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Star Trek: Who Are The Pakled?

Delve deep into the mysteries surrounding the Pakled, uncovering their origins, traits, and the vital role they have played in the Star Trek story.

• The Pakled, a seemingly unintelligent species in the Star Trek universe, are actually a complex and misunderstood civilization.
• They value physical strength and fighting ability, but also have strong relationships based on mutual interests and resources.
• Despite their low intellectual capabilities and simplistic society, the Pakled have made a lasting impact in the Star Trek franchise through their memorable appearances and cameo roles.

In the vast reaches of the cosmos, Star Trek sees science meets diplomacy and conflict. Countless species and civilizations with unique personalities and cultures have been portrayed throughout the shows and movies. The Pakled, who play a significant role in the franchise, have been a fan favorite in this galaxy of interstellar diversity. "Samaritan Snare," an episode of the second season of Star Trek : The Next Generation , introduces the Pakled, who appear to be a mysterious and unintelligent species. However, they represent a profound understanding of the complex interactions in the galaxy.

Known for their emphasis on physical strength and limited intellectual capabilities, The Pakled have a unique and somewhat chaotic system of government. Despite their perceived simplicity, the Pakled have left a lasting mark on the Star Trek universe, as shown by their memorable appearance in "Samaritan Snare" and subsequent cameo appearances in the franchise.

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The enigmatic origins of the pakled.

The Pakled people hail from the Pakled planet in the Alpha Quadrant of the galaxy . Their culture values ​​physical strength and fighting ability. As such, those who were skilled in hand-to-hand combat or the use of weapons are respected and appreciated in Pakled society. This emphasis on strength and fighting ability results from the harsh conditions in which they lived, which meant that they were constantly struggling to survive.

Despite their tendency towards aggression, the Pakled are not lacking in compassion. They are known for having strong relationships with those they consider allies or friends. However, these relationships are often based on mutual interests, with each party benefiting from the skills or resources of the other. The Pakled are a very isolated people, with little interaction with others. Neighboring civilizations consider them a nuisance, thanks to their aggressive tactics and their proclivity for stealing technology.

The Pakled have an unusual government system, which confuses and frustrates diplomats. They were once ruled by an emperor, followed by a subordinate king, then a queen. The Pakled has a class system in which an individual's helmet size indicated their status. In 2381, the ruling elite was overthrown in a brief "revolt" and replaced by rebels, with the emperor's assassin declaring himself the new leader.

The Pakled are known to have low intellectual capabilities, and are not as tech-savvy as the Federation and their allies. A striking simplicity characterizes their society and technological prowess. Other prominent civilizations, such as the United Federation of Planets or the formidable Klingon Empire, often overshadow this species.

Distinctive Characteristics

The most distinctive characteristic of the Pakled is their reputation for being less intellectually adept than the average species in the Star Trek universe. They are often depicted as individuals of slower wit, lacking the proficiency for technological innovation and intricate problem-solving.

Regarding their physical appearance, the Pakled possess a straightforward humanoid form . They have a round, mostly bald head with prominent brows covering most of their sloping forehead, and eyes slanted downwards. Their skin is a pale grayish-white, and their bodies are thick and muscular. Their attire is practical, and their mode of communication is notable for its simplicity and directness. The Pakleds do not engage in elaborate diplomatic discourse or ponderous philosophical discussions.

Pakled in Star Trek: Their Impact and Relevance

Despite their perceived simplicity and apparent lack of sophistication, the Pakleds have played a significant role in the Star Trek narrative. The species is best remembered for their involvement in the episode "Samaritan Snare" in The Next Generation . In this episode, the USS Enterprise-D responded to the Pakled’s distress call, at which time the Pakled realized that the starship was technologically superior. Seeing this as an opportunity, they captured Captain Jean-Luc Picard, intending to exchange him for valuable technology or knowledge. However, the Enterprise-D crew outsmarted them, rescuing their captain. By the end of the episode, the relationship between Pakleds and the crew was still strained thanks to the Pakleds' aggressive actions.

The Pakled's appearances within the Star Trek franchise are not limited to this single episode, as they have made cameo appearances in subsequent Star Trek series. The Pakled were also mentioned in the TNG season 4 episode "Brothers" in which they rescued Data's brother Lore. They were also present in Deep Space Nine from the second to the fifth season as background characters. DS9 director David Livingston asked them to be back because of their funny appearance.

The Pakled are unique and stand out in the vast world of Star Trek . As ‘Trekkies’ continue to explore the universe alongside the United Federation of Planets and the species they meet along the way, their presence is a reminder of the complexity and variety of life among the stars.

