While Star Trek first launched in 1966, for a huge number fans of science fiction, it wasn’t Kirk’s adventures that defined Star Trek. It was Picard’s. Leading the show into huge success, revitalising and rebuilding what Star Trek was, Patrick Stewart brought a refined performance to bring a measured, intellectual leader to the bridge of the Enterprise. With an incredible calm and restraint, Picard’s aura was one that commanded respect through his ability to listen, understand and lead with his conscience.
Following the sad loss of the legendary actor, we figured it’s time to put our feet up, have some Earl Grey (hot, of course) and look back at some of the Captains finest hours.
Measure of a Man
TNG Season 2 Episode 9
Hoping to learn from and build on Data’s systems, Dr Bruce Maddox comes aboard the Enterprise with orders to transfer Data into his care. The plan is to take Data apart and figure out what makes him work. The problem is there’s no way to be sure he can be put back together again. Data doesn’t like this, nor does his Captain. Especially when Maddox argues that as a machine Data isn’t a person, he’s property.
On paper this is an episode about Data and his right to be recognised as his own sentient self. But it’s not Data defending himself, it’s Picard fighting his corner the whole way through. Even if he doesn’t understand why his fight is so important at first, as soon as Guinan frames it to him – that Data losing his rights only to be replicated would result in sentient beings being built to essentially become slaves – we see Picard as his finest. Challenging authority, prejudice and with all odds against him, he ensures he stands up for whats right while securing Data’s rights.
Darmok
TNG Season 5 Episode 2
Diplomacy can be difficult if two sides struggle to understand each other. In Darmok, thats the state of play Picard finds himself in when a civilisation that speaks in metaphor strands himself with their own captain alone on a planet with a deadly adversary. The only way to slay the beast is to find a way to do it together. Struggling without context of the stories the alien Captain Dathon, Picard slowly tries to find ways to find context and understanding while trapped together against the threats of the surface.
In the end the monster wins and Dathon dies. And in that death, Picard is able to go back to the Enterprise having learned enough to speak their language. It’s an episode that showcases Picards patience, empathy and determination to build a bridge between two worlds that showcases a real grace and skill in Stewarts performance.
Tapestry
TNG Season 6 Episode 15
The idea of ‘what if..?’ isn’t just in the creative realm, but a personal one. It’s something that lies in the surface of our minds at the worst times as we recount the mistakes of our past and try and find the best version of ourselves. Tapestry starts with the apparent death of Jean Luc Picard and – posing as God – Q comes to let the Captain course correct a mistake that led to his death. An overloaded artificial heart. What if the incident that led to his implants didn’t happen? Would he be alive? Or would it change everything?
Picard as we knew him was older, wiser and extremely guarded. In his youth, he was anything but. Reckless and impulsive, he got into a fight that almost killed him. With that risk removed, living a life of caution, he had a good but quiet life never quite reaching his potential. While on the extreme side of the sliding doors philosophy, the episode focused on teaching us our mistakes are what make our journey hard, but worthwhile.
Chain of Command
TNG Season 6 Episodes 10 & 11
One of the harshest stories for Picard the captain hands over command to do a bit of spy work. The spy work fails and he’s captured, tortured and shoved into the background of a political mind game. But brought to the edge, he holds the line. Not for Starfleet, nor the Federation. But for himself.
Chain of Command is a fascinating double-episode. For the drama, the politics, and the childishness of Riker. But at the same time, there’s this thread of a man who’s beaten, stripped and tortured and refuses to relent. David Warner made an excellently calm and quietly brutal adversary for Sir Pat throughout as they used all their experience to tell a painfully psychological story on one stage. And even with every resolve he had, Pircards confession at the end of how close he was to relenting, was heartbreaking.
The Inner Light
TNG Season 5 Episode 25
Stunned and knocked to the ground, Picard lays out on the bridge with Doctor Crusher fighting to save him after an energy discharge comes from an unknown probe right into the Captain. But in the moments that Picard’s unconscious, he lives an entire lifetime on another world…
Waking up in the body of Kamin, Picard holds on to the memories of his life as a Starsahip captain while the world moves on around him. Without knowing how to get back home or reach his people, Picard spends decades in his place, mixing with the local community and watching the skies. As years pass, Picard lets go of his former life. As the planet undergoes it’s final years, suffering drought caused by it’s dying sun, he joins his community, settles down and raises a family. Only on his deathbed does he learn none of it was real.
In the 25 minutes Captain Picard was unconcious, the probe gave him a lifetime of memories and experiences. It was Kataan’s final act before the planet died, putting all their resources into building the probe so it could carry the story of the planet and make sure it’s history lived on even a thousand years after it was long gone.
Aside form just being a nice story, The Inner Light gives us rare insight into Picard if he wasn’t Captain of the Enterprise. Without the chair or the responsibility, the life he lived on Kataan reminded him that lifes greatest moments from from the experiences and connections we m,ake along the way.
Honourable Mentions
- All Good Things (TNG S7E26): Solving a mystery over three timelines, the show ends where it began, in Q’s court. Nudged by his friend and enemy to expand his mind, All Good Things is a wonderful episode to highlight Picard’s capacity for personal growth, showcases his intelect and brings an excellent close to the series.
- The Drumhead (TNG S4E21): A strong episode that sees Picard drawn into paranoia and fighting against his peers to ensure justice and corruption do not meet.
- Family (TNG S4E2): Following the harrowing events of the Best of Both Worlds, Picard spends some time at his family home where we get an insight into the troubled relationship with his brother, the doubt and shame following his assimilation and a captain at his lowest point.
- Monsters. (Picard S2E7): Stuck inside his own mind, Picard has to confront one of his worst memories that had been buried for years. The death of his mother, what really caused it and that his father wasn’t the monster he believed.
- First Contact (1996): While there have been many good Borg episodes, the lore behind the faction was expanded as Picard confronts thje true face behind the Borg and loses himself to the rage and anger he thought himself above.
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About the author
A Fistful of Picard
While Star Trek first launched in 1966, for a huge number fans of science fiction, it wasn't Kirk's adventures that defined Star Trek. It was Picard's. Leading the show into huge success, revitalising and rebuilding what Star Trek was, Patrick Stewart brought a refined performance to bring a measured, intellectual leader to the bridge of the Enterprise. With an incredible calm and restraint, Picard's aura was one that commanded respect through his ability to listen, understand and lead with his conscience. Following the sad loss of the legendary actor, we figured it's time to put our feet up, have some Earl Grey (hot, of course) and look back at some of the Captains finest hours. Measure of a Man TNG Season 2 Episode 9 Hoping to learn from and build on Data's systems, Dr Bruce Maddox comes aboard the Enterprise […]
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