The Bounty (episode)

Real world article

(written from a production point of view)

For the ENT episode with a similar title, please see "Bounty".

Now on the run, Picard and the skeleton crew of the USS Titan must break into Starfleet's most top-secret facility to expose a plot that could destroy the Federation. Picard must turn to the only soul in the galaxy who can help – an old friend.

Summary[]

Teaser[]

Three Federation starships arrive at the location of a transponder left behind by the USS Titan-A, while another is found by the Shrike. Vadic grows increasingly frustrated, threatening her "ill-defined, unshapen" crew if another one tells her they have not located Picard. The Changeling at the helm explains that the Titan keeps leaving behind decoy transponders and jumping to warp at infrequent intervals. Vadic thinks of how exhausted they must be… as she is, as are all of their "brothers and sisters" who have to wear the faces of the Federation. She then becomes more upbeat, saying that there will be rest, a day of "lifeless bodies burning in space." They will have peace and unity again… but first, they will have their vengeance. The helm continues to persist; Frontier Day is 72 hours away, and they have no better idea of where Jack Crusher is than they did before. As they are saying a change of leadership might be needed, Vadic simply orders "enough" and the Changeling beside her draws their weapon and vaporizes the would-be mutineer on the spot.

Vadic sets her crew to work on finding all of Picard's known associates, including past and present Starfleet colleagues – anyone to whom he might turn for help. "We will scorch the Earth under which he stands, and the night will brighten with the ashes of the Federation," she declares. "And from them… we will rise."

Act One[]

In the Titan's sickbay, Beverly Crusher speaks to Picard about Jack's condition. After he had confided in her about his waking nightmares, she ran a micro-neural scan, and found all of the portions of his brain relating to cognition and imagination were affected. Jack has a terminal diagnosis of Irumodic Syndrome, which he inherited from Picard. Beverly remembers how he had had nightmares and spoke to imaginary things as a child, but she had thought he was gifted, not "plagued with an overclocked brain." She has given him a neuro-inhibitor to temper the hallucinations, and it might be decades before the disease finally catches up with him. When Picard begins to speak, she stops him, telling him not to waste time burdening himself, when he could instead be unburdening Jack.

Picard finds Jack in the holodeck, still set to 10 Forward Avenue, seated at the bar having had several drinks by this point. When Jack sees him, he has the landlord pour one for his "old man" as well. He explains he is celebrating the fact that he is not crazy, just broken – and the way he sees it, he can either wallow in self-pity, or be like a Japanese teacup, which can be put back together with molten gold… or in Jack's case, bourbon. Picard thinks Jack should take it more seriously, but Jack says he is taking it "deadly serious," and quite possibly dead. He asks how Picard survived dealing with it, and Picard points out that he didn't, having had his body replaced with a golem, but he had lived with the syndrome for decades – and Jack has plenty more good years ahead of him. Jack laments that it was unfortunate Picard wasn't as good at passing on genetics as he is wisdom. His mother had tried to protect him from becoming "collateral damage" in Picard's life, but he finds it ironic that he was probably doomed before he was born. He downs his drink and leaves, just as Seven of Nine calls: "they" have arrived, she informs Picard.

Worf and Musiker beam aboard, greeted in the transporter room by Picard, Riker, Beverly, and Seven. Worf formally asks permission to come aboard, and Picard happily grants it, saying it has been too long. Worf replies it has been eleven years, five months, four days, minus his infrequent messages and his annual bottle of "sour mead." Riker knows he was talking about Chateau Picard, which Worf thinks is "quite tart." Though she knows Worf was not a "hugger" (and Riker points this out), Beverly hugs him anyway, glad to see him. Musiker tells Picard that Worf engages in meditation, and Worf confirms this, saying that the most advantageous battle stance is to be one within oneself, earning an incredulous reaction from Riker. Musiker greets her former-lover Seven, asking if she is alright; Seven replies that they are alive, at least. Musiker and Worf had a difficult time tracking the Titan down, which gave them time to process the idea that Picard and Beverly were now parents. Worf then turns his attention to business, telling Picard that they have to ensure Ro Laren did not die in vain, to protect both Starfleet and her kin, and that they have much to report.

