Tony D

One of the most memorable performances of Sir Patrick Stewart was with Denise Crosby (@TheDeniseCrosby) as Tasha Yar in the Star Trek: TNG episode Yesterday's Enterprise. The crew is occupying an alternate timeline in which the Federation is on the losing end of a long and brutal war. Billions of lives have been lost and the crew has been noticeably changed by the experience. They're short with each other and more easily annoyed. They aren't the bright and hopeful crew that the audience has come to know. There's also a dull and constant feeling of darkness all around. Even the lighting is noticeably lower. Yet, in the midst of this, Picard was able to find his humanity by granting the seemingly irrational request of his tactical officer to volunteer for a suicide mission. Why? So that she would not die a meaningless death as had happened in the regular timeline. Stewart's surprise, frustration, and eventual understanding are carefully mingled with Crosby's driving distress, pleading earnestness and eventual relief and gratitude to form an intimately poignant yet hopeful scene. This would be the last time the two characters ever saw each other. Yar would die in both timelines. It was almost like she, sadly, was destined to die an untimely death regardless of timeline. There's also the tragedy that neither character would ever know if they were successful. Billions might be saved without knowing the sacrifice and risks that Yar took and Picard allowed. Yet knowing this, both still acted. Yar would succeed in preventing the war and thus fulfill her desire to die in a meaningful way. It was a kind of chance at redemption for her character and served as a satisfying send off for many of her fans. And this all happened because Picard was able to find his humanity in the midst of struggle and tragedy and also trust in and enable the best of his crew when it mattered the most. The excellent writing of this scene came so powerfully to life by the superb performances of the two and I will deeply miss Sir Patrick Stewart. RIP.