Object

Captain Picard's Cup of Darjeeling Tea (Ready Room)

A steaming cup of Darjeeling tea served in a modest, pale ceramic teacup on a small saucer in Captain Picard's Ready Room. Warm vapor and a faint floral aroma accompany Picard's measured pouring during a private mentoring moment; the cup acts as a tactile anchor and domestic comfort that contrasts with the later discovery of an intrusive potted flower. Associated scene: Ready Room mentoring interaction involving Wesley, Riker, Geordi, and a potted flower (episode: Contagion, TNG S2E11).

4 appearances

Purpose

Personal beverage container used for drinking tea and providing a reachable, tactile focus that steadies hands and punctuates pauses during private conversations.

Significance

The cup functions as a ritual comfort object: Picard prepares and offers tea to steady a grieving Wesley and establish calm authority. Its presence intensifies intimacy in the scene and then contrasts with the sudden alarm when the out‑of‑place flower appears, converting a private teaching moment into a turning point for suspicion and investigation.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

4 moments

S2E11 · Contagion

Picard's Lesson and the Out‑of‑Place Flower

Picard references and initiates the preparation of Darjeeling tea as a calming ritual and pedagogical tool; the keys for a cup are taken from the food unit, signaling domestic intimacy and mentorship even as a larger threat brews.

Before: Cup and tea service are stored in the food unit; Picard reaches for the keys to summon a cup.

After: Picard has ordered 'Darjeeling tea, hot,' initiating the tea preparation; the cup becomes an implied comfort object for the ongoing counsel.

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S2E11 · Contagion

The Flower That Shouldn't Be There

Picard activates the food unit to request Darjeeling tea; the cup and beverage function as a ritualized comfort, a practical prop that anchors the mentorship and signifies Picard's attempt to soothe and normalize grief through small civility.

Before: Cup and tea supply available in the food unit; Picard has not yet summoned a beverage.

After: Tea has been requested ('Darjeeling tea, hot') and is in the process of being prepared or dispensed; the cup becomes a potential comfort still pending completion.

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S3E13 · Deja Q

Q's Mortal Reckoning — Confession and Rejection

Picard's modest ceramic cup of tea functions as a tactile anchor: he sips from it while remaining emotionally distant, the simple domestic act underscoring his controlled command and the ordinary steadiness of duty contrasted with Q's crisis.

Before: Resting on Picard's desk, warm and in use, providing a brief, private comfort to the captain.

After: Still on the desk; continues as an inert prop marking Picard's calm authority after Q exits.

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S3E13 · Deja Q

No Absolution: Q's Mortal Breakdown

Picard's cup of tea is present as a grounding prop; he sips it while receiving Q, its warmth and ritualized use underscoring Picard's composure and the ordinary humanity against which Q's confession is measured.

Before: Sitting on Picard's desk, steaming and held by Picard as he does busy work.

After: Presumably remains on the desk after Q exits, unchanged—an unmoved domestic detail amid emotional upheaval.

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