Spoilers Star Trek: Picard 1x06 - "The Impossible Box"

[Greg Cox]

When Hugh says the XBs traded one queen for another and this one is Romulan, I wonder if he meant that figuratively or literally. Did he mean the Romulan people were now their "queen", or was he referring to an individual? Sela?
Probably figurative, at least I hope so. I always fucking hated Sela.

Pretty sure he was just speaking metaphorically, comparing the Romulans to the Borg Queen. "We have a new 'queen' now" as in "we used to have a queen, now we have the Romulans. Same difference."

It's like that bit in The Ten Commandments where Edgar G. Robinson mocks Moses by comparing him to Pharaoh. "It seems we have a new pharaoh now."

Hugh was not literally saying that the Romulans have a queen, just the the ex-Borgs have a new ruler.

 

[Kevman7987]

Pretty sure he was just speaking metaphorically, comparing the Romulans to the Borg Queen. "We have a new 'queen' now" as in "we used to be have a queen, now we have the Romulans. Same difference."

It's like that bit in The Ten Commandments where Edgar G. Robinson mocks Moses by comparing him to Pharaoh. "It seems we have a new pharaoh now."

Hugh was not literally saying that the Romulans have a queen, just the the ex-Borgs have a new ruler.

"Pharaoh Yamses, let my pickles go!" - Veggietales Moses probably

I hope Picard does successfully advocate for the freedom of the XBs in the Federation. I'd hate to think of Hugh & his brethren trapped under the yoke of Romulan oppression.

 

[Yistaan]

Picard has no standing in the Federation to advocate for anything really, anymore. That was the whole point of the first few episodes.

 

[zenophite]

Good episode that kept my interest throughout. The main points:

• Seeing Hugh's reunion with Picard was a genuinely well done and moving little moment.
• Speaking of Hugh - I hope he is a continuing presence on the show.
• Elnor is becoming my favorite character despite the small part he has overall - I hope they keep him and develop the character further.
• Raffi has continued to improve as a character as well. Cabrera is simply a good charismatic presence.
• Even Soji and the wonder twins didn't annoy me as much this time.
  
• The only character I frankly don't care for at this point is Jurati - but then again she's a traitor so maybe some just desserts are in the future for her.
• Even Soji and the Wonder Twins didn't annoy me as much this time...I'm shocked.

At this stage I will say that I believe the first 3 or 4 episodes did a genuine disservice to this show by being so slow and drawn out. There really was no need for it to be so plodding and we could have easily trimmed the backstory and exposition down to 2 episodes. Don't get me wrong, I'm one to enjoy a good slow burn when it fits the atmosphere of a story- I loved it in Counterpart for example - but for this show it didn't do it any favors.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

During Picard's last scene on the ship, before he beamed over to the cube, did they play some TNG-esque music?

I heard the TOS theme at one point.

 

[Kevman7987]

Picard has no standing in the Federation to advocate for anything really, anymore. That was the whole point of the first few episodes.

He will after he uncovers a massive conspiracy between a Romulan & Federation cabal that resulted in the razing of Mars and the subsequent loss of billions of Romulan lives.

 

[Photoman15]

I didn't like how familiarly that one XB addressed Picard as Locutus. Next to the Queen, Picard was basically his boss. That was very unprofessional.

The Borg have no "boss". The queen was just a major node that directed (and vocalized for the audience) the Borg's collective decision(s).

I thought Picard would run into someone from his crew (First Contact) that was assimilated. That would be AWWWWKWARD.

 

[Racefuel]

"You imply disparity where none exists, I *am* the collective"

 

[Yistaan]

He will after he uncovers a massive conspiracy between a Romulan & Federation cabal that resulted in the destruction of Utopia Planitia and the subsequent loss of billions of Romulan lives.

Considering the tone of this show, I have no doubt it will be covered up and Picard will never be able to prove it.

 

[Racefuel]

I thought Picard would run into someone from his crew (First Contact) that was assimilated. That would be AWWWWKWARD.

And would be met with gnashing of teeth because all those Borg bit the dust when the the Queen and her localized collective both melted.

 

[Kevman7987]

The Borg have no "boss". The queen was just a major node that directed (and vocalized for the audience) the Borg's collective decision(s).

I thought Picard would run into someone from his crew (First Contact) that was assimilated. That would be AWWWWKWARD.

Ooh, one of the crew abducted in Q Who.

 

[thribs]

Ooh, one of the crew abducted in Q Who.

That happened in the novel Greater than the Sum. A former female crew member who was assimilated and later falls in love with Hugh.

