Watch the YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/XYjmvQZ-y7Q
It aired on November 9, 1987, and is the eighth episode of the first season. It currently boasts an IMDb rating of 6.0 and is entitled “Justice.” The Enterprise encounters an Eden-like planet. However, Wesley Crusher is condemned to death for an incredibly small infraction. The episode was directed by James L. Conway, who I interviewed on my podcast, which can be found here on YouTube.
Personally, I’m sad to see this episode rated so low. A lot is going on here that is good. There are problems, of course. It is a bit of a rehash of the TOS episode “The Apple.” The Edo outfits are quite embarrassing. Other seasons were bogged down with it, but the first season was obsessed with sex. It is distracting, unneeded, and makes this episode cringy. Star Trek never needed sex to sell.
Star Trek TNG Rant – Bonus
Now for some good. I’m sure Hill Street Blues and LA Law tackled capital punishment in the 1980s, but they would have been bound by contemporary political divides. Star Trek, unburdened by those restraints, could look at the issue in a completely different way. This episode points out the problem of Zero Tolerance policies which became popular in the 90s and early 2000s. Without context, understanding, mercy, and grace, there can be no justice. Pretty impressive for a syndicated TV show trying to lure viewers with scantily clad beauties.
Picard utters what is perhaps his greatest line. When Data asks if it wouldn’t be better if one person was sacrificed so the rest can live, the Captain says, “I refuse to allow arithmetic to answer questions like that.” Picard solves the Trolley Problem and cements himself as one of the greatest characters in fiction.
But I’m probably forgetting the boy genius in the room. Many people rate this episode low because it is mainly focused on Wesley Crusher. So this is where I plant my flag. Wesley is awesome. He was an awesome character and including him in the series was a stroke of genius. I think Wil Wheaton is two years older than me, so Wesley was my window into the show. He made me feel like I could be in Starfleet. Did having a teenager in the show pander to kids watching? No, it created a new generation of fans by allowing us to grow up with Star Trek. By making the subsequent shows for adults only, Paramount has ensured no new fans are being created.
And for the record, is Wesley a Mary Sue? No, he is not. He was a genius, but he still needed to learn and be encouraged as the Traveler said. So give me a break. We all know who the real Mary Sue is.
In “Justice,” the often ridiculed line Wesley says is, “I’m with Starfleet, we don’t lie.” Everyone seems to hate this, but I love it. I love that Starfleet has integrity and pursues high ideals. Star Trek made me want to have integrity. It made me want to do well in school. It made me want to pursue excellence. It made me want to read Shakespeare for crying out loud. But with the newer shows and movies, we’ve learned that Starfleet is evil, all Admirals are traitors, and crewmembers are unprofessional whiners who shouldn’t be in charge of cleaning a bedroom closet, let alone running a starship. Can we please have heroes? Please, can we have heroes once again? Are you listening, Paramount? Are you listening?
Dungeon Master Tip Number One: Accused of a Crime
Tasha doesn’t do her job. Wesley crushes some plants and is sentenced to death. In D&D, having our player characters accused of a crime is always a great trope to play with. Having some major infraction be a death sentence is a great start. Just remember to have all the party members accused of the crime. In TV, having only one person accused works well because the actor is at home reading or off mountain biking while their character is sitting alone in a holding cell. As DMs, we don’t want to create a situation that automatically has one character sidelined.
Dungeon Master Tip Number Two: Moral Quandary
Picard is thrust into a moral dilemma because rescuing Wesley could violate the Prime Directive, which he has sworn an oath to uphold. In real life, the Prime Directive was still in flux because writers hadn’t quite nailed it down yet. In later seasons, the Edo could not even have been contacted since they did not possess space flight. Introducing a moral quandary into our D&D games is an excellent option to really get players thinking and role-playing. Usually, a quick way to introduce a moral issue is to have the players swear some oath. Let’s say they need to plant a letter in the lord protector’s chambers, but they must swear not to steal anything. Then put a Luck Blade in the room and see what the players do.
Dungeon Master Tip Number Three: Character Matters
The Enterprise could take Wesley by force because the Edo aren’t technologically advanced. However, Picard is checked by the Edo god-thing. But not only that. Picard is checked because of his own values. He doesn’t want to treat laws like they don’t matter. That goes against his character. In D&D, we can present our players with situations that make them think about how their characters would respond. This is where Alignment comes into play. Often ignored, Alignment is the guide to how characters should behave, which is critical for any type of role-playing. Ideally, players are never playing fantasy versions of themselves with the same values and wants. They should really strive to put themselves into different shoes. Think twice before throwing out Alignment. If you do throw it out, it should be replaced by the player letting the group know their character’s values.
Dungeon Master Tip Number Four: God-like Beings
The Edo god-thing plays a major role in the episode. It, or they as Data points out, regards the Edo as their children and are shepherding them. D&D is full of god-like beings. However, using them in play can often be a struggle and sometimes is conveniently overlooked. What do you do with a being who can do anything? This is where we have to get creative. God-like beings can be quest givers. God-like beings can prevent an unexpected character death by bringing them back to life, though there should be a price. Taking one level of Warlock is an example. God-like beings can test the characters. In many mythologies, gods and similar beings traveled in disguise, begging for a piece of bread or a copper piece. See how your players react if they come across a poor old beggar who is actually a god in disguise. If they treat the old beggar well, have the god reward them somehow.
Four D&D Tips from Star Trek TNG’s Ninth Worst Episode
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