The third and final season of Star Trek: Picard takes on a cadence of three episodes followed by a mini-finale, another three episodes followed by another mini-finale, and then the two-part grand finale. Without spoiling anything, Beverly Crusher sends a distress call to Picard because she's being pursued by unknown enemies, and there was also a big bad weapon stolen from the Daystrom Institute. Uh, there is a villain... and a conspiracy involving the Changelings... and that's really all I can say!
You do not need to watch anything before enjoying Season 3 of Picard, but you might enjoy it a little bit more if you know some of the background. Below is a suggested watch-list to consider before watching this season, or maybe you'd rather come back to this list afterwards.
Riker meets Data; the Enterprise encounters a space-borne creature (TNG Series Premiere) *This was already on the suggested prerequisite list for Picard Season 2
Julian Bashir and Miles O'Brien obtain the cure for the Changeling virus in a most unorthodox way
3x01
Original Air Date 16 Feb 2023
Series Episode 21
Franchise Episode 860
The Next Generation
No-spoiler reviewFull review
Beverly Crusher sends a desperate distress call to Picard after not having spoken to him for over 20 years. To the rescue, Picard and Riker take the USS Titan-A, along with Captain Shaw, first officer Commander Annika Hansen, and helmsman Sidney La Forge, Geordi's daughter. Shaw is clearly not thrilled by Picard and Riker's visit. Meanwhile, Raffi is working for Starfleet Intelligence in search of information about some portal technology stolen from the Daystrom Institute, but she is too late to save a devastating attack on a Starfleet recruiting facility. On Beverly's ship, Picard and Riker find the doctor in a stasis tube, being guarded by a young man in his 20s who says he is Crusher's son and that they are being hunted, just as a big bad ship appears menacingly before them.
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Thoughts
There's something I immediately like about the atmosphere in this episode, from the opener on Beverly's ship, to Picard's study, to Guinan's bar, to Raffi's scenes on M'Talas Prime. I don't know if it's the lighting, the way it's shot, the music, or what... but it definitely works. However, when Picard and Riker first arrive on the Titan, we see, once again, “The Hallway” which we haven't seen since S2E01, but believe me, we'll see too much of it this season. In case you forgot when I mentioned it last time, this generic Starfleet ship corridor is used ad nauseam this season. It's shot from different angles and sometimes has various props strewn about it, but it's always the same damn corridor. Over and over and over. I get it, they were on a tight budget, but give us a break! Don't worry, I'll make sure to point out every time it's used.
Then I was actually a bit disappointed when the Titan bridge was just a slight redress of the Stargazer bridge from Season 2. In fact, I'm not even sure there was a redress... they look identical. Well, setting that aside, the drawn-out launch sequence with gratuitous views of the ship and the accompanying music is sort of a Star Trek signature, reminiscent of the original films. Even the most critical viewers of this series have to admit that this is “Star Trek”.
It's delightful to see Seven of Nine in a Starfleet uniform, and long overdue, I would say. Then we meet Captain Shaw, a foil for our heroes Picard and Riker. You know, I took umbrage with the reporter in S1E01 because she antagonized Picard, and while Shaw does the same here... there's something compelling about him. From the moment he greeted them at dinner with, "...your reputations proceeded you so far into the room that I started early," we knew he was going to be disagreeable. He is rude, to be sure, but his reasons for refusing to change course are sound, and actor Todd Stashwick does a wonderful job with the character in this and future episodes to come. When dinner ends abruptly, Riker, Picard, and Seven exit out through “The Hallway.”
We get some more of Raffi's story, including a conversation with her mysterious handler and a devastating attack on a Starfleet recruitment center, which definitely ups the stakes. We'll find out more about how her story comes around to merge with Picard's in future episodes. Finally, we are introduced to a big, nasty-looking enemy ship and its accompanying sound effect using an instrument called a “blaster beam.” To be continued...
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Annoying Character
Crusher's Son for his accent. There will be a lame excuse for his accent in a future episode.
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References
There are numerous references to the original motion pictures throughout the episode, including musical motifs (notably composer James Horner's violin trills during the Titan launch sequence, reminiscent of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), the boatswain's whistle (nearly identical to the one used in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country), and Beverly's jacket with the large white collar (reminiscent of Carol Marcus's jacket from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan).
Among Beverly's possessions is a tablet/plaque naming her Medical Away Team as Honorary Citizens of Cor Coroli V [sic]. While we never saw the origin of this story on screen, it is mentioned only once in TNG 3x18: Allegiance. The planet was facing a plague which was successfully eliminated by Dr. Crusher and her team, and the incident was later classified by Starfleet. There is a real-life star named “Cor Caroli,” suggesting that this plaque has a spelling error.
Beverly also has a box labeled “Lt Cmdr Jack R Crusher,” who is her late husband.
Among Picard's treasured possessions in his study are his Ressikan flute from TNG 5x25: The Inner Light which he briefly holds, the tapestry given to him by the natives of Mintaka III in TNG 3x04: Who Watches the Watchers draped over the back of his chair, and the Kurlan naiskos gifted to him by Professor Galen in TNG 6x20: The Chase, on the desk as he hand-writes cards that evening.
“Picard 4 7 Alpha Tango” is the authorization code that Picard used in Star Trek: First Contact to gain access to a restricted communiqué and also to set the self-destruct.
Non-reference: “Myriad codec” and Riker's memory of its use on Rigel VII is not a reference to anything that had previously happened on screen.
Non-reference: Beverly's codeword “Hellbird” and the so-named virus that Riker talks about is not a reference to anything that had previously happened on screen.
During the Titan's launch sequence, an officer reports, “Metaphasic shields at the ready.” This is a nod to TNG 6x22: Suspicions, which was an episode primarily focused on Beverly Crusher and her desire to bring scientists together to work on this shield technology, which was experimental at the time. Obviously the designs have been refined and implemented on modern Starfleet ships.
( +1 spoiler )
The “Red Lady” is a statue of Rachel Garrett, who was the captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-C, only ever seen in the TNG episode TNG 3x15: Yesterday's Enterprise, which tells the story of the event responsible for sending Tasha Yar into the past, eventually leading to the birth of the hybrid Human-Romulan, Sela.
When Picard uploads Beverly's medical history, we briefly see two things on the screen:
“47653.2: Near paralysis from unidentified venom. Placed in stasis to prevent paralysis. Reconstructive surgery required.” – this is a reference to TNG 7x19: Genesis.
“You hear that, Jean-Luc? No one wants the fat ones!” [to the bartender] “That's ‘Galaxy Class’ to you, young lady!” — Riker, referencing the Enterprise‑D models for sale.
“Is there something wrong with that ensign?” — Picard, to Seven, referring to a grinning Sidney La Forge, who he did not recognize at first.
“Shut it, Will.” — Picard, after Riker called out his attempt to recover from a faux pas.
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Nitpickery & Other Weirdness
Picard doesn't recognize Beverly's codeword “Hellbird,” and Riker explains that it references a virus that got into the Enterprise-D's computers while Picard was... well... busy being Locutus, as if that explains why Picard wouldn't have known about it. Uh, would there not have been any logs? You know, records of what happened on the Enterprise during that time? Wouldn't Picard have probably reviewed those logs to get caught up? (Maybe it was too hard for him to review the logs considering the trauma he went through?)
When Picard and Riker finish up their conversation at their bar table and start to leave, the camera focuses on an unknown man sitting at the bar (listed in the credits only as “Dark Haired Man”). It seems like he was maybe listening into Picard's conversation, and then he ominously drops a model of a Galaxy-class starship into his drink and leaves. These are all obvious cues to the audience that this is a bad guy. Just keep that in mind for now, I'm going to talk more about it in the Nitpickery section of the fourth episode.
Seven says that the ensign guarding “Shuttle 3” will be called away, and later Ensign La Forge says there's an unauthorized launch from “Shuttlebay 3.” I suppose Shuttle 3 could be in Shuttlebay 3... and I suppose Shuttlebay 3 could be the name of the main shuttlebay from where the craft is seen departing...