MORE: Star Trek: Unexplained Anomalies In The Delta Quadrant

30+ of the Funniest Star Trek Memes of the Week (January 30, 2024)

Happy Belated Threshold Day , everybody! Yesterday was January 29th, which happens to be the very day that the infamous Threshold episode of Star Trek Voyager first aired. Star Trek as a franchise has so many high and low moments, and this one is one of the most memorable bad episodes of the entire Star Trek universe. It's all about good old Tom Paris thinking he can travel faster than Warp 10 and successfully doing so. After all, what could go wrong? It turns out a lot can because by doing so, he accelerated the process of evolution, turning himself and Janeway into giant salamanders. Why not? Horrifyingly, they procreate and make salamander babies but must abandon them when the situation gets resolved. It wouldn't be Star Trek without a couple of massive stinkers in each series, and I hope you all had a fantastic Threshold Day! Now, on with the Star Trek memes ! 

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Star trek tng: the episodes that inspired picard memes.

The best memes come from the most unlikely places, such as Star Trek: The Next Generation's Jean-Luc Picard. Here's where each famous meme originates.

Most people have seen at least one  Star Trek: The Next Generation Picard meme, but where do they come from? When  Star Trek: The Next Generation began in 1987, fans surely hoped that the new series would prove  Star Trek  could transcend eras and live on indefinitely. With more  Star Trek TV projects in the pipeline now than ever before,  The Next Generation certainly delivered in that respect. What  Star Trek fans might not have anticipated is that Patrick Stewart's Jean-Luc Picard would gain online notoriety for his wonderful array of facial expressions.

The fascinating thing about memes is how they can completely change the cultural relevance of movie and TV moments from decades past. The "Condescending Wonka" meme and " It's over 9000! " both originate from times long before the internet was in widespread use, but have since taken on a life of their own. Even by those standards, Picard is somewhat of a special case, as the Starfleet captain boasts an entire selection of popular memes to his name.

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Even those completely unfamiliar with  Star Trek might recognize the following images, but they won't necessarily know the episode the image derives from, nor the circumstances that caused Picard to make such an everlasting expression. Here are the best Jean-Luc Picard memes and where they come from.

Picard Facepalm - "Déjà Q"

Undoubtedly the most famous of the Picard memes comes from season 3's "Déjà Q." This episode sees the welcome return of John de Lancie as the omnipotent, titular Q who had previously troubled Picard and the Enterprise crew on several occasions. Tasked with stopping a moon falling out of orbit and devastating a nearby planet, Jean-Luc already has a tough job on his hands in "Déjà Q" when Q himself suddenly appears on his bridge. Q explains that his incessant meddling has been punished by the Continuum, stripping his God-like powers and making him mortal. The iconic facepalm comes while Q is explaining his plight, and Picard only looks up when his unwelcome guest describes the captain as " the closest thing I have to a friend ."

The Picard facepalm has spawned infinite memes and now even a commemorative statuette, but wasn't the only head-in-hands moment in  The Next Generation . Picard cracks out the rare 'double facepalm' maneuver also in season 3 while trying to explain the finer details of parenting to Data in "The Offspring."

Annoyed Picard - "Ménage à Troi"

While it might be lagging in popularity behind the facepalm, the 'Annoyed Picard' meme is the more versatile of the two, with several different screen-grabs from the same scene going viral alongside a variety of captions, all to the effect of " what the hell are you doing. " Unlike the arrival of Q, the context behind this image is very different to its usage as a meme. In season 3's "Ménage à Troi," Deanna Troi's mother causes an incident when she's romantically pursued by a randy Ferengi and kidnapped. Picard and the remaining Enterprise crew learn of this and, naturally, they seek out to rescue Lwaxana Troi. Unfortunately for Picard, that plan involves pretending to be desperately in love with Troi's mother.

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In an attempt to convince Daimon Tog of the Ferengi to let Lwaxana go, Picard is forced to start reciting Tennyson and Shakespeare, acting like the jealous murderous ex who would do anything to get his lover back. Suitably scared, Tog quickly gives up Troi's mother and sends her back to the Enterprise to avoid Picard's Casanova wrath. The memes come straight from Picard's dramatic speech.

Full Of Win Picard - Season 5 Outtake

Those unversed in the ways of  Star Trek: The Next Generation might see Picard 's more outlandish meme faces and wonder how such an expression could possibly make sense in the context of any science fiction episode. In some cases, that's because the shot doesn't come from an episode itself, but from footage that was left on the cutting room floor. The "Full of Win" Picard meme shows the  Star Trek captain celebrating, jubilant over some unknown success, and found added fame when someone managed to get Patrick Stewart himself to sign the image.

