In “The Best of Both Worlds, Part II,” we witness Jean-Luc Picard’s return to his family home in France after his traumatic assimilation by the Borg. This episode, often lauded for its action and resolution of the Borg cliffhanger, also offers a profound exploration of family, identity, and recovery. Looking at this narrative through a “Family Star Review” lens, we can see how deeply intertwined Picard’s personal relationships are with his struggle to reclaim himself after such a devastating experience.
TROI: Captain, you do need time. You cannot achieve complete recovery so quickly. And it’s perfectly normal, after what you’ve been through, to spend a great deal of time trying to find yourself again.
PICARD: And what better place to find oneself than on the streets of one’s home village.
Troi’s words highlight the central theme of Picard’s need for time and space to heal. His seemingly simple response about finding himself in his home village gains depth when we consider his history. Having left home twenty years prior, seemingly eager to explore the stars, his return is loaded with unspoken complexities. Troi’s subtle skepticism hints at the potential disconnect between Picard’s idealized vision of home and the reality of confronting his past. This initial exchange sets the stage for a “family star review” that considers whether returning to his roots truly aids Picard’s recovery or presents new challenges.
MARIE: I wouldn’t hear of it. It’s your home and it will always be your home. Do things look that different?
PICARD: No. In fact, it’s amazing how little it has changed. Everything is exactly as I remember it. The house, the hills, every tree, every bush seems untouched by the passage of time.
Picard’s observation about the unchanging nature of his home is striking. In the face of the Borg’s relentless drive for progress and assimilation, his home represents a sanctuary of stasis. This yearning for the unchanging contrasts sharply with the Federation’s technological advancement and even the Enterprise itself, symbols of constant forward motion. In our “family star review,” this highlights a potential conflict within Picard: his Starfleet identity, deeply embedded in progress and exploration, versus his yearning for the stability and unchanging nature of his family home. This tension is not just about technology versus tradition, but about Picard’s internal struggle to reconcile who he was, who he became as Locutus, and who he wants to be now.
ROBERT: You’ve shuttled in from the village?
PICARD: No I decided to walk.
Robert’s question, seemingly casual, touches upon the theme of technology’s pervasive presence. Picard’s choice to walk, a deliberate rejection of readily available technology, symbolizes his attempt to slow down, to reconnect with a simpler pace of life. For our “family star review,” this simple act reveals Picard’s conscious effort to distance himself from the technologically advanced world that, in a way, facilitated his encounter with the Borg. It’s a small step towards reclaiming his autonomy and choosing his own path, even within his family setting.
MARIE: The Mayor wants to give you a parade.
PICARD: A parade?
MARIE: Give you the keys to the city.
PICARD: No. No, no, no, no.
Picard’s vehement rejection of public accolades reveals his deep-seated guilt and trauma. He sees himself not as a hero, but as someone responsible for immense destruction. From a “family star review” perspective, this scene underscores the chasm between the public perception of Picard and his internal self-perception. His family, in their innocent desire to honor him, inadvertently highlights his profound sense of unworthiness. He seeks anonymity and quietude, a stark contrast to the public hero they want to celebrate.
MARIE: Robert and I have had more than a few discussions about getting a replicator in the house.
PICARD: I remember the same discussions between mother and father.
ROBERT: Father understood better than anybody else the danger of losing those values which we hold most precious.
PICARD: I don’t see that you have to lose anything just by adding a convenience.
This seemingly mundane discussion about a replicator reveals deeper generational and philosophical divides within the Picard family. Robert, echoing their father, expresses concern about technology eroding traditional values. Picard, in his initial dismissal of this concern, may be unconsciously mirroring the Borg’s seductive promise of convenience and efficiency. Our “family star review” notes the irony: Picard, who has experienced the ultimate loss of self through technological assimilation, initially downplays the potential dangers of even minor technological conveniences within his family home. This highlights the complex and often contradictory nature of trauma recovery.
RENE: Did you win a ribbon too?
PICARD: I don’t recall.
ROBERT: And I don’t find your modesty very convincing, brother. Of course you won the ribbon. You always did.
The exchange about winning ribbons brings to the surface the sibling rivalry and established family dynamics. Robert’s remark about Picard always winning can be metaphorically linked to the Borg’s seemingly unstoppable force. However, the episode’s resolution hinges on Picard’s “loss” as Locutus and Riker’s victory. In our “family star review,” this sibling dynamic provides a microcosm of larger themes: the pressure to always succeed versus the value of vulnerability and even defeat in personal growth and family reconciliation.
PICARD: It’s only. There’s just one thing I don’t understand. You were such a rotten swimmer, Louis. Thinking of you working on the ocean floor.
LOUIS: I suppose we all find ways to confront our greatest fears.
