Star Trek: Picard

[TM2-Megatron]

My (fanfic) money is still on someone within the Pact causing it (accidentally), then scrambling to pin the blame on the Federation. Note that the supernova (2387) happens just a few months after the Section 31 exposé (late 2386), so the Federation's reputation would be at an all-time low. The Pact could use this to prevent Federation aid from entering Romulan space (helped along by the Federation's own swing toward isolationism [echoing the Picard timeline]), further putting the Romulan successor-states at their mercy --and giving them casus belli to declare war.

(Destabilizing Romulus also removes the wealthiest power within the Pact, allowing the Tzenkethi to gain influence [the Kinshaya and Breen are hurting after their disastrous attempts to meddle in Klingon politics, and the Tholians mainly joined this thing to get everyone to leave them alone], and leaving the Gorn as the sole moderate voice, easily drowned out.)

It falls to certain heroic Starfleet crews (and two renegade Tal Shiar agents) to uncover the truth and prevent a full-scale war. (Meanwhile, Wesley, Spock, and 11-year-old Rebecca Sisko are the only ones who can prevent spacetime itself from being torn apart; sacrifices will be required.)

The Tzenkethi were shown to be experimenting with artificial wormhole tech to try and counter Starfleet's use of Quantum Slipstream, and of all the Pact members they probably have the least regard (being that even their own internal hierarchy is based on genetic "superiority" determining one's place in society) for alien species.

I can't remember the novel, but I remember specifically one instance where a character was speculating with some horror what might happen if an artificial wormhole were to be weaponized and used to destablise a star, somehow. IMO, they were hinting there that it was ultimately the Tzenkethi that brought about Hobus.

 

[Cybersnark]

That's where I got the idea. Take their artificial wormhole tech, throw in some reconstructed/knock-off Borg transwarp tech (all that's left after Destiny), some Iconian relics (a nod to STO's version of events), and maybe stolen classified records about Paul Stamets' spore drive (which Spock would probably be the only living person to recognize), and that'd explain how a single supernova could threaten the entire universe.

 

[The Predaking]

Spoiler

The biggest shock for me was that someone actually allowed them to show a bridge set on screen without any moody lighting.

Since I'd heard pretty much nothing but positive things about this season of Picard, and the fact even Mike & Rich over at Red Letter Media (with whom my opinions on Trek more or less align) are liking it, I decided to finally catch upon it prior to the final episode,

I have to say, it's truly a shame that this wasn't the first season of Star Trek: Picard. Even if it'd been the only season, as some kind of limited mini-series event. But at least we finally got it. Kudos to Terry Matalas.

Is it perfect? No. There are some elements to the Pocketverse I still prefer, and would've enjoyed seeing adapated. But by God, it's been a great ride. I simply won't acknowledge seasons 1 or 2.

Spoiler

I know right! I hate the whole dark bridge scenes. I much prefer the TNG style where you see everything and everyone. I know that sometimes they had a dark bridge but that was part of the scene's mood lighting.

 

[The Predaking]

I could watch this 10000 times. The best scene in all of Star Trek

Spoiler

Spoiler

You know that I really love this scene, but wouldn't you want to take Voyager to fight the Borg? I mean, surely it and the rest of the museum ships aren't connected to the fleet, and the Intrepid class is part of the anti-borg ships. I get why why taking the restored Enterprise D is a great epic moment, but from in cannon perspective......

 

[Cybersnark]

Spoiler

You know that I really love this scene, but wouldn't you want to take Voyager to fight the Borg? I mean, surely it and the rest of the museum ships aren't connected to the fleet, and the Intrepid class is part of the anti-borg ships. I get why why taking the restored Enterprise D is a great epic moment, but from in cannon perspective......

Spoiler

Or the Defiant, which was also designed to fight the Borg and is able to run with a smaller crew. How are seven people supposed to run a whole Galaxy-class starship?

Going into the finale,

Spoiler

I think the only big unanswered question is how the alliance between the Borg and the Changelings came to be. It makes sense if the Changelings are the ones who reached out to the Borg (they want to destroy the Federation, so they just go to the Federation's worst enemy), but Vadic seemed terrified of her Handler, so it was clearly not an alliance of equals.

