Stardust City Rag

I usually have a better understanding how to write down my thoughts about an episode, but this one took a while. My apologies to you if you were expecting this earlier last week, but as it happened I've had many things to take care of offline... and also this episode was a bit of a mouthful to write about in many reasons. It's different in ways that I've never expected. 

First  Impressions

So obviously there's a lot to talk about in this episode from "Pirate Picard" through Raffi's Romulan daughter in law and of course Seven's return. The episode does not disappoint again as we get to see our characters in action and in surprising situations. Sir Patrick giving us his "French Designer Pirate" personality of Picard was a surprising and very unusual take from the character. We have seen Picard undercover in different scenario, but I take that Mr Stewart was having fun playing that aspect of his character. It was different, not very Picard, but very Stewart that might have upset some hard core fans, bu it certainly made me smile a lot. I think he was brilliant. Rios was alright, I'm not really found of his character undercover in this episode as he didn't really sell this "Designer Gambler Dark Businessman" version of himself which I think was a bit of a mistake. Elnor was interesting though, as Sean from Trek On The Tube pointed out in his witter reaction he did feel like a "comic relief" this time round, but I think that was a good side of him. He's never really been exposed to this kind of situations before - as far as we know from the previous episode, nor that we know that he actually had any friends or not to hang out with. So I think his performance was great. Seven... well, I will get back to this a bit later...

Raffis was a big surprise for me in this episode and I love the fact that with this show we get to know stories of the characters, they do feel more human to me than the characters in Discovery - no offence. Raffi searching for his son and reaching out again, trying to be the part of his life if truly a touching part of this episode. She is a mother and he life has been in a different path because of Starfleet which is an aspect of the series that has been touched on before, but this time round it felt real, very real. Family is very important. As I'm getting older and having this sense of commitment to my family, towards my wife I cannot imagine putting something else in front of her... and for our children in the future. I know if I would chase my career obsessively that would put the same pledge onto my life as it did with Raffi. She was not just unhappy and troubled because of her career ended with Starfleet or JL kinda abandoned her, the issue was much deeper that we got to witness this time around. Truly human and also a great reminder to not to get obsessed with your job too much, otherwise you might lose something very precious. 

WHAT  Just  Happened?

I think we have to address the elephant in the room as well, Dr Agnes Jurati. Now, I think the writers and of course the actress who plays her did a fantastic job with her character so far. Having a seemingly innocent person with a breaking up personality towards Rios murdering her - as it turned out - lover it a bold move and an amazing twist that I was not expecting to see. I always thought that she is really just looking to save Maddox just as Neelix did with Kes in the first episode of Voyager, but I was wrong. I think now we can safely say that her intention maybe coming together with higher Starfleet order by Commodore "Ray Ban" Oh. She did get a visit and seems like she might have been frightened with something if she will let Picard get close to Maddox. What does Starfleet trying to hide will remain a mystery at this point, but the story really getting more and more interesting. Her action killing Bruce did feel somewhat reluctant, she did not want to do that, but I really cannot imagine what kind of trouble she got into because of her conversation with Oh. I guess I will have to wait and see...

Seve n  Of  Why?

Seven was a double surprise in this episode. I was super excited to see her character coming back and having a touch of Voyager in a new show was a fantastic things to see and witness. What I was not expecting that she will be different too. I'm really interested and would love to know how did see ended up being the person she has in this episode. Aboard Voyager Captain Janeway has taught her about humanity and about the "Starfleet Way of Life" that still something I hold dear within my heart too. Not to interfere and being kind while curious and also keeping your decency and dignity... however at this point it does feel idealised. Taking that what happened with Jean-Luc and that they let him resign Starfleet has not been the same place that nurtured either him or Janeway, so it does kinda feel that their life has been devoted to an imagine that has no longer existed. Maybe that is one of the reason why Seven changed as well. Having her travelling back to the Alpha Quadrant to a changing organisation might have had a bit of a culture shock on her compare to what she learnt on Voyager. Revenge was definitively was not on her list before, at least not that I remember. So it is understandable that the massacre of Iched did leave her in despair and she was no longer the same after all. 

My  Verdict

Over all this episode was great, highly enjoyable aside the really disturbing torturing of Iched on the very beginning of this episode. We got to know quite a few elements of our characters life and also seeing come comical bits here and there. Freecloud is an interesting place that had a kinda "Valerian" or "Star Wars" vibe which I was happy with, it was different, but hey... there's a lot of planet we did not see in Star Trek before. :) Seeing the different aspects of the characters with surprising twists also was a great treat from this episode. I know I mentioned that in the very beginning that it was hard to start writing about it, but after all it's a part of great story that yet still has soo many surprises to come I'm pretty sure. _\\//