See Also: 'The Expanse' Episode Guide

Enterprise will embark on a new mission to track down a mysterious alien species which is planning to destroy Earth in the season's cliffhanger finale, UPN announced today.

The network released the first official details on the season ender, entitled "The Expanse", as part of its May sweeps publicity campaign, describing the episode as "a finale that dares the Trekkie fans not to return".

UPN's synopsis corroborates previously released rumours about the episode, including the Klingon Chancellor's decision to send Duras to capture Captain Archer after he escapes from their clutches in "Bounty", as well as the devastating attack on Earth which prompts the NX-01's new mission into the titular expanse. The network's information also reveals that T'Pol is forced to make a dramatic decision regarding her life on board Enterprise.

The official description of the episode can be found below:

In the season finale, Earth is savagely attacked by a mysterious alien probe that leaves millions of people killed. When Archer learns that the culprit species is planning to destroy the entire planet with their next assault, Enterprise embarks on a new mission into the dangerous and highly mysterious Delphic Expanse to put a stop to it. Although T'Pol is given a direct order from the Vulcan High Command not to participate in this mission, she resigns her post in order to continue with Enterprise. Meanwhile, the Klingons, who are bent on destroying Archer, continue their hot pursuit of Enterprise all the way into the expanse.

Trek veteran Allan Kroeker ("What You Leave Behind", "Endgame") directed "The Expanse" from a script by Enterprise executive producers Rick Berman and Brannon Braga. The episode is currently scheduled to air on May 21.

The UPN network also released official information on the penultimate episode of the season, "Bounty", which will be shown a week prior to "The Expanse". Although StarTrek.com has already published a brief synopsis of the episode (story), UPN's rundown offers a few more tidbits on the T'Pol storyline, in which the Vulcan officer starts to go through Pon Farr.

After contracting a virus on an away mission, T'Pol begins to prematurely experience severe symptoms of Pon Farr, the Vulcan mating cycle in which she has to mate or else die. She begins to make advances on Phlox as well as Reed in her burning desire to mate, forcing the crew to find a solution. Meanwhile, Archer is kidnapped by a bounty hunter who has been hired by the Klingons to bring him back to their planet where a bounty has been put on his head for escaping from their prison (from the "Judgment" episode).

"Bounty" was directed by former Star Trek: Voyager star Roxann Dawson (B'Elanna Torres). The episode's story was devised by creators Rick Berman and Brannon Braga, with the teleplay written by Hans Tobeason and Enterprise co-producers Mike Sussman and Phyllis Strong.

"Bounty" is scheduled to air at 9:00 p.m. on May 14, following Enterprise's fiftieth episode, "First Flight", which will be shown at 8:00 p.m.

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