Synopsis: Captain Picard goes for a restful vacation on Risa and instead becomes embroiled in an intrigue between a beautiful woman, a Ferengi, and aliens from the future.
In this episode viewers see parts of Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s psyche that are not often shown on the series. These being his relationship to his anima and his Trickster function. The anima being one’s inner ideal other that is projected onto a potential mate, the Trickster being that part of his psyche that can trick one up or save oneself. Usually this can be a trait that an individual or society interprets as being negative.
In “Captain’s Holiday” it is obvious to the senior officers aboard the Enterprise that Picard is stressed, fatigued, and in need of a change of scenery in order to rejuvenate himself. This is also precisely the state one finds oneself when the unconscious elements of one’s psyche erupt into consciousness when the psyche is under stress.
In Star Trek: The Original Series the character most often confronted with anima projections, meaning the female guest star of the week, was Captain James T. Kirk. However, in Star Trek: The Next Generation the officer most often seen projecting his anima is First Officer Commander William Riker. Yet in this episode, it is Picard who has to confront not only an anima figure, but a Trickster in the form of the Ferengi, Sovak.
As soon as he arrives on the planet Risa for a shore leave Picard is accosted by Vash, a beautiful woman who kisses him to avoid the stare of the Ferengi Sovak who is pursuing her. Picard then becomes fascinated by Vash – he projects his inner anima onto her. Picard agrees to aid Vash in her pursuits. Meanwhile, his unconscious Trickster he projects onto the Ferengi, and therefore seeks to defeat him. As it turns out, Vash is not as she originally appeared to be, yet Picard did have an adventure on his vacation and returns refreshed to the Enterprise.
Original post created 13 August 2021
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