Why Jean-Luc Picard Is Actually the Hero We Need Right Now

▶Listen to our Trek-themed comedy podcast, The Ensign's Log:

Listen to the Late Seating podcast:

[EdYazbec]

One of my favorites:
"It is possible to make no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness, that is life"

[fabrisseterbrugghe]

My father was an army officer (Dad's still around, but he's retired from that and his second career as a professor). I wanted to watch TNG one afternoon, and we saw the episode that introduced the Cardassians. At the end, Dad stated that Picard was a rare fictional officer that he would willingly serve under. You can't imagine how rare that type of compliment is.

[fromvegreville]

One of the episodes that gained me a lot of respect for Picard was Lower Decks, because of the way he requested Ensign Sito specifically to give her a chance to rise above a mistake rather than letting it define her career. Compassion and professionalism all at once.

[vegetarianzombie]

"Measure of a man" is the episode that officially cemented Jon luc Picard as my tv dad.

[LordBloodraven]

He's the reverse of the Dark Knight.

He's the Hero we need, but not one we deserve.

[beefsuprem]

His unshakable integrity is what I remember. The drumhead and his speach to worf at the end are stand outs.
My favourite Captain.

[julianodessa]

Picard is the main reason I was so surprised at the number of nasty people I encountered as an adult. Did they not watch Star Trek? Do they not know that what they’re doing is wrong, unjust, corrupt, dishonest, unreasonable? Why can’t they admit their mistakes? Why aren’t they banding together for the greater good? Why can’t we get along, despite our differences? Why are they so greedy and self-centred? WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN ME JEAN-LUC? Except that he did. As a child, he taught me these lessons and the lesson of consistency better than anyone else ever has. And while I've not always had the nous to navigate the less than stellar kinds of people, my good intentions have always been built on a Picard-brand foundation. He embodies not only what humanity needs right now, but what humanity needs to become.

[winters_rath]

I didn’t cry when I heard he was coming back. Then I saw the show and I’m still crying. #notinagoodway

[martynstembridge]

Picard is quite simply one of the finest characters ever created for a TV show. The writers laid the foundation, but you can tell they quickly started to shape the character around Stewart himself. He's a very thoughtful, intelligent and loving man, who is the perfect example of what you get from an actor who was immersed in Shakespeare for years. They bring acting on a different level to everything around them, and Stewart added a streak of quality that made TNG something special.

[MrLotengo]

I won't lie. I got emotional watching the announcement because it was clear to me Patrick Stewart felt a calling to reprise the role specifically because of what is going on in the world. It was as if Mister Rogers came back from the dead to remind us all what we should really be striving for in humanity.

[Dorian_sapiens]

"...as long as we strive to make it so."
Well played, Mr. Shives.

[SupremeCleave]

One of my favorite Picard moments.. from All Good Things. When the Enterprise was struggling to hold the static warp shell and the ship was on the edge of destruction, Picard did not panic. He was still giving orders to the crew to maintain their positions and reroute power, right until the very end. Duty. Dedication. Awesome.

[vaevictis]

Brilliant! "Drumhead" was the perfect episode for our time. Picard is very much our better angel. Satie is those who try to turn us against each other. His speach was brilliant. What do we do next? Do we walk out like the Admiral at the end? Or do we listen to an unhinged demagogue?

[JoshuaHillerup]

My grandfather whom I was very close to and named my son after used to cosplay (pre invention of the term) as Picard at science fiction conventions, even won an award at a masquerade at one. He passed away in 2004. So for me there's an extra personal connect to this character.

[eldorados_lost_searcher]

Goddammit, you got me at the end, with that, "Make it so."

[NetworkXIII]

“The acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force in our lives. We work to better ourselves and the rest of Humanity."

[michaelkenner]

"What he said with irony, I say with conviction. 'What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty. In form, in moving, how express and admirable. In action, how like an angel. In apprehension, how like a god!'"

[ChrisNN-]

One of my favourite Picard moments is in Star Trek First Contact. When he gives his famous speech full of rage... _the line must be drawn _*_here, _* we can see that he's pretty much consumed by fear, rage and hatred of the Borg, and it's very convincingly portrayed. Lily's analogy to Captain Ahab is more impacting than what it seems to be at first. _If his chest had been a cannon, he would have shot his heart at it. - What? - Moby Dick - Actually, I never read it..._ you all know the scene. Picard, being the literate person that he is, sees the error in his ways and is able to learn from it, admits his mistake and then chooses the reasonable course of action. He can admit that he makes mistakes, too. That's something not to be seen often in people, regrettably.

[Victoria.Henderson]

Fav Picard moment: Episode "The Perfect Mate" when the Ambassador asks him how he was able to resist the metamore...he doesn't say a word. Not one. Just bids him a safe journey. Classy.

[michaellangwaller]

The "episodes" that have always defined, to me, how Picard knew he was not a superman, still had human vulnerabilities, were the 2 part "Chain of Command" and the movie First Contact. At the end of "Chain of Command", Picard is physically and mentally broken to the point that he actually sees five lights (there were only four, but Cardassia interrogator insisted there were five) but through his will to not be broken he still defiantly said he saw four lights (though Picard himself hinted he was almost ready to give up and many viewers have stated that his final defiance was due to him knowing it was over and that he was going home). In First Contact, it is pointed out after Picard destroys his office that he is fighting the Borg out of revenge, not out of preservation. You can immediately tell the second that it dawns on Picard that the person is correct in the assessment and goes back to being the captain trying to save lives.
These two instances show that Picard is still human but he raises himself to be better even when he himself is unable to see the flaw and is always working to improve even himself.