"Code of Honor" (Episode 3, Season 1, Air Date 10/12/87, Star-date 41235.25) introduces the prime directive as a recurring theme in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation', and it has a mature and rare assessment of the odds of Tasha's success in a fight to the death.
It also has a 'Matrix' style martial arts demonstration in the hologram room. We learn briefly that strikes from holograms cause pain. We also learn that hologram fighters can learn Tasha's fighting tactics and find ways to defeat her at higher levels, so it keeps her constantly striving to improve her skills.
The plot is not very entertaining or complex. But it advances some details about Star Trek and key characters. Picard is a proud Frenchman, Wesley takes ops on the bridge, and Geordi uses an electric razor since the one Data set for him is too efficient. Data tries to learn humor and fails miserably; he keeps striving to achieve the human equation to no avail.
This episode seems a bit more mature since it parts ways with the dare devil and luck against improbable odds episode, 'Encounter at Farpoint'. 'Code of Honor' introduces a risk assessment of the situation for the first time. It openly discuss the odds of Tasha succeeding in a fight to the death. Usually the characters ignore probabilities and just do what is right or sympathetic or fantastic. In this episode they go with the odds; if only Spock was their to calculate the numbers for them!
The whole idea of the prime directive also forces a calming mood on the series. It restricts them from swiftly acting. Picard is not even the leader of away teams up to this episode, but in this episode the customs and emphasis of honor by the Ligonians gives Picard reason to lead the away team.
The Ligonians kidnap Tasha as part of their customs. Picard must play along since he is limited by the prime directive and so he cannot just take Tasha back (Picard also wants the Ligonians to trade a rare vaccine with them and open friendly relations).
Also we get information about the value system of Star Trek. Picard harshly rejects the Ligonian system of honor, but he stops before launching into his reasons.
The prime directive, however, is also an honor code of sorts. I think a better argument is for Picard to attack the unpredictable customs and dangerous taboos of the Ligonians. But this is a very liberal episode and the Ligonians turn out to be quite civilized despite their ways (Star Trek does not define 'civilization' in terms of technology but rather in terms of culture perhaps). Though this is a reasonable concern -- a new species or new civilization may have certain taboos that threaten successful contact with them. So this episode also starts the theme of first contact and its many difficulties.
For example, Picard tricks the Ligonians and saves a death thus violating the conditions of the fight to the death. I'm not convinced this coheres with the prime directive, and it shows that it's probably impossible for Star Trek to refrain from imposing its power over lesser technologically advanced civilizations at least to some extent.
This episode demonstrates that Star Trek is not merely concerned with overcoming impossible odds; it also considers rationality important as well. And it's concerned with cultural respect and not just forcing its own views onto others through the prime directive. But this goal is lofty and rare, usually people just universalize their values and attempt to hold others to them, and Star Trek has major problems faithfully sticking to it.
It also has a 'Matrix' style martial arts demonstration in the hologram room. We learn briefly that strikes from holograms cause pain. We also learn that hologram fighters can learn Tasha's fighting tactics and find ways to defeat her at higher levels, so it keeps her constantly striving to improve her skills.
The plot is not very entertaining or complex. But it advances some details about Star Trek and key characters. Picard is a proud Frenchman, Wesley takes ops on the bridge, and Geordi uses an electric razor since the one Data set for him is too efficient. Data tries to learn humor and fails miserably; he keeps striving to achieve the human equation to no avail.
This episode seems a bit more mature since it parts ways with the dare devil and luck against improbable odds episode, 'Encounter at Farpoint'. 'Code of Honor' introduces a risk assessment of the situation for the first time. It openly discuss the odds of Tasha succeeding in a fight to the death. Usually the characters ignore probabilities and just do what is right or sympathetic or fantastic. In this episode they go with the odds; if only Spock was their to calculate the numbers for them!
The whole idea of the prime directive also forces a calming mood on the series. It restricts them from swiftly acting. Picard is not even the leader of away teams up to this episode, but in this episode the customs and emphasis of honor by the Ligonians gives Picard reason to lead the away team.
The Ligonians kidnap Tasha as part of their customs. Picard must play along since he is limited by the prime directive and so he cannot just take Tasha back (Picard also wants the Ligonians to trade a rare vaccine with them and open friendly relations).
Also we get information about the value system of Star Trek. Picard harshly rejects the Ligonian system of honor, but he stops before launching into his reasons.
The prime directive, however, is also an honor code of sorts. I think a better argument is for Picard to attack the unpredictable customs and dangerous taboos of the Ligonians. But this is a very liberal episode and the Ligonians turn out to be quite civilized despite their ways (Star Trek does not define 'civilization' in terms of technology but rather in terms of culture perhaps). Though this is a reasonable concern -- a new species or new civilization may have certain taboos that threaten successful contact with them. So this episode also starts the theme of first contact and its many difficulties.
For example, Picard tricks the Ligonians and saves a death thus violating the conditions of the fight to the death. I'm not convinced this coheres with the prime directive, and it shows that it's probably impossible for Star Trek to refrain from imposing its power over lesser technologically advanced civilizations at least to some extent.
This episode demonstrates that Star Trek is not merely concerned with overcoming impossible odds; it also considers rationality important as well. And it's concerned with cultural respect and not just forcing its own views onto others through the prime directive. But this goal is lofty and rare, usually people just universalize their values and attempt to hold others to them, and Star Trek has major problems faithfully sticking to it.