Star Trek: Discovery 4.11. and Star Trek: Picard 2.01

[selenak]

Given the episode's title, I did expect that Our Heroes would figure out a key of communicating with species 10 C, so my main fretting happened in the last few minutes, because after Jet discovered Tarka and the episode cut away, I was really afraid the episode would kill her off a la Culber and Tyler/Vocq mid s1. I kept biting my fingernails and was practically jubilating when the last scene showed Jet alive and well and snarky as ever, albeit taken hostage and kidnapped by Tarka. Which, btw, also signals something about Tarka (i.e. not given to killing as the default option in person). And it makes me hope Jet will have a role to play beyond sarkastic commentary in the upcoming episodes, which would be great.

The discovery that the 10c communicated/communicate at least partially via particles carrying emotions was neatly alien, and reminded me a bit of one of my favourite TNG episodes, Darmok, where the challenge also was figuring out how to communicate with a species that used a method hitherto unknown to our heroes. Though the stakes are infinitely higher this time. Mind you, the conversation near the end where Saru (product of a planet where one species "culled" the other) points out that just because Species 10c is familiar with the same basic set of emotions most people are - protectiveness and love for their young, fear, grief and despair when watching their people suffer and die - doesn't mean that they necessarily care that they cause said emotions in other species. Speaking as a German well aware of history, duh. Alas. However: it would be also a mistake to assume that even if the 10c do know what they're doing all don't care. With a species as technological advanced as that you do need some on your side to stop something like the DMA, even if you can't convince the majority, which is another reason why figuring out how to communicate with them is so important.

I continue to appreciate that so far, no one is the designated fool/strawman bad buy in the inner Alpha Quadrant disputes. Now that we've gotten to know Laira Rillak, the Federation President, and T'Rina, the President of N'var somewhat, it seems to be President of Earth's Ndoye's turn. As with everyone else, you can see where she's coming from (especially with the present time table), and while she listens to Book, she doesn't just accept what he says blindly (i.e. points out inherent contradictions). It does make sense to have a plan B, though given that Tarka's weapon didn't do the intended the job the last time around and just got things worse, there's not much reason to trust he's right this time. (Especially since Tarka's primary objective isn't "saving the universe" but "get that energy source to go to another universe", but Ndoye doesn't know that, though Book does.) Then again, his is currently the only plan B available.

Everyone getting dusted with 10 c emotions means we also learn a bit more about Dettmer, who it appears never felt that basic safety combined with assurance to be loved as a child everyone else experienced, even Saru, which is not a little heartbreaking. Also, the episode sets her up for a new friendship with Adira, continueing this season's pattern of trying out new character combinations. (Dettmer so far had most of her non-team scenes with Owosekun, and Adira with Stamets and Culber if they weren't with Gray.) Speaking of new combinations, I liked Leira Rillak scene with Dr. Hirai. The season has been great with reminders that Starfleet isn't all of the Federation and the civilians do exist and contribute.




First episode and a new season, immediately jossing all the fanfiction build ton the assumption the characters would continue to stay as a crew on board La Sirena after the finale. Instead, Picard has gone back to France (plus some Academy teaching), Rios returned to Starfleet and got command of the current Stargazer, Raffi returned to Starfleet as well, Elnor became the first fully Romulan Starfleet cadet (I guess the "fully" qualifier is because TNG's "The Drumhead" has a half Romuilan, half human in Starfleet as a plot point, there's the unclear status of Saavik (half Romulan, half Vulcan in the original script of her movie debut and thus in all the tie-in medias, but with no reference to her ancestry in filmed and released canon). Seven got the Sirena and returned to the Rangers, and Agnes Jurati and Soj went on a good will for synthetic life tour through the Quadrant once the ban was lifted. We get a time jump of one and a half years, during which one half of Picard's Romulan housekeepers/companions have also died - Zhaban. This did not make me happy, especially since it seems to have happened primarily so Laris can develop romantic feelings for Picard. On the one hand, I wanted more Laris (and Zhaban) last season, and presumably this set up means I'll get half of my wish. Otoh, this whole "the one thing Jean-Luc never dared to explore was his heart via long term romantic commitment to someone" theme they set up in this opener is, well, not my ideal storyline, and also even if I don't ship them, the complete non-mention of Beverly Crusher on this show starts to look really weird if that's one of the themes you want to explore.