Raffi asks the computer to search on the term “red lady” as a name of a vessel. The computer responds with a vessel named the “Red Lady,” followed by a second result about a former member of the Tal Shiar, who clearly is not a vessel... and that's it. Raffi, having done 23 searches, talks to herself about the Red Lady not being a buyer or a seller or a ship... making it seem like she's really only done 3 searches.
Riker just lets Picard go off on his own into potential danger while he plays on the floor with someone's ashes??
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Distinctions
Return to Service: Beverly Crusher
The Next Generation
My rating:
★★★☆☆
PROS
+ Trek film-style ship unveiling and launch + Seven in a Starfleet uniform
Picard, Riker, and Jack are trapped by the Shrike, but after some convincing by Seven, Shaw brings in the Titan for a rescue. It doesn't turn out to be much of a rescue because the Shrike greatly outclasses the Titan, and Vadic gives them one hour to hand over Jack. Raffi gives up a chance to reconnect with her son, instead meeting with a Ferengi named Sneed to try to track down the people behind the attack on the Starfleet recruitment center. She gets into some hot water, but her handler, Worf, comes to her rescue. With time running out, Beverly is brought to the bridge and Picard learns the truth: Jack is his son. Knowing that, the Titan makes a run for the nebula to hide from the Shrike and protect Jack Crusher.
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Thoughts
Well let's see, we start off with a flashback of Jack doing some less-than-legal business on the Eleos, and then jump back to the present where he and the others could really use some assistance against the big scary ship that presently has them trapped. Shaw finally concedes and comes to the rescue – their maneuver to break the tractor beam was pretty cool. Raffi is upset by the terror attack on the recruitment center, and even more upset that she's been taken off the case. So far, everything is mostly just necessary story.
Next we have Raffi meeting up with her ex-husband, Jae, who must be one of the most selfish people in the galaxy. I get it, he thinks this “conspiracy” is all in Raffi's head, based on her past... but that's a pretty big assumption to make if you're going to make the ultimatum of “you can come back to your family OR you can go save the galaxy from certain doom.” What a jerk.
Finally, we get our introduction to this season's antagonist: Captain Vadic (played by Amanda Plummer) on board her big, bad ship, the Shrike. And let me say, her performance in this and future episodes is wonderful. She really feels like a Star Trek villain. Her poetic speeches and gleeful laughter are going to be a joy this season.
Raffi meets Sneed, who I found amusing, mostly because he was played by Aaron Stanford. “The Hallway” only makes one appearance in this episode, as security is dispatched after Jack Crusher's escape and Seven walks to the transporter room. And that's about all I have to say about this one! Besides the two big reveals toward the end of the episode and Plummer's enjoyable performance, the rest of the episode is just necessary story. I'm marking this as average but... a good average, if that makes sense.
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Annoying Character
Raffi's ex, Jae for his stupid ultimatum.
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References
When Picard and Riker's shuttle is destroyed by the Shrike, a piece of debris is briefly seen with the shuttle name: Saavik. This is a reference to the Vulcan Lt. J.G. Saavik from the Star Trek films II, III, and IV. The font is reminiscent of the livery used on shuttlecraft in The Original Series.
Tiny detail: The beeping sound heard when Vadic appears on the viewscreen is the same sound as when establishing communications in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.
Musical continuity: The music heard when Worf appears is the Klingon battle theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
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Notable Quotes
“Good afternoon!” — Vadic, in an almost sing-songy but still somehow menacing tone.
“It's important for you to know that I was having a nice morning before all of this.” — Shaw
“She... threw a ship at us! ... Sir!” — Ens. Sidney La Forge
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Nitpickery & Other Weirdness
Vadic opens with, “Good afternoon. I believe it is afternoon in Sol System,” which makes no sense whatsoever.
Riker revives Beverly Crusher – against medical advice – just so that Beverly can vouch for her son after Shaw notes, “And how do we even know he really is her kid? Easy play, handcuffing yourself to the speechless woman unconscious in the med-pod.” It has been shown in the past that a DNA test to determine maternity is a simple matter for a 24th-century starship sickbay; there was no need to risk Beverly's life by reviving her and making her walk all the way to the bridge.
Shaw says that the Titan is cornered because “we have 500 guns pointed at our head. We try to run, we are vapor the second our nacelles light up.” Later, the Titan successfully runs from the Shrike.
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Distinctions
( +1 spoiler )Return to Service: Worf, Son of Mogh
Disengage
My rating:
★★★☆☆
PROS
+ Amanda Plummer as Vadic +( +1 spoiler )Worf, Son of Mogh
The Shrike and Titan play cat-and-mouse in the nebula while Crusher finally has “the talk” with Picard. She didn't reach out because she was afraid for Jack's safety, and Picard is particularly angered that she made the decision for him. Ultimately, Picard waves this off and doesn't think his relationship with Jack is salvageable. Beverly also explains how it seems like no matter where they turn, someone is after Jack, and they don't know why. On la Sirena, Raffi finally meets Worf and they vow to find who is really responsible for the theft at Daystrom Institute. After interrogating a suspect, they find out he is really a Changeling. The Titan is having their own Changeling issues – after Jack and Seven discover a leak that is leading the Shrike right to them, a Changeling saboteur nearly kills Jack, making Picard actually fear for the loss of his son in a touch-and-go moment in sickbay. Picard urges Riker to go on the offensive numerous times, but each time Riker shuts him down, opting for a defensive posture instead. When Riker finally takes Picard's advice, the Shrike uses the Titan's own weapons against it, causing it to sink helplessly into the gravity well in the center of the nebula.
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Thoughts
It is time for Picard and Beverly to have “the talk” about Jack, and that talk understandably turns into a bit of an argument. And it's a good argument, because they both have strong, valid points. I particularly like Beverly's line, “As a mother, your whole being is about protecting your child. I... I thought I could protect mine. I didn't know if I could protect yours.” It is true that being Picard's son does potentially paint a target on your back from numerous former enemies across the galaxy. We also get the lame explanation for Jack's accent being that he went to school in London and “never shook it” which is, ugh, okay whatever.
The B-plot of this episode is Worf getting a formal introduction and teaming up with Raffi to dig deeper into the portal weapon that was stolen from Daystrom and used on the Starfleet recruitment center, and this duo is fantastic together. Who knew that Worf, of all people, would become a hilarious comedy relief in the form of deadpan one-liners. I love it! And it's such smarter humor than Jurati's clumsy incompetence.
“The Hallway” is seen several times this episode. Jack takes it in an attempt to get to the bridge during red alert. Security runs through it a few times in different action sequences. They try to shake things up now and then with that three-way corridor intersection set piece that was used for the brig in the previous episode... and to be fair, they used the same corridors over and over again in many other Trek shows, so I'm not sure why this one bothers me so much. There's just something about it...
The rest of this episode is mostly a game of cat-and-mouse between the Titan and the Shrike in the nebula, which is fun in its own way, except for this weird disagreement between Riker and Picard about what strategy to use. I mean, at its core, I just don't like seeing our heroes and old friends arguing. But beyond that, I am not really clear what each man's motivations are for their points of view, nor what storytelling necessity this argument effects. (And yes, that is an intentional use of the lesser-used definition of the verb “effects” so don't come at me.) Maybe the next episode will explain it. (It doesn't.)
Oh right, we also get our first glimpse of the red door this episode. This is going to be an annoying little mystery for the next five episodes until they finally explain it in Episode 9, so don't get too hung up on it for now.
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Annoying Character
Dr. Ohk for being dismissive of Beverly Crusher.
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References
The flashback scene where Picard and Riker talk at the bar about Riker's newborn son takes place 20 years prior, in 2381.
In her quarters, Seven is listening to Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus K.618. I don't know if that is a reference to anything, but now you know.
Crusher got preggo during a trip with Picard to Casperia Prime, a competitor to the pleasure-planet Risa.
