Captain Shaw's Secret that most all fan's missed (Star Trek)

[@elenadirectorofmiiss7942]

I think Shaw was testing her... He had already submitted her for captaincy consideration and promotion, and wanted to see how she handled the situation. And by the end, it reinforced his own feeling and judgement that she was the next generation (pun very much intended) of what a Starfleet Captain SHOULD BE.

[@LoreReloaded]

This definetly has some legitimacy.. he asked her at one point “what is your role” - I think if she had admitted her points, he would have let her do what she wanted alot faster

[@DanteCorwyn]

To be fair, Shaw giving Riker command was at a point when he had a bone sticking out of his leg, was in severe pain, probably concussed, and was (unknown at the time), had severe internal bleeding. Riker's the next ranking officer, and has practical experience, and as much as Shaw may dislike Riker (and Riker didn't do himself any favors when he lied to try to con Shaw out of his ship), Shaw doesn't have much choice in the matter. If there's a chance his crew will survive, he'll take it.

[@mikewaterfield3599]

I don’t fault him. He is a realist. He also lives in reality. Personally this does not sound like a conspiracy, it sounds like like a captain looking for a way to split between the lines.

[@hondofourfivetwo9347]

The term “plausible deniability” comes to mind

[@I.PittyTheFool]

Knowing that if your number 1 came through, all would be forgiven in the end… and if they failed, there would be nothing to forgive. Perhaps this was more him coming to terms with his morality while following his number 1’s gut.

[@spiralinglight]

I really enjoyed Shaw. Went out like a real captain

[@JadedMax]

I really liked Shaw, I was hoping he'd make it.

[@hansumjoe]

He will, when Legacy makes a return to the mirror universe

[@StevenHouse1980]

Shaw is conflicted about The Rules vs risking it all for what other people say is the right thing to do at the time, and its great.

[@garethmitchell7723]

I want a shaw prequel series

[@ReiTsukinoVT]

I think the fact he'd recommended her for promotion colored how he conducted himself. She pushed him to be a better captain, and he pushed back to test if she was truly ready to be in a command seat full time. His version of the Kobayashi Maru test for her, given her skill set.

[@churchofmarcus]

I think he is being realistic about thier chances. He doesn't think he could get them out of the situation that Seven and Picard just put them in. And he probably assumes, like I would, that Picard and Riker at least showed up with a plan, so he's kind of like, "You got us in this situation, you get us out."

[@woogha]

I really like this take. It gives me a reason to go back and watch it AGAIN. Thank you.

[@ryanhau1073]

First impressions make Shaw seem like a Throwaway Character that probably gets Redshirted early in the season, however turns out he's an Interesting Character with Depth. Anyhow, it got me thinking, Who at Starfleet Command thought it was a good idea to assign a former Borg Drone with a Wolf 359 Survivor on the Same Ship? Like I get Not Having Conflict among the Crew is an Impossibility, but you would think Command would try their best not to encourage it

[@petergunn1701]

Great point... and yet even in the light of that common sense, it runs headlong into IDIC.

[@nicolamarchbank1846]

