Synopsis: Ensign Mayweather visits his family aboard the ECS Horizon.
This episode can be seen as an illustration of James Hillman’s acorn theory, that just as an acorn has everything it needs to grow into a tree, humans have an inner daimon that has all the information individuals need to become who they are destined to be.
In “Horizon” Ensign Travis Mayweather asks Captain Jonathan Archer for leave to visit his family on their cargo vessel, Earth Cargo Service (ECS) Horizon. Archer agrees, but after the leave has been scheduled Mayweather learns that his father has died and his brother, Paul, is now acting captain aboard the Horizon. Once aboard the Horizon, Mayweather immediately takes it upon himself to make updates to the ship’s systems, without running it by his brother. His brother is upset by the breach of protocol to the point of asking Mayweather to change out of his Starfleet uniform to something more appropriate. However, Mayweather continues to try to upgrade the Horizon’s weaponry, feeling the need to protect his family. This is also not appreciated by his brother until Horizon is forced to defend itself against an alien pirate ship, and the modified weapons save the ship.
In this episode, when Mayweather continues to use his skills to try to upgrade the Horizon, even thought his help is not asked for or immediately appreciated, this can be compared to when an individual follows their inner daimon. By listening to it Mayweather was able to use his unique skill set to join Starfleet, over his family’s initial disapproval, and then return to his family to use what he has learned at Starfleet to their advantage. Following one’s inner daimon may not always be the most culturally accepted thing to do, depending on the society one finds oneself in, but to do so is to find one’s destined place in the unus mundus, or one united world, in service to the anima mundi, or world’s soul.
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