Star Trek: Discovery - Unification III

With Michael (Sonequa Martin-Green) in search of answers about the Burn, "Unification III" picks up the thread from Star Trek: The Next Generation of a unified Vulcan and Romulan. Discovery travels on a diplomatic mission to Ni'Var where hopes of her connection to Spock may grease the wheels to having the former Federation members release valuable scientific data. When their hosts aren't obliged to share, Michael invokes the T'Kal-in-ket and must prove her case in front of a panel, although she is unprepared for who their hosts send to be her advocate - Gabrielle Burnham (Sonja Sohn).

"Unification III" serves a few purposes. One is to remind audiences of Michael's connection to Spock. Another is to force her through a struggle to come to terms with who she is and where she currently belongs (something that started long before jumping centuries into the future). It also reintroduces both Vulcans and Romulans to Star Trek continuity and provides Michael vital data about the Burn (although it's still not yet clear about what she plans to do with it). The episode's B-story in which Saru (Doug Jones) offers Ensign Tilly (Mary Wiseman) the role of first officer makes a narrative sense given their work together and the time Tilly has received from the writers but not an organizational one as the ensign suddenly becomes the superior of nearly everyone on the ship despite her rank (which doesn't change?).