#beverly crusher returns

[pktechgirlus]

Creation Con

LA June 1989

[mceproductions]

MCE The Jaw Droppers 2023 #2: The Enterprise D Returns to the fold.

Along with the 3rd season of Picard being so great in getting the crew of the enterprise D back together for a final journey. There was one player nobody saw coming.

In the wake of a return of an old enemy, Picard and company were brought back to a piece of their past being unexpectedly restored after they had lost it long ago.

What magic happens when Geordi brings the crew together on the rebuilt bridge is nothing short of stunning.

Even the welcome voice of Majel Barrett as the Starfleet computer was a very welcome touch.

We knew the reunion was going to happen from the start. Nobody expected the original ship would come back in the play.

And jaws were dropped.

[the-heartstring-chronicles]

Writing PIcard/Crusher is turning out to be a lot of:

She mused that..

*Cue six paragraphs of the deepest emotional observations and feelings filling her mind.*

Only to have her say simply, "I hope you understand Jean Luc"

And then he ponders...

*Cue six paragraphs of the most vulnerable raw emotions and astute emotional awareness filling his mind."

Only for him to just say in return."Yes, Beverly, I do."

And then there are seven hundred more instances of this or an emergency before one can get them to cooperate and to actually say all that they were thinking to each other.

And then one sighs and realizes that that is actually pretty in character.

[dataentryspecialist]

Captain Picard: Lore's going to drag this out. So, Mister Data, what's his play?

Lieutenant Commander Data: He has an army of former Borg drones. They're not of the Borg specifically or any specific world. He means to lead them against the Federation. They will win him the quadrant. In return, I suspect, for his leadership.

Picard: An army? From outside of Federation space?

Lieutenant Commander Geordi LaForge: So he's building a transwarp conduit. To attack.

Data: Precisely

Picard: I wish to know why Lore is hellbent on this course of action. Surely he doesn't see the entire Federation as a threat.

Geordi: I don't think we should be focusing on Lore. That guy's positronic brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him.

Data: I would ask that you consider your words, Geordi. Lore is beyond reason, but he is my brother.

Doctor Beverly Crusher: He killed an entire colony of over 400 people

Data: Technically, we are not biologically related.

[spacedocmom]

Doctor Beverly Crusher @SpaceDocMom Viruses can't be reasoned with or negotiated with. They don't understand how well you avoided them yesterday, nor reward you by avoiding you in return today, nor understand your social/economic/mental health needs. They just want to get in you to make more of themselves. emojis: black heart, blue heart, masked, spoon 3:36 PM · May 5, 2024

[neutralgray]

Okay, so like. I've recently gotten into Star Trek TNG and am on season 3. Return of Beverly Crusher and all that. Then I realize a few episodes in that we haven't seen Katherine Pulaski, the doctor in season 2, at all.

And so I looked it up and the show like. Doesn't even really address it? Crusher leaves (due to contract dispute irl apparently) and now comes back and Pulaski is just completely forgotten because Crusher is back.

The most baffling thing to me tho is how divisive she apparently was to the 80's fandom? And like, for what?? Simply because she wasn't Crusher?? Like, a lot of those historical criticisms seem to be that she didn't "fit in" with the crew but what?? How did she not???

She was fucking awesome. She had a completely different dynamic than Crusher that worked to make a quickly more complicated character.

Crusher has a sort of sex appeal. Humanistic compassion. Intelligence and empathy.

Pulaski felt pragmatic but highly moral. Daring and authoritative. She matched Picard's ego and intelligence, often creating conflicts due to their different approaches to moral problems. She was flawed and headstrong but genuinely trying to do the right thing, which is how most compelling characters in TNG feel.

It's just so crazy to me that she wasn't popular and the show didn't even write her character an "out."

[jesternene]

The Women of Star Trek: Picard

It is that time of year and the Emmy buzz is loud and proud among the different outlets promoting certain shows and actors that made an impact during their season. I agree with a lot of the articles that I have seen. However, there is one thing that is missing in their spotlight: The women.

As a Star Trek fan, the hype of the Final Season of Star Trek: Picard not only succeeded in their approach but they went above and beyond. The nice mix of new and nostalgia to the story was blended well and it deserves “Outstanding Drama Series” in the upcoming Emmys. The problem that I am having is not what we saw in the Season but how the Women of the series seem to be missing in that hype Star Trek: Picard is getting.

I agree that Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Levar Burton, and Michael Dorn were fantastic this season and do deserve to be recognized for their new approach to their characters, but the women were just as equally if not more deserving because the story mostly revolved around them.

Let’s start with Jeri Ryan. The beginning of Seven’s story started with controversy due to how they approached her character during her time in Star Trek: Voyager. As much as fans wanted to see the former Next Gen characters when Picard was announced, it was nice to see another character outside of that particular show, as all the characters in the Star Trek universe are important to the story. Seeing Seven as a rogue Fenris Ranger, going outside the law to do the greater good, was fantastic. It showed a different side to the character and the way Jeri approached that character was a breath of fresh air to those who adored her on Voyager. With the series ending, It was nice seeing the conflict with Seven on wanting to do the greater good but being stuck with regulations. Her performance in showing Seven’s struggle was brilliantly done. We knew why she did what she did and didn’t question her one bit. That was based on how Jeri approached it and seeing now Captain Seven, and wanting more of Captain Seven, is all to Jeri’s credit.

Michelle Hurd was new to the franchise but you never would have known. Her character Raffi worked so well with Picard, that you forgot she was never around during the TNG days. You bought that she had a history with Picard, even if we didn’t see it. The emotional turmoil her character went through brought Star Trek to a new level and it was character development that fans longed for. I give that credit to Michelle's approach to that. She embodied the struggle that Raffi was going through. The emotional roller coaster we saw was not only entertaining on so many levels, but it invoked emotional and tear-jerking scenes that the fans could feel and understand. When fans can relate to a character, you know the actor and the writer are doing their job.

Of course, fans not only wanted to see past and new characters in the franchise, but we wanted great stories as well. During the TNG days, some stories fell flat as they didn’t bring the characters to the level that the fans felt they should have. What was interesting about the final season of Star Trek: Picard is the writers decided to not only take that extra step but put the characters through those emotional scenes that the fans waited 35 years for. Gates McFadden was a fan favorite to return and she did not disappoint with those types of scenes.

