Jean-Luc Picard

"I know a haunted man when I see one. The things we hold onto. The pieces of emotional shrapnel that drive us all our lives."

"And now, for my truth. I am Human but I am from the future, the 25th century to be precise. And I am here to save Earth. To save the entire galaxy, in fact. But to do so, it seems… I need your help."

"I remember now. In a cloudy moment of extreme melancholy, my mother hung herself here in this place. And for all I've lived, all I've seen and done, I suppose this is the moment I've kept myself from remembering."

"Let's see what's out there..."

"The search for knowledge is always our primary mission."

"There can be no justice so long as laws are absolute. Even life itself is an exercise in exceptions."

"Let the dead rest, and the past remain the past."

"If it feels awkward to be reminded that Data is a machine, just remember that we are merely a different variety of machine, in our case electrochemical in nature."

"Things are only impossible until they are not."

"Beverly the prime directive is not just a set of rules. It is a philosophy, and a very correct one. History has proved again and again that whenever Mankind interferes with a less developed civilization, no matter how well intentioned that interference may be, the results are invariably disasterous."

"You say you are true evil? Let me tell you what true evil is. It is to submit to you. It is when we surrender our freedom, our dignity, instead of defying you."

"Enough of this self indulgence."

"I am never critical of any member of my staff being curious."

"And Doctor. God knows I'm not one to discourage you, but... but I would appreciate it if you would let me finish my sentances once in a while."

"No being is so important that he can usurp the rights of another."

"It was a dark and stormy night..."

"Well, they say if you travel far enough you will eventually meet yourself. Having experienced that, Number One, it's not something I would care to repeat."

"You see, the prime directive has many different functions. Not the least of which is to protect us, to prevent us from allowing our emotions to overwhelm our judgement."

"Your whisper from the dark has now become a plea. We cannot turn our backs."

"He has brought a child onto my ship, and on my bridge!"

"Sometimes, Number One, you just have to bow to the absurd."

"Lieutenant, I order you to relax!"

"It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life."

"Commander, both our ships are ready to fight. We have two extremely powerful and destructive arsenals at our command. Our next actions will have serious repercussions. We have reason to mistrust one another but even better reason to set those differences aside. Of course, the question is, who will take the initiative? Who will make the first gesture of trust? The answer is... I will."

"You already betrayed your people, Admiral! You made your choices sir! You're a traitor! Now if the bitter taste of that is unpalatable to you I am truly sorry, but I will not risk my crew because you think you can dance on the edge of the Neutral Zone. You crossed over, Admiral. You make yourself comfortable with that."

"In your own words, this is not our affair. We cannot interfere in the natural course of your society's development. And I'd say it's going to develop significantly in the next few minutes."

"Dr. Apgar killed himself – during his attempt to kill Commander Riker."

"Let's make sure history never forgets the name... Enterprise."

"That'll be the day..."

"There are times, sir, when men of good conscience cannot blindly follow orders. You acknowledge their sentience, but ignore their personal liberties and freedom? Order a man to turn his child over to the state? Not while I am his captain."

"I fail to understand how a five-foot android with heuristic learning systems and the strength of ten men could be called a child."

"You admit the truth and yet expect him to accept punishment? What does this say of an Empire who holds honour so dear?!"

"Imprisonment is an injury, regardless of how you justify it."

"And now that you have had a taste of captivity, perhaps you will reconsider the morality of inflicting it upon others. In any event, we now know about your race and we know how to imprison you. Bear that in mind. Now get off my ship."

"It's just that I prefer to be acquainted with the women that I kiss."

"A simple handshake would have sufficed."

"Tam, when you reached out to the alien, to warn it, did you give any thought to this vessel? To the danger, however inadvertent, that creature might pose to our crew? Or did you simply react out of instinct?"

"I look forward to your report, Mister Broccoli." Picard looks stricken as he realises what he just said. "Barclay."

"He was a man. Take him for all in all. I shall not look upon his like again."

"All this magnificent technology, we still find ourselves susceptible to the ravages of old age. The loss of dignity, the slow betrayal of our bodies by forces we cannot master."

"NO! It is... it is... wrong! It is WRONG! A lifetime of discipline is washed away, and in its place... Bedlam! BEDLAM! I am so old... there is nothing left but dry bones and dead friends. Oh, tired. Oh, so tired. "

"Perrin... Amanda... I wanted to give you so much more. I wanted to show you such tenderness! But that is not our way. Spock, Amanda, did you know? Perrin, can you know how much I love you? I do love you!"

"Gentlemen, I have the utmost confidence in your ability to perform the impossible."

"In faith, I do not love thee with mine eyes, for they in thee a thousand errors see. But 'tis my heart that loves what they despise, who in despite of view are please'd to dote. Shall I compare the to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate!"

"The Academy must make you wait, that's true. But, when I review your service to this ship, your crewmates, I cannot in all conscience make you wait for the Academy. You see, Wesley, in my eyes you're an acting ensign in title only. I hereby grant you field promotion to full Ensign, with all the commensurate responsibilities and privileges of that rank. Congratulations."

"Listen, Tog, I must possesses Lwaxana. And if that means destroying your ship in the process, so be it!"

"Mr. Worf, dispatch a subspace message to Admiral Hanson. We have engaged the Borg."

"Lieutenant, you are a member of this crew and you will not go into hiding whenever a Klingon vessel uncloaks!"

"Mister Worf, the Enterprise crew currently includes representatives from thirteen planets. They each have their individual beliefs and values, and I respect them all. But they have all chosen to serve Starfleet. If anyone cannot perform his or her duty because of the demands of their society, they should resign. Do you wish to resign?"

"Wesley, you remember... I was always proud of you."

"To many Humans, a mystery is irresistable. It must be solved."

