Unification II (episode) — memory alpha

Real world article

(written from a production point of view)

On Romulus, Picard and Data meet with Spock, who claims to be trying to reunite the Romulans and Vulcans. While Spock works to achieve his goal, powers within the Romulan government seek to pervert his mission into an invasion of the Federation.

Summary

Teaser

Ambassador Spock asks Captain Picard why he is on Romulus, and Picard tells him he is there to ask him the same question on behalf of Starfleet. Spock refuses to answer, telling Picard that his mission is a personal one of peace and he will inform Starfleet when it is necessary. Picard reminds Spock that he is in a position to heavily compromise Federation security; Spock asks Picard to leave, and Picard refuses, saying that despite all that he has achieved on behalf of the Federation, Spock's sort of "cowboy diplomacy" is not easily tolerated.

"If you wish to undertake a mission with obvious repercussions for the Federation, then you should discuss it with the Federation. I'm here as their representative."

Picard also has the unhappy task of informing Spock that his father is dead. Taking a moment to take in the news, Spock then asks Picard to walk with him.

Spock reveals that he is aware of the mind meld that Picard and his father shared to allow Sarek to complete his final mission at Legara IV. Picard tells Spock it was an honor, and Spock agrees that Sarek was a great representative for the Vulcan people and for the Federation. Picard then tells Spock of Sarek's pride in him, but Spock brushes this off as part of the emotional onslaught Sarek suffered due to his illness, but Picard disputes this… those feelings came from his father's heart. Spock is uncomfortable with this and starts to tell Picard why he is on Romulus: some time earlier, he became aware of an underground movement learning Vulcan philosophy that has been declared an enemy of the Romulan government. However, some members are sympathetic to the cause, like Senator Pardek, who was the one who asked Spock to come and take the first step towards the reunification of Vulcan and Romulus. Picard is very surprised: it has been centuries since the Romulan society split from the Vulcan people, and they have developed several fundamental differences, and Spock admits that reunification may be unlikely. However, if it succeeds, the potential benefits brought about would be immense. The 'first step' that Pardek spoke of concerns a young and idealistic proconsul in the Romulan Senate who is promising reform: they may be able to convert him to their movement. When Picard asks Spock why he hasn't mentioned this either to the Federation or to the Vulcans, Spock says that it was a personal decision based on what happened with his small role in the early overtures to peace with the Klingons.

"It was I who committed Captain Kirk to that peace mission, and I who had to bear the responsibility for the consequences to him and to his crew."

Spock states that he is unwilling to risk anyone's life but his own in this venture and once again asks Picard to leave. Picard states that he almost suspects Spock's judgment is being influenced by his emotions. Spock responds that Picard speaks almost as Sarek would if he were there. Picard replies that he speaks only as a Starfleet officer and cannot ignore the risks to Spock. Spock then remarks that Picard is, in his own way, as stubborn as another captain of the USS Enterprise that he once knew.

Picard takes that as a compliment, remarking that he is in good company.

Act One

Data, having returned to the cloaked Klingon Bird-of-Prey in orbit of Romulus, obtains the assistance of Captain K'Vada to access the Romulan Central Information Net, and to send a transmission to the USS Enterprise-D, piggybacking it on Romulan transmissions. In exchange, he promises to give the Klingons access to any Romulan information he uncovers.

Back on Romulus, a Romulan civilian comes to Picard and Spock's table bearing a flower – a signal that Pardek will shortly arrive. Picard and Spock discuss the underground movement, with Spock noting that it has members in four provinces and is becoming a serious concern to the Romulan leadership, while Picard expresses skepticism regarding its chances of success, which Spock urges him to reconsider. A Romulan boy, D'Tan, arrives with an antique Vulcan book telling the history of the separation. Pardek arrives, rebukes the boy gently for bringing the book into the open, and they leave. As they walk, Pardek asks Picard what he thinks of his enemy. Picard, looking around at the Romulans on the street, tells the senator that none of these people are his enemy. Pardek tells Picard and Spock that Spock's presence has greatly inspired the movement and informs them that the proconsul will meet with Spock.

