Star Trek The Next Generation Ruminations S3E07: The Enemy

[@thexalon]

LaForge and Bakra at Galorndan Core! Seriously, there's a parallel between this episode and Darmok: All peacemaking starts from 1 person accepting the enemy as a person rather than something to be destroyed. This happens in this instance because they are facing a common challenge, namely the threat the planet represents.

[@enlightedjedi]

Nice point, never thought it this way :)! Timba his arms wide :)!

[@Bojack727]

@@enlightedjedi "Sukath, his eyes uncovered!"

[@tbk2010]

I really enjoyed this rumination, gave me some new perspective on the "good" guys vs. "bad" guys aspect of this episode. Good job!

[@danielyeshe]

I have always wondered what Worf would have done if the Romulan had said: “Are you going to help me, Klingon?” Rather than what he said about preferring to die.

[@corssecurity]

It's been a over a year since I found this channel and it's still my favorite star trek review channel.

[@tubeviewerX20]

“I would rather die then pollute my body with Klingon filth”. That line probably didn’t help in convincing Worf to donate his blood.

[@knavenformed9436]

I would've done it if I were Worf just to cause so much hate and agony in the Romulan. He'd forever hate his life at that point, you'd solve the tension between Enterprice and the Romulan ship, he'd be shunned in the Romulan society if you brought up the point to the other ship and you could either make the Romulan commit suicide or help the effort to get a truce going on with Romulans and the Federation, if he'd at some point accept the life given. So Worf basically gave up the biggest win in his life, but he's stubborn so I get it, but still.

[@SillyIdea]

I love this episode. Saw it when I was young and I could never remember the name or the season after. So glad to see it again and see your take on it, I call this episode a master class in diplomatic incidents for other tabletop GMs for their worldbuilding.

[@harpercole5321]

The Romulan dying shocked me the first time I saw the episode. It looked all set up for Worf to have a last minute change of heart and voluntarily agree to the procedure, but the the unexpected happened. Because TNG is generally a light series, these darker moments have all the more impact (there's another one coming up in "The Most Toys").

[@Tastenhauer]

I have to say thank you Lore for discussing all those episodes. So much fun to watch the episode and then listen to your Ruminations, very enjoyable!

[@scottwolozanski8988]

I do like that Worf let him die. It is a dilemma that has no easy answer and the fact that the Romulan dies plays with expectations. I do find the very end of the episode funny that Picard tells the Romulans he will escort them back to the Romulan border.. cut to both ships leaving in opposite directions...

[@mapleicecream4819]

> cut to both ships leaving in opposite directions Yep, I also found that amusing.

[@devonanderson2902]

To be fair, I always assumed that they did a curving turnaround offscreen and the Enterprise could tell their current trajectory.

[@TheRetrostorian]

This is probably my favorite episode thus far. I know I'm a noob or whatever but it was full circle from TOS. The romulan telling worf he would rather die, the situational camaraderie between geordi and the romulan. So many good levels. The threat of war, the cageiness of the romulan captain. Absolutely amazing.

[@1300l]

I like the fact that Worf let the Romulan die. People complain about the Rodenberry box but this just make sense to me. Worf IS a radical. He also has a HUGE Romulan trauma and grudge (with the best reason to have). It do make sense he would and it tie over Wof ark to need to become less radical and overcome the hate on the future.. Something that sadly would only be addressed on Nemesis and that episode where he find the Romulan Klingon prison.

[@TheRetrostorian]

I also liked this. It was very severe but in character. I almost thought he would do it just to be like "F U a Klingon saved you and is in your blood" but I liked the way he handled it. Reminded me of bartleby. "I'd prefer not to."

[@stanislavkostarnov2157]

I like the fact that in saying the "I do not want this just as much as you" phrase, Bakq'ra, in his own way, recognizes that Geordie is just as willing to die for what he believes in as he is...

[@ChocolatierRob]

It is darkly ironic how Bakra boasts of how the Federation will be destroyed when the Romulan Empire spans the galaxy in the next few centuries, because I've got a supernova that says differently.

[@quicksilvertongue3248]

I wanted to argue that point, but honestly I would absolutely believe that the Romulans were destined to conquer the Alpha Quadrant (before eventually losing to either the Borg or the Dominion), and then the Q or someone similar made the Hobus Supernova happen in order to cut the Romulans down so that the Federation could dominate.

[@zurgtheemperor975]

My favourite part about this episode? After the Romulan dies after refusing Worf's help, a sombre version of the Klingon theme from the TOS movies is heard.

[@FRACTUREDVISIONmusic]

Poor Geordi gets along with everyone, but the ladies.

[@firepowerg]

Re: Your closing last question. The poopy would have hit the fan.

[@rexremedy1733]

It’s historically true that espionage prevents wars. There is a case of a double agent for the GDR who was working at the NATO headquarters. When nato had a huge exercise (able archer), USSR and GDR thought they would be invaded and were preparing to strike. The catastrophe could only be prevented as some ministry in the GDR called their agent in the nato headquarter about what was going on. He, on the last minute could defuse the retaliatory measures of GDR and USSR against the perceived nato strike.

