Star Trek: Enterprise: The Forge

"The Forge" is the seventh episode of the fourth season of the American science-fiction television Star Trek: Enterprise, and originally aired on November 19, 2004, on UPN. Directed by Michael Grossman, the script was written by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, and formed the first part of a three-episode arc which continued in "Awakening" and concluded in "Kir'Shara". Set in the 22nd century, the series follows the adventures of the first Starfleet starship Enterprise, registration NX-01. In this episode, the crew investigates the bombing of the Earth embassy on Vulcan. The evidence led them to suspect a group called the Syrrannites, and Captain Archer and Commander T'Pol seek to cross an unforgiving Vulcan desert, known as "The Forge", to find them. Meanwhile on the ship, the crew discovers that the evidence was planted by elements linked to Vulcan High Command. The episode picks up on several references from Star Trek: The Original Series and The Animated Series. Scenes were filmed in Simi Valley, California to represent the Vulcan Forge itself, which was augmented with additional CGI to represent the firestorm and a Vulcan animal called the sehlat. The ratings for "The Forge" had a decrease from the previous two episodes.