TNG Rewatch: 5x25 - "The Inner Light"
- Thread starter Trekker4747
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It's possible to like the episode "in a bottle" as everything that happens in it is very well done while at the same time realizing what the aliens did to Picard, in terms of him being a real person living a real life, is kind-of fucked up.
They were billions and he is only one. In time of war, your government sacrifices the lives of hundreds, thousands of soldiers so that you could live comfortable lives. The soldiers have no choice, if they refuse they are tried and executed and their families are disgraced. What they did to picard is insignificant in comparison. If you want to be outraged about something, choose the former not the latter.
The entire episode revolves around Picard having his mind temporarily taken over and him "interacting" with the people who did it. Instead of being portrayed as "evil", they're portrayed as "good", and Picard responds accordingly and further, holds no ill will. Arguing it was some kind of intentional assault flies in the face of how the episode played out. A more reasonable argument is that they just did what they could in the time they had. It's not the greatest premise but it's serviceable for the episode. I simply accepted it as by the numbers trek alien mind weirdness. For me to accept this rape or assault theory, then I would have to reject the episode.
It's funny how this is being made out to be as bad as Locutus...
It's funny how this is being made out to be as bad as Locutus...
Yes, personally I find that appalling.
It's like a woman drowning, she's about to die, her lungs filled with water, a man jumps in the water in order to save her, he gets her out of there and since she's no longer breathing, he gives her mouth to mouth and chest compression.
The woman sues the man for sexual harassment.
This is no different from all this incessant complaining.
It was still an experience FORCED on Picard without his consent and, by the way, something he HAD to experience since removing him from it was potentially fatal.
Picard also saw 5 lights too. Does that mean there were 5 lights?
Not necessarily reject, but question, absolutely. I also question the surface portrayal of Jellico being a poor captain based solely on how he is received in that episode. What are we here doing if not to question some of the stuff that goes on in these episodes? The good ones demand we do so
As bad? No. Bad? Yes. Despite how Picard feels in the end from having to cope. That's why I long ago compared his reaction to Stockholm Syndrome. He chooses to accept & value them as a coping mechanism. What choice did he have? For all intents & purposes, they took his life away from him. That he ends up relenting, because it's so long a time, is beside the point
The subject is worthy of debate that's for sure, and could have used some follow up episode exploring it. I do think that hating the aliens in this episode because they "violated" Picard would be similar to hating Q for throwing the Enterprise towards the Borg getting ~18 crewmen killed, even though it prepared the Federation.
You can like something, yet still see the flaws in it.
No actual starship captains where harmed in the making of this episode.
^
You've really jumped the shark here.
Yeah, it was forced and his life was potentially at risk. But as Picard might ask, what if was by accident and not by design?
You've really jumped the shark here.
Another stretch. Jellico was part of a larger story. Here, the mind takeover IS the story.
Instead of watching the scenes showing a harmonious race living out their last days with dignity and doing what they could to be remembered, we instead should view them as duplicitous rapists. You can't have it both ways.
Yes of course you can. But it's odd in the other thread on this episode, your entire reason for not liking it was because of the "rape". If that premise is accepted, then the conclusion follows logically. In that I agree.
Yeah, but some here strongly believe otherwise.
^Odd...if I were to get involved in this debate, I'd be pretty much on your side of the fence...yet one of the guys on the other side recognizes that what's being so hotly debated is a fictional event involving a fictional character.
If you know any actual starship captains, I'm sure that many here would be very interested to know more.
If you know any actual starship captains, I'm sure that many here would be very interested to know more.
Yes I know of an "actual" starship captain and he happens to live next door to an "actual" Napoleon Bonaparte.
They even have the same orderly....
Actually, anyone that has been here for any amount of time knows my biggest gripe with the episode: its insanely boring. I could still like the episode if it was entertaining, but its not. Not in my opinion.
That's some kind of quantum singularity!
Has anyone presented the "rape theory" to Patrick Stewart? I'd be interested in his thoughts on the premise.
I am not sure why it should matter, Picard is the interpreter of the story not its author.
I remember when they asked David Duchovny about some possible development of the show (Xfiles). His response was: "I don't know, they (the writers) haven't told me yet."
I didn't say it would matter, just that I'd be interested to hear his thoughts. You know, since he was there and all.
Comparing Patrick Stewart and David Duchovny as actors? Hey, if it works for you, it works for me.
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