Relics: Saw it again

[EnriqueH]

I expected to like it because of Scotty, but I hadn't seen it in a while and I think it was one of my favorite TNG episodes.

It was painful to see Scotty going through some of those growing pains at this point in his life---trying to be useful, but being in the way. Telling war stories nobody wants to hear.

Wow, I was kinda overwhelmed with grief to see this character I liked a lot to go through this.

Doohan sold it.

And throughout the episode, I felt a slight melancholy. Not just because of what Scotty was going though but because Doohan was doing such a wonderful job that it made me sad that he wasn't utilized even more during TOS and the films.

I must have seen the holodeck Enterprise scene a million times, but it still brings a tear to my eye.

But later, it was gratifying to see the smile on his face and the exaltation of seeing him find another mission where he could be of use. That's one thing about Scotty, he wore his emotions on his sleeve.

If I could change ONE thing about this episode, it would be that I would've liked to have seen Scotty share a drink with Worf and putting his apprehensiveness towards Klingons behind him.

But by the end, I felt good about the way we said goodbye to Scotty, our old friend. He left on a high note. With a smile on his face, and his head held high, I know he eventually found his way to Norpin V...

Aye.

 

[Mutai Sho-Rin]

I remember my great surprise when the transporter was energized and out pops Scotty. One of the best surprise moments of all TNG.

 

[RAMA]

Ironic Scotty's best moments were on STNG

 

[ALF]

One of my all time rewatches of TNG ever. I think the week it originally broadcast, I'd rewatched it on VHS three times at least! One of the finest of TNG for sure. The friction between LaForge and Scotty was both written and executed brilliantly. As well as the Picard/Scotty chat on the holodeck.

 

[Timo]

...I loved the fact that Scotty still gave Worf a wide berth in the farewell scene. Some things can change, others just plain can't!

What felt wrong was seeing our TNG heroes start to leave the shuttlebay after letting Scotty into his birthday present. Surely Scotty wasn't going to sail out that very second? And surely this would have been an excellent moment for Scotty and LaForge to bond further, as they examine the spacecraft and discuss not just past and present but the future as well?

Yes, LaForge is the last to remain. But he isn't following Scotty into the shuttlecraft even as the end credits roll. Just felt wrong somehow, dumping the old man like that after all was said and done.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[DonIago]

My only real issues with the episode involve the almost total non-event that the Dyson Sphere becomes.

 

[Timo]

Then again, trying to "solve" or even "experience" something that's probably larger than the whole Federation (in terms of square miles of Class M estate) would be somewhat futile...

Timo Saloniemi

 

[TV's Frank]

My only real issues with the episode involve the almost total non-event that the Dyson Sphere becomes.

Yes, I think in the commentary track Ron Moore mentions how the kind of didn't come close to fully exploring this really neat SF idea on this episode and he wishes they could've built another episode around it.

 

[The Master of Tarquin Hill]

Dyson Sphere = Awesome!

It was nice to see a depiction of one having read the Ringworld books years before.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

That's too bad that they've decided to make the inside uninhabitable though.

 

[BillJ]

Ironic Scotty's best moments were on STNG

Well, if you discount "A Taste of Armageddon", "Friday's Child" and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, among many great moments from TOS. Then I guess you're right.

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

I don't get why Scotty looked at Worf this way. After all, he was at Khitomer when they signed the accords.

 

[Timo]

...So he got a close look at the enemy they had finally vanquished, and didn't like what he saw a bit. And now he learns said scum is infiltrating Starfleet! I can understand the poor fellow just fine.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

...So he got a close look at the enemy they had finally vanquished, and didn't like what he saw a bit. And now he learns said scum is infiltrating Starfleet! I can understand the poor fellow just fine.

Timo Saloniemi

They didn't vanquish anyone at Khitomer (except the bad guys on both sides), they signed peace accords after Kirk and Azetbur affirmed their mutual respect.

Have you seen that movie?

 

[Timo]

The Klingons were a dying race, hoist to their own moon-sized petard. Their leader wanted to surrender. Surprise, surprise, he got killed by his own folks. To no avail - his daughter completed the surrender.