My feeling is that Shaw represents the show acknowledging a meta truth, that we are in a period of transition. Star Trek as a franchise is changing, with new people being promoted into positions of power and older stalwarts from the glory days of the 1990s like Berman being long gone and Sir Patrick departing from the scene, whilst a younger generation in their 40s and 50s is taking over the franchise, like Terry Matalas himself and arguably, depending on whether the Legacy spin-off happens, Jeri Ryan. In-universe, Starfleet itself is going through a parallel period of change. The Dominion and the Borg, the great threats of the Berman era seem to be beaten and the generation of leaders who were promoted into leadership roles during the War and post-War era like Shaw, are either retiring, moving onto new challenges, or getting promoted into desk jobs. A good real-world example of this is how the NATO militaries didn't stand still through the 1990s after the Soviet Union imploded, the peace dividend kicked in and they got smaller, much more professional, and reconfigured for different missions like anti-terrorism and peacekeeping. Neither the solutions or approaches that got the franchise back up and running will work for the next phase, nor will the doctrines of the recent past will achieve the same results for Starfleet. Star Trek will require a different approach and Starfleet will need a different type of officer in the future. In-universe, Shaw seems like a sensible, pragmatic guy with a good handle on his job. It is perfectly possible he deduced that the post-Dominion War era of Starfleet was coming to an end and they were going to pivot back towards exploration and calculated risk-taking. These new mission sets were going to need Captains who learned their business not in the rules-bound post-War Starfleet the way he did, but those who embody a different mentality. In some ways, Shaw and Seven couldn't be much more different. She had her examples of what Starfleet leadership looked like in the Delta Quadrant under Captain Janeway, who left no crewman behind and worked closely alongside people like B'Elanna Torres on a ship where there was no back-up, where improvisation was the norm and where the Captain relied a great deal on her Senior Staff to be smarter than she was and come up with the goods save them from the most impossible and random threats imaginable. This contrasts strongly with the technocratic, procedural, front-line sort of command that Shaw learned from. The improvisational, human Voyager approach to command is exactly what's going to be needed at the start of the 25th century as Starfleet pivots back to exploration, and is embodied by Seven, a woman who is used to improvising out there on the frontier with the Fenris Rangers, who is used to decision-making leveraging personal relationships ahead of what the regulations say is strictly correct from her time on Voyager, with the Rangers and clearly continued here based on the fact that she could deduce it wasn't Sydney La Forge based on the copy's use of her name. Potentially even her efforts to create an individual identity for herself and not be ashamed of what she is, despite the fact that she's ex-Borg, something most people find uncomfortable at best, might play into this idea. This season is at least partly about leveraging experience, which Shaw and Seven do separately, through his prior encounter with the Borg at Wolf 359 and her status as a former drone, and trust and communication - embodied as much by the Shaw-Seven relationship embodying trust and mistrust, communicating and yet not, as anything else. I can buy a final test to see what she's going to do. He will know that she has some kind of tie with Picard due to her presence with him on the Stargazer and the fact that the Admiral trusted her enough to make a Fenris Ranger acting Captain there. He knows she's going to defend Picard and argue the old man's case, and he'll want to know how far she'll go for the Admiral. It turns out she'll go too far for his liking, but her basic capability as a commander isn't ever in question here, just her strategic sense and whether they are actually communicating properly - which they at that point weren't. She has overstepped and undermined his position in front of the crew and that is an absolute NO NO and for that, yeah, he can't let her continue to do that. However, he knows logically that there is a REASON why she is going this far, why she is endangering them and endangering her shot at her own command by being insubordinate, but this is also Seven, so there is a REASON for that, and he wants to know what that is because his experience of her tells him there's usually a really good reason for that. And because she is otherwise behaving as a perfectly competent commander, if with a very slack understanding of the chain of command in that moment, he doesn't relieve her. He just makes it VERY clear that it's HIS ship and HIS decision whether to risk everyone's lives or not, he DOES NOT want to be held accountable for decisions that weren't his and he doesn't want to risk crew over something SHE clearly didn't trust him enough to discuss properly. His attitude modifies when he realises Jack is Picard's son, this is about family, and that helps contextualise her actions for him as well - leave no one behind and stick by the people who mean most to you, which evidently includes a man who has an experience in the Collective that he, Shaw, cannot possibly fully understand, and gave her another chance. Shaw might even know enough to understand some of the symbolism of parents fighting to save their children is something Seven wishes she could have done successfully for her son, Icheb. It doesn't erase the fact that she, under normal circumstances, has just thrown away her chance at her own command, but it does go a long way to explain things that had they actually COMMUNICATED properly, sat down, and seriously talked about Picard and his intentions, didn't need to happen the way they did. He NEVER questions her capability as an XO, the way they concoct a plan to flush out the Changeling or work on the nacelles soon after-words proves that. He simply questions her judgment in this particular instance, feeling that she is being over-loyal to relative strangers and is taking one too many chances with HIS ship and HIS crew, and that's VERY different. The fact that the s**t would have hit the fan even sooner had Vadic got her hands on Jack sooner and Seven and the TNG crew bought them the chance to understand what they were up against and beat it kinda vindicates her insubordinate actions and suggests that her 'gut' and loyalty to people might not be so wrong after all, and he trusts her with his ship in the end, and puts all their issues to bed as he dies in the corridor. I suppose this all plays into the overall Kobayashi Maru scenario that this show lays out: Picard and his crew facing the Borg for his son's life, Riker's inability to keep the Titan safe against Vadic and later rescue Picard and Jack from the Queen, Seven and her crew facing certain destruction at the hands of the rest of the fleet and keeping their nerves, piloted by the ship's cook, and with Coms manned by the ship's CMO, and Shaw accepting he cannot win this battle and finally going beyond putting Riker in-charge but only because legally his IS the next-in-line, and actually trusting and embracing the full totality that is Seven of Nine and what she represents, Starfleet's future, his past, the Borg and all with HIS ship and his crew.

