So finally, we all arrived at the grand finale of the new series — Arcadia Ego, Part 2. Would the show answer all of those questions that it posed for the last nine weeks? Would someone die? Would the evil synths take over when Picard was under house arrest?
DATE: 2399
We rejoin Narek as he ran along the water’s edge toward the Borg Cube. As our friend snuck in, Elnor and Seven debate on whether it was worth the xBs staying alive. Everyone hated them, they have no home, and they don’t belong anywhere, Elnor pointed out.
“Am I better off dead?” Seven asked. “I’m an xB.” She asked him if she, too, should kill herself. Elnor said that she shouldn’t because he’d miss her.
NOTE: Awww! Elnor is such a nice dude. Some have speculated that a Picard-spinoff series starring Seven is in the works. If it is, I hope that Elnor would be her sidekick.
Narek evaded the little floating robots that were at work in the Cube and found his way to his sister, Narissa Rizzo. After a brief hug, she asked if he had found the synths. He said that he had, but he’d only killed one thus far. Narissa then grabbed his arm and took her to her ‘hiding place.’
Meanwhile, Picard moved around Bruce Maddox’s lab, which is where he was being held under house arrest. A butterfly landed on his finger for a moment, then disappeared out the window. When it did, Picard said, “lucky you.”
As Dr. Agnes Jurati was lurking around the compound (since she swore to protect the synths in the last episode), she watched Soji pass through secure doors of Maddox’s office with an eye scan. Agnes probably said to herself, “a-HA!”
Inside, Soji lectured Picard on how the organics decide if they live or die. She told him that calling the other synthetic race was their only option.
“To say you have no choice, is a failure of imagination,” said Picard. “Please don’t let the Romulans turn you into the monsters they fear.”
He urged Soji to stop building the beacon. Picard told her that the synthetics they were calling would be their salvation, but would annihilate the organics.
Back at the Cube, Narek and Rizzo argued over what to do. Narek decided that he was going to destroy the “attack flowers” with grenades, so they could not take down the Romulan fleet. She argued, but he told her that this time he was going to do what needed to be done. Because, after all, he found Seb Cheneb (the Destroyer, aka Soji). She let him go.
After Narek walked out, Elnor followed.
Meanwhile, Raffi and Rios were tinkering around with the device that Saga gave to them (last episode), which would fix their problems on the La Sirena. Rios said that the intermix reactor was fused, and he needed to “unfuse” it, which was impossible. Rios needed to use the maintenance replicator to create the part. Still, he could not, because the intermix reactor was offline.
He tried the device (which resembled a translucent-plastic set of brass knuckles) and used his imagination. The device sent small antennae out of its top, which quickly patched the hole with short electrical pulses.
NOTE: This caused a lot of heartburn with Trek fans. I didn’t have a problem with it. There have been many characters that have powers that cannot be explained by standard scientific means (Q, Trelane, Gary Mitchell, the Traveller, etc.). I think this device was tech that was created by the synths and is beyond what humans thought is possible. Perhaps it’s a glimpse of what could come from a human/synth alliance.
It reminded me of how AI is solving problems in ways that computer scientists had never considered, and the scientists aren’t sure how the AI got there. It also reminded me of the famous quote by Arthur C. Clarke — “any technology, no matter how primitive, is magic to those who don’t understand it.”
After Rios finished, all the systems came back online. Seconds later, they heard a noise coming from outside the La Sirena and went to investigate.
Back at Coppelius Station, Dr. Altan Inigo Soong (Brent Spiner) told Agnes that Bruce Maddox’s plan to transfer consciousness into the new android body could be accomplished with the equipment in the lab.
Soong said that what they planned to do was a remarkable bit of “self-sacrifice” for Agnes. He shrugged and said that was what a mother would do.
NOTE: HMMM! What exactly were they planning to do? Was Agnes going to transfer her consciousness into a synth body?
After Soong left, she said was not their mother — “asshole.”
At the La Sirena, Narek talked his way into working with Rios and Raffi, by sharing the plan to blow up the synthetic’s transmitter. Raffi could not reach Jean-Luc on the comlink. Just then, Elnor arrived and put his sword on Narek’s throat.
“I do… I very much choose to live,” said Narek. Rios told Elnor to back down.
In the lab, Soong attempted to transfer Saga’s memories into a “V-module” for Arcana. Still, there was some kind of corruption in the data stream. Agnes asked him to decrypt some files she needed to work on the ‘golem.’ When Soong left to unlock the files, Agnes pulled an eyeball out of Saga’s corpse.
At the ship, the four sat around a campfire. Elnor argued against trusting Narek.
“His sister murdered Hugh,” said Elnor. He then turned to Narek. “I don’t like you.”
