#soji asha

[evviejo]

SOJI ASHA - STAR TREK: PICARD S1E09 Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1

[star-trek-fandom-confessions]

#317

"I think Elnor and Soji are much more interesting characters than Jack Crusher."

[trillscienceofficer]

I love Soji. We were ROBBED of her. She should've been in all 3 seasons.

LITERALLY she was the protagonist of season 1 and for good reason. I thought her narrative was really impactful and a fresh take on the 'android' concept... S1 of Star Trek: Picard repeatedly asks the audience “what happens when people are treated as things? As instruments? As vanity projects? ” and, for better or worse, it's a theme that is recurring in every storyline, from the Romulan refugees to the xBs to Raffi and Rios' backstories. Soji is the fulcrum of all this, the character that it is literally at center of the story because she embodies so many of those questions. I'll never forget the dialogue in “Broken Pieces” where Soji asks Dr Jurati if she can really see her as a person; I honestly think it's one of the best scenes in all of the more recent shows. Plus, she was such a cool character and Isa Briones really brought her to life in all her complex mixture of naivety and steely determination.

Unfortunately even s1 didn't exactly know what to do with her during the finale and the rest of the show was SO eager to get rid of her that I don't even know what to say about it beyond “it sucks so bad and it's a huge waste”. More than that, I can't believe we got even more anodyne Data content (after they put him to rest in s1!) instead of anything about Soji. I don't hate Data but can you say anything about him that hasn't already been said? Couldn't have we moved on like we were all too briefly promised? Soji brought such a cool perspective on the Trek androids, one that I personally found way more interesting than the old one, and we ended up seeing nothing of it.

[ovenproofowl]

a lot of people have said it, but I’m throwing in my two cents just to get it off my chest.

Picard season 3 was . Bad . For a LOT of reasons . It felt like - as many before me have expressed - a self-insert fanfic with the dullest self-insert in history.

Jack Crusher wasn’t much of a character but he could have had some promise if they hadn’t spent an aggravating amount of time having him decree how different he always felt, you guys. Did you get that part? He’d always felt different. That sort of dialogue might have flown if we were dealing with Picard’s adolescent son, but instead we’re dealing with a 24 year old played by a 35 year old who looks every bit his age. (It was a hard 24 years, we must assume.)

The reason that Jack Crusher didn’t work for me personally, though, wasn’t because of how cliché his character was. I would have let that pass much easier if it wasn’t for the big ol’ elephant in the room. And that is simply that :

JACK CRUSHER WAS NEVER NECESSARY

Jack may have served a purpose to the storyline that was presented if only because he was the sole reason there was a Big Bad to be defeated in the first place. Everyone wanted to kidnap him, he brought the old gang back together just to protect him and then later save him from said Big Bad which was also actually .. him. Everything Was About Jack. But I’m not talking about the main plot. I Really Don’t Want to Talk About the Main Plot. Ever. What I want to talk about is what Jack represented that made him so unnecessary:

He was intended to represent Jean-Luc Picard’s only reason to start living.

Personally, that really, really offended me. Picard didn’t need to have a biological kid to have a purpose. In fact, it’s been established time and time again that he wasn’t ever really dad material. More of a... weirdly intense uncle. For a while, he wasn’t a fan of kids at all. Eventually, though, Picard is seen to warm to the idea of letting children within his general vicinity. This starts in TNG and continues on in season 1 of Picard. The Only Categorically Good Season of this whole. show.

In season 1, we see flashbacks of Jean-Luc’s relationship with a young Elnor, how he would read him stories and have sword fights with him. He was an absent father to an adopted child he hadn’t even realised he’d adopted and yet Elnor still fought for his hopeless cause. In much the same way, Picard meets Dahj and then later, Soji. He feels a kinship with these androids because of their connection to Data. He wants to protect Soji becase he couldn’t protect Dahj and Soji even canonically questions whether she should allow Picard to act as her father figure before she begins to remember where she came from. Both of these dynamics were infinitely more interesting and a lot deeper rooted. Soji and Elnor were both young twenty-somethings without parental guidance but found that guidance through Picard. Soji had her connection to Jurati, too, and Elnor had his with Seven and Raffi and that’s what made the whole group so intriguing to follow. They all had interesting connections to each other that had so many avenues to explore.