(Sidenote: I do assume it's Beverly whom Picard is referring to when he in his conversation with Guinan protests that he has loved, deeply. But it might also be the imaginary wife of Kamin in The Inner Light, or Della from that one episode, or, given last season's scenes, Data, for all we know.)

Otoh: we got a "Picard seeks advice from Guinan" scene out of it, and that was lovely. (BTW: the writers coming up for an in-universe reason why both Guinan, who belongs to a species far longer lived than humans, and in the final scene Q look aged to match Picard's age made me smile fondly, because it actually fits both characters.) As with last season when Picard reunited with Will and Deanna, it's a match of actors history and characters history and you can feel the fondness exuding from every interaction.

Also, the scene where Raffi talks with Picard about her new relationship with Seven and compares Seven and Picard in their "self sufficiency" and impliclty in their inability to let anyone truly in makes me think we will get an on screen exploration and build up of Raffi/Seven that's more than a tiny hint at the end of last season, and here I'm all for it. Speaking of Picard and Seven, I'm in two minds about him being more willing to believe the New Borg might be better than the old Borg than she is, but given that Star Trek: First Contact confronted him with his own dark side triggered by Borg Trauma and last season via Hugh showed him all the Ex-Borg in a positive light, not to mention that he's old and slower to react, I can juuuust about buy into him hesitating and wanting to believe there's at least a tiny tiny chance it might not be a trick, whereas Seven is far younger, has lived her last decade and more as an active vigilante with "shoot first" as a default mode, and has experienced the power of being connected to a collective least season even if the show chose not to explore that. Anyway, I do expect there's another twist to this particular Queen's showing up and assimilating move (wouild not be surprised if we learn later on she actually did it for a non-sinister purpose for plot reason XYZ, otherwise it's just too obvious), and btw, thanks, show, for not going back to the old cyberbabe look.

Aaaand then we get the cliffhanger scene of Q showing up to reaveal Picard has ended up in another timeline, "the very end of the road not taken". Again, I'm in two minds. I mean, I'm all for more Q/Picard interaction! (Slash used advisedly.) I love Q/Picard interaction! But I've already seen the episode where Q takes Picard back in time, and where he shows him the outcome of what would have happened if he'dmade another choice. (I hope Ron Moore gets royalties if they really go for this as a main storyline.) And God knows I've seen so many "regular universe, but fascist" takes (which I very much suspect is where this one is heading, what with Picard's portrait hanging in his home now). On Star Trek and elsewhere. Now, I do expect all of PICARD the show's regulars will have ended up in this alternate universe as well, so Picard won't be stuck alone there but they will all have to work for setting things back to normal, but that's not enough of a twist to make this feel original to me. So all in all, this first episode makes me feel that as opposed to Discovery, which stopped using nostalgia as a drawer several seaosns ago and truly does go where no Star Trek show has gone before now, Picard is still not able to do that. :( But we'll see.

Comments

[bimo]

I hope Ron Moore gets royalties if they really go for this as a main storyline.

I was getting very strong "Tapestry" vibes as well, even more so since the conversation between Picard and Guinan brought up the issue of Picard's artificial heart. Nonetheless seeing these people together on screen again was delightful.

All in all my feelings about the episode are just as mixed as yours. One of the aspects that I liked in particular was how comparatively well the individual members of the La Sirena Crew seem to have done for themselves between seasons, well, maybe except Agnes... . I'm not sure, though, whether the Star Trek universe is in need of yet another Borg crisis. Oh, and another aspect I wasn't too happy with: The hinted at tragedy regarding Picard's mother. Whatever road they are taking with this, it just feels out of tune with everything we have learned about Picard's family relations in seven seasons of TNG, starting right with S1's "Where No One Has Gone Before" where Picard invokes his mother as a perfectly happy elderly lady offering him tea.

[selenak]

I'm not sure, though, whether the Star Trek universe is in need of yet another Borg crisis.