Non-references: Beverly talks about several times she tried to tell Picard about his son, but circumstances prevented her from doing so. They included Kalara V refugees kidnapping Picard for nine days, Reman assassins intercepting Picard's ship, and a photon grenade detonating meters from Picard while he negotiated with the Praetor. None of these reference any on-screen events that were previously seen, but they do all reference the Romulans. (A trivia entry on IMDb says that these reference events from Star Trek: Nemesis, but that entry is incorrect.)
When Raffi first meets Worf, he is listening to “Vallon Sonore” from the opera Les Troyens by Hector Berlioz. The same song was enjoyed by Picard, very loudly, toward the beginning of Star Trek: First Contact.
Worf's full introduction makes several references.
Worf, son of Mogh – this is Worf's usual self-introduction.
son of Sergey, House of Rozhenko – during most of his childhood, Worf lived with a human foster family, raised by Sergey and Helena Rozhenko. Worf's foster parents came to visit him on the Enterprise in TNG 4x02: Family.
bane to the Duras family – Worf went up against the Duras family numerous times over the years. It began when Worf's honor was taken away in order to cover up the wrongdoings of the Duras family in TNG 3x17: Sins of the Father. Although Worf killed Duras in TNG 4x07: Reunion, the remainder of the family (particularly Lursa and B'Etor) were still a constant thorn in his side.
slayer of Gowron – although they were allies for some time, Worf was forced to kill Gowron in honorable combat in DS9 7x22: Tacking Into the Wind.
Titus Rikka, the person who Worf and Raffi interrogate, is played by Thomas Dekker, who also played Thomas Picard, Jean-Luc's “son” in the family Christmas celebration from the Nexus in Star Trek Generations.
Worf speaks of the Dominion War (led by the Changelings), which was a major story line in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He goes on to say that he was contacted by a close friend within the Great Link, a “man of honor.” He is referring, of course, to Odo.
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Notable Quotes
“Well that's fun. Anyone else want to throw more weird s*** at me?” — Shaw, reacting to the nebular energy surges.
“I am Worf, son of Mogh, House of Martok, son of Sergey, House of Rozhenko, bane to the Duras family, slayer of Gowron. I have made some chamomile tea. Do you take sugar?” — Worf
“Beheadings are on Wednesdays.” — Worf, after Raffi asks if he dons his “casual” wear to a Tuesday beheading.
“You're insane.” – Seven, to Jack, after he knocks out the guard.
“I think I feel my chamomile tea coming back up.” – Raffi, while Worf waxes philosophic during the interrogation of Rikka.
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Nitpickery & Other Weirdness
The item that Seven fiddles with in her quarters is a camper's mini butane stove...
It bothers me – but only slightly – that they perform defibrillation shocks on Jack and that the accompanying sound effect is of a present-day defibrillator. I get that it is a sound that we have all become familiar with as part of TV medical dramas, and it helps to signal to the watcher the severity of the situation. But... I mean, come on... this is Star Trek.
I can't figure out Picard's need to go on offense with the Shrike. We already know that the Shrike greatly outclasses the Titan, so I don't feel like sneaking up behind it is enough of an advantage. Picard later says that Riker's strategy keeps failing and that's why they need to try something different, insisting they go on the offensive again. But they are trying something different. Riker's strategy failed because of the verterium leak – now that the leak is sealed, Riker's strategy has a perfectly good chance of succeeding.
Why didn't Rikka just... shapeshift himself away from Raffi and Worf? Worf suggests that he didn't want to “reveal his true nature,” but I don't really think it would have changed much if he had. And look at the alternative: Now he's dead AND he's revealed his true self.
There's little hope as the Titan continues to sink into the nebula's gravity well. Riker grapples with his feelings of being lost. Shaw and Seven form a plan to find the Changeling. Jack and Picard have a heart-to-heart in a holographic Ten Forward Avenue. Vadic contacts her handler in a most bizarre way, and is ordered to pursue “the boy” despite the extreme risk of the gravity well. Shaw joins the Ten Forward Avenue simulation and tells his traumatic story from Wolf 359, and speaks of the resulting survivor's guilt and his anger towards Picard. Beverly has been timing the nebular surges and posits that they are “contractions” of a sort, and that they may be dealing with a space-borne lifeform. The crew hatch a plan to ride one of the surges out of the nebula to safety. On their way out, Seven finds and kills the Changeling, Riker disables the Shrike, and the crew take a moment to be in awe of the birth of a bunch of space-babies, all while Jack has some crazy, scary stuff going on in his head.
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Thoughts
This episode effectively serves as a mid-season mini-finale. I don't think it will really spoil anything to tell you that the ship and crew make it safely out of harm's way (at least for now) while we learn more about our characters, their pasts, and their present motivations. On top of that, the story is an homage to the first adventure of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D in the series premiere of The Next Generation. It's wonderfully done and it reminds you that there is beauty in the universe.
As I mentioned in the previous episode, I can't figure out Picard and Riker's separate motivations for their differing strategies. Riker opens this episode with some explanation about his feelings (or lack thereof) as he watched his son's coffin being lowered into the ground but... that could have been years ago, and it's unclear why it's affecting him so much now. I like that they're trying to give Riker some depth here, but it doesn't quite do it for me.
There is zero Raffi/Worf storyline in this episode, and despite my wanting to see more of them, I think their absence here is fine – the focus here really was on the Titan story. That story includes Shaw's traumatic memories of Wolf 359 and his survivor's guilt. Finally, we have an explanation for why Shaw has been such a jerk all this time, including why he insists that Seven go by her human name. Honestly, I think Todd Stashwick has done a wonderful job of portraying Shaw as a jerk, and yet somehow he manages to make the audience still kind of like him for some reason.
Seven encounters the Changeling on Deck 5, Corridor 8, also known as... “The Hallway.” These Changelings are considerably... “fleshier” than the ones we were used to from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. At first I thought this was just a style choice, the result of 24 years of advancements in CGI – but we do actually get an in-universe explanation later, in episode 7 of this season.
And the episode ends with a stinger involving the red door again, just to remind us that there's something very strange going on with Jack. This time we can clearly hear a female voice saying, “Find me.”
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Annoying Character
Jack Crusher for “Bob's your uncle, Fanny's your aunt” – this idiom is falling out of favor with people under 30 in 2025, so I have a hard time believing that it has made a comeback in 2401, and thus I can only conclude that Jack said this to be an obnoxious pedant in the middle of a life-or-death, crisis situation.
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References
The title of this episode is a reference to the Kobayashi Maru, a notorious exam at Starfleet Academy designed to evaluate how a cadet would perform in a no-win scenario. James Kirk famously defeated the test by cheating and reprogramming the computer to give him a way to win, saying that he doesn't believe in a no-win scenario.
The first cadet's question to Picard is about a never-before-mentioned run-in Picard had with the Hirogen. Other cadets ask if he ever found out how the Hirogen got to the quadrant and if Janeway offered any advice. This references the fact that the Hirogen originate in the Gamma Quadrant and were first encountered by the USS Voyager under Janeway's command in VOY 4x15: Hunters. (They technically make their first appearance one episode before that, but only in brief conversation on a viewscreen.)
When Seven searches the Changeling crewmember's cabin, we catch a glimpse of a Vulcan kal-toh game, first introduced in Star Trek: Voyager as an activity enjoyed by Tuvok.
When Shaw explains to Seven how the Changelings use a “pot” to rest in, he calls up a file on his PADD which includes images of Constable Odo and his bucket from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
When Picard tells the cadets at Ten Forward Avenue about the Tamarians' language being based on metaphor, he is telling the story of the Next Generation episode TNG 5x02: Darmok.
In the holodeck, Shaw tells his traumatic perspective of the Battle of Wolf 359. The story of this dire battle is told in TNG 3x26 & 4x01: The Best of Both Worlds, where Picard – as Shaw puts it – sets the world on fire.
When Picard, Beverly, and Jack explain the nebular “womb” to Riker, Beverly says they've encountered species that thrive in the vacuum of space, and Picard says “Farpoint.” This, of course, refers to the season premiere of Star Trek TNG, TNG 1x01/02: Encounter at Farpoint. Indeed, the conclusion of this episode is an homage to that first adventure of the Enterprise‑D crew.
