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Picard Facepalm

This Picard Facepalm image is very famous. You can find it in countless memes. Everyone keeps using it on social media. Even Fortune.com has used it.

It is so famous outside its dimension that when I do a reverse image search, Star Trek is nowhere to be found. This is actually funny.

From which Star Trek TNG episode or movie has this image been taken?

Rand al'Thor
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    Ooh. I'm surprised this hasn't been asked before; it seems like an obvious question to ask, and perfectly suited for this site. – Rand al'Thor Dec 06 '17 at 19:26
  • Related question, and answered tangentially in JohnnyDisney’s answer to: https://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/2013/which-episode-is-the-double-facepalm-image-macro-from – TZHX Dec 06 '17 at 19:30
  • I'm almost certain this was asked before, or it was the triple facepalm – Edlothiad Dec 06 '17 at 19:31
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    I didn't downvote, but my guess is that the downvotes are because this is a very easily googled question. – Kevin Workman Dec 06 '17 at 19:37
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    @Edlothiad You were right, so this is a duplicate of Which episode is the "double facepalm" image macro from?. – Mr Lister Dec 06 '17 at 20:46
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    @MrLister no because that's asking about Riker, not Picard and is a different episode. – Edlothiad Dec 06 '17 at 20:56
  • @Edlothiad The answer to both facepalms is given there, so wouldn't it qualify as a duplicate? – Mr Lister Dec 06 '17 at 21:00
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    Ah yes I see it now. I've cast my close vote. Although, I feel a bit dirty and guilty, since this answer is very good. – Edlothiad Dec 06 '17 at 21:03
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    @MrLister I almost dupehammered this after seeing the older question, but on checking more closely, the older question is only about Riker, not Picard. The lowest-voted (third) answer there does mention Picard, but it's a one-liner with no support or evidence whatsoever. – Rand al'Thor Dec 06 '17 at 21:08
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    @MrLister - So if someone asks What is 6 x 7, we should vote to close and direct the OP to the What is the Meaning of Life question just because the same answer is there even though the question is different? – Hannover Fist Dec 06 '17 at 22:43
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    @HannoverFist Oh, that old chestnut again. We've beaten that one to death, so please don't start over. Besides, anyone knows it's 6 × 9. – Mr Lister Dec 07 '17 at 07:05
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    Seriously now, I will not retract my close vote, because this image was identified as one from the episode "Deja Q" five years ago and there was no need to ask again. Even if this answer here is much better. – Mr Lister Dec 07 '17 at 07:09
  • @MrLister If we've beaten that one to death, care to provide the resolution? Because having an issue raised over and over without implementing a good solution doesn't really qualify as "having beaten it to death." – Misha R Feb 18 '18 at 17:27
  • @MishaRosnach Sorry, but I cannot find a question anywhere on the SE network that asks what is 6 × 7. – Mr Lister Feb 18 '18 at 18:17
  • @MrLister That didn't seem to bother you when you said it was beaten to death. But, more to the point, if there were a practical response to the issue of poorly designed dupe rules, then "that old chestnut" would likely stop coming up. – Misha R Feb 18 '18 at 21:36

1 Answers1

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From KnowYourMeme.com, emphasis mine:

One of the most popular facepalm images is one of Captain Jean-Luc Picard from Star Trek the Next Generation taken from the episode “Deja Q,” in which Picard is shown reacting to a stressful situation

(This was the first result for googling Picard facepalm btw.)

From Wikipedia:

"Deja Q" is the 13th episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation...

In this episode, as the crew of the starship Enterprise struggle to prevent a moon from falling out of orbit, their situation is further complicated by a visit from a powerful nemesis named "Q" (John de Lancie), who informs them that he has been stripped of all his powers and must live out a mortal life.

Here's a video:

Picard facepalm video

In this scene, Q (a character that the rest of the crew finds very annoying) is explaining to the bridge crew that he has been stripped of his powers and is human now. Picard is reacting to this news with skepticism and annoyance, based on previous encounters with Q.

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    Knew it would have to do either with Q or Lwaxana. – starpilotsix Dec 06 '17 at 21:46
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    @starpilotsix - Note (as mentioned in the answer) that he's sitting on the bridge. I can't see him allowing that public a reaction to anything involving Lwaxana. In the ready room, sure - on the bridge, no. – RDFozz Dec 06 '17 at 22:18
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    Very clever answer. Eat any good books lately? – BrainSlugs83 Dec 07 '17 at 03:05
  • "The rest of the crew"? Even though Q sometimes (often) uses a starfleet uniform, I don't think he's actually part of the crew. :) – ilkkachu Dec 07 '17 at 08:40
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    @starpilotsix Lwaxana is the reason for the annoyed Picard meme – André Stannek Dec 07 '17 at 08:40
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    @RDFozz: Picard came very close to such a reaction related to Lwaxana; in the episode where he doesn't want to take a vacation (to... Risa?), and Troi informs him that Lwaxana will visit the Enterprise (during the period he's suggested to take a vacation). In reality, Picard's annoyance came from seeing through Troi's ploy; but he only revealed that in private to Riker. Publically, he practically stormed out of the bridge as a response to being informed of Lwaxana's impending presence. – Flater Dec 07 '17 at 10:33
  • @RDFozz: Picard has expressed frustration with Lwaxana while on the bridge before, but he's pretty sly about it. In "Menage a Troi, after Picard "rescues" Lwaxana, he orders Wesley Crusher to set a course for Betazed and then very discretely adds in "Warp 9". In reality, though, he might have well yelled it out anyway since Lwaxana is a full telepath and his feelings aren't a secret to anyone on the bridge. – Ellesedil Feb 16 '18 at 17:46