Star Trek: The Next Generation
Summary
Michael Piller laid out why Captain Jean - Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) was the winner of his famous torture instalment fromStar Trek : The Next Generation . " string of Command , Parts 1&2 " was aTNGseason 6 two - parter and isstill considered one of the serial ' good installment . After being relieved of his dictation on the USS Enterprise - D and attribute to a covert Federation intelligence - gathering missionary post , Captain Picard is entrance by Cardassian forces and after tortured for information by the brutal Gul Madred ( David Warner ) . Although Madred subjects Picard to some unthinkably cruel query methods , Picard ultimately succeeds in not giving up any information about Starfleet .
" Chain of Command " is often note for the incredible operation of both Patrick Stewart as Picard andDavid Warner in one of hisStar Trekroles as Madred , and itsunflinching depiction of torture and storm interrogation . InThe Fifty - Year Mission : The Next 25 year : From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams : The Complete , Uncensored , and Unauthorized Oral story of Star Trekby Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross , TNGshowrunner Michael Piller discuss the episode and the originative squad ’s conclusion about how to portray the horrors of torture in a way that both honour substantial victims and made it clear that Picard was the episode ’s winner . Read Piller ’s full quote below :
" Ultimately , the victory for Picard is just surviving . We made the decision early on that we could n’t say that Captain Picard was such a enceinte man that he would not break under torture because that would be doing a great disservice to everybody in the human right conflict who has smash . Nobody can resist agony . Anybody who want to get you to verbalise , will get you to verbalize if they ’re unforced to do the hideous things necessary . There had to be a different kind of triumph . I ca n’t imagine a better show than “ Chain of Command , Part Two ” and it had no magic or whizbang stuff and nonsense . And it was one of the least expensive shows of the season . David Warner was sensational and Patrick Stewart was even good . I do n’t think there ’s been a better show in the history of the serial publication . "
Picard ’s torture in TNG would have been fresh in the psyche of viewers as DS9 ’s Commander Sisko prepared to present off against Star Trek ’s Cardassians .
“Chain Of Command” Wasn’t The First Time Picard Won By Surviving
Although " Chain of Command " is perhaps the most obvious illustration of Captain Picard ’s ability to pull through some of the bad experiences conceivable , it was n’t the first time he had done so inTNG.Picard is a survivor in oecumenical , and before time of year 6 , had pull through outstandingly well after being assimilated by the Borg in"The Best of Both Worlds , " another famousTNGtwo - parter . Although Picard ’s hurt from his time with the Borg was search in subsequent episodes and flick , he demonstrated the same power to keep operate after that trial by ordeal as he did during and after his agony in " Chain of Command . "
Besides the Borg , Picard show he could get the better of a different kind of difficult situation during his experience inTNG ’s season 5 episode " The Inner Light , " recently let out to bePatrick Stewart ’s favoriteTNGepisode . Although did n’t show Picard being physically harmed , the experience of hold out a 40 - year life in only 25 minute thanks to an exotic investigation was emotionally and psychologically devastating . AlthoughStar Trek : The Next Generationimplied the toll the experience took on Picard in subsequent episodes , he bore up signally well under the weight of carrying the last memory of a forgotten civilisation . These instalment demonstrated what kind of subsister Picard was even before " Chain of Command . "
Star Trek : The Next Generationis available to pullulate on Paramount+ .
Source : The Fifty - Year Mission : The Next 25 Years : From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams : The staring , Uncensored , and Unauthorized Oral account of Star Trekby Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross
