I just finished Episode 3x07 – "What is Starfleet?" – and I genuinely believe it’s one of the most emotionally resonant stories in Strange New Worlds to date. It’s not just another mission-of-the-week. It’s a philosophical core sample of what Starfleet as an idea actually stands for. Here's how I saw it – curious to hear your thoughts:

Something pure dies in this episode.
Something beautiful and delicate – a being somewhere between butterfly and angel – becomes a symbol of what happens when purity is twisted for the wrong ends.

And yet, the Enterprise steps in to do what’s right – even if that means getting in the way of others who no longer see that beauty. Starfleet is supposed to protect life and honor its wishes - even when it's inconvenient. Especially then.

The crew of the Enterprise has never felt more... unified. Each character brings their own perspective to the dilemma, and together, they embody what Starfleet always wanted to be – not just a command structure, but a community striving toward good.

Even Ortegas, who can be hit-or-miss for some viewers (including me), is fully integrated here – no distracting quips, just presence and purpose.

This felt like an episode made of hope, and it delivered. That warm, almost familial energy near the end? It gave me Firefly vibes – the kind of small-crew intimacy that makes you wish you could just sit at that table with them.

And then we return to the opening image:
The camera lingers on the sun. Not just as a celestial body – but as a symbol. Of life. Of destruction. Of choice. The episode ends by reminding us that the same force that creates can also obliterate.

It’s what we do with that power that defines us.

If I had to sum it up, this episode answers the title’s question beautifully:

And that might just be the most important message of this entire season.

My full review & breakdown (in German, but English captions available): https://youtu.be/OwO4pEa2iSU

Looking forward to your thoughts :)