The "Full of Win" image is taken from a  The Next Generation season 5 outtake that was intentionally filmed as a gag tribute to Gene Roddenberry. Patrick Stewart begins his scene in character before addressing the camera and "Gene" directly. He then promptly breaks out into a song and dance number on board the Enterprise set. The gleeful "Full of Win" face is taken from near the start of the routine, which also features a dashing boater hat.

Awkward Waving Picard - "The Naked Now"

The image of Jean-Luc Picard waving awkwardly could've been intentionally designed to generate memes, had the phenomenon been around in the late 1980s. A bold and decidedly strange episode, especially considering it was only the third offering in  The Next Generation 's debut season, "The Naked Now" sees almost the entire crew become infected with a strange condition that appears to lower inhibitions and increase libido. After Picard himself becomes afflicted, he has an up-close encounter with an also-infected Dr. Beverly Crusher . As the pair finally separate, a smitten crusher waves to her captain from the doorway before leaving. Trying to resist his unwelcome urges, Picard awkwardly and reluctantly waves back.

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It was an odd scene in a largely unpopular episode, but one that at least birthed a classic meme. The awkwardly waving Picard is usually deployed when saying hi to someone you really don't want to talk to.

" Shut Up, Wesley " - "Datalore"

The Next Generation 's Wesley Crusher character has been oft-maligned over the years. Played by a young Wil Wheaton, Wesley became a focal point for fan anger in the same way as Scrappy Doo or Jar Jar Binks and is often unfairly singled out. Nevertheless, it was still a little satisfying to hear Jean-Luc tell the boy genius to shut up in season 1's "Datalore." The episode's plot involves Data 's brother, Lore, impersonating his Starfleet sibling. Wesley Crusher is the only one to see through the deception and repeatedly tries to voice his concerns with the rest of the crew, who become increasingly annoyed with his interjections. Eventually, this leads to Picard's famous " shut up, Wesley " line, and while Beverly begins to defend her son, she then repeats it for good measure.

When meme culture took hold, " shut up, Wesley " became one of the quotes that started going viral, so much so that Wil Wheaton has lost patience with people who barrage him with the meme. Although it's fun to laugh about now, hindsight might also suggest that treating Wesley as  The Next Generation 's verbal punching bag did little to help the character's popularity.

Giggly Picard - Season 2/3 Blooper

One of the lesser-used memes in Picard's repertoire, 'Giggling Picard' is another image derived from outtakes rather than actual  The Next Generation  footage. The visual of a maniacal Picard looking like he just hid a dozen Tribbles under Riker's bedsheets is taken from the blooper reel of season 2. Jonathan Frakes fluffed his lines during a scene with Patrick Stewart and walked off-screen, prompting Stewart to pull the meme-worthy face of a man possessed with unbridled mischief. Interestingly, another shot of Picard laughing has also been used for meme fodder, and this too comes from a blooper where Frakes forgot his lines and Stewart corpses, albeit this time from season 3.

Related:  Star Trek: Every Character With Their Own Signature Maneuver

Engage!/Make It So - "The Hunted" & Others

Sometimes the simplest memes are the best, and Jean-Luc Picard's two main catchphrases have both made the online rounds for their meme-ability. The Starfleet captain uses both " make it so " and " engage! " liberally throughout The Next Generation , but although the image of Picard preparing to give his trademark finger point is often accompanied with a " make it so " tagline, this isn't what Jean-Luc utters in the scene itself. While the base image can vary, most of the " make it so " memes come from the final moments of season 3's "The Hunted" where Picard is actually saying " engage " to send the Enterprise on its next adventure. Both of Picard's famous catchphrases have been used alongside the image in memes. The episode is a mediocre one, and its legacy as part of Picard's meme canon is arguably the biggest contribution "The Hunted" makes to  Star Trek .

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Pakled Planet

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Pakled Planet was an inhabited planet , and the homeworld of the warp-capable Pakled civilization . It had at least one moon , and its capital city was Big Strong City . ( LD : " The Spy Humongous ", " Grounded ")

Pakled Planet, prior to its destruction

The USS Cerritos arrived in orbit of Pakled Planet on stardate 58105.1 , when Captain Carol Freeman attempted to conduct peace negotiations and establish a cease-fire . ( LD : " The Spy Humongous ")

On Stardate 58130.6, Pakled Planet was destroyed by a Varuvian bomb that had been planted in Big Strong City. Freeman was accused of assisting Klingon extremists in planting the bomb and was taken into custody by Starfleet Security shortly afterward. ( LD : " First First Contact ", " Grounded ")

That year, it was revealed that Pakled Planet was destroyed by its own inhabitants, who framed Freeman for it in order to force the United Federation of Planets to relocate them to a brand-new planet that was rich in resources. The plan was revealed by Captain Morgan Bateson , exonerating Freeman. ( LD : " Grounded ")