Conundrum: Apparently, you can stun and wipe the entire crew's memories, including Data's, and block almost all computer files, but you can't stun the crew just a little longer and program the Ent-D to fly to the Lysian command and fire a few photon torps.
Funny One-Sentence Summaries of TNG Episodes
- Thread starter MonoLake82
- Start date
Oddly enough, I can see 'MacDuff' preferring to be XO for two reasons.
First, if the crew was able to devise a treatment (like Crusher did), had he been captain, Picard as XO or Riker would have insisted they be the test subject, as they would likely not want to risk the life of a captain. His cover would have been blown because it would have worked on either of them. (This also has the side benefit of MacDuff appearing courageous to the others.)
Second, if the mission was successful, having a Starfleet captain be the one in charge at the time removes any responsibility of the Satarrans. MacDuff very likely had either an escape route planned or would have simply vaporized himself... probably the latter, as it would leave a mystery and the Federation would look like they were aggressors.
XO is high enough up the ladder to pretty much assure victory, but not so high as to create potential liabilities to the plan.
This might be a different take on the episode... I think the one mistake he made was his warrior pep talk with Worf. Notice the look on his face after he left MacDuff's quarters. I think MacDuff was trying too hard, which allowed Worf the moment of hesitation on the bridge that made MacDuff reveal himself.
First, if the crew was able to devise a treatment (like Crusher did), had he been captain, Picard as XO or Riker would have insisted they be the test subject, as they would likely not want to risk the life of a captain. His cover would have been blown because it would have worked on either of them. (This also has the side benefit of MacDuff appearing courageous to the others.)
Second, if the mission was successful, having a Starfleet captain be the one in charge at the time removes any responsibility of the Satarrans. MacDuff very likely had either an escape route planned or would have simply vaporized himself... probably the latter, as it would leave a mystery and the Federation would look like they were aggressors.
XO is high enough up the ladder to pretty much assure victory, but not so high as to create potential liabilities to the plan.
This might be a different take on the episode... I think the one mistake he made was his warrior pep talk with Worf. Notice the look on his face after he left MacDuff's quarters. I think MacDuff was trying too hard, which allowed Worf the moment of hesitation on the bridge that made MacDuff reveal himself.
I agree with your first point. Posing as captain might seem the easier, more straightforward option but the risks are very real too, and even if the 'captain' would say 'Your objections are noted commander, but it's my choice to make - to volunteer for the medical experimental procedure as a test subject and my word on this is final', there is no guarantee that the XO together with the CMO wouldn't override him and he'd blow his cover.
As for the second point, I'm not sure the Satarrans would have cared about that 'responsibility'. I don't think the argument of a Federation captain being in charge at the time holds much weight when that captain (and his entire crew with him) was clearly brainwashed at the time. It might have made a difference though if McDuff would have been able to disappear without a trace after completing his objective, and Starfleet were never able to link what happened to the Satarrans afterwards.
That's basically what I mean about the second point: having it appear like it was only a Starfleet ship destroying the Lysian central command without the Satarran connection.
OK, but in that case, (assuming he would be able to disappear without a trace afterwards for the moment) what does it matter whether he impersonated as captain or as XO? Or do you think it would have been easier to vanish as an XO?
Definitely be easier to disappear as XO, plus Picard was an established captain. (Established as in he has a long service record, and Starfleet can't really say he didn't exist.)
Responsibility of what occurs on a ship ultimately falls on the captain, particularly in a scenario of killing 15,000 people. If MacDuff impersonated himself as a captain, Starfleet could show deniability of the events because it was an alien giving all the orders. Harder to do when it's a real Starfleet captain, despite what happened to them.
In the end, it boils down to not having a connection to the Sararrans.
Responsibility of what occurs on a ship ultimately falls on the captain, particularly in a scenario of killing 15,000 people. If MacDuff impersonated himself as a captain, Starfleet could show deniability of the events because it was an alien giving all the orders. Harder to do when it's a real Starfleet captain, despite what happened to them.
In the end, it boils down to not having a connection to the Sararrans.
'Conundrum'.... I'd like to like that episode but it raises too many questions. 
'Conundrum'.... I'd like to like that episode but it raises too many questions.
That's the question...can you like an episode that raises too many questions?
I guess that's the...
Wait for it...
Conundrum.
"Timescape"...that entertaining Danube class Runabout NG episode with the aft section of the interior set, this one & only time, on NG, but never on DS9.
I wish DS9 got to use that set. I know that was almost certainly one of the swing sets used for various episodes, but it looked small enough that it could have been a permanent fixture for the runabout set.
It matters not... DS9 had the best set the franchise ever built.
The Promenade.
Funny? I don't know about that but these are one-sentence summaries:
THE MEASURE OF A MAN, Data wants to proof he's a real boy.
EVOLUTION, Wesley's antfarm escapes.
THE ENSIGNS OF COMMAND, Data goes to a planet that is lethal to humans but there are humans living on the planet.
BOOBY TRAP, Geordi has a crush with a projection.
THE PRICE, Deanna doesn't realize she is being fooled by another Betazoid because of a seductive toe massage.
A MATTER OF PERSPECTIVE, Matlock in space.
THE OFFSPRING, Data doesn't need a mate to procriate.
SINS OF THE FATHER, Worf's brother tells Worf he is his brother.
ALLEGIANCE, Picard takes a part in a TV quiz show.
HOLLOW PURSUITS, Like you wouldn't do weird stuff on a holodeck.
FAMILY, We see what we lost when Picard didn't become a professional mud wrestler.
