T'Pol seeking emotions is almost impossible to believe, even in light of her experience with the Vulcans who forced emotions upon her. I suppose one might say that lead to her action, but I just see it as further BAD writing.
The only surprise, for me, was seeing the alien who's manipulating things and that she-he-or-whatever is not a known race. THAT surprised me. I was wrong thinking it was, well, never mind ... but being wrong is a good thing. Like the God Emperor of Dune, I want to be surprised in these shows.