Narek said that if they didn’t team up to stop Gamadan, then they would all die. Raffi asked what that was. Narek explained that Gamadan was like Judgment Day. Rios said it was an ancient myth.
“Some say it dates back from long before our ancestors first arrived on Vulcan,” Narek said.
“His sister murdered Hugh,” said Elnor. He then turned to Narek. “I don’t like you.”
NOTE: Some took this literally, to mean that the Romulans literally arrived on Vulcan at some point. Others thought that the race of pre-Vulcan Romulans (and Vulcans) were space-faring and settled Vulcan after leaving some other planet.
I took this to mean that the Vulcans and Romulans had ancient stories, which explained their origin, and what was happening on Vulcan before sentient beings arrived. Not unlike Genesis from the Bible, or the stories from Brhadaryanka Upanishad and others.
Anyhow, this was a great little story, which tied all the Romulan fears together, which will end their lives.
“You really believe this is a prophecy?” Raffi asked.
“No,” said Narek. “I believe it’s history.”
Everything pauses for a moment, and the audience gets a good look at the Romulan fleet in mid-warp, heading toward Ghulion IV. The terrible and evil Commodore Oh stood on the Romulan flagship. She said that their job was almost done.
The next morning, Narek showed off his molecular solvent grenades. Narek said they would turn him into the synths as a prisoner, and they’d be able to get in the front gate. They’d smuggle the grenade in, via Rios’ soccer ball. The plan worked.
NOTE: BUT — the android guards at the gate let them through without taking Narek into custody. Pretty sloppy. Guess they assumed that Rios and Raffi would take Narek straight to Sutra to be placed into custody.
Meanwhile, Agnes used Saga’s eye to get in to see Picard. She told him that she was “busting” him out. She took his hand and told him that they were going to sneak back to the La Sirena.
In the central lab, Soong finished preparing the golem to receive the “neural engrams.” Just at that moment, the computer downloading Saga’s memories chimed. Soong went over and watched the last moments from Saga’s life, which was Sutra and Narek killing her. He gasped.
Outside, Narek, Rios, Raffi, and Elnor snuck around the compound. Raffi wondered how they would get close to the transmitter to destroy it. Soong walked up behind her and said, that was “an excellent question.” They all looked at each other and then at him.
Picard and Agnes arrived on the La Sirena to find it empty. It was a funny moment when they got to the bridge, and Picard fussed at Agnes for not getting him the status report on the Romulan fleet quickly enough.
“Come on, doctor!” he said to Agnes. She sat down and logged into the system and said that the Romulan fleet was seven minutes from the planet, and there was no sign of Starfleet.
Picard said they had to create a diversion until Starfleet arrived. Agnes said that if they stopped the Romulans, then they’d still have to deal with Soji and the “golden children” who intended to eliminate all organic life. She said that the synths were “generations beyond” humanity. Picard said that was true in one sense. But they were also still children.
“Until now, their only teachers that they’ve had were a couple of hermits and the fear of extermination,” said Picard. “But fear is an incompetent teacher.
“They have life, but no one is teaching them what it’s for! To be alive is a responsibility, as well as a right.”
Agnes asked him how the synths were supposed to learn this truth in under seven minutes. Picard sat in the captain’s chair and said, “by example.”
He mentioned that he had been watching Rios and started the La Sirena’s engines. Agnes told him to, “Make it so.” Picard piloted it into the sky.
NOTE: Picard admitted that he’d been watching Rios pilot the ship before launching it, but why didn’t he just get a hologram to fly it for him? That way, he could have commanded like he was so used to.
At the Coppelius Station, Sutra addressed the synths, telling them as soon as the transmitter is complete, the portal will open, and their “liberators” will arrive.
“And then we’ll be free,” Sutra said.
Soong walked up to Sutra and offered her the hummingbird pin (the same one Sutra used last episode to kill Saga).
“You reasoned correctly that your fellow synthetics needed persuading,” Soong said. “An emotional jolt to drive them to the decision that you wanted them to make. To build the beacon…”
“I’m glad you see the reason behind my actions,” Sutra said.
Soong grew upset when she said that. He asked her how she could help Narek kill Saga. He used a device to shock Sutra, and she fell to the ground. He sighed and said that they (the synths) were no better than “we” (the organics).
“One impossible thing at a time,” said Agnes.
With that, Raffi whistled. Narek jumped down from above, and Rios appeared over the side of a fence. Elnor started taking out synths. Rios watched Soji work on the computer, which controlled the transmitter.
In space, Agnes started to question Picard about what he planned to do against the 218 Warbirds, which were en route to Coppelius. He fussed at her again, saying that he was trying to fly the ship without exploding or crashing. She agreed.
“One impossible thing at a time,” said Agnes.
