Maps and Legends (episode)

Real world article
(written from a Production point of view)

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Picard begins investigating the mystery of Dahj as well as what her very existence means to the Federation. Without Starfleet's support, Picard is left leaning on others for help, including Dr. Agnes Jurati and an estranged former colleague, Raffi Musiker. Meanwhile, hidden enemies are also interested in where Picard's search for the truth about Dahj will lead.

Summary

Prologue

In 2385, at the Utopia Planitia Shipyards, it is First Contact Day and a skeleton crew is working during the holiday. A full collection of artificial lifeforms is in storage; they each have a designation with a letter and number branded on their foreheads. Each has the same yellow gold skin and golden eyes as Data did.

The synth F8 interacts with the skeleton crew, having them banter back and forth with him; they try telling jokes and, as with Data, the synth has no understanding of humor. It seems that these artificial lifeforms are far less advanced than Data was as they have no ability to interact with the people on any manageable level, leaving an awkwardness to the people working there.

F8 smiles at a joke without understanding it

As they continue, one of the workers comments that F8 creeps her out and another admonishes her for it, with the retort being that the synths are not people and it does not matter if she says things that offend him.

Later in the day as the crew are having their lunch, F8 appears to either malfunction or be taken over by an unknown source; he begins tampering with the consoles and compromises other synthetics and lowering the shields for the base. When a crew member attempts to stop him, F8 breaks the man's neck without hesitating.

What appears to be the planetary defense grid is activated and turns towards the planet. One of the station's crew calls for security, explaining the situation. As she is doing this, F8 walks to the side of the room, and picks up a welder, using it to murder the entire staff and the security officers who arrive to respond.

His job done, as the planetary defenses fire, F8 raises the welder to his head, terminating himself.

Act One

Back at Château Picard in 2399, Jean-Luc Picard and his housekeepers Laris and Zhaban review the security footage at Starfleet Headquarters showing the blast that injured Picard and killed Dahj Asha. The computer tells them that there was no trace of Dahj at the scene. Zhaban suggests that the Tal Shiar might have erased Dahj's presence, but Laris believes the Zhat Vash, a secretive facade for the Tal Shiar, is more likely to have done so.

The housekeepers, former members of the Tal Shiar, explain to Picard that the Zhat Vash is known as a myth for scaremongering, but is actually an organization established thousands of years ago to keep secrets. Laris reveals that her Tal Shiar handler had told her the Zhat Vash holds a deep loathing and fear of artificial lifeforms. Laris justifies the existence of the Zhat Vash, pointing to the absence of androids, artificial intelligence, and cybernetics studies in the Romulan culture.

Picard and Laris travel to the home of Dahj, where her boyfriend Caler was murdered. Laris takes out a device used to conduct molecular reconstruction, a Romulan forensics technique. Picard reminds her that the technique is illegal in the Federation and its results are dubious. Undeterred, Laris tells Picard that is what the Romulans wish the Federation to believe. She holds the device in her hand and sweeps it across the room, emitting a thin blue ray. When the ray reaches the couch, a reconstruction shows Dahj and Caler conversing moments before Caler's death.

But the reconstruction terminates moments later, immediately prior to Caler's death; Laris finds the termination extraordinary and suspects that the Zhat Vash has wiped the particle residuals and saturated the room with antileptons. Seeing the Zhat Vash's ability to remove forensic traces, Picard begins to believe the Zhat Vash exists.

To find the whereabouts of Soji Asha, Dahj's identical twin sister, Laris and Picard scour Dahj's digital assistant for records indicating that Dahj had contacted Soji. They find that even though the data still exists, the index sorting the data is deleted. Laris then taps into the heuristics that the computer has built to quickly identify its owner, which may contain tags created when the digital assistant misidentifies Soji for Dahj. Incoming records cannot show where Soji is located, but it indicates that she is not on Earth.

Narek and Soji talk about living in the wreckage of the Borg cube that she calls the Artifact. The Artifact is severed from the Borg Collective and thus is vulnerable. Narek complains that the ship itself is not very Romulan, with the exceptions of the owners and the extraction of Borg technology, which creates a sizable profit. They both joke that Sonji was sent by their enemies and since she slept with Narek, he became an accessory to the fact; now she has to be silenced. They both share an intimate moment before the alarm goes off and it's time for both to get going to work. Sonji asks if it's allowed for the two of them to be sleeping together, and Narek says definitely not and asks in Romulan if she can keep a secret, which she can.

Back on Earth, Picard is visited by Moritz Benayoun, an old friend from his time on the USS Stargazer; Picard says it's been a very long time. Picard offers some tea and mentions that his office will be forwarding the medical information to Starfleet once he's seen the results. Mortiz stays silent and suggests to the retired admiral that he should get something stronger.

Act Two

Mortiz says that his medical scan results were at or above Starfleet minimums in every category and he was amazed that even at his age Picard is in excellent health, with one exception: an abnormality in the parietal lobe in his brain, which Picard was aware could be a problem. (TNG: "All Good Things...") When asked what it could be, Mortiz says bluntly that while there are a number of prognoses and treatment options, they all end the same way. Picard asks Mortiz to certify him for interstellar travel with Starfleet. Mortiz questions why he wants to go back out in space knowing his condition but, says if Picard's lucky, the trouble he's going to get into will kill him first.

Arriving at Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco, Picard enters the building and views a hologram of the USS Enterprise before it changes to a familiar ship: the USS Enterprise-D. He is greeted by a young ensign at the desk and mentions he has a meeting with the CNC. The ensign gives him a visitor badge and mentions to the admiral that it's nice to see him up and around again. Picard goes upstairs to an office where he meets Fleet Admiral Kirsten Clancy. Clancy questions why he's a Starfleet Headquarters, and Picard says he is looking for Bruce Maddox and mentions that Maddox is using neurons from the late Lieutenant Commander Data to create a new organic synthetic. Clancy confirms that is exactly what he's doing, and says it gets better when Picard mentions Romulan involvement. Picard says that if there's a chance that whatever is left of Data is somewhere out there, the Federation owes it to him to investigate. While Picard concedes that they have frequently not seen eye-to-eye, he requests that she reinstate him to Starfleet and be given command of a small reconnaissance vessel with a minimal crew for one mission only. He also suggests that if his rank of admiral is too conspicuous, then he will accept a demotion to captain.

Right away, Clancy blasts Picard's suggestion, calling it "sheer fucking hubris", and mentions Picard's FNN interview, which Picard concedes that was a mistake. The admiral reminds Picard that the Romulans were their enemies and even before the Attack on Mars, there were fourteen species within the Federation that were threatening to cut ties with them, so they were faced with either saving the Romulans and allowing the Federation to implode or leaving the Romulans to their fate. Picard says that it's not up to the Federation to decide which species lives or dies, but Clancy says they do, as thousands of species within the Federation rely on one another for unity and cohesion. She also adds that they didn't have enough ships so they had to make choices, but she mentions that Picard didn't like his orders. Immediately Picard gets up from his chair and states he was standing up for what the Federation represents, what it should still represent. Clancy immediately takes offence at his lecturing and Picard warns that she can ignore him at her cost and that she's in peril, but all she sees are pitiable delusions from a once-great man desperate to matter, and she tells him in no uncertain terms to go home, and denies his request to be reinstated.

Act Three

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Memorable quotes

"Yo, F8. You get into any trouble last night?"
"Hell yeah."
"Hell yeah? Doing what?"
"... Nothing."
"Hell yeah."
"Hell yeah."

- Shipyard Worker and F8

"What is Zhat Vash?"
"A Tal Shiar myth. It's a kind of boogeyman they use to frighten new recruits, and children."

- Picard and Zhaban

"Zhat Vash is a term sometimes used to refer to the dead; the only reliable keepers of secrets."
"Ominous."
"No, fitting, because that's the sole purpose of the Zhat Vash. To keep a secret so profound and terrible, just learning it can break a person's mind."

- Zhaban, Picard, and Laris

"Romulan methods of forensic molecular reconstruction are illegal in the Federation."
"Really? I had no idea."
"They're also unreliable, and the results are dubious at best."
"Ah yes, that's exactly what we wanted you to think."

- Picard and Laris

"Is everything Romulans do a secret?"
"Ooh, I'm not at liberty to divulge that."
"Is your name actually Narek?"
"One of them."
"So is there anything you can tell me about yourself?"
"Yes. I'm a very... private person."

- Soji Asha and Narek

"Commander Data was not only my colleague, he was my dear friend and he gave his life, body, and soul to the Federation."

