How many Lights are there?

TNG 6x10 Chain of Command II

[@TheRPGenius]

Gul Madred: There are 5 lights. Jean-Luc Picard: There are 4 lights. JJ Abrams: There are too many lights and not enough lens flares. Alex Kurtzman: What is this show?

[@darthroden]

LMAO!

[@Evil0tto]

That got a genuine laugh out of me.

[@notalexandergustafsson2496]

Kirk: rips his tunic off and knocks out the cardassians with a neck chop

[@havanadaurcy1321]

Sark: WAIT I NEED THAT

[@ninjarooneil7866]

Lol that's the difference between great and shite. JJ couldn't make anything good. Ruined star trek and star wars. The incredibly talented director and writers of this show who are pretty much unknowns to most people.

[@nathanfitzgerald6651]

One of Picard's best lines: "When children learn to devalue others, they can devalue anyone.....including their own parents."

[@jayjayripoff]

Straight out of Matilda, no?

[@nathanfitzgerald6651]

@@jayjayripoff I never saw Matilda so I really can't say.

[@jayjayripoff]

@@nathanfitzgerald6651 well, when her dad punishes her for been smart, he says when a person is bad, they must be punished' person, not child... so she now knows an adult must be punished too... This goes further though...

[@jayjayripoff]

@@nathanfitzgerald6651 kzbin.info/www/bejne/eavYf2dtmtaap68si=d-3I2AkaCJBlhMSH

[@jamsistired]

Leaders always make up a scapegoat of a group of people, some group that messes everything up, or will of they get control, so that way they can scare the people and maintain power, but this makes those people paranoid and accepting of discrimination and that can lead to very dangerous things if the tables turn

[@cugamer8862]

Ironic that the Cardassians went to all the trouble of capturing and interrogating Picard in a vain effort to gain information for an invasion, but that grabbing Picard tipped their hand as to what they were planning to do allowing the Federation to stop the invasion before it even started.

[@thulyblu5486]

ironic and still makes perfect sense, it's a neat story arch - back when writers of star trek episodes were skilled at their job

[@mygoogleemail2063]

The Kardashian invasion still happened, just the wrong century I would have preferred the space aliens

[@Tyrrituil]

​@@thulyblu5486 honestly I blame the studio, they hire people who don't care about the material

[@jacksonheathen2092]

I like seeing Data in a red uniform.

[@Apple_Teck]

He deserves it much more than Riker, or anyone else on that ship. You can’t argue with technology and upgrades.

[@samlarsen6706]

Apple Teck “Upgrades, people, upgrades!”

[@marksandsmith6778]

Man - Android Love... its the next step.

[@jacksonheathen2092]

@@marksandsmith6778 Data is "fully functional". So I guess he would be capable of man/android loving. 😁

[@PhilAlford]

Hard to believe how long the Kardashians have been a threat to society

[@k77zero1]

Cholie or Kim..........😮

[@MiniLemmy]

This episode was an excellent homage to George Orwell’s 1984....

[@md-vq8sp]

kinda funny that I see cardassians has British imperialists

[@LFOD1776]

I see the cardassians as covidians.

[@Not-Ap]

@@md-vq8sp Why because of the voice? There actually based on the Nazi's.

[@biliussteed2102]

I picked up on that as well. “Big Brother is watching.” 2+2=5.

[@dislikebutton1799]

I feel like Picard when I am told that men can become pregnant in 2022.

[@walteranders9396]

Rest in peace David Warner (July 29th 1941-July 24th 2022) thank you for bringing to Life characters of extreme charisma, nobility and great villainy.

[@Captainrave]

It’s so powerful when Picard later admits he could actually see 5. A tough episode to watch. It’s a shame there is no follow up to this one.

[@SeansModelBuilds]

Whether or not this Cardassian Torture caused his Brain Anomaly in All Good Things and Picard?

[@TalentHouseAd]

Really tough to watch. As a child it was my least favorite to watch. They really did well in showing the realities of torture

[@spaceclaw1958]

DS9's premier was the next episode of Star Trek to be released after Chain of Command. I'd say that Deep Space Nine made a decent follow-up.

