Burnham learns Starfleet's plan is to destroy Qo'noS, persuades it to stand down, and the war ends with L'Rell uniting the Klingons.
Disguised as traders, Burnham, Georgiou, Tyler and Tilly visit an Orion outpost on Qo'noS to send a drone into a dormant volcano. Tilly discovers the drone is actually a hydro bomb able to wipe out the planet, and Cornwell admits that this is Starfleet's plan.
Burnham convinces Starfleet to abandon it, and Georgiou gives up the detonator in exchange for her freedom. L'Rell uses the detonator as leverage to unite the Klingon houses under her rule and end the war, and Tyler leaves with her. Burnham is pardoned and restored to the rank of commander, and as Discovery heads for Vulcan it receives a distress call from Captain Pike's USS Enterprise. Akiva Goldsman directed the first season finale.