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Notable Quotes
“Captain Shaw, I realize that I am the last person you want to see right now, but I need your help – despite the fact that you are, indeed, a dips*** from Chicago.” — Picard, repeating Shaw's own words about his younger self.
“I think we should boldly get the hell out of here.” — Riker, as the Titan finally escapes from the nebula.
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Nitpickery & Other Weirdness
It is established in Star Trek: Voyager that the holodecks run on an independent power source, separate and incompatible from the rest of the ship. Still, it is a very convenient plot point in so many Trek episodes that you really have to do your best to just shrug it off.
Now that we know the Changelings are involved, I want to briefly revisit “Dark Haired Man” from Episode 1 of this season and point out that we never see Dark Haired Man ever again. Now, sure, I guess he could be the Changeling who is now impersonating different people on board the Titan... but the fact that we never see that original guy again sort of violates the Chekhov's gun principle. Why introduce Dark Haired Man in an ominous moment of foreshadowing if we don't see him again and can't connect him to any of his potential future forms? For all we know, Dark Hared Man was just a random bar patron who had enough of his little Galaxy-class model ship and has nothing to do with the story!
Picard, Crusher, and Jack present a viable – albeit risky – plan to Riker to escape their impending doom in the nebula's gravity well. He dismisses it, saying that they'll have to channel energy to the thrusters, draining life support in minutes. So... he's saying that rather than risking a chance to escape and dying within minutes if they fail, he'd rather have a 100% chance of death in a few hours.
In the same conversation, Riker wants to stick to “Starfleet Protocol” which says they should do nothing and wait to be rescued. Picard points out that no one is coming to rescue them. Indeed, if rescue were possible, Vadic should be trying to rescue them. Her goal is to obtain Jack – she never wanted him to go down with the ship. Even if Riker has changed in the last 20 years, this seems very out-of-character for him. I think they try to explain this away, suggesting that Riker wants more time to record his message for Deanna, which he still hasn't done. But that's really terribly selfish of him. Riker says, “I cannot choose certain death” but that's exactly what he's doing! I hate this scene!
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Distinctions
F-Bomb: Picard
No Win Scenario
My rating:
★★★★
★☆
PROS
+ Picard in the captain's chair + Homage to Encounter at Farpoint
Safe from Vadic for now, the Titan rendezvous* with the USS Intrepid which has sent a special envoy to question Picard, Riker, and others in preparation for possible treason charges. That envoy is led by Commander Ro Laren. Dr. Crusher examines one of the evolved Changelings to determine that they can replicate humanoid internal organs and can now pass a blood screening. Ro and Picard stand off against each other, rehashing old wounds, until they are both satisfied that neither of them is a Changeling. Ro reveals that Starfleet has been compromised at the highest levels by Changelings, and she sacrifices herself to give the Titan a head start in completing her investigation. Worf and Raffi obtain a device to defeat the AI protecting Daystrom Station. Jack continues to go crazy.
* As a student of the French language, the English method of conjugating the French word “rendezvous” really rustles my jimmies.
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Thoughts
The episode opens with yet another reminder that something very strange is going on with Jack. This time, he hallucinates killing the bridge crew, and then his eyes turn red as a female voice says, “come home.” Still no real clues as to what's going on here. I was trying to think of other times when there were glowing red eyes in Star Trek, and all I could come up with were the Pah-wraiths from DS9. Could they be related to what's happening? (Spoiler alert: No, they aren't.)
Early in the episode, Picard meets Beverly and Jack in... THE HALLWAY. Later, Shaw, Picard, and Riker meet the security officer from the Intrepid in... THE HALLWAY. And the security officer from the Intrepid prepares to leave from... THE HALLWAY.
Raffi and Worf return this episode, much to my delight. Unfortunately, the business with the weirdo Vulcan is kind of just filler. Yeah, they needed a lead to get them back on the trail of what was taken from Daystrom, but did it really have to be this guy? He finally talks about the “highly sophisticated AI” which guards the place and, what luck, he just happens to have a program to bypass it!
The real adventure in this episode is the surprise return of Ro Laren, and the reveal that Worf and Raffi are working for her to uncover this large conspiracy by the Changelings. It was good to see her again, and I was glad to witness her reconciliation with Picard. Then, just like they did with Hugh and Icheb, they kill her off. Sigh. Finally, Jack goes bonkers and kills four security guards who all turned out to be Changelings. Where? You guessed it! The Hallway!
😒
Annoying Character
Krinn for being a weird and ultimately inconsequential villain.
🔗
References
( +2 spoilers )
Michelle Forbes reprises her role as recurring character Ro Laren from 8 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, perhaps most notably in her first appearance, TNG 5x03: Ensign Ro.
Questioning how Ro is back in Starfleet, Picard recounts the events of TNG 7x24: Preemptive Strike, where Ro joined the Maquis after pulling a phaser on Riker. This was her last appearance in the franchise until now.
In the opening sequence, Jack's phaser is an original TOS-style phaser. He'll carry it and more upcoming scenes and episodes. This is... odd.
Among Worf's database search for contacts, the following are listed:
“That time that someone hot-dropped the saucer section of the Enterprise‑D on a planet” – Star Trek: Generations.
“That time that someone threw the Prime Directive out the window so they could snog a villager on Ba'ku” – Star Trek: Insurrection.
“The time that you boys nearly wiped out all of humanity by creating a time paradox in the Devron system” – TNG 7x25/26: All Good Things....
⁉
Nitpickery & Other Weirdness
( +1 spoiler )
Ro cuts her hand and shows Picard the blood, in an attempt to prove that she is not a Changeling. But the true test was never if a suspected Changeling could produce blood, the test was if the blood would revert to its natural Changeling-liquid state once separated from the body. Ro just showed him the blood on her hand, she didn't let any of it drip on the table, thus rendering her proof invalid. Clearly, they decided to simplify this for audiences here rather than get into detail about the mechanics of Changeling-detection.
When Beverly asks for a moment alone with Jack in sickbay, the door slides open like... hours before Shaw and Ohk approach the threshold.
🏅
Distinctions
( +2 spoilers )Return to Service: Ro Laren
Unceremonious End: Ro Laren
Imposters
My rating:
★★★★★
PROS
+( +1 spoiler )Ro Laren!
CONS
−( +1 spoiler )Stop bringing back characters just to kill them!
Riker, Worf, and Raffi infiltrate Daystrom Station. They are briefly toyed with by a holographic Moriarty before accessing the inner chamber where they find an android golem containing the memories of Data, Lore, B-4, Lal, and Altan Soong. Meanwhile, the Titan makes a detour to the Fleet Museum to meet Geordi, whose first instinct is to protect his daughters. Sidney reminds him that his crew is part of his family, and then she goes off with Jack to steal a cloaking device from the HMS Bounty so they can avoid Starfleet. The Titan returns to retrieve the away team and the golem, but Riker is captured by Vadic, who has also captured his wife, Deanna. The golem reveals that the other item stolen from Daystrom Station was Picard's human remains.
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Thoughts
It's finally time to infiltrate Daystrom Station, which is apparently where Section 31 keeps all of its goodies, but... there is something about a space station that doesn't scream “security” to me. It seems to me that the clandestine branch of Starfleet Intelligence would be more, I don't know, clandestine? It seems much more likely that they'd keep their things in various locations, undisclosed locations, obfuscated locations... not just a space station, the coordinates of which are apparently public knowledge. And also probably somewhere that has 24/7 security, not just “Yeah Starfleet checks on it every hour or so.” I guess they try to explain this by saying that all they really need is this “astonishingly lethal AI system” to protect it, but that seems to be an internal security system. What is keeping a fleet of ships from coming by and just blowing the station up?