[@1987jock]

Rewatching this and it annoted me that Georgie was screaming futily while he has a phaser that could have quite easily signalled Worf and Riker.

[@nickokona6849]

I think the scene with Picard and Wolf really sets Picardy position as an unparalleled character of principle. Willing to face the consequence of war to uphold his principles.

[@athrunzala6919]

Not a lot of man against nature episodes in star trek, that's what makes it stand out And Worf, man against himself, -- with the roddenberry box that is also rare Thus this episode is a special gem in the star trek universe Also introduces Tomalak, love that they kept bring him back, even in the finale, he was good and the continuity of him being there was good. A familiar opponent gave us a way to read the what the Romulans where doing in his episodes because we got to get to know him a little.

[@thatswedishguy638]

Will you make a rumination series of Enterprise?

[@francoislacombe9071]

I am amazed that Tomalak is still in command of his ship, after his massive failure in The Defector. The Romulans have a very low tolerance for failure, he must have expended a lot of political capital to avoid being demoted after that snafu.

[@anna-elizabeth]

Another of my personal Top 20. I adore the "Cold War-style" episodes that TNG did, you covered the reasons why pretty effectively. I also really appreciate the direction they went in RE: Worf. It showed that TNG was willing to take chances and delve into the characters. To me, "The Enemy" marks the era where TNG became truly and consistently excellent. A bit of trivia regarding Cold War spying missions: I once met a former Park ranger from Alaska whom told me that in the early 1980s he found some expended 5.47mm x 45 bullet casings, as used by the AK-74 Soviet assault rifle. These were relatively new in service at this time, known to the Afghanistan Mujahedeen as "Poison Bullets" due to their combat lethality, and this was decades before you could import such things in the USA. His opinion was that the USSR had landed a recon team by submarine, and said team used the weapon against an animal and could not find all the expended casings when they withdrew. Why would a team come to Alaska? Why did the Romulans send a recon team to Galornden Core?

[@jerryharris876]

7:10. Bouncing graviton particle beams off the main deflector dish.

[@enlightedjedi]

I wonder how dr. Polasky would deal with Worf!... Probably she'd be more insistent :)!

[@roystonsbailey]

Is this the best Geordie episode? I don't recall other Geordie episodes being this damned good.

[@devonanderson2902]

The subtle part that I love the most is when Picard points out that the Romulans would blow this out of proportion. The way that he emphasizes "the death of a Romulan officer at hands of the Federation" really shows how the Romulans would twist this situation to make it look as though the Federation intentionally let him die.The way Picard says that so sardonically really got across to me how much this situation was in danger of deteriorating just because of propaganda. Patrick Stewart really nailed that cynical tone so well that he didn't even have to go into further detail about the implications to Worf. He simply said "Think of it" and from those two subtle lines, we can imagine our own versions of the same propaganda that expands the implications and heightens the tension. I think it was beautifully subtle.

[@kolpi01]

this was the first episode i saw of tng while on a train and without the rumination imediately at my disposal ... it felt not complete i liked this one a lot, so far geordi and data are my favorite characters of the show, especially in scenes together, so its great to see a geordi centered episode

[@999YCM]

23:48 and Vash! that Rogue!

[@williamozier918]

One thing that my headcannon wonders about: Some Romulan commanders seem to display alot of 'personality', while others seem vulcanesquesly stoic. I wonder if those differences are indicative of a cultrual issue, or factional, or some other factor?

[@mr51406]

Another episode I liked much better this time. More Tomalak, please! I’m often apprehensive about the “ennemies become buddies” trope, but I’m glad I got over it and didn’t skip. 🚩If I could request something from Lore it’s thematic rather than episodic ruminations. For example: how are the Romulans and Cardassians different? There should have been an episode (more likely of DS9) where their differences were more clearly illustrated. I’m a big world-building fan too. 🥛 Galorndon milk, full of magnetic goodness! (a tiny Lower Decks gag)

[@enlightedjedi]

Lore, there is that recurring joke of a ferengi villain (daimon Bok I think)!

[@williamozier918]

Of the main bridge crew I think Geordi and Troi are the only one who've never actually killed anyone.

[@enlightedjedi]

Lore, Venus would be a better example maybe, for a storm like the one on the planet (actually there is no surviving there) Jupiter is basically a giant storm :)!

[@stanislavkostarnov2157]

maybe, both both Bakq'ra and the other captain were changelings?

[@SchneeflockeMonsoon]

I wonder what happened to Commodore? Was he promoted? Was he killed for cooperating? Was he snatched up by the Tal Shiar to have his brain dissected for memories of Geordi’s Visor?