Giving her character a complete 180 backstory, allowed Gates to showcase just how great an actress she is. With over 40+ years under her belt, Gates brought everything she had ever done in her career and embodied it in the character of Dr. Beverly Crusher. A character that she holds dear to her heart, she wanted to make sure that the fans understood the love and heartbreak of Beverly. She had scenes that required no words but it tugged on the heartstrings of the viewer that we wanted to see more. Her chemistry with Patrick Stewart only highlighted his scenes for the better. Ed Speelers, who plays her son Jack Crusher, mixed well with how Gates approached this side of Beverly and it was the Mother Son scenes that fans longed for. This season not only went down as one of the best in the Star Trek Franchise but for Gates as well. The emotion she played, minor details of a chin quiver, or even a small smile, really brought out why Beverly Crusher is the fan's character. They can relate to her on so many levels and it is that acting that deserves to be recognized among her fellow peers and the industry.

And let's not forget, more powerhouse women showcased their chops in every scene they were given. Amanda Plummer as the new villain, Vadic, made fans delight in her sarcastic demeanor. Even though it was one episode, the return of Michelle Forbes as Ro Laren, was the highlight as her character was redeemed in a way that fans always wanted. Seeing Deanna Troi, played by Marina Sirtis, was more in tune with her empathic side, and being one of the instrumental heroes of the season was also a highlight we wanted to see. The industry can not forget how much the women impacted this season and with an award season causing so much buzz, It is important we focus on why. 

All in all, the entire cast of Season 3 of Star Trek: Picard was the best mix anyone could hope for. We already knew that the TNG cast was perfect, but adding the new characters just focused more on that. We love these characters and we love the actors that play them. Let’s give them the attention they deserve because, without them, Season 3 wouldn’t have been what it was.

J

[nerds-yearbook]

After 3 seasons, the last episode of Star Trek: Picard aired on April 20, 2023. Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his friends took a final stand to save Earth from a Borg Invasion. Picard travelled to Jupitor to face off with the Borg Queen (Alice Krige) and a Borg assimilated Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) aboard a giant Borg Cube. Walter Koening, who played Chekov in Star Trek the original series, returned to play Anton Chekov who was the President of Earth and an ancestor of his former role. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) was promoted to Admiral and made head of Starfleet Medical. Seven (Jeri Ryan) was promoted to Captain. Tim Russ also reprised his role of Tuvok. John de Lancie also made a surprise appearance as Q. ("The Last Generation", Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek TV Event)

[lindsayvanekart]

Happiest of birthdays to the amazing Gates McFadden! Her return as Beverly Crusher in Picard just makes me so damn happy <3

www.lindsayvanek.com

[divinemissem13]

🔮 and 🪭 for Beverly Crusher, please!

Thanks for asking! I'm gonna answer these for Picard-era Beverly Crusher because I find her more interesting (and also more in need of therapy 😝 )

🔮 Do they feel like they're connected to the world around them?

I think yes. I feel like she was stuck in a holding pattern for many years, just reacting to the people around her (mostly Jack Crusher and then Wesley and then Picard...). Her choice to leave Starfleet and raise a child on her own finally led her to a life where she got to make all the choices. She chose her ship, she chose what she would do with it, where she would go, who she would or wouldn't spend time with. Even after returning to Starfleet, I still think we see a Beverly who is more grounded and connected to her life than ever before.

🪭 What does their ideal life look like in 2, 5, or 10 years?

I don't know what Bev wants but my head canon is that in 10 years, she would be semi-retired, in a stable, loving relationship with Kathryn Janeway someone other than Picard, although they would still be good friends and she stays at the Chateau often, especially when Jack is on planet. She lives somewhere rural and has a huge garden filled with all kinds of exotic and alien plant species.

[sshbpodcast]

Character Spotlight: Wesley Crusher

By Ames

Grab your favorite hideous sweater! It’s time to talk about Wesley Crusher. He’s one of the most polarizing characters on TNG, with a lot of hate directed his way, but he also has a number of great Trek moments which we on A Star to Steer Her By are going to sort through today!

We can probably blame Gene Roddenberry for making this character so insufferable, especially in the first season when he seemed to have the easy solution for the engineering problem of any given episode. Gene designed him to characterize a person’s infinite potential and then slapdashedly shoehorned him into every place he could, and you’ll notice that right after the big writers room turnover, the child prodigy started feeling more like a character and less like a cheat code. Scroll on for the list below and listen to our chatter on this week’s podcast episode (warp over to timestamp 57:36) for all the dirt. Just unplug your nanite experiment first.

[Images © CBS/Paramount]

Best moments

Don’t shut up, Wesley While I’ll give Wesley the deserved scrutiny in a moment for the absurd number of times in season one of TNG that he saved the day, we do have to give him some credit for figuring out that Lore was impersonating Data in “Datalore.” Even while pretty much everyone on the crew was telling him to shut up, Wes had it all figured out and topped it off by beaming Lore into space.

Double dumbass on you! Wesley actually does get to shine during “Coming of Age,” an episode that really uses his youth to its advantage by having him take the Starfleet Academy entrance exam. And he gets pretty far! He even figures out that Rondon is a Zaldan, so Wesley realizes that apologizing for getting run into himself is the wrong reaction for that culture and comes away looking like a badass.

Teamwork makes the dream work Speaking of “Coming of Age,” Wesley is also this close to solving the dynamics relationships test first when he helps Mordock figure it out too. Wesley’s natural affinity for helping his crewmates is more important to him than getting the top score, which TAC Officer Chang takes into consideration in the final results. I’m not sure it helped much, but it’s a good character moment.

You never forget your first “I'm never going to feel this way about anyone else,” Wesley says to Guinan after watching his first crush leave in “The Dauphin.” Strangely, it’s a very mature little conversation considering Wesley was ready to write Salia off as some kind of alien monster earlier in the episode. But he learns to accept her differences, score some relationship experience points, and get his first smooch.

The minute you walk through that door they’re your team Slowly, the show starts putting Wesley in more age-appropriate situations in which he isn’t just saving the day, so it’s fitting for him to be overwhelmed when leading his first committee in “Pen Pals.” His team member Davies effectively takes over because Wes initially lacks confidence, but he soon takes charge and they work together to save Drema IV. Go team!

