Tapestry (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
| "Tapestry" | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek: The Next Generation episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 6 Episode 15 |
| Directed by | Les Landau |
| Written by | Ronald D. Moore |
| Featured music | Dennis McCarthy |
| Production code | 241 |
| Original air date | February 15, 1993 |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
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"Tapestry" is the 15th episode of the sixth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the 141st overall. It was originally released on February 15, 1993, in broadcast syndication. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the crew of the Federation starship Enterprise. Ronald D. Moore was credited with writing the episode, but the basis of the story was a collaborative effort from the writing crew. "Tapestry" was directed by Les Landau, with the title coming from executive producer Michael Piller.
In this episode, Q (John de Lancie) allows a supposedly deceased Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) to re-visit a pivotal event in his youth that he since regrets. Picard changes the past, but upon returning to the present he finds that it made him the man he became. He returns once more to the past and returns it to the way it originally took place. Picard wakes up in the present, unsure if the events took place or if it was as a result of his injury.
A number of previously screen used props were used, including some from the 1956 film The Ten Commandments, and from previous episodes. The white room scenes were problematic as there were concerns that the all-white robe worn by de Lancie would make him appear to be a floating head on camera. While Moore was pleased with the episode, Piller was not and some fans complained that it glorified violence. "Tapestry" received Nielsen ratings of 13.8 percent, and critics responded very positively with praise directed to the chemistry between Stewart and de Lancie.
During a diplomatic mission, Captain Picard is shot by terrorists and dies. He awakes to find himself in an otherwordly realm, where he is greeted by the god-like alien Q. He explains that the peculiar weapon that shot Picard destroyed his artificial heart, and that a natural heart would have survived. Picard lost his original heart as a young officer, when he was stabbed during a bar brawl, an event that he regrets and led to him becoming the disciplined and restrained man he is today. When Picard remarks that he would do things differently if he could relive that moment, Q sends Picard back in time to two days before the brawl, where he meets with fellow cadets and friends Corey Zweller and Marta Batanides. They are surprised by Picard's change of personality; no more devil-may-care attitude.
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