Episode Spotlight: TNGs "The Wounded"

Episode Spotlight

TNG's "The Wounded"

Stardate 44429.6.  The Enterprise is on a routine patrol near Cardassian Space.  Picard tells the crew about the last time he was in this area, fleeing a Cardassian ship on the Stargazer.  Meanwhile newlyweds Miles and Keiko O'Brien enjoy breakfast in their quarters.  The Enterprise is attacked by a Cardassian warship.  After several exchanges of phaser fire the Cardassians stand down and open communications with the Enterprise.  In response to Picard asking the reason for the attack, the Cardassian captain, Gul Macet (Marc Alaimo), says that another Starfleet ship attacked and destroyed an unarmed Cardassian outpost near the border 2 days ago. In the interest of maintaining the peace treaty Picard asks for one hour to investigate Macet's claims.  After speaking with Admiral Haden Picard learns that Macet's claims are true, the USS Phoenix under Captain Benjamin Maxwell has gone rogue, stopped answering hails and attacked the Cardassian station.  Knowing that the peace must be maintained Picard informs his officers that Gul Macet and two aids will be beaming aboard to assist in the search for the Pheonix.  Guards will be posted at sensitive areas.  Data says that Chief O'Brien served under Maxwell on the USS Rutledge.  After the Cardassians, Gul Macet, Glinn Daro and Glinn Telle beam aboard Picard meets with them, the senior staff and O'Brien in the conference lounge.  Macet is skeptical the Enterprise is using every means available to track down one of their own.  O'Brien tells how during a raid of Setlik III Cardassians killed nearly 100 civilians, including Maxwell's wife and kids.  Macet concludes that revenge is Maxwell's motive.   From the bridge Worf reports that sensors have located the Phoenix.  In a turbolift one of the Cardassians questions O'Brien about the Enterprises transporters and then invites him to join them in Ten Forward.  In a terse response O'Brien tells them that if he is ordered to tell them about the transporters or Ben Maxwell he will, but his free time is his business.  With confirmation that the Phoenix is in sector 21505 the Enterprise sets course to intercept.  Macet request the Phoenix's transponder codes and coordinates so that Cardassian ships can intercept quicker.  Picard declines.  While introducing Keiko to potato casserole, O'Brien starts singing "The Minstrel Boy" a song that he, Maxwell, and their crewmates used to sing on the Rutledge.  When questioned about it he tells Keiko that in the briefing he could tell that their were people there with negative feelings toward the Cardassians.  On the bridge Macet and Picard watch the sensor display on the viewscreen as the Phoenix intercepts a Cardassian war ship.  After pleas from Macet Picard orders Worf to send the Phoenix's prefix codes to the warship.  Worf send the codes, but it's too late, the Phoenix destroys the warship.  The Phoenix then destroy the supply ship, killing a combined 650 people.  Picard orders warp 9 to intercept the Phoenix as soon as possible.  In the transporter room Picard talks to O'Brien about Maxwell, specifically about his reaction to his family being killed.  Picard can tell that O'Brien doesn't care for the Cardassians.  In Ten Forward, O'Brien is joined at the bar by one of the Cardassians Glinns.  He apologizes for the interaction in the turbolift earlier.  It seems the tension is found of both sides.  O'Brien tell the Cardassian his story of being on Setlik III during the massacre.  According to the Glinn, the Cardassians has been misinformed and thought the planet was the launching point for an attack.  O'Brien tells him  about how fighting Cardassians led to him killing someone for the first time, and the impact that left on him.  He says "It's not you I hate, Cardassian.  It's what I became, because of you."  Worf enters the bridge with the other Glinn, the Glinn was found at a computer station trying to access information on the Enterprises' weapons.  He tries to lie about it, but Macet reprimands him and restricts him to quarters.  In the ready room Macet apologizes for his officers' action.  Picard accepts the apology and says that for a lasting peace, they can't allow one person to undermine their efforts.  Macet seems genuine about wanting a lasting peace.  Having intercepted the Phoenix the Enterprise beams Captain Maxwell (Bob Gunton) aboard.  Seeing O'Brien in the transporter room he has a brief reunion with his former tactical officer before going to speak with Captain Picard.  In the ready room Maxwell tries to justify his actions by saying that the Cardassians are rearming, the science station was in fact a military supply port.  He offers no evidence or proof.  He says that he had to act quickly, lives were at stake, as if the war were still ongoing.  He claims that he is trying to prevent a war.  Picard bluntly says he believes Maxwells actions were foe revenge for the Cardassians killing his wife and children.  Maxwell calls Picard a fool.  He tell Picard to come with him to see a Cardassian supply ship for himself.  Picard refuses but allows him to stay in command of his ship and orders him to return with the Enterprise to Starbase.  Maxwell returns to his ship.  En route back to Starbase the Phoenix changes course.  The Enterprise follows and hails, the Phoenix does not respond.  The phoenix is on course for another supply ship.  Picard calls O'Brien to the bridge.  After reaching the supply ship the Enterprise tries to scan both ships, interestingly the supply ship is running a high power subspace field which blocks sensors.  Picard consults O'Brien for his knowledge of Maxwell.  Maxwell hails Picard and tell him to board the Cardassian ship to see proof of his claims.  Picard refuses.  Maxwell threatens to destroy the supply ship.  As weapons and shields on both ships are armed, O'Brien says he has a way to beam over to the Phoenix to talk to Maxwell.  On the Phoenix O'Brien, unarmed talks to Maxwell.  He convinces him that Picard is not bluffing and will fire on the Phoenix to protect the Cardassian ship.  Maxwell believes that the war is still ongoing, that Cardassians live to make war.  He is obviously still grief stricken over the loss of his family.  He reminds O'Brien what the Cardassians did on Setlik.  Reminiscing on crewmates who they lost at Setlik, they sing their old favorite song, "The Minstrel Boy".  Broken, Maxwell realizes he's not going to win this conflict.  He surrenders, turn over command to his XO and is confined aboard the Enterprise.  In the conference room O'Brien says the knows what Maxwell did was wrong, but that he was a good person and that he's proud to have served with him.  Macet feels that while admirable, O'Briens loyalty to Maxwell is misplaced.  Picard points out that Maxwell was twice decorated for bravery and valor, while Macet is just glad he's locked up.  Picard tells Macet that Maxwell was right, the supply ships were not carrying scientific equipment but weapons. Caro ships with subspace fields blocking sensors, a science station on the border near three Federation sectors.  Macet counters that if Picard believed Maxwell, why didn't he board the supply ship.  Picard answers that protecting the peace was more important-for both sides.  If he had boarded the ship, both sides would be arming for war right now.  He tells Macet to take a message to his leaders: we'll be watching.

