"Star Trek: The Next Generation" Preemptive Strike (1994)

Director:

Patrick Stewart

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator)
René Echevarria (teleplay)

TV Series:

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987)

Original Air Date:

14 May 1994 (Season 7, Episode 24)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Following her return from Advanced Tactical Training, Ro is sent to infiltrate the Maquis and finds herself torn between her loyalty to Picard and Starfleet and to her sympathy with the Maquis fighting "the good fight".

Plot Keywords:

Loyalty | Party | Captain | Security | Mother Son Relationship

Cast

Patrick Stewart	...	Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes	...	Commander William T. Riker
LeVar Burton	...	Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn	...	Lieutenant Worf
Gates McFadden	...	Doctor Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis	...	Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner	...	Lt. Commander Data
Michelle Forbes	...	Ro Laren
John Franklyn-Robbins	...	Macias
Natalia Nogulich	...	Admiral Alynna Nechayev (as Natalija Nogulich)
William Thomas Jr.	...	Santos
Shannon Cochran	...	Kalita
Richard Poe	...	Gul Evek

Trivia:

Shannon Cochran would reprise her role as Kalita in DS9 episode #3.9. Jonathan Frakes would also reprise the role of Thomas Riker in that episode.

Goofs:

Continuity: Ro Laren is promoted to Lieutenant just before this episode from her previous rank of Ensign. The next rank after Ensign is Lieutenant Junior-Grade (signified by one gold and one black collar pip) yet we see Ro is wearing two gold pips, signifying the rank of full Lieutenant. The only way this is possible is if Ro was promoted twice, but the episode makes no mention of this, only that she was promoted to Lieutenant, and back in "Star Trek: The Next Generation: Rascals (#6.7)" (1992), she was still an Ensign in that episode. It is very unlikely (especially given her spotty Starfleet record) that Ro would be promoted so quickly in such a short time, and therefore she should've been wearing only one gold and one black pip, not two gold pips.

Quotes:

[Ro has suggested to 'steal' medical supplies for the Maquis from the Enterprise]
Kalita: We can't let her do something like this. We don't know anything about her.
Macias: I know... that she can make very strong hasperat.

Ro Laren's story arc concludes.

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

ST:TNG:176 - "Preemptive Strike" (Stardate: 47941.7) - this is the 24th episode of the 7th and last season of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

The newly promoted Lt. Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes in her first appearance since the 5th season) returns to the Enterprise and immediately embarks on an undercover mission to infiltrate the Maquis - a group living in the Demilitarized Zone who is against the Cardassians since the peace treaty since they are now on part of Cardassian territory instead of Federation (they will become a formidable foe in DS9 and VOY).

Ro only takes this mission out of loyalty to Picard, being uneasy helping the Cardassians since she is Bajoran. After learning more about the Maquis, she grows more sympathetic with their cause. And due to this conflict of loyalties, Ro Laren is torn . . . but must soon make a choice.

Trivia note: Deep Space Nine is mentioned here.