15 essential Captain Picard episodes to get you pumped for his return

“The Conspiracy” (S1E25)

Picard perks: Picard in PJs, Picard and friends.

What it’s about: Captain Picard receives an emergency message from his friend, Captain Keel. It is a request to meet face to face. Secrecy, also, is requested above all else.

After being grilled in order to prove his identity, Picard is informed of a conspiracy taking over Starfleet. Picard is an obvious target.

The situation quickly escalates. Picard orders data to review Starfleet commands, Captain Keel and his ship are destroyed, old friends are more and more strangers, and parasitic worms are to blame. They are attaching themselves to high-ranking officers and controlling their actions. Picard no longer knows who to trust, and for that matter, his crew can’t be sure they can trust him.

The situation climaxes during dinner with several Starfleet admirals when the meal is revealed to be a bowl full of worms. Riker, who was just pretending to be in on the conspiracy, shoots the admirals down and kind of blows one up. He and Picard phaser down the head parasite and all the other hosts are freed.

Data warns Captain Picard that the mother parasite had a homing beacon, and the other parasites know the location of Earth.

And… we never hear from them again.

Picard quotes:

• “Friendship must dare to risk, Counselor, or it isn’t friendship.”