10 Star Trek Deleted Scenes You Must See

It seems that metaphasic radiation had yet another effect on Captain Picard. In the midst of all the sedition, bird-watching, a little bit of mambo-ing, and torque sensor realigning, he also developed a bit of a potty mouth.

In a deleted scene, which was released on the Star Trek: Insurrection Special Collector’s Edition DVD, we see what amounts to extended alternate dialogue between Picard, Worf, and Gallatin/Gal’na on the bridge of Ru’afo’s ship. This time, just before we learn that the launch sequence has been resumed aboard the Collector, Riker hails Picard from the Enterprise. We get the gloriously sarcastic line that was used later in the final cut of the film after Picard’s last-second rescue: "The council ordered a halt to the Ba’ku relocation while they conduct a top-level review". In the alternate scene, Picard replies to Riker, with clear fury in his voice directed at Starfleet and the Federation: "Top-level review, my ass! There will be no cover-up!"

As fun as Picard’s outburst is, the 'top-level review' line arguably works better when it is given by Riker after the Collector has been destroyed. Placed there in the film, it adds a layer of irony and subtle wit that was not possible beforehand. The rest of the deleted scene is also overly expositional. In it, Picard and Co. prepare to disable the Collector rather than to activate its self-destruct, the discussion of which becomes rapidly convoluted.

More to the point, the entire scene could never have made it to theatres. It only works with regards to the original scripted ending in which Ru’afo escapes the Collector and dies from rapid de-aging in the metaphasic rings. Speaking in the DVD extras, co-producer/unit director Peter Lauritson states that this cut of the film was rejected by Paramount in post-production because it did not have enough "bang".

If in doubt – ’splosions!