Security deficiencies aside, we're finally going to find out what this AI security system is that they've been teasing. Now, it's important to know that Daniel Davis's return as James Moriarty was advertised before Season 3 even came out, so we knew he was coming, we just didn't know exactly how he would fit in to the story. And, I'm afraid, this role was a bit of a letdown. Sadly, this isn't the James Moriarty from two iconic episodes of The Next Generation, this is a copy, a memory. It was a brief interaction that I'm still glad I got to see, but it would have been so much more satisfying if this were somehow the real McCoy. On the other hand, the musical notes, the distant echoing whistling, and the footage from the original series premiere of The Next Generation... that was beautiful.
However, that leads me to another reason I think Adam Soong and Kore should have been left out of Season 2. The moment leading up to the Data/Lore/etc. golem reveal would have been much more effective if we hadn't seen Spiner's face at all since Season 1. Also detracting from this reveal is, well, Data has died twice now, and we just keep bringing him back. Yeah, the crew wouldn't be complete without Data, but maybe you shouldn't have killed him off a second time in Season 1, then! Part of the problem, I think, is that they weren't sure if Picard was going to be picked up for the three seasons they had planned for, so there was a possibility that if it didn't perform well, it might have been canceled after the first season. In that case, I think they wanted to be sure that they gave Data a more satisfying send-off than when we last saw him in Star Trek: Nemesis. Also, if they had been canceled after the first season, there is a real possibility that they would have just killed Picard and that would have been his final mission. No golem, no new body to keep on trekkin' with. Can you imagine??
The other part of this episode is focused on Geordi and his daughters, which I did find interesting. It's good to see that La Forge settled down and had a family, what with all of his failed relationships in TNG. There was some conflict among them, which was a little off-putting, but it did feel real. Families are rarely perfect, even in the 25th century, and Geordi's concern for his daughters is genuine and very realistic. Both of the major plotlines in this episode provide an incredible amount of fan-service, which I am definitely not complaining about! At Daystrom Station, we have tons of little easter eggs for fans to geek-out over, and of course Geordi works at the fleet museum, which is a great excuse to just show us a bunch of old ships that the fans love and miss. That is why the “References” section below is going to be so long.
Worf and Raffi speak of the Dominion War and the Starfleet-made virus that was weaponized against the Changelings. Picard goes on to say that Starfleet eventually delivered the cure to the Great Link. This retelling of a major story arc in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is not entirely accurate. The virus was engineered by Section 31 which, though technically a part of Starfleet, works autonomously and without oversight by Starfleet Command. Further, the cure was stolen from Section 31 by Julian Bashir and Miles O'Brien in DS9 7x23: Extreme Measures via questionable and extra-legal means with the goal of curing Odo, who had fallen victim to the virus. The cure was only provided to the rest of the Changelings by Odo's decision to do so, in exchange for the Changelings putting an end to the war. Vadic will set the record straight in the next episode.
Among the collection at Daystrom Station, in order of appearance:
Riker first looks at a panel that displays what appears to be a thalaron radiation generator from Star Trek: Nemesis.
Riker next looks through a window at the “Genesis II Device,” presumably based on the original device featured in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
Raffi looks at a panel displaying what appears to be the remains of James T. Kirk.
Worf walks by a panel in the background which appears to display a Borg vinculum, first appearing in VOY 5x07: Infinite Regress.
Worf is the target of a jump-scare from a genetically-modified Tribble, a small, furry creature that first appeared in TOS 2x15: The Trouble with Tribbles.
After an exchange of fire with Moriarty, the team retreats past a panel displaying an Arretan android body from TOS 2x20: Return to Tomorrow.
Other items at Daystrom that are either barely visible or were only revealed in behind-the-scenes footage:
At the Federation Fleet Museum, there are numerous ships from the Star Trek franchise. Seven and Jack scroll through a few:
The USS Defiant (NX-74205), the Federation ship featured in the series Deep Space Nine. A variation of the DS9 theme song can be heard as they view this ship.
The USS New Jersey (NCC-1975), which references nothing except a nod to showrunner Terry Matalas's birthplace and year.
The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A), “Kirk's Enterprise,” from Star Trek films IV, V, and VI. A variation on the Original Series theme song can be heard as they view the ship.
The USS Voyager (NCC-75656), the titular vessel from Star Trek: Voyager, and former home to Seven of Nine. A variation on the Voyager theme song can be heard when they view this ship.
The HMS Bounty, which plays an important role in this episode. This Klingon Bird-of-Prey was stolen by Kirk in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and was famously flown back in time to retrieve a pair of humpback whales from 1986‑Earth in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
Other notable ships that can be seen at the museum include:
The song played by the Moriarty hologram, “Pop Goes the Weasel,” is whistled by Data the first time Riker meets him, in the series premiere of The Next Generation, TNG 1x01/02: Encounter at Farpoint. Remastered footage from that episode is intercut with present-day Riker as he remembers this first meeting.
As a bonus, this is a satisfying reversal from Star Trek: Nemesis, where Riker, mourning the loss of his friend and colleague, couldn't remember what song he was whistling when they first met.
Altan Soong's recording explains that the new Data golem includes the personality and memories of our hero Data, as well as:
Lore, Data's somewhat-evil “brother,” created before Data and first introduced in TNG 1x13: Datalore.
B-4, a primitive predecessor to both Data and Lore, first introduced in Star Trek: Nemesis.
Lal, Data's “daughter,” an android that Data created and imbued with life, but who only lived for a short time in TNG 3x16: The Offspring.
“
Notable Quotes
“That is a relief.” — Worf, delivered without hesitation, when Seven said she wasn't going on the mission, after he was trying to lighten the tension between Raffi and Seven as they departed for Daystrom Station.
“We're all gonna die.” — Riker, after Worf explains that he now prefers pacifism to combat.
“I don't understand the world anymore.” — Riker, after Worf suggests they tread lightly in Daystrom Station as “friendly energy.”
⁉
Nitpickery & Other Weirdness
This is a bit pedantic of me, but as Riker is naming musical notes out loud, he says, “B‑flat. D‑flat.” and then, “C‑sharp. A‑flat.” D‑flat and C‑sharp are the same note, and any given key would have either flats or sharps, not both. It's much more likely that Riker would have said “D-flat again” rather than giving the same note a different name.
Geordi talks about Starfleet bringing the entire fleet back for the Frontier Day celebration. This seems wildly impractical, not just from a security standpoint, but because Starfleet has things to do, they can't just pull every ship back from their duties for a celebration.
🏅
Distinctions
Return to Service: Geordi La Forge
Return to Villainy: Moriarty (sorta), Lore
( +1 spoiler )
The Bounty
My rating:
★★★★☆
PROS
+ Footage from Encounter at Farpoint + Lots of easter eggs and fan service
Geordi explains that a battle for dominance between Data and Lore is happening inside the new android golem. Picard and crew try to reach out to find allies, but realize that they are alone. They decide to set a trap, allowing Vadic and her henchmen to board the Titan in order to trap them. Vadic, now held captive, goes into detail about her past, explaining how the Changelings “evolved” and her specific hatred for Starfleet. It turns out that Starfleet or, more specifically, Section 31, tortured her and some of her compatriots in an attempt to turn them into perfect spy replicas for their own use. Meanwhile, Lore manages to take over the golem body for a while and causes a lot of chaos. Enough chaos, in fact, to allow Vadic to get the upper hand and take full control of the Titan.
💭
Thoughts
I love this episode; in fact, it might be my favorite of the entire series. I love Vadic's backstory and how it sheds a new, sinister light on the Dominion War. Amanda Plummer does a fantastic job and is so convincing as a tortured, bordering-on-mad villain. This is probably my favorite part, actually. Not just the story, but the way it's told, with the eerie whistling refrain of “Three Blind Mice” and the sheer calm of Plummer's delivery mixed with the occasional giddy laugh. I also enjoyed the Data/Lore bits, and I found Geordi's pleas with him to be highly evocative. And I especially loved the piano/cello piece that underscores the entire last act, how it seamlessly transitions from a poignant speech to hand-to-hand action and back.