On the planet, the Androids quickly overpowered Narek, who pleaded with Soji not to activate the transmitter. While he distracted everyone, Rios launched the grenade at the computer. Soji caught it and threw it into the sky where it exploded harmlessly. She went back to work on the transmitter’s computer.
From the Cube, Narissa detected the La Sirena and began to target the ship with the Borg weapons.
Before she could shoot down the La Sirena, Seven stepped out of the shadows and ordered Narissa to drop her weapon. Seven removed the small knives Narissa had hidden in her belt.
“You know, you’re rather pretty,” said Narissa. “Or would be, if you weren’t a disgusting half-meat.”
What followed was a fantastic fight, which would stand up to any from William Shatner’s Trek days. You’ve just got to watch it. Seven eventually won. She threw Narissa into a crevasse and said:
“This is for Hugh!”
In La Sirena, Agnesreported that she detected incoming warp signatures. Seconds later, the Romulan fleet arrived. On the flagship, General Oh’s crew told her that they found the synth settlement.
“Sterilize the entire planet,” said Oh.
Below, sirens blared as the Androids were alerted to the arrival of the Romulan fleet. The orchids launched and attacked the Romulan ships. Picard and Agnes watched as the Romulans opened fire on the flowers.
Honestly, there was so much going on in the scene that it was hard to see if the orchids actually took out any Romulans. You’ve just got to watch it.
After all the orchids started to fail, Agnes asked Picard again what his plan was. She said that they ought to do a “Picard Maneuver” in jest, but then realized that that was a real thing. That was a reference to the TNG, Season 1 episode called “The Battle.”
“You made it look like the Enterprise was in two places at once!” said Agnes.
“It was the Stargazer, and it was a long time ago,” he replied, as he piloted the La Sirena through the Romulans and orchids. “It would be useless against so many enemy vessels.”
Picard said they had to trick the Romulans into thinking there was more than one ship against them, like when an ancient airplane would scatter bits of mirror to confuse enemy radar. Agnes said they’d need a “wacky fundamental field replicator with a neurocotomic interface. Then she picked up the device that Rios used to fix the ship, and it created multiple images of her face scattered about the bridge. She smiled like the Cheshire Cat.
On the planet, as Soji continued to work on the transmitter, Picard contacted her and said that he was going to sacrifice his life to get them to stop building the transmitter.
The Romulans announced that the orchids had been neutralized. Oh ordered them to target the “abomination’s nest” on the planet.
Agnes used the device to create copies of the La Sirena (with warp signatures) to fool the Romulans. Oh saw the La Sirena but ordered her fleet to ignore it.
“Ready planetary sterilization pattern number five,” she said.
NOTE: This caused heartburn among some. Why not have different levels of destruction? I think this was a nod to the TOS episode, “Errand of Mercy,” where the Klingon Kor orders a “implement special occupation order number four.” Sounds a little similar, doesn’t it?
When Agnes created the duplicates, the Romulans attacked. For a few moments, it worked, but eventually, the real La Sirena was hit, and all the clones disappeared. The ship started to spin out of control. On the planet, Soji was monitoring and cried out when she saw what happened.
Either way, Soji activated the transmitter, and it created a portal above the planet. Oh saw that the portal was open, and ordered the ships to fire — but just before they did, a fleet of Starfleet vessels warped in.
It was Riker! He was acting captain of the U.S.S. Zheng He. Riker told Oh that the Federation had designated Ghulion IV as a protectorate, according to the terms of the Treaty of Algeron — which was a reference to the treaty agreed to by the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire in 2311. This created the Neutral Zone and prohibited Starfleet from using cloaking devices.
Oh said that the Romulan claim to the world took precedent. Riker then played Picard’s call to Starfleet, made earlier.
“General or Commodore… or whatever you’re calling yourself… right now, I’m on the bridge of the toughest, fastest, most powerful ship Starfleet has ever put into service,” said Riker. “And I’ve got a fleet of them at my back. We’ve got our phasers locked on your warp cores.
“And nothing would make me happier than you giving me an excuse to kick your treacherous Tal Shiar ass,” he said. “But instead, I’m going to ask you one time to stand down.”
Oh ordered her ships to prepare to fight. Riker ordered that his ships have “weapons to full.”
As Picard watched from La Sirena, he suddenly grabbed his head in pain. He had Agnes give him a sedative so he could continue. He contacted Soji again to plead with her.
“And nothing would make me happier than you giving me an excuse to kick your treacherous Tal Shiar ass,” he said. “But instead, I’m going to ask you one time to stand down.”
“You’re not the enemy — you’re not the Destroyer,” Picard said to her. “If that doesn’t convince them, then they will have to answer to the Federation.”