- Jean-Luc Picard, to Kirsten Clancy

"The sheer fucking hubris. You think you can just waltz back in here and be entrusted with taking men and women into space?"

- Kirsten Clancy, to Jean-Luc Picard

"The Romulans were our enemies, and we tried to help them for as long as we could, but even before the synthetics attacked Mars, fourteen species within the Federation said 'Cut the Romulans loose, or we'll pull out.' It was a choice between allowing the Federation to implode, or letting the Romulans go."
"The Federation does not get to decide if a species lives or dies."
"Yes we do. We absolutely do. Thousands of other species depend upon us for unity, for cohesion. We didn't have enough ships left. We had to make choices, but the great Captain Picard didn't like his orders."
"I was standing up for the Federation for what it represents! For what it should STILL represent!"
"How dare you lecture me!"

- Clancy and Picard

"This is no longer your house, Jean-Luc, so do what you're good at: go home. Request denied."

- Kirsten Clancy, denying Picard's request for reinstatement

"When a cube undergoes submatrix collapse, the Collective immediately severs its link to the afflicted population. As far as the Collective are concerned, this is just a graveyard."
"And what does that make us?"
"The same as you find in any graveyard. Some have come to feed on the dead, some are ghosts, and a few, like you, Dr. Asha, have pinned their hopes on resurrection."

- Narek and Soji Asha

"I never really cared for science fiction. I guess… I just didn't get it."

- Picard, seeing Dr. Jurati reading Isaac Asimov's The Complete Robot

"Why do you call them 'the Nameless'? Their species had a name, we just don't know what it was."
"Nameless is a name."

- Soji Asha and the Romulan Artifact Worker

"What?! Have you gone mad?! Is it dementia?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Sorry, but you're not a stupid man, so when I hear you say a stupid idea, I have to ask for other explanations."

- Laris and Picard

"You can't do it alone. You need help, you need protection. You need a crew. Riker, Worf, La Forge."
"No. I thought about it, and they would do it in a heartbeat, and that's precisely why I cannot ask them. They would put themselves at risk out of loyalty to me, and I do not want to have to go through that again."
"Okay, you need someone who hates you, and has nothing to lose."
"I've already made the call."

- Zhaban and Picard

"You can turn around and call that cab to take you right back where you came from."
"Just want to talk."
"There isn't anything you could say that I want to hear."
"Secret Romulan assassins are operating on Earth."
"... Is that the '86?"

- Raffi Musiker and Picard

Background information

Story and script

This episode features two prominent examples of real-world profanity. Admiral Clancy reacts to Picard's plea to reinstate him with "The sheer fucking hubris," while Laris refers to the Zhat Vash with the more mild Irish insult "sneaky feckers". This is only the second time "fuck" or a variation thereof is heard on an episode of Star Trek, following "Choose Your Pain".
"Sneaky feckers" was originally written as "sneaky bastards" but changed by Irish actress Orla Brady with the approval of writer Michael Chabon. [1]

Cast and characters

Michelle Hurd makes her first appearance as Raffi Musiker and is first featured in the opening credits.
Despite being credited in the episode, Douglas Tait didn't appear in the episode itself, but appeared in previous footage from "Remembrance".

Production

30 January 2020: Premiere airdate on CBS All Access
The scenes introducing Raffi Musiker were filmed at Vasquez Rocks, a prominent filming location which was often used in various Star Trek productions to depict alien landscapes. As the scenes featuring Musiker's home were implied to be set on Earth, this episode may mark the first depiction of the actual Vasquez Rocks on Star Trek.

Visual effects

The replicator used in the work room at Utopia Planitia is a modified and de-branded FlashForge Dreamer 3D printer. The nozzle and heater block are visible; with the bed replaced, this would be a fully functional "replicator".