[@tomlymer266]

In my personal head canon the Cardassian guy actually set up a fifth light at the end just to fuck with traumatized Picard, and the final declaration was Picard lying to demonstrate that he could have at literally any time but chose not to.

[@EnterpriseKnight]

@@spaceclaw1958 it gave us Gul Dukat. It did exceptionally well.

[@georgew.5639]

That response wasn’t what I expected from Captain Picard. Brilliant.

[@Cjnw]

No one expects the Cardassian Inquisition

[@leomartin5965]

George, I dont think anybody was. And this CARDASSIAN KNEW PICARD DIDNT KNOW SH×T ABOUT THE FEDERATIONS PLANS. HE JUST WANTED TO TORTURE THE GUY.FOR PICARDS TEAM GETTING GETTING EXPOSED.

[@Graniteheart]

"My daughter will never worry about going hungry." yeah....give it less than a decade when the Dominion bombs the shit out of Cardassia

[@persiajoy1710]

Period

[@richardched6085]

She's definitely gonna be vaporized by that Bombardment.

[@kelvincasing5265]

@@richardched6085 And her wompet with her!

[@bigevil1001]

Or even before that. When the Klingon's invade.

[@chrismc410]

@@bigevil1001 and maybe all of Madred's family, including himself

[@F_MV1]

THERE... ARE... FOUR... LIGHTS!!

[@LGranthamsHeir]

Gul Madred: "There are five lights, human!!" (pushes the padd's button)

[@ZACHANDJACKSZACHSMAFIA]

Gul Dukat: Those Bajorans Needed Order

[@Yamamanama]

...more than that, I believed that I could see five lights.

[@LGranthamsHeir]

RIP David Warner aka Gul Madred. One of the most significant guest appearances in all Star Trek's history, #RIPGulMadred 🖖🖖

[@georgehenderson7783]

AKA Chancellor Gorkon in Star Trek 6 The Undiscovered Country. He and Christopher Plummer as General Chang were excellent in that film.

[@williamleewolverine]

@@georgehenderson7783and the Federation representative St. John Talbot in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.

[@PopeLando]

​@@georgehenderson7783Two renowned Hamlets quoting Shakespeare together.

[@skatemetrix]

How many lights are there? EIGHT! Because of JJ's bloody lens flares!

[@Mikgwerd]

They're absolutely fantastic lights, believe me. No one knows how to count lights as good as me. Those are five of the most beautiful lights I've ever seen, bigly!

[@lordkrythic6246]

Oh, heck yeah! Praise be to the Holy Communist Narrative! May it guide us forth into an age of everlasting torment, subjugation, and damnation! All hail Dictator Biden!

[@nathanfitzgerald6651]

I thought it was several hundred lights, like a Vegas casino, lol.

[@Juan-os4hs]

Are there enough lights for the Tik-tok video?

[@WarbirdDeath]

Orwell 1984... how meny fingers...

[@rjgoniea]

I always wanted Picard to say any number other than 5 and change it often. Maybe it's just the smartass in me, but to me the humor of it is just one trick to stay upbeat mentally. Just picturing Picard with a wicked grin on his face as he says ten or pi or 42 makes me smile.

[@jliuatl]

Picard: "I see 6. No, wait, 7!"

[@KantisV]

@@jliuatl Picard: "Made you look!"

[@_stupidbro]

"Five... And a half"

[@OrigamiWolfTV]

"How many lights are there?" "Five..... hundred"

[@VeryDeathlyShiny]

That would actually have served into Gul Madred's interests. The point wasn't to get Picard to specifically say 5, but to vocalize that there was any number other than 4. He wanted to distort Picards hold on truth and reality, to warp and bend it, 5 was just arbitrary. The moment he broke from his grasp on "real", it would have been the thin part of the wedge for Gul Madred to start to re-shape and alter Picards perceptions a.k.a. brainwash him. Which is why at the end of the episode, after Picard is returned back to Enterprise and he's sitting down with Troy, he confides in her that he was moments away from breaking. He was finally ready to accept the offer of an end to torture in exchange for simply admitting that he saw 5 lights instead of 4. Then we get hit with the bombshell that in that instant, he really did "see 5 lights". Probably one of *THE* best ST:TNG episodes. Gotta be in my top 3, up there with with _'Measure of a Man'_ & _'Battle of Wolf 359'_

[@dhinton1]

While Jellico was a COMPLETE ass at times ..... he wasn't wrong about how to deal with the Cardassians. I don't know if HE knew he was right .... but he was.