You told me to improvise During the war games in “Peak Performance,” Wesley thinks outside the box and retrieves one of his many, many experiments from the Enterprise to use on the less advantaged Hathaway. While Riker initially accuses young Crusher of cheating, no one said he couldn’t sneak tools off the other ship, and it’s that kind of ingenuity that could be useful in a fight.

Begin by letting go of your guilt, Wesley His mother Beverly may be on full display in “Remember Me” as we discussed last week, but Wesley also gets some interesting development. Back in “Where No One Has Gone Before” the Traveler saw potential in the child prodigy, and when the two of them use their special powers here to open the door for Dr. Crusher to return from the warp bubble, we witness some of that weird potential get unlocked.

I’ve done it all because I want you to be proud of me We joke a lot on the podcast that Picard is secretly Wesley’s father, and it’s mostly for laughs. But when we get touching scenes between the two of them like the one in “Final Mission,” we think we may be onto something. Stranded on a planet without water, Wesley keeps an injured Picard alive (can’t say the same for Dirgo, but whatever), fueling paternity theories for years to come.

I just lost the game After Wesley leaves the crew after “Final Mission,” his appearances are more methodical, and thus his character feels more and more appropriate each time. In “The Game,” he’s just visiting but his tendency to see how things work helps him and Lefler to discover that the video game everyone’s playing is actually harmful before the whole crew turns on them.

I would like to add something to my testimony We get even more glimpses of how far Wesley has come when he’s attending Starfleet Academy in “The First Duty.” All of Nova Squadron has lied about the circumstances of Josh Albert’s flight accident, and it’s Wesley who comes clean in the end because he can’t bear the guilt and the dishonesty of covering up their nefarious actions. Take that, Locarno!

These people deserve better than to be removed from their homes We found Picard’s actions inexcusable and entirely out of character in “Journey’s End” but you know who was actually on point? Wesley freakin’ Crusher. How on earth the boy was the only Starfleet-adjacent person to actually try to defend the colonists on Dorvan V is beyond us. It strikes us as opposing Federation ideals to force the colonists to move, and Wes knows that.

I had to find my own path Finally, it is a fabulous resolution to the Wesley Crusher character for him to decide on his own to leave Starfleet and go with the Traveler to discover his true potential in “Journey’s End.” For too many kids, it’s the parents who put pressure on them to walk certain paths, and we celebrate Wes for finding his own. Ya know, until he’s randomly back in Starfleet for that cut scene from Nemesis for some reason.

—

Worst moments

Wesley Saves the Day! Okay, I’m gonna lump all the obnoxious “Wesley Saves the Day!” instances into one blurb because it’s so damn repetitive. Every single time, Wesley – a child amidst some of Starfleet’s best of the best – figures out some impossible engineering problem before any of the adults in the room can, and we got so tired of it. 

Whether it’s by getting drunk and taking over engineering only to use his reverse tractor beam in “The Naked Now,” or saving the day with the Traveler in “Where No One Has Gone Before,” or spotting Picard’s brain scan from across the room and deducing there are Ferengi shenanigans afoot in “The Battle,” or cracking the lock on the holodeck door while La Forge had already admitted defeat in “The Big Goodbye,” or seeing through Lore’s disguise as we mentioned above while all the adults in the room tell him to shut up in “Datalore,” or probably a ton of others all from the first season, it was clear no one knew how to write him except as some kind of magical prodigy. Alakazam!

Keep off the grass It’s all the more clear that having a child character on the crew is just a cringey idea in “Justice.” Sure, it could have been anyone who broke the stringent rules of the Edo, but just the fact that it’s Wesley gallumphing through a flower bed like an uncoordinated doofus, destroying it utterly, makes us roll our eyes and seriously wish they’d let them execute the brat. 

Frosty the no-no man Let us not forget that it was Wesley who hit the captain with a snowball in “Angel One,” an immature and obnoxious little scene that seems to prove Picard’s point that letting children run roughshod all over the ship is an inconvenience at best and a liability at worst. And it happens to be the latter in this episode, because he ends up getting the whole ship sick with some disease!

Drug Abuse Resistance Education is futile! While we can go on about Wesley’s whole exchange with Tasha about drug addiction in “Symbiosis,” what’s most egregious is how sheltered and clueless Wesley (normally some kind of child genius) has to be to not understand how narcotics work in the first place. It’s such a forced scene that we can just feel the Reagan Era war on drugs sentimentality written all over.

I guess leaving’s gotten easy for you It’s easy to find fault with “The Outrageous Okona” – it is my least favorite TNG episode, after all. Literally everyone in this episode is annoying, and as usual, that includes Wesley who first idolizes the charming rogue, then seems really judgey of his independent and carefree lifestyle, and finally he sasses the guy into making him conclude the soap opera plot of the episode.

How do you tell each other apart? It’s a pretty cheap joke when Wesley meets Mendon in “A Matter of Honor” and mistakes him for Mordock, whom we met in “Coming of Age.” I can’t tell if the writers were trying to make a racist “you people all look alike” kind of gag, but regardless, it makes Wesley look like an idiot for not knowing anything about Benzites and Benzite culture.

Klingons hate surprise parties Everything Wesley does in “The Icarus Factor” is annoying. He blathers like a maniac at the impatient Klingon, but then takes that impatience to assume something greater is going on than just being fed up with an obnoxious tween like anyone else would be. But to make things more exasperating, the little twerp is right, as he always is, and throws Worf an Age of Ascension party. Ugh.

I think that everything that’s been going wrong might be my fault It’s not until season three that, instead of saving the day as he did so many times already, Wesley actually screws up big by releasing the nanites in “Evolution.” While it’s refreshing to see Wes finally admit to some kind of flaw, his escaped nanites end up taking over the ship and start attacking people. And what’s worse is that he tries to lie about it until Guinan catches him!

Broccoli on the side You’ll remember this from La Forge’s spotlight as well, but Geordi reveals in “Hollow Pursuits” that it was Wesley who initiated the cruel nickname “Broccoli” for Lt. Barclay. Wes, you might still be a child, but you’re in a room with adults so stop acting like one! I don’t know what’s worse: being such a dick to one of your coworkers, or all the adults in the room condoning it.