Now, it seems this episode isn't as popular among IMDb users and others, but I really think the whole crew went above and beyond for this episode. The writing, the acting, the direction, the music – everything was on point. It really feels like a crucial part of the story, a turning point, and then, well, there's the ending, promising more to come.
There is a bit too much technobabble to explain Data and Lore's situation here, but it is at least necessary to the story. There's also an awful lot of “The Hallway” mixed in with that three-way intersection set in this episode... but if those are my only objections, I'd say this is still one of the best episodes this series has to offer.
Okay, a few more objections, I guess. I feel like there was a scene missing that explained why they hooked up the half-evil android to the ship so he could take it over. Also, the number and severity of security failures that had to happen to allow Vadic to take over the ship was something I had to overlook, but it was quite an effective cliffhanger. I definitely want to see the next episode A.S.A.P. Also, here's what we know about Jack so far: He keeps seeing a red door, and dark red vines all over the place. His eyes glow red. And now he can apparently get into other people's heads and control them. Hmm, none of these are really good clues to the truth. I thought that, as an avid Star Trek fan, I could piece things together and figure out what was up with him but, no such luck up to this point.
😒
Annoying Character
Whoever decided to hook up the android to the ship for a really dumb idea in the middle of a crisis.
🔗
References
At the beginning of the episode, Seven of Nine reaches out to her friend and colleague from the USS Voyager, Tuvok.
Starfleet apparently altered the history books a bit, allowing Picard and others to believe that they willingly gave the Changelings the cure for the bioweapon that was destroying their race. Vadic sets the record straight: Starfleet voted to not provide the cure, and the only way they were able to obtain the cure was by stealing it. Here, Vadic is describing the actions of Bashir and O'Brien in DS9 7x23: Extreme Measures.
“
Notable Quotes
“I apologize for the outburst, Captain. I am not in complete control of this body / nor am I in complete control of my utter revulsion at your ancient face!” — Data / Lore
⁉
Nitpickery & Other Weirdness
Why did they hook up Data/Lore to the ship's systems??
Vadic, now in full control of the Titan, holds the bridge crew hostage and vows to kill one of them for every ten minutes that Jack does not surrender himself to her. Jack comes clean about his strange newfound abilities to Picard and Crusher, which they try to use to their advantage, but it's soon determined that their only hope is for Data to do battle with Lore and hopefully assert dominance and control over his new android body. Meanwhile, Riker and Troi discuss their situation in their cell on the Shrike. Luckily for everyone, Data prevails and regains control of the Titan, Worf and Raffi rescue Riker and Troi, and Vadic and the Shrike are defeated. Hooray! Now we just have to figure out what the Changelings want with Jack, Picard's body, and Frontier Day.
💭
Thoughts
This episode is another mini-finale before the final two-episode grand finale. Despite my love of the previous episode and how it set things up for this one, this episode actually feels like it lost just a bit of the momentum that we got before it. It's still a great episode, but I couldn't rate this one quite as high as the previous one. Vadic has her henchmen torture and kill various crewmembers throughout the ship while she holds the bridge crew hostage until Jack surrenders himself. They try really hard to make Vadic as evil as possible in this episode, having her psychologically torture a few of the crew, making them think she's going to execute them just before she callously executes an entirely different crewmember. This is necessary, of course, to make her eventual defeat all the more satisfying. Still, it didn't feel like it was quite enough.
One of the elements to this episode that is both good and not-so-good is the Data/Lore fight. On the one hand, the idea is great – bringing back Lore and finally reconciling him and Data in one last conflict. The dialogue and music that accompanies this part is good, too. But on the other hand, it's not really the Data and Lore that we know, is it? It's sort of a construct, a concept of Data and Lore. Further, their feud takes place in what I'm going to call their “mind palace,” which is a formless blue-white void (that conveniently turns red to inform the audience when bad things happen). I wish there had been more time and money put into this space. What if these scenes took place on a recreation of their “birth” place, the lab on Omicron Theta from TNG 1x13: Datalore, or in Noonien Soong's lab from
TNG 4x03: Brothers, or the Borg compound from TNG 6x26 & 7x01: Descent? These are places where Data and Lore interacted before, and any of them would be a far more interesting place than this empty void. If it were me, I would have taken some of the Riker/Troi story away, and probably greatly shortened the last scene, in order to give more time to the Data/Lore story that it needed and deserved.
Deborah Kampmeier directed this episode and the previous one, and considering how much I liked the last episode, I was surprised to find something to complain about regarding this episode's direction. Toward the end, we finally get Picard, Riker, Worf, Troi, Data, Geordi, and Crusher sitting around a table for the first time in over twenty years, and there is not one single wide shot that captures everyone in the same frame during that scene. Oh, there is almost one, but Troi is sitting too close to the table, completely blocking our view of Worf. This was such an important gathering – the director should have been sure to get the perfect shot with everyone around the table.
And of course, that last scene. Finally going to see what's behind that red door! PSYCH! Tune in next time to find out what's behind this suspense-manufacturing device!
😒
Annoying Character
The Red Door for being a bad suspense device.
🔗
References
In the Data/Lore mind palace, Data regards a deerstalker cap and tobacco pipe, both of which are associated with Sherlock Holmes, a character that Data particularly liked to play on the holodeck, most notably in TNG 2x03: Elementary, Dear Data.
Data next manifests a tricorder, followed by a tabletop projection of Tasha Yar. Tasha was the original security chief on the Enterprise‑D and a close friend of Data's. In fact, they were once intimate. After her death in TNG 1x23: Skin of Evil, Data retained this projection as a memory of their relationship.
As Data hands over his tricorder to Lore in their mind palace, one can faintly hear Passacaglia (Handel/Halvorsen). This is a violin/viola duet that Data played with his “mother” in the episode TNG 7x10: Inheritance.
“
Notable Quotes
“This is cozy; I'm going to take this with me.” – Vadic, regarding the captain's chair on the Titan.
“Is this a rescue mission or a continuation of the torture?” – Riker, as Worf opens up a little too much to Troi.
“Unwanted guests and monologuing protoplasms, I am initiating an immediate shift change.” – Data
Troi opens Jack's red-mind-door and makes a shocking discovery: It's the Borg. It turns out that Picard's Irumodic Syndrome is actually some sort of organic Borg technology, and it was passed on to Jack. Jack, furious, flies off half-cocked to confront the Borg Queen directly. Meanwhile, the Titan flies over to the Frontier Day festivities to warn someone that the event is going to be some sort of target for this Borg/Changeling coalition, but it's too late. The Borg Queen has seized control of the fleet, and she has clandestinely assimilated pretty much everyone under the age of 25. Our heroes escape on a shuttle and return to the Fleet Museum where Geordi has a surprise: He's restored the Enterprise‑D, and it is impervious to the Borg Queen's influence.
💭
Thoughts
Well, this is it, folks. We finally find out what Jack's deal is and what's behind the red door, after they've been teasing it since Episode 3. It will set up the story for this two-part finale, so with that, I'll put the rest of this section behind the spoiler shield except to say... that “sub-level maintenance corridor” is just THE HALLWAY again with a bunch of boxes strewn threw it. You aren't fooling anyone!
( spoiler content hidden )
On my first watch-through of this, I didn't quite grasp or appreciate that this was the fractured Borg's last attempt to assimilate the Federation through their biological artifact and via controlling the “Fleet Formation” system. It's a little hard to track partly because the Borg stuff is a CGI mess that is difficult to connect, and partly because it required a good bit of exposition, and partly because I was confused about the status of the Borg after Season 2. You can see more of my thoughts on the Borg's disposition on my Borg topic guide.
Looks like there's a new Fleet Admiral in town! Can you imagine if, instead of Shelby, it had still been Admiral Clancy? What if she were the one making that speech for Frontier Day? “... a crew of 83 souls embarked on a journey. One of bravery, perseverance and sacrifice that would lead to the birth of what we know today as Starfleet. And I think I speak for everyone when I say, shut the f*** up, Picard!”
