Why didn't the UFP use commandos in Chain of Command?
- Thread starter Tremelo
- Start date
yes it was. But who wants to watch a show where Lt. whatshisname goes on a commando mission?
No budget for the extra actors that would be needed, probably.
Just another one of God's mysteries. The truth is when you look at a lot of TNG or any other Trek episodes, common sense things like that are either missing or done badly. If it was just Worf and a bunch of commandoes then it would be a big action romp, because you know Worf is either going to succeed with the operation or die trying.
But no, the writers wanted the main characters involved, and it seemed they were hell bent on wanting a torture scene for Picard. That's why.
But no, the writers wanted the main characters involved, and it seemed they were hell bent on wanting a torture scene for Picard. That's why.
Crusher was required because the mission involved the investigation of metagenic weapons. She's amongst Starfleet's finest medical minds, so having her there makes just as much sense as having Worf there.
Picard was there because the writers needed him to get kidnapped for story reasons. Easy as that.
(Officially in the story, Picard was involved not just because of his leadership and tactical skills, but the story seems to give higher priority to his experience with a type of energy he studied while on the Stargazer. That's pret-ty flimsy logic there.)
Picard was there because the writers needed him to get kidnapped for story reasons. Easy as that.
(Officially in the story, Picard was involved not just because of his leadership and tactical skills, but the story seems to give higher priority to his experience with a type of energy he studied while on the Stargazer. That's pret-ty flimsy logic there.)
The same reason captains beam down on missions and the bridge crew gets involved with all manner of things that shouldn't require their personal attention.
It's a show about a main group of characters and that's who has to do stuff every week, regardless of whether it makes sense or not.
It's a show about a main group of characters and that's who has to do stuff every week, regardless of whether it makes sense or not.
I think we're down to haggling about the numbers. Would three Worfs be better than one Worf? Would thirty? Certainly not an invasion of three thousand?
Crusher would be there as an expert. Picard would be there as an expert. How many non-expert escorts would they really need? One per expert might have been sensible - it would even have given us a redshirt to be killed when the Cardassians spring the trap. But three per two experts might already have been overkill, an unnecessary compromise on stealth.
Plus, his kidnapping and eventual release served UFP interests better than they did CU ones. Having to admit to the kidnapping was humiliating to Cardassian Central Command in general, not just to Gul Madred personally...
Timo Saloniemi
Crusher would be there as an expert. Picard would be there as an expert. How many non-expert escorts would they really need? One per expert might have been sensible - it would even have given us a redshirt to be killed when the Cardassians spring the trap. But three per two experts might already have been overkill, an unnecessary compromise on stealth.
It wouldn't be difficult to think that somebody in Starfleet needed him kidnapped, too. Somehow the Cardassians got enough information to set a trap specifically for Picard, the only gung-ho metagenics expert with Nechayev's ear and without other commitments. And Picard was both generally hated for betraying Starfleet to the Borg, and specifically considered an annoyance by various admirals whose careers he had damaged.
Plus, his kidnapping and eventual release served UFP interests better than they did CU ones. Having to admit to the kidnapping was humiliating to Cardassian Central Command in general, not just to Gul Madred personally...
Timo Saloniemi
I would, because it only depends on the quality of Lt. Whatshisname's character. "Lower Decks" was a great episode, there could have been more of those.
This kind of thing always cracked me up in Star Trek; why send someone to do a job that is trained to do it, when you can send someone who isn't trained to do it, completely useless or only vaguely related to the task because plot demands it. Enterprise really took it to another level.
At least they didn't send Troi to do any commando work.
At least they didn't send Troi to do any commando work.
That's part of the Horatio Hornblower experience, although it would have made more sense in TOS than in TNG. When you needed a geologist in TOS, you got 'im. When you needed a historian, she was there for ya. When there was trouble ahead, the landing party was buffered by redshirts. But TNG introduced the renaissance away team - and perhaps rightly so, because why should you haul down a geologist, a historian or a muscleman or marksman, when Data was all of them in a single package?