[@acidtwin]

Great comment.

[@nicolamarchbank1846]

@justinebanks854 Thank you for your kind remark. I didn't mean to write quite as much. It was a combination of a few thoughts I have had in response not just to this, but to some other posts and videos. I certainly think that with Seven growing into her new role, not the nice introduction we got to the younger Bridge crew like La Forge or Maru (#RIP T'Veen), a messed up nature of Raffi as XO suggesting plenty of character drama, Jack's slow and steady growth to maturity phase, and the unfinished business of Picard around synths, ex-Borg, and the collapse of the Romulan Empire just as a start, there is PLENTY of ground to cover should Legacy happen. They don't even need to lean into nostalgia with Voyager cast appearances, although a cameo with Seven and B'Elanna finding the fact that one is the Captain of the Enterprise and the other probably building in charge of Starfleet ships given how they started absolutely hilarious. Even if it doesn't happen on TV, there's no reason that ST Online and the book line couldn't run with it and do something interesting. The fans would be there for that.

[@nicolamarchbank1846]

@@acidtwin Thank you, I probably could have been more succinct though. It came out of a few thoughts I have had stemming from viewing the show, from some fan feedback, and a bit of knowing some history. Alas, some forums can be a bit harsh and I just haven't had the perfect place to put it down before

[@bemasaberwyn55]

I think the whole situation very much reminds me of the Bridge officers exam that Troi takes in thine own self. Where it was required to see if somebody who was not praying disappeared officer would be willing to send somebody directly into their death in order to save the ship. And given the fact that that was the Starfleet that Shaw came up from, even if the Dominion War had coloured his experiences, he still felt like he had to test her to make sure that he had made the right decision. And I think the moment that sold it for him was her correctly sussing out the fact that LaForge was a changeling. To me it was in that moment that he softened toward her. Now yes he still was a bit smug particularly when Ro showed up. Once he realized how Fubar the situation was he immediately deferred to the group judgement and listened to breaker in Picard which was something that she had been advocating for since they came on board( and you are not wrong in your assertion he sensed there was a deeper connection between the card and her which he had thought was a result of their shared time in the collective.

[@nicolamarchbank1846]

@@bemasaberwyn55 Yeah, whatever the case, probably a mixture of what everyone is thinking, I think Seven passed

[@bladeofakira]

This is a great analysis, and really enjoy the ideas put forth. Love all the videos on little things that might be noticed but not talked about

[@Streaky100001]

I agree with you. To me this feels very much like he wants to help Picard and Riker, weather that be simply due to his trust in Seven or something else, but he also has orders, and understands the consequences of breaking those. By leaving Seven in command, he is effectively finding a loophole. He is not breaking those orders. Seven is. And if it comes to it, well, that gives options at the court martial. They can claim it was a breakdown in communication, maybe Seven wasn't aware of those orders, or maybe she was, and disobeyed them, well she can take the discipline, Shaw can bust her down a rank or two, or any number of other things that would allow Shaw to deal with it as a matter of internal discipline onboard the ship. If the Captain of the ship disobeys a direct order, well that's much harder, if not impossible to deal with internally.

[@aperson22222]

I was afraid after E1 that we were actually supposed to dislike and curse him for not falling for Picard's and Riker's incredibly transparent fake orders.

[@PaulSmith-vo3ge]

Great video!! My favorite captain in star trek ever!! We need him back as soon as possible on screen!!

