r/StarTrekTNG

according to the wiki I think it's Ensign Williams, but I wonder if anyone has a better answer

I recently rewatched Allegiance after a while and I think Picard was way too hard on the abductors. Yes he was kidnapped but they even stated correctly he was in no danger and was for pure curiosity. They never showed aggression or ill intent either, almost child like in their demeaner. Not to mention their incredible technology of cloning and teleportation and also their telepathy. Just seemed like a wasted opportunity for knowledge and a future ally to be dismissed in such an un-Picard manner.

I just watched this episode and I had to see if I was the only one thinking “wtf???” How was that the right thing to do? The boy was kidnapped and raised by the man who killed both his parents and was then taken to be raised in a grossly misogynistic, xenophobic, and violent society. And Picard took it upon himself to, not rightfully return the obviously Stockholm Syndrome affected boy back to his two living grandparents that were more than elated and ready to care for him, but instead returned him to the kidnapper????

Ofc the child who was raised by his kidnappers and only knew them wouldn’t want to go back to what are essentially strangers, but he wasn’t old enough or wise enough to make the decision. And with time and therapy, he would have absolutely adjusted. (For Christ’s sake, they SHOWED him beginning to remember what had happened to him and process, struggle, and somewhat start to adjust and adapt to the idea of being human and being around humans, then randomly had him relapse and stab Picard because he “panicked” and “felt like he was betraying his “father” The kidnapper.)

And what about the poor grandparents? Did Picard even ask them?? Did he inform them of his decision to take their literal only living family away and give him back to the kidnapper? I understand wanting to avoid a war, but I highly doubt it would have actually come to that if he gave the child back to his real family. Also, if I were that Admiral grandmother who got her hopes up to get her grandchild, WHO SHE THOUGHT WAS DEAD, back, only to be informed that Picard made the decision— without consulting them, to give my grandchild back to his kidnapper, I’d make his life in Starfleet a living hell. Like he would have really made an enemy that day. This episode really annoyed tf out of me.