[@Captainrave]

He would have been a great captain during the Dominion war. Reminds me a little of Ransom on Voyager.

[@LGranthamsHeir]

@@Captainrave I think Mirror Lorca would have been a great captain during the Dominion War as well. I would love to see how he would've interacted with Intendant Kira :)

[@FoxyPercival714]

He wasn't wrong but he wasn't right.

[@Ozzy_2014]

Jellico never was a people person. He is brusque. Possiblly rude even. But facing a second cardassian war he is under enormous pressure. Probally going to be running the flagship into battle. Wether a war breaks out or not may well rest on his shoulders. Plus Riker is way over the line. Yes he's worried. Yes he's not fond of Jellico but yelling and getting emotinally overwrought even with much reason? No. Unproffesional in the extreme. He has overstepped his bounds. Though Jellico failing to understand Riker and why he passes up power and command leads him to dismiss the man wrongly. Pointing out errors is one thing. Getting in your commanding officer's face and implying he's immoral or a bad person is not within the scope of his duties. The proper response would be to ask about a rescue mission. To at least create one to be considred by the captain. If he thinks its viable and an acceptable risk he can pass it on to Adm Necheyav. Ultimatally its her call to make. This does nothing to help.

[@theevilascotcompany9255]

If fighting a war, I'd rather serve under Jellico than Picard.

[@Mattstheway]

Patrick Stewart and David Warner, two of the most distinctive voices, together. And both featured as a scientist of some sort in a Tmnt movie.

[@kereminde]

Mmm, David Warner, always a powerful actor.

[@Haaris.Qureshi]

I wonder how Jil Orra fared during the Dominion Occupation, and if she stayed fed during that.

[@Carlosgonzales-be4je]

RIP David Warner.

[@jpCps01]

3:56 Gul Madred: How many lights are there? Picard: **without glasses** f*ck... I dunno, six? Seven?

[@yaosio]

If you need to send somebody behind enemy lines don't send an elderly ship captain.

[@JohnyZman]

Lieutenant Bogamill started a new career in starfleet. What a guy!

[@bluefmi]

"bring your daughter to work" day, the cardassian way. now go and see the variant of this day adult swim did for star wars gary :D

[@charlesalmada1016]

Rip David warner

[@0penthaughtz]

This is a lesson to everybody that the truth matters more, than what others would have you believe.

[@bobpage6597]

In hindsight, it was actually a pretty stupid move by the Cardassians. They were never able to actually confirm if Picard would KNOW the plans before luring him to Celtris III. Reading "A stitch in time" by Andrew Robinson, Garak confirms that the Central Command has its own intelligence capabilities separate from the Obsidian Order, but not even close to being on the same level professionally. This reeks of a shoddily put together operation on their part haha! It wouldn't have been too difficult, if they had been more careful, to establish who knew the plans, and then grab them. Buuuuut maybe I'm overthinking :P

[@jacksonheathen2092]

All good points. But the Cardassian Empire really had nothing to lose by luring Picard to Celtris 3 to interrogating him. Personally, would have loved to seen Elim Garak conducting this interrogate.

[@Bitchslapper316]

I think they never planned on letting him go so this would have continued even if he didn't know anything with no loss to them. They probably didn't account for Captain Jelico grabbing their fleet by the balls and forcing them to stand down and hand Picard over.

