In case you skip it...

This episode is just kind of a slog. Here’s what happens that matters later:

• Zora, the intelligence formed by Discovery’s computer merged with the sphere data, has developed emotions and apparent sentience. She experiences apparent fear and anxiety while the ship is in danger.
• Examining the subspace rift left behind by the DMA results in damage to Discovery (hence Zora’s fear) but also turns up traces of the galactic barrier, suggesting that the DMA and its creators originate from outside the galaxy.