Does Picard have a thing for damaged women?
- Thread starter steveman
- Start date
How so? I assume you refer to his assimilation? He met at least 50% of the women on that list before he was assimilated.
Now that you bring it up he kind of did. Now I'm just trying to remember Vash, Nella Darren, and Janice Manheim.
I never noticed that . . .
Perhaps, but no more so than Kirk was.
Couse, I don't think he "had a thing" for Yar, Ro, or Guinan.
Couse, I don't think he "had a thing" for Yar, Ro, or Guinan.
Did they take her eyebrows, too?
Fair enough. Perhaps it’s more apt to say that he was “drawn” to them.
It’s clear with Guinan and Crusher that Picard wasn’t just drawn to them, but was romantically interested in them as well. We all know about Picard and Crusher’s history, and Picard and Guinan have both remarked that their relationship went “beyond friendship.”
(Obviously, this isn’t an explicit admission that they were ever involved romantically. But it’s nebulous enough that the possibility cannot be ruled out.)
As for Yar and Ro… nothing we’ve seen on-screen would lead us to conclude that Picard’s interest in them went beyond just helping them get their lives on-track. But it’s impossible to say what Picard was feeling on the inside. Given his history with Crusher and Guinan, it’s not inconceivable that, on some level, Picard was attracted to Yar and Ro.
I think this kind of reading of Picard’s relationships with Yar and Ro is actually kind of intriguing. I don’t think Picard was a creep or trying to take advantage of these women, because that’s simply not the man we know. But I do think that Picard was drawn to a certain type of woman (someone who’s experienced some sort of trauma in life and would benefit from the calm, steady, reassuring presence that Picard could provide) and that Yar and Ro both fit that description, as do Guinan and Crusher.
Obviously, all the women that Picard was involved with don’t fit this description (like Vash, Nella Daren, etc.) but I think that he was connected to enough women that do fit it that it does reveal something about Picard, as a character.
Well, he was Captain of a ship that had roughly a thousand people onboard, and roughly half those people were female in at least some form or another. If he took zero interest in the personal lives of his female crew, what sort of Captain would he be?
Crusher, sure. But, I don't believe that it was ever touched upon that Picard was physically attracted to Guinan. Yes, she was apparently attracted to him, but I never got that he reciprocated those feelings. He certainly trusted her as an advisor and confidant. But, I just don't see the rest of it. Sure, Guinan once said that "[their] relationship went beyond friendship and beyond family..." but that could literally mean just about anything. If you feel that must mean romance, I agree that it's possible that at some point in Picard's past, they may have shared something, but by the time Guinan came onboard the E-D that time had past. And she never told him how in his future he would save her life back on Earth in the 19th Century, which is why she developed feelings for him.
Yar and Ro had the fact at least that they simply were attractive humanoid females going for them. Regardless of how Picard felt about them on the inside, he was about 20 years older than either of them and was their Captain. Any romantic feelings he might have towards them had he would deem to be completely improper.
Instead, I think he came to think of them (Ro especially) as daughters that he'd never have otherwise.
A woman who had gone unmentioned in this thread thusfar is Anji, and Picard pointedly said he was attracted to her.
What about Kamala?
I think there are more examples of Picard pursuing non-damaged women than as you say "damaged goods".
Crusher, sure. But, I don't believe that it was ever touched upon that Picard was physically attracted to Guinan. Yes, she was apparently attracted to him, but I never got that he reciprocated those feelings. He certainly trusted her as an advisor and confidant. But, I just don't see the rest of it. Sure, Guinan once said that "[their] relationship went beyond friendship and beyond family..." but that could literally mean just about anything. If you feel that must mean romance, I agree that it's possible that at some point in Picard's past, they may have shared something, but by the time Guinan came onboard the E-D that time had past. And she never told him how in his future he would save her life back on Earth in the 19th Century, which is why she developed feelings for him.
Yar and Ro had the fact at least that they simply were attractive humanoid females going for them. Regardless of how Picard felt about them on the inside, he was about 20 years older than either of them and was their Captain. Any romantic feelings he might have towards them had he would deem to be completely improper.
Instead, I think he came to think of them (Ro especially) as daughters that he'd never have otherwise.
A woman who had gone unmentioned in this thread thusfar is Anji, and Picard pointedly said he was attracted to her.
What about Kamala?
I think there are more examples of Picard pursuing non-damaged women than as you say "damaged goods".
Yeah, but it's not nearly as fun analyzing his relationships with them as it is his relationships with the women that I've mentioned, considering that they all fit a certain profile. Plus, his relationships with the women I've mentioned all lasted more than one episode (or movie).
Never said he was. But I agree that part of their appeal may have been because, as you say, they had greater emotional depth to them than other women.
Here's an interesting point you brought my attention to...
Is there a single member of the Enterprise-D crew that wasn't "damaged" in some way?
Let's look at the Dept. Heads otehr than the ones you've touched on.
Riker: Bad relationship with father. Mother barely spoken of. Hesitant to take his own command. (Damaged)
Data: "Father" dead. "Older Brother" is a Psychopath. "Younger Brother" is mentally challenged. He himself is incapable of an emotional connection. (Damaged)
Laforge: Mother missing. Physically handicapped. Genius Intellect, but socially awkward. (Damaged)
Troi: Father dead. Seduced by Sociopaths on several occasions. Psychicly raped on several occasions. Air of superiority. (Damaged)
Worf: Biological family killed, Wife murdered (twice), Dishonored (twice), His son is a disgrace. (Damaged)
Wesley: Father killed. Starfleet brat. Socially awkward. (Damaged)
These men and women were considered the "finest in the fleet" by Picard, the fact that they were serving on the Federation Flagship only confirms that, and yet each one of the was damaged in some way.
I would guess that most of Starfleet is probably similarlly damaged.
Is there a single member of the Enterprise-D crew that wasn't "damaged" in some way?
Let's look at the Dept. Heads otehr than the ones you've touched on.
Riker: Bad relationship with father. Mother barely spoken of. Hesitant to take his own command. (Damaged)
Data: "Father" dead. "Older Brother" is a Psychopath. "Younger Brother" is mentally challenged. He himself is incapable of an emotional connection. (Damaged)
Laforge: Mother missing. Physically handicapped. Genius Intellect, but socially awkward. (Damaged)
Troi: Father dead. Seduced by Sociopaths on several occasions. Psychicly raped on several occasions. Air of superiority. (Damaged)
Worf: Biological family killed, Wife murdered (twice), Dishonored (twice), His son is a disgrace. (Damaged)
Wesley: Father killed. Starfleet brat. Socially awkward. (Damaged)
These men and women were considered the "finest in the fleet" by Picard, the fact that they were serving on the Federation Flagship only confirms that, and yet each one of the was damaged in some way.
I would guess that most of Starfleet is probably similarlly damaged.
Going by your definition, I doubt there is one person in the universe that isn't "damaged". Parents die, relatives are crazy, families break, spouses depart, and most people are socially awkward one way or the other. That's just life.
I agree their lives were more eventful than most, but they are characters in a drama, they need problems to overcome or most episodes would become very boring very fast.
I agree their lives were more eventful than most, but they are characters in a drama, they need problems to overcome or most episodes would become very boring very fast.
^ Exactly. 
As is most of humanity.
I don't see the pattern the OP is suggesting in Picard's relationships.