... or just stay off the internet till ya see the episode.
Spoilers Star Trek: Picard 3x05 - "Imposters"
- Thread starter Commander Richard
- Start date
To add to my earlier comments, Shaw is someone who likes routine. He has not been in wartime mode and has not shifted his perspective. He also has a deep trust of Starfleet, it's rules and procedures, so he is in completely over his head when the enemy is Starfleet.
Unless he was specifically posted to a Dominion Wartime Fed starship (which hasn't been indicated yet), he may have been assigned to home planet protection duty during the war and may never have seen actual action.
(only the results of it)
So far, it seems that the USS TITAN is his first Captaincy.
It's also entirely possible that he was planet bound during that war.
Which would also have given him plenty of time to read up on the adventures (antics?) of starships named ENTERPRISE.
Just because he was in the Dominion war doesn’t mean he knew much more than the everyday civilians about changelings, since he was an engineering guy.
Well, the plot thickens. Offering a bit of a reprieve from the blood-pumping action the last two weeks, Act 2 begins with a slower-paced political/conspiracy thriller piece that answers some of the questions from the previous act, only to replace them with new ones. Now we know that there's something really wrong with Jack and it's connected to the changelings; I liked how he didn't keep his mouth shut about it for long, I found it really refreshing compared to the norm of pretending everything's alright for the sake of drama. And at least he managed to settle the second changeling infiltration really quickly. I also enjoyed Shaw's emotional arc in this one, going from his mocking reinstatement of Seven (complete with a mimicked knighting) and smug anticipation of seeing Picard and Riker taken down a peg to being completely out of his element and standing slackjawed on the bridge like a deer in the headlights as he was desperately trying to comprehend what was happening in front of him.
The return of Ro Laren was definitely not something I've expected, and I felt sad that Picard couldn't let go of his resentment towards her for 30 years... but then again neither could she. I was just as puzzled by this as Riker was. The episode unfortunately didn't give her much chance to settle back in, and her role was mostly to facilitate the plot, which wasn't helped by the fact that up until halfway through the holodeck scene, the episode was intentionally playing up the ambiguity about whether she was an impostor or not (to be fair, being trailed by two people she - as we later learn, correctly - suspects to be changelings wouldn't help anyone be at ease). Her and Picard opening up to each other was still moving, as was her sacrifice and Picard's somber reminiscence about how he never realized what she meant to him. And now she entrusted her entire investigation as well as handling Worf and Raffi's operation to him, and the story can pick up steam.
The arc of the latter two, however, felt a bit repetitive this week. Once again, they return to the same backalley to meet with some lowlifes again and obtain a crucial piece of information but getting in trouble, with a slightly different mix than last time. His apparent death felt quite empty as well and I couldn't really take it seriously for a second knowing he'll be around for the rest of the season. But at least they're caught up with Picard and his crew now, and we're seemingly headed to Daystrom Station soon. Overall, for most of the episode I've felt that the real substance here was the pieces of the puzzle we've received.
The thing I've been left with the most questions about, however, is the nature of these changelings. Beverly didn't quite explain their new abilities other than chalking them up to evolution, and there was much emphasis put on blood tests, with both her and Ro referring to them, seemingly as if the capability to fool them was unusual. Did Matalas perhaps forget that they were suggested as a diversion by the changelings themselves in the first place? At least Picard apparently didn't take Ro bleeding at face value and was suspicious about her until she opened up to him.
Observations:
The return of Ro Laren was definitely not something I've expected, and I felt sad that Picard couldn't let go of his resentment towards her for 30 years... but then again neither could she. I was just as puzzled by this as Riker was. The episode unfortunately didn't give her much chance to settle back in, and her role was mostly to facilitate the plot, which wasn't helped by the fact that up until halfway through the holodeck scene, the episode was intentionally playing up the ambiguity about whether she was an impostor or not (to be fair, being trailed by two people she - as we later learn, correctly - suspects to be changelings wouldn't help anyone be at ease). Her and Picard opening up to each other was still moving, as was her sacrifice and Picard's somber reminiscence about how he never realized what she meant to him. And now she entrusted her entire investigation as well as handling Worf and Raffi's operation to him, and the story can pick up steam.
