Star Trek The Next Generation Feature Length Episodes: Ranked

4. Redemption

Encounter At Farpoint
CBS

The culmination of the Duras storyline saw the Klingon Empire descend into Civil War, the introduction of Commander Sela and the first time that Data commands a star ship. It is an excellent season closer and opener, displaying the best and worst of the Federation's allies.

It also is a clever reminder of the need for the Prime Directive. Picard can't help Gowron with the power of the Enterprise as he would be involving the Federation in an internal issue. The Romulans have no such issue and, with their help, it is clear that the Duras Sisters would have won the war. Cutting off this help exposes them for the weak house that they are.

The episodes are satisfying on so many levels. Worf has his honour returned and we get to see Kurn again. There are great upheavals on the Klingon homeworld and Data's command of the USS Sutherland shows him to be a strong leader. His second in command is so smug that it is a lot of fun to see him get smacked down.

If there is one small critique, its the question of....well, why didn't the Romulans just fly around the sensor net? But its fine, its all still enjoyable. The return of Worf's honour, one of the greatest injustices of previous seasons, is finally made right and things are the way they should be again.

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Writer. Reader. Host. I'm Seán, I live in Ireland and I'm the poster child for dangerous obsessions with Star Trek. Check me out on Twitter @seanferrick