"The Aenar" | |
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Star Trek: Enterprise episode | |
Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 14 |
Directed by | Mike Vejar |
Story by | Manny Coto |
Teleplay by | André Bormanis |
Production code | 414 |
Original air date | February 11, 2005 |
Guest appearance(s) | |
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"The Aenar" is the fourteenth episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise, and originally aired on February 11, 2005. It was written by André Bormanis from a story by Manny Coto, and was directed by Mike Vejar. "The Aenar" was the third installment of a three-part story which concluded the events of episodes "Babel One" and "United".
Set in the 22nd century, the series follows the adventures of the first Starfleet starship Enterprise. In this episode, Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and Commander Shran (Jeffrey Combs) travel to Andoria, a moon, seeking the help of the Aenar—an offshoot race of the Andorians—one of whom has been taken by the Romulans to pilot a drone vessel (first seen in the previous episode).
The episode showed the home world of the Andorians for the first time, with the sets for the planet's ice tunnels being created on a sound stage. Alexandra Lydon and Alicia Adams made their first Star Trek appearances in "The Aenar". Reviews of the episode were mostly negative, with critics citing issues with plot holes and unanswered questions from the story arc. On its first showing, 3.17 million watched the episode.
Senator Vrax (Geno Silva), fresh from the Romulan Senate, is disappointed that Admiral Valadore (Brian Thompson) and scientist Nijil's (J. Michael Flynn) drone program has failed to provoke a rift between Human, Andorian and Tellarite races as they had hoped (seen in "Babel One" and "United"). In fact, the opposite has happened – political discord throughout the Alpha and Beta Quadrants has declined. Now that a second drone vessel is ready to be launched, Valadore suggests a mission against the Enterprise in order to impress the Senate. Nijil argues that the pilot requires time to recover from his previous exertions, but Valadore insists and prioritizes the mission.