One episode. One stinking episode is all it took to take a throwaway character from a previous season and transform her into someone that the audience genuinely cared about and felt remorse for losing. Top-tier Trek episode, top-tier episode of any show.
The Nu Star Trek shows could never do something like this. I miss this era of Trek. I was a teenager back in the 90s, and this was one of the few sci-fi shows we had to look forward to, and it was glorious.
@@John-ct9zs Star Trek discovery did it with ariam. Granted she was a regular that they didn’t focus on enough and not a single episode reintroduction but they did tell her whole story in one episode and it was really well done.
@@Samester48 It was an obvious joke,as that is the same actor that played Vorik and whom i relate him too every time he plays a Vulcan, no matter the characters name. :P
I returned here after watching the latest Lower Decks episode. All I can say is, I bloody damn love Star Trek when it's about being our best even during our worst times.
@@AndrewMacLaine It seemed like Ensign Sito was conceived as a one - shot / " throwaway " character when she could've been at least an Ensign Ro type character or a Be'llana Torres.
@@AndrewMacLaine Spoiler for Lower Decks Season 4: . . . . . . . In Lower Decks one of the main characters, Mariner, used to be very good friends with Sito at the Academy. Sito was a year higher than her and basically became Mariner's role model. Sito's death and the following Dominion War had a devastating impact on Mariner, which serves as an explanation for why she constantly behaved erratic up until now.
It really says something about the impact Sito had. When she was recently referenced in the Lower Decks animated show, it broke my heart. I thought, "I miss her, too."
...and on the other side of that coin - exactly why Discovery and Picard are so bad. They spend an entire series doing what the TNG (and the others) did in 1 or 2 episodes. And yet they still manage to make it superficial empty stories.
What I find interesting is that the producers were reluctant to do this episode because it didn’t focus on the main cast. But by the 7th season, they were running out of ideas. The irony is that this was one of the best episodes of an otherwise weak season.
On the other episodes it feels like there are no more than maybe 20 people on board. This episode made the Enterprise come alive. The gossip was great too, made at all more true to life.
This episode had one of the better single character development arcs of the entire series. Star Trek should have done more with the lower ranks - all those below decks as it were. So many people. So many stories...
I'm with you. It always goes, and I know the medium hardly allows for this without seeming schizophrenic in story, but you focus on a cast of 10-12 with infinite tagalongs, when there was a WEALTH of potential story material
tm502010 yes, yes and yes. Especially in combination with the top dogs, this could have been much better than those fillers in which Wesley gets drugged or Riker plows another alien.
The Vulcan was right. As Galilee1964 quotes, "The best way to remember her, would be to excel in your new position." I lost some guys in Iraq, some that outranked me. Moving on was hard. But I grew to accept that I carried their legacy as soldiers with me. Therefore, I chose to be the best I could and prove the morals and skills they gave me were worthy of remembering. I've gotten a few fancy awards, some challenge coins and some certificates and medals. Big fuckin' deal. What mattered, was mentioning them to soldiers I teach now and watching those soldiers become better NCOs that I am or ever will be. And knowing that even as flawed as I am, my battle buddies that died in that insufferable desert that I somehow walked away from alive and well did their job and still come through for me, every single day I step in uniform. If you lost someone, don't go for suicide or depression. You carry them with you. Pass their influence on to someone else.
I give u respect. You sir are a true warrior not some b.s. playing warrior. And if u was aklingon u would be an honorable one. As a roman soldier u would be an honorable one. Many join the service to play a warrior but only few are true warriors. No medal, coins, or rewards can make u a warrior a true soldier. But one who honors his friends to become the best one he can is a warrior. And most important a true warrior knows the people he fights and kills is not his enemy but his goverment. For they are ordered to do what they do with no choice. So keep that in mind the guys u fight and kill are not your true enemy because they are doing what u do. But it's the governments that are the true enemy.
Between this and the Dominion War, we finally understand why Beckett is the way she is. Beckett just wanted to be an explorer. But from her perspective, Star Fleet sent her best friend to die, and she herself got sent to war, and watched other friends get sent to die again and again during the Dominion War, and she never understood what it was all for. Beckett has been carrying this grief for over ten years.
This episode might be one of my favorites of the whole franchise. It took two seasons for the main cast to get half decent development, yet this episode got us to care about three humans, a Bajoran and a Vulcan we'd never seen before in their first five minutes on screen.
This is not meant as a correction, more as an addition. We had seen the Bajoran before. Just not as a full fledged character. A fact that was used in her arc masterfully.
"Only a commanding officer" Also: Commander Worf : But I do not feel like celebrating. Captain Sisko : Part of being a captain is knowing when to smile. Make the troops happy, even when it's the last thing in the world you want to do. Because they're your troops, and you have to take care of them.
As someone previously posted here, these kind of stories is what made Star Trek. The bar was so high during those years. Even the filler episodes had so much power compared to what we are offered today.
@@kajekage9410 Beyond is underrated. It's just what Star Trek is about along with being a great 50th anniversary movie. CBS and Paramount just had their heads too far up their asses to see it and ended up promoting it like Guardians of the 23rd Century rather than 50 years of Trek.
Although it's a very sad scene, the scene when Picard announces the death of Sito to the crew has always been one of my favourite moments in TNG. Somehow it condenses all that Star Trek means to me in a few seconds.
Couldn't have said it better myself. Only an episode with writing this apt, this gripping could evoke such a strong emotional response regarding a character that never existed.
The Vulcan was something else. It's proven that Vulcans are not without emotions, only that they shove them down extremely hard because they feel them too much. They bury them because otherwise, the emotions take over. So then....the Vulcan in this scene. Calm, cool, collected. Forever "I am logical, I have no emo-" Picard: *reports the death of one of his friends* Vulcan: *stops and turns his head around with a concerned look* What....? Sometimes, it is more impactful when the reserved, stoic one shows a small emotion than anyone else.
I wanna be the guy who's desperately needing to use the bathroom, waiting on the elevator, when suddenly you hear it approach and the captain's voice, "Elevator, emergency stop," - conversation ensues - - I pee pee dance -
Mott,Guinan and the creepy Japanese teacher whose name i forget, who married Miles Obrien and contributed nothing to any storyline she was ever in. "Whilst these nerds in Pyjamas are crying, want to get a coffee?"