Act Two

"First officer's log, Stardate 45245.8. The Enterprise remains at Qualor II while we continue to investigate the theft of a surplus Vulcan ship. The trail has led us to the former wife of a deceased smuggler."

Commander Riker enters a bar near the Qualor II surplus depot and encounters Amarie, a four-armed pianist and the former wife of the smuggler who died when he and the Enterprise traded phaser fire over the stolen deuterium tanks from the depot. While killing her ex was a good start for bargaining, she agrees to provide the commander information on his business partners in exchange for jazz lessons. In between notes, she informs him that Omag, an arms trader and a "fat Ferengi" will be in the bar at some point and will have the information Riker seeks.

On Romulus, Pardek and Spock meet with Proconsul Neral. He expresses enthusiasm for their movement, even greeting Spock with the Vulcan salute and saying he may be able to obtain the support of the Romulan Senate and is prepared to publicly endorse reunification. When Spock expresses surprise at Neral's views on unification, Neral replies that the "old guard" and "old school" leaders have lost the respect of the people. The average Romulan is tired of the wars with the Klingon Empire and the border incidents with the United Federation of Planets. But after Spock leaves, Sela enters the room – she has heard the whole conversation, and Neral has tricked the underground.

In the caves, Spock shares the good news, despite Picard's skepticism. In private, Spock and Picard argue, with Picard accusing Spock of being swayed by Romulan emotions, and Spock insinuating that Picard is being over-influenced by Sarek, possibly even by the results of his mind meld with the ambassador. Picard remarks that this is the second such accusation by Spock of speaking with another man's voice and then states that, while the mind meld was a profound experience and Sarek's essence will always be a part of him, his judgment was still his own. In the end, Spock agrees that there is, most likely, a larger plan being played out by the Romulans and that, in order to find out what is going on, Spock will play along.

Act Three

"May I assist you, Commander? I have had some experience in these matters.""By all means, Ambassador — "*May I assist you, Commander? I have had some experience in these matters.*"
"*By all means, Ambassador.*"

Back aboard K'Vada's ship, Data is attempting to access the information net; Spock offers his assistance to Data, stating modestly that he has experience with such things. Data accepts Spock's assistance, and Spock is able to break the last cipher code and access the Romulan information network. Picard leaves to remove his Romulan ears, and Spock notes that he is not surprised his father chose to mind meld with Picard, as he believes the captain has an almost Vulcan-like quality, which Data is surprised by given that Picard has been his role model in his quest to become more Human. Spock is fascinated by this, telling Data that his "efficient intellect, superior physical skills, and no emotional impediments" give him what many Vulcans strive for their entire lives… and yet he wishes to be Human. Data then notes that Spock is half-Human, yet chose to live a Vulcan way of life, thereby abandoning what the android has always aimed for. Data then asks Spock if, as he looks back on his life, he ever misses his Humanity. Spock replies that he has no regrets. Data points out that 'no regrets' is a Human expression. Spock considers this, then simply responds with "fascinating."

In the bar on Qualor II, Worf requests a theme from Aktuh and Maylota, in which Amarie joins with gusto. Soon, Omag enters the bar loudly complaining about the Klingon opera, and Worf informs Riker on the Enterprise of his arrival. Riker arrives shortly, much to the chagrin of Omag, and mocks the commander's request for information on the Vulcan ship, much to the laughter of his two female partners. Riker turns to Worf and then throws the tray of food all over Omag and his partners and lifts up and intimidates the arrogant Ferengi into revealing that he delivered the Vulcan ship to a Barolian freighter near Galorndon Core under threat of losing his right of passage in the sector and making Riker very unhappy. Satisfied with his information, Riker throws Omag back on his chair and wipes his mouth with a napkin, then tucks it into Omag's shirt and politely tells him to enjoy his dinner.

