Star Trek: The Next Generation

Plots

The episodes follow the adventures of the crew of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), a Galaxy class starship designed for both exploration and diplomacy but capable of battle when necessary.

Related Topics:
USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701-D) - Galaxy class starship

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Its captain is the seasoned and charismatic Jean-Luc Picard, who is more intellectual and philosophical than many typical protagonists in popular science fiction.

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As in the case of The Original Series (TOS), the crew of the Enterprise-D meets many technologically powerful races.

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Many episodes also involve temporal loops, character dramas, natural disasters, and other plotlines without alien encounters.

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This crew favors peaceful negotiation more than TOSs crew did.

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The Prime Directive is involved more frequently and is followed more closely; it states that the Federation must not interfere with the development of cultures that are not capable of interstellar travel.

Related Topics:
Prime Directive - Federation

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This often creates moral conflict within characters, as they are sometimes bound to ignore races in need of help.

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Another noticeable difference between TOS and TNG is the continuity of general story arcs across episodes — events in one episode might influence events in a later episode.

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One major recurring character, Q, bookends the series, appearing as the first major antagonist in "Encounter at Farpoint" and closing the series by forcing the crew into an ultimate test of human resourcefulness in the final episode "All Good Things...". Since Q could control where he appears in time, the first and last episodes could actually be contiguous from his point of view, both being part of the initial test.

Related Topics:
Q - Encounter at Farpoint - All Good Things...

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His Puck-like behavior and calculated mayhem in many episodes makes him the most influential antagonist of the crew, as had been planned from the series' beginning.

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Previously-established alien races appear in TNG.

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• The United Federation of Planets (Federation) is now at peace with the Klingons, former enemies, though vast cultural differences remain.
• A "cold war" with the Romulans continues throughout the series.
• Three new recurring enemy races are introduced: the Ferengi, the Borg, and the Cardassians.

The Borg are the most significant threat in this series, and are considered to be some of the most iconic and evil science fiction villains of all time.

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In the episode "The Best of Both Worlds," a single Borg ship destroys thirty-nine Starfleet vessels at the Battle of Wolf 359 then continues to Earth, where it is stopped by the actions of the Enterprise crew.

Related Topics:
The Best of Both Worlds - Battle of Wolf 359 - Earth

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