Synopsis: The U.S.S. Cerritos is tasked with updating a computer that runs a planet.
This episode can be seen as an illustration of what happens when the conscious ego is in the grips of what Carl (C. G.) Jung called a feeling-toned complex.
In “In the Cradle of Vexilon,” the U.S.S. Cerritos visits an artificial megastructure, Corazonia, which is run by an ancient computer, Vexilon, and that’s inhabitants are all artists and poets. Captain Carol Freeman and Commander Jack Ransom visit Vexilon, and Freeman believes that she can easily update Vexilon’s programming. Meanwhile, elsewhere on Corazonia, Lt. Bradward Boimler is leading his first away mission. Boimler and his team are tasked with retrofitting a power terminal. Aboard Cerritos, Lt. Beckett Mariner, Lt. D’Vana Tendi, and Lt. Samanthan (Sam) Rutherford are assigned to an arduous task of looking for a malfunctioning computer chip. On Corazonia, Freeman’s repairs are not going well and Boimler seems to have difficulty trusting his crew to carry out the mission which may be dangerous. Eventually, Freeman needs to call on Chief Engineer Andy Billups for his assistance and Boimler is also recognizes the need to let the ensigns assigned to help him complete the mission. Teamwork makes the mission a success.
In this episode, similar to a recent post concerning the episode “Hegemony” from Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the actions of both Freeman and Boimler can be seen as an indication of a complex, in this case a savior complex. Here, Freeman and Boimler both believe that they can complete a task all by themselves, without enlisting the aid of others. In Boimler’s case, he is also worried about putting others in danger. Jung wrote that one can understand oneself to be in the throes of a feeling-toned complex when one cannot help but act in a certain way. However, a complex is not necessarily negative, but is an opportunity for self-knowledge. This is especially true for Boimler, as this is his first mission being in command, and he is learning what it is required of him in that role. But if we accept a complex as an opportunity to grow, and integrate the unconscious material contained in the complex into our conscious ego, then the ego is made stronger and the psyche more whole.
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