Louis’ line about confronting fears deeply resonates with Picard’s internal struggle. Picard’s greatest fear at this moment is likely himself – the Locutus persona, his capacity for destruction. His return home isn’t solely about finding himself, but perhaps about confronting this fear in a familiar and safe environment. From a “family star review” perspective, Louis’ words, though directed at a different context, inadvertently speak to Picard’s deepest turmoil and the difficult journey of self-confrontation within the family setting.
MARIE: Besides, it would be wonderful to have you back home. Given a little time, maybe you and your brother might even get to like one another.
PICARD: Well, I already like his choice in wives.
Marie’s hopeful comment and Picard’s somewhat strained humor highlight the fractured relationship between the brothers. Picard’s absence of twenty years underscores the emotional distance within the family. This “family star review” acknowledges the undercurrent of unresolved sibling dynamics that adds another layer to Picard’s homecoming experience. His return isn’t just about personal recovery, but also about navigating complex and potentially strained family relationships.
LOUIS: I’m interested to know what you thought about our plans.
PICARD: I’ve only had a chance to glance at them. I’ve a few ideas.
LOUIS: Wonderful. We should discuss them with the board of governors. I’ve set up a meeting.
PICARD: Meeting?
LOUIS: Just a preliminary conversation. Tomorrow morning?
PICARD: Preliminary to what?
LOUIS: They want you. I mentioned your interest in the project, that’s all. That’s all I had to say. They jumped at the prospect.
Louis’ enthusiastic welcome and the phrase “They want you” carries an unsettling echo of the Borg. It subtly suggests another force attempting to utilize Picard’s expertise for its own agenda. Our “family star review” detects a hint of unease in this seemingly positive interaction. Even within his family’s orbit, Picard is perceived for his capabilities and knowledge, potentially perpetuating the sense of being an instrument rather than an individual, mirroring his experience as Locutus.
PICARD: I’m tired of fighting with you, Robert.
ROBERT: Tired?
PICARD: That’s right.
ROBERT: Yes. Tired of the Enterprise too? The great Captain Picard of Starfleet falls to Earth, ready to plunge into the water with Louis. That isn’t the brother that I remember. Still, I suppose it must have seemed like the ideal situation, hmm? Local boy makes good. Returns home after twenty years to a hero’s welcome.
PICARD: I’m not a hero.
ROBERT: Because I was the elder brother, the responsible one. It was my job to look after you.
PICARD: Look after me? You? You were a bully.
ROBERT: Sometimes. Maybe. Sometimes I even enjoyed bullying you.
PICARD: All right. Try it now.
ROBERT: Did you come back, Jean-Luc? Did you come back because you wanted me to look after you again?
PICARD: Damn you!
This raw and emotionally charged exchange between the brothers is central to understanding Picard’s homecoming. His declaration “I’m not a hero” is not false modesty, but a profound statement of self-perceived failure. Robert’s probing questions, initially appearing antagonistic, are revealed to be a form of brotherly confrontation and support. From a “family star review,” this scene is pivotal. It showcases the complex dynamic between the brothers – rivalry, resentment, but also a deep-seated, albeit often unspoken, connection. Robert’s approach, though seemingly harsh, is ultimately what Picard needs: a grounding in reality and a challenge to confront his pain directly within the safety of his family.
MARIE: What in the world? What happened here?
ROBERT: Ah
PICARD: It’s entirely my fault, Marie.
ROBERT: Yes, I fell down, then he fell and then
PICARD: We both fell down.
ROBERT: We both fell down.
PICARD: Together.
ROBERT: We both fell down together.
MARIE: Have you two been fighting?
ROBERT: Fighting? No, certainly not.
The brothers’ clumsy fall and their subsequent shared laughter represent a breakthrough. Their simplified explanation, “We both fell down,” becomes a metaphor for Picard’s experience with the Borg – a fall, not a complete annihilation. In our “family star review,” this physical comedy and shared vulnerability signify a crucial step in Picard’s healing journey. Robert’s participation and Marie’s gentle acceptance create a space for forgiveness and redemption within the family context. The shared laughter, a simple act of human connection, offers a powerful counterpoint to the isolating trauma Picard has endured.
In conclusion, a “family star review” of “The Best of Both Worlds, Part II” reveals the episode’s nuanced exploration of Picard’s personal trauma through the lens of his family relationships. Each interaction, each line of dialogue, contributes to a deeper understanding of Picard’s internal struggle and the role of family in his recovery. The episode subtly, yet powerfully, portrays how returning home, with all its complexities and unresolved issues, becomes a crucial step in Picard’s journey to reclaim himself after the Borg. It’s a testament to the enduring power of family, not as a simple solution, but as a complex and necessary space for healing and self-discovery, even for a Starfleet captain who has faced the ultimate technological terror.