I have always personally really liked this episode.  This episode is an example of Star Trek doing a political story right.  Its storytelling, world building (the Cardassians, the border wars, O'Brien's backstory) done subtly but effectively.  A tack hammer, not a sledgehammer.  The Cardassians and O'Briens history are the first building blocks of the foundation of the not yet conceived Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.  O'Brien being a popular character with the fans at this point deserved to have some real depth and backstory and this episode delivered.  Thomas Moore's song "The Minstrel Boy", which recurs throughout the episode is used as an important plot device, symbolic of O'Brien and Maxwell's past together, and of the grim reality of war.  The episode's name, The Wounded is very fitting, being a reference to Maxwell, emotionally wounded by his experiences in war and especially by the brutal murders of his wife and children during the Setlik III massacre.  In terms of acting, Bob Gunton put on a wonderful performance as the mentally anguished, righteous, "wounded" Captain Maxwell, as does Marc Alaimo in his third TNG appearance, this time as Gul Macet, the first Cardassian ever seen in the franchise.  Mis performance, the attitude, tone of voice, poise all set the pattern for every Cardassian character we would see in subsequent TNG and DS9 episodes.  Colm Meaney is wonderful as always as O'Brien, both sympathizing with but fully seeing the errors of Captain Maxwell's actions.

Quotes

O'Brien: It's not you I hate, Cardassian. I hate what I became because of you.

Picard: I think, when one has been angry for a very long time, one gets used to it. And it becomes comfortable like…like old leather. And finally… it becomes so familiar that one can't remember feeling any other way.

Picard: Take this message to your leaders, Gul Macet: 'We'll be watching'.