Summary
Captain Picard is one ofStar Trek’s most famous characters, and the only one to spawn an eponymous spin-off series. However, despite the recency ofStar Trek: Picard, the character is best known for appearing inThe Next Generation.The series was followed by four feature films.
While much ofTNG’s success can be attributed to the way that it updated the classicStar Trekformula for a new era, it also benefited fromPatrick Stewart’s performance. Stewart brings a theatrical flourish to Picard, so it’s no surprise that he also delivers some ofThe Next Generation’s most famous speeches.
1"The line must be drawn, here and no further."
Star Trek: First Contact
Star Trek: First Contactbalances Picard’s Borg-related trauma with an action-packed battle against the Collective. TheEnterprisemust travel back in time to prevent the Borg from changing history, but Picard struggles to handle the threat.
Picard’s monologue aboutthe unstoppable Borgwas mocked both by director Jonathan Frakes and elsewhere in theStar Trekcanon: Quark, the Ferengi star ofDeep Space Nine, delivers a similarly worded rant about the state of the Ferengi Alliance. Picard’sFirst Contactspeech is not just iconic—it’s a trendsetter.
2"The first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth."
“The First Duty” (Season 5, Episode 19)
Fans remain divided onthe merits of Wesley Crusher, but few deny that the character was put to good use in “The First Duty.” Wesley helps to cover up an accident, but it isn’t long until Picard learns the truth.
The captain’s dressing-down of Wesley demonstrates the Starfleet legend’s rigid moral compass. Picard knows from experience that Wesley is capable of great things, and his speech to the disgraced cadet is as much an encouragement for Wesley to do better as it is a chastisement.
3"It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose."
“Peak Performance” (Season 2, Episode 21)
Data is one ofThe Next Generation’s most memorable characters, butthe android geniusis not without his faults. Data is shocked when he loses a game despite making all the correct moves and starts to doubt his capabilities. Luckily, Picard is on hand to deliver the pep talk needed to get Data back in the game.
Picard may be brusque with his crew, and his orders can be demanding. However, as demonstrated in “Peak Performance,” he knows the importance of forcing them past their insecurities. It’s this mindset that makes Picard one of Starfleet’s most legendary captains.
4"We’re out here to explore, to make contact with other life forms…"
“Galaxy’s Child” (Season 4, Episode 16)
Gene Roddenberry’s futuristic Federationmay be full of humans who have left behind greed and selfishness, but his heroes are not immune from making mistakes. “Galaxy’s Child” sees theEnterpriseapparently kill a large space organism, horrifying Picard, who had no intention of doing so.
Picard’s response to the apparent accident is to reiterate the founding principles of Starfleet—in other words, to boldly go where no one has gone before. However, the captain also stresses that this must be done responsibly to prevent all possible harm.
5"Let’s make sure that history never forgets the name… Enterprise."
“Yesterday’s Enterprise” (Season 3, Episode 15)
“Yesterday’s Enterprise” depicts a version of the future in which the Federation and the Klingon Empire are fighting a devastating war. However,the shock arrival of theEnterprise-Cthrough a temporal rift has the potential to change history for the better.
Picard’s words show that, even in a darker timeline, he still maintains his sense of gravitas and duty. He is willing to sacrifice theEnterprise-D so that its precursor can travel safely back in time, thus averting the war. Even in the most desperate of times, Picard maintains his integrity.
6"The first time any man’s freedom is trodden on, we’re all damaged."
The courtroom episode is a classicStar Trektrope, and “The Drumhead” is one of its best. Picard must defend a young crewman who is suspected ofsabotaging theEnterprise. However, the prosecutor, Norah Satie, doubts Picard’s intentions.
When Picard quotes Satie’s father, he not only exposes the hollowness of the trial but also exposes Satie herself. She is pursuing a vendetta, rather than the law, and the trial falls apart.
7"Let’s see what’s out there."
“Encounter At Farpoint” (Season 1, Episode 1)
While “Encounter At Farpoint” isnot without its issues, the pilot does offer one of Captain Picard’s most iconic lines. “Let’s see what’s out there” encapsulates the show’s philosophy in a concise package, and the mindset would come to define the next seven years ofThe Next Generation.
Yet the performance is just as important as the dialogue itself. Stewart’s awed delivery makes this line what it is: a mission statement for the entire golden age of theStar Trekfranchise.
8"And that is what it is, to be human. To make yourself more than you are."
Star Trek: Nemesis
Star Trek: Nemesisis disliked by fans and critics alike, but it does feature some notable confrontations between Picard andhis clone, Shinzon. Picard believes that Shinzon can be reformed despite a difficult upbringing, and attempts to convince the former slave of this.
While Picard is unsuccessful, his sentiment rings true. In fact, it sums up everything about the human race inStar Trek: it has matured beyond its baser instincts.Nemesismay not be a classic, but Picard’s speech is one of his best.
