902: Darmok and Jalad

< Prev Comic #902 (May 23, 2011) Next >

Darmok and Jalad

Title text: I wonder how often Patrick Stewart has Darmok flashbacks when talking to Star Trek fans.

Explanation

This comic is a parody of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Darmok" in which Captain Picard and the Enterprise crew meet with a Tamarian ship. They can translate the words of Tamarian, but because the language is based on metaphors, they cannot understand what the words mean. "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra" is repeated many times in this episode by the Tamarian captain, Dathon. Picard is eventually able to decipher the line to discover that it was a story of two warriors marooned on an island (Tanagra) who work together to defeat a common foe. The alien's intention is that he and Picard work together to defeat a monster as a way to cement ties between the Tamarians and the Federation.

In the comic, instead of suggesting a dramatic gesture to achieve a diplomatic breakthrough, the alien seems to be using a corny up chat line. It is not clear if he is chatting up Deanna Troi (who has the long curly hair) or Picard. However, given that in the original episode Darmok and Jalad (the two warriors) were identified with Dathon and Picard, it seems likely that he is flirting with Picard.

"Kalenda's" sounds similar to "Calender's" and could refer to calender models and be the name of an adult dance/strip club.

The title text suggests that the actor Patrick Stewart (who played Picard) might sometimes feel as confused by the way that Star Trek fans talk as the character he played did in this episode.

Transcript

[Captain Dathon is seen on a communications screen]

Alien: Darmok and Jalad at Kalenda's!

[Jean-Luc Picard and Deanna Troi stand next to each other, looking off to the right.]

Picard: Their language must be based on folklore and metaphor! Computer! Search cultural archives for Darmok-Jalad-Kalenda!

[Picard and Troi listen to the response]

Computer (off-panel): In Tamarian legend, Darmok and Jalad got totally wasted and hooked up at a party at Kalenda's.

[Dathon is seen on the communications screen again, winking]

 add a comment!

Discussion

I've always been kind of lukewarm about this comic. I get it, but it doesn't hit any point incredibly well like some of the other comics do. Davidy²²[talk] 01:58, 17 April 2013 (UTC)