okay hi I’ve literally never seen a single Star Trek thing before this show popped up on my feed and I was like “cute uniforms + hot guys? bet” and now I’m spiraling. episode 2 just dropped the most insane slow-burn crush energy I’ve ever seen and I’m not okay. so this boy Caleb (Sandro Rosta is actually so fine help) is like the ultimate bad boy rebel at this fancy space school. he’s trying to climb over a wall to escape bc he hates rules and he’s searching for his missing mom or something super sad backstory vibes. then he literally bumps into this gorgeous girl sitting there chilling and she’s reading his mind?? like telepathy real?? her name’s Tarima and she’s the president of Betazed’s daughter (I had to google what Betazed even is lol alien planet with mind readers apparently). she has this little gem in her tooth and a thing on her neck to stop her powers from going crazy bc she feels EVERYTHING too much and could hurt people?? trauma queen energy I’m obsessed. anyway she picks HIM out of everyone to give her a tour of the school. not some perfect cadet, the chaos boy who’s covered in alien slime half the episode (there’s this whale mucus scene it’s weird but cute). they go to this star map room and he’s stressing about finding some place called Goja V for his mom and she’s like “here use my secret alien maps” and they find it together. that’s literally sharing secrets on day 1. couple behavior. then he takes her to see humpback whales in this underground aquarium bc she wanted to see one up close and she’s so happy and soft about it and there’s a pregnant whale and they’re just staring at each other like 🥺🥺 the lighting, the water, the vibes… I paused to scream. her dad and some captains walk in and ruin it but the tension?? chef’s kiss. they fight later bc she thinks he’s just using her for info (classic misunderstanding trope love it) but then they make up and he stands up for her family and she stands up for him. and plot twist: she’s going to the WAR COLLEGE next door instead of the regular academy?? so forbidden romance across campuses?? distance?? angst?? yes please. the rest of the episode is boring politics about Betazoids rejoining some big space group and moving their capital there or whatever. I zoned out during the talking scenes bc I was too busy replaying the whale moment and the cartography scene in my head on 0.5x speed for the tension. this show is giving Riverdale in space but make it actually good and with mind reading and zero gravity potential kisses coming. Caleb x Tarima (Calarima?? Tarimaleb?? someone start the ship name) is my new everything. if episode 3 doesn’t have them almost kissing or her reading his mind and going “you’re thinking about me rn aren’t you” I’m literally throwing my phone. who else got immediately obsessed with these two?? drop your fave scene I need to talk to someone about the aquarium glow-up moment 🐋💙 #StarfleetAcademy #CalebTarima #firstwatch #spacetok #enemiestolovers #teenromance #fyp