It’s hard to believe we’re already four episodes into the stellar audio series, Star Trek: Khan. With each week, we are gifted an episode that delivers fantastic storytelling with a beautiful score. The result is a half hour or more immersed in the events of Khan (Naveen Andrews) and his people on Ceti Alpha V. And every week, like clockwork, I’ve found myself at the end of the episode asking, “What happens next?”
This week’s episode was no different. The plot progresses at a good pace, characters continue to develop, and the episode strikes a perfect balance between calm and action. But enough summary – let’s explore the highlights of ‘Magical Thinking’.
WARNING – Spoilers ahead for Star Trek Khan Episode 4 – ‘Magical Thinking’
Plot Is Character
We begin ‘Magical Thinking’ with Khan marching through the forest, preparing graves for Richter and Sylvana. He’s struggling with his decision to lie to his people, something he apparently hasn’t done before. Ivan (Maury Sterling) reminds Khan that his people are loyal and will never question his leadership.
Back at the settlement, Ursula (Mercy Malick) has been conducting an autopsy on Richter’s body. She discovers what the Ceti Eels do once inside a person, a direct callback to Khan’s description in The Wrath of Khan. McGivers (Wrenn Schmidt) sets out to find an eel to be studied further, in doing so earning the respect of Khan’s followers. McGiver’s also provides some much-needed guidance about grief, which Khan takes to heart. He shares with his people that he grieves with them, that they’re not alone.
With the discovery of a male Ceti Eel (which were previously assumed to be asexual), Ursula is convinced a queen is controlling the hive. Khan and his followers hunt and flush out the queen, which is much harder to kill than anticipated. McGivers shoots the killing blow with her phaser, and the threat of the Ceti Eels is considered over. Later that day, Khan proposes to McGivers, who we earlier learned is now pregnant, and they wed soon after.
Law Of The Jungle
Something I did not expect from Star Trek: Khan was a better understanding of the notorious Ceti Eel. It was, therefore, a pleasant surprise to learn more about the deadly alien insect during ‘Magical Thinking’.
What we already know, from Khan’s recount in The Wrath of Khan and Ursula’s findings from Richter’s postmortem, is this. The larvae enter a person through the ear and wrap themselves around the cerebral cortex. They then feed, growing at a rapid rate, creating hallucinations and making their host highly susceptible to commands. This makes the creature incredibly dangerous, especially for a fledgling colony on an unfamiliar world.
But we learned a lot more about the Ceti Eels in this episode. There are males and females, they vary in size, and they operate similarly to ants or bees. What Khan and his followers believed were lots of individual nests turned out to be one massive nest with a network of tunnels. All the domain of a massive Ceti Eel queen, complete with bullet-proof armour and an army of minions. The eels do not like fire, and the queen is formidable, with only a powerful phaser blast ending her reign.
All For One, One For All
An important theme explored through ‘Magical Thinking’ is trust, and this was the right episode for it. Previous episodes have seen Khan’s vision of paradise on Ceti Alpha V tainted. Cracks have started to form around his Eden as followers secretly betray him. While others are injured and killed by the alien fauna they share the land with. It’s the perfect opportunity for trust in Khan and his trust in his people, to erode or be reinforced.
We see Ivan directly challenge Khan’s trust in him at the start of the episode. He goes on to insist everyone is loyal to Khan. They see him not just as a leader but as a guide, an inspiration, and a protector.
The biggest turning point regarding trust, though, has to be surrounding McGivers. Up till now, most of Khan’s people would only talk to her and accept her presence out of respect for their leader. But actions speak louder than words, and McGivers finally did something her fellow outcasts could appreciate. She led a small expedition (of her and Ursula) to find and capture a Ceti Eel for Ursula to study. This act of bravery for the betterment of the settlement won everyone over quickly. Soon, she was accepted at meetings and the camp gatherings at night, and her relationship with Khan also blossomed.
What’s Next?
‘Magical Thinking’ effectively progresses the series’ plot, taking the threat of the Ceti Eel and bringing it to an (apparent) conclusion. However, anyone who’s watched The Wrath of Khan will know that we should expect to see more of the eels soon. The episode also does a great job focusing on the development of key characters. This is delivered at a critical point in the story, successfully reinforcing Khan’s position as leader, along with the trust that his people have in him, and now McGivers.
So, with the Ceti Eels dealt with (for now), what’s next for Khan and his followers on Ceti Alpha V? We’re almost halfway through the series, and the inevitable chaos of Ceti Alpha VI is yet to reign down on Khan. Tune into episode 5 of Star Trek: Khan on Monday, 6th October to find out! You can play the audio series wherever you access your podcasts, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts. It’s also available on the Star Trek YouTube channel.
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