The High Ground

It's obvious that this episode is based on various terrorist organizations of the day--such as the IRA and PLO. This isn't surprising, as all the Star Trek franchises have a history of making episodes with contemporary parallels.

In this episode, the Enterprise is visiting the Ruthian planet--a place which has been plagued with terrorist attacks for many, many years. It seems that the Ensatan separatists want their own homeland and they seem willing to do just about anything to bring about this change--including kidnapping Dr. Crusher. But there is another reason for taking her prisoner, as the Ensatans are experiencing serious genetic damage due to their use of dimensional shifting--a practice long abandoned by the Federation since it will eventually kill those who use it.

Naturally the Enterprise want the Doctor back but they also don't want to be picking sides or get pulled into the conflict. Unfortunately, the Ensatans don't see it that way and soon are targeting the Enterprise and its crew.

Overall this is a decent episode, though some might be offended at the moral relativity. In other words, terrorists and those fighting them in this one are basically the same. This is sometimes true...sometimes not in real life. But its message is compelling nevertheless.

This is certainly one of the best of "The Next Generation." An away team is enjoying a meal in a restaurant when there is a terrorist attack. An explosion results in several casualties. Unfortunately, Beverly Crusher, who as a doctor feels a moral imperative to help the wounded is captured and brought to the den of the insurgents. This turns into a classic representation of a civil war where there has been murder and mayhem for some time. Beverly is enlisted to attend to the needs of the insurrectionists as they also have casualties. She does her job but will not speak. A young charismatic man named Finn talks to her and tries to convince her to look at the events from two sides. The dominant culture has had a stranglehold on people for as long as he can remember and he is willing to die for his cause. Beverly smugly reminds him that there are other ways to do things and violence is never the way. He reminds her that the universe is scattered with bodies, the result of her own ship's actions, even if they are righteous. Many have compared this to the conflicts in Northern Ireland and it is no coincidence that the leader of the rebel forces is named Finn. A really provocative episode.

As of writing this in 2025 this is as topical as ever. The chief freedom fighter was excellently portrayed and the standout of the episode. All of his actions and the development of the plot felt consistent and reasonable to his character.

Prior to now we have always seen the federation be neutral, reasonable and questioning of potential immoralities in civilisations they encounter.

Here, it felt that compared to their usual selves 'our heroes' were too quick to side with the ruling powers, they were not skeptical enough of the ruling powers nor seemed to consider the rebel cause for a moment. Finn getting his request raised to Troi fulfilled would have felt like the happy ending.

However, that wasn't the ending we got, and the position the federation took throughout makes you understand why the Klingons, Ferengi and Romulans view them in the way that they do, making this a great episode.

The negatives, I'm still not convinced by Doctor Crusher as a character. More romantic hints at Picard, more mother scenes with Wesley, illogically disobeying orders with no subsequent discipline. I'd much rather Pulaski back.

Intelligently written, doing what good science fiction always does, and what Star Trek sometimes excelled at. Using the backdrop of fictional situations to illustrate the more contentious issues and aspects of contemporary societal and political life.

And it manages to do this while maintaining the tension within the plot of a good story.

Yes it features the Crushers, but long gone is the somewhat mawkish relationship between mother and son of the first series.

The writer even manages to work in an old fashioned fist fight in the final act.

Sorry, no Buck Rogers stuff here for the space cadets, just a well executed, thoughtful allegorical tale of what happens when a division of a society is marginalised to the point that they are driven to extremism.

It asks questions that are very relevant, especially now, and doesn't attempt to answer them, and nor should it, to do so really would be preaching.

This episode deals with the repercussions of terrorism. Not on its victims. But on the not inoccent-at-all bystanders: .

The crew of the Enterprise.

It poses the question of whether we should intervene in local affairs. Nowadays it can be seen as a commentary on the Israeli occupation, and annexation of the West bank,

or the Northern Ireland situation.

Hereby SF fullfills it function as social commentary on present day. This can be seen as Sci-Fi function to society. It is a mirror to our present day society.