Minefield (Star Trek: Enterprise)

"Minefield" is the twenty-ninth episode (production #203) of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise, the third episode of the second season. In this science fiction television episode that aired in October 2002, the spaceship the NX-01 is rocked by an explosion and the crew tries to deal with the situation.

"Minefield"
Star Trek: Enterprise episode
Episode no.Season 2
Episode 3
Directed byJames A. Contner
Written byJohn Shiban
Featured musicDavid Bell
Production code203
Original air dateOctober 2, 2002 (2002-10-02)
Guest appearance(s)
  • Tim Glenn - Med Tech
  • Elizabeth Magness - Injured Crewman

Plot

The episode begins with Captain Archer in the captain's private mess, trying, unsuccessfully, to get to know Lieutenant Reed better. Meanwhile, Enterprise nears an uncharted and seemingly uninhabited planet for closer observation. Its proximity, however, triggers a cloaked mine, heavily damaging the ship and flooding Sickbay with injured crew members. Soon, another cloaked mine is detected as it attaches itself to the hull, but it doesn't immediately detonate for some reason. With the core already damaged, it is feared that a further detonation will totally disable the vessel. Reed then goes EV to try to disarm it. As a backup plan, Archer orders Commander Tucker to prepare to detach and jettison the affected section of hull plating.

Initially Reed's efforts seem to be working, but an alien vessel suddenly decloaks, and fires warning shots at the ship. Ensign Mayweather assumes manual control and steers the ship carefully out of the minefield. During the maneuvers, however, a jolt accidentally activates another magnetic grappling arm that impales Reed's leg before attaching itself to the spaceship's hull, thus pinning him down. Archer also dons an EVA suit and attempts to disarm the mine under Reed's direction.

Enterprise then makes first contact with the Romulan Star Empire when two Warbirds decloak and demand that they jettison the mine with Reed attached. Knowing that any attempt to cut the arm would set off the mine, Reed becomes insistent on sacrificing himself to save Enterprise. Archer returns to the ship and requests two shuttle hatches from a puzzled Commander Tucker, also ordering him to detach the hull plate as planned. As the plates and the attached mine float off, he severs the spike holding Reed. This arms the mine, but Reed and Archer are also able to shield themselves from the resulting explosion. Enterprise then collects the crewmen before warping away from the secretive Romulans.

Treknologies

Minefield is noted for its presentation of Star Trek's (in)famous cloaking technology to a space mine.[1]

Continuity

The damage incurred to Enterprise in Minefield forms the backstory to the following episode, Dead Stop, in which NX-01 needs to be repaired.

Home media releases

The first home media release of "Minefield" was part of the season two DVD box set, released in the United States on July 26, 2005.[2] A release on Blu-ray Disc for season two occurred on August 20, 2013.[3]

References
  1. The Realization of Star Trek Technologies: The Science, Not Fiction, Behind ... By Mark E. Lasbury Page 44
  2. Ordway, Holly E. (August 7, 2005). "Star Trek Enterprise – The Complete Second Season". DVD Talk. Archived from the original on July 28, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2019.
  3. "Enterprise Season: Two Blu-ray Available August 20". StarTrek.com. May 23, 2013. Archived from the original on February 18, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2016.

See also
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