[@TJRex01]

My read in this is that the Cardassians assumes that Starfleet was like them, ie military focused, so in their system of COURSE a captain would know the defense plans. However, they haven’t really grasped that TNG era star fleet is more focused on science and exploration, so the defense plans for Minos Korva are not high in picard’s mental list.

[@scottmatheson3346]

@@jacksonheathen2092 but we see they did in fact have something to lose, as they tipped their hand and spoiled their invasion plans.

[@reck0n3r]

NEEERRRDDDD!

[@jeffreychongsathien]

Geordi had a "Oh damn... this guy's a captain for a reason - he knows what he's doing" moment.

[@Moadar]

The cardassians are the key to defeating the borg. If you showed them the lights they would see 4 but because they assimilated picard they would know its 5. This would cause the collective to crumble.

[@Apple_Teck]

Dick Jones: You know... he's a sweet old man. And he means well. But he's not gonna live forever. And I'm number two around here. Pretty simple math, huh, Bob? You just... Fucked with the wrong guy!

[@CCJJ160Channels]

3:24 - when the other person wins the rhetorical argument so you decide to win with violence.

[@gtafan2006]

I have an alexa and 4 smart lights in my room.. when i asked her how many lights are there... she said the piccard line... which was accurate as i had... four lights

[@thelaw6267]

It's easy to be philosophical and moral when you're in no danger of starvation, Picard.

[@UberTankred]

Gul: *"How many lights?"* Luc: *"Four!"* Gul: *"How many lights?"* Luc: *"Four!"* Gul: *"How many genders?"* Luc: *"AAAAaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh...*

[@1993bahamut]

"Now, Mr Johnson, how many lights are..." IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY LIGHTS THERE ARE!!!

[@Evil0tto]

JJ Abrams: "Boring. Who likes this stuff? Let's blow some shit up."

[@Chrisfragger1]

Yeah, kinda sad.

[@spooneater9001]

Idk, I'd feint cooperation and say 5 lights so he won't taze my balls

[@speedygreenie]

RIP David Warner. We will miss you. There are 5 lights. There were always 5 lights.

[@thepunisherxxx6804]

This is so relevant for today and a powerful message. The truth matters above all else, no matter what it is. We live in a online world where people claim "my truth" and affirm "their truth" through how many likes and attention it gets on social media. Deluding yourself into believing you live in a world that isn't reality hurts you and the world in the end. In order to produce a solution to an issue the problem must first be identified, and to do so you must see the world for what it is. We must try to understand it as much as possible, even if the truth hurts. Manipulation, deception, lies. All used today to make you question your understanding of reality. To butter you up so you will think and do whatever they want, but more importantly, accept whatever they want you to accept.

[@simonwillis1529]

Epic story Picard and jellico, be funny if Picard after being asked first time how many lights he says yeah sure there five lights

[@seanwebb605]

Simon Willis Hey I’m not invested in his interior design. Sure, five lights and they look fantastic. Got any more tea?

[@thomaadye5620]

Would have been awesome to have Picard disable the cardassian ship. Then fire 4 photon torpedoes at it and ask him real quick how many torpedoes do you see?

[@ninjarooneil7866]

One of the best and most powerful scenes ever filmed in TV and movie history. I can only think of stuff like Schindler's list, stuff like that that can top this and this was a low budget TV show that was so great. This episode of next generation is by far the best ever star trek. Dave Warner and Patrick Stewart are just sensational to watch here although a tough watch at the same time. Rip David Warner. Such a great underated actor.

[@telesniper2]

Nowadays this resembles an average classroom, but replace "lights" with "genders"

[@Chrisfragger1]

Remember. 2 + 2 = 5.

[@Blippity_Bloop64]

For sufficiently large values of 2, yes.

[@thefearofg0ds758]

I knew I recognized that voice. It's the voice of Ra's Al Ghul from Batman: TAS

[@jeffhietala1609]

And now Mr Piccard we will discuss how many lights you see!!

[@PassportBrosBusinessClass]

That Cardassian girl is a grown woman now 😳

[@MiniLemmy]

Also, water is wet...

