TNG Episode "the Wounded"

[pbot]

I just saw this episode for the third time, and it was STILL awesome! A few things that I really loved about it:

1. Everytime I watch it, I get something new out of it that I missed. O'Brien's hatred of the Cardassians was a great point. When Picard tells him how it is easy for one to hate, and it is easy for one to become comfortable with hatred, I realized that he wasn't talking about Maxwell so much as he was talking about O'Brien.

2. Maxwell is the best character in the episode. Its funny because in acting against orders, he did actually prove his worth as a tactician. He knew the Cardassians were up to no good. But its sort of an example of doing something for all the wrong reasons. His motivation was hatred. Amongst others though. The evidence was indisputable. However, you see it on his face when Picard tells him that he's doing it to avenge his family. You also hear it again, when Maxwell tells O'Brien that "we do not kill innocent women and children. . . children who never had a chance to grow up. . ." So tragic, so moving. Beautiful delivery.

3. When O'Brien and Maxwell sing the Soldier Boy, it is one of TNG's finest moments. We are seeing how Maxwell comes to realize the error in what he has done. But it is not a verbal delivery explaining it to us. Its emoted. Absolutely fantastic. Moreover, the song is about how although one may fight and die, one's spirit will live on. It is beautiful how when O'Brien sings ""Tho' all the world betrays thee, One sword, at least, thy rights shall guard,
One faithful harp shall praise thee!" Maxwell has stopped singing.

4. The wounded isn't just Maxwell. Its everyone who fought in the war. The Cardassians, the federation, the people on Setlik 3, Stompy, O'Brien, Maxwell's family. . . There is a true note of tragedy through it all that is heart breaking. What a wonderful episode. . .

 

[Forbin]

Plus, we got a really great new ship design (one that, for the first time, completely ignored the "no hulls between nacelles" rule).

My ONLY complaint about the episode was O'Brien's technobabble method for beaming thru shields, which was real eye-roller, but at least it served the plot. Otherwise, yeah, this ep is in my top ten.

 

[flandry84]

Does Maxwell's character deserve another outing?
Perhaps section 31 could have uses for a starship captain of his abilities.

 

[Saxman1]

TNG at its finest. Take that - those that think the show was only about perfect beings in the future!

 

[sbk1234]

One of the things that people often seem to overlook about Maxwell, is HE WAS RIGHT!
Kind of like Jellico, but Jellico didn't have to go on a rampage on his own.

I also like the continuity that Starfleet is still weakened after WOlf 359, and therefore can't get into another sustained conflict.

 

[SonicRanger]

^^^

Well, yes, in one way he was "right" but he was also wrong too.

 

[SmoothieX]

This is a great episode that flies under the radar. O'Brien gets to show is acting chops and the guest star they get for Maxwell does a great job.

I too wouldn't have minded seeing Maxwell again, but he's probably off mining dilithium is some sqalid gulag at this point.

 

[DWF]

The Wounded a fantastic ep. O'Brien's scene in 10Forward with Time Winters was a great comment on war in general and it fleshed out O'Brien somewhat. The new(at that time) Nebula class ship was niely filmed it looked great.

Maxwell certainly seemed crazy but in some ways he was right he only went about things in the worng way and I liked the ay it was resolved without a fight between the two ships.

 

[Brutal Strudel]

Saxman1 said:
TNG at its finest. Take that - those that think the show was only about perfect beings in the future!

One of that handful of TNG episodes that is true tv classic. Star Trek (all inclusive) at its best.

It introduced the Cardassians, for crissakes, or, as I like to think of them, Klingons done right.

 

[Vulcanian]

I thought the two parter "Chain of Command" was better.

 

[Brutal Strudel]

Part two was good. Part one was so-so. (Love that Jellico...)

 

[Forbin]

Picard's final admonishment to Macette was freaking brilliant, and showed just what a good officer Picard is - he followed orders, even though, in the end, he KNEW Maxwell was right (in his opinion, if not his actions). But, even though his hands were tied by orders, Picard let Macette know that he knew, and layed down the fucking law on the spot. Just beautiful!