The arc of the latter two, however, felt a bit repetitive this week. Once again, they return to the same backalley to meet with some lowlifes again and obtain a crucial piece of information but getting in trouble, with a slightly different mix than last time. His apparent death felt quite empty as well and I couldn't really take it seriously for a second knowing he'll be around for the rest of the season. But at least they're caught up with Picard and his crew now, and we're seemingly headed to Daystrom Station soon. Overall, for most of the episode I've felt that the real substance here was the pieces of the puzzle we've received.
The thing I've been left with the most questions about, however, is the nature of these changelings. Beverly didn't quite explain their new abilities other than chalking them up to evolution, and there was much emphasis put on blood tests, with both her and Ro referring to them, seemingly as if the capability to fool them was unusual. Did Matalas perhaps forget that they were suggested as a diversion by the changelings themselves in the first place? At least Picard apparently didn't take Ro bleeding at face value and was suspicious about her until she opened up to him.
Observations:
- I wonder what Picard wanted to tell Jack at the turbolift doors before he changed his mind.
- "For the record, Ensign LaForge has indicated 'yes'." - poor Sidney...
- "Is this a new species?" "No. It's evolution." Beverly, I'd hate to tell you, but new species are exactly what evolution creates.
- I found it funny that the last time I've seen Kirk Acevedo, his character turned out to have been replaced by a shapeshifting infiltrator too.
- Worf being unable to resist to explain at length while actively bleeding out was just so Worf.
- Going by Ro, flag officers like Janeway seem to be uncompromised themselves, and it's their security details that are infiltrated. Maybe Janeway's hero status and high visibility makes them wary about replacing her directly?
No. That is such an asinine suggestion. Why should any publication put out spoilers before people even had a chance to watch it? Fan communities go out of their way to make contain spoilers in specific threads. But sure go blame me or anyone for using the internet because it is better to point fingers and try to make us irresponsible instead of agreeing that people are being selfish assholes. The natural conclusion to your attitude is that everything is going to be spoiled immediately and people will need to disconnect or prioritize the show. So life gets worse because asshole behavior is acceptable because it can be avoided by not looking at anything social or based on tracking at all.... or just stay off the internet till ya see the episode.
Blatant visual spoilers that take up 1/3 of a phone screen in the mid afternoon on the day the episode drops is not good behavior. Blaming fans for looking at their phones is not good behavior. And no I didn't get spoiled, but I see so many people here saying how much they loved seeing Ro as a surprise that it pisses me off that others will have that taken away from them by just glancing at a google feed to blow off some steam.
I didn’t recognise Ro for several minutes.
This is the worse, sadder timeline. In the First Splinter timeline, Ro joined the Bajoran Militia in 2376, becoming security officer on DS9 and a new foil to Quark. When Bajor joined the Federation, it was Captain Picard who sent her an operations division Starfleet uniform to confirm his forgiveness and convince Lieutenant Ro to stay. Ultimately, Ro rose to captaincy of the DS9 stations and made Quark her boy toy.
Here she went to prison, remained hated by Picard, and died. At least Commander Ro’s return to Starfleet is canonised. I hope Michelle Forbes gets to voice Ro in Star Trek Online sometime!
This is the worse, sadder timeline. In the First Splinter timeline, Ro joined the Bajoran Militia in 2376, becoming security officer on DS9 and a new foil to Quark. When Bajor joined the Federation, it was Captain Picard who sent her an operations division Starfleet uniform to confirm his forgiveness and convince Lieutenant Ro to stay. Ultimately, Ro rose to captaincy of the DS9 stations and made Quark her boy toy.
Here she went to prison, remained hated by Picard, and died. At least Commander Ro’s return to Starfleet is canonised. I hope Michelle Forbes gets to voice Ro in Star Trek Online sometime!
I'm not "blaming" anyone, I'm just basically saying that some folks out there will always be jerks and the best way to avoid them is to take a bit of caution with ones own actions.
I've purposely avoided several of my usual Trek haunts for that exact reason.
