Star Trek: The Next Generation (TV Series)

Devil's Due (1991)

Patrick Stewart: Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Photos 

Quotes 

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard : [to Data]  Method acting? I'm vaguely familiar with it...

• Ardra : Please do not take any offense to these questions, Captain. You know how fond I am of you.

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Objection.

  Lt. Commander Data : Sustained. The advocate will refrain from expressing personal affections for her opponent.

• Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge : Captain, I... I wasn't expecting you here.

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Neither was I.

  [after Picard has been transported to Ventax II in his sleep wear] 

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Did she not even pick up one piece of trash?

  [on Ardra's alleged role in the environmental reformation of Ventax II] 

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard : I believe it is our job to out-con the con artist.

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Mr. La Forge, my reputation as a litigator, not to mention my immortal soul, is in serious jeopardy.

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Enterprise, advise Dr. Clarke that the hostages are being released.

  Dr. Howard Clarke : This is Clarke. You did it, Captain! Thank goodness!

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Goodness has nothing to do with it!

• Ardra : If you wish this foolish arbitration, I will choose my own prize.

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : And what would that be?

  Ardra : You. By all rights, your body is already mine. But I want more. I want your heart, your mind, your soul, and I want you to give them to me without resistance of your own free will. So, do you still wish to pursue this most dangerous game?

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : I agree to your terms.

  Ardra : Oh, Picard, I will enjoy you morning, noon and night!

• Acost Jared : Thank you, Captain Picard. You saved our lives.

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : No, Jared. As I've tried to tell you, you saved your own lives a long time ago.

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard : A wise man once said: "There is a sucker born every minute."

  Lt. Commander Data : P.T. Barnum.

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Just have Mr. Data fetch me in a shuttle. And have him bring along a uniform.

  Lieutenant Worf : Did you say uniform?

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : [sternly]  Yes, I did!

• Dr. Howard Clarke : Several years ago, Acost Jared, the Ventaxian head of state, began to grow increasingly obsessed with the legend of Ardra. With each passing day, he grew more anxious, and he talked about little else. "Ardra is coming back." "Ardra will be here soon." "We must all leave before Ardra returns."

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : And who is this Ardra?

  Dr. Howard Clarke : For all intents and purposes... the Devil.

• Lt. Commander Data : Since I have no emotional awareness to create a performance, I am attempting to use performance to create emotional awareness. I believe if I can learn to duplicate the fear of Ebenezer Scrooge, I will be one step closer to truly understanding humanity.

  [Picard is called to the bridge, which he acknowledges] 

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Data - the moment that you decided to stop imitating other actors and create your own interpretation, you were already one step closer to understanding humanity.

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard : Ensign, put up the shields until further notice.

  Ardra : [posing as an ensign]  Yes, sir, Captain. Whatever you say.

  Commander William T. Riker : We are not impressed with your magic tricks!

  Ardra : I pity you. We live in a universe of magic, which evidently you cannot see.

• Ardra : Oh, you doubt me. A non-believer. Really, Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise, no doubt you have traveled the galaxy, encountered a diverse universe of creatures. Is there no room for the likes of me?

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : I've encountered many, who're more credibly to be called the Devil than you.

  Ardra : The Devil! Now, there's one I haven't heard in a long time.

• Ardra : Who would you be?

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : I'm Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise.

  Ardra : Keep up the good work.

• [first lines; Data is playing Ebenezer Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol", facing Jacob Marley's ghost] 

  Jacob Marley (Ghost) : You don't believe in me?

  Lt. Cmdr. Data : [as Scrooge]  I don't!

  Jacob Marley (Ghost) : What evidence do you have marked, of my reality, beyond that of your senses?

  Lt. Cmdr. Data : I don't know.

  Jacob Marley (Ghost) : Why do you doubt your senses?

  Lt. Cmdr. Data : Because... a little thing affects them. A slight disorder of the stomach makes them cheats. You may be a bit of, uh, undigested beef, a... blot of mustard, a... crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato.

  [chuckles nervously yet condescendingly] 

  Lt. Cmdr. Data : Why, there's more of gravy than a grave about you... whatever you are. Humbug, I tell you. Humbug.

  Jacob Marley (Ghost) : [the ghost of Jacob Marley lets out a ghostly, howling scream while rattling his chains]  AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!

  Lt. Cmdr. Data : [Data, as Scrooge, lets out a fearful cry as he jumps out of his chair and cowers down to the floor, as Marley screams]  O-Oh!

  Capt. Jean-Luc Picard : [Picard is revealed to be sitting in a chair, watching Data perform; to the computer]  Computer, freeze program.

• Ardra : [attempting to seduce Picard]  Oh, come now, Picard! You know you find me tantalizing. Give in to your desires.

  Captain Jean-Luc Picard : You know, there's nothing about you I find tantalizing. On the contrary, I find you obvious and vulgar.

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard : I refuse to abandon this planet to that woman!