

Ultimately, the Vezda was captured by Scotty (Martin Quinn) after Pelia shot it in the back with a phaser while the villain confronted Dr. Joseph M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun). Scotty then beamed the Vezda "nowhere," although it was presumably far away from the Starship Enterprise. The Vezda caused a great deal of damage, killing several Enterprise security officers, as well as Ensign Gamble.

While the Vezda that possessed Dana Gamble is presumably gone, there remain thousands of Vezda imprisoned on Vadia Nine. If one was able to escape, it's possible that the others could eventually be freed from their ancient confinement. By introducing the Vezda, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds finally seems to move past the Gorn in favor of a brand new big bad for season 3, and possibly beyond.

What Happened To Ensign Dana Gamble?

Gamble Succumbed To Strange New Worlds' First Landing Party Curse

Ensign Dana Gamble was a winning new character introduced in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 2, "Wedding Bell Blues." Originally a short-term replacement for Nurse Chapel, Gamble became a favorite of Dr. M'Benga and earned a permanent commission on the USS Enterprise. Tragically, the Vezda killed Gamble when it took over his body, although it accessed Dana's memories and pretended to be him when convenient.

Like Lt. Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia), Ensign Dana Gamble was thrilled to be invited to his first landing party, but it turned out to be disastrous. The enthusiastic Gamble did not survive his first and only landing party mission.

However, Chris Myers nimbly segued from a likable new supporting player to a chillingly effective villain. Sadly, Dr. M'Benga lost his new protégé and had to inform Dana's family of his death.

Captain Batel's Reaction To Strange New Worlds' New Evil Enemy Explained

Batel's Gorn DNA Was Activated By The Vezda

The Vezda found an unexpected threat aboard the Starship Enterprise when it was confronted by Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano), who was equally perplexed by how she reacted to the evil creature. Batel spoke in the Vezda's alien language and lost control of herself, displaying surprising strength and speed to fight the villain until the Vezda fled.

Captain Batel's DNA has been merged with the Gorn she was infected with, and Spock found a way to synthesize a Chimera Blossom to balance Marie's hybrid human and alien genetics. However, Batel's sudden shift when she confronted the Vezda could mean the evil aliens are also enemies of the Gorn. It could also mean that Marie is transforming into a new kind of entity altogether.

How Nurse Chapel & Enterprise's Landing Party Escaped The Alien Prison

"Effect Before Cause"

The most pleasing and most 'Star Trek' aspect of Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 5 was the M'Kroons' ancient temple on Vadia Nine. After the Vezda was freed, Nurse Chapel's landing party was soon separated into pairs, with La'an and Christine, Spock and Korby, and Uhura and Beto all believing they ended up in different parts of the temple.

However, Spock deduced that the landing party was all still in the same room, but in different planes of existence. The Vulcan realized the nature of the temple allowed for "effect before cause," so that some things had already happened before the event is lived through. Spock also realized that since the M'Kroon's temple "accepted" Chapel, she had to lead her friends out of it.

Nurse Chapel trusted Spock and stepped into what appeared to be a bottomless chasm in a moment that harkened back to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Sure enough, the cause caught up to the effect, and Chapel, Spock, Korby, La'an, Uhura, and Beto were safely able to exit the temple. The Starfleet heroes also come to understand that the temple is a prison for the Vezda.

Dr. Roger Korby Shows Glimpses Of His Darker Side

Korby's Behavior Is A Little Suspect On Vadia Nine

Dr. Roger Korby's introduction in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 2, "Wedding Bell Blues," saw him and his romance with Nurse Christine Chapel victimized by the cosmic trickster Trelane (Rhys Darby) in favor of Spock. Thus, Korby came off as empathetic and likable in his first appearance, since he and Chapel are genuinely in love.

However, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, episode 5 offered glimpses of a different side of Korby, one that single-mindedly puts his own desire for scientific discovery above the safety of his friends, unlike Chapel and her fellow Starfleet Officers.

While Korby didn't behave in an outright menacing way, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cast a tiny but noticeable stain on Korby's patina, hinting at the danger Roger will pose to the Starship Enterprise years later in Star Trek: Original Series.