Unfortunately, the show decided to more or less write Soji and Elnor out of the story come season 2. Elnor was killed off for the majority of the season and only brought back by Q intervention in the last episode. Soji wasn’t even a part of the story at all. And do you know what’s sad about that? What’s really sad? Season 2 was trying to sell us the exact same message as season 3. That Picard needed a reason to live. But, like, not that reason. Not the reasons he’d already been given in the form of his found family with his Romulan and android adopted children, or even the rest of the La Sirena crew. No no no, we can’t have that, better get rid of them. This time, Laris is the focal point. Picard had been avoiding a romantic relationship with her because of a never before mentioned dark history surrounding his mother’s suicide. Because, sure, at this point, why not? While we’re at it, let’s also kill off Rios in the most slap-in-the-face out of character way possible and fling Jurati at the Borg for good measure just so she won’t be around for season 3. Her character development into the Borg Queen was pretty intriguing, but we’ll totally ignore that they even exist post her departure, just for funsies. Oh, and Soji and Elnor? Best not mention them at all come that third and final season. Otherwise, people might get the crazy notion that Picard already had a reason not to hunker down and die at the vinyard at the tender age of 104.

Season 3 picks up where season 2 leaves off in that Picard is now in that aforementioned romantic relationship with Laris. Except, no he isn’t because he immediately gets an emergency call from his ex and literally never sees or talks to Laris ever again. There wasn’t even a throw-away line or implied reference to her, but by now I’m sure you know the reason for that.

That’s right, folks. Because if we were allowed to remember Laris and what she meant to Picard, then we might just remember that other thing. Say it with me now!!

JACK CRUSHER WAS NEVER NECESSARY!!

In summary, there were so many brilliant options to give Picard for signficant found family dynamics, but the show just wasn’t interested in any of them. Season 3 wanted a Picard who had given it all up, who was ready to die because he’d never had a family to pass on his legacy. They wanted him at his lowest so that we’d all rejoice to see him return to the TNG crew. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a massive TNG fan and I could rave about the fan service and nostalgia porn for hours on end. If season 3 had stood alone as a singular unconnected event, it might even have been passable as a warm hug from old and beloved characters with some fun new spins to their stories along the way, juust so long as you didn’t squint too hard at the actual attempt at plot writing going on in the background.

But the fact of the matter is, Picard season 3 came far too late into the game. Season 1 held the building blocks to something new and interesting. By the end of season 2, it was becoming clear we were never going to see those blocks stand. By season 3, those blocks were just scattered headstones in a graveyard.

They teased us with the potential new show of Captain Seven and her Number One Raffi Musiker and that might have just been okay. . .

. . .If the La Sirena Crew had been allowed to be a part of that future.

In closing: Picard season 3? Too little, too late, mate. 👎🏻

[rhaenella]

These <3

via: lena_whitaker1 on Instagram

[iliadette]

Trekkies my comrades my beloved! Let's get serious...

Reblog and drown me with discourse in the notes

[defconprime]

[regionalpancake]

*watching Picard Season 3* “They wrote us out... for THIS?!”

[quasi-normalcy]

They gave Jack Crusher Soji's mysterious backstory, Rios's brooding habit and general status as a Han Solo wannabe, Elnor's combat skills, and Jurati's personal relationship with the Borg Queen; and yet he still manages to be considerably less interesting than any of them.

