Fabula
Object
Object

Cigarette Smoke

A curling, ephemeral haze of cigarette smoke that permeates dimly lit noir settings, thickening the atmosphere with a period-authentic grit. It snakes through tense interrogation rooms and languid waiting offices, visually punctuating moments of psychological pressure, seductive anxiety, and noir mystery. The smoke draws sharp contrasts against harsh lights and shadowed corners, emphasizing emotional states and narrative stakes in a 1941 San Francisco simulation.
7 appearances

Purpose

To establish an atmospheric and sensory layer that reinforces the period noir setting, heightens tension during interrogations, and visually encodes the emotional states of characters such as Jessica Bradley and Captain Picard.

Significance

The cigarette smoke symbolizes entrapment, looming danger, and the smoky veil between illusion and reality central to the Holodeck’s collapsing 1941 simulation. It accentuates the noir mood, highlighting vulnerability, suspicion, and the corrosive anxiety underlying the unfolding mystery.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

7 moments
S1E13 · The Big Goodbye
Secretary Mocks Picard’s Suit and Summons Jessica Bradley

Cigarette smoke is blown out by Jessica Bradley as a period-appropriate atmospheric detail, reinforcing the gritty and tense noir mood that underscores her anxious plea and the scene’s escalating emotional stakes.

Before: Absent or unperceived in the waiting room; introduced as Jessica lights a cigarette upon meeting Picard
After: Lingering in the air of Jessica’s office, thickening the atmosphere with tension and period authenticity
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S1E13 · The Big Goodbye
Picard Meets Jessica Bradley and Accepts Her Dangerous Plea

Cigarette smoke emitted by Jessica Bradley thickens the moody atmosphere, adding visual texture that reflects her anxious and fearful emotional state. It curls through the dimly lit waiting room, reinforcing the period authenticity and noir tension as she reveals her deadly predicament.

Before: Present in the office, emanating from Jessica's cigarette.
After: Continues to linger around Jessica and the room, maintaining the smoky noir ambiance.
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S1E13 · The Big Goodbye
Picard’s Stoic Command Amidst Interrogation Smoke

The swirling cigarette smoke saturates the interrogation room, visually punctuating the thick tension and claustrophobia of the environment. It serves as a period-authentic atmospheric element that enhances the noir mood, obscuring edges and contributing to the psychological pressure exerted on Picard.

Before: Present and dense in the interrogation room, hanging heavily in the air.
After: Continues to swirl and suffuse the room, unchanged by the interaction.
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S1E13 · The Big Goodbye
Detective Bell Escalates Interrogation, Amplifying Picard’s Psychological Entrapment

The cigarette smoke curls and swirls around Picard's head, illuminated by the harsh white light, visually amplifying the tense, oppressive atmosphere of the interrogation. It serves both as a period-authentic detail and a symbolic haze that blurs the lines between clarity and obfuscation in this high-pressure scenario.

Before: Thick and curling in the air within the interrogation room, surrounding the characters
After: Remains swirling, continuing to suffuse the room with a smoky haze that enhances tension
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S2E19 · Manhunt
A Gangster's Commission: Slade Hires Dixon Hill

Picard awkwardly lights a cigarette as part of the Dixon Hill affectation and chokes on it, producing a curling plume of smoke that thickens the noir atmosphere, punctuates his discomfort when grabbed, and visually underscores the tension in the room.

Before: Unlit cigarette or fresh smoke absent from the room.
After: Smoke hangs in the office's air, coiling around characters and enhancing the period-noir ambience as they speak and move.
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S2E19 · Manhunt
Crisp Bills, Concealed Barrel

Cigarette smoke issues from the assailant's newly lit cigarette, thickening the noir atmosphere and visually masking details of the man's face while signaling menace. The smoke punctuates the pause before the ambush and helps the assailant blend into shadow.

Before: A lit cigarette is producing pale gray ribbons of smoke as the man leans against the wall; smoke hangs in the hallway.
After: Smoke lingers in the corridor, carrying the scent and visual trace of the assailant's presence after the gunshot cuts the action.
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S2E19 · Manhunt
Chandlerland Ambush — Picard Shot Point‑Blank

Cigarette smoke issues from the toughguy's lit cigarette, clinging to the dim hallway and thickening the atmosphere; it functions as an aural/visual curtain that obscures motion, increases menace, and accentuates the noir mood immediately before and during the confrontation.

Before: Freshly lit, pale gray ribbons curl in the hallway as the toughguy leans against the wall and smokes while waiting.
After: Still present in the hallway as the shot is fired; the scene cuts to black before its dispersal is shown, so it remains a lingering, smoky veil over the violent climax.
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