Code of Honor (TNG)

As much as I’ve been dreading what I remembered as an objectively terrible episode, I was sort of looking forward to reviewing one of the few Tasha-centric stories the show has to offer. Unfortunately, this isn’t really a Tasha story. Inasmuch as its about anything, it’s about the Prime Directive, and when it comes into conflict with Picard’s mandate to protect his crew. It’s also about pride, and when it’s necessary to swallow it for the greater good. Ultimately, it’s about a power struggle between Picard and the alien Lutan, in which the Strong Female Character Tasha is pretty much treated as a commodity.

Let’s back up a little. Our story opens as Picard and co. have been given an important mission by Starfleet command – negotiate for a rare and valuable vaccine that can’t be synthesized and is needed to treat a plague on a nearby world. The plague provides the stakes for the episode, though not terribly well because we never see it and have to rely on Dr. Crusher constantly popping up to remind us that it’s terrible. But unfortunately, the planet is controlled by a power-hungry guy named Lutan, and his demands in exchange for the vaccine are kind of… unorthodox. He kidnaps Tasha Yar and wants to make her his wife.

Of course, this is not immediately obvious. Data’s research into the planet’s history shows that they have a tradition of stealing things basically just to show that they can, and to humble an enemy by forcing them to beg for the object back, in this case Tasha. Picard is initially extremely reticent to play this game, but ultimately the importance of the vaccine convinces him to swallow his pride and ask for Tasha back. Lutan says he’ll return her at a banquet being held in Picard’s honor. At the banquet, though he reveals his true plan.

There’s just one problem (well, one more problem) Lutan already has a wife (whose name is Yarina. Yar vs. Yarina? Seriously? But I digress.) Anyway, by their alien laws, she has the right to challenge Tasha to a fight to the death. Which she does.

YARR!

            I’m actually super confused about what happens next, because as far as I can tell Lutan never actually promises the vaccine to the crew whether Tasha wins or loses, and while Tasha does think Lutan is kinda cute, she doesn’t actually want to leave Starfleet to marry him and live in his weird, misogynistic, oppressive society. But Picard has a secret plan, and Tasha commits to the fight and kills her rival, at which point everyone is beamed to the Enterprise to be revived by Dr. Crusher. But because she technically died, her marriage contract with Lutan is void, and because of weird alien politics that aren’t explained very well, this makes Lutan no longer the planet’s leader. Yarina chooses a new husband who is more than happy to send the Enterprise on its way, vaccine in tow, and everyone lives happily ever after.

            Despite the jarringly racist costuming and casting choices – the hyper-masculine machismo driven race is all black in in stereotypical African Tribal getup - this episode was actually not nearly as bad as I’d feared. It’s reasonably entertaining. The main problems I think come from the fact that the interesting conflict, Picard’s mandate to protect his crew vs. the Prime Directive, is examined only briefly, as the Captain comes up with a loophole pretty quickly. Meanwhile, the specifics of the alien political system aren’t set-up well enough ahead of time to make the ending feel like anything other than an ass-pull. I also would have liked to see a little more of Tasha besides “she’s a badass”, as I think the writers are struggling a little with who exactly she is beyond that.

She is kind of a badass though.

Random Observations:

The conversation Troi and Tasha have about Lutan being what every woman secretly wants was just ugh in so many ways I don't even want to get into.

 

The subplot with Wesley and Picard was just the tiniest bit distracting, but I can’t help but feel those are minutes that could have been used to help build up the tension in the main plot and also make it make a little more sense.

The first season sees contact with a lot of misogynistic cultures, of which this is the first. I’m not sure why this is a recurring theme. It might have something to do with the eighties.

Deanna Troi is actually kind of useful here, offering Diplomatic advice and an analysis of the alien culture.

The Holodeck! Now we see it can make characters, but not any smarter, really, than what current AIs are capable of. They can learn from their opponents. It’s an inkling, though, of the Pandora’s box this seemingly innocuous technology is going to turn out to be.

There are some very nice character moments in this episode. Riker is good with kids and happily humors Wesley, in sharp contrast with Picard. Troi kind of insists on talking to Tasha woman to woman, which makes Tasha uncomfortable in kind of a fun way.

Bros.

Most importantly, this is the first we see of the Data/ Geordi bromance, possibly the third greatest bromance in Star Trek lore (it must, of course, follow Kirk/Spock and O’Brien/Bashir.) It is on point, as Geordi tries to teach Data how jokes work.

Speaking of Data, at some point he makes a disparaging remark about the French, and Picard takes offense. Because Picard is French. Hee hee.

Wesley’s shirt is in this episode is exceptionally ugly. 24^th century teenage fashion continues to be terrible.