When the Borg assimilated Picard, the Changelings weren't on anyone's radar (the Borg may have been aware of the Dominion, but no one knew about the wormhole), so this couldn't have been part of the Collective's original plan. For that matter, losing Locutus wasn't part of the plan; Geordi suggests that the brain mods were part of turning Picard into Locutus, a sort of high-speed interlink beyond what regular drones got (Seven and Icheb never experienced anything like this). That it remained active even after Picard was separated from the collective probably surprised them as much as him. They couldn't have anticipated that it would breed true until they started sensing Jack and whispering into his head.

(For that matter, everything we know about the Changlings' plan comes from Vadic herself, and she may not be entirely trustworthy.)

 

[The Predaking]

Spoiler

Or the Defiant, which was also designed to fight the Borg and is able to run with a smaller crew. How are seven people supposed to run a whole Galaxy-class starship?

Going into the finale,

Spoiler

I think the only big unanswered question is how the alliance between the Borg and the Changelings came to be. It makes sense if the Changelings are the ones who reached out to the Borg (they want to destroy the Federation, so they just go to the Federation's worst enemy), but Vadic seemed terrified of her Handler, so it was clearly not an alliance of equals.

When the Borg assimilated Picard, the Changelings weren't on anyone's radar (the Borg may have been aware of the Dominion, but no one knew about the wormhole), so this couldn't have been part of the Collective's original plan. For that matter, losing Locutus wasn't part of the plan; Geordi suggests that the brain mods were part of turning Picard into Locutus, a sort of high-speed interlink beyond what regular drones got (Seven and Icheb never experienced anything like this). That it remained active even after Picard was separated from the collective probably surprised them as much as him. They couldn't have anticipated that it would breed true until they started sensing Jack and whispering into his head.

(For that matter, everything we know about the Changlings' plan comes from Vadic herself, and she may not be entirely trustworthy.)

Spoiler

You see, if we could have had Rafi, Shaw, and Seven with the TNG cast at the Museum, then they could have took all three ships! Worf knows how to command the Defiant better than anyone and Rafi could have helped him, Seven and Shaw could have took Voyager, and led to a nice moment where he lets her command the ship. I guess that they didn't have the budget for that many sets though.

 

[Copper Bezel]

Spoiler

Or the Defiant, which was also designed to fight the Borg and is able to run with a smaller crew.

Spoiler

And which Worf is intimately familiar with. Damn, I hate that you're right because this feels like a well-actually technically correct canon thing vs. some extremely sappy but well delivered fanwank, but you are. The mere fact that the Defiant is still at the museum means it's not infected by the network. Enterprise E is in the warship era there and would still have been the first choice assuming they could man it, but in its absence the Defiant should be the second, followed by Voyager, not D. This really bursts my bubble.

Spoiler

You see, if we could have had Rafi, Shaw, and Seven with the TNG cast at the Museum, then they could have took all three ships!

Even better. hug. Big finish nostalgia bomb closure for everyone.

Spoiler

When the Borg assimilated Picard, the Changelings weren't on anyone's radar (the Borg may have been aware of the Dominion, but no one knew about the wormhole), so this couldn't have been part of the Collective's original plan. For that matter, losing Locutus wasn't part of the plan; Geordi suggests that the brain mods were part of turning Picard into Locutus, a sort of high-speed interlink beyond what regular drones got (Seven and Icheb never experienced anything like this). That it remained active even after Picard was separated from the collective probably surprised them as much as him. They couldn't have anticipated that it would breed true until they started sensing Jack and whispering into his head.

Spoiler

Another sign that this wasn't the Borg plan all along is that they not only needed the changelings to infiltrate Starfleet and insert the DNA into the transporters, but to retrieve the DNA they put into Locutus in the first place. In fact the plan really makes the most sense if the changelings figured out they could use Jack as a weapon so long as they reprogrammed all the ensigns and did it on their own, and the Borg weren't involved at all. Because the Borg should have all the DNA at hand already and be able to make as many Jacks as they want.

 

[Kup]

I could watch this 10000 times. The best scene in all of Star Trek

Spoiler

Every time someone quotes this post I have to watch the scene. Just now, several days after seeing it live, I teared up. I’ve been facing a really horrible health battle these past 8-9 months, and nostalgic for the past.

