James T. Kirk may have been the first to boldly go where no one has gone before, but to us there’s no greater leader in the Star Trek universe than Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
Brave, steadfast, diplomatic, and wise, with a moral compass unmatched among Starfleet officers, Capt. Picard led the USS Enterprise-D on countless successful missions.
Here are our Top 5 favorite moments from his storied career.
5. There Are Four Lights
Episode: "Chain of Command" (Season 6, Episodes 10 & 11)
Captured and chained by Cardassians, Capt. Picard is brutally tortured by a military officer seeking tactical information about Starfleet’s defenses. The Cardassian tries to break Picard’s spirit, insisting he “admit” there are five lights in the room when there are only four.
“How many lights do you see now?” the officer demands of Picard, who defiantly stands firm. “There. Are. Four. Lights.”
4. Picard Navigates Out of an Asteroid Field
Episode: "Booby Trap" (Season 3, Episode 6)
Commander Riker, first officer of the Enterprise, is well known as the best pilot on board. But when it’s time to navigate his ship out of an asteroid belt, Capt. Picard takes the helm and puts his cool, calm demeanor to the test.
The ship loses momentum and just when all seems lost, he uses the gravitational pull of a large asteroid to slingshot the Enterprise to safety.
3. The Picard Maneuver
Episode: "The Battle" (Season 1, Episode 9)
How great a pilot was Capt. Picard? As a young man he invented a tactical maneuver so badass, it was taught to cadets at Starfleet Academy for generations to come.
When his ship, the Stargazer, was attacked by a Ferengi vessel, Picard took his ship to warp speed and then immediately dropped out of warp. The result: there briefly appeared to be two Stargazers side by side, confusing the Ferengi sensors so they were unable to target their weapons accurately.
2. Alternate Timeline Picard Sacrifices Himself
Episode: "Yesterday's Enterprise" (Season 3, Episode 15)
The Enterprise travels through a time rift to an alternate timeline where Starfleet is at war with the Klingon Empire and meets another Enterprise led by another, more battle-hardened Picard.
When alternate Picard learns of the existence of a better, more peaceful timeline, he sacrifices himself and his ship to return our heroes to their own universe. As he leads his Enterprise on its final suicide mission, he tells his crew, “Let's make sure history never forgets the name: Enterprise."
1. Stabbed in the Heart. Again. On Purpose.
Episode: "Tapestry" (Season 6, Episode 15)
Picard is on the verge of death with a failing bionic heart. Q, the nearly-omnipotent being who visits the Enterprise periodically throughout the years, offers him the chance to relive the moment he was stabbed during a bar fight as a cadet and lost his original heart.
However, Picard later discovers the impact this event had on his life, helping him become the man he was meant to be. Faced with the choice of living timidly or dying a great man, he returns once more to the past where he (willingly) gets stabbed in the chest. Again.
What's your favorite Captain Picard moment? Let us know in the comments!
Space Exploration Couple Rings
$49.98
Say I love you to the moon and back with these couple rings!Are you the astronaut inexorably drawn to a beautiful new planet? Or perhaps the gravity of your love pulls your astronaut towards you, their star.The perfect gift for… SEE MORE
Cosmic Opal Glass Sphere Necklace
$169.99
This beautiful glass pendant is hand crafted with both silica and colored glass using a variety of techniques to create shapes and swirls of color within a durable sphere. Molded at temperatures of 3000°F, the pendant incorporates particles of pure… SEE MORE
Solar System Bracelet
$24.99
$32.99
This beautiful handmade bracelet features a representation of the planets in the solar system using different carefully chosen gemstones with corresponding colors and patterns. Materials: Various Gemstones (See photo), Natural Lava Stone, Copper Alloy Bracelet Circumference: 15 - 25cm (5.9" - 9.8")… SEE MORE
Saturn 3D Lamp
$49.99
Bring the cosmos into your home with this soothing Saturn LED lamp!This gorgeously detailed 3D-printed lamp uses eco-friendly PLA to carefully recreate Saturn from high quality NASA satellite images. The lamp can light up in 16 different colors, and is easy… SEE MORE