Reception and aftermath

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Continuity

This episode confirms that the attack on Mars occurred in 2385, two years before the Romulan supernova. The events of this episode happen fourteen years later, confirming the setting of the first season of Star Trek: Picard as the year 2399.
The opening scene of this episode offers another perspective of the events shown in "Children of Mars". This time, an android and workers at the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards are shown shortly before the attack.
The treatment of F8 and other androids at Utopia Planitia is reminiscent of the situation of outdated EMH Mark Is, which were reassigned to do manual labor at Federation mining colonies by 2378, as mentioned in "Author, Author". It was even implied that their access to the writings of The Doctor could lead to increased discontent among the former EMHs.
Laris and Zhaban are revealed to be former operatives of the Tal Shiar. Laris also retains access to Tal Shiar equipment, some of which is illegal in the Federation.
The existence of the Romulan Free State is established. Its connection to the Romulan Star Empire is not explored.
An introspective into Romulan culture is offered by Laris, confirming the Romulans' tendency towards secrecy. This aspect was also explored in many previous Star Trek installments which prominently featured Romulans, such as "Balance of Terror", "The Defector", "Face of the Enemy", "Eye of the Needle", and Star Trek Nemesis.
This episode establishes that a deep fear and loathing of artificial intelligence and synthetic life is embedded within Romulan culture, which includes a ban on cybernetics. Curiously, Alidar Jarok mentions in "The Defector" that he knows Romulan cyberneticists who would be interested in studying Data.
Laris claims that the long-established Tal Shiar is only a facade for a more ancient and secret cabal, the Zhat Vash. The Zhat Vash are said to protect a profound secret, the nature of which remains unknown.
Doctor Moritz Benayoun served as a medical officer on the USS Stargazer under Picard's command.
Picard is revealed to be suffering from one of several possible forms of neurological disorder, indicated by a problem in his parietal lobe. Picard claims that he was made aware of such a possibility long ago, referring to the events of "All Good Things...". In the alternate timelines presented in that episode, Picard is diagnosed with Irumodic Syndrome by Dr. Crusher and suffers from the disease by 2394. Although these events ultimately did not happen, Picard was implied to retain his memories of the timelines he experienced.
Zhaban suggests that Picard should seek out help from William T. Riker, Geordi La Forge, or Worf in his quest to find out the truth about the synthetics created by Bruce Maddox. Picard declines, citing fears that these former colleagues and friends would be all too eager to put their life in danger for him.
Dr. Jurati says that people in the synthetic humanoid field tend to get a little "secret-planny", which was certainly true of Noonian Soong.
Kirsten Clancy is the first fleet admiral and first commander in chief shown in the 24th century.
Oh marks the first 24th century appearance of a commodore and only the second appearance of a flag officer in a gold uniform, as opposed to the usual red command uniform.
A map of Federation territory and its surroundings is visible on a wall panel in Admiral Clancy's office. No details are discernible, but the map seems to follow a similar layout to maps introduced in reference works such as Star Trek: Star Charts. Ever since the release of Star Charts in 2002, maps based on the book have been introduced in on-screen Star Trek productions, such as Star Trek Into Darkness and "Context Is for Kings".
A holographic display of a Constitution-class and a Galaxy-class starship can bee seen inside Starfleet Command. The Constitution-class appears with the updated visual design seen on Star Trek: Discovery.
Chronologically, this episode marks the first appearance of a Borg drone since "Endgame". The Borg appeared last in "Regeneration", set in the 22nd century.
Two Andorians are seen at the Romulan Reclamation Site, marking a rare 24th century appearance of the species. They appear similar to their depiction on Star Trek: Enterprise and not their updated design from Star Trek: Discovery.

Links and references

Starring

And

Harry Treadaway as Narek

Guest starring

David Paymer as Moritz Benayoun
Jamie McShane as Zhaban
Tamlyn Tomita as Commodore Oh
Orla Brady as Laris
David Carzell as Dahj's Boyfriend
Wendy Davis as Dr. Kabath
Chelsea Harris as Naáshala Kunamadéstifee
Peyton List as Narissa Rizzo
Ann Magnuson as Admiral Kirsten Clancy
Marti Matulis as Checkpoint supervisor

Co-starring

Chaka Desilva as Burley Fuelie
Alex Diehl as F8, F7, F5
Kate Fugley as Kvetchy Fuelie
Harrison Grant as Ensign
Anthony R. Jones as Pincus
Paul Keeley as Philosophical Fuelie
Jason Liles as Noiro
Meghan Lewis as Computer Voice
Brit Manor as Tough Fuelie
Zachary James Rukavina as Nameless Borg
Douglas Tait as a Tellarite (archive footage)

Previous episode:
"Remembrance"

Star Trek: Picard
Season 1

Next episode:
"The End is the Beginning"