As the Titan goes to warp, the crew meets in the observation lounge with Captain Shaw. Worf explains that the Changelings have re-emerged as a threat. During the Dominion War, they had used deception and might against the Federation, and Starfleet retaliated with the morphogenic virus; there were scars and shame on both sides. Starfleet had also provided the cure to the Great Link, but Shaw points out that it had weaponized a number of zealots as well. Ro believed that whatever was being planned was tied to Frontier Day – "no better stage on which to make a statement," as Picard puts it, and the day was coming in less than 48 hours. With time a factor and no leads, Worf and Musiker believe they have to return to the scene of the crime: Daystrom Station, where Starfleet keeps its experimental weapons technology and alien contraband, off the books. A few months earlier, Vadic had broken into the station and stolen a number of classified weapons, including the portal weapon, but Musiker and Worf speculate that the portal's use at the recruiting center on M'talas Prime was meant to cover the theft of something else; Shaw thinks it obvious that the weapon they took is even more deadly than the portal weapon. Seven points out that the only way to know for certain is to check Daystrom's inventory, and Beverly adds the copy Ro was able to obtain was heavily redacted. The full manifest would be located inside Daystrom's vault. Starfleet security has had patrols every hour on the station since the break-in, but the vault itself is protected by an "astonishingly lethal" AI system, to which Worf and Musiker have acquired a key. However, if the key fails, instead of searching for one missing weapon, they will find themselves at the wrong end of many. Ro believed this weapon key to the entire conspiracy, and Picard also knows it is the only way they can both clear their names and save Starfleet. He then asks for volunteers.

Worf, Musiker, and Seven head to the transporter room, where Seven tries to reach out to Musiker. Seeing this, Worf says he has been in battle alongside lovers many times, and is able to mention how therapeutic it can be when Seven says she is not going. Worf is relieved, admitting he had been practicing deceit, and that breakups on his homeworld rarely ended without bloodshed. Riker then enters, having volunteered to join the team. Seven reports they have come out of warp as close as they could to beam them in without alerting Starfleet. Ro's intel had a workaround for the station's transport inhibitors, but they will have to beam them in and out before the manual patrols. Riker asks how long they have to find the weapons manifest, and Musiker estimates an hour at best. Riker hopes the key works, otherwise they will have to resort to "old-fashioned Klingon offense". Worf mentions that he now prefers pacifism to actual combat, before giving the order to energize. As the beam takes them, a deadpan Riker mutters that they are all going to die.

As they materialize inside the station, the station's AI conducts a security scan, requiring they identify themselves. Worf plugs Krinn's key into the system, just as the computer threatens to use lethal force if the "Daystrom visitors" do not identify themselves. After a tense moment, the key succeeds, granting them access to the station. But outside, their troubles are just beginning: two starships drop out of warp, having managed to locate the Titan. Shaw orders red alert and tries to have the team brought back, but Lieutenant Mura says that he can't get a lock; the ships have activated transport inhibitors to block any rescue from the station. Sidney La Forge recognizes them as Echelon-class ships, and they have traceable payloads; if they hit the Titan with their weapons, they could track the ship as they fled. "Spoken like a true La Forge," Picard commends her, before saying they have to run before their pursuers realize who is inside Daystrom. La Forge warns that short of being invisible, they won't be able to come back until the other ships can't track them. Picard taps his combadge and informs Riker of the situation, but adds he has an idea, before telling La Forge to set a course for Athan Prime. La Forge doesn't think it is a good idea, and Worf adds that Starfleet security will patrol that area in less than an hour. Picard promises they will be back by then. The two ships lock weapons, and Shaw gives the order to withdraw at maximum warp.

