Talk:Final Mission (episode)

saucer seperation
Just wondering, why in (TNG) did the whole USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)? Why didn't they just separate the ship and leave the families behind and tow the barge into the sun with a skeleton crew instead of risking everyone's lives? Or better yet, use a shuttlecraft piloted by remote? --Babaganoosh 21:21, 20 February 2007 (UTC)
 * For a real-world POV reason: Budget ;) - Enzo Aquarius 23:02, 20 February 2007 (UTC)
 * For another real world POV reason, plot. It would have ruined the plot to have a simple solution like that. Also, I do not think a shuttlecraft would have been powerful enough. --OuroborosCobra talk 23:05, 20 February 2007 (UTC)
 * Also remember the most frequent reason given for not separating was the need for the saucer's impulse reactors for power. the wiring was apparently fu><0r3d -- the warp core was AC and the impulse were DC or something -- meaning the stardrive could maneuver and fight, but it couldn't hold up its defense as long as the united ship could. this is stated in Best of Both Worlds. -- Captain M.K.B. 01:59, 21 February 2007 (UTC)
 * That makes sense. But then again Worf stated in an episode way back when that Enterprise "if a formidable fighting ship when its excess weight is removed".  Or something like that.  Never understood that really since most later episodes clearly state that the ship is weaker that way.  I think the whole separation is just a way to justice the ships shape.  "We keep all the citizens in the saucer!" Saphsaph 02:21, 31 August 2008 (UTC)
 * More likely, as with "Best of Both Worlds" when they distracted the Cube to get Picard back, he meant when the saucer separates and they both fight. For example, the saucer seems like a well-shielded juggernaut that the drive section can maneuver around. Izkata 23:59, August 3, 2011 (UTC)

Why is this listed as incomplete summary?
This seems to be the correct length and level of detail for an episode of this type. I emphatically recommend removing the incomplete summary template - though I'll wait a while to see if the OP has a reason for the template. Comments? – 82.83.109.40 12:16, 15 April 2007 (UTC)
 * Compared to our "complete" summaries, like in, this one is woefully short, and is not split into acts. --OuroborosCobra talk 15:07, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

Why would anyone guard the water thus?
Some long-lost people that considered the fountain sacred? Some long-dead lunatic That's all I can think of.- Korora 22:56, 29 April 2007 (UTC)

Filming Location
Any ideas where this was filmed? I think it was Boonville Salt Flats in Utah but I'm not sure. -FleetCaptain 15:12, 22 October 2007 (UTC)
 * The scenes were filmed at the El Mirage Dry Lake Bed in the Mojave Desert, the same spot where the desert scenes on Ocampa were shot for . --Jörg 15:17, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

Nitpick

 * In the scene where Wesley first notices the strange energy reading, there are automobile tire tracks running across the desert.

Production error. &mdash; Morder 06:45, 30 August 2008 (UTC)
 * Is production error grounds for removal? It's great to see this stuff.  It's like all the other trivia on other episodes like "You can see a microphone to the left".  Don't see the big deal on keeping it, though I suggest making it clear it was not the intention.  Something like "In the scene where Wesley first notices the strange energy reading, you can see tire tracks across the desert that was missed by the editors."   Dunno.  I just thought it was fun and even paused it to see!  Like the infamous truck on Lord of the Rings movie. Saphsaph 02:26, 31 August 2008 (UTC)

