A threat to an idyllic planet reunites Captain Pike with the lost love of his life. To protect her and a scientific holy child from a conspiracy, Pike offers his help and is forced to face unresolved feelings of his past.

Anson Mount (Captain Christopher Pike)
Ethan Peck (Lieutenant Spock)
Jess Bush (Nurse Christine Chapel)
Christina Chong (Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh)
Celia Rose Gooding (Cadet Nyota Uhura)
Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. Joseph M'Benga)
Melissa Navia (Lt. Erica Ortegas)
Rebecca Romijn (Lt. Commander Una Chin-Riley)

Lindy Booth (Minister Alora)
Dan Jeannotte (Lt. Samuel Kirk)
Ian Ho (First Servant)
Huse Madhavji (Elder Gamal)

Shawn Ahmed (Ensign Shankar)
Sage Arrindell (Rukiya M'Benga)
Rong Fu (Lt. Jenna Mitchell)
André Dae Kim (Chief Kyle)
Adam Maros (Kier)
Antonette Rudder (Aide)
Stephen Sparks (Majalan Official)

• Pike last visted Majalis ten years ago when he met Alora. He had a rank of Lieutenant at that time.
  
• The Majalan system is located at the edge of Federation space. When Pike last visited the planet, he rescued Alora from a pulsar. Majalis was invited to join the Federation, but they declined because they are an isolationist species.
  
• Majalis is a class-N planet. It has a carbon dioxide atmosphere and the surface is made of lava. The Majalans live in cities that float in the atmosphere.
  
• Cadet Uhura is going through a security training rotation with Lt. Noonien-Singh, who is quite… intense.
  
• Pike discovers when the First Servant "ascends," he is plugged into a machine which uses his brain to keep the city afloat. The machine uses the child until it's a dead husk and the Majorans then choose another one. Pike is horrified, but there's nothing he can do since they are not a Federation world. (Unfortunately he discovers this after he sleeps with Alora.)
  
• The Majalans have technology that could cure M'Benga's daughter, but they do not share with outsiders. Before Gamal leaves, he offers to help Dr. M'Benga and provides him with information on technology that could help cure Rukiya.
  
• Bruce Horak (Hemmer) does not appear in this episode (and he is not credited in the main titles).