Star Trek: The Next Generation
The death of Captain Jean - Luc Picard ’s family inStar Trek Generationswas an musical theme that came from Patrick Stewart himself , and the devastating full extent of Picard ’s deprivation was something the actor tug for during preproduction . Released in 1994,Star Trek Generationsis well remember for the cast ofStar Trek : The Next Generationmaking the saltation to the big screen and for Picard meeting his counterpart fromStar Trek : The Original Series , Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) . But often misplace in the plug surroundingKirk ’s deathat the last of the motion-picture show is that Picard suffers a tragical , personal loss when he determine that his house back home in France was killed in a flack .
Picard ’s former chum Robert ( Jeremy Kemp ) , his wife Marie ( Samantha Eggar ) , and their son Rene ( David Birkin ) were introduced in theTNGseason 4 episode , " Family " , which filled in crucial aspects of Jean - Luc ’s backstory . Robert Picard represent the life that Jean - Luc , who dreamed of risky venture far beyond their father ’s sprightliness of owning avineyard in La Barre , France , literally ran aside from . In twist , Robert , a unswerving diehard , resented his overachieving short brother who turned his back on their family ’s traditions . After Jean - Luc ’s human beings was restored be his assimilation intoLocutus of Borgin " The good of Both Worlds " , the Captain of theEnterprisereturned home base to reconnect with his category . It was a unmanageable process ( including a free-for-all in the mud that was years in the making ) that still result in the catharsis both brothers needed after a life-time of mutual resentment .
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In the oral story ofTNG , The Fifty - Year Mission : The Next 25 Yearsby Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross , Star Trek Generations’filmmakers frankly revealed the process that led to Picard ’s class being killed offscreen - and that Patrick Stewart himself insist on Robert , Marie , and Rene ’s sick death in a house fire . As the star of the film , Stewart had a corking deal of creative sway . Along withWilliam Shatner , Stewart was hands - on in the ontogenesis ofStar Trek Generationsand , especially , Picard ’s story arc . Aware that the Captains teaming up was the focal distributor point of the motion picture , Stewart wanted Picard to have his own problem to contend with as well . As Stewart explained,“One of the things I found most pleasing about [ Generations ] was a B story for Picard which is very individual , acute , and emotional … which runs parallel to the main action mechanism report . “Killing off Picard ’s fellowship on Earth was the idea the writers float . Stewart not only took a refulgency to it , but he also desire to take the decease of the Picards even further than the writers ' original plans .
Star Trek Generations ' carbon monoxide gas - writer Ronald D. Moore explained,“We wrote that … Robert take the air out of his vineyard one morning and had a core attack . “Moore felt that this would forge home Jean - Luc ’s own mortality sinceGenerationsdealt with death , primarily Kirk ’s and theEnterprise - D’s . “Patrick matte up that he was missing the element of law of continuation of the family line , the custom . “The role player feel that Jean - Luc ’s one-time crony kick the bucket was n’t significant enough and that to really make Picard ’s release heartwrenching , Robert ’s intact home should die as well , which would rob the Captain of the authority that the Picard kinfolk blood line would continue despite himself not having children .
Moore and his atomic number 27 - writer , Brannon Braga , liked Stewart ’s impression of killing all of the Picards in France , specially since it would give Jean - Luc something to find that the Captain secretly hanker for when he enters the Nexus . But it was Stewart himself who decide onhowthe Picards must pall . Moore recalls,“It was Patrick who was the one who said , ' And it should be a tragic , frightful death … This one better really hit him between the eyes . You know , sunburn him to death . "
Patrick Stewart ’s startling decree would have a foresighted - term shock on Picard beyond the excited scene he partake in with Counselor Deanna Troi ( Marina Sirtis ) inStar Trek Generations . Thedeath of the Picards and the fate of family vineyardin France was come up on decades later inStar Trek : Picard , serving as the natural starting point for where trekker found Jean - Luc decades later after he retire from Starfleet . InStar Trek : Picard , Jean - Luc came full - rope after Patrick Stewart ordered the Captain ’s mob ’s direful Death inStar Trek Generationsand Picard once again escaped the vineyard and returned to out space for more adventures .
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