Act Four

Riker is communicating with Picard over the piggybacked subspace signal, who brings him up to date about the negotiations with Proconsul Neral. The use of a stolen Vulcan ship by the Romulans makes no sense for the goal of unification, but Picard believes it's worth looking into. The Enterprise then proceeds to Galorndon Core at warp eight.

On K'Vada's ship, Data has accessed Romulan communications logs and finds a transmission to a Barolian ship near Galorndon Core. K'Vada points out that the Barolians often run that trade route and the transmission was probably routine, but Data counters that the signal includes the code prefix of Romulan Intelligence. The signal is a mere four digits: 1 4 0 0.

On Romulus, D'Tan catches up with Spock and shows him small carved stones, which Spock describes as the syllabic nucleus of the Vulcan language. D'Tan reveals that his parents taught him Vulcan when he was small to prepare for the Romulans' inevitable reunification with their Vulcan cousins. Summoned by Picard and Data, Spock returns to the cave. They share the message with him, and Spock immediately realizes that the proconsul has deceived him and that the Vulcan ship is involved, as the time set for Spock's announcement regarding reunification was set for 1400 hours the following day. Suddenly, Romulan troops led by Commander Sela burst in and capture Spock, Picard, and Data; Spock realizes that Pardek has betrayed him. Sela tells Spock that his dream of reunification will still happen, but simply take a different form… the Romulan conquest of Vulcan. She and her Romulan troops take Spock, Picard, and Data out of the caves by disruptor.

Act Five

"First officer's log, supplemental. The Enterprise has reached Galorndon Core near the border of the Neutral Zone."

In orbit of Galorndon Core, the Enterprise receives a message, ostensibly from Picard, advising them that the initiative is successful and ordering them to hold their position. Although the proper coded sequence was used, Riker seems to have reservations.

On Romulus, Spock, Data, and Picard are brought into Sela's office. She informs them that Spock will read a speech that she wrote encouraging the Vulcans to welcome the "peace envoy." Picard realizes the Romulans will be using the stolen Vulcan ship, and Sela reveals there are actually three stolen ships full of troops and explains that they've been following the Enterprise's investigation, which has forced them to make some minor changes, such as sending fake orders to the Enterprise in Picard's name ordering them to remain in their present position, and when the Vulcan ships cross the Neutral Zone, the ship will be too busy with an urgent crisis to stop them. Picard points out that Starfleet will not just sit idly by while the Romulans attempt to conquer one of the Federation's founding member worlds, but Sela states that by the time Starfleet gets to Vulcan, the Romulans will be so firmly entrenched on the planet that there'll be no getting rid of them, and thus reunification will be a fact of life. When Spock refuses to read Sela's statement or any other, she threatens to kill him, along with Picard and Data, if he doesn't cooperate. But Spock logically deduces that she will kill the three of them in any event and thus refuses to cooperate. Sela becomes infuriated and rants of her hatred of Vulcans before revealing a programmable holographic version of Spock that will read the speech. She then leaves to order the ships on their way, locking the three in her office. Data and Spock immediately set about accessing the Romulan computer system.

Back in orbit of Galorndon Core, the Enterprise detects the oncoming Vulcan ships and moves to intercept. Worf reminds Riker of Picard's supposed orders to have the Enterprise hold position. Riker responds that he knows what the captain's orders said, but they are intercepting the Vulcan ships anyway.

Sela returns to her office to find her three prisoners gone and is immediately confronted by Riker and two security officers. She shoots at them, but the beam passes through them – holograms. While they are distracted, Spock and Picard emerge from the wall – also a hologram – and incapacitate Sela's guards (Spock with a Vulcan neck pinch, Picard with a right hook to the jaw), and get the drop on her. But she blusters that her forces will be on Vulcan before they can alert anyone.