Spoiler

The way that the D’s consoles light, the way each member of the crew take it in, it feels…therapeutic. Going back in time isn’t current possible, if ever, but this sure is close.

 

[Darth_Prime]

Spoiler

Or the Defiant, which was also designed to fight the Borg and is able to run with a smaller crew. How are seven people supposed to run a whole Galaxy-class starship?

Right? Automate the Defiant and Voyager at least to follow the Enterprise commands. Use them as drone type ships at the very least.

and you shut down interstellar cartography.

 

[Axaday]

For my part, I did not want them to grab every famous ship and have them all go into some battle with 1 person running them and I'm glad they didn't do that. I have my fingers crossed that what they do on the finale will make sense as something that one ship can do. Whether they are headed to the evil Starfleet or to the Cube, having the Enterprise-A, Defiant, and Voyager along for the ride would not change their odds of winning a fight. The writers HAVE to figure out something that 7 people can do to save the day.

 

[Copper Bezel]

They could have also avoided this problem if

Spoiler

the fleet formation software was said to be compatible with any ship since the USS Sovereign or Intrepid or whatever it would have been, because of a new operating system that came with the new fleet doctrine, so the Defiant and Voyager would be off the table.

 

[Daith]

It's still not to late for it to be

Spoiler

Armus as part of the Queen? I mean Changelings, the Borg and Armus would be a huge Triple Threat.

 

[Dake]

A series where

Spoiler

we don't know who is human and who is not and the only ship that can save the day is a relic of the past thought to be long out of date? Sounds interesting!

I jest (a little). This was a fun episode and despite my cynicism, I couldn't help but tear up when they walked onto the bridge of the D. Sure, there were other ships that may have served the purpose, but that's not what this show is about. And Geordi did say the D was the only functional ship at the museum (and staffing is handled by drones so crew complement is not a problem).

It really does bring home the difference in aesthetics though too. Picard's joke about the carpet is actually fairly spot on. The older bridges were places it didn't seem like a penalty to be vs the last couple generations of ships.

 

[Lobjob]

A lot of insane things had to happen to have this plan play out in our big bad's favor, for now. Like the stuff with jack is just crazy.

Watching these characters on screen, together again is just pure joy, but I'm still left wondering if this is the road we had to travel down, because again, the stuff with jack is crazy.

 

[Axaday]

They could have also avoided this problem if

Spoiler

the fleet formation software was said to be compatible with any ship since the USS Sovereign or Intrepid or whatever it would have been, because of a new operating system that came with the new fleet doctrine, so the Defiant and Voyager would be off the table.

Geordi outright says it is the only functional ship without the network. So those others either are on the network or they are not functional. Perhaps what he's been doing with D is somewhat secret, but the other museum ships are all disabled.

 

[Kup]

…having the Enterprise-A, Defiant, and Voyager along for the ride would not change their odds of winning a fight.

Reading this makes me think we’d then be seeing “Justice for the NX-01” posts too, had they grabbed 3 of the other hero ships but forgot the (chronological) first.

Which then brings me to my other concern about a 5 on 1 Hero Ship vs Big Bad matchup: without the rest of the respective crews to man them, we essentially turn them into drone ships. They become disposable, and that’s not cool. It’s like a weird inversion of the Ent finale, where TNG crashed their party.

Except this time, TNG crashes their ships. That wouldn’t sit well, even if it might make in-universe sense.

 

[Axaday]

It just struck me again what an odd conceit it is that they copied Picard's memories and personalities into a robot and set it free and everyone, even his former employers, acknowledge him as being Picard. The robot actually gets Picard's rank and is invited to make speeches. If that is fine, then Ent-D tooling around on Venture's stardrive should certainly be fine.

 

[Lobjob]

As far as other insane things go, like, not even Section 31 thought to stop starfleet from linking all the ships together? I get that Starfleet has been compromised, but my goodness.

 

[Kup]

Geordi outright says it is the only functional ship without the network. So those others either are on the network or they are not functional. Perhaps what he's been doing with D is somewhat secret, but the other museum ships are all disabled.

I thought this made enough sense why they didn’t grab the other ships too. The D was warp capable purely by chance, because it was an (unsanctioned??) pet project of Geordi. The others are there, probably sans a warp core (though why did they leave the cloaking device?).

 

[Axaday]

Maybe they cloak it for the tourists.