TNG: “Journey’s End” and “Firstborn”

Date: May 31, 2020

Season 7, Episodes 20 and 21

Musical Accompaniment: Coccolino Deep – Life

Interstellar News: Every life matters, but check on those who are in trouble first.

Favorite Quote from “Journey’s End”:

Dr. Crusher: Maybe you should talk to him, Jean-Luc. Maybe it’s the kind of thing a boy, a man needs to discuss with another man.

Picard: I don’t think he wants either of us to talk to him right now.

Dr. Crusher: But he needs our help.

Picard: Beverly, he’s got to want that help. If he doesn’t, then any efforts on our part can only push him further away. He’s got to work this out for himself.

Picard is not wrong. You can only help those willing to accept it.

“Journey’s End” has Wesley Crusher rejoining for what, I am sure, will be his last appearance given the title of the episode. Admiral Necheyev is also rejoining the Enterprise and Picard’s attempt at a welcome does not go unnoticed. The Cardassians and the Federation have finally reached an agreement and are attempting peace, but some colonies will need to be moved. One of those colonies is a Native American tribe on Dorvan V who absolutely do not want to move, again. Picard is tasked with moving them by any means necessary.

Wesley is an absolute terror and is snarky with La Forge and his mother, but runs into Lakanta who takes him on a vision quest. The vision is of his father who tells him to find his own path. As Wesley exits he incites a bit of a riot and is dressed down by Picard, to whom he announces his resignation from Starfleet. Wesley explains he’s been thinking about this for a while and he didn’t want to disappoint anyone. Meanwhile some Cardassians arrive and are taken captive by the tribe and Wes pulls out some freeze magic out of his ass. Lakanta comes out and changes into The Traveler and they’re going to embark on many an adventure. Picard and Evek get everything under control and the tribe decides to stay on planet, even if it’s under Cardassian rule.

My first thought, when the Admiral explained the problem, was “why don’t they see what colonies want to be under Cardassian rule first?” and clearly, that was the correct answer. Seemed like an awfully long way to get to there, but okay. The Admiral was also a little more tolerable this time and seemed like she was trying to work with Picard as much as possible. I guess the “more important?” story was Wesley’s part. If you’ve only ever known one way of life, then you don’t know if you’ll ever be good at anything else. Take La Forge, for example, who has both parents in Starfleet and seems happy with his life. That’s awesome for him, but clearly that was not the path for Wesley. It’s a wonderful end for Wes, but it seems like a lot of hoopla to get us there, just like with the colony. I was glad Dr. Crusher was the awesome parent who told their child “you do you, I’ll support you no matter what, just be happy.” 6 light years of travel for Wes!

Favorite Quote from “Firstborn”:

K’mtar: I may have been rude by human standards. I meant no disrespect. What is the matter, Worf? Have you been living so long among humans that you have forgotten how Klingons behave?

Worf: I have not forgotten. I am merely stating that their ways our different than ours.

Sassy K’mtar is sassy.

Worf’s One-Two Punch: “But when I die, I would like an honorable death. And the only way that is possible is for you accept yourself as you are, and stay true to what you believe. The cause of peace is a just cause. The struggle must continue.”

“Firstborn” begins with the crew of the Enterprise finding a little time on their hands. Alexander is nearing the Age of Ascension, but he doesn’t want to become a warrior… poor Worf. Picard suggests taking Alexander to a Klingon festival while Picard goes to geek out over historical artifacts. The festival is a great success and Alexander is excited about “Klingon stuff” but, as they are leaving, Worf is attacked. Luckily he is helped by the family’s advisor, K’mtar, whom Kurn has sent to protect Worf from an assassination attempt by the Duras sisters.

Riker uses his connections at Deep Space 9 to follow the trail of the sisters and, when they are eventually found, completely deny the attempt. In fact they have questions about the knife. Turns out K’mtar is really Alexander from 40 years in the future who was trying to scare his younger self into becoming a warrior so Worf wouldn’t die when Alexander became a diplomat. Worf, surprisingly, does the good parent thing and tells K’mtar that peace is worthwhile and that he will always support Alexander.

I will admit, I was super worried about Picard leaving Riker in command… but it all worked out in the end. I am super confused, however, about how K’mtar got back to his time in the end. Also, did Picard ever make it back to the ship, or did Riker find some way to flub it up? Actually, I’ll give Riker props for his awesome chemistry with Quark… that scene was pretty funny. As much as I love all things Worf, this was kind of a silly episode that totally redeemed itself at the end when Worf finally becomes the father I knew he had in him all along. I’m so glad we got two good parent episodes on a day I really needed good parents to show up. 6 bat’leths for Alexander!

TA Out!