Devil's Due

[TrekToday]

Plot Summary: A distress call brings the Enterprise to the Ventaxian system, where several Federation scientists have been taken hostage by a group of panicked natives. The one scientist rescued by the crew, Dr. Clark, explains that the Ventaxians believe the legendary Ardra has returned to enslave their planet after granting them a thousand years of peace. When Picard beams down to negotiate the release of the hostages with the help of Ventaxian leader Jared, Ardra appears and announces that the planet belongs to her now. Picard becomes outraged when she triggers quakes, changes form into various incarnations of the devil, and intimates that she desires him. He sends Data to study the scrolls outlining the agreement between Ardra and the Ventaxians and asks LaForge to figure out her power source. Data's examination of the contract reveals that it appears to be valid under Ventaxian law...and worse, that because the Enterprise was in orbit when Ardra returned, she has a legal claim on the ship as well. Meanwhile Ardra sets to work trying to seduce Picard, appearing in his quarters and transforming into Deanna Troi before sending him to the planet in his pyjamas. To give LaForge time to track Ardra's power source, Picard invokes Ventaxian law and demands an arbitrator to rule on the validity of Ardra's claim. Ardra chooses Data to take on that role, though she insists that Picard must willingly become her love slave if she wins. Picard learns from Jared that the mythical Ardra did not, in fact, transform the planet; the Ventaxians did that themselves after agreeing to follow her instructions that they become peaceful and prosperous. Even so, Data is inclined to believe that because Jared accepts this Ardra as the historical Ardra, the contract is valid. But LaForge finds the ship that gives Ardra her powers and prevents her from accessing it, while at the same time allowing Picard to produce quakes and change his form. Having proved this Ardra to be a phony, Picard has her taken into custody and assures Jared that the Ventaxians have proven able to govern themselves without supernatural meddling.

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To read the full reviews, please click here.

[Del Coro]

"What's my motivation?" is not the Method, but thanks for playing.

[DeafPoet]

*sigh*

After weeks upon weeks of fair reviews by MEG I suppose her ridiculous political agenda was bound to surface eventually.

Except this time it doesn't even make sense. The episode is sexist because Picard doesn't bang Ardra like the pathogenically sexist Kirk would? Please.

She's looking for controversy in an episode that provokes none and doesn't even try.

Also, I thought it was pretty good. Far from "terrible" as she states.

[DorkBoy [TM]]

Hehe - I agree. I have always enjoyed this one as well.

It's cheesy, and it sort of has a TOS "vibe" to it. (Which isn't too surprising considering it was a Phase 2 script.) In my book, that is what makes this episode so much fun.

Lots and lots of great quotes, too.

[JNG]

The episode is sexist why again? Virtually no episodes focus on the motivations of the villain to the degree MEG appears to be suggesting, but I don't understand how this makes it sexist. It isn't as if there were a male villain in the same episode who was depicted with more depth or something. I really don't understand this assertion.

[Lord Garth]

I discovered Star Trek in early-1991 and this has the honor of being the first new episode I ever watched.

[Geck]

I've always hated this episode, but just because it sucks, not because it's allegedly sexist.

[AntonyF]

I found this epsiode enjoyable fun. I'd never thought about much deeper because it's played as pretty much a fun episode throughout. Sometimes not everything has to be complicated or deep.

Sexist? I don't see this, and I feel I'm missing something in the review backing this up.

And again I don't see the episode as looking down on faith. Trek is full of diverse races, some who are religious, some not, and some who are nieve. This one is nieve and impressed by what is obviously impressive technology. If earthquakes are racking your world, you're going to be scared of the person that's doing it.

And to echo Dorkboy, with all the talk of TOS I'm surprised that MEG didn't note this was a script from the aborted Star Trek Phase 2 -- to an extent, it is out of its time.

[Dane_Whitman]

Fun episode!

"The advocate will refrain from making his opponent disappear".

[Mutai Sho-Rin]

I put it in the "Guilty Pleasure" category. It certainly doesn't advance the character development of the principals very much but it is just plain FUN.

[AntonyF]

Dane_Whitman wrote:

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"The advocate will refrain from making his opponent disappear".

That's the one.Thank you! I vaguely remembered some line amusing me, and the quotes mentioned so far weren't ringing any bells.

But you got it, that's the one that I loved.

[Broccoli]

Get this woman a proofreader, stat!

[James Bond]

How does this woman still manage to write reviews on this site?

Just utterly terrible.

[Dennis]

It's worth noting that this is one of the two TNG episodes based upon teleplays originally written for "Star Trek: Phase II." It's considerably better than the "Phase II" version.

It would have been more fun if Ardra at some point had taken the form of Al Gore.

[QuasarVM]

I liked Devil's Due...good one!

I also like Dennis' idea of Ardra turning into Algore...LOL!!!

[Saxman1]

Ardra was HOT and this ep was fun. It doesn't all have to be BIG ISSUE OF THE WEEK!

MEG seems to get hot under the collar any time heterosexual relations don't involve a dominating female and a male weakly agreeing to whatever she wants. She must have an interesting home life. Ugh!

[Kail]

I enjoyed this episode. I rememeber being struck by the set design. Cool.

[USS Intrepid]

In a well-told story, Ardra would be far more complicated than just some greedy woman trying to rip off an entire population for personal glory

Because in real life nobody could possibly be that shallow......