Dr. Crusher arrives on the bridge, saying she's received a priority one distress call from the colony on Dulisian IV calling for emergency evacuation due to a massive failure of their environmental support systems. The only vessel in range is a Rutian archaeological vessel, which is ill-equipped to handle the crisis. Just before they divert to assist, they receive a message from Romulan space: at first it appears to be Sela's holographic simulacrum of Spock, but midway through the script changes and Spock – the real Spock – warns them the ships are carrying a Romulan invasion force and must be stopped at all costs. The Romulans hastily cut off the transmission, but Riker has heard enough and tells Dr. Crusher to verify the signal from Dulisian IV, as it is probably fake.

Data confirms that the message was sent before the Romulans were able to cut it off. Sela, now truly stymied, blusters that they will never leave the Senate building. Data rejoins that he has already prepared their escape route, and neck pinches Sela, and the three make good their escape from the senate building.

The Vulcan ships begin to retreat to the Neutral Zone, with the Enterprise in pursuit. Suddenly, a D'deridex-class warbird decloaks and readies its disruptors; Riker calls red alert and prepares for a fight, but the warbird opens fire, destroying the three Vulcan ships, then re-cloaks as quickly as it appeared. La Forge and Troi note with shock that there were over 2,000 Romulan troops aboard the Vulcan ships, but the Romulans destroyed their own invasion force rather than let them be captured. Riker takes his seat in the captain's chair and asks Worf to signal the Klingon Bird-of-Prey to notify them when Picard and Data have been safely beamed aboard from Romulus.

In caves that Pardek never knew about, the remaining underground movement resolves to continue working for change in Romulan society. Picard promises that the Federation will welcome the day when they don't have to be enemies with the Romulans. Picard and Data prepare to beam up to K'Vada's ship, but Spock chooses to remain behind, saying his work has never been more important. He now understands that true reunification will not happen through diplomacy or politics, but through changing society from within, even if it takes years or centuries. As Picard and Spock discuss their gently adversarial relationship, Spock comments that Picard may know Sarek "better than his own son did. My father and I never chose to meld." On hearing this, Picard says, "I offer you the chance to touch what he [Sarek] shared with me." As Data watches, Spock places his hand on Picard's face and makes contact with the essence of Sarek that remains in Picard's mind, and Picard thus fulfills the request that Sarek made: Spock's face is suffused with emotion as he realizes the depth of his father's love for him.

Log entries

First officer's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)

Memorable quotes

"I have to ask you about your husband."
"Well, it was nice while it lasted… which husband?"
"The dead one, I'm afraid."

- Riker and Amarie

"Well, you did kill my ex-husband, and that's not a bad start."

- Amarie

"Move over."
"Oh, just what I needed: another pair of hands."

- Riker and Amarie

"What is that dreadful noise?! It sounds like a Bardakian pronghorn moose!"

- Omag, in response to Worf's and Amarie's singing in Klingon

"Worf to Enterprise."
"Go ahead."
"A fat Ferengi has just entered the establishment."

- Worf to Riker when Omag finally arrives.

"Where's the waiter?! Is there no waiter in this sorry place?!"
"Is there a problem?"
"Yes, I need more napkins."
"Use your sleeve."
"What did you say?"
"Use one of their sleeves, I don't care."

- Omag, with female companions, mistakes Riker for a waiter

"Let me explain what will happen to you if you don't tell me about the Vulcan ship. Your right of passage through this sector will be revoked, and more than that, I will be very unhappy."

- Riker, threatening Omag

"I think I'll take this opportunity to remove my ears."

- Picard

"Do not be distressed. Your dream of reunification is not dead. It will simply take on a different form: the Romulan conquest of Vulcan."

- Sela, to Ambassador Spock

"Excuse me, I'm just finishing up a speech–for you, Mr. Spock. I rather enjoy writing. I don't get to do it very often in this job."
"Perhaps you would be happier in another job."

- Sela and Data

"I've tried to make it sound Vulcan. A lot of unnecessarily long words."

- Sela, regarding the speech she wrote for Spock to read

"I will not read this or any other statement."
"If you do not, you will die. All of you will die."
"Since it is logical to conclude that you will kill us in any event, I choose not to cooperate."

- Spock and Sela

"I hate Vulcans. I hate the logic. I hate the arrogance. Very well."

- Sela, in response to Spock's uncooperativeness.

"I'm afraid I don't know too much about Romulan disruptor settings."

- Spock, holding Sela at gunpoint

""Cowboy diplomacy?""

- Spock

"He intrigues me, this Picard."
"In what manner, sir?"
"Remarkably analytical and dispassionate - for a Human. I understand why my father chose to mind meld with him. There's an almost Vulcan quality to the man."

-Spock and Data, on Picard

Spock and Data work on a Romulan Code:

Spock: Fascinating. You have an efficient intellect, superior physical skills, no emotional impediments. There are Vulcans who aspire all their lives to achieve what you've been given by design.

Data: You are half human?

Spock: Yes.

Data: Yet you have chosen a Vulcan way of life?

Spock: I have.

Data: In effect, you have abandoned what I have sought all my life.

Data: Ambassador Spock, may I ask a personal question?

Spock: Please.

Data: As you examine your life, do you find you have missed your humanity?

Spock: I have no regrets.

Data: "No regrets". That is a human expression.

Spock: Yes. Fascinating.

"In your own way, you are as stubborn as another captain of the Enterprise I once knew."
"Then I am in good company, sir."

- Spock and Picard

"This is Ambassador Spock of Vulcan. By now, Federation sensors are tracking three Vulcan ships crossing the Neutral Zone. These ships carry a Romulan invasion force and must be stopped. I repeat, these ships carry a Romula—"

- Spock

"Not bad."

- Spock, noting Data's mastery of the Vulcan neck pinch

"I was with him before coming here. He expressed his pride in you… His love."

- Picard, to Spock

"Curious, that I should hear him so clearly now that he is dead."

- Spock, about Sarek

"An inexorable evolution toward a Vulcan philosophy has already begun. Like the first Vulcans, these people are struggling to a new enlightenment, and it may take decades or even centuries for them to reach it, but they will reach it… and I must help."

- Spock, explaining to Picard his reasons for remaining on Romulus

"Is it so important that you win one last argument with him?"
"No, it is not, but it is true that I will miss the arguments; they were, finally, all that we had."

- Picard and Spock, about Sarek

"Ironically, you may know Sarek better than his own son does. My father and I never chose to meld."
"I offer you the chance to touch what he shared with me."

- Spock, mind melding with Picard and discovering how deeply Sarek cared for him (last lines)

Background information

Story and script

Leonard Nimoy and Denise Crosby on the set

"Unification" was created as a tie-in with Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. The two episodes were produced after principal photography finished on Star Trek VI, but released a month before the film. Spock's dialogue with Picard in the teaser – referencing the peace talks with the Klingons and the consequences to Kirk and his crew – therefore served as a teaser for the movie. (Star Trek: The Next Generation 365, p. 230)
Michael Piller remembered, "I wanted to tell a story about the maturity of one of drama's great characters. What happens to a Spock in the 85 years between then and now? How has logic and emotion played a part in his life? What is the growth of the man beyond logic? What was the conflict between he and his father and the death and passing of generations? I thought they were meaningful pieces of business to explore the man. […] I felt that the show would be carried by the conflict between Spock and Picard, with Picard ironically representing the father through the mind meld. In fact, it was Picard who represented the original philosophy of Star Trek and Spock who was moving onto the future, so when the two came together it was sort of a reversal." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 234)
Ronald D. Moore, a fan of Star Trek: The Original Series, provided Piller with various insights about Spock and Vulcans during the break session for this episode. (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 233)
This episode and its predecessor share the same titular fashion with "Redemption" and "Redemption II" in that they do not contain the word "Part" in the name of the episode.

Production

Boom operator Bill Gocke appears in the original "Unification II" (left), but is digitally erased in the Blu-ray release (right)

As with the previous episode, a title card ran before the teaser in tribute to Gene Roddenberry, accompanied by the opening notes to the theme of Star Trek.
According to Cliff Bole, Leonard Nimoy originally wanted his son, Adam, to direct "Unification", but this fell through, so Bole was called in as director, despite it not fitting into his usual four-episode rotation. [1] Later, Adam Nimoy indeed directed two episodes of TNG: "Rascals" and "Timescape".
Due to Nimoy's schedule, the principal photography for "Unification II" took place before the filming of the first part, although several scenes of the first part were filmed during the production of the second part. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, 2nd ed., p. 185) Bole remarked, "If this is an education for the people who watch television, sometimes you have to do crazy things." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 233)
The episode was filmed between Monday 9 September 1991 and Wednesday 18 September 1991 on Paramount Stage 5, 8, 9, and 16. Additional second unit shots were filmed on Thursday 29 October 1991 on Paramount Stage 9.
On Friday 13 September 1991, the sets were visited by alumni of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who received a tour on Paramount Stage 8 and 9.
For a brief moment, a reflection of boom operator Bill Gocke was inadvertently caught on camera, appearing in a reflection in the glass pyramid on Neral's desk at the end of the episode. Gocke's image was digitally erased for the Blu-ray release.
The piece played by Riker in the bar is the beginning of "All Blues" by Miles Davis, first released on Davis' album Kind of Blue in 1959.
After the success of Data's holographic ruse, Picard comments Data did not get the holographic Riker's hair 'quite right'. Indeed, for that one scene, Jonathan Frakes' hair is styled quite differently than normal, in a looser and swept-forward style.

Cast and characters

Malachi Throne (Senator Pardek) was also with Leonard Nimoy during his first appearance in Star Trek, the first Star Trek: The Original Series pilot "The Cage", as the voice of The Keeper. He had also previously appeared as Commodore José I. Mendez in "The Menagerie, Part I".
Leonard Nimoy recalled that his experience filming the two episodes was hectic but enjoyable, a reminder of his days on The Original Series, in contrast to the slower pace of feature films. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, 2nd ed., p. 185)
This episode was Nimoy's final appearance as Spock for eighteen years. Excluding archive footage in "Trials and Tribble-ations", he next appeared in 2009's Star Trek.
This two-part story was also Nimoy's third of five Star Trek appearances without William Shatner. The other four are TOS: "The Cage", TAS: "The Slaver Weapon", Star Trek, and Star Trek Into Darkness.

Continuity

During "Encounter at Farpoint", Leonard McCoy told Data that, while he did not possess pointed ears, he sounded "just like a Vulcan." In this episode, Data met the particular Vulcan whom McCoy had in mind.
Geordi La Forge was stranded on Galorndon Core during third season episode "The Enemy".
This was the final appearance of Sela.
Neral was later mentioned in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "In the Pale Moonlight" as being Praetor in 2374. He later appeared, played by Hal Landon, Jr. in "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges".
This episode contained the first instance of Klingon opera in the series, as well as Worf's avid appreciation for it. There were further mentions of it in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Although it was established in other episodes that Data's programming prohibits him from being able to use contractions, he inadvertently used a contraction before giving Sela the Vulcan neck pinch when he said, "I've disconnected certain sensors to allow us to exit. I'm afraid I cannot allow you to warn your guards."
Data successfully performed a Vulcan neck pinch in this episode, one of only a few non-Vulcans to do so. Picard also performed what appeared to be a neck pinch in "Starship Mine", although according to the script of the latter episode, that was intended to be a carotid artery block. [2]
The events of DIS: "Unification III" establish Spock's speech about "closed minds have kept these two worlds apart for centuries" as taking place on Stardate 45825, even though William T. Riker then records a first officer's log entry on Stardate 45245.8.

