Ok Picard 3.02

My heart is still pounding to be honest.

Spoilers spoilers, many spoilers, all the warnings.

Ok Jack Crusher has charisma in spades. They seem to be going for a Han Solo type vibe and it’s working – I like him.

What I do NOT like and what I knew I wouldn’t like is the whole “Picard’s son” thing because I can’t make it make sense. Why would Beverley have hidden that from Picard? They were friends for years/a couple of decades before they gave being a couple a go. Even if Beverley was certain Picard didn’t want a kid, and admittedly I have just seen the movies and to mid-season 3 of TNG, but she seems honourable. She wouldn’t make him be involved. Perhaps she “didn’t want to trap him” but she always seemed to make moral arguments on the Enterprise about right to know. I just don’t see why the secret and until I do (and it makes sense) I will remain irritated.

I am doubly irritated by Shaw. I hate the man, I loathe him with the fire of a thousand suns. He is a grade A asshat and the way he just went “oh ok then” when Picard said “it’s my son” like that made a difference!?!? I mean Jack Crusher was somebody’s son! Beverley’s in fact so why does Picard providing half the genetics change a damn thing? I hate it. I would have preferred Shaw by like “yeah and so??” because the argument remains the same. The hundreds of crew lives vs. one guy. That is about the one thing Shaw isn’t wrong about. I hate him for how he treats Seven. Insisting on her deadname, being so blatantly bigoted and disrespectful. But Picard choosing to risk his own life for a personal mission is one thing, it IS irresponsible to decide to risk the lives of an entire ship. I mean “the greater good” is a bad thing to say I know, and I get principle is important but the crew of the Titan have value. Their lives are just as valid.

I mean I’m not saying they should have turned Jack Crusher over. Because Federation ideals and everyone onboard signed up for StarFleet and that fight. What I am saying is that make it about that, because it doesn’t matter a damn who is related to who. Being a Picard doesn’t make Jack Crusher anymore worthy of being saved and I hate the implication that it does.

I really think that season 3 is going to wind up like season 2 in that I find a big chunk of the ‘main’ story to be a complete waste of airtime. Picard and his whole mother story was something that weakened season 2 horribly and I feel like this son angle is going to be the same.

Seven deserves better. The premiere allowed some hints at what she has been dealing with. This episode barely gave her anything to do beyond repeating that Shaw is an asshat, and about the Rangers in addition to everything else. Seven is playing second fiddle, being like background and she is too good for that.

Now Raffi. Oh Raffi. The saviour of the episode. I may wind up watching this season for Raffi alone. She is knocking every damn scene she gets out of the park, my heart just breaks for her. Raffi blaming herself was something I knew would happen, Raffi being determined to get to the bottom of it and not believing the party line – well that’s how she was drummed out of StarFleet the first time over the Mars attack. You would think they should have learned to listen to her as Raffi was right then, and she was right now.

Bringing in her ex-husband was one big ball of pain. The ultimatum he put down of the case or her son was an impossible one. It’s actually a bit like the Titan/Picard scenario only Raffi didn’t choose what she wanted (her son), she chose her duty. Because it isn’t just about the lives that were lost – it’s about how many more are at risk. Whomever behind this gets away with it and their scheme will continue. They thought nothing of killing 117 people. They need to be stopped. But man Raffi’s face just about killed me because she knew this was a turning point. She has chosen duty over her son before, and she lost him, and when Gabe hears she did it again – she may never get another chance. I don’t know if she had a chance to begin with but if there was hope it’s gone. And Gabe doesn’t seem like he’ll care if Raffi saves the Galaxy. I guess it’s a cost of heroism they don’t usually show. Because he probably accepts it’s important but “why does it have to be my mom?” Because always coming second burns whether it’s for a noble reason or not.

I confess I did not see it coming that Worf was Raffi’s handler. I was thinking it was some shadowy enemy bad guy. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that he saved her. I love that they are giving Raffi this meaty story and integrating her into the TNG stuff through making her story be Worf’s intro. I just wish they would shine more light onto Seven as well. But hell Raffi deserves this, Raffi deserves even more. I hope that it continues and Raffi and Seven both get their time to shine even when more TNG cast are brought in. I am concerned that the cast is big and they might get shuffled to the back and forgotten by the end of the season :/

Anyway! Moving onto the last piece of my heart that Raffi stole. She risked her sobriety (and I would argue it’s a risk rather than a loss) to keep her cover and continue the mission. Raffi made a choice to go all in and that was brave. I suspect it will make resisting drugs even harder now she’s had another taste. That struggle will make her (hopeful) victory even more impressive. I wish I knew for sure whether Raffi was still in touch with Seven. They are in different places, doing their own thing, but Raffi needs someone that understands and that won’t judge her.

I am still like ahhhhh over it being Worf! The text messages have a different inflection now as Worf never did feel the need to explain himself. When I first saw the blade I did hope for half a second that Elnor has come for Raffi but I did know better as he’s not in this season 🙁 I miss him.

I don’t get this villain. I do very much like the “doctors without borders” thing, very similar to Seven and the Rangers that they are suggesting Beverley was doing. But why does the villain want Jack Crusher? Given how much of the plot seems to hinge on this reason it better be a damn good one. Like maybe he stole something that is irreplaceable? It can’t be merely expensive as clearly they have enough resources to buy entire solar systems. I have a feeling the reason is not going to live up to the hype. I am much more invested in Raffi’s investigation!

I want Seven to either reform StarFleet somehow so they actually do some damn good, or tell them to stuff it and go back to being a Ranger. Seven deserves better dammit.

Ok I don’t think I have anything else to ramble about but Raffi is living in my head rent free right now. No thoughts, only Raffi. I have tried to make sense but my brain is just like ahhhhh because I have feelings. My heart breaks for her suffering. I want to fix it somehow for her. I want her to reunite with Seven and for them to work together and save the day.

Anyway next week I predict we’ll have a boring ass time playing peek a boo in the nebula and Seven won’t get enough to do. I remain deeply disappointed that the crew didn’t rise up against Shaw and throw him out of an airlock (I am kidding, mostly). And then we’ll have a handful of incredibly compelling scenes with Raffi and my heart will be in shreds again. Also bets on the next TNG appearance? I am thinking maybe Deanna. Her spider sense may have said Riker is in trouble I don’t know. We shall see.