‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ Retro Recap – ‘The Inner Light’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Mankind has accomplished outright wonders during its brief time on this tiny blue planet. For not only have we conquered this world and asserted ourselves as the dominant species, but we’ve made all kinds of breakthroughs in science and technology. The kind that has made our lives easier in ways our ancestors never thought would be possible, and we’ve even reached a point where we are beginning to unlock the secrets of the universe. For we now have an incredible understanding of how life was formed on our world, which in turn might help us find it on other planets in the universe and who knows where those kinds of discoveries will take us in the years to come.

But while it is indeed wonderful to know that our science is making breakthroughs left and right, there are still some questions that we have yet to answer, many of which are philosophical in nature. Because the perfection that is the human body and the beauty that surrounds us on this world, seems too perfect at times, as though there is a rhyme and a reason for our existence and that has led a great deal of us to wonder why we were put on this Earth and what exactly is the meaning our lives and while some would venture to say that such questions are better left to philosophers or to the person asking the question, they do warrant a collective and focused answer. Because who knows what other wonders we could achieve if we banded together to truly find a purpose and a direction for our species.

If anything, such deep musings are relevant to our discussion today, simply because the meaning of life was explored in the next episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. A feat that ‘The Inner Light’ accomplished by having Captain Jean-Luc Picard slip into a special type of coma after the Enterprise encountered a strange probe from the void, one where he immediately awoke on another world and where his identity was different. For here he was Kamin and here he lived a simple life and while this turned out to be an elaborate ruse, one designed to teach the captain about a long-gone world that perished in stellar fire a thousand years ago… the little moments that Picard experiences courtesy of this powerful probe, are what take the time to explore that powerful question about life.

Because Picard lives quite the beautiful and fulling life on this remote world, one where he is loved and becomes a father and is highly regarded for his wisdom and his kindness. And well, what’s amazing is that the captain of the Enterprise, a man that finds fulfillment in saving the galaxy and soaring the stars… also finds fulfillment in this strange situation because of the people he has in his  alternate life and that makes sense. For the people we keep near us and the joy we experience with them, is just as important as our achievements because they offer substance and they provide us with moments of happiness and meaning and well… that’s what life is all about. Those special moments that never come again, the ones we look upon fondly with a smile because they were simply incredible through and through and the more, we collect of those moments with people that we connect with, the more fulfillment and meaning we discover and that is a shockingly simple message to find within the framework of such a philosophical tale, but it works here.

Likely because, we have spent generations trying to find that one ‘blow your mind’ answer and we’ve focused so hard on that, that the simple one eluded us, and it is one that makes sense. For our lives are indeed a collection of beautiful and moving moments that never come again, so it would definitely behoove us to live in the now and soak up everything that today has to offer because that would indeed give us meaning and wonder and an understanding of how special our existence truly is. Which in turn, makes this a supremely special episode for certain, one that deserves its status as one of the finest that TNG ever put to air. Because this is just that rare confluence of harmonious storytelling, the kind that stays with you in all the right ways, and it doesn’t hurt that Patrick Stewart is at his best here and well… now that we’ve come away with a little meaning in this tale, the time has come to close out a year of adventures once again. For the season five finale awaits us and it is quite the doozy. Until next time.

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