The team, now on their own, explores Daystrom's weapons vault, which Worf explains as being the repository for Section 31's more "nefarious" technology. Among the items contained within are a thalaron generator, a second Genesis Device, and the body of Captain James T. Kirk. Worf is startled by a genetically modified tribble that viciously jumps at the glass in its containment cell. Riker jokes about the "mighty Klingon" and the even "mightier attack tribble," but Worf is not amused, seeing that Riker still finds comfort in humor, and humor in others' discomfort. Riker is surprised that Worf is so serious now, before Musiker directs them back to the mission at hand, and getting out – alive. The station's AI detects Riker's speech patterns and identifies him, preparing security measures. As they make their way through the corridors, a holographic crow flies past them, startling them. Riker thinks there is something familiar about it, before Worf calls out that he has found the mainframe. As he prepares to access it, a note from a violin can be heard over the comms, Riker identifying it as an F-sharp. A further burst of music sounds as the lights go out. When the emergency lights kick in, they are confronted by a man in a 19th century formal outfit, complete with top hat, and Riker is astonished to recognize him as Professor Moriarty.

"Greetings, old friends," Moriarty says politely, as he pulls out a pistol from his coat.

Act Two[]

The Titan arrives at Athan Prime, home to the Fleet Museum. The "old spacedock" has been moved here, to act as the last resting place of legendary starships. Shaw orders La Forge to find a place among the "relics," to be a "needle in the haystack." The station hails them, and though La Forge is clearly hesitant, Shaw has it put on screen. Picard is glad to see the caller, Commodore Geordi La Forge, the museum's director and Sidney's father. But Geordi does not appear happy to see them, telling Picard to power down nonessential systems immediately.

Geordi beams aboard along with his daughter Alandra. He admits that in the nanosecond he spent in the transporter beam, he debated the virtues of a curt, professional handshake or an uncomfortable, but long-overdue hug, before electing to give Beverly the latter. He then gives curt greetings to Picard and Sidney. As Picard prepares to introduce him to Jack, Geordi interrupts, saying he is in the middle of his third memo to Starfleet protesting having all of the fleet in one location for Frontier Day. Further, with all of the thousands of people who visit the museum daily, sooner or later someone will point out the one ship that doesn't belong there. Geordi is adamant that they need to talk, and quickly leaves. Alandra greets her sister, who calls their father "impossible"; Alandra promises to do what she can. Jack sarcastically notes the "warm and cuddly" greeting, and Sidney admits she has not been on the best of terms with her father, something Jack sees they have in common.

On learning that Jack is Picard's son, Geordi is not entirely surprised that his old captain has managed to turn fatherhood into an intergalactic incident. Picard tries to explain that not only is Starfleet after them, but Changelings are as well, and tells him that Worf and Riker are stuck on Daystrom Station. Picard asks for Geordi's help to clone the Titan's transponder signal to lure their pursuers away from Daystrom Station. Geordi is not happy to see his old friends pulled into the situation as well, and explains that even if he were willing, he couldn't clone a transponder signal without randomized Starfleet security codes. He then has Alandra explain the biggest problem: every ship in Starfleet is now fully integrated, able to "talk" to each other. The Titan is a beacon, and it will only be a matter of time before they get close enough to track. Picard realizes this was how the two Echelons had found them.

At Daystrom Station, the search for the team continues, the starships USS Sternbach and USS Cole continuing their sensor sweeps. Musiker wonders what a 19th century holo-villain is doing defending a 25th century black site. Moriarty retorts that "villain" does not do justice to his complexity, and only reveals her simplicity; Riker remarks that at least somebody is consistent. Moriarty opens fire, his old-style pistol firing live rounds, while the team's phasers pass through his holographic form. As further musical notes blare, Riker realizes this is not the same self-aware Moriarty they encountered on the USS Enterprise-D decades before, but more of a projection, one that is blocking their way to the security vault. Riker is able to identify the musical notes as they come, while Moriarty calls them "solvable puzzles," mocking their unguarded expressions, their visible scars. "Such pathetic old warriors," he sneers. Further musical notes sound, and Riker asks if he is trying to play some kind of a song for them. Moriarty confirms this, calling it a "maddening melody" and a "saccharine song," one he can not get out of his head. Riker then hears a portion he recognizes: "Pop Goes the Weasel," recalling hearing it on the holodeck when he first came aboard the Enterprise-D. Riker whistles the last notes of the song. Moriarty smiles, calling it "marvelous," as his projection vanishes, and the door to the mainframe opens. Worf asks how he knew it would work, and Riker recalls he had shared that tune with another dear friend ages ago, one who also dreamt of crows and sought to thwart Moriarty with the intellect of Sherlock Holmes… "somebody who couldn't whistle worth a damn." He recalls finishing the song the same way on the holodeck for Data decades before, who had also called it "marvelous." As they enter the mainframe, they see another Soong-type android: The station's security AI.