I’m the one trapped in the bubble As if his misadventure in “Evolution” weren’t enough, Wesley botches another science experiment in “Remember Me” and nearly gets his mother killed in a pocket dimension! I know we just gave him some credit for bringing her back (though I mostly give that credit to the Traveler), someone’s got to stop letting Wes hook shit up to the warp core just because he’s the CMO’s kid! Nepotism much?

The first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth Here’s another Wesley moment that ended up on both lists because as much as we can see the character growth and lesson learned when he comes clean in “The First Duty,” it also needs to be said that he is fully prepared to follow Nick Locarno like a little sheep. Wesley almost certainly wouldn’t have done the right thing in the end if Picard hadn’t basically threatened him first!

You are out! Auf wiedersehen! Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t poopoo Wesley’s fashion choices. Again. It’s a trainwreck of a fashion show. Sweater after sweater – all oversized, hideously patterned, and monstrously ugly. Ames has the full write up in an early blogpost: Wesley's Sweaters: An Unfashionable Collection, but this coral nightmare from “Where No One Has Gone Before” might take the cake.

—

Well, we’re off to go exploring with the Traveler, so that’s gonna wrap things up for this one. We’re back next week with more characters to spotlight and also more Enterprise to watch over on the podcast, which you can find on SoundCloud or wherever you listen. You can also get our help on your Academy entrance exams over on Facebook and Twitter, and watch out for those flowers!

[stardate2603]

Fights and Reconciliations ( Worf x Reader )

git belongs to me

Worf had confessed to you one night that he had reservations about entering a relationship with you. And ever since those doubts stayed with you months after your conversation about said reservations. You tried to prove him wrong, but Worf didn't appreciate your attempts to soothe any fears he had about dating a human. After a few weeks, you crashed into your worst fight yet and Worf regretted every second, knowing his tone did not reveal how he felt about you but rather portrayed every reason why you were both incompatible.

He wished he hadn't risen to the argument so easily, his temper getting the better of him, sparking a night filled with silent fury on opposite ends of the bed. You would never kick him out of the bed, because despite everything, every harsh word spat in the heat of the moment, neither of you could have a decent night's sleep without each other. Even if it meant him sleeping on the sofa of your quarters, or vice versa.

Worf was caught off guard by your questions which felt more like an interrogation, spawned by a conversation you overheard during your break, and when he felt cornered he always became defensive, leading to the argument he was certain landed you under in the care of Doctor Crusher.

"Her external injuries are manageable. The internal injuries are - we're still finding them all."

Worf nodded in acknowledgment of Doctor Crusher's closing report, his eyes unable to glance away even for a second, your frighteningly still body filling him with unease and bringing his fears to the surface. Klingons were stronger than humans. It was a known fact. Klingons healed differently from humans. Also a fact.

Seeing you lying on the bed made it near impossible for Worf not to fear the worst.

"I am confident she will recover from this." Beverly's words of comfort meant nothing while you remained unconscious and Worf felt useless as he stared down at your body, finding new injuries as his eyes scanned you head to toe. And those injuries were the ones visible, external, and any internal were sure to be worse.

Days passed and Worf found himself drifting throughout his shifts on the bridge. His mind was struggling to focus on his work when all he could think about was you, dreading Beverly announcing your death.

Worf visited before his shift began, while he was on his break, and before he resigned to bed for the night, knowing you would argue that he should never let his work suffer. As a Klingon, he always felt a strong pressure to achieve excellence, and you understood it long before he confided in you about it, but you empathetic soul which allowed you to view the world from various perspectives and a highly valued member of the bridge.

And the bridge seemed so much bigger, empty, whilst you were gone.

Worf entered the medical bay after his shift for the fourth night in a row, Beverly knew better than to disturb him as he stood next to your bed. She had provided a chair for him, but the Klingon always stood, believing it was the best view of you. Worf grasped your hand gently, lacing your fingers as you did, bowing his head to kiss your knuckles.

"Jih parmaq tlhih." He murmured.

"Jih parma tsh. To you too." You whispered, causing his eyes to widen. "No wait. That didn't sound like you -"

"Close enough." Worf rested a hand on your cheek, before moving your hair away from cheek. "ChenmoHwI'."

"You're such a softie." Your dry lips formed a smile, and Worf chuckled. "QaparHa'qu'

"QaparHa'qu'." He bowed his head, pressing a kiss to your forehead and you closed your eyes as his lips lingered for a moment. "I will consult Doctor Crusher."

You held his hand, slowly letting go as he moved further away. "Okay." You whispered.

Worf returned moments later with Beverly who smiled brightly, thrilled you were awake, but you knew better than to expect an immediate release. And despite his wishes, Worf knew better than to expect this as well.

"So...tomorrow?" Beverly sent you a petulant glance and you held your hands up a little, "Alright, not tomorrow."

Worf rested his hands on the bed as he spoke to Beverly who knew he was the only one who could convince you to embrace the next few days of necessary bedrest, and you held your hands above your head, covering his hands, earning an emotional glance lasting mere seconds. Beverly smiled as she walked away after briefing Worf who held in a sigh of disappointment, and meeting your gaze with pursed lips.

"Don't pout. Or do. It'll give the crew something to talk about." Worf raised an eyebrow at your dazed state, a smile forming on his lips.

"Get some rest." His tone left no room for argument, seeing the exhaustion in your eyes after a lengthy fight for survival. Now was the time to recover. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Promise?"

"'Ach bangwI'." He bowed his head and you closed your eyes when he rested his forehead against yours.

"I'm sorry." You whispered, needing no elaboration as the towering Klingon knew exactly what you were referring to.

The argument that could've been the last you ever had.

"No need, chenmoHwI'. Get some rest."

"You need it more than I do." You remarked, seeing how exhausted his eyes appeared, despite how driven he appeared to everyone else. You always saw through him.

Worf kissed your forehead and you smiled softly, your eyes following him as he began to move away. "Goodnight."

Worf paused, looking back at you with a small smile. "'Ej qoghDaj, tlhuHqu'mo' qoy'pu'bogh."

You smiled fondly, your eyes following him as he left. You knew it was harder than an outsider believed for him to leave, but you knew he would rather stay until he knew you were back to full strength. Worf was a towering Klingon with a brooding presence, but you were always able to see beneath his tough exterior And Worf knew that no words had to be said between you, the argument about your biological incompatibility forgotten since your admittance to the medical bay began.

