‘Star Trek: Picard’ Recap – ‘Stardust City Rag’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

​Over the course of its first few episodes, Star Trek: Picard has done a phenomenal job of exploring the transformed landscape of the late 24th Century. For we have come to learn that Starfleet and the Federation, once beacons of hope in the galaxy, have transformed into nothing more than figureheads following their withdrawal from just about everything that matters in the galaxy. But what’s more relevant to this stunning revelation, is the sheer impact that Starfleet and the Federation made by choosing to abandon the Romulan people in their time of need since that has also transformed good people that once fought for justice and equality, such as the now retired Admiral Jean-Luc Picard.
 
For seeing the organizations that he once believed in so deeply, fail so many, has left him a shell of his former self, and we spent a lot of time in the first four episodes, deeply exploring his pain and his regret and how every single poor choice he has made in the past fourteen years have haunted him like never before. Yet, what’s truly impressive about this extended study of the future, is the sheer fact that this series has held steadfast to the slow burn approach of storytelling, something that some would deem to be a cardinal sin in this era of peak television. But it would seem that this unique story structure was all part of a grandiose plan, one designed to truly set the stage so that later episodes in the season can start to bring everything together in magnificent and thrilling fashion, as evidenced by this week’s episode.
 
But before we dive deep into how exactly ‘Stardust City Rag’ pulled off that particular feat, we would be remiss to not discuss the fact that this episode still made a point to do a little bit more world-building, the kind that was supremely relevant to the story at hand. For this particular tale took the time to explore how the galaxy transformed in the days following the Federation’s cowardly move to leave the Romulan Empire to its own devices and it turns out that opportunists took full advantage of the retreat and began to make deals with shady figures, the kind that flat out cost people lives. For in that first year after Starfleet retreated within the UFP’s borders, Seven of Nine went through quite the transformative moment in her life.
 
For Icheb, the young Borg drone that she and the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager rescued all those years ago, found himself in a horrible place, one where his implants were being removed for sale to the highest bidder. But despite Seven’s valiant attempts to save him, the injuries that were sustained during this savage ‘surgery’ were more than he could bear, and she was forced to do the unthinkable and put him out of his misery and well… that’s why Seven is now in a darker place and his passing is one of the many reasons that she’s left Starfleet as well in order to do some vigilante work with the Rangers. For she believes that lawlessness and wanton chaos are unacceptable and that someone has to step up and fill the void that Starfleet left behind.

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​Which brings us to how this backstory was supremely relevant to this week’s story, because it tied right into the rescue of one Doctor Bruce Maddox. Who as it turns out, was up for sale on the black market by an individual named Bjayzl and well, Seven knew exactly how to rescue Maddox before the highest bidder sold him off to the Tal Shiar. Because Bjayzl was the woman who sanctioned Icheb’s harvesting and there was no way she could resist potentially getting her hands on the grand prize that is Seven of Nine’s Borg implants and that allowed for a grandiose rescue plan to take place. One where Rios would set the stage with a little acting and a lot of lies, all in the hopes of making a Seven a more attractive ‘prize’ and wouldn’t you know it? This ragtag plan actually went off without a hitch since Bjayzl was indeed ready to meet Picard’s pirate alter ego in the hopes of negotiating a trade, wherein he would hand over Seven of Nine in exchange for Doctor Maddox.
 
But it didn’t take long for this plan to go to pieces when Seven of Nine revealed the fact that she went along with it, in order to get face to face with Bjayzl so she could exact a little measure of revenge. Something that shocked Picard. For he firmly believed that Seven should know better than to succumb to such primal desires, but despite the successful rescue of Bruce, and his attempts to talk Seven off of the proverbial cliff, she simply would not listen. For Icheb was the closest thing she ever had to a son and the only way to properly handle the pain in her heart was to make her enemy and the source of her pain, pay. And in a stunning sequence of events, she returned to Freecloud and put an end to Bjayzl, and this dark and powerful moment spoke volumes to how much Seven believes in justice at any cost these days.
 
Yet while that was stunning in its own right, the show still had some incredible moments waiting in the wings for us and those came forth shortly after Bruce settled in aboard the La Sirena’s medical bay. Because not only did he let Picard know of Soji’s location, he also revealed to the former Admiral that he believes that nefarious forces are working behind the scenes in Starfleet and the Federation, and to make matters worse, one of them is aboard the ship. For dear Doctor Jurati revealed herself to be a double agents of sorts, since she took the time to tell her beloved Bruce that she was now aware of the dangers of synthetic life and that she had to do something in order to keep the universe safe from it and part of that process… involved ending Bruce’s life. Which means that genuine danger now surrounds the crew as they prepare to venture to the Artifact, since Agnes is a murderer, and will likely kill again if it means completing her mission.
 
If anything, this was a supremely dark and brooding episode when all is said and done, one that definitely featured some jaw dropping moments, and one that truly does close the world-building chapter in this tale. For now, we know how much the Federation’s cowardice shattered hope and left the galaxy in tatters and it would seem that the big question hanging over the back half of this phenomenal first season is whether or not hope can be restored, and there is a chance that it can. Because if Jean-Luc can save Soji, and expose the corruption in the Federation, then perhaps people can believe in something better again and also that perhaps, one man can make a difference. Either way, time will tell if this iteration of Trek can find a hopeful voice once again in a sour future that mirrors present day, but in the here and the now we can celebrate another powerful tale in a magnificent, well woven story, one that is about heat up since Soji’s rescue awaits. Until next time.

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