The Hunted (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
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| Star Trek: TNG episode | |
| "The Hunted" | |
 Roga Danar is "The Hunted". |
|
| Episode no. | |
|---|---|
| Prod. code | 159 |
| Airdate | January 8, 1990 |
| Writer(s) | Robin Bernheim |
| Director | Cliff Bole |
| Guest star(s) | Colm Meaney Jeff McCarthy James Cromwell J. Michael Flynn Andrew Bicknell |
| Year | 2366 |
| Stardate | 43489.2 |
| Episode chronology | |
| Previous | "The Defector" |
| Next | "The High Ground" |
"The Hunted" is a third season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation first broadcast on January 8, 1990.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The Enterprise is investigating Angosia as a candidate for entry into the Federation. The Angosian authorities approach Picard and ask for help in apprehending a convict who has escaped on a transport ship from their prison colony on Lunar V. The Enterprise, with Data in command, is able to easily locate the ship but lose sight of it when it goes behind an asteroid. When it emerges from the far side of the asteroid only the drive section of the ship remains. The ship's sensors show no lifesigns aboard so Data takes the Enterprise behind the asteroid to search for the rest of the ship. They find wreckage on the asteroid surface and the sensors indicate no life signs. Believing that the prisoner has perished Data orders the ship back to the planet. However on emerging from the asteroid's shadow Wesley reports that the drive section they saw earlier has also disappeared. When Picard hails the ship for a status report Data is forced to concede that the prisoner has eluded them.
Picard and Riker return to the ship where Data determines that the ship must be using the planets magnetic pole to evade their long range sensors. The Enterprise moves toward the pole and sure enough spot the ship, which upon discovery heads toward them on a collision course. The ships sensors still show no life signs; however, someone must be in control because the ship appears to be directed. Worf raises the shields and the ship bounces off. Data reports that the prisoner used the ramming as a diversion as a one-man escape pod was launched just before the collision. Picard has Chief O'Brien beam the thing closest in mass to an adult humanoid aboard. Riker and Worf are sent to meet him. When the prisoner is transported aboard O'Brien detects a weapon, which he disables. When security try to take the prisoner into custody he fights back, initially seeming impervious to the guards phasers. He overpowers the two guards and injures O'Brien before Riker and Worf arrive and are able to subdue him.
They learn that his name is Roga Danar. Troi reads little aggression from him and finds it unlikely that he could be so violent. After some research, it is found that although he is a prisoner, he has no criminal record whatsoever. The government of Angosia confirms Danar's report that he was a normal citizen that enlisted in the military and was altered psychologically and biochemically into an adept warrior. When in danger, his memory, intelligence, reflexes and strength all increase. The Angosian government arranges for a transport ship to take him back to Lunar V to be placed in prison. Danar is to be imprisoned because he is unsuited for life in civilized society. He and others were attempted to integrate into society but were too unstable with simple arguments leading to murder.
During the attempted transport from the holding cells aboard the Enterprise to the Angosian police transport vessel, Danar manages to escape. Since the sensors can't follow Danar's movements, he is able to evade the security teams easily. He moves quickly through the hallways and the Jeffries tubes making his way to a cargo bay where he activates the transporter using a phaser. He then beams aboard the Angosian transport vessel. He cripples the Enterprise by using a phaser on overload, planted in one of the jeffries tubes, to destroy her sensor systems. With the Enterprise blind they are unable to track Danar who uses the transport vessel to attack the Lunar V prisoner colony and rescue several of his fellow inmates. Danar and the other inmates lead an attack on the city and confront the Angosian government. Picard, Worf, Troi and Data are with the Angosian government when they are assaulted. The escapees have no quarrel with Picard or his crew only the government. Picard advises the government not to resist because the soldiers are only programmed to survive. They were not programmed to murder people who do not resist them. Picard and his away team beam back aboard the Enterprise while letting the government know that they need to make a decision with what they will do with their veterans. Danar seems pleased that he is being recognized and smiles at the away team as they leave.
On their return to the Enterprise, Picard notes that if the government survives, they will be given assistance in helping their veterans with their conditioning. He also notes that they may reapply for consideration into the Federation at a later date.
[edit] Analysis
The story is an allegory of the situation that American soldiers faced once they returned from Vietnam, which was still a point of contention in American society in 1990. Unlike in previous wars (especially Korea and World War II), American GIs returning from Vietnam received not a hero's welcome, but rather, hate and anger from an American public that did not understand what they had experienced. Also, like Danar in the script, many of these veterans (like those of other wars) found it exceedingly difficult to re-integrate into society after having witnessed the horrors of war.
[edit] Trivia
This episode shares similarities with Timothy Zahn's 1986 novel Cobra, which also dealt with augmented soldiers struggling to adjust during peacetime. The Cobras are considered unsuitable to remain in the society that created them after a couple of teens are killed when they tease a Cobra and the Cobra's defense computer perceives them as a threat.
[edit] Errata
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
At the end of the episode, Danar fires a weapon near the prime minister. The blast creates a large hole in the wall behind him. Moments later, after cutting away and back, the hole is nowhere to be seen.
James Cromwell, who plays the prime minister in this episode, also plays the role of Dr. Zefram Cochrane in Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Enterprise episode Broken Bow, Jaglom Shrek in Star Trek: TNG episodes Birthright Parts 1 and 2 in season six and Hanok in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode Starship Down.
