The First Duty

The biggest issue I have is that Wesley only fesses up after Picard confronts him. But then the episode would be vastly different… But Wesley should indeed have come clean immediately. It makes me wonder what he learned from the crew that makes him not come forward immediately,.. Yup. He is going along with the plan until Picard gives him the lecture. Wesley loves the org chart. He’s following Nic’s lead before reverting to the Enterprise hierarchy. would have been better if Wesley had a spine implanted a la Worf and stood up from the beginning and maybe even got beaten up or threatened….I always wished Starfleet Academy came after DS9, and that VOY never was made. Starfleet Academy could have been 2-3 years after DS9, rebuilding the fleet, rotating/killable cast to keep it fresh. Guest star instructors. Away field trips or study abroad on other planets/colony possibilities….interspecies sex issues, college stress, cheating, career counseling. This would have been around the time “Dawsons Creek” and all the glut of teeny bopper shows were coming out. At least that’s how my mind recalls that time frame…. We see time and time and time again how powerful loyalty is in Starfleet and to one’s crew. How many times with Riker- Obrien- Geordi have we seen a character have to choose between either what is the right thing to do or between a former commanding officer and loyalty to their current captain. It happens all the time- and illustrates the strength and coniditiniong of the millitary-(like) bond of those who serve together. Wesley is just conforming that kind of relationship. But in the end does follow his path to the right thing to do while honoring his bond with his squad mates. I’m glad that the issue with Locarno came up because Nick Locarno doesn’t flow off the tonuge nor does Bellana Locarno. Also Locarno’s story doesn’t mesh as well as Paris’ ultimate backstory where he was with the Maquis. There are reports, too, that continuing the Locarno character would have meant paying royalties to the writers of “The First Duty”… for every Tom Paris episode in ‘Voyager.’ That’s a lot of quatloos. yeah , that royalty stuff really kills the continuity goal, us fans long for…. what a total shame. I really wish Locarno and Dr Selar could have made it on board Voyager. The appearance of TNG S3 super soldier Roga Danar as the doctor for 7 minutes before his death…so pointless. Also the first officer of Voyager who also died immediately was just so throw away….could have had them live for a few episodes I think….more drama, fleshing out…sigh…and the Betazoid pilot… You know, on further reflection…the TV Guide log line for this one may actually give away too much. You’d think one of the publicity department’s first duties is to not spoil it for everyone! I’m gonna shamelessly cut and paste (and maybe refine) something I fired off as a response to one of the Facebook posts for this episode, in response to someone being disappointed in Wes for going along with Locarno: Wesley’s service aboard the Enterprise actually primed him to fall for Locarno’s okeydoke here. Like it or not, Picard is a legend in his own time; Picard himself would probably find it distasteful at the very least, but Picard carries around his own little cult of personality, whether he’s aware of it or not. Remember the conversation between Riker and Picard in Pen Pals? “When Picard gives an order, does anyone question it?” “No way.” Or something along those lines. In a way, Wesley is actually uniquely groomed to fall for the next charismatic commander under whom he serves, because he’s going to be looking for that commander to be another Picard. How many of these cadets have already served aboard a ship under someone like Picard before even enrolling in the Academy? I’m gonna guess that you could count that category on one finger, and that finger points straight at Wesley. So that part of the story, I totally buy. It doesn’t break Wesley’s character; it makes sen