[evviejo]

SOJI ASHA - STAR TREK: PICARD S1E6 The Impossible Box

[star-trek-fandom-confessions]

#1054

I really missed Soji Asha in Star Trek Picard. I think despite a very flaw writing that the new characters were all interesting. I wish we could have Rios, Agnes, Elnor and I even liked Narissa and Narek as antagonist. I'm glad they keep Raffi.

[wingsofhcpe]

Star Trek: La Sirena Fam & what each of them would do during Greek Eastern Orthodox Easter!

Picard: he's the perfect age to go all-out greek grandfather, tbh. Gets super excited to organise a big feast on Easter Sunday, wants to live it to the fullest, plans to do the whole "roasting an entire lamb for half a day" routine.

Raffi: has no idea what all the fuss is about but hey, there's food, wine and good fun, so why not. she doesn't care but gets EXTREMELY competitive with the egg-cracking, keeps slamming her egg into everyone else's and trying to wine through brute force, ignoring the fact that there's an ✨️art✨️ to the sport.

Rios: "I'm too old for this shit", absolutely doesn't want to partake in the festivities but ends up getting roped in by Picard and made to help with roasting the lamb. At the end of the day he can be found sitting to the side and eating tsoureki (as he should). Also probably gets shitfaced before half the day is done, ends up trying to dance. There's video. Shh, don't tell him.

Agnes: loves the fireworks of Resurrection Night! Loves the candles and the lanterns!! Loves the food and drink! She's so excited to experience something new and learn about a culture she's not familiar with, she's the one taking photos of everyone, she even tried to dye the eggs herself (with a little help from Stewart; it worked!). Definitely drags a very sulky Rios out so they can watch the fireworks together and feel all romantic and sappy (he complains, but of course he secretly loves it).

Seven: crowned winner of the egg-cracking competition, Raffi is SO salty about it. Also a tsoureki fan, ends up stuffing her face with it at breakfast and doesn't want to eat anything else for the rest of the day. Started watching Jesus of Nazareth every afternoon during the week just out of boredom because Elnor and Soji tuned in, is now very invested in it, also lowkey isn't sure the kids should be watching it. Especially Elnor.

Elnor: super disturbed by how bloody, brutal and visceral some of those traditions and cultural details are, tbh. ("What do you mean Jesus died?? Again? I thought it only happened once. Ooh, he's coming back? I see... wait- why are we following his tomb around the neighbourhood? Why are the old men chanting??"). Very invested into watching Jesus of Nazareth, though Soji has to very gently explain to him that that's not Actually Jesus, just an actor (he's shocked).

Soji: very excited to learn about a new culture ! Wants to try everything, from the food to the eggs to reading up all the little tidbits, fun facts and regional traditions she can get her hands on. Wants to help Picard and the holo squad prep the food, set up the table, etc. Feels like she's part of a family celebration for the literal first time in her life!

The holos pop up at random inrervals: Emil makes sure everyone stays hydrated and that nobody accidentally sets anything (or anyone) on fire. Enoch is in charge of the music (oh, so many corny traditional greek songs... meanwhile nobody in there speaks greek). Emmet is supposed to help in the kitchen but just falls asleep, and Ian is helping Agnes take the most embarrassing (and adorable) photos of a drunk Rios & Seven

[special dedication of this post to @coffee-in-that-nebula because i feel like we're the only greek ST:P/La Sirena stans around 😂]

[fractalcloning]

As I scream into the void seeking a Narek RPer to play against, I have finally caved and must explain why I want this Romulan loungelizard to be more popular. (It won't happen, but I can dream.)

Reasons I like Narek as a character that nobody but me gives a shit about:

Let me preface this with a fact about me: I know Romulans.

I've RPed as Nero for almost two straight years in a large game. I've basically learned Rihannsu back to front for the endeavor. The person who played my Ayel and I both dumped countless hours into developing grammar and extrapolating cultural rules. We were dedicated to making them as believeable and accurate to canon as possible.

I have the whole timeline of the destruction of Hobus/Romulus down to memory. I know about all the neat little tidbits and trivia from comics and adjacent materials etc, etc.