It’s difficult to understand why a 2 minute clip from a 25 year old episode can have more heart and truth in it than entire seasons of the current trek shows.
Propaganda and objectives overrule devent writing and good storytelling. Ask Sir Patrick Stewart. He specifically made the new show add SJW propaganda, or he wasn't on board, per his contract.
@@willdavis3802 Truly fuck off. It's not because of "SJW" "propaganda" - you're confusing shitty writing and making everything action focused instead of thoughtful, philosophical writing. Lack of budget on shows like TNG actually were in its favor as the writers couldn't go crazy with special effects and constant action. THAT's the crux of it. Your use of the term "SJW" proves what a fucking moron you truly are.
It would be nice to watch a TNG clip without a bunch of whiners crying in the comment section about "Nu Trek". Can't you people ever just enjoy something without crying and complaining and outraging? Stop poisoning these clips.
@Treydies I have and this feeling is reinforced. I honestly love the call backs and the fact they are bringing in older characters and their original actors.
This scene really hits home for me. As a combat veteran I was conditioned to recognize that in war people die and there is nothing you can do to change that. While that may be true, the pain of loss is all too real. So many times I attended funerals and memorial services for friends and colleagues that immediately afterwards I lose all my bearing and become an emotional wreck. They say it gets easier over time, that is a lie. Even after all these years I still grieve and carry guilt that they should have lived and I should be the one in the ground. Any achievement I accomplish now is cheapened.
I was a replacement for a dead Guardsman I never met when I joined my first platoon. I took over some of his kit and his place in the line. A Gunner I barely knew replaced me on a checkpoint and was killed shortly afterwards. After I got out the Corporal who stood closest to me on both occasions was killed very far away from me. Another Corporal whose carelessness nearly cost me my life took his own rather than reach out. It took fifteen years to make its way to the surface and bring me down. Thats how well they condition you to get a grim job done. It's taken six years of therapy and failure, anger and honesty but for the first time I can remember, I'm dreaming in colour, not black and white. I've got (most) of my stuff in the right order. We both know I'm not cured just reconditioned and we must remember it does hurt to survive and that's OK. It's OK to have good days. To this day I would prefer a simple soldiers grave, a rough hole far from civilisation, no honour guard or elaborate coffin, hauled there by the straps and edges of my old uniform by people who understand. Dispatched with an urgent shove, quick word of praise and an upturned rifle that says "he couldn't have done more!" A cruel taunt of elaborate fantasy that invades my mind when I try to process what painless future awaits me now. It's a civilian's fantasy, someone with time to imagine - when we allow ourselves to be honest we remember the prayer back then was 'let it be someone else' and the other guy was praying exactly the same.
At a moment like this I'm reminded of a story that, ironically, a comedian once told. Basically a mix of funny and serious moments. He told the story about the loss of his father and how he coped with it. He explained how he went to the funeral and all and at the end of it, he was like: "Well, all in all I handled all of this better than expected." But as time went on it became harder and harder to cope. Because he started to realize just how big the hole was his father left. For instance, he would always call his father around a specific time, like after work. Phone already in hand, only then it occurred to him: "Wait.. I can't do that any more." It was then that he realised that the hard part of the coping process was just beginning.
To all Starfleet personnel, this is the Captain. It is my sad duty to inform you that a member of the crew, Ensign Sito Jaxa, has been lost in the line of duty. She was the finest example of a Starfleet officer, and a young woman of remarkable courage and strength of character. Her loss will be deeply felt by all who knew her. Picard out.
This was and will always be my favorite episode of TNG. It was beautifully conceived and flawlessly executed. Shannon Fill interacting with Patrick Stewart was mesmerizing. Her respect for, end even fear of, the man she was partnered with was perfectly suited to the parts they were playing. Losing her permanently was a high price to pay after investing in such a compelling character. This episode was a masterpiece.
@@MrQstorm3476Not a bad question, certainly made me think for a moment there! :) I doubt she had a lot of respect for the Cardassian, fear certainly. Worf certainly could be the man they referred to, but I feel that Picard was the one being referenced, especially considering he was just mentioned in the sentence before.
@@fantasy_or_reality A plot as in when they were writing what became the first season - one of the ideas was to raid an off the books prison camp and they found her
This is season 7. The maturity of Picard in this scene is phenomenal. He is very different here than in season 1. Patrick Stewart did a fantastic job on the character.
Every person watching now is bc of lower decks. Many people like me are only into Star Trek through lower decks, I never watched the other series, however this is what makes lower decks a great show making all of us go looking into simple named characters truly knowing the impact they had in the series.
Missed opportunity, for sure. Ensign Sito survived this mission and was captured by the Cardassians. It could have been interesting to have rescued her and continue that character arc.
@@gophercakes311 I think the point of bringing her back after "The First Duty" is to show that even after hitting the lowest point of your career (and possibly life), there is always room for redemption, even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice.
@@chasmkek Star Trek: Starship Creator. Not sure how canon it is but here is the reference. In fact, Sito was captured by the Cardassian military, and sent to a Cardassian penal colony. She was later returned to the Federation following a prisoner exchange in 2372. After receiving treatment and counseling, Sito returned to active duty and was assigned to the USS Norway as an operations manager. (ST video game: Starship Creator) This was likely based on an undeveloped script for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine whose concept was later used in season 4's "Hard Time", with Miles O'Brien standing in for Ensign Sito. (DS9 reference: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)
@@gophercakes311 oh thank you! Did they talk about sito in that episode at all? Or did she make an appearance. I liked her character very much, so sad they made her die. Such good wroting and character development in one episode
You gotta love Worf. The moment he is told that Sito considered him a friend, he gets up and goes to sit down with her other friends. Worf is the most loyal friend you could have. There is also that scene in “the outcast” when Worf wants to help Riker rescue Soren and says “A warrior does not let a friend face danger alone.”
This reminds me why I loved the original Star Treks. Everyone was a consummate professional, and much of the acting was subtle or understated. Yes, Picard was a military commander, but he still hated any death of his crew. The crew were not all friends, but they felt for each other as comrades. I could definitely see these reactions in my own workplace.
I meant the original shows produced by Gene Roddenberry, not Enterprise, the reboots, or discovery. Even the next Generation movies took a decided turn for the negative in the characterization Department. In fact, compare Captain Picard of the television show to Captain Picard of the movies. Television Picard was what you would expect from an experienced diplomat and leader. Movie Picard was far closer to an action hero, which was really only justified in first Contact and his rage at the Borg.
