‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ Retro Recap – ‘Time Squared’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

One particular element that fiction as a whole, loves to explore, is the darkness that mankind carries within. Because there is something quite powerful about diving into a story that helps us to understand why people turn their backs on their fellow human beings, in order to perform horrible acts that create heartbreak and sorrow and suffering. But while that makes for fascinating storytelling, that’s really the only angle that these stories prefer to explore. Simply because some of the other ‘evils’ that are present within people, are nowhere near as interesting or as lethal as say, homicidal tendencies. But once in a while, you do manage to run into a story that is happy to explore the nature of the lesser evils that people carry in their hearts, and how we should handle them.

Which is precisely what the next episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, takes the time to focus upon, in the most unique way imaginable. For ‘Time Squared’ sees the crew of the Enterprise encounter a lost shuttle in the middle of the void and when they bring it aboard, they are left stunned. For inside a duplicate Shuttlecraft 05, is a duplicate Captain Jean-Luc Picard and well, the mystery surrounding this surprise, is a disturbing one indeed. Because it doesn’t take long for Geordi and Data to uncover the fact that in six hours’ time, the 1701-D will be facing off against a dangerous galactic phenomenon. One that motivates Picard to leave the ship in the hopes of saving the crew. An act that fails since visual and audio logs show and reaffirm the complete destruction of the Enterprise with a loss of all hands, and this revelation rattles Captain Picard to his core and understandably so.

Because the thought of him abandoning ship is simply unheard of in this series, but that’s precisely what his doppelgänger does here and well, that’s what brings about the exploration in question. For this alternate Picard represents everything that prime Picard is afraid of when it comes to his psyche. For the Jean-Luc we know is a capable and confident commander, one that never waivers in the face of insurmountable odds. But he is human, and he definitely fears letting doubt or worry get the better of him and that makes the ‘clone’ the personification of those fears and really what this story stands for, is that it asks both Jean-Luc and the audience, what we would do if we were forced to face those awful parts of ourselves. And well, what Jean-Luc goes through in regard to answering that question, is pretty darn powerful for certain.

For Jean-Luc straight up acknowledges the fact, that this second Picard is indeed full of everything he fears about himself, and that if this man is willing to give into his absolute worst traits, then the real Picard could in turn, do the same. But rather than give into notions of fate and fully believe that this cowardly version of himself is the only path that awaits him in life; he fights Picard 2 at every turn. Because when the anomaly arrives, he questions every decision he makes in a healthy manner, in the hopes of changing his fortunes and that bold decision to buck fate, leads to one powerful finale. Wherein Jean-Luc confronts his lesser self, and in turn his fears, in order to save the ship and his sanity and well, Picard’s decision to phaser himself before saving the day; stands as quite the powerful metaphor when all is said and done.

Because in essence, that portion of the story is designed to inform the audience to stand up to those lesser fears and evils and never let them take control of us, and if necessary; do whatever it takes to remove them from your mind and your soul. So that you can enjoy peace and calm for a change, and it’s nice to see that message embedded into this story. If anything, this is just another unique TNG story, since it bravely leaves so much unresolved. For we never really learn the purpose or intent of the vortex, and the same goes for the alternate Picard. They simply exist. Which does allow for the meatier and more philosophical stuff to take precedence and well, in the end, this episode really does deserve some serious credit, for being bold and for bringing such a unique story, to the table. Until next time.

---