[@Raptorel]

Yes, her name is Kim. Kim Kardashian.

[@JckSwan]

Easily one of the best TNG episodes.

[@enigmaodell6806]

I liked a line I once heard “the purpose of propaganda is not to persuade but to humiliate.” To tell you a lie and make you agree. And if you do that, they hold control over you.

[@solitarysurreal3652]

When Gul offers Picard the egg, I couldn't get the taste of cheese out of my mouth...

[@pinoi78]

RIP David Warner

[@spencerthompson1049]

Picard cutting right to the truth "her belly will be full, but her spirit will be empty."

[@KubanKevin]

THERE! ARE! FOUR! LIGHTS!

[@xazelnighthaunterfanboy975]

There are 5 lights because you are the brithest light of my life Gul Madred now show me the real BIG MIGHT of cardasi .AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH ( leathal shock noises)

[@fallofmanbrand]

Keep it up!

[@Budabaii]

the Kardashians can't keep getting away with it.

[@gaoutlaw]

David and Patrick were incredible in this episode

[@luccahauser2811]

I know this is a really serious scene but I just hear it as the kardashians LMAO

[@sethtubman647]

This is the part I never understood. In the original script, there was a line cut that Nechayev had transmitted the defense plans for Minos Korva to Jellico earlier that day; Picard never saw them. How is it that Starfleet Intelligence almost never seems to be particularly intelligent when it comes to intelligence and why would anyone presume a starship captain would know of a specific sector's plan before an invasion? Intelligence is only given on a need-to-know basis; simply because you have the access codes or security protocols does not mean you get access to all the information classified at that level; you also have to be deemed to have a need to know. To quote another erudite show, the need to know was not known to be needed at the time Picard left on his mission; hence he would not have access to Minos Korva's defense plan before the sector was invaded. If he didn't know (and he didn't), how did Cardassian intelligence know? It would be like the captain of the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush knowing the plan of attack for North Korea; not happening. They would know their role in the operation when it was time. But only senior personnel at the Pentagon and the National Security Council would know the entire defense plan. Kidnapping a captain wouldn't get you very far. For another, how did Ambassador T'Pel, who was a diplomat, gain access to highly secret intelligence and security information? And why did Starfleet Intelligence never realize she was a double agent? How did Intelligence miss the build-up of forces in the Kalandra sector that permitted the Dominion to capture Betazed? It seems like Intelligence is always two steps behind whatever rival-of-the-week. It was so irritating.

[@nathanfitzgerald6651]

If I were Picard, I would simply tell Gul Madred, "Do you really think Starfleet is STUPID enough to give its top secrets plans to a captain going into enemy territory, who may be captured?"

[@marioarias9942]

Enough! Would be the right answer 😅

[@randbarrett8706]

“people starved by the millions” “hundreds of thousands have died in wars” If there were hundreds of thousands of deaths directly attributed to a war that indirectly averted millions of deaths then one might say that it was worthwhile

[@NinjaKittyBonks]

One of the many reasons, why Patrick Stewart was BRILLIANT as Capt. Picard❤

[@BoyKagome]

Both of these actors were on point.

[@tallmanfromcornwall1229]

Kim Cardassian?

[@leonhardeuler675]

Definitely imaging the Kardashians as some kind of enemy alien race.

[@biliussteed2102]

I looked up robot tests on Google Images and found one that said, “Select all 5 lights” with the picture at 4:06.

[@anibalybarrarojas]

Anyone else reminded of the Israelis listening to the Cardassians' lessons to his daughter?

[@RagnarKorg3141]

"Do Humans have mothers and fathers?" A little Cardassian girl who asks this question may be a sign that there is still hope for this kind.

[@salilbhatnagar]

I wonder what happened to Madred and his daughter. Prob not great things due to the Dominion War and attack on Cardassia

[@diegohg8786]

THERE ARE TWO GENDERS!

