2.06: Star Trek: Picard - Two of One

ctg

weaver of the unseen
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
9,741
81XuO80.jpg


With the help of Tallinn, Picard and the crew infiltrate a gala on the eve of a joint space mission, to protect one of the astronauts they believe to be integral to the restoration of the timeline - Renee Picard. Kore makes a startling discovery about her father's work.

Runtime, a hair over 38 minutes. IMDB score 7.4
 
"Without the mission, there will be no hope. Without hope there will be only darkness..." - Seven of Nine. The line itself is very quotable and it has a lot of meaning for different people. Thing with the hope and I believe we have discussed this in various threads, is that it's not a singular thing. It's a subject, or a subjective on a larger context, and it doesn't go away on a snap of fingers. It diminishes or blooms and Picard's Alt Reality US of A doesn't look going down the first path.

It is kind of blooming even if the on-screen policies resemble a police state ideas. And a space mission to Europa is certainly a full of hope and dread, because it's going past the Mars orbit and for our knowledge, Picard's Alt Reality doesn't have a Mars base, not talking about Moon one.

None of the media is speaking about it going further than before and it being a manned mission. Not just a probe. So in 2024 they're kind of further into a possible future than we have ever been and yet, somehow they're also kind of backwards.

PGz3ZbA.jpg


"You did it again, Picard. You called me Laris," Tallinn said, with a slight wink in her eye.

Admiral sighed and said, "I thought, uh, you might be an ancestor. But she's... um, Romulan so it's impossible." Man, he didn't even try to hit the lady and to be honest, he didn't even needed as the Watcher had already been lured by old man's charm. I don't know how he does it, but I swear that getting an offer for the nightcap was coming as the Watcher drilled into him during the festivities.

The look on her face and the change in her demeanour, when Picard asked, "Who is looking after you?" told me that she got weak knees, and hot flashes. Yet, the old man played it cool as if it was a normal thing for him to showing caring heart for strange ladies.

I did find it funny when Admiral observed Renee downing a shot on bar and he asked, "Does she normally drink like that?" without understanding the pressures of young ladies in the gala. Luckily Tallinn dismissed it with, "Well, she's going into quarantine tomorrow." And knowing what Viv did before same things, I'd claim it's more of norm than an occasional thing. With an Europa mission being the headline, I'd say that she has pressures of whole world on her shoulders.

Luckily Picard didn't take Tallinn's blocking efforts, but went to speak with his great-great-great-great-great grandma without acknowledging it.

VnJl3w8.jpg


If a Borg Queen would live inside my head I would scream, like a girl. Not only did she inject the nanobots to do things, the whole psyche transfer is kind of freaking me out, especially with the Queenie making apperances like any other Horror story imaginary friends. This is also dire threat, because Dr Jurati already lived in fringes of the La-La Land, like many hackers. Queenie putting an arm around as if they're lover, would have sent me straight a whisky bottle. Not her.

She had no problem on accepting the Queen making her super-strong and the cuff's on her wrists didn't even leave a mark as she pulled through the shackles like a superman. Since the Queen is kind of the antagonist I also suspected that Jurati/Queen were responsible for capping Adm Picard.

I liked that Queen made Rios inquiries to go away with a simple kiss. We men are such a simple creatures.

9Jmnb2x.jpg


Picard is kind of best time-traveller there is as he stayed so cool, when Dr Soong stepped on his way with a message from Mr Q, "I cannot allow Renee to complete this mission. Stay away. You don't understand who you're dealing with!"

Admiral smiled and looked him in the eye, "I could say the same thing to you. You don't really know who you're dealing with." What I didn't guess was Soong using money to buy a position in Europa board and making Picard to back away from dealing with Renee.

Bigger surprise came from the Queen taking over, blowing an EMP, and then proceeding to sing a song as if it was number for the show and nothing happened to the electronics. Luckily the band was able to play on fly and nobody noticed the transformation.

That allowed Picard to approach the ancestor in the guise of a security guard. He repeated the "Sometimes those who shine the brightest, feel the sting of fear and melancholy, in way others can never understand," line to the young lady, without providing the reference point. I cannot point which movie it's from, but I'm certain it's one of the OG ones.

