The Council ( episode ) Archer confronts the Xindi Council . Summary . Teaser . The Sphere - Builder s convene and discuss the timelines . The woman is confident that the Xindi weapon will be deployed soon , but the others see a diminished number of timelines which favor that . They decide to take more effort . Act One . The and Degra ' s ship are still on their way to the Xindi Council planet . Sub - Commander T ' Pol visits Doctor Phlox for another check - up on the trellium . Phlox doesn ' t find a trace , though T ' Pol still is having trouble and meditation isn ' t helping . Commander Charles Tucker interrupts them with a physical ailment , having worked especially hard in engineering . T ' Pol feigns a headache and slips out , not wanting to attract attention . Degra views the data on the Delphic Expanse sphere s with T ' Pol and Captain Jonathan Archer in the command center . T ' Pol finds there is a network of artificial intelligence controlling the spheres , and believes they can access the redundant memory core to acquire some data on the Sphere - Builders . Degra notes that would be helpful with the Council . They plan to download the data , and ask Degra ' s help with information on the outer shell of the spheres . While an away team of T ' Pol , Lieutenant Malcolm Reed , Ensign Travis Mayweather , and Corporal F . Hawkins prepare , Degra goes to gather his information when the Woman Sphere - Builder appears to him , pleading to stop what he ' s doing . She appeals to Degra ' s legacy in history , but Degra says he knows what he ' s doing , and history will judge him , not her . She leaves , and Degra then finds Archer . Degra briefs Archer on what they ' re facing : the Builders are practically worshiped , including by Degra ' s own children , having helped them when their homeworld was destroyed . He ' s worried the evidence may not be enough , but it could be . He promises to be on Archer ' s side the whole time , and , as Archer gets word that the other Xindi have arrived , briefs him on the various members of the Xindi Council he will soon meet . While a containing the " Enterprise " away team heads off to investigate the sphere , a fleet of Primate and Arboreal vessels escorts " Enterprise " into the security zone surrounding the Council planet . When they meet Commander Dolim ' s flagship , Dolim hails them and refuses to let " Enterprise " into a security zone , but Degra orders him to power down his weapons , firing warning shots at him to make it clear . Due to being outnumbered , Dolim relents . Archer brings Ensign Hoshi Sato to translate . On the way , Degra notes more about the Council members , like the fact that the Aquatics respect boldness and the Insectoids view loudness as hostile . Soon , Archer and Sato see the location of the Council chamber , a hidden mountain which was the former dwelling of the extinct Xindi - Avian race . When they get to the Council chamber , Dolim speaks first , threatening the Humans . Act Two . The introductory session does not go well . Archer starts off by acknowledging that the Earth attack was done under a certain belief , which is a lie . The Insectoid immediately objects , saying that they ' ve never lied to them . Archer states that the Sphere Builders are actually preparing the Expanse for colonization for themselves . Dolim attempts to end it immediately , claiming Archer ' s just desperate , the data is manufactured , and that Degra ' s judgement is clouded . Kiaphet Amman ' sor calls to end the irrelevant bickering . Archer admits he ' s trying to save his world , and further states that they are in danger , too . Archer promises an attack against the Sphere - Builders , and they know this , giving them the motivation for manipulating the Xindi . Dolim objects again , and states that the Council isn ' t necessary if it won ' t defend themselves . Degra tries to prevent him from leaving , but is struck by Dolim . This prompts Archer to defend him , receiving a blow by the Insectoid councilor . Meanwhile , the away team finds an opening into the Sphere through T ' Pol ' s identification of a holographic camouflage d exhaust port . They make their way through several corridors and eventually reach the center of the sphere . Degra ' s colleague sees failure immediately , as the Reptilians will never be convinced , but Degra expected a tough beginning . They must convince the Aquatics , who notoriously weigh every argument with excruciating detail . Degra explains they were reluctant to believe the Guardians as well at first , when visual evidence was shown of Humans destroying their civilization in the future . He then gets an idea , and heads to sickbay where Phlox shows him the data on the test subject they encountered a few weeks ago . He says that the Aquatics respond to visual stimuli very strongly . Tucker is called to sickbay , and is forced to help Degra again modify the pod the test subject was in . Sensing Tucker ' s anger again , Degra stops him on the way and directly says he can ' t change what happened , but he is now risking his life to prevent further tragedies . Tucker doesn ' t respond . Mayweather monitors the environment as the team walks to the memory core in environmental suit s . Reed leads the way and , without any trouble , find the core , " practically gift - wrapped . " However , Mayweather detects a subtle movement as a gigantic claw emerges from the walls of the sphere . He can ' t pinpoint the location , so Reed orders them to move fast . Act Three . Degra comes to Archer in his ready room to report completion of the modifications . He compliments Tucker on working efficiently despite the discomfort of working with him . When he goes to leave , Archer tells him he knows there are Humans and Xindi working together on the future ship ; they ' re destined to work together . Back in the Council , Archer is allowed to present more evidence . He restates that the being they found was in a pod of the same material as the Spheres . However , now Archer wants to prove the pilot was a Guardian . An apparatus is transported to the chamber , showing what looks to be a Guardian . Despite the real one being disintegrated , using Degra ' s technology they built a biometric hologram of the being from the medical data they collected . To the Insectoid ' s objection that the data is falsified , Degra insists the Humans don ' t have the