I've even quickly skipped over and rushed through several threads here for the same reason.
It's all good, I've got enough self-control to avoid most of the big spoilers.
Trying to make it brief again (but failing):
It's a bit silly that both Picard S1 AND 3 are about two entirely different conspiracies within Starfleet up to the highest level...
But this season is vastly better - if you have to stay the entire time within one ship set, such a "one-among-us" intruder/conspiracy plot is a really good way to keep tension (and character drama) high.
Plot-wise this was more of a filler - leading from one plot (Titan vs. Shrike) to the next one (Bourne Identity IN SPACE!). But you wouldn't notice - because it was well done filler!
Love the new ship design. I'm really done with Guinan's bar and the techno-club planet. Fight-to-the-death was cheesy, stupid & underwhelming. But I'm really interested in where the plot goes (hoping for Jack to be a clone or something). Daystrom's "A.I." will either be Lore or Moriarty, and they will have to ally with the other one to defeat the first one.
It's a bit silly that both Picard S1 AND 3 are about two entirely different conspiracies within Starfleet up to the highest level...
But this season is vastly better - if you have to stay the entire time within one ship set, such a "one-among-us" intruder/conspiracy plot is a really good way to keep tension (and character drama) high.
Plot-wise this was more of a filler - leading from one plot (Titan vs. Shrike) to the next one (Bourne Identity IN SPACE!). But you wouldn't notice - because it was well done filler!
Ro Laren took me completely by surprise, but I guess after previous seasons and enough Marvel movies I'm just completely numb to surprise cameos. And killing old-time characters on their return is also a cliché. The whole thing left me a bit cold.
Love the new ship design. I'm really done with Guinan's bar and the techno-club planet. Fight-to-the-death was cheesy, stupid & underwhelming. But I'm really interested in where the plot goes (hoping for Jack to be a clone or something). Daystrom's "A.I." will either be Lore or Moriarty, and they will have to ally with the other one to defeat the first one.
But his mother asked how he knew they were all Changelings and he said he didn't so I don't think that is it.
Definitely did notice, especially all the fight scene with Jack.
But Jack said that very hesitantly, he still doesn't even understand how he was able to go all 'Jason Bourne' on them.
He doesn't know 'How he knew', so he couldn't explain it to his mom, let alone to himself.
And that was brilliant! This should have been season 1
Easy, the Titan CMO (forgot her name) may have been assuming a completely new species of changelings/shapeshifters possibly related but not descended from, while Beverly concluded it was evolution meaning they are descended from the ones we saw on DS9.
Should add this to the wild speculation thread but I think Jack is
EDIT: Just seen some others here already speculate that as well
also some sort of changeling who has been sent to stop this 'faction', he just doesn't know it himself yet
EDIT: Just seen some others here already speculate that as well
Strictly speaking evolution is supposed to mean when a new generation has mutations different from the previous etc. I'm not sure what the word would be in the same generation but it really should be called physiological adaptation or something. For what it's worth, I get frustrated by the same description of "evolution" in regards to Pokemon when they transform after reaching a certain level.
Feels like Jack has a bit of the Dahj/Soji about him..i've seen those combat moves in the first episode of s1....
Yes, I'm aware. I used to be a biology teacher.
I've learned to let things like this go, like people posting pictures of chimps while responding to Jayson. Years ago, it would have annoyed me like hell since they aren't monkeys. Now, I don't care.
This is Star Trek evolution...
Overall however, great episode. Come on though, halfway through the season and still haven't seen the badassery of Shaw yet, hopefully second half he'll show us a Shaw manouvere or something. And again..i know its a thing 'for the fans' but the turbolift scene where shaw rattles off some past highlights of TNG was a little cringe...
Nice to see Ro and overall feels more and more claustrophobic as each episode goes in, who can you really trust??
And dont think i have seen the 'go to warp to avoid the torpedo' since Final Frontier
Nice to see Ro and overall feels more and more claustrophobic as each episode goes in, who can you really trust??
And dont think i have seen the 'go to warp to avoid the torpedo' since Final Frontier