[@puppet4978]

3:56 Basically every trekkies when they watch JJ Star Trek

[@thepartydontstoptilliwalkin]

More like 4:17

[@copenhagen6116]

I’ve always liked David Warner especially in the outer limits

[@baitman2368]

The Kardashians

[@FutureDeep]

It's a shame the series never developed on the obvious sexual tension between Jellico and Geordi. Just look at them, they're a moment away from ravishing one another.

[@jacksonheathen2092]

😁👍. Personally, I thought the sexual tension between Jellico and Riker was more intense.

[@jacksonheathen2092]

@The Cornfield Well, maybe Worf & Data had something sexual going on ? After all, Data was fully functional, capable of keeping secrets, and well able to endure Worf's domestic violence in the bedroom. 😂

[@jacksonheathen2092]

@Jonathan Sotelo Geordi LaForge probably had to hots for Wesley too.

[@HHopebringer]

@Jonathan Sotelo well, there is that one deleted scene... Guinan: "Have you ever considered trying to...BLEEP the program? I didn't think so..."

[@theMightywooosh]

I think during the whole git-mo situation...sci fi channel ran this episode a lot

[@natalieschannel7675]

Keeping up with the Cardassians

[@Harfatum]

Definitely says "Bud Light" at 4:00

[@scottythegreat1]

@3:37 Complements of Mr. Caledon Hockley!!

[@bodhitree33]

If that torture went on any longer Picard would start to see Q.

[@leomartin5965]

Jellico KNEW HIS SH×T TO. AND VERY MUCH AT THAT.

[@Curseius]

THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS

[@germanstjohn7629]

There ARE FOUR LIGHTS 😅

[@bigevil1001]

Gul Madred: "How many Star Trek TV series are there? Not counting animated shows, of course." Picard: "What?" Gul Madred: "How many are there!" Picard "...5." Gul Madred: "You are mistaken. There are 8."

[@timhuguenin]

can't not hear "Kardashians" every time

[@jimmyyu2184]

@4:10 that is actually an old "Easy Button" from Staples that Cardassians copied, cheaply I might add. =)))

[@dislikebutton1799]

I work for Dick Jones, he's the #2 guy in Starfleet. Dick JONES!!!!!!!!!

[@bmacleod52]

The Cardassian Empire may have been modeled around the People's Republic of China as Gene Roddenberry in ST 6 Undiscovered Country hinted the fall of the Klingon Empire was written having the collapse of the Soviet Union in mind.

[@matthewwatkins4938]

Madred can only lash out in anger ... Because he knows Picard is right.

[@CountryMetal01]

there are 7lights, 12 lights, 15, 72

[@peachesrambo4037]

Riker should have refused to be first officer again for Jericho.

[@jliuatl]

His theory is correct. Because he is Jellico. And 4 duty shifts are better than 3.

[@mjpablo23]

The kharshians needed to keep up, that’s why they became totalitarian

[@Tarik360]

What scared me about this episode is the possibility a fifth light was outside of view. I think that little tinge of uncertainty can mess someone up if they aren't careful or focused.

[@katherineberger6329]

There is at least one light behind the backdrop panels.

[@ChuggaaPyroJr]

Why isn't data in tactical uniform?

[@dutchprepper5932]

well he should say from the start ok 5 whatever

[@krisone5253]

1984 ,is here. But AI's don't torture people. Man does that! This episode is difficult to understand. The plumber & electrician just half assed put in a light fixture in the bathroom. It has Four Light bulbs that are extremely bright and light up the place.They are the wrong bulbs for the bathroom. But I cannot change the bulbs, because I'm just a renter. I'm reminded of this episode because of this lightning problem. If I don't like it, then I can get the fuck out!!!! Then I have no place!!!! Life is hard on us!✝️ I see four bulbs 💡!

[@cosmicnous7772]

Picard didn't break no matter what

[@mikesmith-pj7xz]

I understand the metaphor but with replicators how does anyone go hungry?

[@ShadowSonic2]

Replicators need energy.

[@ura4321]

This type of torture is similar to Facebook, Twitter, and KZbin regulations. Just say what we what and the pain will be gone.

[@albertluttig1974]

Now Mr Wilson 2+2 =5