Star Trek: Picard Finale - What Shakespearean Quote Does Patrick Stewart Recite?
Spoilers for 'Star Trek: Picard' Season 3, Episode 10 'The Last Generation'
To celebrate a shared victory is always a memorable capstone to a series. While some might revel in a great feast or massive party, some prefer a more exclusive moment among the closest of friends and allies. Now that the final episode of "Star Trek: Picard" has premiered, audiences have seen an epic conclusion that results in the original crew from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" assembled in a familiar bar. Eventually, after some cajoling of Worf (Michael Dorn) to drunkenly sing, the group decides to have a toast to their adventure. At first, Data (Brett Spiner) is given the honor, but that quickly shifts to Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart).
In a flash of inspiration, Picard recites, "There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; Omitted, all the voyage of their life, is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat; and we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures." This particular quote is from the play "Julius Caesar," which is a dramatic retelling of the fall of the famous Roman leader and the following turmoil. The line is spoken from Brutus to Cassius, and it is one of the character's most notable within the popular play.
The Star Trek franchise has a history with Shakespeare
The full name of the play is "The Tragedy of Julius Caesar," and like many William Shakespeare plays, it results in so many main character deaths that George R.R. Martin would blush. Joking aside, this is a fitting toast in "Star Trek: Picard," especially when one considers how many times Shakespeare has been mentioned throughout the universe of "Star Trek." There has been Shakespearean references in many of the shows, with the original series, "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," and now "Picard" having direct quotes.
Besides reciting beloved phrases and lines from Shakespeare, two episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" have entire plots that revolve around Shakespearean story elements, which are "Emergence" and "The Defector." Picard even argues humanity's worth to Q (John de Lancie) by echoing the Bard's words in the 1987 episode, "Hide and Q." Needless to say, Shakespeare plays a reoccurring trend in the "Star Trek" franchise, and considering the events of "Star Trek: Picard," a notable way to mark a unique time-spanning journey that visits plenty of old friends and foes.