technology to do so . Jannar cannot deny the physical resemblance , and Kiaphet Amman ' sor believes it is a Guardian . Amazingly , even though the Insectoid demands Archer be expelled , Dolim agrees to hear more . In the Sphere , T ' Pol starts working on the memory core while Hawkins and Reed stay sharp , but they don ' t see anything . Mayweather soon is able to pinpoint the movement , and Hawkins soon sees it . He takes a position and fires , but his weapon is ineffective . It is a big claw that grabs him and , with another protrusion , vaporizes him . Reed and T ' Pol dart back to the shuttle , making their way on the catwalk with Reed covering . The claw comes around another way , but Mayweather pilots the shuttle over and destroys it . With five more claws coming , they have to move fast . In engineering , Tucker is disappointed to inform Archer they are far from 100 % as it ' s difficult to pinpoint a certain energy drain . They ' re interrupted by Degra and the Primate councilor , who are excited to inform him that Dolim has joined the majority in postponing the launch of the Xindi weapon . It ' s a significant step toward the future Archer described . Tucker then asks for Degra ' s help with their power cell s , and Degra agrees . Before they get to it , Tucker admits he knows Degra went out on a limb . Degra responds he would feel the same way in Tucker ' s position . Dolim visits Degra , who is surprised to see him . He starts by expressing his dislike for the Council chambers , as he prefers to be near the ground and dislikes the failure to survive that the Avians represent . His real purpose for being there is revealed when he says he found a sensor with proof that Degra destroyed the Reptilian ship . Degra exclaims they gave him no choice , but Dolim quickly stabs him , accusing him of being a traitor and promising to kill all the Humans and his own family . Act Four . Tucker goes to get Phlox for a snack in the mess hall . He admits he ' s held onto his anger for a long time , and finds it odd to let it go . Phlox says he has friends to help . He also notices Phlox has lost weight , which Phlox is happy to hear . His secret – a Danaxian tapeworm . Archer gets a communication from the Primate councilor . He learns Degra was killed , and that the Reptilians have called an emergency session . The councilor warns Archer his ship is in danger . After the call , Archer orders a tactical alert . Meanwhile , the away team has trouble and needs to slow down to make repairs . During , Reed expresses frustration at losing yet another crewmember , tired of feeling " all right " continually while people die . T ' Pol offers the Vulcan saying : " the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few , " but it ' s a cold comfort to him . Dolim freely admits killing Degra for his betrayal , but the Council is furious at him for acting alone . Dolim and the Insectoids reveal they have secured the weapon and intend to use it . The others can either join or be against them , despite the unification the Council represented for decades . The Primate councilor states they only have two of the necessary three codes to arm it , but Dolim says he knows that , and isn ' t concerned . The " Enterprise " detects the launch of the weapon with five Insectoid ships surrounding it . A firefight ensues as " Enterprise " , the Arboreals , and the Primates try to stop the weapon , but they are not fast enough ; it and its escorts enter a subspace vortex . Just before the Reptilians leave , they transport Sato onto their ship . Memorable quotes . " " You ' ve brought Humans into this chamber , Degra . Explain yourself , if you expect them to leave here alive . " " " " Do me a favor . Don ' t try to get on my good side . " " " " I can ' t change what happened to your sister or any of the seven million . But I ' m risking my life , I ' m risking the lives of my family , I ' ve killed members of my own species , all because I ' m trying to save both our worlds . " " " " When I was on the future " Enterprise " , four hundred years from now , there were Xindi aboard . Humans and Xindi were serving together in the Federation . That ' s a future worth fighting for . " " " " The crew of that ship are the last Xindi you ' ll ever betray . When the Humans have been eliminated , when the Council has been replaced by Reptilian rule , I am going to find your wife and children and do the same to them . Your traitorous bloodline will end at the tip of my blade . " " " " Ever since the attack on Earth , all I ' ve thought about is getting back at whoever was responsible . " " " " And now we are making peace with them . " " " " I ' ve gotten used to the anger . It ' s going to be like , I don ' t know , losing an old friend . " " " " You have other friends . " " " " Maybe we ' re getting a bit too comfortable with losing people . 23 men and women . On any given mission , the limits of acceptable casualties is 20 % . So says traditional military doctrine . Well , we ' ve crossed that margin . " " " " There ' s a Vulcan axiom : The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few . Corporal Hawkins understood that . " " " " That doesn ' t make his death any more acceptable . " " " " No , but it makes it honorable . " " " " The weapon cannot be launched without three of the codes . You only have two . " " " " Do you really believe we haven ' t considered that ? " " " " I can ' t believe I actually feel bad about Degra . 24 hours ago I would have been celebrating . " " " " A lot can happen in a day . " " Links and references . References . artificial intelligence ; ; biometric hologram ; bio - sign ; coil assembly ; Degra ' s ship ; Danaxian tapeworm ; deformity ; Earth ; ; EV suit ; EVA ; exhaust vent ; Federation ; headache ; hologram ; Ibix Dynasty ; injection ; kilometer ; Klingon ; Janus loop ; lower intestinal tract ; medical doctor ; memory core ; meter ; osmotic eel ; party ; past tense ; portable power cell ; power generator ; principal ; RCS inverter ; Reptilian blade ; security zone ; sensor encoder ; SONAR ; Sphere - Builder transport pod ; tactical alert ; Temporal Cold War ; trans - dimensional disturbance ; transporter ; ; V - probe ; Vulcan s ; Xindi ; Xindi Empire ; Xindi - Arboreal ; Xindi - Aquatic ; Xindi - Avian ; Xindi - Insectoid ; Xindi - Insectoid language ; Xindi mission ; Xindi - Reptilian warship ; Xindi shuttle ; Xindus