Yes. (see here) Mistakes made by the production staff and other such errors we don't put on this site. They're classified as nitpicks best to leave this stuff out. If there is an episode with "you can see a microphone to the left" then remove it :) &mdash; Morder 05:46, 31 August 2008 (UTC)
 * Sorry, but I don't really see where that page makes it definite. It's more like an ongoing discussion, with two sides never agreeing on something.  It got to the point where most agreed that nitpicks should only be removed when a "Production errors" page would be added.  I for one am torn.  At one point I like the "pretend-this-is-all-real" approach to memory alpha.  Where we write like it's an encyclopedia about the past.  But if that were truly real we wouldn't have "Background information" at all.  But yeah, all that page is is two large groups disagreeing.  We can't say one is right because we happen to be on one of the sides.  What do you think? Saphsaph 17:08, 31 August 2008 (UTC)
 * It has been in practice for literally years now. It even made it onto Memory Alpha:What Memory Alpha is not. --OuroborosCobra talk 17:43, 31 August 2008 (UTC)
 * In addition, they are quite frankly damned annoying to have. We have to try and confirm each of them, since many get posted that don't exist, are based on rumor, etc., and something that hard to see (and quite frankly not that important) it annoying to find hundreds, if not thousands, of. Its a TV show, it has microphone booms occasionally, it is not worth pointing out every instance. --OuroborosCobra talk 17:44, 31 August 2008 (UTC)
 * I totally agree with it. I'm currently watching TNG.  I watch an episode, then see comments on it on StarTrek.com, then see background stuff here.  Seeing the nitpick stuff right in the middle of a series keeps killing the fantasy.  I don't want to see Patrick Stewart, I want to see Captain Picard.  I'd like to see this nitpick stuff way later after I'm done with all eps and movies, not in the middle.  And frankly it makes this site more like a forum and less like an encyclopedia.  In my opinion we shouldn't even have anything that involves the writers/producers/real world stuff on the page and they should be secluded somewhere else like a "production page", but I guess that's too extreme for some.  I'll make sure to remove them from pages as I see more episodes =)  Just wanted to make sure it's backed up since I'm new here!
 * I like how people think that the aliens didn't have wheels. 99.163.50.12 03:44, 1 September 2008 (UTC)

Yes, that's a valid assumption except that the planet is scanned and determined to be lifeless (though scanners aren't perfect) and barely Class M and during the episode there is no sign of life except the water source barrier (which may not be an intelligence). So simply any assumption about the planet is speculation so it's a nitpick. &mdash; Morder 05:05, 1 September 2008 (UTC)


 * If the fountain, sentry, and forcefield were natural, I would stand corrected. Also Class M isn't the only place aliens can live or visit. It's only a nitpick if you think no aliens could ever have left the tracks. Otherwise it's an in-universe detail, unless a production source said "Yeah that was a mistake". Well, we don't know. So it's not background (cause of no nitpicks) and we shouldn't have it in-universe either (cause of possibility of production error). -JJ 99.163.50.12 16:55, 1 September 2008 (UTC)

Again. Based on the information we have (lifeless) anything we write about the tire tracks is speculation since we don't know there is a lifeform. So the background note can't be included because we don't speculate. I'm not saying your idea isn't valid I'm saying that the background note can't be added because you're inserting your own ideas as to how the tire tracks got there and because they're your own ideas it's speculation and there are differing opinions as to how the tracks might have gotten there and no answer would be right. &mdash; Morder 14:19, 2 September 2008 (UTC)


 * I didn't insert anything. I didn't say anything should be insterted. I said we don't normally treat things seen onscreen as speculative. I also pretty much said this isn't normal. That's why I agree with everyone here that it shouldn't be in the article at all. --99.163.50.12 17:52, 2 September 2008 (UTC)

Oh I know you didn't insert it. I was just responding to your statement about alien cars which seemed to support the background note. :) &mdash; Morder 18:07, 2 September 2008 (UTC)

Picard's French song
Picard is singing the same French song he sung with his brother in the episode "Family" when he is injured on the ground, delirious, and talking to Crusher who reminds him that they crashed and they have no water. - mr krisp

Why would they need to "tow" the barge?
There should be no friction in space, why couldn't they just get the barge going in the right direction and let it go instead of exposing the ship and the crew to radiation?


 * They did let it go, but had to get it past the asteroid belt first.


 * Pretty sure they could have directed it toward the belt at impulse, warped ahead to anticipate it, then pulled through with the tractor beam, and then released it toward the sun. This would have reduced the radiation exposure time.96.41.136.39 03:18, May 28, 2013 (UTC)

Potential reference to Star Blazers in this episode?
Did anyone watch the old 1980s anime, Star Blazers, where the Earth is being bombarded with radioactive planet bombs by the alien Gamilons? I just wonder if there is any confirmation out there that the writers were intentionally making a nod to Star Blazers by having a planet in a star system called "Gamilon" that happened to be getting bombarded by radiation. If so, I thought this was a clever way to discretely do so...sort of like putting the proverbial Millenium Falcon in Blade Runner, wouldn't you say? &mdash; LeeMeister 12:21, June 30, 2010 (UTC)

Protection
Since anons keep adding the same vandalism to the article over and over again, I'm locking the page, again, from anon edits. If these guys want to keep doing this, let them go through the trouble of creating an account first. - 09:21, March 9, 2012 (UTC)