Synopsis: While visiting the planet Rubicun III, Wesley Crusher inadvertently breaks a law, invokes the death penalty, and Captain Picard must decide whether or not to break the Prime Directive.
In my last two blogs I have written about inflation and identifying with a god, and this episode goes even further with this type of material and physically manifests a god with whom Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Enterprise are deemed in equal orbit with. “Justice” is also the first episode in Star Trek: The Next Generation in which Picard breaks the Prime Directive, and in so doing expects to be judged by both Starfleet and the god-like aliens in the vessel in orbit over Rubicun III.
The god-like aliens in the vessel that appears off the bow of the Enterprise while it is in orbit above that planet, are aware the inhabitants of Rubicun III identify them as gods, and they also lay claim to an uninhabited planet that the crew of the Enterprise just left colonizers upon. Concerning this recent act, the alien voice asks: “Why have you left your own life-forms there?” Picard answers, explaining that the colonizers sought the challenge of creating a new society there, and that human beings, for their protection, have been “seeding itself as widely as possible” on planets throughout the galaxy (Thorne & Conway, 1987). A very interesting perspective from which to look at space travel, especially in light of the damage that humans have done to Earth. The idea that protection of the species means that we need to colonize other planets reeks of the mindset of the Western imperialism here on Earth, and also hints at the idea that humans in the future will be dealing with a planet that can no longer sustain life.
Reference:
Thorne, W. (Writer), & Conway, J. L. (Director). (1987, November 7). Justice (Season 1, Episode 8) [TV series episode]. In G. Roddenberry (Executive Producer), Star trek: The next generation. Paramount Television.
Original post created 14 May 2021
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