[@CrackedCandy]

Do more of these, I love this side of your show. Its why i subscribed to begin with. Thanks Lore

[@jameshaley8162]

.In My Humble Opinion, LR: .....I think Shaw...a victim of the Borg at the battle of Wolf 359, sees Seven as more of a Victim of the Borg and that's why Shaw asked for her as his First Officer..and its why Shaw insists that she use her Human name. I think he was trying to help her recover her humanity. When Shaw is injured on the bridge, we don't really see it, but he's BADLY injured until later but he knows that He can't make any command=combat decisions so he goes to Riker because Riker IS a captain, just without a Chair. ...Shaw was trying to make it sound like Riker's punishment, to save the Titan...but...they both knew it wasn't. .......Later we see Shaw in sick bay almost dying from his injuries...he was in BAD Shape...and he knew when he gave Riker Command of HIS Ship...that's a big step for a Starship captain. Why he didn't do that with Seven instead is anyone's guess. .....I think LR, that the REAL Moment that counted more than many might think, was in the Holo-Ten-Forward bar. He enters and says that Crusher has him on some strong pain killers..and we can tell because he is still harsh with Picard, but he's less formal. ....When Shaw tells the crew in the bar about what happened to him, his ship and ship mates...he's angry as hell and its all pointed at Picard. Shaw has had 'survivor's guilt' for thirty years and its eating him up. ....Shaw confronting...sort of...Locutus/Picard...was psychologically Good for him. And it explained a few things...like having a former Borg as his first officer. .....From there on out, Shaw it less ridged, less pissy..what ever you call it...at Picard and Riker. When Riker returns command of the Titan to Shaw..he is almost giddy. But during their time in the living nebula, the fighting the Strane (?)...and finally getting back into Space, That's when Shaw's attitude toward Riker, Picard and Seven changes... They have shared a life and death battle together and won. .....And you know when Shaw officially returns Seven to 'First Officer Status'....he acts like he's had a weight lifted off from him. Confronting Picard/Locutus was GOOD for him. Part of him blames Picard for Wolf 359...in the bar, Shaw didn't hide it and he let EVERYONE Know...and yet I believe that Shaw knew it wasn't Picard who destroyed and murdered so many ships and officers. ......(..its really Admiral Hanson's fault, IMHO....'Captain Riker' told Hanson that the Borg probably knows EVERYTHING that Picard knows about Star Fleet tactics and ships, etc and he shouldn't play into that....but Hanson 'refuses to believe it'...and the Fleet at Wolf 359 paid the price of his disbelief..it was Admiral Hanson's fault as much as it was the Borgs'...) .........This is why Canon matters. .....After Ro and the explosion on the Intrepid...a name for way too many ships IMHO....Shaw, Riker, Picard and the rest start to form a Crew of sorts. Shaw WAS becoming a Picard's crew and we saw it. .....When he was dying and telling Seven...not Cmdr. Hanson...to take command to the Titan...he use her 'real name' because he knew that who she truly was...and he respected that.....he dies a Trek hero and EVERY Trek fan is Pissed. ....We went from "Who is the Shaw guy, disrespecting our trio of TNG/VOY/ST:P heroes?!?"....to "How dare they kill Shaw!" Shaw...not Jack, not Data..nor the TNG crew...It was Capt. Liam Shaw who had the greatest character arc in this third season . .....And that dear LR...is my humble opinion on the Best season of ST:P

[@sherylllevasseur6470]

You missed that he had already recommended her for promotion before all of this. He sent the review before they left spacdock. So he totally trusted her and backed her at every step. His mind was made before all this shit.

[@captmoroni]

Another Lore classic. Adding value with analysis.

[@Kevin-Brent]

When Shaw was introduced, I hated him. lol. I figured he'd get killed off quickly. But, then his character starts to grow on you, and when he meets his demise, you don't want it to happen. And, neither do the other characters. Least of all, Seven. Well written, well performed.

[@Peaceforall20111]

Fascinating theory, it does seem plausible especially when you see how he did the same thing with seven being hard in her but then recommends her for captain. You always got my mind going; love it

[@toddfraser3353]

Shaw is a by the rules book character. They asked him to do an illegal order, so he formally refused it. When he found out the ship was redirect, he locked it down and reprimanded 7. By the books. If a Court Martial happened, he would be in the clear. Much like how an underoffocer may formally protest an order, with the sr. Just going Noted, then talking their place to do what they were told.

[@JohnSmith-xq1pz]

Remember if you love the galaxy have your Tribble spayed or neutered 👍

[@joeclaridy]

Wouldn't that be animal cruelty?

