Jean-Luc Picard Quotes:

"I am captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise"

"Lieutenant, do you intend to blast a hole through the viewer?"

Riker: "Just hoping this isn't the usual way our missions will go, sir. " Picard: "Oh no, Number One, I'm sure most will be much more interesting . Let's see what's out there. Engage."

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Picard: "I'm sorry, this is becoming a speech." Troi: "You're the captain, sir. You're entitled."

Data: "Would you choose one life over a thousand?" Picard: "I refuse to let arithmetic decide questions like that."

"Data, you're circling the room like a buzzard."

Troi: "You spell 'knife' with a 'k'." Picard: "I spell 'knife' with an 'n', but then, I never could spell."

"Starfleet's finest. Fancy meeting you here."

"He's comparing the Enterprise to a cruise ship?"

"Mister LaForge, when I left this ship it was in one piece. I would appreciate your returning it to me in the same condition."

"Your Honor, Starfleet was founded to seek out new life. Well there it sits!"

"The victor invariably writes history to their own advantage."

"So how's it been here, Number One? Some old routine job?"

Picard: "Release him, Doctor" Pulaski: "Do you know what you're doing?" Picard: "No! Release him!"

"If we all die...here, now...you will not be able to gloat!"

"Q might have done the right thing for the wrong reason, perhaps we needed a good kick in our complacency to get us ready for what's ahead."

"Sometimes, Number One, you just have to...bow to the absurd."

"Number One, I have the distinct impression we are being toyed with."

Picard: "We're going to beam them aboard, directly onto the Bridge." Data: "But Captain, will they not protest?" Picard: "Let them."

"We are not qualified to be your judges. We have no law to fit your crime."

Tomalak: "I assure you, I intend no deception." Picard: "Of course not." Tomalak: "You doubt my good faith?" Picard: "Let's just say my faith would be strengthened by a gesture from you. Such as powering down your disruptors."

Tomalak: "I expected more than an idle threat." Picard: "Then you shall have it."

Tomalak: "You will still not survive our assault." Picard: "And you will not survive ours. Shall we die together?"

"'A matter for internal security'; the age old cry of the oppressor."

"History has shown us that strength may be useless when faced with terrorism."

Picard: "Beverly, it is our obligation to escape." Crusher: "He's prepared to kill you!" Picard: "An excellent reason to escape."

Q: "I'm no longer a member of the Qontinuum! My superiors have decided to punish me!" Picard: "And punish us as well, it would seem."

Picard: "Fine, you want to be treated as human?" Q: "Absolutely." Picard: "All right. Mister Worf, throw him in the Brig."

"It's a perfectly good shuttlecraft." Picard, about why he saved Q from self-destructing his shuttlecraft, Deja-Q

Picard: "Who is to say that history is less proper than the other?" Gunian: "I suppose I am...this time line must not be allowed to continue. I've told you what you must do. You only have your trust in me to help you decide to do it." Picard: "Attention all hands. As you know, we could outrun the Klingon vessels, but we must protect the Enterprise-C until she enters the temperal rift. And we must succeed. Lets make sure that history never forgets the name...Enterprise."

"Federation ship Enterprise, surrender and prepare to be boarded." "That will be the day!"

"There are times, sir, when men of good conscience cannot blindly follow orders. You acknowledge their sentience, but you ignore their personal liberties...and freedom. Order a man to hand his child over to the state. Not while I'm his captain."

Duras: "This is not your world, human. You do not command here." Picard: "I'm not here to command." Duras: "Then you must be ready to fight...something Starfleet does not teach you!" Picard: "You may test that assumption at your convenience."

Picard: "The replica was very convincing?" Riker: "Very convincing..but not perfect." Picard: "Not perfect in what way?" Riker: "Well, sir...I find it hard to believe that you're that good a singer." Picard: "Singer? I look forward to reading your report, Commander. At least, I think I do."

"Will, what the hell are you still doing here?" Picard to Riker about why he hasn't taken command of a ship, The Best of Both Worlds

"Will, you're ready to work without a net. You're ready to take command. And you know, the Enterprise will go on just fine without you."