Act Three[]

Geordi makes it clear he wants to help his old captain and crew, but he has a lot at stake. In the best-case scenario, he faces court martial, and at worst, a compromised Starfleet will put his family at risk. Alandra mentions something in Hangar Bay 12 that could help them, but her father immediately shuts that down. Picard insists this is a life-or-death situation, but Geordi retorts that it is always life-or-death, which he felt fine with when he did so willingly with his own life while under Picard's command, but now he believes Picard has put Sidney in grave danger, a charge Picard denies, defending her choice to join Starfleet. As the fathers continue to argue, an exasperated Alandra leaves, apologetically reminding Sidney about their father's stubbornness.

Jack exchanges a glance with Sidney, before seating himself (over Seven's initial protest) in the captain's chair, saying he just wanted to "try it out." They cycle through the ships in the museum, and Jack is able to identify some of them: The USS Defiant, the USS New Jersey, and one he calls his personal favorite, the USS Enterprise-A, admiring her "clean retro lines," calling himself a "Constitution-class man." Seven remarks on how knowledgeable he is for someone who "didn't give a damn about Starfleet," but Jack has always been interested in starships, even before he knew about Picard being his father. Seven then brings up another ship that Jack calls a "beauty" but is unfamiliar with: The USS Voyager, which Seven explains had made its name farther out than any of the others had ever gone. She also calls it her home, where she had been "reborn," and the crew was her family. Jack sees she is now looking for another, noting how they were all looking for connection, but are always "just a little bit alone": "Stars in the same galaxy, but light years between us." Seven laughingly tells him he is truly his father's son, as Picard also has a knack for "poetic drive-by observation," which she sometimes finds annoying… but can also make a person feel seen. Jack admits that being equal parts irritating and endearing isn't "entirely unfamiliar." Seven then brings up another ship, the HMS Bounty, a Klingon Bird-of-Prey pulled from the bottom of San Francisco Bay after "the whole whale thing" in 2286. The story goes that the searchers had a difficult time finding it, and Jack realizes it was because the cloaking device had reactivated.

William T — "*They took a keen interest in your sentient AI friend here.*"

Inside Daystrom's mainframe, Riker realizes the android was not trying to harm them; it was trying to communicate with them, because it recognized them. Musiker had thought Data had died (twice), and Riker confirms he did; Worf is adamant it can not be the same Data. Musiker examines the records, seeing this new android is a hybrid, a synthetic with an android interface. Riker thinks it could be their Data; before his first death, Data had copied his entire being into B-4, which had been unrecoverable up to that point; with the synth ban now lifted, nothing was now impossible. After the death of Altan Soong, Starfleet co-opted most of his unfinished work, taking a particular interest in the new android. Musiker finds a holographic message from Soong in the records. In the recording, the doctor explains that before gifting his golem to Picard, he had intended to live beyond his years, becoming his own legacy. But in his last days, he recognized that this was not just poor Humanity, it was poor science. Evolution was not meant to be preservation – it was meant to be addition.

At the same time, aboard the Titan, Geordi explains that Sidney has always been stubborn, which he admits she likely inherited from him, thinking that a parent always wants to impart the best aspects of themselves to their children. Picard, recently introduced to fatherhood himself, has learned that one is not always in control of what they pass on – strengths, weaknesses, and flaws alike.

Soong goes on to explain that the new golem he wanted to create would have various aspects of the other Soong-type androids: Lal, B-4, Lore, and "a great deal" of Data, this time with the wisdom and "true Human" aesthetic of age, and the hope that within the totality, something –someone – will rise to be the best of them. However, the records indicate that Soong died before he was able to finish the work, and that the personalities within the golem are battling one another.

Geordi thinks back to his days on the Enterprise, rushing into danger. He never feared for his life, not like he does for Sidney. He wants to help, but he cannot do so and protect his children at the same time. Picard returns to the bridge, saying they are leaving; Geordi will not help them, and he has to respect his wishes. However, he tells Sidney that her father wants to speak to her first.

