RE: the speech at the end. I've noticed in films and TV at the moment that characters make what are supposed to by rousing or poignant speeches or monologues but the writers aren't very good at being succinct so they just come out as a load of old waffle.
The best thing about Prelude to Axanar (and there are a number of good things) is Ramirez' speech in Archer Arena:
We are facing an enemy that is consumed and committed to our total destruction.
An enemy that demands to be fought, and we will fight!
But I say to you our greatest challenge is not the might of a Klingon fleet.
The greatest challenge laying before us is to do what must be done, without undoing the dream of the Federation.
For myself, I have but one fear: Destroying the dream of the Federation.
Compared to such a loss, I DO NOT FEAR THE KLINGON EMPIRE!
In PtA this is intercut with some other comments (a bit like wossname's in Discovery), but it's short and sharp, and Tony Todd's delivery and performance is powerful. It's a pretty clear statement about the nature of Star Fleet. Yeah, if we have to fight then we'll fight and fight hard, but we'll also do our damnedest not to compromise the Federation's ideals and goals in the process.
For all the impressive things in Discovery, I can't help but compare it to PtA. There's nothing in Discovery that I'm interested in rewatching, but I find myself coming back to PtA again and again. It's like Discovery is using the iconography of Star Trek, but PtA actually understands and follows its tenets.
Oh, dear. Star Trek as a religion. Never mind.
Regards,
Robin