It was true in 1990 and it's still true while watching today, with parallels that are frightening. One can immediately relate to struggles in the Middle East and terrorist activity that threatens a country denying separatists a homeland. There's even mention of the Ansata terrorists living in underground tunnels. One of the story's projections of peace in Ireland however, won't happen by 2024, since we're only a couple weeks away as I write this.
While on a medical supply mission to Rutia IV, Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) is abducted by Ansata terrorist leader Kyril Finn (Richard Cox). The Enterprise crew is helpless to retrieve her because the Ansatas utilize a form of transport utilizing a dimensional shift, unable to trace, but leaving those who use it to suffer destruction of their DNA leading to a slow and painful death with no known cure. Leader Finn is not oblivious to that fact, but is willing to become a martyr for his cause, that of achieving their own territory for his people on the Western part of the Rutian continent. Dr. Crusher was deemed a potential help in finding a cure for the dimensional shift malady, with Finn in no mood to discuss negotiations with rival leader, Alexana Devos (Kerrie Keane). Now, I'm not sure if I missed it or not, but I don't think the name of the Rutian leader was ever mentioned. I only got it from the cast list on the title page for this episode.
The resolution to the story seemed an atypical one for 'Next Generation', in as much as it had Alexana Devos killing Finn when members of Finn's militia materialized with weapons in the isolated area where Dr. Crusher, and now Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) were being held hostage. When a young Ansata boy picked up a weapon to continue the fight, he was convinced to put it down as a symbolic beginning to what one would hope would be a successful transition for the Ansatas to achieve freedom and dignity in their own country. It's one of those episodes where it's left to the imagination of the viewer if that outcome would ever be achieved.
While on a medical supply mission to Rutia IV, Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) is abducted by Ansata terrorist leader Kyril Finn (Richard Cox). The Enterprise crew is helpless to retrieve her because the Ansatas utilize a form of transport utilizing a dimensional shift, unable to trace, but leaving those who use it to suffer destruction of their DNA leading to a slow and painful death with no known cure. Leader Finn is not oblivious to that fact, but is willing to become a martyr for his cause, that of achieving their own territory for his people on the Western part of the Rutian continent. Dr. Crusher was deemed a potential help in finding a cure for the dimensional shift malady, with Finn in no mood to discuss negotiations with rival leader, Alexana Devos (Kerrie Keane). Now, I'm not sure if I missed it or not, but I don't think the name of the Rutian leader was ever mentioned. I only got it from the cast list on the title page for this episode.
The resolution to the story seemed an atypical one for 'Next Generation', in as much as it had Alexana Devos killing Finn when members of Finn's militia materialized with weapons in the isolated area where Dr. Crusher, and now Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) were being held hostage. When a young Ansata boy picked up a weapon to continue the fight, he was convinced to put it down as a symbolic beginning to what one would hope would be a successful transition for the Ansatas to achieve freedom and dignity in their own country. It's one of those episodes where it's left to the imagination of the viewer if that outcome would ever be achieved.