This is to say: I have read and written quite a lot about Romulans in my time. I am very familiar with how they work and what data is available to draw from when writing them.

We do meet a few rank and file military Romulans from time to time, however. So we know how the general military operates in direct contrast to the Tal'Shiar. Caution and secrecy is sort of baked into their culture, which makes a lot of sense given that they're constantly at war with basically everyone, but they aren't (generally) unreasonable people.

In canon Trek, Romulans are often a little over the top with the sneaky-backstabbing-untrustworthy-nonsense. They're almost comical with how much scheming they do, but most of the Romulans we meet in canon are Tal'Shiar. The Tal'Shiar are known, pretty explicitly for the depth and breadth of their sneaky-backstabbing-untrustworthy-nonsense. It's kind of their whole deal, apart from mnhei'sahe (literally the ruling passion honor).

Narek, however, was a child when Hobus went supernova. He is from the very last generation that had any living memory of Romulus. (Elnor is also from this generation and they are great foils for each other, but that's another essay.) Narek is from a (presumably) respected family of--if not Tal'Shiar then Military--operatives. His aunt held high rank, his sister did as well, and both were inducted into the Zhat Vash, an organization that worked so quietly and efficiently that even the famously paranoid Tal'Shiar thought they were a myth. They orchestrated catastrophes and manipulated Galactic law to their ends, one of their members was the head of Starfleet Security and Narissa was on a personal basis with her.

Their underlying culture is present, but it isn't explored very deeply in any one canon source. Taken collectively, however, it is just as substantial as Klingon Battle-lust or Ferengi Capitalism.

Nero was a break from the norm, not because he was vengeful, but because he was the first non-military Romulan we'd ever really seen. His designs, the tattoos, the crew of his ship with their very un-Romulan loyalty, the way he talked and sought equivalent exchange of lives (mnhei'sahe), was a wealth of Romulan culture that we hadn't ever seen. He was a regular Joe, had a regular non-Military job, trusted and worked with aliens to try and save lives. His failure (not his fault) was something he absorbed and sought to rectify in the Romulan way.

Nero was super interesting both for how much detail he cast on Romulan culture, and in how he slotted into the Prime Timeline. Nero was a guy desperately clinging to hope, to the last vestiges of his civilian life, but he was cut free by the destruction of Romulus and set adrift. The only anchor he had in the AOS timeline was his honor and the driving need to balance the scales and restore it.

Narek, however privledge his family was, was a washout. He was a failure. We know he wasn't Zhat Vash, and whether he was even Tal'Shiar is up for some serious speculation. He doesn't act like military officers, and only seems to be play-acting as a Tal'Shiar, miming his sister when it suits him.

Narek may have had authority on the Artifact, but it was probably by dint of Oh granting it. We never get any clarification whatsoever about his rank or dayjob, just that he is fully devoted to helping the Zhat Vash. He is analytical, prepared, but he is not good at thinking on his feet and clearly does his planning off screen. He's meticulous but not especially skilled at hiding or regulating his emotional state. He is far less aggressive and stalwart than just about every other Romulan we've seen...except for Nero.

He was literally a placeholder sent to keep tabs on Soji. He didn't even arrive until Narissa had failed to capture Dahj. That Narek managed to get close to Soji, that he discovered her dreams and correctly surmised what they are, was more luck than skill. Before his assessments the Zhat Vash knew that Dahj (and Soji) could be activated out of their cover, but they assumed that they could capture them. They probably assumed they could torture the data out of them, if not dissect them and rip out a harddrive.

Narek found an easy way to get right to the information they needed. His attachment to Romulan culture is his puzzlebox--Before Nero we had never met a Romulan civilian and before Narek we have never met a cultural Romulan who plays with a toy, we had never seen a child's toy like that. Of course, the puzzlebox (Tan Zhekran) was a mechanism to illustrate his thought process, to make the differences between Narissa and him very apparent, but it was also something from his childhood (presumably). It's a weirdly personal affect for a Romulan and he fidgets with it almost constantly. It's a tell, something he shouldn't have, and it makes him accessible on an emotional level.

