Suddenly Human

TNG Season 4 Episode 4
Air Date: October 15th, 1990

Plot

The Enterprise receives a distress call from a Talarian ship and discover the survivors, all male teenagers includes one human named Jono. Jono was a sole survivor of a Talarian attack on a Federation colony 10 years ago when the Talarians and Federation were at war. When a Talarian warship shows up Captain Picard agrees to return the Talerian survivors but the question of Jono's fate remained a mystery.

Councillor Troi tells Captain Picard that he should be responsible for Jono while he is on board as he only seems to respond and respect the Captain of a ship. Over the course of the episode he makes strides improves their relationship but in the end, Jono stabs Picard in the chest while he is sleeping.

Once Captain Picard recovers he realizes that the crime committed wasn't Jono's but rather his. He makes the hard decision to return Jono to the man he knows as his father.

Commentary

This episode deals with a very difficult moral quandary. Jono's only surviving blood relative is his grandmother, a Starfleet Admiral and he was abducted as a young child. Both his parents are dead and he spent most of his youth knowing a different man as his father. Picard made the hard choice of letting Jono choose and accepting that decision even if it goes against what he wanted.

Quotes

"You know Captain, almost no one is born being a good parent. Most people just have to muddle through and do the best that they can." - Counselor Troi

"I fail to understand why this is amusing." - Lt. Cmdr. Data
"Access your data banks under humor subheading slapstick." - Cmdr. Riker
"Comedy stressing farce and horseplay. Ah. This, no doubt, is a variation on pie in the face." - Lt. Cmdr. Data
"Now do you see why it's funny?" - Cmdr. Riker
"No, sir. But I will take your word for it. This is very amusing." - Lt. Cmdr. Data

"What I want to know is why? You seemed so happy just a few hours ago." - Captain Picard
"I was. But then I thought about my father. I felt I had betrayed him. I'd be throwing away all that he'd given me, all that I'd learned from him. My home. Running along the river. Playing in the games. Sharing victory with my brothers. All the things that are part of my life. As I grew closer and closer to you, I knew that meant leaving more and more of that life behind. Forgive me Captain, but I could not allow myself to do that." - Jono

"There was a crime committed on board this ship, but it was not Jono's, it was mine. When we found Jono, it seemed so clear what had to be done. We knew that if we could only, persuade him to make the decision to stay, then you would most likely let him. So with the best of intentions, we tried to convince him. And in so doing we thoroughly failed to listen to his feelings, to his needs. That was the crime. And it has, taken a huge toll on a strong and a very noble young man. And it must be rectified. He will return home, to the only home he's ever known. And to the father that he loves. To you, Endar." - Captain Picard