'Star Trek: Picard' Episode 9: Federation has to pay a heavy and bloody price for the ban on synthetic life
There's no cold mathematical calculation when it comes to love, honour and sacrifice. These acts and emotions are pure and powerful, and do not demand to be reciprocated.
And so, Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) is perplexed when he hears the phrase 'logic of sacrifice' uttered by Soji (Isa Briones) when in the latest episode the two have a quiet and intense discussion. Picard has lived by his own strong ideals and values for 90 years and has no intention of changing them. Picard has known only unconditional faith and love from Soji's father Data (Brent Spiner), to the extent that Data sacrificed himself to save Picard at the end of 'Nemesis'.
And so, Picard is a little worried when he realizes that Soji is treading on the dangerous waters of revenge and anger — feelings that corrode one's soul, as he believes. The worry turns to a flood of anguish as Soji is swept away by the seething anger of the synthetics, as they recall how they were banned and ousted by the Federation during the aftermath of the gory Mars insurrection.
It's time to extract their pound of flesh, and they're willing to do whatever it takes. Picard is dismayed at the thought, but no one wants to listen to his ideas of love and humanity anymore. It's a dangerous world of survival, and those who survive want their revenge. They've suffered and been tortured, and now it's time for retaliation. Gone are the days of sacrifice and wholesome duty — this realization is etched on Picard's face at the end of the show. The world he knows, is truly over.
The latest episode of 'Star Trek: Picard' also shows the painful cause and effect theory — that actions have drastic consequences, even if it takes a long time to fall into place. A badly-thought out decision years ago destroyed the Romulans' faith along with Picard's trust in the Federation, and now we are close to seeing a synthetic uprising. The synthetics on Coppelius tell Picard that they are trying to summon synthetics of higher powers: "This new federation unites synthetic life forms in a powerful alliance across galaxies." In other words, "eliminate the threat of extermination" that all organic life-forms pose.
Picard says it as it is, "You'll become mass-murderers... you'll become the destroyer." He tries to again convince them that he will evacuate them to his spaceship and convince the Federation to end the ban, but nobody believes him anymore.
There's only war now. Soji reminds Picard, "This isn't the Romulan rescue, Picard. We can't be your means of redemption. We are too busy trying to survive."
Chilling and haunting. The Federation has a bloody price to pay.
'Star Trek: Picard' airs on CBS-All Access, Thursdays.
