From: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Television
Who said it?: Captain Jean-Luc Picard
The story behind the quote: This week, we have another quote from Star Trek: The Next Generation. And, once again, it comes from the Captain of the USS Enterprise-D, Jean-Luc Picard. This week’s quote comes from the second episode of the two-parter, Chain of Command. The episode is actually pays homage to George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four.
The episode has Picard (played by Patrick Stewart) captured by the Cardassians. The leader of the group, Gul Mandred, tortures Picard in an attempt to break him so he will reveal the plans for the planet Minos Korva. One of the tactics is to show Picard four lights and force him to say there are five instead. If he does, Gul Mandred will stop the torturing.
By the end of the episode, despite not being able to break Picard and the Captain about to be released into Federation custody, Gul Mandred tries one more attempt to break Picard’s spirit by lying to him and saying Minos Korva has been captured and the Enterprise has been destroyed so there is nothing to betray anymore. He asks Picard how many lights. But just before Picard answers, the other Cardassians come to take Picard. This is when Picard says the quote one more time, with total defiance that he was not broken.
Geek wisdom: Despite all the hardships you endure, you have to stay true to what you know is the truth. Don’t let other people sway you to think otherwise, especially when they are wrong but won’t admit that they are.
My Geek Wisdom 