Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, Episode 7 – “Erigah”

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, “Erigah,” ends with a major death and twist as the Breen enter the hunt for the ancient treasure of the Progenitors. Written by M. Raven Metzner and directed by Jon Dudkowski, “Erigah” literally brings the Breen to the door of the United Federation of Planets as Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo) to take custody of his nephew, L’ak (Elias Toufexis). The greviously injured L’ak and Moll (Eve Harlow) were apprehended by Starfleet and held aboard the USS Discovery so that Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) can treat L’ak.

L’ak and Moll’s escape attempt seriously backfires when the wounded Breen gives himself an overdose as a distraction so that Moll can escape. Meanwhile, President T’Rina (Tara Rosling) leads the Federation’s negotiations with the Breen, which is aided by Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Commander Rayner’s (Callum Keith Rennie) history with the Breen. Aboard the USS Discovery, Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp), Cleveland Booker (David Ajala), Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman), and Ensign Adira Tal (Blu del Barrio) team up to find the location of the final clue to the Progenitors’ treasure. Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7’s stories dovetail in a game-changing ending that raises the stakes for the Progenitors’ treasure hunt.

L’ak’s Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 True Breen Scion Identity & Death Explained

Yes, L’ak is really dead.

L’ak is more than Moll’s lover and Primarch Ruhn’s nephew. L’ak is the Scion, the last living direct descendant of the late Breen emperor’s bloodline. As Breen royalty, Primarch Ruhn needs L’ak for legitimacy in winning the faction war for control of the Breen Imperium. The Erigah blood bounty placed on L’ak and Moll’s heads wasn’t meant to kill L’ak (although the Breen didn’t care if Moll dies), but to return him to his uncle so Primarch Ruhn can use him to become the new Breen Emperor. But L’ak wanted nothing to do with the Breen’s game of thones; he just wanted his freedom to be with Moll.

Tragically, L’ak accidentally overdosed himself with a day’s worth of tricordazine. Dr. Culber didn’t know enough about Breen physiology to save him, so Captain Burnham informed Primarch Ruhn what happened to L’ak to coax his uncle to bring a Breen physician. But it was too late to save L’ak, who died with Moll at his side. However, even in death, L’ak is of use to Primarch Ruhn and his bid to become Breen Emperor.

L’ak and Moll Are Married & She Joins The Breen To Resurrect L’ak

Moll will lead the Breen to the Progenitors’ treasure

Moll shocked Primarch Ruhn by revealing that she and L’ak are married. Moll’s gamble is that as the wife of the Breen Scion, she is protected by Breen law, and they have to take her with them since Primarch Ruhn still needs L’ak. Primarch Ruhn now has the means to claim the Scion was killed by the Federation, and he can use L’ak to use the warring Breen factions under his control with the promise of war with the Federation.

Moll also told Primarch Ruhn about the Progenitors’ treasure and promised she could lead them to it. For Moll, finding the Progenitors’ technology is her last chance to bring L’ak back since it’s believed the ancient technology can resurrect the dead. Moll needs the Breen to find the treasure in the hopes that Primarch Ruhn will agree to bring the Scion back to life. Moll knows if she stays with the Federation, they would not allow her to use the Progenitors’ technology to bring L’ak back to life.

Book’s Empathy Revealed Star Trek: Discovery’s Final Progenitors Clue Location & Reached Moll

Cleveland Booker’s Kwejian powers light the way

Cleveland Booker was recruited by Commander Paul Stamets to help him unlock the secret of the final clue, which is a keycard belonging to the Betazoid scientist Marina Derex. After several dead ends, Stamets realized Betazoids are empaths and Derex may have left something residual on the keycard. This is where Book’s Kwejian empathic abilities come into play, and the former courier was able to “see” the clue is located in a region of space covered in plasma storms.

Book’s empathy also finally reached Moll. After she escaped sickbay, Moll fought her way to the USS Discovery’s shuttle bay, but she was stalled by Commander Nhan’s (Rachael Ancheril) Starfleet security. Book, who has been desperate to connect with Moll, was able to convince to come quietly and return to the dying L’ak’s bedside. Booker later objected to the Federation’s plan to turn Moll over to the Breen.

President T’Rina Steps In For The Absent Federation President & Saru To Negotiate With The Breen

T’Rina becomes the voice of the Federation

President T’Rina took center stage and led the Federation’s negotiations with the Breen. Admiral Vance explained to Captain Burnham that President Laira Rillak (Chelah Horsdal) was at a diplomatic summit on Tellar Prime and remained there for her safety. Rillak asked T’Rina to represent the Federation in her place. According to the Vulcan leader of Ni’Var, Ambassador Saru (Doug Jones) was absent because he was at a diplomatic summit of his own near Breen space, but the Kelpien delivered important intel on the state of the Breen’s faction wars.

T’Rina’s Vulcan methodology of proceeding logically and trying to find something to bargain with the Breen was met with angry opposition from Commander Rayner, whose past encounters with the Breen colored his justified fears of their aggression. However, T’Rina was a capable negotiator, and she, Captain Burnham, Admiral Vance, and Commander Rayner stood united against the Breen when Primarch Ruhn beamed into Federation HQ with his forces. With the fate of the Federation in T’Rina’s hands, the Vulcan President of Ni’Var admirably provided strong and steady leadership during the Breen crisis.

Commander Rayner Has A Tragic History With The Breen

Rayner has good reason to despise the Breen

Commander Rayner has animosity toward L’ak and Moll, but his true hatred is for the Breen. As Rayner explained to Captain Burnham, the Breen conquered his home planet of Kellerun and used it as a forward operating base. Led by Primarch Tahal, the Breen pillaged Kellerun’s natural resources and killed numerous people, including Rayner’s family. Rayner was able to escape and join Starfleet, but he understandably despises the Breen for what they did to Kellerun.

However, Rayner’s history with the Breen was an important part of the Federation’s ploy. Captain Burnham created a fiction the Federation was negotiating with Primarch Tahal to turn L’ak over to her faction. Having L’ak at Tahal’s side would bolster her claim to become the new Emperor. Of course, it was all a ruse that Primarch Ruhn saw through, but it was enough to give the Breen pause and buy the Federation time. And Rayner was able to face and exorcise some of his demons regarding the Breen.

Star Trek: Discovery’s Final Progenitors Clue Location Revealed

Discovery is going to the Badlands

With the threat of the Breen’s arrival, Lt. Sylvia Tilly attempted to return to Starfleet Academy, but Commander Paul Stamets convinced her to stay aboard the USS Discovery and work with Ensign Adira Tal to unlock the final clue to the Progenitors’ treasure. With Marina Derex’s keycard leading to an ancient text called “Labyrinth of the Mind”, Tilly and Adira learned that Commander Jett Reno (Tig Notaro) was a book collector and dealer in the 23rd century before she joined Starfleet. Reno directed her crew mates to an ancient library in outer space called the Eternal Gallery and Archive.

Star Trek: Discovery‘s final stop for the fifth and last clue to the Progenitors treasure is the Eternal Gallery and Archive, which is located in the Badlands per Book’s vision from Derex’s keycard. The Badlands were often visted in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager as the dangerous region of space was once the home base of the Maquis in the 24th century. The USS Discovery will next visit the Badlands in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, “Labyrinth”, for the last clue, but, unfortunately, the Breen will be hot on their tail.

New episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 premiere Thursdays on Paramount+