From: v075q5fr@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Scott J Gorcey)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current
Subject: Re: What did Picard do? (minor TFD spoiler)
Date: 12 Apr 92 23:18:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Apr12.202157.17287@unlinfo.unl.edu>, gberigan@cse.unl.edu (Life...) writes...
>rvc40592@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Bob Cadman) writes:
> 
>>Something has really been annoying me about this episode:  What exactly
>>is it that Picard did when he was at the academy?  I'm referring to the
>>conversation where he thanked Boothby.

     Something that put Picard in the same situation Wesley was in
     at the end of "The First Duty."  Something that, if Boothby
     hadn't intervened on Picard's behalf, Picard would never have
     graduated.  Maybe that other thread should have been Picard =
     Boothby, not Kirk = Locarno...

>Remember from BoBW, where it was mentioned Picard winning a sprint race
>(or something)?  In The Final Duty he mentioned he did a lot of running,
>and he had pinned an opponent in wrestling(?) in less than 20 seconds.
>There was a big celebration related to it.  A Nova Squadron party
>related to something else they had done big outshone it.

     The "big celebration" had nothing to do with Picard.  It was 
     in response to an upset victory in Pareces Squares over Minsk.
     The other celebration, the one that made the first look tame,
     was in response to Nova Squadron winning the "Rigel Cup."

>>Another thing ... did you notice how when Geordi told Picard about the
>>valve (or whatever) being opened, Picard immediately knew exactly what
>>it was they were doing?

>Not until he mentioned "ignite the plasma".

>>Isn't that just a wee bit to convenient?  

     Nope.  Picard knows his history.  (see "Samaritan Snare" for
     one example of his devotion to history).

>>was also wondering if anyone remembered how long they said that 
>>maneuver had been banned at the academy ... 100 years?)

    "...more than 100 years..."

>It started clicking when he saw that still frame (from dialog, they had
>more than that one frame, since the Vulcan told it to freeze and
>magnify), then later Boothby almost comes out and tells Picard.  (I
>think it was Boothby that told Lacarno about the stunt, which is why he
>was acting like he was.)

     Just watched the episode for the second time.  Boothby clearly
     knows something more is going on than Nova Squadron is letting
     on, but I don't think he knows just what.  
     Boothby is the one on campus to ask if you want to know something.
     Boothby is connected everywhere (rooted...).  But I don't think he
     is necessarily confidante to everyone (clearly he is/was to Picard,
     perhaps to Wes...).  Boothby tries to put off the McCoy-esque
     aura of "cranky old man" and "keep out of my flowers you rotten kid"
     but he cares just as much as McCoy did as well - and for cadets he
     barely knows.

>>And does anyone think there could be a connection between these two
>>questions?   :-)

>Nope, sorry.

     Agreed.  The connection here is in analogy only.  "Cadet" Picard
     was in a shitload of trouble at one point.  It was a situation
     in which Picard had to make a choice between telling the truth
     and keeping his mouth shut.  Boothby "forced you to listen to
     yourself."  
     Picard wouldn't have graduated without Boothby.  
     Wes wouldn't have graduated (not that he has yet...) without Picard.
     That's the parallel.  It's not a situational parallel, just a
     character parallel.

          ^Scott Gorcey, v075q5fr@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu^
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.current