223. Imzadi-coded (SFA 1.06)

Anika and Liz go out on a training exercise that definitely won't go horribly wrong! We're discussing Star Trek: Starfleet Academy's "Come, Let's Away", and talking about...

• We really like how the season slowed down and gave us some slice of life stories and heavy characterisation -- and now, at the midpoint of the season, everything changes
• This is a great episode for exploring Nahla, but Anika has had enough of Nus Braka
• It's time to face facts: Admiral Vance is pretty, but he's not clever
• Nus Braka versus Osyraa: we firmly believe the only reason he's as powerful as he is now is that her death created a vacuum
• Comics and popular culture as art, as inspiration, as propaganda; uh, is it bad when your fun Star Trek for teens starts referencing Grave of the Fireflies?
• (But it's weird that Tales from the Frontier had no female characters, right? RIGHT?)
• Women's voices are heavily policed and criticised, so Tarima's power is interesting
• Vance is a 2020s centrist: he likes the idea of having ideals, but isn't quite sure how to go about putting them in action. Is that unfair? Will Liz ever be able to talk about Vance without bringing up Rayner? Is it wrong to ship Vance/Braka?