I gave this one a rewatch, and not only is it much better when you’re not half-asleep like I was the first time 'round, I think it also works better when you know the Spock twist in advance.

Setting aside the silliness of the simulation, the actual story worked better for me once I realized that the re-creation room was manipulating La’An the entire time, planting the false Spock from the very beginning, and using the various characters to needle her about her feelings - both that she has them at all, and how she’s afraid people might take her less seriously in her job as a consequence of them.

Not-Uhura’s speech is about the “Amelia Moon” stories La’An grew up with just as much as it’s about Star Trek itself.

And Christina Chong turned in a really great performance throughout, too - this one should definitely go in her audition reel.