And despite your previous insecurities, you knew that during your recovery, Worf would be by your side, and waiting when Beverly delivered the news that you were discharged.

You approached the towering Klingon with a small smile, which he returned, along with a nod. His eyes told you everything you needed to know. Always.

The thought of losing you was enough to render him near useless. But having you alive, walking, talking, teasing him was the second greatest feeling in the world. The first? Well...that night you reminded him of what it was after over a week without feeling your touch over his skin, feeling the passion in your kiss. And Worf knew that his doubts could never change how he felt about you. Nor could he regret a single moment, finding it only made him treasure every second with you more, while wishing it would never end.

You were his forever and he was everything you needed and could ever crave. A Klingon and a human may not make sense to his species, nor yours, but to you and Worf, it meant everything and was everything. Your love knew no boundaries and Worf knew that no matter what the future held, he could fact it all if he had you right by his side.

[mceproductions]

Best of 2023 TV Shows #1: Star Trek Picard (Paramount+)

For many, The saga of the enterprise D crew unceremoniously ended with Data’s death in Star Trek Nemesis.

An unfitting way to end 15 years of adventure for a crew that many felt eclipsed the originals 25 years of their own.

Which is why in the wake of the return to Trek after Discovery came out we got Star Trek Picard as a more fitting way to continue the story. And although the first season was good, many did feel that the Q inclusion for Season 2 was a miss.

Which is fitting because the 3rd and final season brought the band back together to give a fitting ending to one of the show’s greatest crews.

While giving us the best show of the year because of it.

25th Century and Beverly Crusher continues doing what she did best. Along with her son Jack, Bev ends up running into a wall forcing her to bring in Picard.

Picard brings along Willam Riker and with the help of First Officer Seven of Nine takes control of the nearest ship to Bevs location for a rescue.

Only this sets the stage for the biggest threat Starfleet had seen in 25 years forcing the hand of Worf and Raffi Muskier into revealing a bigger picture that may affect all.

Like Orville a year ago, Picard delivers an unexpected surprise and brings characters and moments we’ve known for years into one final journey.

Including one major event player nobody saw coming at the start of things (not that which will be addressed but Ro Laren coming back was great)

Nice to see what this crew meant to those who came before and what we hope to be again.

As Picard says.

“There are more letters left in the alphabet.”

SUM 22: Patrick Stewart gives a send off to his signature role as the years best show delivers the true final journey for a generation.

[antimatterpod]

We’re putting on our old uniforms, hijacking a starship and stealing a shuttle to rescue Beverly Crusher, and we have NO REGRETS. Yes, it’s finally time for Anika and Liz to talk about Star Trek: Picard…

There is a strong possibility that this was … bad

In Star Trek: Picard, Borg nonsense is always on the horizon

Is Terry Matalas mirror!Anika? The signs are there!

A lot of our problems with this season are actually with season 2, ie, the discarding of the original cast

Some TNG characters were incredibly well-served in season 3. Others… 

Returning female characters, fridging, and men who hold grudges for three decades

The MCUification of Star Trek

Anika cannot be normal about Jack Crusher

Something very odd is happening with the passage of time in this series, and in the absence of any other evidence, we’re going to assume it’s Janeway’s fault

Hey, remember when Soji was the female lead? Anyone?

[episodicnostalgia]

Star Trek: The Next Generation, 116 (Feb. 13, 1988) - “When the Bough Breaks”

Written by: Hannah Louise Shearer Directed by: Kim Manners

The Breakdown

The Enterprise is checking out a sector of space where an ancient mythological race known as the Aldeans supposedly live.  They are said to be so technologically advanced that they’ve hidden all evidence of their existence (including their planet) using cloaks and shields, allowing them to focus on space-poetry instead of space-enemies. Conveniently, just as Riker is explaining all of this the entire Aldean planet de-cloaks, and announces that they are totally peaceful; apparently, they would like to make an offer that would be 100% mutually beneficial.  The Aldeans explain that they can no longer procreate, and their planetary computer can’t figure out why (none of them are actual scientists anymore, their computer just does everything for them).  Their solution/offer is to take a handful of the Enterprise’s children and raise them as their own, but Riker answers with a flat “no” on behalf of the parents, presumably because he’s never had to babysit before.  Not ones to take no for an answer, the Aldeans simply beam the kids they want directly off the Enterprise, which for some unfathomable reason includes Wesley Crusher (a rare alien race that doesn’t want to kill him for a change). 

Picard is adamant that the children be returned, but the Aldeans are equally resolute, and since their super-computer vastly out powers any offensive that Starfleet could throw at them, the captain is short on solutions.  However, the since the Aldeans aren’t overtly evil, they offer (as payment) an exchange of information about the known galaxy, which would take the federation centuries to discover on their own; if Picard refuses, they’ll push the Enterprise to the other side of the Galaxy.  See?  They’re not so unreasonable after all

Under the pretense of “taking time to negotiate an agreement”, Picard stalls long enough for Beverly Crusher figure out the reason the Aldean people are sterile is due to radiation poisoning, since the planetary shield generator is destroying their ozone.  Seeing as all of them are lazy good-for-nothing artists (they don’t care about learning mathematics or sciences of any kind) they’ve been wholly unable to figure this out for themselves. But worst of all, the radiation would subject their newfound child-captives to the same fate.  Fortunately, they are able to see reason and return the children to their families; unfortunately they also return Wesley.  The Aldeans resolve to re-learn how to taking care of themselves (instead of just having fun all the time, as selfish artists are known to do), and the children learn that going to school and learning Calculus is indisputably vital for everyone (although one guest-star parent concedes that art is fine too, as long as you learn math).

The Verdict.

There is virtually nothing about this episode that I enjoyed.  I could go on about how little I care for Wesley, but even without him ‘When the Bough Breaks’ is just insufferably boring, and dumb.  Clearly the writers were trying to make some kind point against indulging in ‘too much of a good thing’. There’s also a comparison to the Aldeans ozone crisis mirroring “20th century earth”, but any relevant allegory is mired in the conceit that freedom from suffering inherently results in laziness and intellectual negligence. 