Hard same, which is why I hope it only looks like the Borg but turns out to be something else.

Picard's mother: I hear you. I mean, given that ST usually emphasizes the fathers (and Daddy issues) above and beyond, I'm all mothers being brought up (just not a la Sarah Sisko, please, more like Discovery does it), but if Madame Picard died young, that contradicts earlier canon. Then again: maybe she just leaves and while he did see her again as an adult, they never really reconnected beyond a surface level?

[maia]

I thought the flashbacks to Picard's childhood were meant to imply that Picard's father abused his mother, and that this is the origin of Picard's difficulties with relationships?

If that's correct, then I assume it was inspired by Patrick Stewart's own history. It took tremendous courage for him to speak of it, and I am awed and moved by his courage, and grateful to him for having the courage to speak. I admire him, so much.

But if that history is now being transferred to the character Jean-Luc Picard, then...I think that is a terrible idea. There's never been any indication that Picard has problems with relationships per se. Yes, he prioritizes his career over relationships, but there's never been any indication that this is due to trauma. In "The Inner Light" he had a good marriage with Eline. Yes, it took him five years to accept his new life as real and fully commit, but that's to be expected in those circumstances, and once he committed, he committed. This seems like a retcon that doesn't make any sense.

The character of Picard has always been on the cutting edge in terms of portrayal of trauma on television. Before Picard, the male hero wasn't supposed to be susceptible to trauma; he might have a bit of vulnerability over a love interest but he wasn't supposed to be traumatized and he could never, ever be broken. Before Picard, the long-term emotional repercussions of traumatic events were seldom explored. When "The Best of Both Worlds" and "Family" came out it was unheard of for a male hero to go through that, and unheard of for the show to explore the emotional repercussions as it did. It was equally unheard of when "Chain of Command" came out and Picard admitted that "I would have told him anything, anything at all" and "I believed that I could see five lights". Picard ushered in a sea change in how trauma is understood and portrayed on television. That was a wonderful thing.

But that was three decades ago. Now, traumatized heroes are a dime a dozen. It's not cutting edge for a hero to have had an abusive childhood, it's practically cliche. And if it's supposed to be an "explanation" for Picard having problems with romantic relationships, well, as I said, I don't agree that Picard does have problems with romantic relationships per se.

So, I'm not optimistic about this. Of course, I may be proven wrong, maybe it will all wind up making perfect sense, but...I have my doubts...

(Also, I really liked Laris and Zhaban as a couple and I'm annoyed they killed Zhaban off. And Laris and Picard developing feelings for each other doesn't feel organic in any way; it feels like a cheap gimmick.)

[selenak]

thought the flashbacks to Picard's childhood were meant to imply that Picard's father abused his mother, and that this is the origin of Picard's difficulties with relationships?

I'll have to rewatch, and this time with subtitles, because if so, this escaped me. I hear you about the wisdom, or lack of same, of transfering Patrick Stewart's rl history to Jean-Luc Picard in this regard. We shall see, I guess. In fairness, there have been developments in various shows, including ST series, that on paper sounded bad to me but when I saw them executed, I completely changed my mind (for example, Discovery letting Michael Burnham be connected to Sarek, Amanda and Spock via adoption). But that doesn't stop me from being sceptical in advance.

[maia]

I'll have to rewatch, and this time with subtitles, because if so, this escaped me.

It was very, very fast, just a few brief images, between 11:20 and 11:50.


In fairness, there have been developments in various shows, including ST series, that on paper sounded bad to me but when I saw them executed, I completely changed my mind (for example, Discovery letting Michael Burnham be connected to Sarek, Amanda and Spock via adoption).

Completely agree!!

[lightofdaye]

I just saw The Star Gazer. I am kind of mystified about Picard/Laris to be honest.

I did think it was odd Seven was rabidly anti-borg and Picard seemingly not. Yes he had some carthasis in First contact and liked the xBs it's not the same as The Collective Reborn. Also is the Queen is mother with the 'look up' line?

It seems weird to me that's calm with a potential return of the Borg but totally loses his shit when Q turns up. Though he had blown himself up and found himself in a bizarro version of his house so I guess it's understandable.