[@John_Stephens43]

I tried too... But it ate my Vet...

[@0biwan7]

shaw's refusal to help also makes perfect sense for a captain who is unaware of plot armor or is aware that it only extends to main characters

[@185MDE]

Great perspective on a complex character. Well done.

[@DarinRWagner]

Good points, Lore. To me, the most interesting thing about Shaw was what the Shrike captain said about Shaw's last psyche eval.

[@robertagu5533]

He basically did in THIS episode what Col Kids did when she "protested" against SF's Sisko's stance against the Dominion at the start of that war in that one episode... An then.. it was just "officially" on paper as she was READY to actually kicks some ass "reporting for duty". Which is PROBABLY what Shaw WANTED to really do doing all THIS odd AF behavior.

[@chuckjamm]

I'm in the 'bad writing ' camp

[@annaorton1921]

Agree completely! He even called her Seven of Nine in the review and before he died.

[@pimpinaintdeadho]

This character was great and so is the actor. He was GREAT in the Matalas show 12 Monkeys.

[@bobingabout]

I've never thought about it this way before. Granted I've only seen it once, but this is an interesting take on things, and I can't disagree with what you're suggesting, especially with what we learn about him in the following episodes.

[@erikatracy207]

I think you put a lot more thought into this than Picard's writers did. With Picard it's bad writing all the way down.

[@r1pwave]

Todd does an amazing job with this character. So many dimensions you arent sure where you stand with him. 😅

[@BlazingOwnager]

They need to find a way for the actor to come back. He's awesome. Even if he doesn't come back as Shaw, there is a long standing tradition for recurring actors to show up in makeup..

[@demarcusfaulkner7411]

I think that he respected her and he looked at it to see whether or not she would make a command decision. Sometimes a lot of times when you're in leadership you have to do things that people may not like. So that was the perfect way to test her to see whether or not could lead and would lead

[@jonathonclary1681]

Riker was a skilled officer with a proven history of getting his ship out of potentially deadly situations. Shaw didn't put Riker in command because he wanted to help Riker, he put Riker in charge because Riker would be the one person he could count on to get the ship out of a dangerous place in one piece.

[@elizabethjones3484]

Hell to the yes. You nailed it.

[@matthewluecke3704]

Helps explain his almost eagerness or giddiness when he's helping them escape the nebula.

[@phyzicsAV]

I've noticed you have good comedic timing, a fine trait.

[@jacobdenness8659]

You raze a great few points there, letting seven remain in command the first time is really telling

[@jamesmorgan4596]

I agree that Shaw seemed willing to let things play out. He was gathering Intel. Crazy or not he just had to wait to find out the truth.

[@shawnathin7450]

Ok now I hate you why because this was so smart I know this happened but I didn’t think of it this way and this came out 7 hours ago so now I’m going to rewatch Star Trek Picard season 3 and watch all 8 episodes tonight. PS thank you and no I don’t really hate you I enjoy your Star Trek information. Please keep up the wonderful we you all do.

[@randicus1030]

Liam Shaw was a well written character. Something modern Trek has had trouble doing.

[@RahhmiPoofs]

That's a really interesting perspective...

[@JohnCastleSmokeless]

Yeah, this tracks. To me, it reads like Shaw is protesting "for the record" while offering the bare minimum of genuinely substantive opposition.

[@JohnSmith77777fs]

These old legends come on your ship and try and worm their way into getting a good captain to steal his own ship.

[@tammyarneson7032]

Makes sense to me. Never thought of that.

[@ChrisTian-ed8ol]

I think you make a good point, it does appear that, at least subconsciously, Shaw wants to help Picard and Riker. However, Kurtzman Trek has had such bad writing in the past we may see mediocre writing as good, and let's face it, most American TV shows today have bad writing and writers, not just current Trek.

[@thelordofcringe]

Yet another reason to make the writer's strike permanent and blacklist them all.

[@ChrisTian-ed8ol]

@@thelordofcringe that and the fact that these some writers, producers, and guilds forced out the older and more experienced writers. Including writers from the TNG, DS9, VOY, and ENT eras of the show.

