Star Trek: The Next Generation
Summary
InStar Trek : The Next Generationseason 1 , Captain Jean - Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) rejects one of the most renowned citation by Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ) - that the needs of the many outbalance the needs of the few . With its premiere in 1987,TNGintroduced the world to Captain Picard , who had a very different trend of commanding the Starship Enterprise than Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) . Picard preferred to clear problems with words and statesmanship rather than fist fights , and he always essay to consider every possibility before making a final decisiveness .
InTNGseason 1 , episode 8 , " judge , " Captain Picard is faced with a complicated moral question . After the USS Enterprise - D makes tangency with the Edo citizenry of Rubicun III , some of the crew beam down to valuate the major planet as a potential shoring leave placement . A member of the outside squad , theyoung Wesley Crusher ( Wil Wheaton ) , accidentally beat out some latterly planted flowers , which breaks one of the laws of the Edo and pull in Wesley the dying penalty . Captain Picard protests that the punishment does not fit the opine crime , but occupy that the hefty entity orbiting the satellite will attack the Enterprise if they do not follow the major planet ’s constabulary .
Why Picard Rejects Spock’s Famous Star Trek Quote In TNG Season 1
As Captain Picard discusses the situation with Lt . Commander Data ( Brent Spiner ) , Data enquire Picard if he would prefer to prioritise Wesley ’s life sentence over the liveliness of the one thousand people aboard the Enterprise . Picard replies that he"refuse[s ] to let arithmetical decide interrogation like that . “Data ’s question echoes one of Spock ’s most famous claims . InStar Trek II : The Wrath of Khan , Spock says:“Were I to invoke logic , logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outbalance the needs of the few . “While it may be coherent to prioritize the needs of the many , Picard asserts that the world is more complicated than Spock ’s famous business line presumes .
Wesley Crusher is also a member of the Enterprise bunch , and sacrificing him would have a detrimental effect not only on the morale of the crowd , but also on their combine in Captain Picard . Not to mention the fact that Wesley is the Word of Dr. Beverly Crusher ( Gates McFadden ) , the Enterprise ’s Chief Medical Officer and Picard ’s close personal friend . Picard insist that thePrime Directive must be followed , but also understands that its exact program program is open to interpretation . Picard ’s arithmetical melody cement him as a greatStar Trekcaptain with a unassailable sense of morals and a clear scene of right and wrong .
Star Trek TOS Movies Also Questioned Spock’s “Needs Of The Many…” Quote
Even the ever - coherent Spock does not always preserve his own philosophy . Although he proclaims inWrath of Khanthat the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few , he uses that to explain his selfless act of self - forfeit . Spock does not apply this philosophy to state of affairs like the one Picard face , and even Spock notice that it may not always be reliable . The entire premiss ofStar Trek III : The Search for Spockshows James Kirk placing the living of his friend above everything else . When Kirk realizes there may be a way to spare Spock ’s life after his sacrifice inWrath of Khan , Kirk does everything in his power to economise his friend .
InStar Trek III : The Search for Spock , Kirk and his crew hijack the initiative , break many of Starfleet ’s rules , and take a chance their own life for the prospect to have Spock back . In the end , they win in resurrect Spock , who would go on to become one of Starfleet ’s most of import ambassador , butKirk loses his sonand his ship in the process . OnStar Trek : The Next Generation , Captain Picard also understands that no rules are absolute and that sometimes"the needs of the one outweigh the need of the many . "