The Hunted

The Angosians are applying for membership in the Federation and so the Enterprise is approaching their planet. However, an escaped prisoner escapes and the Enterprise is asked to help capture him. The guy turns out to be EXTREMELY tricky and it's obvious he's not just some ordinary being. When captured by the Enterprise, they soon learn that he's undergone a lot of bio- engineering in order to make him the perfect soldier. Interestingly, they soon learn that the man hadn't actually committed crimes but was a soldier who has deliberately been made into this dangerous being. And, instead of trying to deprogram the man, the Angosians simply have banished him and their other soldiers to a penal colony!

Like many episodes of "Star Trek", this one is obviously intended as a parallel to today. It's obvious that it's intended as a lesson about PTSD and society's need to fix these broken warriors. It does have a great point to make and is very effective overall. One of the better season two episodes.

Danar's story seems to follow a similar arc of Rambo in First Blood albeit without all the death and destruction.

After not being welcomed back to society, a former soldier relies on his military training and reflexes to survive in a world where they feel unwelcome.

I loved this episode... Kept us guessing and the resolution was true to Starfleet and Picard. Teaching a little lesson. Always good to get back to basics. Deanna Troi used as she should be without any special attraction added to her talents.

Enterprise visits a planet that wants to join the Federation.

This is a strong episode with the crew up against a cool adversary and in another position of mediation.

The purpose of the story is the main theme of society's treatment of its servicemen and women. It does this well, with clear allegories to Vietnam and is relevant today like it would have been if it had been made in the 60s or 70s. There is a familiar plot structure of Picard and the crew mediating, but in a slightly more reluctant way than usual.

How it addresses the main theme reminds me a lot of the movie 'First Blood' with the guest character doing a John Rambo on board the Enterprise. One extended action sequence is by far the most cinematic part of the episode and puts him up against the entire Enterprise. I like it because it mostly emphasises the resourcefulness and cunning of the character more than his fighting prowess.

It ends in somewhat of an anticlimax but I do like the fact that Picard doesn't babysit the negotiation process and how it implies the Angosian government will do the right thing because they want to be part of the Federation.

Through genetic engineering a planetary race, which is applying for a position in the Federation, has been producing soldiers to fight their battles. What has happened is that they have ignored the fact that these are sentient beings who have the same desires and hopes as their own. One of them escapes and through a series of circumstances finds himself on the Enterprise. Picard, taking the side of the oppressors because of ignorance has him captured and put in isolation. What they don't realize is the ingenuity of this battle ready being who is really formidable. Picard runs somewhat afoul of the people he is negotiating with as he realizes there are two sides to this story. The smug people are extremely comfortable letting these poor men fight for them and have no intention of giving them anything. Picard often uses the most solid form of action which is inaction. Another third season gem.