Simple but powerful. Also, I appreciate how the Vulcan provides perspective to the human during a difficult time, which mirrors Spock's interactions with Kirk.
It is indeed how a Vulcan speaks to a human. Tuvok and Janeway, Spock to Kirk, Sarek to Kirk/Picard, Soval to Forrest, T'Pol to Archer. The only times this trope reverses are on DS9 with Sisko confusing the Vulcan captain with the baseball game and with Quark out-logic-ing the Vulcan Maquis member.
One of the best episodes of the series. She was a character that many could truly relate to. The role was performed well by the actress in both episodes Sito appeared in. Unfortunate that she stopped acting in the mid 90s because she was great.
one of the top ten episodes in TNG, I remember watching this episode the first time around. I was thrilled to see an episode about the lower ranks and thought it was going to be a funny adventure and then to get gut punched like that in the end. outstanding episode, great acting and Sito had a fantastic charter arc. I always held out a little hope that maybe she's just been taken prisoner or something just because her death was such a shock to me as a teenager. great episode all around.
One of the few times when worf showed more human compassion then his klingon heritage which I always felt for the most part made him such a lovable character 💯
HueTubeR No doubt, it was one of the series’ saddest moments, and don’t take this the wrong way, but I felt it was just SLIGHTLY maudlin, maybe a bit manipulative, but by no means was it a bad scene. I do like it. I just feel like the ending of Lower Decks was more of a better payoff, more organic. But The Offspring is one of my favorite TNG episodes.
That’s up there. This scene is too. Tasha’s holographic farewell doesn’t quite hold up, but some of the scenes where they later invoke it are powerful. I also like Kurn turning his back on Worf at Worf’s insistence as Worf leaves the High Council chamber, and the exchange between Lore and Soong in “Brothers,” when Lore’s anger gives way to anguish as he asks “Why didn’t you just _fix_ me?” And Picard just staring off blankly into space after Riker tells him about Ro’s defection.
This last scene brings me to tears every single time. We are lucky to have grown up with TNG, which set an example of the true spirit of what humanity could become.
Such a sad episode. It was good seeing a character from an earlier episode return and still having to deal with the actions from her past, seeing how they'd grown and moved forward, only to have them taken away suddenly and somewhat unexpectedly. The writers really knew what they were doing, they ramped up the empathy you had for the character and then swiftly punched you in the gut by taking them away. Even after all these years, it still makes me fill up, great acting all round.
This is an acting masterclass right here from Patrick Stewart. After he makes the announcement he doesn't look sad, he doesn't look angry, he doesn't say anything. If I had to pick one emotion from his face it would be annoyance. And yet he manages to convey the enormous weight of responsibility from having sent someone to their death, knowing it was his fault.
This. This single episode is better than all the JJ movies, the entire discovery series, and will be better than the upcoming Picard and the Ninja Borg Girl adventure series.
"There's an empty seat right over there... and there... an empty table right there, another one there." That little bit would have made more sense if Ten Forward was more packed. Still a great scene. Patrick Stewart proving again why he's so good. The comforting shoulder pat from Crusher. A young Vulcan showing surprise. Worf understanding what his non-Klingon subordinates truly needed in that moment.
2:41 you can see in Worf’s face the realisation that he’d be dishonouring Sito if he didn’t go sit/mourn with her other friends. I miss these days of Star Trek. My childhood.
I just found out about the episode through this video. I thought I had finished watching all of TNG a decade ago. This hit me like a semi truck at warp 9..
@@huetuber1204 yes....no matter what one may think of the owners of the Star Trek franchise, you gotta admit they only hired the best when it came to the background musicians, music writers, and conductors. Their music has generally been top notch.
Fantastic episode not only at humanizing worf further but also at showing sometimes a Vulcan can be emotionally sensitive particularly when it comes to loss.
I got a chance to meet Alexander Enberg and get his autograph picture at a STCON a few years ago. He suffered a stroke a number of years back which aged him quite a bit. But I although he wasn't one of the bigger stars of the series, I was particularly fond of his portrayal of Taurik and Ensign Vorik on Voyager.
@@JustinThompsonliljt1980 It's the same actor, different Vulcan character with a different name. memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Taurik memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Vorik From the links above "Vorik was played by actor Alexander Enberg, who had previously played the similarly-named Vulcan Ensign Taurik in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Lower Decks". Producer Jeri Taylor (who happens to be Enberg's mother) once suggested that Taurik and Vorik were twin brothers."
This episode was one of my all time favs. We’ve all seen plenty junior officers killed in the line of duty in countless episodes and nobody cares, not even Picard. This is the first episode I noticed the senior officers (main characters) display emotion of a fallen junior officer.
01:24: While his face shows no emotion, the rest of the Vulcans body and habitus shows a great level of sadness, memories of a lost friend and contemplation. I really like that.
Most poignant moments in one of my favorite episodes of Star Trek. Wonderful reaction of all the crew, especially Nurse Ogawa. Thank you, Shannon Fill, for your performance as Ensign Sito Jaxa.
What's interesting is that the DS9 writers had decided that the Cardassian report was a lie, and that she was being held in a prison camp (I suspect they figured out who she really was), but they never could quite work it into an episode.
...and the perfect, logical wisdom from the Vulcan: "The best way to remember her would be to excel in your new position." We can all learn something from that...
Another unique ST:TNG episode where the regular cast takes a back seat for others to shine through, especially Nurse Ogawa who always had the back seat to Dr. Crusher.
And was nominated for best Drama Series at the 1994 Emmys, the first time live action Trek was up for an Emmy in one of the major categories. Trek won an Emmy for Best Animated Series.
These old episodes were so beautiful, and packed with meaning. This needs not to be forgotten, and a little bit of the old needs to return to the now. I'm not simply talking about Star Trek, but in our own day to day lives.
This chapter, In the Pale Moonlight and The Visitor are masterpieces. I love them. There are so many others, but I love these the most just because of what Star Trek was and reminds me of what it lacks at the moment...
One of my favorite episodes. Let's you get to know what it's like to be an unfavoured ensign, but at the same time one of the most favored. This episode ran deep with me for some other reason as well. I felt pretty connected to this episode.