Yup, saw that one. "Mutual respect", my ass. If anything, the events confirmed Scotty's long-standing belief that the only good Klingon is a good one. Gorkon, say.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

The Klingons were a dying race, hoist to their own moon-sized petard. Their leader wanted to surrender. Surprise, surprise, he got killed by his own folks. To no avail - his daughter completed the surrender.

Yup, saw that one. "Mutual respect", my ass. If anything, the events confirmed Scotty's long-standing belief that the only good Klingon is a good one. Gorkon, say.

Timo Saloniemi

You're giving a badly distorted version of what happened. First of all he wasn't killed by his own people but by rogue elements on both sides who became allies for the occasion. The elements in questions were arrested in the end before they could kill the president of the federation to the satisfaction of both the members of the federation and the Klingon present in the room.

You're sure you've seen that movie?

 

[Timo]

Yup. Klingons killed Gorkon (along with other folks), no mistake about that. Feds came to gloat at Khitomer. Another assassination was averted, and gloating could proceed. It's not as if anything actually changed there: the Homeworld was still going to die of ozone poisoning unless the Klingons surrendered to the UFP and accepted their humanitarian (raciiiiiiist!) help. So Azetbuhr signed. And Scotty could join the gloating.

It's in ST5:TFF that our heroes have reason to be thankful to (select few) Klingons who really had the drop on them yet chose instead to assist. But General Korrd probably died of shame (that's what they call it if the dagger sticking from his chest isn't his own) two weeks later, and by the start of the next movie, everybody hates the Klingons again. And nothing in that movie really ought to convince them to change their ways.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Kobayshi Maru]

Yup. Klingons killed Gorkon (along with other folks), no mistake about that. Feds came to gloat at Khitomer. Another assassination was averted, and gloating could proceed. It's not as if anything actually changed there: the Homeworld was still going to die of ozone poisoning unless the Klingons surrendered to the UFP and accepted their humanitarian (raciiiiiiist!) help. So Azetbuhr signed. And Scotty could join the gloating.

It's in ST5:TFF that our heroes have reason to be thankful to (select few) Klingons who really had the drop on them yet chose instead to assist. But General Korrd probably died of shame (that's what they call it if the dagger sticking from his chest isn't his own) two weeks later, and by the start of the next movie, everybody hates the Klingons again. And nothing in that movie really ought to convince them to change their ways.

Timo Saloniemi

Yet peace between the klingons and the fed has lasted from Khitomer up until the events on DS9, IE for more than eighty years. I'll say that those were pretty good accords. Usually when raging enemies, as in the middle east, make peace that doesn't last more than a few days and then the fighting resumes.

 

[Ghrakh]

Ironic Scotty's best moments were on STNG

Agree.

Just felt wrong somehow, dumping the old man like that after all was said and done.

C'mon, what were they supposed to do? Keep him on display in the conference room so people could get autographs? Picard offered to help Scotty get up to date on the tech but Scotty declined. They gave him a shuttle so he could continue on to his retirement. I admit the ending was a bit rushed but that was an issue with a lot of TNG episodes.

My only real issues with the episode involve the almost total non-event that the Dyson Sphere becomes.

And take focus away from Scotty? Boy, imagine the backlash...

Ironic Scotty's best moments were on STNG

Well, if you discount "A Taste of Armageddon", "Friday's Child" and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, among many great moments from TOS. Then I guess you're right.

Um, except that in Relics the entire episode was pretty much about him. Everyone else, even Picard, was downplayed (except Geordi but that was a given). Scotty had more presence than a Dyson Sphere.

 

[Timo]

Yet peace between the klingons and the fed has lasted from Khitomer up until the events on DS9, IE for more than eighty years.

Funnily enough, it didn't seem to be much of a peace: these supposed "allies" were raiding UFP outposts as a matter of course until nine years prior to "Aquiel"!

Doesn't mean the treaty was worth nothing. How could it be, with the triumphant UFP dancing on the future graves of the Klingons until the Praxis damage was finally undone (or the Homeworld relocated?)...? Surely the Klingons had to behave, or else.

C'mon, what were they supposed to do? Keep him on display in the conference room so people could get autographs?

Yeah, wouldn't work too well. I only meant that the end scene should have featured LaForge sharing that final experience with Scotty at a more buddy-buddy physical distance, and only abandoning him to his future adventures once the camera crew had departed.

Timo Saloniemi