By this episode’s logic, 24th century earth should then be filled with tons of lazy-good-for-nothings, selfishly living off the benefits of a post-scarcity world.  But according to Trek-Lore, humanity didn’t travel into space out of economic necessity, they did it to explore and seek knowledge for the pure sake of it.  Why would the Aldeans be any different? Historically, many of our most educated people have had the privilege of not constantly fighting for survival (at least for a portion of their lives), allowing the freedom of exploration and experimentation.  Obviously, that hasn’t always been the case, and a I’m not going to suggest that humanity never benefits from having challenges and struggles to overcome, but I refute the idea that people only seek knowledge and advancement out of necessity.  Additionally, art and science have seldom flourished independently of the other, and often go hand in hand.

Also, what exactly were the Aldean’s plans once the Enterprise left?  They state their intention for the children to procreate one day (before they find out the cause of their sterility), but did they seriously mean for a dozen kids to repopulate an entire planet?  I’m no expert, but it occurs to me there might be some problems with inbreeding.  And what if the kids don’t want to pair up and mate when they get older? Why not offer to take in children who have no families and need a home?  Surely they’re going to need thousands of kids to make a difference, and it’s been established that even the Federation has orphans.  There are just too many places where the story falls apart for me to accept the premise.

The ONLY good thing about this episode is the reveal of the Aldean super-computer (they call it the Custodian), which actually looks pretty cool.  That alone earns ½ a star, giving this episode a sum total rating of…

½ a star (out of five)

Additional Observations

There’s a very compartmentalized bias being expressed here that seemingly argues heavily in favour of a standardized public (aka western) education.  I’m all for teaching children the math's and sciences (indeed, I’m generally in favour of accessible education for all), but surely a utopian society could find a way to offer them, that doesn’t require calculus to be taught in a boring classroom setting.

For a super luxurious civilization, the Aldeans have a pretty dull looking world.  Just lots of walls with very few windows, which is a shame since that purple sky would presumably be very pretty to look at.

At one point Beverly Crusher visits Wesley to see how he’s holding up with his new adoptive captors.  While there, she hands him a medical tricorder to ‘discreetly’ scan the Aldeans for clues to their condition, but Wesley is so obvious that it almost plays like a looney tunes gag.  “Hey I’m just gonna walk behind you and not do anything suspicious.  Keep looking over there!”

Did any of the writers actually believe the audience was invested in Wesley?  For that matter, WERE any of the audience invested in him?  I genuinely don’t blame Wil Wheaton, but GOD the writing for his character is uncomfortably bad.

[cardassiankittygoth]

What a difference ten minutes makes.

(All chararcters, Star Trek and the franchise are not mine, property of Paramount and I own none of it.)

What a difference ten minutes can make.

Chapter 1 – For the sake of ten minutes.

“Stay with the Doctor.” With a last sorrowful look at the now orphaned boy, Lt. Worf strode determinedly from the ambassadorial quarters.

****

“Multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen, extensive trauma to the internal organs. Fortunately we were able to stabilise her just long enough to place her in stasis. But Jean-Luc the damage was extremely severe, she was medically dead for minutes.” Dr Beverly Crusher informed Captain Picard, her voice grim as she shoved her hand frustratedly through her shinning bronze hair.

“Where’s Worf?” Captain Picard stood next to the Chief Medical Officer in the now wrecked and bloodstained ambassadorial quarters.

“I don’t know he left just as we arrived.”

Commander Riker, the Enterprises second in command stood next to his Captain, his face grim. “Riker to Lt. Worf. Lieutenant Worf respond.” Commander William Riker tapped his combadge and receiving no answer said Computer locate Lt. Worf.”

The disembodied feminine voice of the computer responded “Lieutenant Worf is not aboard the Enterprise.”

“Where is he?” Captain Picard felt even grimmer understanding the implications.

“Lt. Worf transported to the Klingon ship Vorn at 17:30 hours.”

Captain Picard gave a significant look at his second Officer. “Commander.”

“On it sir.” Commander Riker strode purposefully from the room.

As the hover Gurney containing the stasis pod was guided from room 142, the Dr and Captain followed making their way to Sickbay through the Enterprise corridors. As they entered Sickbay, Doctor Crusher left the other medical personnel to install the Ambassador into the stasis chamber facilities and entered her glass walled office with Captain Picard. Both wore grim and grave expressions.

“So this attack was murder Doctor?”

“I believe it was intended to be a fatal attack, yes. My patients best chance for survival and a full recovery is to get her to the nearest star-base with fully equipped facilities. Does Lt. Worf know?”

“Commander Riker and Lt. Commander Data will be returning with him shortly.” Capt. Picard heaved a weary sigh “ He killed Duras in ritual combat.”

“Between you and me Captain, I understand his rage.” As a widow and a mother to a son who’d lost a parent, Beverly empathised deeply with that pain and loss.

“A Starfleet Officer, no, no. There will be official consequences, there has to be. Regardless of my personal feelings Doctor.” Captain Picard strode over to the window of the office and looked into the sickbay where a small Klingon boy sat with the Vulcan, Dr Selar.

As was usual for her people Dr Selar was tall, slender and dark haired, elegant and composed as she spoke to the bewildered and scared Alexander.

“We will make best speed to Star-base 73 as soon as Commander Riker and Data return with Worf. Keep me appraised Dr. Crusher.” So instructing, Captain Picard strode from the room making his way to his ready room off of the bridge.

*****

Having returned to the Enterprise under guard, Lt Worf now stood to attention in Captain Picard's ready room. The Klingons bearing was rigid and his face betrayed nothing.

“Mister Worf, you have been an exemplary officer aboard this ship, until now.” Captain Picard's voice was grave.

“Sir, I have acted within the bounds of Klingon law and tradition.”

“The Klingon High council would seem to agree, they consider the matter closed. I do not. Mister Worf, the Enterprise crew currently comprises representatives of thirteen planets. They each have their own individuals and values and I respect them all. But they have all chosen to serve in Starfleet If anyone cannot perform his or her duty because of the demands of their society, they should resign. Do you wish to resign?”

“No Sir.”

“I had hoped that you would not throw away a promising career. I understand your rage Lt. We all admire K’Eheyler. A reprimand will appear on your record. Dismissed.”