Sidney point-blank asks why Geordi won't help them. He sits his daughter down, explaining that he and Picard have reached an agreement: She is to stay at the museum with him, and Picard will say for the record she was an unwilling participant in his action. Sidney protests, knowing it is not true, but Geordi tells her this is how it has to be. Sidney knows what is at stake, having seen a corpse that looked just like her. Geordi insists it should be left to Starfleet, but she reminds him that she is also a Starfleet officer. She had grown up listening to his adventures under Picard's command, how they always stood up for what was right. Geordi thinks it was a different time, but Sidney does not, thinking that it all stems from her not being like Alandra, who became an engineer like their father. While Geordi could build ships, Sidney only wanted to fly them, and she feels he took that as her rejecting him, while she believes it brought them closer. "You would believe in this if you believed in me," she says, rising to leave. Geordi stops her, asking if she knows what he and Alandra felt when the Titan went missing, and now that they are on the run, and Sidney is jeopardizing her life and career. Sidney reminds him she is on the run with her crew. When Geordi tells her they are not her family, she hits back that they are her family, because he had taught her that. "And I'm not scared to step up and help them," she adds. "You are."

As she returns to the bridge, Picard and Seven consider their options. They are almost out of time; Picard thinks they may have no choice but to return to Daystrom Station and engage the two Echelon's themselves to rescue their team, and suggests meeting with Shaw to discuss strategy. After they leave, Jack apologetically remarks on how he is partly responsible for the situation, and compliments Sidney on her ability to fly them "rather wonderfully" out of the messes he's made. This leads him to two simple questions: First, how well did they know the museum facility, and two, how do they feel about engaging in "minor larceny?" The La Forge siblings exchange amused looks at this.

Musiker wonders why Starfleet would install an insane AI to protect their deepest secrets; Riker thinks it was because it is a one-of-a-kind work of art, certainly more advanced than anything Starfleet could come up with. He recalls how it glitched out when it saw them, because it recognized them. This means that the AI saw everything that came and went in the station. "He is not protecting the manifest," Worf realizes; "he is the manifest." As Musiker brings up the files, an alarm sounds: Starfleet security has found them. They are out of time, and Picard is not answering their repeated comms.

The Titan suddenly begins experiencing bursts of electromagnetic radiation, causing parts of the ship to seemingly phase out of view. Geordi demands to know what Picard has done, but Picard is just as confused as he is. Just then, the Titan disappears completely; now cloaked. Geordi accuses Picard of stealing the cloaking device from the Bird-of-Prey, but as Picard protests his innocence, he stops, as both fathers realize the culprits: Their children. Jack and Sidney are attempting to install the cloak, but are having difficulty with it. Geordi warns that Starfleet will be on its way, as the theft of the cloak set off an automated security alert, and asks how many Federation treaties Picard has just violated. Picard half-jokingly replies they will have to add it to his tab, before pleading with Geordi to help them. Geordi finally gives in, heading down to engineering (with a not-at-all-joking demand to Jack to stay away from his daughter) to help properly install the cloak.

Musiker works to free the android, but sees Starfleet security coming right up to them; she will not have time. Drawing his phaser, Riker (over Worf's protests) rushes in to give them that time. The Titan moves in under cloak, but Seven warns that they will have to decloak to beam the team out. As the Titan flies in, Riker is exchanging fire with the security officers, before taking a hit to the back from a transport inhibitor tag. Shaw orders what signals can be locked onto to be beamed out, as the Titan escapes to warp. Geordi and Jack meet the team in the transporter room, hearing of Riker's capture. "We have lost one friend in battle, but gained another," Worf says, as he steps aside to reveal their new "friend," Geordi then recognizes as the aged face of Data.

Act Four[]

Worf promises to Picard that he will find Riker and bring him home: "And fearful be the god or man or beast that stands in my way." Picard sincerely thanks him, and sends him on his way. Jack then enters, offering his apologies about Riker. He goes on to admit he can be a lot of things, mostly a "prick at the bar" who says things he can't take back, and maybe a bit cocky ("A bit?" Picard wonders). But he likes to think he has a few virtues as well, such as compassion, tenacity, and being principled, as well as occasionally clever. All of those, he gets from his mother. However, he also has courage, loyalty, and wisdom beyond his years, and until a week ago, he had no idea where those traits came from. Maybe he didn't just get some "bullshit disease" from his father, but "some of the good bits" as well. "Maybe," Picard agrees.