Narek is a civilian.

He's a civilian in a family of spies and operatives, raised alongside his sister on the same stories, with the same care. There's no way a Zhat Vash didn't have a family home on Romulus. While Elnor is a nice example of the new generation of Romulans, Narek is one of the last examples of what is used to mean to be a Romulan. He saw Romulus and escaped with all his surviving family when it as it was destroyed. Narek was raised on Romulan tradition (private names for family), Romulan stories about the end of the world, and he is haunted by them because he knows they're true, they're real. His sister and aunt have seen it, seen the message that drives people mad, about Ganmadan. His living relatives have dedicated their lives to preventing it and, even if he isn't actually Zhat Vash, he does the same.

Narek is a failure, by his culture's standards, by his family's standards, but he is also the only one of them who lives in the end.

He's a civilian who is trying, desperately, to avert another Romulan apocalypse. He has already lived through one and somehow this next one is even worse. Like Nero he sees the writing on the wall--but instead of doubling down on the traditional sneaky spy shit, he tries something new--unlike Nero, it works! He makes headway where nobody else could.

Unfortunately, it's kinda fucked up, but he then gives up everything in the pursuit of this goal. (Which to him, seems like a noble one.) Narek gives up who he is (by playing at being Tal Shiar), his safety (he has no idea what Soji is capable of or what might set her off, they only have records of Dahj killing a dozen agents before being blown up), and eventually resigns himself to killing the woman he's fallen in love with (the baseline requirement for giving out his real name). He does it all for the greater good, to save people and he doesn't seem to make much of a distinction between Romulan and other organic lives. He has his little plans, tracking La Sirena in a single cloaked ship, hiding his presence to tail them, firing on them despite being wholly outmatched, allying with Sutra however temporarily, trying to sway Soji again, turning to Rios, Raffi, and Elnor for help--he's willing to do anything because he's terrified that everything is about to end and it will be him who failed to prevent it.

The very last shot we see of him, after his plan to detonate the transmitter fails completely, is him on the ground being dragged away by the Coppelius androids. He doesn't posture or threaten, doesn't say ominous shit like the other Romulans we're used to--He begs. He claws at the ground, trying to stay, and he begs. He pleads with Soji, calls her his love, tries that last ditch hail mary because it's all he can do. He fails his task and she's the last person he can reach out to and, in the end, despite the very real threat to her life, Planet, and Picard, Soji smashes the transmitter. The apocalypse is averted.

Narek failed but he also succeeded. His aunt is dead, Oh has been outed as a traitor, and his sister is killed by Seven of Nine. In a cut scene, apparently, Narek was supposed to be arrested by Starfleet. So he's facing (at the very least) retribution from the androids and the ExBorg. Starfleet is very likely to arrest and interrogate him, if not imprison him indefinitely since he has ties to the Zhat Vash and, subsequently, will be on the hook to explain the Utopia Planetia disaster. Soji hates him, for good reason, and his homeworld is long gone. Narek has nothing...but the world was saved.

Narek is singular because he's all about needing and interacting with other people, he has no real authority, nobody he commands. He's a civilian (insofar as any Romulan can be) and is a soft, emotional boy who hangs on to his childhood toys. He's driven in equal parts by fear and a deep sense of failure, like everyone else in the show, and he takes the steps that seem right and necessary to him (also like everyone else on the show).

Narek was a great contrast against Elnor in every possible way--from his evasiveness to his fear of death--and he was a great foil for Soji. On Coppelius, Soji's terror clouds her judgment and she very nearly does terrible things to protect herself. Her actions, her opinions, her hesitation were all driven by fear. The ends seemed to justify the means. She reflects Narek's state for the whole show. Season 1 is about finding safety and meaning.

