Star Trek: Enterprise had some sad episodes but none so sad as Terra Prime, the next to last episode of the series
Star Trek: Enterprise was on its final mission in the last part of season four, already having been given the axe from the network. The 20th and the 21st episodes of the series were a dramatic arc for T’Pol (Jolene Blalock) and Trip Tucker (Connor Trinneer) when they discover they have become parents as a result of a cloned baby. But there was a problem with the cloning process of Vulcan and human DNA, and Elizabeth (as she was named) couldn’t survive.
In the next to last episode of the series, Terra Prime, T’Pol and Trip get the devastating news from Dr. Phlox that there was nothing he could do to save the infant’s life. The emotional impact is a breaking point for T’Pol who was just getting used to the idea of being a mother. Needless to say, Elizabeth’s death was a crippling moment for both the parents, but it didn’t need to happen.
A Star Trek: Enterprise renewal would have saved Elizabeth’s life.
According to Whatculture, had Enterprise been renewed for a fifth season, the writer of Terra Prime, Manny Coto, had the idea that the baby would have survived. But the cast and crew had already received the news of the cancellation so the episode proceeded as it was originally written.
Having a baby aboard the Enterprise, especially with T’Pol and Trip as parents, would have provided the writers with plenty of fodder for future episodes, much like what could have happened had Tom and B’Elanna’s baby been born earlier on Star Trek: Voyager.
This episode was sad, but what was sadder was, even though the series was cancelled, Coto could have allowed the child to live and provided fans with a little brighter ending. If Elizabeth would have survived for season five, there was no reason to let her die in season four. It was an emotional hit the fans didn’t need.