‘Star Trek: Picard’ Recap – ‘Mercy’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 208 of ‘Star Trek: Picard’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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It is definitely safe to say, that season two of Star Trek: Picard on Paramount+ has been quite the bold and daring affair. For this time travel themed journey through the stars, has done a lot of things that some might consider to be forbidden in storytelling. After all, it has more or less pushed the greater storyline aside to become a powerful character study. One that has taken the time to address some heavy and taboo topics in the name of character growth and commentary and that has indeed led to some powerful moments on this show. The kind that has stayed true to Star Trek’s edict of examining the human condition and its adventure, so we have a fictional guiding light regarding the bigger problems that surround us.
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However, while that has made for one powerful and intimate adventure with these characters, at some point… this show has to move the plot forward and begin to resolve the problem at hand. Which is saving the galaxy from a human-supremacist led genocide and well… as it turns out, last night’s episode of the series served as the perfect moment to begin that resolution. After all, Admiral Jean-Luc Picard had indeed finally faced his demons and found some semblance of peace and a way forward and now all he needed to do to properly face off against his old nemesis Q and save tomorrow in the process, was get out of a hell of a jam involving the FBI.

In fact, when we catch up with the admiral and Guinan in ‘Mercy’, they’re in a basement room and their new ‘friend’ Wells… is making some incredible demands of them. Such as asking them to expose their real identities and potentially shatter the timeline in the process. An act neither of them agree to of course, but that doesn’t stop Wells from separating the two shortly after exposing the reality that Picard has to be from outer space in some capacity. For Rios’ words came to light during the interrogation and well… with an assist from Guinan’s power in the other room (more on that in a moment), Picard finally came to realize that there had to be a different way to reach a man that was clearly haunted by notions of extraterrestrial life.

Which as it turned out, involved a touch of honesty from both sides, and that decision paid off in spades. Since Wells revealed that when he was a boy, he had his own first contact experience with a Vulcan science survey team, one that didn’t end with him having those memories removed from a mind-meld, and that allowed for that encounter to haunt him for his entire life, since he firmly believed he survived a lethal attack on that fateful night. But kind words from Picard and teaching and an admission of truth, gave Wells peace and motivated him to do the right thing in this instance, and let them go do what they needed to, in order to save the future and once they were free… the stage was set for an epic battle to save the Federation and humanity from a horrific fate. Which is a quest… we also learned, is grounded in desperation. 

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For while Picard was teaching a broken man about the wonder of the galaxy, Guinan was talking with Q. Who finally found her and revealed why he’s done all this and why he is so desperate and angry to have Jean-Luc do his bidding the right way… and that is because, Q is dying. Yes, you read that right, this omnipotent trickster, who has seen it all and done it all and nudged humanity in the right direction through wild means, is finally facing his end. And in order to find meaning in this existence, he thought perhaps one last hurrah… wherein he motivated humanity to be more one last time… would provide him with that very meaning. But while that is a noble and wild admission brought forth in the worst manner possible… it is fascinating and sorrowful to know that this is where Q’s mind and body went while facing the end, and that his actions have set the stage for an incredible showdown to save the future.
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Because while Jean-Luc and Guinan were dealing with this, Rios, and Seven and Raffi… were doing their best to find Agnes and the Borg Queen post haste. Simply because they needed to know how close she was to being able to assimilate others and create a Borg Collective and well… that hunt went pretty poorly. Since their sole encounter with Jurati/her highness ended in violence and a last second save from Agnes. Giving rise to the hope that perhaps she can be saved, while at the same time making it clear… that it will take quite the miracle to bring her back from the brink and even then… the ending of this story made it clear that salvation might not be possible at this point. 

For Adam Soong also had quite the important storyline in this tale. One that saw him admit to Kore freely, her origins, before watching her walk off into the distance, courtesy of Q’s miracle cocktail and well, while he was drowning his sorrows in booze… the Queen found him. Only because he had everything she needed for assimilation and she was able to appeal to his robust ego to get him to hand over the means to a new collective, and in exchange, she granted him the chance to violently end the Europa Mission and instead be the savior of humanity. Which would of course lead to the future we all fear, provided that the new drones the Queen created, don’t destroy it first.

Which is… the perfect way to set the stage for the final two episodes of season two. For now, the stakes are at their highest and our heroes are facing some incredible challenges. For not only do they have to square off against a maniacal Soong that needs his ego fed, but the Borg have arrived on 21st Century Earth for a second time… and the one man that could possibly nudge and help, is powerless and patiently waiting to die. Not to mention, the ship is a mess, complicating the voyage home and well… all this jam-packed and intense episode does, is compel us to continue the journey. To see how Admiral Jean-Luc Picard is going to handle his biggest challenge in years, with minimal resources at hand. Until next time.

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