He pushed the envelope with the "Fear is fear," line as he continued building up the foundation by claiming, "Fear means you're smart. You understand the risks."

Renee squinted and launched back, "So what are you afraid of?"

Borg's I answered. Picard however chuckled and said, "I don't know where to begin..."

"And you found a way to live with it?"

Admiral looked down and said, "I've found that even in the darkest circumstances, there is a light. Sometimes only a glimmer. Trust that light. Find a way back. No matter what it takes."

It is so true and it is so super hard to lay everything on that hope and take a leap of faith. He could not have said a better thing for the pep talk. It was a good one and it did the thing, before Dr Soong unleashed his anger and drove over the old man. Effing *******.

qpgZPbF.jpg


"Does he have any implants?" Dr asked.

"Yeah," Raffi nodded.

"How many?"

"All of them," she answered, just before doctor plastered pads on Picard's chest and then proceeded to 'restart the system.' When the scope let out the blue smoke in the result, I couldn't hold it in. Man, how do tell doctor that the old man is actual a biomechanoid, an android that has humanmind living in it?

They didn't. Nobody said nothing. They were all quiet when Teresa told the vacate the emergency room. Like rats leaving the sinking ship. In the aftermath Tallinn found that Picard had locked himself inside his mind and she did super critical thing by hacking admiral's mind.

Pure SF there and my suspicion is that there is some sort of temporal thing in the play. Something that is connected to Q and whole heap of things. Some that might be a bit smelly. But what a lover wouldn't do to another than tying the impossible.

ioZxdiy.jpg


Man, I don't know how Kore climbed that mountain of madness and stayed sane? Dr Soong has done awfully lot in regards of the genetic experimentations, being a father to Cpt Kirk's Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaan, is one of them. He has fallen so deep into his lies on making genetic clones and trying to keep them alive in any way possible.

It is the biggest lie you can find about your life. About it being complete fabrication. That is quite a thing to stomach.
 
This season is just jam-packed with romance: Rios and Teresa; Rios and Jurati/Borg Queen; Jurati the Borg Queen: Raffi and Seven; and, front and center, Picard and Laris/Tallinn.
Tallinn's rescue mission into Picard's stymied mind is likely to tangentially uncover his feelings for Laris. I expect her to share some of that with the admiral when he awakens; perhaps providing some clarity with an analysis of his own conflicted emotions.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ctg
There seems to be some suppressed memory of a dramatic event, something involving young Jean-Luc and his mother at the chateau.
Also, I think, in his memories his mother looks somewhat Romulan.
I'm producing nonsense, probably, but still...
 
I woulda liked a bit more reference to how Queenie has made her/Agnes body superstrong - yes I know that the Borg injection Agnes got in the previous episode was full of biology-rewriting, implant building, nanomachines - which is both how Queenie is now in Jurati's head and how hteir shared body has both the strength to snap handcuffs and an internal EMP generator. But it's not obvious if you don't know that bit of Trek lore - the Borg nanobots that make them into what they are have been referenced maybe once or twice in passing this season, hardly an explanation, and I suspect a lot of people with a more casual acquaintance to the franchise will have been a bit 'huh?' with this.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ctg
This season is just jam-packed with romance: Rios and Teresa; Rios and Jurati/Borg Queen; Jurati the Borg Queen: Raffi and Seven; and, front and center, Picard and Laris/Tallinn.
Where is it going to lead, wedding and babies? I get Picard's confusion over Tallinn. But the other ones, especially with Raffi seeing the boy toy everywhere is kind of breaking the illusion. It's a bit too much.

Also, I think, in his memories his mother looks somewhat Romulan.
I'm producing nonsense, probably, but still...
She does not have pointy ears, but she is thin.
 
Where is it going to lead, wedding and babies? I get Picard's confusion over Tallinn. But the other ones, especially with Raffi seeing the boy toy everywhere is kind of breaking the illusion. It's a bit too much.


