NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #27/NN_1992_27.iso/spool/aus/sf/776

Internet Message Format | 1992-11-22 | 2.8 KB

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From: [e-mail] (Martin Caden)
Newsgroups: aus.sf
Subject: Re: TNG - "The Ensigns of Command"
Date: 22 Nov 92 05:32:41 GMT
Organization: University of Technology, Sydney
Lines: 38
Distribution: aus
Message-ID: <martin.722410361@zen>
NNTP-Posting-Host: zen.maths.uts.edu.au

I think that the theme of this show was adaptability.  We see several cases
where adaptation was necessary, and forth-coming.  The original colonists had
to adapt to the Hyperonic radiation - and did.  Then they had to adapt to
circumstances which would force them to abandon all that they had built - and
eventually did.  These are two different forms of adaptation - but equally
difficult.

Perhaps the most interesting twist was the circumstances which required the
"wrong" members of the Enterprise crew to deal with important problems.  It's
difficult to imagine anyone less suited than Data to confront the leader of the
colony and to convince them of the need for evacuation.  Of course Picard
would have fared much better at the colony - he most certainly would not have
been so easily countered by the strong leadership of whatsisname.  On the
other hand, Data would have been the ideal liason to the ever-so-precise
aliens.  He could simply have scanned the treaty and entered into a precise
conversation designed to resolve the situation to mutual benefit.

The more I think about it, the more I like this show.  What would have happened
if the roles were reversed?  Perhaps disaster.  Picard may have simply entered
into a battle of wills with the colony leader, who, being on home turf, may
have treated Picard as a challenge to his leadership and imprisioned him until
"after" the attack.  Had Data been the liason to the aliens, he may have
conceded, with undoubtable logic, that the human colony was in violation of the
treaty and so was subject to summary removal.  There's a message here that the
obvious course is not always the one that will bring the desired result.  In
a battle where you are at best equal to your opponant, it might be best to
fight with unconventional weapons, to exploit your differences to your
advantage.  Picard used a ruse that a strictly legal mind would not have
thought of, Data used the colonists perception of him as "alien" to strike
genuine fear into them.

As for the usual "but Data - you ARE creative/caring/etc.." scene, and the
BFGS (Beautiful Female Guest Star), well, the less said the better.

--
  Cheers,   O
           /|\ Martin Caden                   School of Mathematical Sciences
           /^\ [e-mail]    University of Technology, Sydney