Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra.
The Children of Tama, the Tamarian people—whose metaphoric language has baffled those who have tried to enter peaceful talks/negotiations with them—have reached out to the Federation. Because the language barrier is so vast, the Tamarian ship's captain, Dathon (the late, great Paul Winfield, who is delightful even when we have a hard time understanding him) decides he and Captain Picard must "join forces" to battle a common foe on a planet both their ships are orbiting. A lifeform, that appears and reappears, basically a creature of energy, is dangerous to both men, but Dathon takes a direct beating when Riker authorizes a transport procedure (thought up by Geordi) that attempts to penetrate a particle beam field the Tamarian ship has sent into the planet's ionosphere, to block transportation of either man, and beam Picard back to the Enterprise. Will Riker and company uncover a way to successfully beam Picard on the ship without attacking the Tamarian ship who might consider it an act of war? Will the Enterprise crew have a choice? Meanwhile, can Picard and Dathon find any way to communicate with each other? That is what this episode is all about: communication. Down through the centuries, our world has had to learn ways to penetrate the cultural and language barriers that have kept people of different countries from experiencing peaceful co-existence. "Darmok" beautifully articulates such difficulties, but through what Picard and Dathon experience, two very different peoples/lifeforms can be successful if both sides try to listen and understand. Tragically it takes the giving of a life to reinforce the desire for possible future relations. My favorite scene has Picard telling a dying Dathon about a fable regarding Gilgamesh and Enkidu, their own battle, friendship, and fight together which included a tragic death despite their victory of the creature, the Great Bull of Heaven, at a place called Eruk. It parallels appropriately Picard and Dathon's own battle, and uses symbolism and metaphor as an effort to communicate with an alien race that base their entire language structure and way of life on those very things. Although it would never be, how cool it might have been to see Picard and Dathon battle the creature together as intended. The frustrations of not understanding what each other is saying (it is perfectly clear that both sides are trying to extend a hand of peace) is well orchestrated; it is just unfortunate it takes such extreme measures to accomplish a goal to bring peace to two different peoples. The Tamarian ship is quite a force to be reckoned with; the Enterprise is in quite a state of damage when Picard must use what he has learned to come to the rescue.
The Children of Tama, the Tamarian people—whose metaphoric language has baffled those who have tried to enter peaceful talks/negotiations with them—have reached out to the Federation. Because the language barrier is so vast, the Tamarian ship's captain, Dathon (the late, great Paul Winfield, who is delightful even when we have a hard time understanding him) decides he and Captain Picard must "join forces" to battle a common foe on a planet both their ships are orbiting. A lifeform, that appears and reappears, basically a creature of energy, is dangerous to both men, but Dathon takes a direct beating when Riker authorizes a transport procedure (thought up by Geordi) that attempts to penetrate a particle beam field the Tamarian ship has sent into the planet's ionosphere, to block transportation of either man, and beam Picard back to the Enterprise. Will Riker and company uncover a way to successfully beam Picard on the ship without attacking the Tamarian ship who might consider it an act of war? Will the Enterprise crew have a choice? Meanwhile, can Picard and Dathon find any way to communicate with each other? That is what this episode is all about: communication. Down through the centuries, our world has had to learn ways to penetrate the cultural and language barriers that have kept people of different countries from experiencing peaceful co-existence. "Darmok" beautifully articulates such difficulties, but through what Picard and Dathon experience, two very different peoples/lifeforms can be successful if both sides try to listen and understand. Tragically it takes the giving of a life to reinforce the desire for possible future relations. My favorite scene has Picard telling a dying Dathon about a fable regarding Gilgamesh and Enkidu, their own battle, friendship, and fight together which included a tragic death despite their victory of the creature, the Great Bull of Heaven, at a place called Eruk. It parallels appropriately Picard and Dathon's own battle, and uses symbolism and metaphor as an effort to communicate with an alien race that base their entire language structure and way of life on those very things. Although it would never be, how cool it might have been to see Picard and Dathon battle the creature together as intended. The frustrations of not understanding what each other is saying (it is perfectly clear that both sides are trying to extend a hand of peace) is well orchestrated; it is just unfortunate it takes such extreme measures to accomplish a goal to bring peace to two different peoples. The Tamarian ship is quite a force to be reckoned with; the Enterprise is in quite a state of damage when Picard must use what he has learned to come to the rescue.