Star Trek Picard Season 3 Episode 8 Surrender

Warning! Spoilers!

Picard season 3 episode 8 “Surrender” has aired and it does not disappoint. Now, admittedly, I’ve enjoyed all three seasons of Picard despite others having some negative views. Perhaps it is the nostalgia that I enjoy, or perhaps I just like older style sci-fi. Regardless, I’m grateful and glad this show was made as I’ve felt there has been a dearth of good new sci-fi shows since the pandemic. Let’s get to the episode...

Vadic, now fully in control of the USS Titan-A spends most of the episode showcasing her skills as a sadistic menace terrorizing the captive crew while taking away any working ship systems. She even takes it to a new level with crew executions, all for the purpose of obtaining Jack Crusher which has been the target since the beginning of the season.

Riker and Deanna make an escape from Captain Vadic’s ship, the Shrike, to make it back onto the USS Titan-A for a very heartfelt reunion. The crew reunited, easily overcome Captain Vadic and they strategize their next moves just hours before the reunion where all of star fleet and their ships will assemble. The show ends on a cliff hanger as Troi and Jack prepare to open the door that has been haunting his dreams the whole season.

Reminescent of the good old days...

Picard has shown several inner struggles and guilt that Jean Luc Picard has had to overcome with this season focusing on family and how he was always turning his back on it until it was denied by Beverly Crusher. Jack Crusher’s inner turmoil involves trying to figure out what he is, if he is even human, if he has Irumodic syndrome, similar to his father. Some of this inner struggle is resolved and even absolved as Deanna Troi says that he is surrounded by a darkness, not something that is inside of him.

The show involves the inner struggle between Data and Lore in the new android prototype of Data/Lore/B-4 and Dr. Soong. It predictably ends with Data prevailing and in a bit of data ex machina taking over and easily defeating the Vadic menace.

There are two episodes left two wrap up the season and will likely be the end of the Picard show. The questions of who is the ultimate shapeshifter in charge, what “old and weak voice” is behind the door and is Data here for good? What of the crew and how will starfleet repair itself after such massive infiltration?