She does not have pointy ears, but she is thin.
Nor does Tallinn, who not only is the spitting image of Laris, but also...
Tallinn, spying on Reneé's texting.png

Or so the subtitles claim.
Boldly going, my claim would be that,
1) Tallinn is Romulan
2) Picard, in his memories of his mother, for some reason, is replacing her image with that of his Watcher, also a Romulan.
As already said above, this 2024 is not ours, seeing that they are going for Europa, while we only dream about going to Mars. Do humans have the abilities and capabilities to be a Watcher? Connections with Romulans might be different from what we are used to from 'our' trusted timeline.
 
Last edited:
Boldly going, claim would be that,
1) Tallinn is Romulan
Yeah, I noticed that but I ignored the fact, because it was one line that was murmured by her. So I assumed that Picard was hallucinating.

Do humans have the abilities and capabilities to be a Watcher? Connections with Romulans might be different from what we are used to from 'our' trusted timeline.
I don't know. Thing is we see her form, but in the essence she's something else than a human. For living a human life, she might have taken the shape and form, but at underneath she could be Kosh. Her technology stuffed in a single pen sized cylinder certainly talks about their capabilities. But yet, the watcher at otherside of the galaxy is also human. So I assume it's just an illusion.
 
What I didn't guess was Soong using money to buy a position in Europa board
But is that very likely, given the "mad Scientist" newspaper headlines and his ban from research? The Europa Board might be desperate for money, and maybe they would take it from anyone (however questionable the source) but what about public opinion? However, this is definitely set in an alternative timeline already. There is no way that in 2024, 2 years from now, this is all happening.
Luckily the band was able to play on fly
And they're psychic too, they played the song without her even letting them know what it would be.
being a father to Cpt Kirk's Khaaaaaaaaaaaaaan
Is he father? Or a son? Didn't the Eugenics Wars started by Khan already take place in the 1990's. Time travel might give a tension headache, but these alternative realities produce a migraine!
There seems to be some suppressed memory of a dramatic event, something involving young Jean-Luc and his mother at the chateau.
We've had scenes of it every episode from the first, and it is certainly where his mind has gone now, but the importance of it is a mystery to me. I don't think his mother is a Romulan. Jean-Luc said Renee reminded him of her, not Tallinn.
But it's not obvious if you don't know that bit of Trek lore - the Borg nanobots that make them into what they are have been referenced maybe once or twice in passing this season, hardly an explanation, and I suspect a lot of people with a more casual acquaintance to the franchise will have been a bit 'huh?' with this.
You are undoubtedly right about the Borg nanites being responsible, but the snapping of the cuffs would be possible with muscles of the same strength but stimulated to move in a more synchronised way - the same way bricks can be broken using the karate chop of a bare hand. If the Queen has control of her body then she could do that without the aid of nanites. The EMP, however, is not something that a human body can produce.
Tallinn is Romulan
Or so the subtitles claim.
Or the subtitling is wrong and someone in subtitling messed up?
I assumed that Picard was hallucinating
she's something else than a human.
We know that she is not human and works for the same organisation as Gary Seven. We know they co-opt various species, however a Romulan during this time period is highly unlikely.

I thought this season had six episodes. It definitely didn't finish yet.
 
But is that very likely, given the "mad Scientist" newspaper headlines and his ban from research? The Europa Board might be desperate for money, and maybe they would take it from anyone (however questionable the source) but what about public opinion? However, this is definitely set in an alternative timeline already. There is no way that in 2024, 2 years from now, this is all happening.
This is the alt reality and they've showed that the government approves suppressant of the people and their will as if the US of A is approaching some form of dictatorship. I bet that is what Q is banking up and for Renee to become some sort of figure in it that eventually leads Picard becoming the Slayer of the Species. A very special title, that I don't think many SF writers have think about because it has that flair that not only raises hairs or cause shivers and palpation in one's persona, but it's actually quite scary, because it also implies the loss of so many souls.

So at the moment, as a viewer I've already accepted that Dr Soong is going to have some sort of influence through the Europa Board because he's also in Q's pocket. And not that many people can really understand what's happening with the said god figure. I'm not even sure we have seen a real Q, but more like Kosh apperance, as the real figure would mean too much and our mind couldn't probably comprehend it. But the thing is, they've never voiced, or never implied, and yet it's there more hidden than what Kosh was.

