ABSTRACT
Star Trek Nemesis (2002), directed by Stuart Baird, is the final adventure for The Next Generation crew. This entry examines how the film launches inquiries into family, genetic determinism, and toxic masculinity: Captain Picard faces off his Romulan-spawned clone, Shinzon, leader of the Remans; Data faces his own mirror, his predecessor B-4. Authenticity, identity, and power also come under the film’s lens as the pairs struggle: Picard faces his own privilege and kills Shinzon; Data self-sacrifices to save his crew, but his consciousness appears to survive in B-4. Meanwhile, Counselor Troi becomes caught in Shinzon’s gaze; Picard orders her to allow his clone’s psychic violation. As this chapter discusses, she ultimately triumphs over one of her abusers. The power struggles within the film mirror those of its production and reception: NEM remains a controversial film, though most frequently critically discussed in conjunction with AI and cloning technology.