One of the best episodes, ever. I wish we had more of this. Both the characters and the focus of the episode - they were so lost about what was going on that seemed very familiar.
such an underrated episode. Such a powerfully emotional episode. I remember watching this when it originally aired, and crying openly both at Picards announcement over the 1MC, and the ending scene in 10forward. Now, decades later, its just as powerful as it was then. And I still cry with as much sorrow and loss, as I would losing someone IRL. OMG what would happen if this writer ever got together with Joss Whedon and together they killed off a charicter... ugly tears..........
For the hollywood awards shows, Sci fi is taboo and never seriously considered, but TNG episodes like this one, The Inner Light, Lessons and many others, takes away the laser guns and Bumpy foreheads and writes the people who live and work on this huge ship.
One reason TNG is diff from the OS, is its the deeper stories like this one perhaps and the Inner light and many others that make up the 181 episodes and its that quality and texture and care you feel for the characters and actors that put so much into them, it just is so good and arguably the best of the franchise.
the power of "team" is incredible. Allowing everyone to experience every element of authority is essential. I once told a new Marine to hold formation and organize a field day. I then told her everyone was at her disposal for assistance. She was first petrified. Then she learned and her eyes opened. Then she had happy tears knowing she had the newly discovered support of everyone around her.
loved what they did with this character, and love what they did in this episode with her...one of my fav episodes- gives you a unique look into people who aren't in command positions on a starship...
One episode. One stinking episode is all it took to take a throwaway character from a previous season and transform her into someone that the audience genuinely cared about and felt remorse for losing. Top-tier Trek episode, top-tier episode of any show.
Havent seen this episode for 20 years - Picards all-hands announcement saw a tear running down my cheek. Trek golden age.
The Nu Star Trek shows could never do something like this. I miss this era of Trek. I was a teenager back in the 90s, and this was one of the few sci-fi shows we had to look forward to, and it was glorious.
@@daddystu7046 As an adult, a lot of TNG episodes are tear jerkers. The one where Data builds a daughter and she dies makes me lose it every time.
@@HawkGTboy
"Order a man to hand his daughter over to the state?....NO. Not while I'm his captain."
Good stuff.
@@John-ct9zs Star Trek discovery did it with ariam. Granted she was a regular that they didn’t focus on enough and not a single episode reintroduction but they did tell her whole story in one episode and it was really well done.
"The best way to remember her would be to excel in your new position." There is a lot of wisdom there.
Galilee1964 Well he is a Vulcan
Gotta love Vorik.
Galilee1964: Gave me the chills. The Good Kind.
Bolt6604 Vorik was in voyager; this is Taurik
@@Samester48 It was an obvious joke,as that is the same actor that played Vorik and whom i relate him too every time he plays a Vulcan, no matter the characters name. :P
Who's here after watching the new lower decks episode ?
I returned here after watching the latest Lower Decks episode.
All I can say is, I bloody damn love Star Trek when it's about being our best even during our worst times.
Same
@@JohnSmith-dz2dcWorf felt as if he was unworthy. He was her friend too, even if he didn't feel like he was.
I don't watch Lower Decks because I ditched cable, but still support new production. Did this character get a storyline? That's so cool!
@@AndrewMacLaine It seemed like Ensign Sito was conceived as a one - shot / " throwaway " character when she could've been at least an Ensign Ro type character or a Be'llana Torres.
@@AndrewMacLaine Spoiler for Lower Decks Season 4:
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In Lower Decks one of the main characters, Mariner, used to be very good friends with Sito at the Academy. Sito was a year higher than her and basically became Mariner's role model.
Sito's death and the following Dominion War had a devastating impact on Mariner, which serves as an explanation for why she constantly behaved erratic up until now.
It really says something about the impact Sito had.
When she was recently referenced in the Lower Decks animated show, it broke my heart.
I thought, "I miss her, too."
And THIS is the essence of what made Star Trek amazing.
...and on the other side of that coin - exactly why Discovery and Picard are so bad. They spend an entire series doing what the TNG (and the others) did in 1 or 2 episodes. And yet they still manage to make it superficial empty stories.
Well said. My thoughts exactly.
@@sirbattlecat, indeed! One gets the feeling if they bothered to see an episode like this, they'd get bored and forget it on their way to the john.
YES.
Makes Star Trek amazing.
1:29 Sam performing the "Riker Maneuver" :D
Not quite....he stepped in front of the chair and lifted his leg over the seat...not the back.
Good catch!
And Worf performed the Picard Maneuver at 2:55
"All hands, brace for extreme character maneuvers" .... rest of crew "Oh god"
It's a half Riker.
What I find interesting is that the producers were reluctant to do this episode because it didn’t focus on the main cast. But by the 7th season, they were running out of ideas. The irony is that this was one of the best episodes of an otherwise weak season.
Great episode. However, its was a good season.
this is one of my favorite episodes because u get to see the command structure works
100% agree!
On the other episodes it feels like there are no more than maybe 20 people on board. This episode made the Enterprise come alive. The gossip was great too, made at all more true to life.
This episode was brilliant. And memorable.
This episode had one of the better single character development arcs of the entire series.
Star Trek should have done more with the lower ranks - all those below decks as it were. So many people. So many stories...
I'm with you. It always goes, and I know the medium hardly allows for this without seeming schizophrenic in story, but you focus on a cast of 10-12 with infinite tagalongs, when there was a WEALTH of potential story material
Your wish has been granted: memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Trek:_Lower_Decks
tm502010 yes, yes and yes. Especially in combination with the top dogs, this could have been much better than those fillers in which Wesley gets drugged or Riker plows another alien.
Agreed. The universe the producers created; the ship, the crew, their stories, the space were a massive treasure trove for great quality creativity
she died for nothing. the cardassians turned agianst everyone
The Vulcan was right. As Galilee1964 quotes, "The best way to remember her, would be to excel in your new position." I lost some guys in Iraq, some that outranked me. Moving on was hard. But I grew to accept that I carried their legacy as soldiers with me. Therefore, I chose to be the best I could and prove the morals and skills they gave me were worthy of remembering. I've gotten a few fancy awards, some challenge coins and some certificates and medals. Big fuckin' deal. What mattered, was mentioning them to soldiers I teach now and watching those soldiers become better NCOs that I am or ever will be. And knowing that even as flawed as I am, my battle buddies that died in that insufferable desert that I somehow walked away from alive and well did their job and still come through for me, every single day I step in uniform.