 

[Yistaan]

That happened in the novel Greater than the Sum. A former female crew member who was assimilated and later falls in love with Hugh.

Hugh's life sounds more exciting in the novels

 

[Anters]

Stop with the spoiler tags! Unless you know something about the actual show, your personal theories aren't spoilers. They're speculation. If they turn out to be correct, that's a fluke, not clairvoyance.

My understanding is that we are to use the spoilers tag for up to 2 weeks after an episode has aired, if our post reveals ANYTHING about that episode. Given people tend to speculate after they've watched the latest episode, then these personal theories are 'spoilers' according to the rules of BBS.

 

[thribs]

Hugh's life sounds more exciting in the novels

Not really.

Spoiler: Spoiler

He dies shortly afterwards.

 

[Tracer Bullet]

So what surprise guest star are they keeping back? They must have kept someone back... right?

 

[Hythlodeus]

So what surprise guest star are they keeping back? They must have kept someone back... right?

Kes

 

[Yistaan]

So what surprise guest star are they keeping back? They must have kept someone back... right?

Picard: Mr. Worf, you have a lot of explaining to do.

Worf: You dishonorable d'blok! First you try to evacuate the Romulan jagh who murdered my family!

Picard: Mr. Worf, surely after all these years you can't hold all Romulans responsible for...

Worf: Then you hire Tal Shiar spies to work in your vineyard! Spies who ordered the Khitomer massacre!

Picard: Hmm, I guess Laris and Zhaban did neglect to mention that part of their careers...

Worf: So I reprogrammed the androids to wipe out your Romulan "rescue" fleet, and ensured all Romulans would die the dishonorable deaths they deserve! And now, I will kill you where you stand!

 

[Anters]

What easter eggs did you spot in this episode?

I’ve spotted an easter egg guaranteed not to be spotted by anyone else, because it requires a knowledge of ancient Chinese ceramic glazes, which I just happen to have studied at university. If I’m correct it links Soji with Dr Soong.

On Soji’s desk is a blue plastic box with an old book sitting on top of a blue Chinese ceramic dish. That style of dish and glaze (in particular) was typical of the ceramic wares produced during the Chinese Song (Soong/Sung) Dynasty (960-1279 CE).

Specifically, it looks like a Jun ceramic brushwasher used by Chinese painters and calligraphers. This is appropriate given the artworks and easel in her room, however there are no brushes, so perhaps this is just a 37 month-old heirloom.

Here’s an example:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/683383635/song-dynasty-jun-ware-style-celadon

 

[DarKush]

Well, in-universe "Encounter At Farpoint" and "Nemesis" are 15 years apart. Like DS9 and VOY modeling their 7 seasons after TNG, maybe Captain Worf is just copying the term of his predecessor.



"Nemesis" already ruined that ambassador ending for us. It's interesting...



...for me, of all the things I hate about "Nemesis", the single thing I may hate the most is how casually and pointlessly it ruins Worf's wrap-up on DS9. I thought him becoming the Federation Ambassador to Qo'Nos was such a deeply satisfying arc closure. I just loved it. After all his conflicted push-pull with the Feds and the Klingons over the years, Worf finally got to go home and live among other Klingons, but also keep his connections to both worlds. To me, it was a PERFECT resolution of the Worf story, I couldn't imagine a better ending for him.

And then Nemesis blows it to hell, for no apparent reason other than... storytelling laziness? The movie begins with the damn wedding, just say Ambassador Worf has traveled to attend that, and then he's on the ship and the rest of the movie can unfold in the same exact way! All it would have taken is one line and a different costume for Worf.

Truly, it pisses me off more than Data's death, and everything else wrong with that movie. I would be thrilled if "Picard" can unfuck that and give us a better final appearance of Worf.

Loved this weeks "Picard" episode! Possibly my favorite so far.

I've long thought the same thing about Worf being at the wedding, while still being an ambassador, in Nemesis for a longtime. There was no reason for him to be back on the Enterprise. He could've just hitched a ride on the Enterprise as a guest for the second part of the wedding on Betazed and then joins the action at either Picard's behest or his own. That being said,

Spoiler

I do like the idea of Worf as captain of the Enterprise, that I've read in Last Best Hope.

I mean, Worf barely acted like he normally would've. No way the old, normal Worf, would've let Shinzon, carrying a dagger no less, get that close to Picard on Romulus. Giving that role of protector to Data, while it does 'pay off' at the end, just didn't feel in character for Worf. Though Nemesis also gave Riker the 'eulogy' for Data that should've been Geordi's.