I'll be completely honest, and I'm not going to make any friends saying this: I love that the gang is back together for one more adventure, and when I saw them all standing on the bridge of the Enterprise‑D again, I thought, “Oh. Well, I don't know that I needed this.” I was more than content to enjoy this adventure with my favorite crew, I just don't feel like I needed this overt display of nostalgia. I mean, the bridge isn't even in the configuration we last saw it in Star Trek Generations, it's been downgraded back to the way it looked in The Next Generation, making it even more obvious that this has specifically been done for nostalgic reasons. It's so departed from the rest of this show's aesthetic that there was an absolutely necessary one-liner that had to be made about the carpet. Still, there's one episode to go, and I'm happy to go down this path because I trust they'll do it right.
😒
Annoying Character
Geordi for being blinded (no pun intended) by his instinct to protect his daughters.
🔗
References
Non-reference: We don't know what happened to the Enterprise-E. Worf merely says that it's “not his fault” that they can't use it. The showrunners purposely left the fate of the Enterprise-E up to future writers.
( +6 spoilers )
Elizabeth Dennehey reprises her role as Elizabeth Shelby from the TNG two-parter, TNG 3x26 & 4x01: The Best of Both Worlds, which tells the story of Picard being assimilated by the Borg, an experience he is now forced to re-live through his son, Jack.
Alice Krige reprises her role as (the voice of) the Borg Queen from Star Trek: First Contact. (A body double played by Jane Edwina Seymour fills in for her physical form.)
The big reveal: The USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D is the ship that this crew famously flew through the galaxy in 176 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Geordi says that the saucer section was retrieved from Veridian III, which is the planet where it crash-landed in Star Trek Generations, while the engines and nacelles came from a different Galaxy-class ship called the Syracuse.
And of course, the Enterprise‑D bridge is a remarkably accurate recreation of the set used for the entirety of The Next Generation. The bridge was last seen in Star Trek Generations in 1994, 29 years before this episode aired, give or take some months. (In-universe, the crew last saw the bridge in 2371, 30 years before this episode takes place in 2401... give or take some months.)
The voice of the Enterprise‑D computer is archive audio of Majel Barrett, who was the voice of the computer on many Starfleet ships across TOS, TAS, TNG, DS9, VOY, and several films.
Near the end, as Picard says “Mister Data, set a direct course for Earth, maximum warp.” There is a reverse-angle shot of Data spinning in his chair to the right, looking over his shoulder behind him toward the direction of Picard and the camera. This was done on purpose as a reference to many similar shots over the course of The Next Generation.
“
Notable Quotes
“I hope we die quickly!” — Data, smiling broadly, after Geordi asks him to be more positive.
( +1 spoiler )
“You know, it wasn't until this moment, reunited with all of you... I realize what I miss most. The carpet.” — Picard
⁉
Nitpickery & Other Weirdness
It is a mystery why the title of this episode is spelled the way it is, as there is no tilde diacritic used over an “o” in Latin. “Voice,” in Latin would just be spelled “vox” or possibly “vōx” with a macron (straight line) diacritic.
The Enterprise-F bridge is just the Titan bridge again... which was also the Stargazer bridge... I think maybe just with a different chair this time.
( +1 spoiler )
Crusher says the Borg haven't been heard from in over a decade. Then what happened to that contingent of Borg that was left to protect that fissure that had opened at the end of Season 2? I have some more thoughts about this that I'll put on my Borg topic guide.
Võx
My rating:
★★★★☆
PROS
CONS
− A bit too much exposition
Nostalgia Meter Daring! Dazzling! Dramatic! D-lightful!
With Earth's defenses under attack by the assimilated fleet, Picard and the gang find a Borg megacube hiding in Jupiter's atmosphere which is the source of the signal controlling the fleet. They have two objectives: find and destroy the signal beacon, and rescue Jack. Riker and Worf discover that the beacon is at the heart of the cube, and the Enterprise will have to navigate a circuitous route through the cube to get there. Meanwhile, Picard finds Jack, but he's now a Borg drone who is coordinating the attack on Earth. Also there is a scarred and broken Borg Queen, who says that the Borg's future won't be through assimilation, but evolution. Meanwhile, Seven and Raffi manage to retake control of the Titan and they make a few strafing runs against the assimilated fleet. Alas, they are unable to prevent the destruction of the Earth starbase, leaving the planet defenseless. Now at the center of the cube, the Enterprise crew determine that destroying the beacon will destroy the cube, and they can't get a lock on Picard or Jack to beam them to safety. Out of time, Beverly fires weapons at the beacon, and the cube starts to self-destruct.
Naturally, at the last second, Picard is able to break the Queen's control over Jack, Troi is able to telepathically locate them and beam them back to the ship, and the Enterprise flies triumphantly away as the cube explodes. In the coda, they're able to undo the Borg-ification of their officers and the fleet, they develop new ways to detect Changelings, Beverly is promoted to Admiral, Raffi's family welcomes her back into their lives, and the ol' TNG crew enjoy a game of poker at Guinan's bar. The end!
💭
Thoughts
Please bear with me for two paragraphs while I make an analogy. Are you familiar with the 2004 movie Dodgeball? If not, I guess I'm going to spoil the ending for you here. The original ending to the movie, which never made it to theaters, was purposely made to be darkly comedic. After a movie-long rivalry between two competing gyms, everything was set up for the Average Joes (the good guys) to win the tournament against GloboGym (the bad guys). At the very last minute, White Goodman (bad guy) succeeds in effecting a shocking reversal, securing the win for GloboGym. There is a minute or two of anguished looks from the Average Joes and a slo-mo celebration by GloboGym, and then it cuts directly to the credits. Well, test audiences hated this ending, of course. After all, nobody wants the bad guys to win, even if it is meant to be dark humor.
And so, the ending was changed so that the good guys would win – but that's not all. Slightly miffed that their original ending didn't test well, they wrote the new ending to be an over-the-top super-win for the Average Joes. Not only do they win the tournament and the $50,000 prize, but it turns out that Peter La Fleur (good guy) took a $100,000 bribe from GloboGym and bet on his own team winning. At 50-1 odds, he's earned another $5 million. Not only that, but his winnings are delivered in what is essentially a treasure chest emblazoned with the words “Deus Ex Machina.” Not only that, but the $5 mil is enough for him to buy the controlling stake of GloboGym, effectively making him White Goodman's boss, and allowing him to retain ownership of Average Joe's gym, which he had sold to GloboGym earlier. And if all that wasn't enough, Peter's love interest not only finally shows interest in him, but she turns out to be bisexual, introducing him to another beautiful woman, implying future threesome action! There's even a post-credits scene decrying the desire for audiences to just be entertained and not have to think too much or appreciate complexity.
Now, why, you ask, did I bring that up now, on my review of the series finale of Star Trek: Picard? Can you guess? I hope it's obvious. This episode is the over-the-top super-finale that fans demanded since this series began. There was especially a lot of dislike for Season 2, which required some appreciation of complexity and depth. No, all the fans wanted was to see the crew from The Next Generation back together on the bridge of the Enterprise‑D, flying around with phasers firing and explosions and victory and maybe some bisexuals. Well, they finally got it.
( additional spoiler content hidden )
So, not only are we facing a Borg cube again, but this time, it's a megacube! Hundreds of times larger than anything we've previously seen! Not only was Jack assimilated, but he's made to look just like Locutus! Not only does the Enterprise have to fly around the outside of the cube avoiding phaser fire in an impressive CGI firestorm, but to save the galaxy, they have to go inside the cube and take a comically circuitous route to find the beacon! Phasers firing! 'Splosions 'sploding! Not only does Jack snap out of it and disconnect himself from the hive mind, but he does it because of the POWER OF FAMILIAL LOVE! Who knew that would be the Borg's true weakness?? Not only did they set up a no-win scenario where destroying the beacon would kill everyone on the cube including Picard, Riker, Worf, and Jack, but they destroyed the beacon and managed to save everyone, anyway, because Troi was able to locate them at the last minute using the POWER OF ROMANTIC LOVE!