If you lost someone, don't go for suicide or depression. You carry them with you. Pass their influence on to someone else.
Hear hear! Let me signal boost you, azraelangelofred!
I give u respect. You sir are a true warrior not some b.s. playing warrior. And if u was aklingon u would be an honorable one. As a roman soldier u would be an honorable one. Many join the service to play a warrior but only few are true warriors. No medal, coins, or rewards can make u a warrior a true soldier. But one who honors his friends to become the best one he can is a warrior. And most important a true warrior knows the people he fights and kills is not his enemy but his goverment. For they are ordered to do what they do with no choice. So keep that in mind the guys u fight and kill are not your true enemy because they are doing what u do. But it's the governments that are the true enemy.
Thank you for your service
That vulcan ended up lost in the Delta Quadrant, hitting on B'Elanna
Well said. Respect.
And more recently revealed: One of Becket Mariner’s closest friends
Between this and the Dominion War, we finally understand why Beckett is the way she is.
Beckett just wanted to be an explorer. But from her perspective, Star Fleet sent her best friend to die, and she herself got sent to war, and watched other friends get sent to die again and again during the Dominion War, and she never understood what it was all for.
Beckett has been carrying this grief for over ten years.
Glad to see this episode impacted a great many of us. To absent friends.
and those that are here now.
Cheers.
That final scene was beautiful. No words. After Picard's wonderful tribute, it was the perfect ending to see Worf in 10-forward.
In memory still bright.
We lift our glass...
This will always be one of my favorite episodes of the series. "Sir, I happened to know that she considered you her friend"
"Lost in the line of duty." Words no commander every want to say, not any colleague wants to hear.
This episode might be one of my favorites of the whole franchise. It took two seasons for the main cast to get half decent development, yet this episode got us to care about three humans, a Bajoran and a Vulcan we'd never seen before in their first five minutes on screen.
This is not meant as a correction, more as an addition. We had seen the Bajoran before. Just not as a full fledged character. A fact that was used in her arc masterfully.
@@Darilon12 Also Ogawa as she'd been a minor recurring character
"Only a commanding officer"
Also: Commander Worf : But I do not feel like celebrating.
Captain Sisko : Part of being a captain is knowing when to smile. Make the troops happy, even when it's the last thing in the world you want to do. Because they're your troops, and you have to take care of them.
As someone previously posted here, these kind of stories is what made Star Trek. The bar was so high during those years. Even the filler episodes had so much power compared to what we are offered today.
The stuff today is crap and it's depressing how popular it is. I was so excited for Picard... then got that hot mess.
@Neil Rosenau The movies... at least the first two definitely captured the spirit of Star Trek, this new trek is tr@sh.
@@kajekage9410 Beyond is underrated. It's just what Star Trek is about along with being a great 50th anniversary movie. CBS and Paramount just had their heads too far up their asses to see it and ended up promoting it like Guardians of the 23rd Century rather than 50 years of Trek.
the quality and depth of current Star Trek content is so bad compared to TNG
@@kajekage9410 strange new worlds is good, has great character development, Picard season 3 was some of the best Trek produced.
Although it's a very sad scene, the scene when Picard announces the death of Sito to the crew has always been one of my favourite moments in TNG. Somehow it condenses all that Star Trek means to me in a few seconds.
This is the real Star Trek:Lower Decks
U mean live action lower decks
Agreed.
This comment is the Star Trek Upper Decker
Couldn't have said it better myself. Only an episode with writing this apt, this gripping could evoke such a strong emotional response regarding a character that never existed.
Aye Sir.
"Fine, I will sit in awkward silence as opposed to solemn silence. Thank you, waiter, this is much......ugh......better."
The Vulcan was something else. It's proven that Vulcans are not without emotions, only that they shove them down extremely hard because they feel them too much. They bury them because otherwise, the emotions take over.
So then....the Vulcan in this scene. Calm, cool, collected. Forever "I am logical, I have no emo-"
Picard: *reports the death of one of his friends*
Vulcan: *stops and turns his head around with a concerned look* What....?
Sometimes, it is more impactful when the reserved, stoic one shows a small emotion than anyone else.
0:24 "To all Starfleet personnel..."
Mot, the barber: "Whew glad this doesn't concern me."
I wanna be the guy who's desperately needing to use the bathroom, waiting on the elevator, when suddenly you hear it approach and the captain's voice, "Elevator, emergency stop,"
- conversation ensues -
- I pee pee dance -
Mott,Guinan and the creepy Japanese teacher whose name i forget, who married Miles Obrien and contributed nothing to any storyline she was ever in.
"Whilst these nerds in Pyjamas are crying, want to get a coffee?"
@@anthonycunningham8116 keko O'brien lol
@@anthonycunningham8116 Keiko O'brien was not creepy. She was a nagging wife who kept Chief O'Brien awake at night.
@@wonniewarrior Even worse
It’s difficult to understand why a 2 minute clip from a 25 year old episode can have more heart and truth in it than entire seasons of the current trek shows.
Propaganda and objectives overrule devent writing and good storytelling. Ask Sir Patrick Stewart. He specifically made the new show add SJW propaganda, or he wasn't on board, per his contract.
Nail on head.
@@willdavis3802 Truly fuck off. It's not because of "SJW" "propaganda" - you're confusing shitty writing and making everything action focused instead of thoughtful, philosophical writing. Lack of budget on shows like TNG actually were in its favor as the writers couldn't go crazy with special effects and constant action. THAT's the crux of it. Your use of the term "SJW" proves what a fucking moron you truly are.
@@willdavis3802 Stewart doesn't know what day of the week it is anymore.
It would be nice to watch a TNG clip without a bunch of whiners crying in the comment section about "Nu Trek". Can't you people ever just enjoy something without crying and complaining and outraging? Stop poisoning these clips.
I feel as though this is the utmost inspiration for the Lower Decks show.
If you see the most recent episode it's almost guaranteed
@Treydies I have and this feeling is reinforced. I honestly love the call backs and the fact they are bringing in older characters and their original actors.
