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Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4 Episode 9

Final Mission

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7.7

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AIRED: 11/19/90

Stardate: 44307.3 Wesley must keep Captain Picard alive on the eve of his entrance exam to Starfleet Academy when their shuttle crashes on a barren moon.

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Fan Episode Reviews (5)

Goodbye Wesley, don't let the shuttle bay doors hit you on the way out....

7.5

By uk6strings, Oct 22, 2012

.... In some ways, "The Final Mission" warrants a '10' rating because this episode is where Wesley says his Star Trek goodbyes (for a time, as he would come back from time to time in later seasons). In other ways, "The Final Mission" warrants a '5' for hardly being able to hover above the mediocre line.

Wesley Crusher had long been the most annoying, pointless and least interesting and compelling character of the entire "Star Trek: The Next Generation" series. His constant out-thinking everyone and saving the day was, although downplayed significantly after the first season, used one too-many-times throughout the show. Season 4 grants Wesley one more day-saving episode to the pleasure and chagrin of us all.

The episode revolves around Wesley's last Enterprise task accompanying Captain Picard on a settlement mission before heading off to Starfleet Academy. When their shuttle crashes on a barren planet, Wesley has to keep Picard alive while trying to survive amidst a dangerous phenomenon and a irrational companion. Of course, the Enterprise cannot be around to save them if this Wesley-centric storyline is to exist - so the writers conjured up some half-brained b-story revolving around what is basically the removal of a runaway garbage truck to keep the Enterprise away from our struggling survivors. Meanwhile, the impending death of Captain Picard could only be ruined by the weepy presence of a wining Wesley Crusher. Luckily, Patrick Stewart has enough screentime to make this episode worthwhile; otherwise, "The Final Mission" would have been one to avoid.moreless
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Goodbye, Wes

7.0

By Celedorian, Jan 05, 2012

The A story of this farewell episode for Wil Wheaton and his character, Wesley Crusher, is similar to the B story of the second season's "Samaritan Snare", but with "Captain Dirgo", a hapless shuttle pilot played by Nick Tate, joining Wesley and Captain Picard for their adventure. The three divergent characters are interesting together, although their "trapped on a planet" plot isn't very original. There's also a B story, where the Enterprise deals with a "space barge" that's leaking radiation; while an intriguing idea, here it's just used to fill out the episode.moreless
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Wesley's departure from the show is ruined by the writers.

7.0

By pharoahsdance, Jun 03, 2011

While Wesley's obnoxiousness was toned down substantially after the 1st season, I think most viewers would agree that he was never an integral or particularly interesting member of the crew. It's thus a shame that his final appearance as a regular cast member – arguably his best up until that point – is ruined by some stupid decisions by the writers.

The story involving Picard and Wesley is the best part of the episode. It's a little reminiscent of the 2nd season episode in which they fly together to Picard's heart operation, but with a lot more substance. This time around, Wesley doesn't play the earnest young high school journalist but rather the young ensign, trying to figure out how to save his dying captain.

Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the writers decided to underdevelop that story and instead fill the airtime with a completely pointless garbage scow story. It really is a drag. I don't know why the writers didn't choose to develop the Wesley-Picard story further – perhaps they simply weren't able to stretch it out over 45 minutes – but the second story is just lame.

Wil Wheaton would fortunately get a chance to redeem himself with two superior appearances in the 5th season.moreless
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Wesley - you will be missed.

6.0

By revjeremyduncan, Jun 03, 2011

It always seemed to me that Wesley had some special purpose. This seemed to be confirmed in S01 E06 "Where No One Has Gone Before" and reaffirmed in S04 E05 "Remember Me" when The Traveler suggested Wesley had some special understanding of time/space . I really wished they would have explored this more. I was sad to see Wesley leave the show only half way through its run. Other than that, the episode was alright. The subplot with the garbage container was obviously just to give the crew an excuse not to join the search party. Wesley's send off should have been a better written episode. Much like Tasha Yar's.moreless
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Wesley goes on a final mission to Pentarus V along with Picard. The "enterprise" recieves a distress call from a planet in another system. So Wesley, Picard, and Dirgo all ride in Dirgo's ship (shuttlecraft) to the Pentarus V. Dirgo's ship has malfunctionmoreless

8.8

By Pink_Floyd_AL, Oct 10, 2010

Wesley goes on a final mission to Pentarus V along with Picard. The "enterprise" recieves a distress call from a planet in another system. So Wesley, Picard, and Dirgo all ride in Dirgo's ship (shuttlecraft) to the Pentarus V. Dirgo's ship has malfunctions thus causing the ship to crash on a Moon around Pentarus V. They have landed on a a desert moon with little water. They head for the mountains and find water in a cave. Dirgo fires a phaser at the forcefield around the water. Picard has been severely injured and dying. I rate this one a 8.8moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Michael Dorn	Lt./Lt. Cmdr. Worf
LeVar Burton	Lt. Cmdr. Geordi LaForge
Jonathan Frakes	Cmdr. William T. Riker
Marina Sirtis	Counsellor/Lt. Cmdr. Deanna Troi
Gates McFadden	Dr. Beverly Crusher
Wil Wheaton	Wesley Crusher (Seasons 1-4, recurring)

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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Nick Tate	Dirgo	Guest Star
Kim Hamilton	Chairman Songi	Guest Star
Mary Kohnert	Ensign Tess Allenby	Guest Star

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (3)
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- After Picard, Wesley and Dirgo place the cross indicating which direction they will be traveling in, they walk in a completely different direction, roughly 45 degrees from the direction the arrow pointed.
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- Trivia: Beverly mentions hyronalin as a radiation treatment. This was also referenced as the standard anti-radiation drug in the TOS episode "The Deadly Years."
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- When Picard, Wesley, and Dirgo enter the cave Picard asks Wesley if he can pick up any moisture readings. Wesley answers no. A few seconds later a bottle of alcohol drops out of Dirgo's pocket. Why didn't the tricorder pick up the moisture readings from this bottle?
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QUOTES (1)
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- Picard: (regaining consciousness) Mr. Crusher.
  Wesley: Yes, sir
  Picard: What are you doing in such a filthy uniform?
  Wesley: You don't look so ship-shape yourself, sir.
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NOTES (5)
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- Nick Tate (Captain Dirgo) played Liam Bilby in the Deep Space Nine episode "Honor Among Thieves."
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- Take a hard look at Dirgo's shuttle when it's crashed on the surface. It looks suspiciously like a standard Enterprise shuttlecraft that's been painted rust brown and flipped on its top.
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- Picard mentions Boothby, the Starfleet Academy groundskeeper. I believe this is the first mention of Boothby, who would later be seen in the "The First Duty" and the ST: Voy ep, "In The Flesh".
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- Dirgo's weapon appears to be an original series phaser.
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- This marks Wil Wheaton's last appearance as a regular cast member.
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ALLUSIONS (0)
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