Sets and props

The revealing evening dress worn by one of Omag's female companions was reused as Troi's evening dress in Ten Forward in "Man Of The People".
The bird sculptures seen in the bar on Qualor II were previously seen in Karnas' office in the first season episode "Too Short A Season". They were also featured in Q's courtroom in the pilot episode "Encounter at Farpoint" and in the final episode "All Good Things..."
The bar on Qualor II was a revamp of the Enterprise-D's cargo bay set. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, 2nd ed., p. 185)
The wall decoration in Proconsul Neral's office was later seen in the barbershop aboard the Enterprise-D in the sixth season episode "Schisms", in the reception area at Arkaria Base in the episode "Starship Mine", in the observation lounge in the seventh season episode "Parallels", in the office of Minister Kray in the Star Trek: Voyager first season episode "Ex Post Facto", in Neelix's quarters in the episode "Jetrel", and in Annorax ready room aboard the Krenim weapon ship in the Voyager fourth season episode "Year of Hell".

Reception

"Unification I" and "Unification II" were the highest rated episodes of TNG since "Encounter at Farpoint". (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 231)
Michael Piller disagreed with criticisms that Sela's invasion force of three ships was insufficient to invade Vulcan. He commented, "That's the only way you could do it, with a Trojan horse. You couldn't launch an all-out attack." (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, 2nd ed., p. 185)
Piller was sharply critical of his own teleplay. He recalled, "When I looked at the second hour of 'Unification', which I'll always consider a character study of Spock, I realized it was […] talky and nothing goes on. I was very unhappy with that." (Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages, p. 20)
- He elaborated, "It's no secret I was disappointed more by my own work on it than anything else. I remember watching it for the first time cut together and saying, 'This is dark, it's flat, who cares, it's talky.' I'm a writer who depends a great deal on his instinct and they almost always lead me in a good direction. This time I don't think they did. If I had it to do over, I would do a science-fiction mystery with weird stuff and get Spock involved in some form or fashion. It was unfortunate that we chose to do another political story so close to the stuff we had just done on the Klingon Empire. It was a very politically heavy opening of the season." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 233)
- Piller was later reminded of this while writing DS9: "Emissary". (Cinefantastique, Vol. 23, No. 6, p. 33)
- He was also disappointed that he hadn't been able to provide more chemistry between Picard and Spock in the script. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, 2nd ed., p. 185)
Director Cliff Bole also had some criticisms of the final episode, noting that, "We should have gone out. We should have put some air in that show. We shouldn't have been in a cave so long, we should have gone out and had a little more action." However, he thought Piller was too hard on himself, given the tight constraints the production faced. "We were dealt a hand and we had to deal with it. We had a certain amount of time and I think Michael did a real good job with it." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 233)
Brannon Braga enjoyed the scene between Spock and Data, calling it something that "everyone was waiting for". He also thought that the final scene between Picard and Spock was "very moving". However, he thought the episode focused too much on dry politics and Sela's machinations rather than character development. (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 234)
Leonard Nimoy initially expected there might be a sequel to this episode's two-parter. "For a while, for a moment in time," he recalled, "I thought maybe I would get a phone call saying, 'You know, we want to pick up that thread of the story.' I never heard anything about it and I didn't pursue it." (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home audio commentary, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (Special Edition) DVD/Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (Blu-ray) special features) Sure enough, though, the episode did finally receive a sequel of sorts nearly thirty years later: DIS: "Unification III". Nimoy had passed by then.
A mission report for this episode, by John Sayers, was published in The Official Star Trek: The Next Generation Magazine issue 18, pp. 50-54.

Awards

This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Art Direction for a Series.

Video and DVD releases

As a stand-alone UK VHS rental release, CIC Video, 1992
Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 54, catalog number VHR 2638, 5 October 1992
As part of the UK VHS collection Star Trek - Crossovers Set: 6 November 1995
In feature-length form, as part of the UK VHS release Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Full Length TV Movies: Volume 4, catalog number VHR 4104, 27 February 1995
UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 5.3, 5 August 2002
As part of the TNG Season 5 DVD collection
In feature-length form, as part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete TV Movies collection