Captain Picard paused, now that the duty of official censure was complete he ventured to ask “Mister Worf, isn’t it time for the truth about your fathers innocence to be told? After all you only accepted discommendation to protect the name of Duras and to hold the Empire together. Now that he has died in disgrace – what is to be gained from further silence?”

“Each member of the High Council shared in that lie. They will not be so willing to admit their own dishonour. But the day will come when my brother and I will convince them to speak the truth.”

“Perhaps when the Ambassador has recovered you will have assistance in that quarter Lt?” At this Captain Picard allowed himself a small smile as Lt Worf strode purposefully from the room, no doubt headed with great alacrity to Sickbay.

******

The long grey metal tube held a single clear window which displayed the inert pale form within. A young dark haired boy, barely tall enough to see into the stasis tube, held his small hand to that window.

“Mother?” Like his form, his voice was small and vulnerable.

The doors to the stasis room hissed quietly open admitting the tall broad figure of Lt. Worf. Worf, he paused, held immobile by the scene that met him. Gathering his courage the Klingon moved to Alexander’s side, he bent to one knee before him.

“I miss her too.”

Alexander turned his face to Worf. It struck Worf again how this child's features were so very like his own.

“Are you my father?” Alexander voice was stalwart, steady, almost demanding an answer.

“Yes, I am your father.” The words could not be denied, despite his earlier assertions to K’Eheyler, Worf knew that he could not turn from this, not for any reason, this was his son.

Moving with an instinct he was unaware that he possessed, Worf gathered the boy in his arms and held him to him as he stood.

“I will care for you until we reach Star-base ## where your mother WILL be made well again. Then she will join us.”

“I want to stay with you.”

“Alexander you deserve a home and a family, when your mother is recovered, we will speak of this again.” So saying, Worf looked down at the stasis tube. K’Eheyler lay unmoving, as if sleeping, her dark hair framed her pale face with its almost delicate high Klingon forehead ridges.

*****

Captain Picard entered the brightly lit and sleek modern star-base medical facility to be greeted by the sight of his Klingon Head of Security, sat tensely in the outer waiting area, no doubt keeping vigil.

“Lieutenant Worf, how is she? Is there any word?”

The towering powerfully built Klingon stood and faced his Captain as the medical facilities doors hissed shut behind him assuring them some privacy from the busy star-base corridors outside medbay.

“Ambassador K’Eheyler is in surgery but Doctor Crusher and Dr Rahlek are cautiously hopeful that she will make a full recovery.”

“How is the boy?”

“Ambassador K'Eheylers' son Alexander is in the Enterprise school facility sir, I did not wish him to worry. I will inform him when she is awake and well enough to see him.”

“The Ambassador’s son?” Captain Picard raised his eyebrow at Worf and gave him a knowing look.

Before the uncomfortable Lieutenant could form a reply the inner doors to the surgical bay whooshed open and Dr. Crusher and Dr. Rahlek entered the room both clad in surgical scrubs, both looked exhausted but pleased.

Dr Rahlek was a medium height Andorian and his skin appeared bluer next to Dr. Crushers pale complexion and bright copper coloured hair.

“The Ambassador is resting, she should wake soon. The surgery was successful and the damage was repaired. However, I would insist she receive a mandatory sick leave period from her duties, of at least twelve weeks. I will forward the recommendation to the Federation Embassy on Q’ronos and to Federation Headquarters on Earth.” Dr. Rahlek’s antenna twitched and curled as he spoke his low voice gravelly.

“Worf, you should go and be with her when she wakes,” Dr. Crusher smiled warmly albeit tiredly at her Klingon shipmate.

“Thank you Doctor.” Worf nodded respectfully to both Dr. Crusher and Dr. Rahlek before walking through the doors that they had just used, leaving the three figures without a backward glance.

*****

“K’Eheyler?” The slim pale hand clasped in Worf's large dark one twitched and tightened.

Worf kept his voice low and spoke softly as he sat in a chair beside K'Eheylers' bedside. The half Klingon females face was pale and drawn, but as her eyes opened and she recognised the figure next to her, she smiled.

“Worf, we meet again.” K'Eheyler's voice was weak but retained a shadow of her usual sardonic humour.

“What happened, where's Alexander?” K’Eheyler frowned her raspy voice sharpened with concern.

“Our son is fine, he is aboard the Enterprise. We are at a Star-base, your injuries required the medical facilities. Duras is dead, I killed him in ritual combat.”

“You challenged him?”

“It was my right, you are my mate. I have claimed our son.”

“The discommendation?” K’Eheyler was all to cognisant of the fact that Worf refused to claim her as his mate or Alexander as his son because of the stain of dishonour that his discommendation that would be transferred to them if he did so.

Worf spoke in serious tone. “The discommendation stands, however the Klingon High Council considers the ritual honourably satisfied. I acted with the bounds of Klingon tradition. Gowron is now the leader of the Klingon High Council.” Worf paused and taking a deep breath he spoke almost warmly and reverently. “As you lay dying, I realised that I had been a coward, if you are brave enough to stand by my side, I would be fool to deny you and so I claimed the right of vengeance, in so doing I declared the truth, that you are my mate and Alexander is my son.”

Worf and K’Eheyler shared a quiet but intense moment before Worf spoke again with a slight smile on his lips.

“Chee Dok…”

K’Eheyler responded “Marj Tok…”

The back and forth of the marriage vows were spoken solemnly in low voices over clasped hands.

When the ceremony was complete they stayed sharing a gaze over joined hands before Worf noting how weary K’Eheyler was, reluctantly rose.

“I will return later with our son. You should rest.”

“Husband?” K’Eheyler’s eyes were heavy but she fought sleep valiantly to mischievously tweak the Klingon Lieutenant “I am half human and if I am expected to respect Klingon tradition then I would like to get married and respect my mothers customs as well.” The half human ambassador had a mirthful smile and a twinkle in her expression.

K’Eheylers eyes closed and Worf left the facility intending to return to the Enterprise to inform Alexander that his mother truly was well.

Chapter 2 A new beginning.

It was six weeks later and the Enterprise was on a nebula exploration and charting mission at the edge of mapped space in the alpha quadrant. Captain Picard was in his ready room reviewing crew readiness reports submitted by department heads when he received a communique from Starfleet headquarters, he elected to receive it at his desk.

“Captain Picard.” Admiral Cheyenne greeted Captain Picard with a warm smile.