This scene really hits home for me. As a combat veteran I was conditioned to recognize that in war people die and there is nothing you can do to change that. While that may be true, the pain of loss is all too real. So many times I attended funerals and memorial services for friends and colleagues that immediately afterwards I lose all my bearing and become an emotional wreck. They say it gets easier over time, that is a lie. Even after all these years I still grieve and carry guilt that they should have lived and I should be the one in the ground. Any achievement I accomplish now is cheapened.
Your not alone on this one brother! Memories of my fallen colleagues fills my heart when I see this clip.
I was a replacement for a dead Guardsman I never met when I joined my first platoon. I took over some of his kit and his place in the line. A Gunner I barely knew replaced me on a checkpoint and was killed shortly afterwards. After I got out the Corporal who stood closest to me on both occasions was killed very far away from me. Another Corporal whose carelessness nearly cost me my life took his own rather than reach out. It took fifteen years to make its way to the surface and bring me down. Thats how well they condition you to get a grim job done.
It's taken six years of therapy and failure, anger and honesty but for the first time I can remember, I'm dreaming in colour, not black and white. I've got (most) of my stuff in the right order. We both know I'm not cured just reconditioned and we must remember it does hurt to survive and that's OK. It's OK to have good days.
To this day I would prefer a simple soldiers grave, a rough hole far from civilisation, no honour guard or elaborate coffin, hauled there by the straps and edges of my old uniform by people who understand. Dispatched with an urgent shove, quick word of praise and an upturned rifle that says "he couldn't have done more!" A cruel taunt of elaborate fantasy that invades my mind when I try to process what painless future awaits me now. It's a civilian's fantasy, someone with time to imagine - when we allow ourselves to be honest we remember the prayer back then was 'let it be someone else' and the other guy was praying exactly the same.
I am the same as you. I am haunted by guilt that I remain alive and my brothers are gone.
At a moment like this I'm reminded of a story that, ironically, a comedian once told. Basically a mix of funny and serious moments. He told the story about the loss of his father and how he coped with it.
He explained how he went to the funeral and all and at the end of it, he was like: "Well, all in all I handled all of this better than expected."
But as time went on it became harder and harder to cope. Because he started to realize just how big the hole was his father left.
For instance, he would always call his father around a specific time, like after work. Phone already in hand, only then it occurred to him: "Wait.. I can't do that any more."
It was then that he realised that the hard part of the coping process was just beginning.
kippies66 do you remember who the comedian was i want to watch that
I love how they finally called back to this episode and made it the foundations of Star Trek: Lower Decks. So rad.
To all Starfleet personnel, this is the Captain. It is my sad duty to inform you that a member of the crew, Ensign Sito Jaxa, has been lost in the line of duty. She was the finest example of a Starfleet officer, and a young woman of remarkable courage and strength of character. Her loss will be deeply felt by all who knew her. Picard out.
This was and will always be my favorite episode of TNG. It was beautifully conceived and flawlessly executed. Shannon Fill interacting with Patrick Stewart was mesmerizing. Her respect for, end even fear of, the man she was partnered with was perfectly suited to the parts they were playing. Losing her permanently was a high price to pay after investing in such a compelling character. This episode was a masterpiece.
“The man she was partnered with...” does that refer to Worf, Picard, or the Cardassian piloting the shuttle?”
@@MrQstorm3476Not a bad question, certainly made me think for a moment there! :)
I doubt she had a lot of respect for the Cardassian, fear certainly. Worf certainly could be the man they referred to, but I feel that Picard was the one being referenced, especially considering he was just mentioned in the sentence before.
Wasn't there an early DS9 plot to find prisoners in a Cardie camp and one of them was Sito?
@@Trek001 Really?? Which DS9 episode is this?
@@fantasy_or_reality A plot as in when they were writing what became the first season - one of the ideas was to raid an off the books prison camp and they found her
This is season 7. The maturity of Picard in this scene is phenomenal. He is very different here than in season 1. Patrick Stewart did a fantastic job on the character.
Every person watching now is bc of lower decks. Many people like me are only into Star Trek through lower decks, I never watched the other series, however this is what makes lower decks a great show making all of us go looking into simple named characters truly knowing the impact they had in the series.
Ensign Sito should have been on Voyager or DS9. Beautiful actress who played a character with an excellent, intriguing background.
Missed opportunity, for sure. Ensign Sito survived this mission and was captured by the Cardassians. It could have been interesting to have rescued her and continue that character arc.
@@gophercakes311 I think the point of bringing her back after "The First Duty" is to show that even after hitting the lowest point of your career (and possibly life), there is always room for redemption, even if it means making the ultimate sacrifice.
@@gophercakes311 do you mind telling me the source? Was that mentioned in a future series or movie or something?
@@chasmkek Star Trek: Starship Creator. Not sure how canon it is but here is the reference.
In fact, Sito was captured by the Cardassian military, and sent to a Cardassian penal colony. She was later returned to the Federation following a prisoner exchange in 2372. After receiving treatment and counseling, Sito returned to active duty and was assigned to the USS Norway as an operations manager. (ST video game: Starship Creator)
This was likely based on an undeveloped script for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine whose concept was later used in season 4's "Hard Time", with Miles O'Brien standing in for Ensign Sito. (DS9 reference: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion)
@@gophercakes311 oh thank you! Did they talk about sito in that episode at all? Or did she make an appearance. I liked her character very much, so sad they made her die. Such good wroting and character development in one episode
Just another reminder that we are not promised tomorrow.
just another reminder why you don't want to be a redshirt in star trek!
"Tomorrow is promised to no one Doctor, but I insist upon my past I am entitled to that" - Clara, Doctor Who
The episode that partially spawned the first Star Trek comedy series, never forgetting the drama, conflict, and angst of this episode.
You gotta love Worf. The moment he is told that Sito considered him a friend, he gets up and goes to sit down with her other friends. Worf is the most loyal friend you could have. There is also that scene in “the outcast” when Worf wants to help Riker rescue Soren and says “A warrior does not let a friend face danger alone.”
God this show threw some emotional haymakers.
Yeah. He knows. Amen
It was nice having Nurse Ogawa as part of that clique. She was a semi-regular background character, thus we can feel the connection.
Worf realizing Sito was indeed his friend emotionally drives the scene into the final frontier and into Star Trek greatness.
Yar, Sito, Dax, his wife..... Warf can't catch a break.
Even Troi died in the future timeline where Worf and her got together.
