For better or worse, Degra was first and foremost a Patriot.

In continuing Degra’s character exploration from Warp Five Episode 42, it is apparent that his character arc has even more complexity still left to explore. The Season 3 Xindi arc from September 2003 to May 2004 emulated the U.S. national zeitgeist, post-911, with issues of torture, weapons of mass destruction, and moral compromise at the heart. But without Degra's redemption and the overall resolution of the conflict which hinged upon reconciliation, the story would have been significantly darker and fundamentally not in the best traditions of Star Trek.

Conceptually, the initial inspiration for the character of Degra was J. Robert Oppenheimer, one of the fathers of the atomic bomb. Brannon Braga explained in Star Trek Magazine #117, p. 62, "We knew we wanted to create an Oppenheimer-like character who was the mastermind behind building the bomb, who was very committed to his species but wracked with guilt, just like Oppenheimer." So please join us for a deeply philosophical discussion about Degra and how he faced his own morality which ultimately led to his redemption.