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The “Damage” taken from the Xindi attack in “Azati Prime” has crippled the Enterprise. As Archer attempts to court assistance from fellow travellers in the Expanse, T’Pol’s lack of access to the Trellium-D supply in the cargobay is causing some interesting side effects. The damage of the Expanse has challenged our characters and left some tragedy in its wake.
The Wikipedia plot summary for “Damage”:
Even though Enterprise is severely damaged, the Xindi unexpectedly break off the attack of the previous episode. Reptilian Commander Dolim, is angered by the recall, after the other Xindi begin to doubt that Earth ship represents the same threat they previously imagined. The Primate Degra argues that the evidence of interference in Xindi culture, provided earlier by Captain Archer, must be discussed first. Dolim submits, and the Aquatics send Archer back to Enterprise in an escape pod. He arrives to find the ship in disarray, with at least 14 members of the crew dead. The ship needs a replacement warp coil in order to travel at warp.[1]
Although adrift, Enterprise encounters an Illyrian spacecraft, damaged by the gravimetric energy generated by the Delphic Expanse. Archer attempts to trade with the captain, but he refuses to give up their sole warp coil. Meanwhile, a partial Xindi Council (Degra; another Primate council member, and Jannar, an Arboreal) communicate with “the Guardian” – the audience’s first view of the prophetic time traveler of the trans-dimensional, “Sphere-Builder” species. The Guardian admits to transporting the Reptilians into the past (as per the episode “Carpenter Street“), and encouraging Reptilian and Insectoid to remain on the Council. Upset, Degra insists on further examining Archer’s evidence regarding the Guardian-Sphere Builder connection.[1]
Meanwhile, Ensign Sato discovers a message from Degra hidden aboard the Xindi escape pod, asking Enterprise to rendezvous with him in a few days at a nearby location. Unable to travel at warp, Archer is forced to attack the Illyrian vessel and steal their coil, although this will leave them unable to reach home for three years. Archer’s decision is met with an angry outburst from Sub-Commander T’Pol, but Archer justifies his actions as a necessity of war, saving billions of lives while making the Illyrian’s journey more perilous. The episode reveals T’Pol hid a three-month addiction to Trellium-D, which she finally admits it to Doctor Phlox. Unusually for a Vulcan, it has left her experiencing emotions. Despite further damage, the raid is successful, and Enterprise heads for the covert rendezvous.
In this episode of the podcast, Wes and Clay discuss “Damage” and the trouble with chasing the dragon of emotion. Plus! The guys chat about Phlox taking his oath too literally, Enterprise’s lack of subtlety, and doing something no Star Trek show has done before.