@CitiZEN CAT ha!! Won't even edit it now to save the integrity of this awesome reply
This reminds me why I loved the original Star Treks. Everyone was a consummate professional, and much of the acting was subtle or understated. Yes, Picard was a military commander, but he still hated any death of his crew. The crew were not all friends, but they felt for each other as comrades. I could definitely see these reactions in my own workplace.
You do know that the "original" Star Treks were the ones with Captain Kirk, right?!
I meant the original shows produced by Gene Roddenberry, not Enterprise, the reboots, or discovery. Even the next Generation movies took a decided turn for the negative in the characterization Department. In fact, compare Captain Picard of the television show to Captain Picard of the movies. Television Picard was what you would expect from an experienced diplomat and leader. Movie Picard was far closer to an action hero, which was really only justified in first Contact and his rage at the Borg.
The Starfleet wasn't a military organization though.
@@SacrificialLamb71 or at the very least an organisation run on military lines.
A fine example of what made TNG so great!!!
Compared to the cartoon version of Lower Decks, this still shines like a star in dark space...
Worf gave a lesson, and later got one himself. Great symmetry in the writing.
This is the lower decks show that we wanted.
Simple but powerful. Also, I appreciate how the Vulcan provides perspective to the human during a difficult time, which mirrors Spock's interactions with Kirk.
It is indeed how a Vulcan speaks to a human. Tuvok and Janeway, Spock to Kirk, Sarek to Kirk/Picard, Soval to Forrest, T'Pol to Archer.
The only times this trope reverses are on DS9 with Sisko confusing the Vulcan captain with the baseball game and with Quark out-logic-ing the Vulcan Maquis member.
@@SantomPh That scene with Quark was frakin' EPIC.
One of the best episodes of the series. She was a character that many could truly relate to. The role was performed well by the actress in both episodes Sito appeared in. Unfortunate that she stopped acting in the mid 90s because she was great.
one of the top ten episodes in TNG, I remember watching this episode the first time around. I was thrilled to see an episode about the lower ranks and thought it was going to be a funny adventure and then to get gut punched like that in the end. outstanding episode, great acting and Sito had a fantastic charter arc. I always held out a little hope that maybe she's just been taken prisoner or something just because her death was such a shock to me as a teenager. great episode all around.
Imagine if she did, and she shows up in that Picard series in season 2.
Me too
One of the few times when worf showed more human compassion then his klingon heritage which I always felt for the most part made him such a lovable character 💯
I think the saddest moment in TNG series was Data saying goodbye to his daughter, Lal.
I swear I almost cried. That shit broke my heart.
HueTubeR No doubt, it was one of the series’ saddest moments, and don’t take this the wrong way, but I felt it was just SLIGHTLY maudlin, maybe a bit manipulative, but by no means was it a bad scene. I do like it. I just feel like the ending of Lower Decks was more of a better payoff, more organic. But The Offspring is one of my favorite TNG episodes.
That’s up there. This scene is too. Tasha’s holographic farewell doesn’t quite hold up, but some of the scenes where they later invoke it are powerful.
I also like Kurn turning his back on Worf at Worf’s insistence as Worf leaves the High Council chamber, and the exchange between Lore and Soong in “Brothers,” when Lore’s anger gives way to anguish as he asks “Why didn’t you just _fix_ me?” And Picard just staring off blankly into space after Riker tells him about Ro’s defection.
Thanks for the spoiler fuckwit, I haven't watched all of the episodes yet.
Fuck you.
@@mistressmayhem1988 seriously?
This last scene brings me to tears every single time.
We are lucky to have grown up with TNG, which set an example of the true spirit of what humanity could become.
This was such a heartbreaker. Ensign Sito was such a cutie. Thid Vulcan was such a good actor. Until T-Pol in Star Trek Enterprise came along.
T-Pol....? Just...."OUCH!" THat tummy...that body...!!!!!!!!!!
Sam's dead eyes when he stares at his new pip is some of the best acting I have ever seen. No words are needed.
Such a sad episode. It was good seeing a character from an earlier episode return and still having to deal with the actions from her past, seeing how they'd grown and moved forward, only to have them taken away suddenly and somewhat unexpectedly. The writers really knew what they were doing, they ramped up the empathy you had for the character and then swiftly punched you in the gut by taking them away. Even after all these years, it still makes me fill up, great acting all round.
This is an acting masterclass right here from Patrick Stewart. After he makes the announcement he doesn't look sad, he doesn't look angry, he doesn't say anything. If I had to pick one emotion from his face it would be annoyance. And yet he manages to convey the enormous weight of responsibility from having sent someone to their death, knowing it was his fault.
This. This single episode is better than all the JJ movies, the entire discovery series, and will be better than the upcoming Picard and the Ninja Borg Girl adventure series.
"There's an empty seat right over there... and there... an empty table right there, another one there."
That little bit would have made more sense if Ten Forward was more packed. Still a great scene. Patrick Stewart proving again why he's so good. The comforting shoulder pat from Crusher. A young Vulcan showing surprise. Worf understanding what his non-Klingon subordinates truly needed in that moment.
Amazing how saying so little dialogue can carry such emotional weight! The writers and actors did a brilliant job making you really feel their loss
2:41 you can see in Worf’s face the realisation that he’d be dishonouring Sito if he didn’t go sit/mourn with her other friends. I miss these days of Star Trek. My childhood.
I just found out about the episode through this video. I thought I had finished watching all of TNG a decade ago. This hit me like a semi truck at warp 9..
Warp 9 is so slow compared to “Ludacris speed” (Space Balls film)
I've watched the entire series on Netflix in the past, yet I'm convinced there are still episodes I haven't seen.
Right before Picard addressed the crew you hear the Boatswain whistle or whatever it's called. I always liked that sound.
That sound along with the French horns coming in the background music.... ahhh, just glorious!
@@huetuber1204 yes....no matter what one may think of the owners of the Star Trek franchise, you gotta admit they only hired the best when it came to the background musicians, music writers, and conductors. Their music has generally been top notch.
Yes- it’s one of the calls from a Boatswains whistle
And only sounded in six episodes... This one, 11001001, Booby Trap, The Naked Now, Night Terrors and All Good Things
Trek001 it’s in Yesterday’s Enterprise.
I liked Ben wished he was in a couple of more episodes.