In sickbay, Geordi admits to Sidney that he is not angry at her for what she did, but disappointed in himself for not doing what his younger self would have done, expressing his pride in her. He then asks for an ionic flow regulator, but Sidney corrects him by saying he needed the focal adjustment spanner for the main port. When he asks how she knew, she answers that the reason she crashed so many speeders as a kid was to spend time with him fixing them. Picard, Beverly, and Worf enter a moment later, Picard stunned to see Data once again, having watched him die twice now. Geordi points out that he had watched Data the android die, but this was something else. The personalities had yet to be integrated, but the information is still there. Worf asks if he could tell them what Vadic stole from Daystrom, and Geordi believes he can, assuming he is sane enough to speak. He can reboot the android body, but warns that he can not completely isolate Data even with the personality partitions in place, so they will not know who they are going to get. Picard gives him the go-ahead, and Geordi brings the android online by flipping a switch at the back of the android's neck. He appears confused, but recognizes Geordi and Picard (addressing the latter as "captain"), saying that there are many voices of himself inside Daystrom Android M-5-10, but only one speaks about them with the most fondness. He says that he is Data, but then corrects that to say that he was Data. Beverly sees him as like Picard: Synthetic, but Human. Picard asks him about the break-in at Daystrom. The android cycles through its personalities: Lore, B-4, even Altan Soong, also repeating Picard's name over and over. Finally, however, it accesses the manifest, finding the item that the Changelings stole: Human remains… the original organic body of Picard himself.

Aboard Daystrom Station, a security officer is attempting to beat the location of Picard and Jack out of Riker. Bloody but unbowed, Riker refuses outright, earning him another punch to the face. The security officer stares at him for a moment before drawing a phaser and vaporizing the two other officers in the room… before its shape becomes that of Vadic, who cheerfully greets him. Taken aboard the Shrike, Riker sizes up Vadic's burly-looking companion, wondering how much of that "goo shit" they poured into him, earning another hard strike across the face. Riker keeps up his good cheer, however, asking if Vadic thought he would give up more than three decades of loyalty just for her. Vadic agrees that he wouldn't do it for her, before revealing who she has held in a nearby cell: Deanna Troi. "Oh, Will…", Troi sadly says to her husband.

Memorable quotes[]

"For so long, my mother thought to protect me from you. To shield me from being collateral damage in the life of Jean-Luc Picard. Irony is… maybe I was doomed before I was even born."

- Jack Crusher

"The most advantageous battle stance is being one within oneself."
"Whoa. Seriously?"
"I just said it."

- Worf and Riker, on Worf's meditation

"I have gone into battle with lovers countless times. It can be therapeutic if…"
"I'm not going."
"That is a relief. I was practicing deceit. Breakups on my homeworld seldom end without bloodshed."

- Worf, witnessing Seven of Nine talking with Musiker before they beam down to Daystrom Station

"Captain Riker…"
"Worf, call me Will. Come on."
"You should know that I now prefer pacifism to actual combat. Energize."
"We're all gonna die."

- Worf and Riker

"A mighty Klingon taken aback by the even mightier attack tribble!"
"I see you still find comfort in humor. And humor in other people's discomfort."
"You used to poke back. What happened to you?"

- Riker, after Worf sees a tribble at Daystrom Station

"Let us continue our search but tread lightly. We will not be prey, we will be... friendly energy."
"I don't understand the world anymore."

- Worf and Riker

"Greetings, old friends."

- Moriarty, pulling a gun on Riker, Worf and Raffi

"What solvable puzzles you all are. Your unguarded expressions, your visible scars... my, how time has spun you all apart. Such pathetic old warriors."

- Moriarty

"Are you trying to play a song for us? Some sort of a tune?"
"Yes! Yes, a maddening melody. A saccharine song. One that I cannot get out of my head!"

- Riker, trying to solve Moriarty's puzzle

"Yep, I'm definitely a Constitution-class man."