[@CzechMirco]

As someone who grew up in the Eastern Bloc and who knows not only the revolting marxist ideology AND the history of the 20. century, I am always amazed that the people from the former west really are so naive and complacent that they actually BELIEVE that there was NOTHING TO BE TERRIFIED ABOUT the Soviet Union. That the cold war was just some large analogy to two groups of fans of different football teams shouting at each other but otherwise being basically harmless. That the USSR was "just scared" and that is why it behaved as it did. They probably don't know that USSR throughout all the turns and ideological shifts of its internal politics always considered itself as the home of the world REVOLUTION (that they meant a communist coup by it is a different matter). That the russian imperialistic messianism went hand by hand with this "inevitable worldwide victory of the working class". Guess how that was to be achieved after WWII (hint: they actually already tried it after WWI in Poland, but luckily they were crushed in the Polish-Soviet war).

[@pumpkinhill4570]

What's America then? It perceives of itself as the "shining city on the hill" and the center of all freedom in the world, sometimes as the only place that is truly free. Biden was just quoted as saying that every other leader of every other country wants to trade places with him. America definitely has a messianic aspect to its core belief system, and runs around the world either through military invasions or extreme economic pressures to try and compel every other country on Earth to follow it.

[@nascosta1965]

Finally, one episode we can finally disagree on. It's not a huge point, but at least it's something. I can understand why so many people cared about Worf''s story in this one. Same as the reason that such a large portion of your video was about these four scenes he appeared in. Worf's story is the real dilemma in this episode. When you watched this episode, did you have any doubt what would happen to Geordi? Did you have any doubt whether or not the Romulan would come around? Even any doubt whether the Romulan ship would fire on them and revive the war with the Federation? I seriously doubt it. Now let's talk about Worf. Did you think Worf would let that Romulan die? We both seem to agree that it was pretty obvious that Worf was awaiting that order, so why wouldn't Picard give him that way out? I expected it as much as Worf seemed to. First Riker's talk, then Picard... I thought he might actually change his mind. There might be a chance. If not, surely Picard would give the order not just to give Worf a way out, but to also prevent further escalation of what was (portrayed to be) a tense situation. Like I said, you seemed so surprised that people really wanted to talk about Worf in this episode. As much as I loved Geordi's entire performance I really didn't feel any doubt about how it would progress.

[@zvimur]

What confuses me is that Tomalak doesn't know which Romulan died on board the Enterprise. I think. He maintained the lie that only 1 Romulan was on planet.

[@Redshirt434]

So...why did no one think to use a shuttlecraft to save Geordi?

[@zuzoscorner]

The creepy part of thsi is..that line about a blind infant not bieng killed...um...appeerntly it not legal to kill a newborn if it has a majoor defect or something...i mean WTF!

[@quicksilvertongue3248]

@Lorerunner - So is THIS the episode you described as seminal TNG in the TOS finale?

[@Lorerunner]

No, as stated I really did mean Survivor.

[@quicksilvertongue3248]

@@Lorerunner then you mean The Survivors, as that's the Kevin Uxbridge show; The Survivor is the Animated Series episode with Winston Carter.

[@corssecurity]

Yeah it was two years ago but I enjoy political thrillers. Morality play. Intrigue and yes not revealing what exactly the Romulans were up to exactly. What are they thinking. They aren't ready for all out war. There are dynamics within the Romulan people. Different factions, even the Jolan free movement, The Tal Shiar, the military and the political force all want a strong empire but how to do it at what costs. There are those who have lost loved ones in the century of open warfare the cold war. A story from the NSA. A fifteen minute ceremony, somber secular. Coffee and cake, a new gold star on a wall of remembrance. No names. A notation of valour entered in to a filing cabinet and that's all that will ever be acknowledged over the death of an operative. Starfleet intelegence doesn't spy? Hasn't lost operatives? Picard wouldn't have operational knowledge of specific operations, but if the average citizen could speculate, he would know of a certainty that operations are happening. How bad does Starfleet want war? We will note the incursion and probably use it in negotiations in future. As Wil the Romulans.

[@nuck97]

I have a hard time getting behind Picard's pacificity in this episode. If I understood the dialogue correctly, the Romulans are discovered 0.5 light years BEYOND the Neutral Zone, INSIDE Federation space. Not only does Picard reluctantly accept their excuse of a navigational error, he allows them to leave at the end of the episode with NO idea of what they were really doing on Galorndon Core. My question is, if the Romulans were found here, where ELSE are they? About the only one who made any sense in this episode was Worf if you ask me.

[@TheRetrostorian]

Picard has a fatal flaw, he is overly diplomatic. He believes as a rule all wounds can be cured via words and chess moves. In this situation though, blowing up a romulan vessel in spite of them being in the wrong neighborhood, that's war. Idk how excited I would be to be the man that started that war. Picard has an interest in history, and he will be remembered for his actions and he has the unique benefit of knowing that's true. These are things that stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, and churchill were also aware of. And respectively in relation to picard how did they utilize that knowledge. Food for thought.

[@joluoto]

The problem: technobabble, the solution: technobabble. Star Trek in a nutshell.

[@rmsgrey]

TNG era was when they started having a separate team to write the technobabble, so scripts would come in with literally things like "we need to [tech]" - pretty much the opposite of science fiction...

[@danielyeshe]

I have always wondered what Worf would have done if the Romulan had said: “Are you going to help me, Klingon?” Rather than what he said about preferring to die.