Even as a little kid who was mostly interested in space battles, Patrick Stewart made me cry with this scene.
that worf scene at the end love it still as powerful today as it was back then
Fantastic episode not only at humanizing worf further but also at showing sometimes a Vulcan can be emotionally sensitive particularly when it comes to loss.
This episode contains one of only a handful of credible Vulcan performances by an actor other than Leonard Nimoy.
I got a chance to meet Alexander Enberg and get his autograph picture at a STCON a few years ago. He suffered a stroke a number of years back which aged him quite a bit. But I although he wasn't one of the bigger stars of the series, I was particularly fond of his portrayal of Taurik and Ensign Vorik on Voyager.
*T'Pol has entered the chat*
Isn't this the same Vulcan on Voyager?
@@JustinThompsonliljt1980 yes
@@JustinThompsonliljt1980 It's the same actor, different Vulcan character with a different name.
memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Taurik
memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Vorik
From the links above "Vorik was played by actor Alexander Enberg, who had previously played the similarly-named Vulcan Ensign Taurik in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Lower Decks". Producer Jeri Taylor (who happens to be Enberg's mother) once suggested that Taurik and Vorik were twin brothers."
This episode makes me bawl my eyes out every single time I watch it
One of the best TNG episodes IMO, even if it had a sad ending. And ironic, given one of the below comments about the hesitancy over making it.
Aahh star trek when the word trek accully meant something.
and klutzman forgot that ‘discovery’ means exploration not explosion
Still makes me cry even now 😭
This is the only 'Lower Decks' episode I will ever acknowledge.
This episode was one of my all time favs. We’ve all seen plenty junior officers killed in the line of duty in countless episodes and nobody cares, not even Picard. This is the first episode I noticed the senior officers (main characters) display emotion of a fallen junior officer.
01:24: While his face shows no emotion, the rest of the Vulcans body and habitus shows a great level of sadness, memories of a lost friend and contemplation.
I really like that.
Most poignant moments in one of my favorite episodes of Star Trek. Wonderful reaction of all the crew, especially Nurse Ogawa. Thank you, Shannon Fill, for your performance as Ensign Sito Jaxa.
What's interesting is that the DS9 writers had decided that the Cardassian report was a lie, and that she was being held in a prison camp (I suspect they figured out who she really was), but they never could quite work it into an episode.
Along with Thomas Riker, another supposed Cardassian prisoner whose story arc was unfinished.
2:54 Worf steals Picard's thunder
A Vulcan, a Klingon and 2 humans all sitting together and mourning a Bajoran. You don't get this in new trek.
...and the perfect, logical wisdom from the Vulcan: "The best way to remember her would be to excel in your new position." We can all learn something from that...
Lower Decks is one of my Top Five favorite episodes of TNG. It’s right up there with Darmok, Inner Light, and All Good Things IMHO.
TNG will be a show I watch with my children. About science and space, exciting and imaginative, with mature characters and meaningful messages
One of my personal top 10 TNG episodes.
That ending.... along with the Inner Light, just brings on the tears. This is why this show (and characters) mean so much to us.
Another unique ST:TNG episode where the regular cast takes a back seat for others to shine through, especially Nurse Ogawa who always had the back seat to Dr. Crusher.
Star Trek TNG should have won at least one Emmy.
It did win at least one Emmy. It won 19.
And was nominated for best Drama Series at the 1994 Emmys, the first time live action Trek was up for an Emmy in one of the major categories.
Trek won an Emmy for Best Animated Series.
I cry on a few episodes of STAR TREK across all of the series.
This episode is one of them. Ensign Sito was a BOSS!!!!!
Yup. I'd gladly serve under her before even thinking about serving under Michael Burnham or Tilly, ugh.
These old episodes were so beautiful, and packed with meaning. This needs not to be forgotten, and a little bit of the old needs to return to the now. I'm not simply talking about Star Trek, but in our own day to day lives.
This chapter, In the Pale Moonlight and The Visitor are masterpieces. I love them. There are so many others, but I love these the most just because of what Star Trek was and reminds me of what it lacks at the moment...
One of my favorite episodes. Let's you get to know what it's like to be an unfavoured ensign, but at the same time one of the most favored. This episode ran deep with me for some other reason as well. I felt pretty connected to this episode.
Great episode. This clip touches your emotion.
I’m so happy I grew up with TNG.
One of the best episodes, ever. I wish we had more of this. Both the characters and the focus of the episode - they were so lost about what was going on that seemed very familiar.
Damn, Worf is imposing. Like an adult taking a seat at the childrens table. Cudos, Micheal Dorn
such an underrated episode. Such a powerfully emotional episode. I remember watching this when it originally aired, and crying openly both at Picards announcement over the 1MC, and the ending scene in 10forward. Now, decades later, its just as powerful as it was then. And I still cry with as much sorrow and loss, as I would losing someone IRL.
OMG what would happen if this writer ever got together with Joss Whedon and together they killed off a charicter... ugly tears..........
For the hollywood awards shows, Sci fi is taboo and never seriously considered, but TNG episodes like this one, The Inner Light, Lessons and many others, takes away the laser guns and Bumpy foreheads and writes the people who live and work on this huge ship.
One reason TNG is diff from the OS, is its the deeper stories like this one perhaps and the Inner light and many others that make up the 181 episodes and its that quality and texture and care you feel for the characters and actors that put so much into them, it just is so good and arguably the best of the franchise.
This was such a moving episode.
This episode should have won an Emmy
I don't agree. The Inner Light is the episode that should have gotten the Emmy.
the power of "team" is incredible. Allowing everyone to experience every element of authority is essential. I once told a new Marine to hold formation and organize a field day. I then told her everyone was at her disposal for assistance. She was first petrified. Then she learned and her eyes opened. Then she had happy tears knowing she had the newly discovered support of everyone around her.
Lol - Ben plays fast and loose with Riker - calling him "Will".
However, no such informality with Worf!
What the... just Worf sit down and have eyes contact with her friends the scene got me...almost tears.
This is one of my favorite episodes of all the series.
The credits music, has a theme sounding like DS9. Either is from Worf's theme subtly added or maybe... The show's Were running together at this time.
loved what they did with this character, and love what they did in this episode with her...one of my fav episodes- gives you a unique look into people who aren't in command positions on a starship...