It is kind of sad that in that ST has never reached that level and whenever it comes to godly stuff or the ancient aliens theories, it's never really studied or implied properly. As a viewer I'm expecting to get briefed more in the Watcher stuff, but I already know that it's going to be brushed away, because it's just a story device.

In a godly play, Dr Soong is an useful fool or a typical narrative device that gets lured into god's play and the person usually doesn't have any way of escaping their destiny other than doing something extraordinary that dispels the godly spells and sets the character in the redeeming course of an action, or giving them a chance to act as a tool for a revenge.

Thing is Q is never there, even though he's always omnipresent. So in theory you could challenge anytime in the narrative and ask him the questions, because his ultimate character wants the truth to come out.

Dr Soong is an useful fool in many cases and he might as well be Khaan's father, because in story wise he has some much potential and sense in the long arc. As a viewer I'd love to see him to really go down and Q to present himself to him as Mr Morgan did to Sheridan. And for Picard to finally to understand what the ef is really going in his relationship whit this said godly figure.

It would be so useful to see him from an alien perspective, as in would he still be presenting himself as a human.
 
You are undoubtedly right about the Borg nanites being responsible, but the snapping of the cuffs would be possible with muscles of the same strength but stimulated to move in a more synchronised way - the same way bricks can be broken using the karate chop of a bare hand. If the Queen has control of her body then she could do that without the aid of nanites. The EMP, however, is not something that a human body can produce.
Actually - interesting side question: I'm sure there will be some old style cuffs that can be broken that way, but modern cuffs are (I presume) intended to hold folk high on adrenaline, painkillers, and psychoactive drugs who can push their bodies at lot further towards the mechanical limits (as opposed to limits imposed by pain and fatigue). What does it actually take to snap modern cuffs? Or am I giving them too much credit?
 
modern cuffs are (I presume) intended to hold folk high on adrenaline, painkillers, and psychoactive drugs who can push their bodies at lot further towards the mechanical limits (as opposed to limits imposed by pain and fatigue). What does it actually take to snap modern cuffs?
You must be correct, and I don't know how much stronger modern cuffs would be made either. Someone (an expert in cuff manufacture) will come along in years to come and post the answer here. My guess is that the writers of this don't know either. However, this is obviously an alternative reality, and set two years in the future, which are always good ways to explain away our nitpicking of mistakes.

BTW I agree with you about the lack of explanation and the requirement for previous knowledge of the Borg. There is a clear difference between ST: Picard and ST: Discovery in this respect. Discovery, Season 4, requires little need to watch any previous Star Trek, in fact it is so far in the future and in such a different setting that has little resemblance to Star Trek at all, and it is aimed at a much younger audience. However, Picard is Star Trek made for Star Trek fans, with interwoven old stories, frequent nods and winks to Star Trek lore, much fan service, and it is presumably very difficult to follow if you have no idea who Soong, Q, Gary Seven and the Borg Queen are.
 
I do (genuinely) love to nitpick this sort of thing, as it leads to interesting questions and reading! The following is very 'ish' and only serves to give a very vague idea of the orders of magnitude that might be involved, but: According to https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/082981.pdf some types of handcuffs are designed to withstand a force of 2200 newton for 30 seconds. An average human pulling down with both their strength and bodyweight on something above their head could be expected to generate about 550 newtons according to here: Pushing & Pulling - General : OSH Answers So in effect Queen-Jurati had to generate, in each arm, over 4 X the force her entire body pulling down with the assistance of body weight would normally be able to generate. Or, put another way, she can now lift 4 of herself with each arm and then some considerable extra.

Yes, this is pedantry that will only interest a recovering materials scientist like myself :D . But it does underline that the point of snapping the cuffs was to illustrate how Jurati is no longer entirely human, which it does perfectly. If you wanted your character to just get out then, unless that chair is a lot stronger than that kind of office furniture usually is (thin shaped metal at best, often just shiny plastic), a woman in good shape could have likely snapped the chair-arm where it joined the back with a couple of minutes of strenuous yanking. And if you actually could pull hard enough to snap cuffs the chair would have broken long before the cuffs did.

And, having obsessively over-thought a perfectly good narrative device for showcasing Queen-Jurati's transformation, I'm off to bed.
 
Last edited:

Similar threads


Back
Top