“Admiral, what can I do for you? This is unexpected.” Captain Picard was surprised, although given the Admirals warm demeanour, he had hope that this wasn’t grim news.

“I have received two pieces of unexpected and unusual news, both unusually pleasant, makes a change and so I wanted to deliver them personally.”

“Oh? Good news is always welcome Admiral.”

“Firstly, Ambassador K'Eheyler has resigned her commission as federation ambassador to the Klingon home world – given recent events – this is quite frankly absolutely understandable. As such this presented Starfleet brass with a unique opportunity, and leads to my second reason for calling. It has not escaped notice of how the Klingon political situation has and is continuing to impact the federation and its border worlds, as well as the myriad of other delicate and potentially explosive diplomatic incidents that occur with increasing regularity now. Here at headquarters we feel that it would be advantageous to appoint a post on fleet ships, a Diplomatic Officer, whose duty it would be to brief and advise the senior staff on such situations as well as to lead negotiations and take point in peace talks.

On the Enterprise this post could – with your approval and her acceptance – be filled by former Ambassador K’Eheyler. I can only hope to be as lucky with applicants to the other thirty plus ships in the fleet that this is being implemented on.”

“Thank you Admiral, I have no objections and if I may be so bold, I concur with Starfleet recommendations. Although if you would permit me, I would like to present this to Ambassador, sorry, former ambassador K’Eheyler myself?” Here Captain Picard permitted himself a smile, as a Starfleet Captain he found it wise to take what pleasure he could from the happier aspects of his position, it was too often bad news that he was forced to deliver.

“Granted Captain, please let me know K’Eheyler’s response as soon as possible. Now I will wish adieu Captain, I have a lot of work to do. Cheyenne out.”

As his personal comm system reverted to the federation emblem at the end of the transmission, Captain Picard sat back in his chair and smiled, he looked forward to speaking to K’Eheyler and presenting the Admirals offer.

******

“Captain Picard to what do we owe this unexpected pleasure?” The tall slim woman today dressed in close fitting vibrant red bodysuit with matching short jacket gestured for him to enter Worf's quarters.

The Captain smiled and accompanied her to sit on the long sofa against the bulkhead.

“Well K’Eheyler I’ve just spoken to Admiral Cheyenne at Starfleet headquarters and she informed me that you’ve resigned your position as Ambassador to Kronos.”

“Yes Captain, according to Klingon lore, as Worf’s wife I am also discommendated and well, that would make council meeting somewhat awkward, what with talking to everyone's backs.” Here K’Eheyler gave a sardonic smile and a dry chuckle that caused an answering smile from Picard.

“Yes, I can see how that would be problematic. However the Admiral, on behalf of Starfleet has tasked me with offering you the position of “Diplomatic Officer” aboard the Enterprise – its a trial position which is being implemented across the fleet, although Starfleet Captains are trained in diplomacy, given the increasingly fraught nature of such situations, it was felt that a dedicated and specifically trained personnel member was appropriate. The exact specifications of the role have been sent to you via subspace and you should read them as you consider this offer.” Captain Picard was pleased to see that K’Eheyler looked both astonished and very pleased at this news.

“I will Captain, thank you.” Seeming to steady herself and composing her expression a little K’Eheyler said “Captain on a personal matter, I am given to understand that Starfleet Captains have the authority to perform marriage ceremonies aboard ship?”

Now it was Captain Picard's turn to be both surprised and very pleased and his face softened into a very genuine smile.

“Yes that’s correct, it dates back to Human Naval seafaring in ancient times.”

“Good. I’d like to arrange a ceremony, in the human tradition, as soon as is reasonably permissible given shipboard duties. I know that I and Worf would be honoured if you’d perform the ceremony.”

“It would be my pleasure K’Eheyler. Please liaise with Guinan regarding the details of the ceremony and I’m sure she will notify me with the time and date that I’m required. I can sincerely say that I am looking forward to it.”

*******

it was only a week later that Captain Picard stood in his dress uniform in Ten-Forward, the senior staff, security department and other shipboard personnel were gathered, the neatly pewed seating filling the large lounge, which was now decorated with large swathes of dark and light blue fabric accentuated with multiple arrangements of brightly coloured flowers.

Commander Riker entered and came to stand at Captain Picard's side in front of the panoramic view of the Ataxia Nebula, keeping his voice low so as not to be heard over the low babble of conversation he leaned in conspiratorially.

“Lieutenant Worf will be along in a moment, if I didn’t know better I’d say he was nervous.”

“Nervous Commander? Perish the thought that a Klingon warrior and a decorated member of Starfleet should have something as banal as wedding jitters.” Here Captain Picard could not keep a small chuckle from breaking through his normally implacable mien.

There was another subdued whoosh as the doors to the right opened to admit the towering figure of Worf son of Mogh, his countenance every ounce the proud Klingon warrior as he strode determinedly to the front of the gathering and stood before his commanding officers, like them he was wearing his much maligned and universally detested dress uniform, although his contained the addition of his heavy metal sash.

A tense moment later music orchestral music began to play through the lounge and the assembly stood and fell into a hushed expectant silence as all present focused on the double doors to the left.

The first figure through the entryway was Alexander, he was dressed in an outfit that was a close approximation of his fathers formal Starfleet uniform, high collar and long straight stiff tunic over black trousers and boots.

Jean-Luc Picard was glad that he was stood where he was as it accorded him the sight of the look on his chief of Security’s face as K’Eheyler stepped through and began to walk solemnly up the aisle. Worf looked, the captain thought, stunned.

K’Eheyler, now Diplomatic Officer K’Eheyler, was dressed in a floor length, form-fitting, long sleeved white gown, with (as a nod to Klingon tradition) cut-outs to the shoulders and chest. The woman was as imposing as she was beautiful, her almost delicate Klingon ridges framed by a plain silver coronet of an intricate twisted design, her long chestnut hair was unbound and fell in smooth waves down her back. As K’Eheyler strode sedately behind her young son, the silver metal embellishments on the sleeves and at the waist of the dress caught the light. The dress was, like the woman herself, an elegant mix of Human and Klingon elements.

As they reached the foot of the raised dais on which commander Riker and the Captain stood, the audience of friends and colleagues sat down in respectful silence, awaiting the ceremony.

*******