‘Star Trek: Discovery’: Anson Mount Offers Behind-the-Scenes Look at That Dramatic Pike Moment

“Through the Valley of Shadows,” the latest episode of Star Trek: Discovery, revealed a previously hidden chapter of Capt. Christopher Pike’s story. In the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “The Menagerie,” Pike is revealed to have suffered severe injuries from radiation while rescuing cadets after an accident on a training vessel. His body is scarred and paralyzed. He’s confined to a moving chair, and, despite a functional mind, can communicate only through crude lights and beeping sounds.

“The Menagerie” tells its audience of Pike’s accident, but “Through the Valley of Shadows” shows it not only to its viewers but to Pike years before the event will take place. It also shows Pike a vision of his future self in the chair, with a horrifying vision of his face melting off.

Discovery star Anson Mount offered a behind-the-scenes look at this dramatic moment. Here’s a look at Mount working with the chair.

He also shared of video of himself having some fun in the makeup trailer.

And here are some shots of Mount having Pike’s radiation scarring applied to his face.

Finally, he shared some raw footage of the radiation accident being filmed.

In “Through the Valley of Shadows,” the USS Discovery follows one of the mysterious signals it has been tracking to Boreth. Boreth is a planet sacred to Klingons and the site of a monastery. It is also home to the rare mineral known as “time crystals.” Pike believes that if Discovery obtains a time crystal, it can help stop Control from eliminating all sentient life in the universe.

Given the sensitive politics at play, Pike decides to go himself to retrieve the time crystal. There, he’s greeted by the Timekeepers who guard the crystals. One of them — the son of L’Rell and Voq, aged by his work with the time crystals — guides Pike to the crystals. He’s warned that there will be a price to pay if he wants to take a time crystal back with him.

Upon touching the time crystal, Pike sees a vision of his future. He sees the accident that scars and cripples him as well as a vision of the chair that he will sit in after the accident. He snaps out of the vision, and the Timekeeper tells him that he can avoid this fate by leaving the crystal behind. Taking the crystal makes this future unavoidable. Pike remembers that he is a Starfleet captain. He recalls everything that means to him. He refuses to throw it all away to avoid an unpleasant future. He takes the time crystal from Boreth back to Discovery.

This adds a new wrinkle to Pike’s story. It makes what was random misfortune into a willing sacrifice, restoring Pike’s agency in deciding his future. His ultimate fate, per “The Menagerie,” is being allowed to live out his remaining days in a telepathic paradise on Talos IV.

What do you think of this new revelation in Pike’s story? Let us know in the comments. New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery becomes available to stream Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET on CBS All Access.

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