Synopsis: Captain Archer speaks before the entire Xindi Council, while the Reptilians also speak separately to a Sphere Builder.
This episode can be seen as an illustration of the archetypes, or patterns of energy, that all humans have in their psyches, and how these different archetypes are in relation to each other.
In “The Council,” before Captain Jonathan Archer appears before the Xindi Council, Degra tells him how to appeal to the various Xindi species. Meanwhile the Reptilian members of the council speak with a Sphere Builder, who promises them that if they destroy Earth then the Xindi Council will end, and Reptilians alone will rule the Xindi. The Reptilians murder Degra, and with the Insectoids, take the weapon and launch it.
In this episode, when Degra explains to Archer how the different Xindi Council Members behave and communicate to one another, this can be compared to the different archetypes in the human psyche and how they are in relationship to one another. James Hillman theorized that the complementary aspects among the archetypes in the human psyche could be explained by examining the relationship between the Senex and the Puer archetypes. For example, the Aquatics, who think things through slowly and thoroughly can be seen as embodying the energy of the Senex, and the Insectoids who are impulsive and quick to judge, can be seen as embodying the traits associated with the Puer. When these archetypes are balanced and communicating, the psyche is stable, much like how the Xindi Council was prior to the episode. But when the communication breaks down, such as in this episode when the Insectoids joined the Reptilians and ignored the rest of the council, change happens, but sometimes it can be painful.
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