Summary
- Admiral Jameson's decision to provide weapons to both sides in a conflict violated the Prime Directive and led to four decades of civil war on Mordan IV, a worse outcome than Captain Kirk's decision in Star Trek: The Original Series.
- The consequences of violating the Prime Directive are explored in "Too Short a Season," highlighting the importance of following Starfleet's most important rule.
- Captain Picard's dedication to following the Prime Directive in Star Trek: The Next Generation is showcased, emphasizing the show's focus on diplomacy and peaceful solutions.
An Admiral in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1 reveals he made an even worse choice than the one Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) made in Star Trek: The Original Series. In the TOS season 2 episode, "A Private Little War," Captain Kirk did his best to follow the Prime Directive, but occasionally, situations arose that required a more relaxed interpretation of Starfleet's most important rule. While TNG focuses primarily on the adventures of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the crew of the USS Enterprise-D, some episodes give the spotlight to a particular guest star.
Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1, episode 16, "Too Short a Season," tells the story of Admiral Mark Jameson (Clayton Rohner) who visits the Enterprise-D to help negotiate a conflict on the planet Mordan IV. Over the course of "Too Short a Season," it's revealed that Admiral Jameson negotiated a similar conflict on the planet 45 years ago. The governor of Mordan IV, Karnas (Michael Pataki), specifically requested Jameson for this very reason, as he had also been present 45 years before. The decisions Jameson made in the past then come back to haunt him, as he is faced with the consequences of his actions.
