'Star Trek: Picard' Season 1 Episode 5: Abandonment of values and atonement mark the flavour of the season
While 'Star Trek: Generation' painted a picture of a safe haven, thrilling inter-galactic explorations and the flourish of new cultures, 'Star Trek: Picard' was laced with distrust, smarting betrayal and unhealing wounds from the first episode itself. 'Star Trek: Picard' revolves around the veteran captain, played by the fabulous Patrick Stewart. But he isn't who he used to be. He is not the revered captain we remember. He's a broken shell of a man, who was compelled to turn his back on Starfleet, which was his home and world. "Starfleet wasn't Starfleet," he tells an interviewer angrily on why he chose to leave it all behind. Abandonment and atonement become a strong theme on the show and the fifth episode was an example of that.
Over the course of five episodes, the pieces are slowly coming together. More than a decade ago, the planet of Romulus faced the dire threat of the Supernova. Picard had plans to evacuate the Romulans and save them. However, after a rogue synthetic insurrection on Mars that destroyed the rescue armada, Starfleet decided to abandon the evacuation plans. Picard was stunned by this and asked them to revise their decision, even offering them an ultimatum of his resignation. Much to his shock, they accepted his resignation. And so, Picard returned to his beloved France, far away from any mission.
Picard is one of the most venerated captains on Starfleet and more than his successful missions, he was known for his compassion and empathy. He was loved fiercely by most. So to be disposed of so easily broke him. His trust and faith in the Federation's ideals shattered, as he realized that they had left a race to die. For Picard, the animosity and troubled relations with the Romulans over the years were not even a question---they had to be saved.
Yet, while Picard was smarting, the Romulans felt betrayed as well. Picard reassured them that they would be saved, and yet, according to them, he left and never returned. This guilt has remained deeply entrenched in him for years, and somewhere, he seeks atonement for his sins as well.
The theme of abandonment is a strong current on the show, along with anger and distrust. Raffi Musiker is hurt with Picard too, and their meeting after several years is far from pleasant.
Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd) faces her own uncomfortable past, as she meets her son, who feels abandoned by her. Work was too important for her, and he thinks that she prioritized career over her family. He wants nothing to do with her and in no uncertain terms tells her to back off.
Abandonment of values, ideals, close friends, family, a race they wanted to save--this is the crux of the first season of 'Star Trek: Picard'. There are wounds that have not been healed, and there are scores to settle. Jeri Ryan's Seven Of Nine is back, and she wants revenge for the murder of her 'son' Icheb from 'Star Trek: Voyager'.
There's a lot that 'Star Trek: Picard' promises, and let's see what the next few episodes bring.
'Star Trek: Picard' airs on CBS All-Access, Thursdays, 12:01 am.