I think it was a strong episode. It was a retelling of the original Star Trek episode "Balance of Terror" except we see Capt. Pike officiate a wedding between two crewmembers - just as Capt. Kirk had. He's in command of the Enterprise seven years from Season 1. In this retelling he had to deal with the Romulan incursion and of course he does it with tragic consequences.
Oh and while I don't consistently follow any rumors about the series I do already know that Kirk is expected to make an appearance in season 2. He makes an appearance in this episode, but remember in "Balance of Terror" Kirk is supposed to be in command matching wits with the Romulans.
So Pike is going forward in time still gripping with the knowledge of his future. The future we already know from the original Star Trek he's disabled due to his heroic actions saving as many Starfleet cadets as he could severely scarred and unable to communicate.
So anyway Kirk is on board an assisting vessel the USS Farragut which gets knocked out in a Romulan attack. We get a few other "easter eggs" and of course we see why Pike shouldn't be in command of the Enterprise in "Balance of Terror". Kirk was the one telling Pike as a fellow captain to go in and fight, and even after everything falls apart still tells Pike to go in and fight. We find out that Spock is an essential factor in the future of Federation/Romulan relations.
Of course in knowing this Pike realizes he has to accept his fate. He can't escape or even warn those future cadets of their fate. He meets one in this episode just a child who aspires to join Starfleet - as one may aspire to join today's US military - and sadly he knows this child's future fate.
In the reviews of this episode some like it one guy says it was a weak episode. Personally I like it, it made a bit of an impact on me. It was nicely shot especially the scene in the sickbay near the end of the episode. The camera focused on Pike as he rolls through the scene almost like the scene where Malcolm X is rolling ever so slowly to his fate. I almost wondered if Spike Lee directed this episode.
I look forward to more James T. Kirk in season 2 whenever that drops...