"Admiral? What you're doing is unethical. It's immoral. I'll fight it."

"With the first link the chain is forged. The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied... chains us all irrevocably."

"We think we've come so far. Torture of heretics, burning of witches, it's all ancient history. And then, before you can blink an eye, suddenly it threatens to start all over again."

"Mr. Worf, villains who twirl their mustaches are easy to spot. Those who clothe themselves in good deeds are well camouflaged."

"...I would be delighted to offer any advice I can on understanding women. When I have some, I'll let you know."

"Your discommendation is a facade to protect less honourable men. It is a lie. Lies must be challenged."

"K'Tal, this Council knows the law of heredity well. G'now juk Hol pajhard. A son shall share in the honours or crimes of his father. Toral is Duras' son. That has been established by the genetic scan. But with due respect to the traditions and laws of this High Council, there is no basis for accepting a petition for leadership from a boy who has fought no battles, shed no blood for his people, or earned no honour for himself. One day, perhaps he shall. But not now. Duras is dead. His claim to the leadership died with him. Gowron shall lead the Council."

"The claim 'I was only following orders' has been used to justify too many tragedies in our history."

"The Tamarian was willing to risk all of us, just for the hope of communication, connection. Now the door is open between our peoples. That commitment meant more to him than his own life."

"Doctor, the sperm whale on Earth devours millions of cuttlefish as it roams the oceans. It is not evil, it is feeding. The same may be true of the entity."

"Father and son, both proud, both stubborn, more alike than either of them are prepared to admit. A lifetime spent building emotional barriers, they're very difficult to break down. And now the time has come when it is too late. It's a difficult moment. It's a lonely one."

"Of course you know the Prime Directive, which tells us that we have no right to interfere in the natural evolution of alien worlds. Now, I have sworn to uphold it, but nevertheless I have disregarded that directive on more than one occasion... because I thought it was the right thing to do."

"Earth was once a violent planet too. At times, the chaos threatened the very fabric of life. But like you, we evolved. We found better ways to handle our conflicts. But I think noone can deny that the seed of violence remains within each of us, We must recognise that, because that violence is capable of consuming each of us."

"I feel as though I've been handed a weapon, sent into a room, and told to shoot a stranger. Well, I need some moral context to justify that action. And I don't have it. I am not content simply to obey orders. I need to know that what I am doing is right."

"Captain, perhaps you should come aboard my ship. There's something we need to discuss."

"The first duty of every Starfleet officer is to the truth."

"Because it's been given a name by a member of my crew, doesn't mean it's not a Borg. Because it's young, doesn't mean that it's innocent. It is what it is, and in spite of efforts to turn it into some kind of pet I will not alter my plans!"

"You cannot explain away a wantonly immoral act because you think that it is connected to some higher purpose."

"You may be nearly omnipotent, and I don't deny that your parlour tricks are very impressive, but morality? I don't see it. I would put Human morality against the Q's any day. And perhaps that's the reason why we fascinate you so..."

"He's my number one dad!"

"There... are... four... lights!"

"But who knows? Our reality may be very much like theirs and all this might just be an elaborate simulation running inside a little device sitting on someone's table."

"You are a culture of one. Which is no less valid than a culture of one billion."

"I've lost people under my command, people who were very dear to me, but never someone I've been in love with. And when I believed you were dead, I just began to shut down. I didn't want to think or feel. I was here, in my quarters, and the only thing I could focus on was my music... and how it would never again give me any joy."

"Oh, what a tangled web we weave."

"You were right, Tallera. The resonator cannot be stopped by phasers and shields… but it can be defeated by peace."

"I wouldn't want to sacrifice the safety of the ship."

"There is a way out of every box, a solution to every puzzle; it's just a matter of finding it."

"Well, it seems as if we're stuck with each other."

"In my years as a Starfleet captain, I've had to… notify many parents of the loss of loved ones but never before to suicide."

"Well… before I begin swinging through the ship, looking for breakfast, we need to find some answers."

"You'll never look at your hairline the same way again."

"Yes, yes, Data. I know about the Orient Express but what is it doing on Prospero's island?"

"Five card stud, nothing wild... and the sky's the limit."

"Somehow I doubt this ship will be the last to carry the name 'Enterprise'."

"They invade our space and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds and we fall back. Well no further... the line must be drawn here... and I will make them pay for what they've done!"

"Actually, I think you are the bravest man I've ever known."

"And he piled upon the whale's white hump, the sum of all the rage and hate felt by his whole race. If his chest had been a cannon, he would have shot his heart upon it."

"Will Riker, you have been my trusted right arm for fifteen years. You have helped keep my course true and steady. Deanna Troi, you have been my conscience and guide. You have helped me to recognize the best parts of myself. You are my family. And in maritime tradition, I wish you clear horizons... my friends, make it so."

"Because it was no longer Starfleet! We withdrew. The galaxy was mourning, burying its dead, and Starfleet had slunk from its duties. The decision to call off the rescue and to abandon those people we had sworn to save was not just dishonourable. It was downright criminal!"

"Picard, P-I-C-A-R-D, Jean-Luc"

"Engage"

"One impossible thing at a time"

"Maybe they've changed."

"Changed? The Borg."

"They coolly assimilate entire civilizations, entire systems in a matter of hours."

"They don't change. They metastasise."

"One more thing, I have a brain abnormality. I've known for years. I never had any symptoms, so I never thought much about it. However, just before we left the Earth, I learned that my condition was more acute. The prognosis was terminal, and there is no effective treatment. There will be no further discussion. Anyone who treats me like a dying man will run the risk of pissing me off. Is that clear?"

"Raffi? You were quite right."

"We often refer to space as the final frontier. But the older I get, the more I come to believe… that the true final frontier is time."

"Q, I am too old for your bullshit!"