Star Trek: Picard Episode 4 Review

by “The Opaque Senator” Russ Brown, GGR Contributor

Since Mike took the last two reviews, I wanted to quickly recap my thoughts on episodes two and three. I liked them. Okay, I’ll give you a little more than that. Overall, I like how they turned the culmination of the first 3 episodes into a prologue for not just Picard, but the Federation and the goings on of the past two decades. We have a better picture of where Starfleet is. We see what Picard has been doing and just how devastated he was by the Federation shirking their duties as he sees it. We also have gotten more and more mysteries that keep being revealed and have created intrigue. I have been very satisfied so far. It's great seeing Picard back, and still him, thought weathered and changed a bit by the world. The mystery around Soji and her Romulan stalker, the Borg cube, it's all tantalizing. I agree with a lot of Mike's thoughts and theories. I would say one theory I had thus far is that the Commodore and Bruce Maddox had a prior relationship of some kind. I also think that relationship led to her being more involved in the synthetics that she's let on so far. I think it's how she knows about Soji and Dahj. I also have a theory that she's the “mother” figure they both called for advice. Now, onto episode 4! As you would imagine, spoilers abound. You were warned.

We open with another flashback, this time just before the synthetic attack on Mars. We see Picard working with a group of Romulan nuns. He's working with them on the relocation project on the planet Vashti. Picard has become a sort of father figure/guardian to a young Romulan named Elnor. He brings him a copy of The 3 Musketeers and gifts for the nuns. Iin spite of Picard’s typical distaste for children, he bonds with Elnor, reading the Dumont classic to him and teaching him to fence.

Picard is radioed about the synthetic attack on Mars before he abruptly leaves, never to return.

Back in “present day,” Picard has changed course to return to Vashti. He is hoping to recruit these Romulan warrior nuns (I don't even know how their pronouncing their actual name, so I'm just calling them warrior nuns cause that sounds awesome *Editor’s note: it’s Qowat Milat). They have a small crew meeting where Picard lays this out to Raffi and the crew. Raffi is against this course of action, as she sees this putting Picard and the team in unwarranted danger. Picard, clearly feeling guilty, goes anyway saying “I may never pass this way again.” His diagnosis seems to be weighing on him and his regrets hard.

Picard goes planet side after the crew analyze the defenses of the Vashti, now somewhat of an outlaw colony after the Federation abandoned their assistance. The welcome, contrary to how it was in the beginning of the episode, is cold. Lots of people side-eyeing him, and others still sounding an alert to more nefarious elements about Picard's current whereabouts. He IS welcomed more warmly by the sisters we saw earlier. We are also reintroduced to a grown Elnor.

Cut to the Borg cube. We see Soji and creeper-Romulan, no I don't care his name is Narek, talking. He's still trying to seduce her. Soji is still wary, questioning much about Narek's ability to go where he wants on the highly secure Borg cube. He agrees to help her find some information, and they have a nice floor skating “fun” session ending in a kiss. Though the moment (thankfully) falls apart when Narek reveals that Soji didn't come from where she thinks.

Back to Picard. We see the result of Picard's abrupt leaving. The planet has fallen on hard times and poverty. Elnor lashes out silently at Picard when he brings him food. Picard says probably the best line of the episode “I allowed the perfect to become the enemy of the good.” Good lesson there. Picard and Elnor reconcile, as Picard tells Elnor of his purpose. Elnor declines to help Picard, still angry that he left him. Picard goes to leave, but has to kill a bit of time while the La Sierna has to wait for a window in the planetary shields. Picard sits at a town tavern and is confronted by a Romulan senator. The senator is angry that Picard's was able to convince his people to believe in the Federation. The senator challenges Picard to a duel. Picard rejects it multiple times, until he's forced to defend himself.

He throws down the sword given to him after the senator's initial attack. The senator lunges at him when Elnor intervenes. He warns the senator not to attack, which he does, and Elnor cuts off his head. Picard and Elnor are beamed up to the ship. Picard scolds Elnor immediately when returning to the ship, making him swear to only fight when Picard asks him to. Elnor agrees but also with a bit of sobering news: he only agreed to help Picard because the Qowat Milat only takes on “lost causes.”

We cut back to Narek and his sister “Lieutenant Rizzo.” She has another threat for him to do his part or she’ll take over. 2nd verse, same as the first, though this time she leaves him 1 more week to make his play. Not much else to say about the scene.

While in orbit above Vashti Picard and the crew are attacked by an old Romulan Bird of Prey. A small space battle breaks out. Picard's ship can’t outgun the Bird of Prey but it can out maneuver it.

Eventually, another small ships surprises the crew and helps shoot down the Bird of Prey, though the small ship is damaged in the battle and is heading to crash into the planetary shield. Picard has the occupant beamed aboard, and we are introduced to none other than Seven-of-Nine from Star Trek: Voyager. “You owe me a ship, Picard.” She faints. Episode ends.

Another solid episode. Still a lot of looking to the past, which surprised me. But to explain Elnor and give more breadth to Picard's state of mind and past is not a bad thing. He's cool, and I think will serve as the quasi-Worf of the crew: the soldier trying to find purpose in his life. The space battle was short but interesting. The episode felt fast, and I couldn't believe the 40+ minutes passed by so fast. I will say I hope something happens soon with the Borg cube, as I'm losing interest in it. They keep adding to a mystery we know the answer to. We know Soji is a human-synthetic already, so the small clues they keep leaving as they did in episode 3 and the analysis of those events there kind of leave me feeling empty about it. If they continue with that run in another episode I won't be thrilled. But Picard's makeshift crew coming together and his deepening character and motives are interesting. I'm excited to see Seven-of-Nine again. I'm curious to see her connection to this whole thing, and how she may play a role with the Borg cube. I'm excited to see where it goes, but I hope some more consequential plot things happen as well and we don't spend the whole of season one getting a crew together and tackling side quests. We shall see how it unfolds. Until the next times, friends... live long and prosper.