- Jack Crusher, on the Enterprise-A

"Oh, she's a beauty. Which one's that?"
"The USS Voyager. She made her name farther out than… any of those other relics had ever gone. I was reborn there. She was my home. Her crew were my family."

- Jack Crusher and Seven of Nine, spotting Voyager docked at the Fleet Museum

"Is that a Klingon Bird of Prey?"
"The HMS Bounty, pulled from the bottom of the San Francisco Bay."
"Yeah, right, the whole whale thing."

- Jack Crusher and Seven of Nine

"Before I gifted Picard my golem, my intention was to live beyond my years. To become my own legacy. Now, I see in my final days that wasn't just poor Humanity, it was poor science... because evolution is not an act of preservation. It's addition. Into this new golem will go a bit of Lal, B-4, of Lore and, of course, a great deal of Data. This time with the true wisdom and Human aesthetic of age. With the hope in that in totality, something-- someone-- will rise to be the best of us."

- Dr. Altan Soong's final log

"I think back on those days on the Enterprise, all the danger we rushed into... I never feared for my life."

- Geordi La Forge

"Captain, your hull is battered, bruised and basically paper-thin. You're spewing fumes through layers of 21st century duct tape."
"Yeah, it's been a weird week."

- Geordi La Forge and Shaw

"Geordi? Captain?"
"Yes. Data, is that you?"
"Yes, sir. No, sir. I… I am not certain."
"He's like you, Jean-Luc."
"I am Data."
"Synthetic…"
"No, I was Data."
"But Human."

- Data, Picard, Beverly Crusher, and Geordi La Forge

"I'm Lore... I am B-4.... I am Soong... No, I am more."

- Daystrom Android M-5-10, manifesting it's various personalities

"Oh, look at this one. How much of that goo shit did they pour into you?"

- Riker, while imprisoned on the Shrike

Background information[]

Title[]

16 March 2023: Title publicly revealed by Wil Wheaton in TRR: "Imposters".

Story and script[]

A scene filmed for the episode but ultimately cut depicted a conversation between Worf and Riker in which the Klingon admitted to having killed an innocent woman whom he believed to be a Changeling infiltrator. [1]

Cast and characters[]

LeVar Burton reprises his role of Geordi La Forge, marking the character's first appearance since Star Trek Nemesis in 2002. Previously, he reprised the role for the Star Trek Online expansion "Escalation" in 2017.
Brent Spiner reprises the personalities of Data, (last seen in PIC: "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2"), Lore (last seen in TNG: "Descent, Part II") and B-4 (last seen disassembled in "Remembrance" but last played by Spiner in Star Trek Nemesis) as well as Altan Soong (last seen in "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2").
Daniel Davis reprises his role of James Moriarty after last portraying the character on-screen in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Ship In A Bottle" in 1993.
This episode marks the first time that the main cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation have appeared together since Star Trek Nemesis, save for Denise Crosby and Wil Wheaton.
This episode marks the first time in Star Trek that regulars from three different series (in this case Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager) appear together on screen on a fourth show.
Despite being listed in the episode's end credits, Stephanie Czajkowski (T'Veen) and Jin Maley (Kova Esmar) do not appear in this episode.

Production[]

The episode featured clips from TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint".
Much of the bio featured in the James T. Kirk's datafile, including the dates of his five-year mission as 2264-2269, was lifted directly from the Kirk bio in all four editions of the Star Trek Encyclopedia.
As Seven of Nine and Jack Crusher view the ships in the Fleet Museum, the themes from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Original Series, and Star Trek: Voyager can be heard. When they view the HMS Bounty, the main title theme from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is heard, and when Daystrom Android M-5-10 is activated, motifs from Star Trek Nemesis can be heard.