Worf was a pretty good choice for this particular mission. But the big problem there wasn't the remaining cast, it was the scope of the mission. Picard was supposed to verify the existence of a metagenics delivery system, by virtue of being uniquely able to identify it. Fine and well. Worf was supposed to cover for him. A perfectly fine stealth party of two there.
But Crusher was supposed to destroy the system, or the pathogens of it anyway! How realistic is that? One can spot even a guarded weapons system easily enough and withdraw to deliver a report. But accessing a guarded weapons system is another ballgame altogether. And if the Cardassians had one operational system, odds are that they would have some backups as well: expending an agent in destroying the operational system would gain Starfleet little or nothing. Especially considering this was a strategic deterrent weapon for an underdog culture - were it to be attacked, the Union would probably be eager to push the trigger on the backup.
Timo Saloniemi
Worf was a pretty good choice for this particular mission. But the big problem there wasn't the remaining cast, it was the scope of the mission. Picard was supposed to verify the existence of a metagenics delivery system, by virtue of being uniquely able to identify it. Fine and well. Worf was supposed to cover for him. A perfectly fine stealth party of two there.
But Crusher was supposed to destroy the system, or the pathogens of it anyway! How realistic is that? One can spot even a guarded weapons system easily enough and withdraw to deliver a report. But accessing a guarded weapons system is another ballgame altogether. And if the Cardassians had one operational system, odds are that they would have some backups as well: expending an agent in destroying the operational system would gain Starfleet little or nothing. Especially considering this was a strategic deterrent weapon for an underdog culture - were it to be attacked, the Union would probably be eager to push the trigger on the backup.
Timo Saloniemi
I've always wondered why they didn't send Data, because for Kahless sake he was overqualified, and would be the best back up for a worst case scenario. His added presence plus Worf probably would have been the difference between Picard getting tortured, and Picard getting home in time for tea, Earl Grey, hot!
The higher ups probably didn't want data falling into cardassian hands if things went badly.
Any pretext to get Patrick Stewart strung up naked before the magnificent evil that is David Warner, haha.
Very valid point.
So the welfare of the captain of the Federation flagship was lower priority than an android? Sure, Data was an unique and powerful technology, but surely Picard has to be worth quite a bit too, why should he be jeopardized either?
The trap was designed specifically for Picard and his somewhat unique knowledge of theta-band carrier waves that he experimented with while on the Stargazer. Picard was hand picked by the brass to take a small team to verify the existence of the threat and if the threat was real to neutralize it - at all costs. The script is very vague on how Worf and Crusher were chosen. After a re-read, it is quite possible that Picard chose his team himself and Nechayev simply agreed. If that is the case, considering the danger of the mission, I can see where Picard might feel the big picture would be better served with Data remaining with the Enterprise.
Picard was highly valuable, but not unique. Experienced commanders are to be cherished, but as Jericho(I think that is the name) showed they can be replaced. This wasn't the case with Data.
The name was Jellico, probably not coincidentally a variation on the name Jellicoe that's familiar to World War I buffs. John Jellicoe was a conservative but for that reason controversial naval leader: at the battle of Jutland, he proceeded cautiously when rash action might have brought the Imperial Navy to its knees and allowed the Entente Powers to outflank Germany via amphibious attack. Edward Jellico here did something of the opposite, planning on using his starship aggressively and then proceeding with even greater aggression in a shuttlecraft, reaching a decisive outcome!
One might argue that Picard would not have been quite as eager to act in the situation, and that Starfleet recognized this as well as the value of using force and humiliation against Cardassia, the futility of diplomacy, and the importance of a quick victory (even if a bloody one) in a situation where Starfleet couldn't afford a prolonged war.
Timo Saloniemi
One might argue that Picard would not have been quite as eager to act in the situation, and that Starfleet recognized this as well as the value of using force and humiliation against Cardassia, the futility of diplomacy, and the importance of a quick victory (even if a bloody one) in a situation where Starfleet couldn't afford a prolonged war.
Timo Saloniemi
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