TNG Flashback: Redemption

After the epic cliffhanger ending to season three, Star Trek: The Next Generation had set a high bar for its fourth season finale -- an episode which also, coincidentally, was the series' 100th. The bar was an impossibly high one, I think, though the series did try to set equally galactic stakes.

Picard is about to perform his final duty as the Klingon Arbiter of Succession, by installing Gowron as the new leader of the Empire. But Gowron unexpectedly comes to him, warning that the sisters of the dead and dishonored Duras have rallied tremendous support -- enough to fracture the Klingon Empire in a civil war. Worf uses the ships loyal to his brother Kurn, leaning on Gowron's weakened position to force the restoration of his family name. But when Picard will allow Worf to go no further -- as doing so would risk drawing the Federation into the internal Klingon conflict -- Worf resigns his Starfleet commission to fight for his people.

According to showrunner Michael Piller, the storyline of this episode was originally conceived of as the third season finale, following up fairly soon on "Sins of the Father," the episode that ultimately set it all in motion. When the concept for "The Best of Both Worlds" was hit upon, this Klingon storyline was postponed for a year. I think it was a great decision, as it not only stepped aside for the greatest cliffhanger in the history of Star Trek, it made room for an intervening chapter of the Klingon story, "Reunion," which I think turned out to be the best of that saga.

It's no surprise that the resident Klingon fan, Ronald D. Moore, crafted the script for this finale. As always, he has the right details that give the Klingon culture life, such as the way B'Etor caresses Picard's bald head (as though tantalized by his lack of ridges), or the knife-grasping, bloodletting ceremony that restores Worf's honor. He also crafts a great scene with Guinan, where she needles Worf into realizing that if the situation is not rectified, the dishonor he has accepted will one day affect his own son.

But the rest of the episode is not as strong, simultaneously overstuffed and half-cooked. The number of plot points is overwhelming, including the rise of Gowron, the introduction of Lursa and B'Etor (and their nephew Toral), the secret involvement of the Romulans (and the reveal of Sela), the restoration of Worf's honor, and Picard's dilemma of how to keep the Federation uninvolved. Because it's so crowded, some of it doesn't feel very realistic. For example, the fact that Picard is successful in that last part strains credibility for me. By refusing to aid Gowron in his time of need, he certainly avoids the ire of Duras' family. Yet when he twice refuses to help Gowron, it's hard to understand how the hot-headed Klingon doesn't take equal offense in that.

There's also some inconsistency in the fact that it's initially Picard who pushes Worf that now is the time to clear his name, yet also Picard who would later deny Worf access to the information needed to do it. But Picard does get other, better moments in the episode. He lobs a wonderful insult at Lursa when he compares her manipulative skills to that of a Romulan. (An insult she can't respond to, as it strikes close to the truth.) Picard also, refreshingly, lets Worf leave Starfleet without bitterness, instead sending him off with heartfelt compliments and a column of officers.

Other observations:

• Guinan doesn't just like to collect weapons, she's apparently very good at using them too. She "comes down" to Worf's level on the phaser range, and wipes the floor with him too.

• The revealing Klingon armor worn by Lursa and B'Etor shows off what fans quickly dubbed "Kleavage."

• In a fun little bit of kontinuity (ha!), kellicams -- the Klingon unit of distance used in the movie Star Trek III -- are again mentioned here.

• In a lack of kontinuity (seriously, ha!), Gowron says here that women aren't allowed to serve on the Klingon High Council, even though he himself offered K'Ehleyr a seat in "Reunion."

• Former President Ronald Reagan visited the set while this episode was being filmed. Though I'm not certain how much of a Star Trek fan he truly was, he apparently showed great deference to Gene Roddenberry. According to Brent Spiner and Ronald Moore, when Roddenberry dropped his cane, the president knelt to pick it up for him.

• Denise Crosby is revealed in the final moment of the episode, after her shadowy (voiced-over) appearance in "The Mind's Eye." She makes quite an entrance with the very droll line: "humans have a way of showing up when you least expect them."

I imagine Klingon fans were quite satisfied by this episode, but I myself was less enchanted. It feels (as indeed it is) like only half a story -- and not actually suspenseful in its incompleteness as "The Best of Both Worlds" felt. Moreover, the half that is there leaves most of the main characters without anything important to do. (I'm not sure Dr. Crusher and Troi even have any lines.) I give "Redemption" a B-.

And with that, I've come to the end of season four. Thus, it's time for a quick look back. I felt the season didn't quite hit the highs of year three; I gave no straight-up A grades to any of the 26 episodes. Still, there were quite a lot of A- and B+ episodes, and only a handful I thought any worse than a B-. In short, season four really was quite good overall -- much like season three, if not quite as good.

My picks for the top five episodes of the season: "Reunion," "First Contact," "The Drumhead," "In Theory," and "Qpid."

On to season five!