Synopsis: While surveying a planet, Captain Archer, Lt. Reed, and Ensign Sato come in contact with a virus that mutates them into a different species.
This episode can be seen as an illustration of how deeply cultural complexes can affect not only those in the society where the injury occurred, but everyone and everything that they come in contact with.
In “Extinction,” Captain Jonathan Archer, Lt. Malcom Reed, Ensign Hoshi Sato, and Sub-Commander T’Pol take a shuttlepod to a planet recently visited by a Xindi vessel. They find a couple Xindi corpses, and then become infected with a virus that mutates them into another species, the Loque’eque. This virus was created by the Loque’eque because they were unable to reproduce, and in addition to having the ability to alter the DNA of another species, it also implants a strong instinctual drive to return to the city of Urquat. Because of the perniciousness of the virus and the way that it lures affected individuals to the planet, anther alien race has been incinerating anyone who is infected with the virus. T’Pol is also infected, but something in her Vulcan constitution does not allow her to be mutated into a Loque’eque. Because of this Dr. Phlox is able to develop an antidote for the virus. Archer has Phlox keep a sample of the virus, so that the Loque’eque culture will continue to exist. In this episode, the virus that the Loque’eque developed can be seen as a reaction to a cultural complex, the inability to no longer reproduce and the resulting fear of extinction. However, instead of saving their species, the virus condemned others to death. The wound to their society affected other species exponentially. Yet, the simple act of saving a sample of the virus preserved the Loque’eque culture from total extinction. Small acts like this can lead to larger acts of healing by acknowledging and integrating the wound into the greater fabric of the universe.
mydailysoultrek 