15: A Promise Is a Prison

Absolute Candor.

Star Trek: Picard has shown us a wider variety of Romulans than previous series. We’ve seen Romulans inspired by The Original Series, The Next Generation era, and Star Trek (2009). We’ve also been introduced to previously unknown aspects of Romulan society, such as the secretive Zhat Vash. In “Absolute Candor,” another fascinating part of Romulan society comes to light: the Qowat Milat, a sect of women warrior nuns who have pledged to tell the truth at all times.

In this episode of The Line, hosts Brandon-Shea Mutala, Justin Oser, and Chrissie De Clerck-Szilagyi discuss the fourth episode of Star Trek: Picard, “Absolute Candor.” We explore the introduction of Elnor, a Romulan who has been cared for and trained by the Qowat Milat on the planet Vashti. We discuss the refugees living there and how their relationship with Picard has deteriorated over the past 14 years. And we talk about life aboard the La Sirena, the battle with an Original Series-era Romulan Bird-of-Prey, the evolution of the Narek–Soji story, and the much-anticipated return of Seven of Nine. We also share our predictions for upcoming episodes.

Chapters
Intro (00:00:00)
Initial Thoughts (00:02:41)
Favorite Moments (00:05:22)
Elnor and Picard in 2385 (00:12:50)
Elnor and Picard in 2399 (00:21:44)
Life aboard La Sirena (00:52:19)
Battle with the Bird-of-Prey (01:04:22)
Seven of Nine (01:07:16)
Narek and Soji (01:12:06)
Canon and Books Connections (01:22:42)
Predictions (01:28:05)
Questions, Concerns, and Final Thoughts (01:32:32)
Closing (01:41:55)

Hosts
Justin Oser, Chrissie De Clerck-Szilagyi, and Brandon-Shea Mutala

Production
Brandon-Shea Mutala (Editor and Producer) Justin Oser (Producer) Chrissie De Clerck-Szilagyi (Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Ken Tripp (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Associate Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Tony Robinson (Show Art)