 

[Nebusj]

Forbin said:
Picard's final admonishment to Macette was freaking brilliant, and showed just what a good officer Picard is - he followed orders, even though, in the end, he KNEW Maxwell was right (in his opinion, if not his actions).

Except, of course, that Maxwell was factually wrong, and Picard was factually wrong. Consider:

Maxwell has destroyed at least one Cardassian science station and murdered all the people in it on the grounds that it was a military outpost. He was therefore within weapons range of the base in order that he could destroy it. He was therefore within sensor range, and as the Federation understands Cardassian transponder codes therefore his ship knew full well the configuration and nature of the base.

Picard demands Maxwell's evidence that he blew up a military outpost. If he had actually blown up a military outpost, Maxwell could prove this with one nice clear picture, or better, with the sensor logs from his murderous rampage. Maxwell does not provide it. He does not offer what would be ironclad evidence if he were right; he does not pretend to offer it; he does not even admit that such evidence would exist if he were anything but a rampaging homicidal maniac. Instead he whines that Picard is a dusty old bureaucrat what with his wanting ``evidence'' and ``reasons'' before launching an interstellar war.

The only logical reason to withhold evidence Maxwell must have had when pressed for it is because the evidence shows Maxwell was absolutely and completely wrong in his assumptions, and that his mutinous actions have brought the Federation to the brink of war for no cause other than his own savage, irrational bloodlust.

 

[Unicron]

^ Suppose the Federation can't read all of the transponder codes used by the Cardassians, though? It's only shown that they can read some of them.

 

[Mitty]

This is also one of my favourite TNG episodes, which is really our very first glimpse into the DS9 universe as such. There is one major flaw though that I can't believe anyone has touched on.

Maxwells crew. From memory I don't think we saw anyone from his ship except him... I just find it difficult to believe that they simply followed orders blindly. Obviously showing a crew meant showing the bridge and all that goes along with another ship, which must have been to expensive at the time, but for me it was the one point which really detracted from the episode. But we got no explanation at all apart I think from the fact that the first officer took command once Maxwell was in custody.

But apart from that i really liked this episode, not to mention our first glimpse at Marc Alaimo as a Cardassian, setting the standard forever by which all others would be judged.

 

[Jack Bauer]

I think it's possible Maxwell faked the orders from Starfleet so no one questioned it.

 

[Vanyel]

Jack Bauer said:
I think it's possible Maxwell faked the orders from Starfleet so no one questioned it.

Or he used one of those "Captain's eye's only" communications.

 

[Yassim]

Nebusj said:
Maxwell could prove this with one nice clear picture, or better, with the sensor logs from his murderous rampage. Maxwell does not provide it.

Later in the same ep, Maxwell corners some Cardassian ship and threatens to destroy it if Picard will not board it and confirm that it's a military ship. Picard orders it scanned, but the scan reveals nothing - the ship is running with a technobabble field that reflects scans.


Talking after with Macet, Picard tells Macet it's obvious why the ship has such a field - because Maxwell was right.

I imagine, when Maxwell talks about his rampage, he's encountered the same situations. He can be left without proof and still feel justified.

 

[Nebusj]

Yassim said:
Talking after with Macet, Picard tells Macet it's obvious why the ship has such a field - because Maxwell was right.

Or because the unarmed ship's captain is aware it won't survive the first phaser blast, and knows the only hope is to delay Maxwell's rampage until the cavalry can arrive, and the only weapon he can deploy is uncertainty as to just what they do have behind the jammed sensors.

 

[Timo]

Maxwell's betting awfully lot on that particular transport, though. His future depends on getting Picard to inspect that ship. He could have had his pick of Cardassian ships or installations, considering his ship was just as fast as Picard's. But he picked this particular one and stopped to wait for Picard's arrival.

It is perfectly possible that the Cardassians would be bluffing; that Maxwell's earlier targets had been part of such a bluff as well, and that the science station he destroyed was full of unarmed scientists who just chose to use the "guess whether I'm armed or not" stratagem to their own peril.

But even then, Maxwell would actually be believing that he was right all along. If he harbored any doubts, they would be minor side concerns, not a showstopping reality he psychotically refused to face. He would not be bluffing when he wanted Picard to inspect the Cardassian ship - he would factually be seeking vindication.

Timo Saloniemi