Not only did all our heroes save the day, but Beverly is promoted to Admiral and made Head of Starfleet Medical! Not only was Seven absolved of any wrongdoing during this whole fiasco, but it turns out that Shaw liked her all along and had recommended her for promotion to captain! Not only was Raffi vindicated, but her entire family suddenly wants her to be a part of their lives again! Everybody has a cloyingly-wonderful happy ending! I think maybe this was the “saccharine song” that Moriarty was talking about in an earlier episode. All it was missing was someone wheeling in a treasure chest labeled “Deus Ex Machina” and full of money.
Now, don't get me wrong – it's not like I wanted any sadness for the ending. I think it's wonderful that everyone gets to come out of this alive, laughing and smiling around the poker table. Especially after the writers sort of disingenuously and heavily implied that someone was going to die in a few of the scenes in this episode. The way that Riker and Troi looked at each other before he left the ship, the way that Picard said “It's been an honor serving with you all” before he left the ship, and Picard's last words to Riker and Worf before they parted ways on the Borg cube – all of these were set up to make us believe that someone wasn't coming out of this crisis alive.
One of the weird things at the end was Data in therapy sessions with Deanna. The reason it seems a little weird is because they deleted at least two scenes that better explained how Data was struggling slightly with his newfound emotions – these emotions that include some of Lore's anger and suspicion, and these emotions which he can't just “turn off” any more.
I wish they had done just a little bit more with the Enterprise, though. If you're going to go to the trouble of bringing back the D, show us something new that TNG didn't have the budget for. The main shuttlebay, perhaps? Cetacean Ops? Or at least separate the ship again, that was the D's whole thing!
Anyway, even if it is a bit over-the-top, it's still a good finale, overall. The good guys win, the bad guys are dead, all conflict is resolved, and then they get drunk and play poker. What more could you ask for? ...oh, what's that? You want a post-credits scene teasing something new, as well? WELL YOU'RE IN LUCK...
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Annoying Character
The CGI Enterprise‑D I'm sorry, flying around inside a Borg cube was just silly.
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References
Federation President Anton Chekov delivers a warning to avoid Earth because of the assimilated fleet, paralleling a similar message in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home from the President to avoid Earth because of the unknown probe decimating the planet.
Anton Chekov is the son of Pavel Chekov, who served alongside Kirk on the Enterprise and Enterprise-A. Anton was voiced by Walter Koenig, who played Pavel Chekov in the original cast.
In the opening, just as Chekov says “on all emergency channels – do not approach Earth”, the space/nebula footage that we see is the same as the first thing seen in the opening credits sequence in every episode of TNG.
At the bar, Crusher tells Worf to have another glass of prune juice. Worf dubbed this unlikely beverage “a warrior's drink” and it became one of his favorites after it was introduced to him by Guinan in TNG 3x15: Yesterday's Enterprise.
Geordi asks Data to make the night's last toast. He starts with, “There was a young lady from Venus” and everyone says “Data!” to stop him. He then says “I always wanted to finish that.” This is a reference to TNG 1x03: The Naked Now, where Data ponders the meaning of this limerick, but is interrupted by Picard before he can get to the vulgar bit.
( +2 spoilers )
Jack's Borg facepiece with the red laser on the side is made to look very similar to Picard's, when he was in an early stage of assimilation as Locutus in TNG 3x26 & 4x01: The Best of Both Worlds.
In the final scene, the bird's-eye view of the gang playing poker around the table is a nod to the TNG series finale, TNG 7x25/26: All Good Things..., which ended with a similar shot.
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Notable Quotes
“Do you even hear yourself?” — Riker, after Worf says he'll make the away team a “threesome.”
“A lot's happened in the last 20 years.” — Beverly Crusher, after everyone turns around to look at her when she fires an impressive array of intricately coordinated weaponry at the Borg cube.
“Swords are fun.” — Worf, after Riker chastises him for not using his phaser.
“Wait, what do you mean ‘nothing’?” — Troi, in response to Data saying “Here goes nothing” after he just had to convince everyone to trust him.
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Distinctions
( +3 spoilers )Return to Service: Elizabeth Shelby
Special Guest Star: Captain Tuvok (for real this time)
Season 3 of Star Trek: Picard delivers on what the fans demanded: the crew of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D, back together again – and it does so with style! They are still the characters we love, but with 20 more years of experience, and that experience has changed them and made them grow. Beverly has clearly “seen some things” and is ready and willing to kick some ass. Riker and Troi are back with a little bit of new drama. Geordi has settled down and become a family man. Even Data is back... Data 3.0, now with more emotion! And Worf, well... one thing that was a definite improvement with this season was the lack of Jurati- or Elnor-style comedy relief. Instead, our comedy relief comes from a most unexpected source: Worf. And it is amazing. The straight-faced delivery of his lines is comedy gold.
Seven and Raffi are back this season, and it's great to see them both alongside our TNG heroes. Seven sports a Starfleet uniform (it's about time!) and Raffi makes up one-half of an amazing duo along with Worf. It says a lot for Michelle Hurd that her character is the only “new” character to make it all the way to Season 3. Speaking of new characters, we have some truly enjoyable performances this season from Todd Stashwick as Captain Liam Shaw and Amanda Plummer as Captain Vadic. Shaw, as I talked about above, is a real jerk to our heroes, and yet somehow there is still something likable about him. And I can't say enough about Vadic wonderfully filling the role of a classic Trek villain.
I haven't said much about Ed Speleers as the young Jack Crusher up until now, but he certainly does a fine job of carrying the story and is a wonderful legacy for Picard. Speaking of legacies, the end of this story sort of seems like it's setting up the possibility for a new show. Fans speculated about a so-called “Star Trek: Legacy” that would star Captain Seven and Commander Raffi Musiker alongside the progeny of some of the greats: Jack Crusher, of course, Sidney and Elandra La Forge, perhaps even Soji and Kestra Riker-Troi? I thought about some other descendants that could make for some interesting guest appearances on the show: Alexander Rozhenko (son of Worf), Jake Sisko, the unnamed child of Ben Sisko and Kassidy Yates, Molly and Kirayoshi O'Brien, Naomi Wildman, Miral Paris (daughter of Tom and B'Elanna)... heck, there could be an episode that features Paris & Janeway's lizard babies!
The end of this season was missing a scene, I think. I say that sort of tongue-in-cheek, because it's just one that I think would have been funny, but also delightful in that it would give us cameos from some other TNG characters. See, Picard has some explaining to do for poor Laris. I think he should have met with Laris, along with Beverly and Jack, and had to awkwardly explain that Jack is his son. Then Laris could have nodded sternly and said something like, “Interesting, because I was just having a most illuminating conversation with another friend of yours,” and then she turns to reveal Vash. Then to just up the ridiculousness, a bunch of Picard's other former lovers start showing up. You know, maybe Nella Daren comes by, along with Kamala, just as Anij pops up on the comm line. And now here's Picard surrounded by a bunch of his former love interests. Ha! I suppose this scene sort of flies in the face of the Bechdel Test, but I still think it would have been funny.
Overall, this was a fantastic season in the tried-and-true style of a Star Trek space adventure. With a classic villain, nods to TNG's origins, and still plenty of new material, it rounds out the series nicely and gives a truly fitting end for the TNG crew, certainly a much better one than Star Trek: Nemesis left us with. For me, personally, the last episode of this season was all “frosting,” though. To quote Harry Kim, “It's sort of like a steady diet of dessert, which is fine, but pretty soon you want some meat and potatoes.” Still, fans ate it up, so who am I to disagree? With the whole gang back together, this season must take the top spot: First Place out of this series' three seasons.
PROS
+ The TNG crew back together again + Amanda Plummer as Vadic + Todd Stashwick as Liam Shaw + Worf's comedy relief + Some great cameos
CONS
− A bit over-the-top for the finale − Repeated reuse of sets
"Franchise Episode" tells you the order in which episodes from ANY/ALL Star Trek television shows aired or streamed for the first time. This number excludes movies, TOS's "The Cage", and the "Very Short Treks" web shorts. click or scroll to close
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