[@CrackedCandy]

​@@ChrisTian-ed8olthat's life repeating art

[@ChrisTian-ed8ol]

@@CrackedCandy agreed

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@thelordofcringe username checks out

[@jyralnadreth4442]

Perhaps this is more like how Sisko first encountered Picard.....as Locutus. Shaw at Wolf 359 ....Seven obviously helped neuter the Borg in Voyager and fights them

[@rpower1401]

I think he was a good guy! As a fellow engineer this narrative appeals to me.

[@glenmassey3746]

Shaw like most Starfleet capitans weren't above looking the other way.

[@perkinsentertainment]

I had a what if theory conversation video idea. In Enterprise we learn that the Romulans were manipulating thr Vulcan high command to have a reunification on Romulan terms.(how I interpreted it anyway) I wonder how drastically things would change if that plot worked. Obviously the Federation would be different if ever established, and the Earth Romulan war would have been vastly different, maybe even having earth a territory in the Romulan Star Empire. Think it'd be an interesting theory/discussion video. :)

[@James-rm7sr]

He easily was the best character in the series. I also must agree that he seemed to actually trust Seven. Shaw also wants to come off as hard, but the hologram message at the end shows us behind closed doors he very much cared about her and wanted her to succeed. So he may not have hated Picard or Riker. He just wanted to show that he did. He battled his own demons which was a fitting end to die fighting the Borg one last time.. Although, I do wish they hadn't killed him. As the dynamics of Seven and him on a voyage together outside this show would be fantastic. I think people liked him for seeming more real then everyone else. He was messed up like us. He was a dipshi* from Chicago. He was really just a fully fleshed out character for what we knew of him. I personally would like to known more about Shaw, but it was cut short.

[@bazfish2904]

watched the final series of picard and i thought he was a great character, just wish they wouldve kept him alive as i think he wouldve been an excellent choice as captain in a new star trek series - dont get me wrong i think 7 of 9 will be very good but i just think he wold be a bit better

[@src6339]

Good video 👍

[@MackeyDeez]

I want to see a spinoff with Shaw

[@shalifi7774]

Id just watch this. Great season.

[@cdowns81]

I believe you're correct

[@rurrjh]

I got to ask do you think Shaw ever met Sisko?

[@thelegoguy7]

All the fans love him by the end? No shade to the Picard series, which I actually loved, but I spent the whole series waiting for him to die. (And I was really happy to see him gone). I just found him really annoying and unlikable, though thanks to one of your previous videos, I understand why he was such an angry and broken man.

[@RRW359]

I like the idea that he was always helping them but likes to project the idea of being unlikeable.

[@hellfish2309]

The scene that can’t help bother me is the bar scene: you can’t indict the OGs for reckless endangerment of his crew AND cite how Jean Luc as Locutus personally traumatized him, directly on display and unhinged in front of his crew: are you really concerned with the crew’s well-being, or are you just unpacking your entirely understandable baggage and letting it dictate your command prerogative? a directorial choice that undermines the motives of the character

[@thesailormercury2]

he is. a captain from a. bygone era where a captain does as told don't have the enemy in your ship. you know that kinda of captain.

[@SwankyKitteh82]

I chalk most of this up to the writers and plot armor on the part of Seven and the TNG crew.

[@sidsigmaprime6347]

When you think about it he very does put up much resistance

[@uttermanbo]

However they got their. Either by bad/inconsistent writing or genius undertones, it worked for me. I wanted to see Picard, Riker, or Seven to put him in his place during his intro where he was obnoxiously eating. I felt satisfied when he lost control, then felt a little bad for him when he brought up his backstory. I understood him and wanted him to survive. I was happy when it looked like he may exist, only to be angry that he was killed off. His story was bookended with anger from me as a viewer. Anger at him for his disrespect and obnoxious actions in his introduction. Then anger at the fact he was killed when I liked him as a character.

[@cgbtuna]

Shaw should have been saved really liked him, BIG letdown

[@0biwan7]

hard to save shaw though, his pragmatism makes most sense for a character without plot armor. the main characters have the luxury of being idealists because of their plot armor.

[@badwolf66]

Starfleet was already compromised by that point so it didn't really matter. I think he was just going with his gut instinct or 6th sense.

[@GardenOnTopIndia]

Shaw is the only one who had character development.

