Nepenthe

It's interesting that how this episode reminded me of the great Majel Barrett and calmly brought the Nemesis soundtrack playing in my head. I might have been having a had time digesting that "bunnicorn" myself, or maybe the burned tomato... who knows. But this episode was certainly started to feel like a melancholy toward many things that Star Trek The Next Generation has brought to us... to me in personally. I'm still kind of dealing with difficult feelings here, but not because of the episode itself... the emotions that brought up me with from my heart towards everything I love about Star Trek. 

First Impressions

Needless to say that this episode was a highly anticipated was for many of us long time fans, seeing part of the old gang together. It was a heartfelt moment seeing Troi, Riker and Picard together. However it does seem that Jean-Luc has been neglecting a lot of people aside Raffi in the past 14 years which I was quite surprised by. I know, I know not everyone will stick together until the end of their life, but I was expecting a bit more from the TNG gang. Even Dr McCoy was visiting Captain Kirk more often apparently back in those old days... but who am I to judge. :) Never the less this does not make my heart feel less emotional seeing this reunion. And seeing Kestra was a big surprise that many of us was speculating and also such a beautiful memory from Deanna's elderly sister who we all know what happened to... However learning about the older brother who passed away also made me feel connected to Majel even more. The level of emotion that came from Deanna it was just as powerful as seeing Lwaxana crying over Kestra revealing what has happened a very, very long time ago. Loosing one's offspring is not easy and of course when you trying to forget you don't want old friends to open those wounds up, even when they try to be nice. Later we learn that Deanna's son could have  been saved if there's a positronic brain available, but because of the ban that did not happen... which comes to a bit of a difficult and dark side of Dianna's personality that I have had not witnessed before. I did feel even though she was trying to help Soji she had this rage breaking up slightly to the surface blaming people banning the program on the Synths that eventually could have saved her son. So seeing Soji obviously brought back very deep and dark memories.

Riker, aka our newest "Pizza chef" was adorable as always. I could not help but thinking about him as a big Papa Smurf with that white beard of his and his teddy bear look. He grew to be a Daddy Riker which suited him and somehow he managed to keep his personality close to what we knew about him. Being Picard's right arm and 5th sense. One of the beautiful thing that happened here with finding out more about Soji and seeing them talking about what he has done finally put him back to where he belong. That sens of regained personality again... "Just be Jean-Luc Picard" also a bi of a call back from the first episode "be the captain they remember" line that was very touching.

I  Knew  It...

I'm not sure how many of you follow the StarfleetBoy podcast, but Sohail did ask a good question last time in our episode 6 discussion about Dr Jurati asking "do you think she can be redeemed?" I have said that she will have to be, because I simply cannot accept her being a bad person. Commodore Oh must have had her threatened with something that led her to kill Maddox. Now all of those images she showed her clearly are about Synths and - some already pointed out on Social Media - maybe Discovery's Control itself from the future. It is possible, but of course we have to wait and see. But back to Agnes, her being a sort of "spy" for the Starfleet and for the Romulans is quite sinister. Not even surprised that she could not even bare with herself and wanted to end her life. The EMH came to the rescue - gosh I miss Robert Picardo's face and quick reactions, unlike his EMH - and she is in coma right now. hat will probably leave Raffi alive for at least one more episode until Rios try to kill her... ok, just kidding. :) Fingers crossed. Long story short, I knew that she is still that sky person "in her cute blue coat, being excited to see a synth."

Borg  Over and  FENRIS TO THE Rescue

If there would be one thing I could change in new Star Trek, that would the amount of deaths. Now, right in the first episode we have Dajh killed, than Maddox, Icheb and now Hugh. I know, I'm not the writer and I have nada say about whatever happens in Star Trek, but I would have been perfectly happy with all these characters kept alive. Alive is good, there's a story to tell. When they dead we scratch our head asking "why?" Hugh's death was very surprising to me and I was not expecting that by any means... and I know I'm premature to say anything still having 3 episode left from this season that I hope they will not kill anyone... but I was wrong earlier, so I guess I better close my mouth.

So we have a ship with a Narek in it's tale, an Agnes fell into coma and an Elnor stuck in the Borg cube... who you gonna call? Fenris Rangers. Now I was not expecting to see Seven again, but that does not mean that I'm not being super excited about her return again. Getting to see her again in the next episode will be great and also finding out more about what is really happening out there in he cold is something I'll be looking forward to explore with arms open.

MY Verdict

Overall another great episode from Picard with loads of emotion, call backs, memories, regained personas and burnt tomatoes. :) Can we ask for more? I guess that's just me, but this episode has a lot to offer - aside the "cube kills" that I'm not happy about either, but never the less the episode itself does not disappoint. It makes me want more each week, and it surprises me with facts about out heroes life and how they still got it when they need it. _\\//