Star Trek: The Next Generation
Summary
Captain Jean - Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) always strives to uphold the Prime Directive onStar Trek : The Next propagation , and he once almost destroyed a satellite to avoid infract Starfleet ’s most significant rule . The Prime Directive has been around sinceStar Trek : The Original Seriesand states that Starfleet officers must not interfere with develop pre - warp culture . While this pattern has been interpreted in many unlike way throughoutStar Trek’shistory , it remain an authoritative principle that every Starfleet Captain must do their good to stick to . Although the Prime Directive sounds good in rationale , it often raise complicated questions .
InStar Trek : The Next Generationseason 2 , episode 15 , " Pen Pals , " Lt . Commander Data ( Brent Spiner ) violates theUnited Federation of Planets ' Prime Directiveby communicate with a young alien girl named Sarjenka ( Nikki Cox ) . When Data actualize that volcanic bodily function will soon provide Sarjenka ’s planet , Drema IV , uninhabitable , he tells Captain Picard about the situation . Picard question Data ’s conclusion to get through Sarjenka and then calls his elderly officers together to review their alternative . While some of the gang members argue that they must do everything they can to save the planet and its people , Picard points out that the Prime Directive would suggest they let nature take its course .
Despite being the most authoritative law in Star Trek , the Prime Directive sometimes needs to be break off to do the ripe affair .
Captain Picard Almost Put Star Trek’s Prime Directive Above Saving A Planet
It all started with a simple question from a little girl: “Is anybody out there?”
In a captivatingStar Trek : The Next Generationdiscussion in Picard ’s quarters regarding Sarjenka ’s position , Lt . Geordi La Forge ( LeVar Burton ) and Dr. Katherine Pulaski ( Diana Muldaur ) reason that they can not allow the hoi polloi on her planet to die . Lt . Worf ( Michael Dorn ) stands firmly on the side of nonintervention , andCommander William Riker ( Jonathan Frakes ) luff out that it would be the"height of hubris"to intervene with a potential"cosmic plan . “Because of his friendly relationship with Sarjenka , Data may have a personal post in the matter , but he rightly point out that"the Dremans are not a subject for philosophical debate . They are a people . "
' Oh , Data . Your whisper from the darkness has now become a supplication . We can not move around our cover . ' - Captain Picard
The conversation goes in circles , but in the conclusion , and despite the fact that it will mean the death of millions of the great unwashed , Captain Picard orders Data to block up communicating with Sarjenka and her planet . However , just as Data is about to sever the connexion , Sarjenka ’s young phonation comes through the speaker . Picard can not disregard the little missy ’s vociferation for assistance , and he reverse his decision saying:“Oh , Data . Your rustle from the darkness has now become a supplication . We can not reverse our cover . “WhileTNG’sunderstanding of the Prime Directivehas improved since time of year 1 , saving Drema IV should have been the obvious course of action from the beginning .
After Data ’s fundamental interaction with Sarjenka and her abbreviated visit to the USS Enterprise - D , Dr. Pulaski erases the young fille ’s remembering . While this decision , too , is somewhat confutative , it see Drema IV remains unaware of the Enterprise ’s interference .
Star Trek’s Prime Directive Works Best As A Guideline, Not A Strict Rule
Even if Data’s interference changed Drema IV, is a changed civilization not better than a destroyed one?
While it makes sensory faculty in sealed situations , thePrime Directive does not work when purely appliedto every satellite and scenario . In the situation with Drema IV , for lesson , Data had already muddy the waters by transmit with Sarjenka in the first post , and averting a natural catastrophe hardly seems like something that would negatively commute the course of a civilisation . " Pen Pals " tick one of the few times inTNGwhen Data and Picard are even temporarily on opposite side of an argument , and it ’s difficult to believe Picard would have gone through with his determination to let the planet die .
In the end , Picard does notice that Data reminded him"that there are obligation that go beyond obligation . "
intelligibly , Starfleet would desire to prevent officers from interfering too much in pre - warp culture , as futurist engineering would likely seem like deception to them . LaterTNGepisodes , such as season 3 ’s " Who watch the viewer " will undertake this thought when a primitive civilization comes to view Captain Picard as a immortal . The situation in " Pen Pals , " however , should not have been up for argument , as it was evenhandedly easy for the Enterprise to interpose without alerting anyone from the planet . Star Trek : The Next Generationoften tackles complex moral issue and " Pen Pals " represents one of the few times Captain Picard almost stop up on the wrong side .
Star Trek : The Next Generation is available to stream on Paramount+
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