The Borg: "You will surrender yourself or we will destroy your ship. Your defensive capabilities are unable to withstand a--" Riker: "What the hell to they want with you?" Shelby: "I thought they weren't interested in human lifeforms, only our technology." Picard: "Their priorities seem to have changed."

Picard: "It's a bit of a tradition, Guinan, for the captain to tour the ship before a battle." Guinan: "Before a hopeless battle, if I remember the tradition correctly." Picard: "Not necessarily. Nelson toured the H.M.S. Victory before Trafalgar." Guinan: "But Nelson never returned from Trafalgar, did he?" Picard: "Ah, but the battle was won."

Troi: "How do you feel?" Picard: "Almost human, with just a bit of a headache."

"I think, when one has been angry for a very long time, one gets used to it. And it becomes comfortable like...like old leather. And finally feels so humiliated one can't remember feeling any other way."

Sir Guy: "I am the greatest swordsman in all of Nottingham." Picard: "There's something you should know." Sir Guy: "And what might that be?" Picard: "I'm not from Nottingham."

K'Vada: "You will take your meals with us. But we do not serve Federation food." Picard: "Ah, I've been looking forward to gagh! Haven't had it for quite a while! Very fresh."

"Earth was once a violent planet too. At times, the chaors threatened the very fabric of life, but like you, we evolved. We found other ways to handle our conflict. But I think no one can deny that the seed of violence remains within each of us. We must recognize that because that violence is capable of consuming each of us, as it consumed your son."

"I'm not content simply to obey orders."

"I can't believe this. I'm dead. You can't even hear me, and I'm still intimidated by you."

Scotty: "I don't know what it is exactly, but I would be real careful. It's real--" Picard: "Aldeberan whisky. Who do you think gave it to Guinan?"

"The first vessel that I served on as captain was called the Stargazer. It was an overworked, underpowered vessel, always on the verge of flying apart at the seams. And in every measurable sense, my Enterrpise is far superior. But there are times when I would give almost everything to command the Stargazer again."

Picard: "Very well, I will introduce you. But we cannot argue like this in front of her. We must at least appear to be..." Q (putting his arm around Picard): "Pals?" Picard: "Civil."

"One thing is clear--you'll never look at your hairline again in the same way." Picard to his "son", Jason Vigo, Bloodlines

"I know you have your doubts about me, about each other, about this ship. All I can say is that although we have only been together for a short time, I know that you are the finest crew in the fleet. And I would trust each of you with my life. So I am asking you for a leap of faith...and to trust me."

"Five card stud, nothing wild. And the sky's the limit." Picard, All Good Things... (the last line of the series)

"Part of having feelings is learning to integrate then into your life, Data. Learning to live with them. So no matter what the circumstances, you will not be deactivated. You're an officer on board this ship, and I require you to preform your duty. That is an order, Commander." "I will try, Sir." "Sometimes it takes courage to try Data. And courage can be an emotion too."

"Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives. I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we've lived."   Riker: "Here's our first sensor sweep of the neutral zone." Picard: (sarcastic) "How fascinating. Twenty particles of space dust per cubic centimeter and a class two comet. This is most worthy of our look."

"Rumours of my assimilation have been greatly exagerrated"

"They invade our space, and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds, and we fall back. No more, the line must be drawn here. This far, no farther. And I will make them pay for what they've done."

(Data is feeling anxiety as they approach the Borg.) Picard: "I suggest you deactivate your emotion chip for now." Data: (click) "Done." Picard: "Data, there are times when I envy you."

Picard: "You want to run away and blow up the ship, you coward!" Worf: "If you were any other man, I would kill you where you stand." Picard: "Get off my bridge!"

Lily: "Isn't there another way?" Picard: (coolly) "I know what I'm doing"

"Perhaps we should just knock?" Picard, after the manual override to open engineering doors doesn't work

Picard and Dr. Crusher, after the self-destruct sequence is activated: Crusher: "So much for the Enterprise-E." Picard: "We barely knew her." Crusher: "Do you think they'll build another?" Picard: "There are plenty of letters left in the alphabet."