[@aarjaycee3601]

My thoughts? I want Liam Shaw BACK. I don't care HOW they do it but Star Trek NEEDS Liam Shaw. Sure he's brusque, sure he's got anger issues, but he proved through his acts whether open or hidden, that he's a character of massive integrity, bravery, decency and honour. Liam Shaw is the character Star Trek has been crying out for for years. BRING LIAM SHAW BACK. By any means necessary

[@josephmccarthy6098]

Hold on. "Pay grade" i thought they were in a moneyless society.

[@beepboop204]

[@r1pwave]

Still one of my favourite characters. Even though he comes across as an ass, I think its all perception management. He was also maybe a bit disillusioned with Star Fleet and saw the potential for Seven to do the right thing even if it put her career at risk.

[@mandylloyd]

I don't agree with you on why Shaw allowed Picard to belay hos order.....the scene is pretty clear around the fact Shaw respecting Picard's right to save his son being a principle of Shaw's.......Shaw even lets loose a bit of frustration upon hearing the bombshell, like he's annoyed his principles are going to force him to give Picard a pass on it lol

[@Bluefoot65]

Shaw needed plausible deniability

[@Theflowergeekcrafts]

I loved Shaw. Such a great character. Too bad. 😢

[@MeldrickCz]

Or and hear me out here...bad writings are at it again. I like this intellectual games but do not loose the sight of real world stupidity that are most probable at the core.

[@FakeJeep]

4:30 Plot twist. It was bad writing that caused all that. :x

[@James-hs3tu]

Hmmm. Interesting.

[@sognarisenheart7806]

I am so confused by the whole "Picard bad writing stuff" - i mean yeah it isnt perect - but compared to the 90s Trek Area the writing is superb. Just rewatching DS9 and man has this show its ups and downs... Picard has many ups (even in seaosn 1 and 2 - sorry i liked them)... but it has far less downs then DS9 or TNG or Voyager. And yes the chance of getting a show with really good writing (or a movie) has incresed drastically since the 90s, but there is still so much crap out there that medicoe - to good writing is still above the norm.

[@skybennett3902]

Lore Reloaded: Star Trek Picard is up at the top of bad writing. Discovery: **exists**

[@mikewaterfield3599]

Incidentally….. it’s a toss up between Picard seasons 1-2, the appropriately named STD, and the JarJar Trek films for bad writing awards. Not exactly good company. So hard to square against the sort of writing we became accustomed to from small screen series with a fraction of the budget. I wish Kurtzman and Darth Kennedy would embrace each other and jump into a reactor as it goes critical.

[@CrackedCandy]

I lift my romulan ale unpopular opinion to you. It is an embargoed product after all.

[@mikewaterfield3599]

@@CrackedCandy we have a few glimmers of hope. Whoever was behind Picard season three needs to teach these modern hacks. This is how you say farewell to the last generation and set a new one to take the torch. Hardly perfect, but compared to the crap we have been served in recent years it may as well have been scripted on a divine tablet.

[@ChanticoChulo]

Captain Assholio is more like it

[@ds6080]

Yes definitely plenty of bad writing in the series, but enjoyed some of season 3 including the Captain Shaw character

[@rogerbrownreacts8528]

It's just bad writing.

[@SamCogley]

😂

[@Michael-hb4wc]

I think it's just bad writing.

[@burncycle4621]

The writers, and those in charge today, are atrocious. They don't know Star Trek, and the writing has been horrible. Picard season 3 was the best of it, but it's still not good. I'm surprised that bad writing was acknowledged, yet you seemingly support the idea that Section 31 is as well known as the FBI or CIA. These people just read episode synopses and rolled with it, I swear.

[@leoperidot482]

Honestly you give Shaw way too much credit. Chalk up your theory to bad writing, nothing more nothing less.

[@matthewgreenwood4286]

This is a stretch

[@vulkar59]

Shaw was a mediocre filler character and only stands out in Picard because the rest of the show was so so so bad.

[@KarlLlewellyn-yb3ys]

It is hard to argue with your logic. That said I do not like Shaw He is a gutless spineless whiner. Who couldn’t get over a battle 30+ years prior. (Admittedly Wolf 359 where he like Sisko fought against Locuts)

[@yodaslovetoy]

Whatever it is, i noticed it, just didn't mention it....

[@whitewolf6605]

I think this is more likely Whaaaamen first in the writting room. Idk why they have to make such strange plots just to be sexist and shame guys for existing.