FINAL MISSION, For some a celebration episode? (reason; Wesley)
FIRST CONTACT, Not the movie with the same name.
GALAXY'S CHILD, Enterprise becomes a mommy.
THE NTH DEGREE, The one time Barclay is smart.
THE MIND'S EYE, Earlier in the series Geordi had dirty thoughts about Leah Brahms so he gets a Romulan brainwash.
IN THEORY, Data in a relationship that isn't weird or awkward at all.
REDEMPTION, ”How does a tachyon detection grid actually work” -episode.
DARMOK, Universal translator malfuctioning episode.
UNIFICATION, The Next Generation and SPOCK!
NEW GROUND, Worf takes responsibility and becomes a single father.
HERO WORSHIP, Data fanclub meeting.
CONUNDRUM, Hostile alien tries to take control of the Enterprise but for some reason doesn't place himself as the captain.
THE OUTCAST, As much as 90s TV could go into transgender issues.
CAUSE AND EFFECT, Goundhog Day in space.
THE FIRST DUTY, Wesley makes a mistake, WHAT?
THE PERFECT MATE, The episode that makes everyone wonder did Picard.... you know, get dirty with Kamala.
IMAGINARY FRIEND, Episode about an imaginary friend. And it's real actually.
I BORG, A Borg learns a new word, ”I”.
THE NEXT PHASE, The one that makes everyone wonder why LaForge and Ro didn't fall through the floor.
THE INNER LIGHT, Picard lives a lifetime on another planet and a week later is back like nothing happened.
TIME'S ARROW, Data loses his head but gets a really old used replacement.
REALM OF FEAR, Barclay overcomes his fear of transporters.
RELICS, Transporters are one way time machines.
RASCALS, Transporters make it possible to be basically young forever but no one notices.
A FISTFUL OF DATAS, Data has watched too much Clint Eastwood films.
THE QUALITY OF LIFE, Data would sacrifice Starfleet officers for small vacuum cleaners.
CHAIN OF COMMAND, Starfleet sends people that are not qualified for a secret mission to a secret mission.
AQUIEL, Geordi finds a woman but her dog is too mean.
FACE OF THE ENEMY, Deanna's plastic surgery gone wrong.
THE CHASE, We're not that different.
FRAME OF MIND, Riker at Arkham.
SECOND CHANCES, Riker's evil twin has a beard, but so does Riker.
LIAISONS, Picard kisses a guy in holographic drag.
GAMBIT, The most gullible pirate gets pwned by Picard and Riker.
PHANTASMS, Episode inspired by Ghostbusters.
ATTACHED, Picard learns Beverly has feelings for him but also learns she doesn't want a relationship.
FORCE OF NATURE, After this episode warp speed is bad but they still use it.
INHERITANCE, Data's almost biological mother drops by.
PARALLELS, Worf wins a Bat'leth tournament but the universe doesn't seem to think so.
THE PEGASUS, Riker is a douche?
SUB ROSA, Ghostgasms.
LOWER DECKS, Being a Starfleet officer may not be as fun as it appears to be for a television viewer.
THINE OWN SELF, As it turns out, Data is a robot.
MASKS, Viewers have trouble making out the characters because they're wearing masks.
GENESIS, People show other crewmembers who they really are.
JOURNEY'S END, Wesley takes too much mushrooms with Traveler.
BLOODLINES, Picard learns he has a son that isn't his son.
EMERGENCE, Enterprise becomes an imaginary train.
SUDDENLY HUMAN, Unlike Data, a human boy in this episode doesn't want to be a human boy.
THE VENGEANCE FACTOR, Star Trek: The Next Generation – With a Vengeance.
HALF A LIFE, An alien wants to end his life before it's too late.
STARSHIP MINE, Picard as John McClane.
LESSONS, Even ancient aliens love puzzles.
DEVIL'S DUE, Enterprise can't sense transmissions from a cloaked ship.
THE HOST, When your true inner self is actually a worm.
THE DEFECTOR, There aren't that many Romulan defectors are there, this episode has the only one?
FUTURE IMPERFECT, Riker as an alien holodeck pet.
SHIP IN A BOTTLE, 4th wall breaks, are we just a computer simulation?
THE MASTERPIECE SOCIETY, Deanna finds a man who is too perfect and he knows it.
LEGACY, Tasha's sister is a meanie.
Q WHO, Q shows Picard that Picard is not as cool and tough as he thinks he is.
THE WOUNDED, This is what Gul Dukat would be like if he was in TNG.
MÉNAGE À TROI, Don't you just love Ferengi kidnap episodes?
THE ENEMY, A Romulan officer tries to be too cool but isn't.
A MATTER OF TIME, Time traveling is surprisingly easy and common.
DESCENT, Data's brother is assmilated.
QPID, When a TNG writer has enjoyed too much Robin Hood stories.
RIGHTFUL HEIR, Ron Moore wrote an episode and whaddya know, it's a Klingon episode, again.
REUNION, TNG's ”I am your father” moment.
YESTERDAY'S ENTERPRISE, You know the feeling when you regret selling your previous car?
DISASTER, Enterprise hits an invisible mine.
THE GAME, Even 24th century people can develop a habit.
INTERFACE, 24th century social media.
DATA'S DAY, An everage day on the Enterprise as Data says in his log.
POWER PLAY, An episode developed by writers of Oz.
ENSIGN RO, ”Ro, we're willing to cut you a deal.”
ALL GOOD THINGS, Picard has an interesting dream and wants everyone to believe it actually happened.
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