Narek is afraid for the whole duration of the show and his choices all reflect that same desperate need to find permanent safety, to live. Soji exists on the peripheral of that with the Ex-Borg, and as a synthetic, and then she falls headlong into it after his betrayal. Narek regrets trying to kill her and the symbolism of his losing that box, of him trying to kill her in a room that is so very culturally Romulan, right after telling her his name, makes it very clear that killing her is killing some piece of himself. But the ends justify the means. He can and will give up everything to save the world.

And his last line in the show is desperately pleading with the woman he loves as he's dragged away.

Then we never see him again or get anything resembling closure for Soji or Narek.

Which I will be big mad about forever, because they didn't even get the bare minimum acknowledgement and closure of "moving on and living life is paramount because it is finite and beautiful ". Nope. Nothing. I'm furious forever.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk. I hope if Star Trek Legacy happens we get Narek as a sort of...side character creeper informant ala Garak. I also hope we get Soji on Seven's Enterprise because I love her.

[startrekwintergiftexchange]

The 2024 Star Trek Winter Gift Exchange is here!

Q: What is the Star Trek Winter Gift Exchange?

A: It’s a fanworks exchange for any fandom within the Star Trek universe, from The Original Series to Strange New Worlds!

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Q: How does it work?

A: When you sign up, you’ll provide three options of gift ideas you’d like to receive, as well as gifts you’re open to making. Once sign-ups close, the mod will send you the url of the person you’ll make a fanwork for and their requests. You’ll have the month of January to fulfill one of the requests. Make sure your ask box is open so the mod or your Secret Santa can contact you!

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Q: Do I have to make fanart/fanfic for the exchange?

A: Nope! All types of fanworks are welcome :) Fics, art, edits, fanvids, playlists, moodboards, podfics, among other things! As long as you’re creating it, it’s welcome.

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Q: What are the important dates I should know?

A: December 29, 11:59 pm CST: sign-ups close

January 1-3: You’ll be notified who your recipient is.

January 21-31: Post your gifts! Details here.

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Q: Sounds awesome! How do I sign up?

A: Fill out this form!

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A: If you ONLY want to be a pinch hitter, fill out this form!

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If you have other questions, send an ask. And don’t forget to spread the word!

[star-trek-pop-quiz]

Star Trek POP-QUIZ #40

( 23 / 07 / 2024 )

Question 1. What kind of lab did Dr Leonard Mccoy find officers murdered by Khan? a. Agriculture b. Thermonics c. Meteorology d. None of the above, it was a surgical suite.

Question 2. TRUE OR FALSE Simon Pegg has played the role of Montgomery ''Scotty'' Scott for longer than James Doohan.

Question 3. Which of these two characters have not been seen as a holographic duplicate? a. Jake Sisko b. Hoshi Sato c. Ezri Dax d. Charles Tucker III

Bonus Question: What series are they from?

Question 4. What is the name of Soji Asha's ( fictional ) childhood doll? a. Dahj b. Kore c. Squoodgy d. Nepenthe

Bonus Question: How old is the doll?

Question 5. Fill-in Question! How many episodes were the Dominion mentioned in before their first appearance?

Bonus Question: Name the 3 main species of the Dominion?

Score: __/ 5 + 3 bonus ( Answers under cut )

Question 1. b. Thermonics

Question 2. FALSE. This is only true if you are only counting James Doohan playing Scotty in TOS and Simon Pegg in the Alternate Timeline Movies, counting all appearances, James Doohan has been playing him for much longer.

Question 3. a. Jake Sisko AND c. Ezri Dax

+ Star Trek: Deep Space 9

Question 4. c. Squoodgy

+ 37 months old.

Question 5. 3: "Rules of Acquisition", "Sanctuary", "Shadowplay"

+ The Founders, Vorta, and Jem'Hadar