Continuity[]

The previously unspecified neurological disorder that was diagnosed by Dr. Moritz Benayoun in "Maps and Legends" that ultimately caused the death of Picard's Human body in "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2" is confirmed to be Irumodic Syndrome, which was made known to Picard by Q in TNG: "All Good Things..."
Riker chides Worf about his disdain of tribbles, originally seen in DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations"
Several legacy ships appeared in the Fleet Museum (which in and of itself, is the repurposed Spacedock One last seen in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country), including the "old" Constitution-class ship Picard references to Montgomery Scott in TNG: "Relics", which is revealed to be the USS New Jersey.
- Those featured included the USS Defiant (last seen in PRO: "Supernova, Part 1"), the USS Enterprise-A (last seen in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country), the USS Voyager (last seen in VOY: "Endgame"), and the HMS Bounty (last seen in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home).
- Those ships not specifically featured included the Enterprise NX-01 (last seen in ENT: "These Are the Voyages...", but since refit), the USS Excelsior (last seen in VOY: "Flashback"), the USS Stargazer (last seen in TNG: "The Battle"), and the Kronos One (last seen in The Undiscovered Country). The USS Pioneer, a starship that prominently appears in the third season end credits, was not shown among the museum ships.
- Additional unidentified ships that appeared included two Akira-class, a Miranda-class, a Nebula-class, a Saber-class, and a Romulan Bird-of-Prey.
In Riker's personnel file, it confirms that he was born on August 19 and officially gives his mother's name as Betty C. Riker.
When Moriarty plays "Pop Goes the Weasel" for Riker, Worf and Raffi, it's being played on a violin. Data first played the violin while playing the part of Sherlock Holmes in TNG: "Elementary, Dear Data" where Moriarty first appeared. Data subsequently played the violin in future episodes, such as TNG: "The Ensigns of Command", "Sarek", et. al.
Riker references Data's dream of a crow that led to his discovery of his dream program in TNG: "Birthright, Part I"
Raffi and Picard reference Data's two previous deaths in Star Trek Nemesis and "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2".
Riker refers to Data's attempt to copy his memories to B-4 from Star Trek Nemesis.
Dr. Soong references his gifting of his Golem to Picard to restore him to life in "Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2".

Reception[]

Ed Speleers later praised the writing for the scene where Jack and Seven view the ships at the Fleet Museum: “There’s a recognition of being an outsider and living on the edge and then trying to find their way into confirming with society, in this case Starfleet. They understand one another; there’s a rogue streak to them. I love that scene when they’re looking at the starships. It’s a love sort of, quite a tender moment, but it’s full of humor and it’s in the middle of everything’s that going on in Jack’s head at the point where he’s in complete shambles. To have this moment of levity with Seven, it just inflates it. It comes down to the wonderful writing. You look at the team of writers they had on board, and they nail it in terms of moments of levity, then driving back into humor, then driving back into serious tension.” {{el|https://www.startrek.com/news/warp-five-ed-speleers-jack-crusher-picard-finale?fbclid=IwAR0KqRvht7v-PqZR7eUwWNWJ_mophOtezzJ2m2YCtJA66lecD3JcprF8Ad4%7C[1}}]

Links and references[]

Starring[]

Special guest stars[]

And

Brent Spiner as
- Data (archive footage)
- Daystrom Android M-5-10
- Altan Soong (holographic recording)
Daniel Davis as James Moriarty

Guest starring[]

Todd Stashwick as Liam Shaw
Amanda Plummer as Vadic
Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut as Sidney La Forge

Co-starring[]

Mica Burton as Alandra La Forge
Stephanie Czajkowski as Lt. T'Veen (credit only)
Joseph Lee as Lt. Mura
Jin Maley as Ensign Esmar (credit only)
Amy Earhart as Titan Computer
Vaughn Page as Shrike Bridge Changeling
Byron Quiros as Starfleet Lieutenant

Uncredited co-stars[]

Whitney Coleman as Security officer
Angel Manuel as Shrike Commander
Unknown performers as
- Holographic bartender
- Shrike personnel
- USS Cole officer (VO)
- USS Sternback officer (VO)

Stunt doubles[]

Alyma Dorsey as stunt double for Michelle Hurd
Quinn Early as stunt double for Michael Dorn
Unknown stunt performer as stunt double for Jonathan Frakes

Stand-ins[]

Margot Muraszkiewicz as stand-in for Jeri Ryan
Sedríque as stand-in for Michael Dorn
Thadeus Welch as stand-in for Patrick Stewart

Previous episode:
"Imposters"

Star Trek: Picard
Season 3

Next episode:
"Dominion"