Redemption (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

"Redemption"
Star Trek: The Next Generation episode
Episode no. Season 4 & 5
Episode 26 & 1
Directed by Cliff Bole (Part I)
David Carson (Part II)
Written by Ronald D. Moore
Featured music Dennis McCarthy
Production code 200 & 201
Original air date June 17, 1991 (1991-06-17)
September 23, 1991 (1991-09-23)
Guest appearance(s)
Episode chronology

"Redemption" is the name of a two-part episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. Parts I and II of "Redemption" comprise the 100th and 101st episodes of the series, also being the fourth season finale and the fifth season premiere. In the Star Trek timeline, the events depicted in the episodes occurred between stardates 44995.3 and 45020.4 as Captain Picard travels to the Klingon homeworld to oversee Gowron's installation as leader of the High Council, the Enterprise is intercepted by a ship bearing the future leader himself. Gowron reveals he has learned that the surviving members of the vengeful Duras family are plotting to incite civil war within the Empire. Not long after, Gowron's installation ceremony is interrupted by the arrival of the Duras sisters, Lursa and B'Etor, who announce that Toral, son of their dead brother Duras, will challenge Gowron for leadership. Worf, taking a leave of absence from Starfleet, meets with Gowron and offers him the support of an alliance of Klingon warships led by his brother Kurn, if Gowron will restore his family's honor. Gowron would prefer United Federation of Planets' help, but when the Duras faction attacks his ship, it seems that Worf is the only ally at hand.

Although previously opposed to getting the Federation involved in the Klingon civil war, Picard decides that he must help expose a disturbing fact: Romulans are supporting the disruptive Klingon faction led by the conniving Duras sisters. In the meantime, Worf is kidnapped and delivered to Lursa and B'Etor, who want Worf to join their side. Picard is unnerved when he's approached by Sela, a mysterious Romulan officer who bears an uncanny resemblance to Tasha Yar, the Enterprise's dead security chief.

Plot

Part 1

Captain Jean-Luc Picard (as K'mpec's chosen "Arbiter of Succession") and the Enterprise-D are asked to attend the installation of Gowron as the Leader of the Klingon High Council. Gowron informs Picard that the House of Duras will challenge Gowron's position and may lead to a Klingon civil war. Meanwhile, Worf requests a leave of absence to visit his brother, Kurn, who controls a small fleet of Birds of Prey, and to urge him to back Gowron, as, once installed as the Leader, Gowron can reinstate their family name.

Interrupting the ceremony, the Duras sisters present their deceased brother's illegitimate son, Toral, who has the lineage to challenge Gowron. Picard is called on to determine Toral's candidacy. Relying on Klingon law, Picard comes to the conclusion that Toral is too inexperienced to be Leader. Gowron returns to his ship to meet with Worf, who offers his brother's fleet's support in exchange for the return of his family name to honor. Gowron initially refuses, but they are attacked by two ships loyal to the House of Duras. Worf and the arrival of Kurn's fleet dispatch the attackers. Picard completes the rite and installs Gowron as Leader; Gowron restores Worf's family honor.

Gowron and the Enterprise crew learn that the Duras sisters are assembling a fleet to incite a civil war. As the Federation cannot get involved in internal affairs, Worf resigns his commission from Starfleet to assist Gowron and Kurn. As the Enterprise evacuates the area before open conflict begins, Toral and the Duras sisters consider Picard a coward, but their Romulan ally, a woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to the late Tasha Yar, emerges from the shadows and warns them that Picard may return.

Part 2

Picard is aware that while he cannot get involved in the Klingon civil war, the Romulans will likely see it as an opportunity to gain an advantage over the Federation, and is put in charge of a fleet of ships to create a blockade between the Klingon and Romulan border. Many of the Enterprise crew are assigned temporary command of severely undermanned ships. Picard initially does not assign Commander Data command of a ship, but after Data questions him about the omission, he gives him the Sutherland. Picard arranges the fleet to form a detection network that should observe any cloaked ships that pass the blockade. Commander Sela, the Romulan resembling Yar, orders her scientists to find a way to disable the network, but also contacts the Enterprise. Sela reveals that she is the daughter of Tasha Yar, who returned to the past on the Enterprise-C 24 years earlier ("Yesterday's Enterprise"). Sela warns that if Starfleet does not break off the blockade in 20 hours, their fleet will be attacked.

Meanwhile, Worf is kidnapped by the Duras sisters, who attempt to seduce him to join their cause by marrying B'Etor. Worf declines, stating that honor would be subverted and that the Klingon Empire would quickly fall to Romulan control. Seeing the cause as defeated, Sela orders Worf to be turned over to the Romulan guard.

Picard urges Gowron to attack the Duras forces who are running low on supplies; this will force the Romulans to enter the detection network and be caught by Starfleet. Gowron agrees, knowing that association with the Romulans will ruin the Duras family's support and end the civil war. The Duras sisters demand the Romulans bring supplies. Sela's scientists find they can disrupt part of the network by sending out an energy burst. Sela initiates the plan, selecting the Sutherland as the target. When the network destabilizes, Picard orders the fleet to retreat and reform the net, but Data observes that he can trace the source of the disruption. He orders the firing of torpedoes at specific coordinates, revealing Romulan ships. The convoy retreats, and the Duras Sisters are forced to end the civil war. Worf breaks free in time to secure Toral, but the Duras sisters escape.

Gowron gives Worf the opportunity to kill Toral by Rite of Vengeance, but he declines to do so, sparing his life, and requests Picard that he be reinstated.

Production

While the episode was being filmed, Ronald Reagan was on set during filming.[1]

See also

"Reunion", the prequel episode to Redemption.

References

  1. ↑ Mark Clark (1 April 2012). Star Trek FAQ: Everything Left to Know About the First Voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. p. 399. ISBN 978-1-55783-963-3.
    Mark Clark (1 June 2013). Star Trek FAQ 2.0 (Unofficial and Unauthorized): Everything Left to Know About the Next Generation, the Movies, and Beyond. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. p. 206. ISBN 978-1-4803-5500-2.
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