ENT: Azati Prime

         Not an awful way to move things forward, but I do have two strong objections. First of all there is no reason for Archer to do this himself, especially since they should have just destroyed the weapon when they were there the first time. Going back obviously a bad idea. And the point that is raised and then ignored, I think by the arboreal Xindi, that Archer is only negotiating because his plan to destroy the weapon failed is a pretty big problem for the episode. He was obviously there to destroy the weapon and all the talking he is doing afterwards should clearly just come across as the cries of a desperate man. Second and honestly more important, what the hell were they thinking having a scene where T'Pol cries because Archer is leaving. Literally last episode she was willing to mutiny against him for acting against the mission. Plus we have literally only seen Vulcans cry when they are badly ill and about to die. If that turns out to be the big reveal I may go back and edit this, but as of now it is just out of character and wrong. 
         We open with Enterprise arriving at the Azati system with the promised red giant. They figure out which planet the weapon is probably on pretty quick from the super dense web of tracking satellites. Luckily they still have the captured Xindi insectoid shuttle so Trip and Tucker take it in for a closer look. They have no problem flying right up to the weapon in fact despite it being underwater and get all the scans they need. When they get back Archer gets taken to the future by Daniels who tells him the spheres are being used to modify space for the transdimensional aliens and the Xindi will end up teaming up with the humans in the future to stop them. He gives Archer an artifact from the future but for whatever reason Archer doesn't believe him or something. Trip and Tucker return so for whatever reason Archer decides to take the shuttle on a suicide mission to destroy the weapon leaving  tearful T'Pol in charge. Archer's dumb plan doesn't work and he is captured so T'Pol decides to go in and negotiate or something? Trip tries to stop her but she refuses to listen until they come under attack by the Xindi. Archer meanwhile convinces Degra somehow that maybe he is telling the truth. Unfortunately the reptilian Xindi are apparently calling the shots and take Degra and company into custody while continuing the attack on a crippled Enterprise.

         Review: A few big problems keep this from being as good as it might have been. I had a really hard time accepting how quickly the Xindi were willing to listen to Archer, but maybe their cultural weakness is they are suckers for the last good pitch they heard.

4 out of 10