Soji pointed out that this was the same group that banned synths. Picard noted that if they wanted to destroy the Androids, then they’d join forces with the Romulans.
“I believe in you,” Picard said. “That’s why I saved your lives, so you could save ours in return. That’s the whole point. That’s why we’re here. To save each other.”
Just then, a bunch of nasty, mechanical tentacles started to push through the portal in space. YUCK. They were nightmarish. If you’ve seen any of the Matrix films, these creatures were like the sentinel droids.
Soji smashed the console for the beacon, and the portal closed. The Romulans retreated and left. Picard called Riker on the Zheng He, and Riker explained that he asked for temporary assignment when he heard that Picard asked for help.
“I’m supposed to sit around in the woods making pizza while you have all the fun?” he asked Picard.
Riker, and all of those shiny ships, left as well.
As soon as they were gone, he grabbed the back of his head again. Soji watched as Agnes laid him down. Soji asked if they could get him to sickbay on one of the Starfleet ships. Picard said there was no point. Agnes agreed. Soji beamed them to the planet.
All of Picard’s team gathered around him as he lay. Picard patted Elnor’s cheek. He told Raffi that she was “quite right.” He then died in her arms!
Later, Rios and Seven shared a drink and watched the sunset. Rios said that he would never follow another charismatic captain again, but he did it anyhow. Seven said she told herself that she’d never kill someone because it was something they deserved.
Raffi sat on a hill overlooking the settlement, and Elnor walked up to her and cried. She held him.
Picard opened his eyes and started talking to Mr. Data. Picard thought he was in a dream, but Data told him he was in a simulation.
“Data, am I dead?” he asked.
“Yes, captain,” Data replied.
They chatted about dying and how they both died. Data said that he knew he was dead, but that he had no memory of how it happened.
“My consciousness exists in a massively complex quantum reconstruction, made from a copy of the memories I downloaded into B4, just before I died,” said Data.
“You don’t remember your death — I can’t forget it,” said Picard. They discussed Data’s final moments (as seen on Star Trek: Nemesis).
Data asked Picard if he regretted sacrificing himself for Soji and her people. Picard said that he did not. Data then asked Picard if he though Data would regret sacrificing his life for Picard.
Data explained that Maddox salvaged his memories, and Altan Soong recreated his consciousness.
“I don’t much care for him,” said Picard. He then told Data that he regretted that Picard never told Data that he loved him. Data said… in a very “Data” way that he knew.
Data told Picard that Soong and Jurati scanned and transferred his consciousness. Data asked Picard when he returned, to terminate his consciousness.
“You want to die?” Picard asked.
Data said that he wanted to live, briefly, knowing that his life is finite. This statement is a direct call back to the TNG two-part episodes, “Times Arrow,” where Data said almost the exact, same thing to Geordi.
“Mortality gives meaning to human life, Captain,” said Data. “A butterfly that lives forever is really not a butterfly at all.”
A door slid open, and Picard walked into complete white light.
When he came to, Picard looked up and saw the faces of Soji, Agnes, and Soong looking down on him. He asked if he was real, and Soji said that he was. They put his mind in the ‘golem.’
They explained that he had no special powers, and the brain abnormality was gone. He asked if he was now immortal. Soji said they gave him the same amount of years that he should have lived naturally. He said that he would have liked a few extra, even twenty more.
He got up and announced that he had a promise to keep. The audience saw Data sitting in a chair, listening to the song “Blue Skies.” Picard pulled out what looked like USB thumb drives from a device, and Data grew old and died.
It was Picard himself in the room holding Data’s hand as he passed.
SO SAD. Even as I watched again, I felt like we all lost a friend. This time for good. Not like after Nemesis, when I expected another Trek film to follow so, they could bring Data back. This time seems like we won’t see Data again.
As Blue Skies (sung by Isa Briones) still played, the audience saw Agnes kiss Rios on board the La Sirena, Raffi, and Seven holding hands. Picard called them all to the bridge, and even Soji showed up.
“Engage!” said Picard. And the Alexander Courage Trek theme played as the La Sirena warped into the stars.
“Now that they’ve lifted the ban on synthetics, I’m free to travel,” said Soji.
“Me too!” said Picard.
Rios asked if he was ready. All of his crew turned to him and waited for him to give the order. Soji, Seven, Raffi, Rios, Elnor, and Agnes.
“Engage!” said Picard. And the Alexander Courage Trek theme played as the La Sirena warped into the stars.
TREK REPORT SUPPLEMENTAL:
What a sad yet satisfying ending. Sad because Data is gone, but there was so much to love and look forward to for Picard’s next adventure. He has a crew, he has a ship, and he has a lease on life. I can only imagine that Season 2 of Picard will be even better!
RATING: 5 out of 5
