Now that was a cliffhanger if I've ever seen one. We're getting closer to finally figuring out what Jack actually is and it seems like we're getting some answers next week. And of course, the real question is, how damning that answer would be to Beverly. I feel a twist coming about Jack being genetically engineered at Daystrom Station from Picard's DNA and who knows what else (Borg technology? Morphogenic enzymes?), and Beverly having found, freed and hidden him, raising him as her own. Maybe he was Section 31's insurance against the changelings, or maybe he was an improvement upon Project Proteus after it was deemed a failure, perhaps because the "results" were too liable to hate solids?
Vadic's story about her kind was shockingly haunting and gut-wrenching, and it even gave us a return to form for Section 31 after their, let's say, Marvelification in the Abrams movies and Discovery. Gone is the comic book-like, not-so-secret secret security organization with the flashy, cool gadgets, and we've returned to the genocidally ruthless, completely amoral and dangerously self-confident, self-appointed defenders of the Federation that nobody ever asked for, whose unshakeable conviction that they are always right, that the ends always justify the means and that they can commit no mistakes ever inevitably ends up in bringing the entire galaxy into potential ruin. It makes perfect sense that something like Vadic and her kind were created; after all, Section 31 surely experimented a lot on captured changelings until they perfected their virus, Odo's genetic samples and Mora Pol's research couldn't have been the only things they had.
The question that remains for me is what Vadic's exact plan was today, or if she even had one and didn't just go along with whatever opportunities she saw. She was awfully serene throughout her entire captivity in the force field, as though she knew she'd end up winning anyway. Was Lore really simply someone who enjoyed the chaos as Geordi said, or was he actually working together with her since Daystrom? He seemed to be able to take over the ship rather easily even when he was supposed to be deactivated simply because he was plugged in, so he might have been the one who let Vadic take Picard's body in the first place. Anyhow, a huge kudos for Brent Spiner for once again effortlessly switching back and forth between the two Soong brothers, easily slipping back into both roles like he never stopped playing them, he was an absolute delight.
Random musings:
Vadic's story about her kind was shockingly haunting and gut-wrenching, and it even gave us a return to form for Section 31 after their, let's say, Marvelification in the Abrams movies and Discovery. Gone is the comic book-like, not-so-secret secret security organization with the flashy, cool gadgets, and we've returned to the genocidally ruthless, completely amoral and dangerously self-confident, self-appointed defenders of the Federation that nobody ever asked for, whose unshakeable conviction that they are always right, that the ends always justify the means and that they can commit no mistakes ever inevitably ends up in bringing the entire galaxy into potential ruin. It makes perfect sense that something like Vadic and her kind were created; after all, Section 31 surely experimented a lot on captured changelings until they perfected their virus, Odo's genetic samples and Mora Pol's research couldn't have been the only things they had.
The question that remains for me is what Vadic's exact plan was today, or if she even had one and didn't just go along with whatever opportunities she saw. She was awfully serene throughout her entire captivity in the force field, as though she knew she'd end up winning anyway. Was Lore really simply someone who enjoyed the chaos as Geordi said, or was he actually working together with her since Daystrom? He seemed to be able to take over the ship rather easily even when he was supposed to be deactivated simply because he was plugged in, so he might have been the one who let Vadic take Picard's body in the first place. Anyhow, a huge kudos for Brent Spiner for once again effortlessly switching back and forth between the two Soong brothers, easily slipping back into both roles like he never stopped playing them, he was an absolute delight.
Random musings:
- How did the changelings know biographical details about Tuvok like playing Kal-Toh with Seven? Did they have some leverage over him to get the information, was it simply a good, old-fashioned mind probe, or did they play the long game, being false friends and worming themselves into his confidence by pretending to be a Starfleet subordinate and building up a pleasant working relationship under false pretenses before making their move and replacing him? Maybe that's why Janeway and the others have changeling "handlers" as well?
- Did Dr. Mora contribute to Project Proteus in any capacity? I sure hope not; IIRC he was originally supposed to be revealed as having worked with Section 31 on the changeling virus before the idea was scrapped. If he wasn't a part of it but his research was still used, I wonder how he would've felt about it if he had learned.
- After seeing the changelings take the bridge, I couldn't help but think back of Jack's nightmare about killing the bridge crew. Maybe it was a premonition about him killing the changelings masquerading as them?
- What leverage does the Face have on Vadic and the others? Is he one of the Founders wanting to take revenge on the Federation and keeping her in check with promises of joining the Link? In that case, I would find it ironic and very much in character for the Dominion if it turned out that he knew all along that the genetic modifications resulting from Project Proteus actually make her and her crew incompatible with "pure" Founders.
- However, he seemed to have a level of contempt for her kind. Is it simply because he sees them as a devolved, half-solid mockery of his people, or is he something different completely?
