History Heartwarming / StarTrekFirstContact

** It's also great in meta sense, many of Gene Roddenberry's older fans have often gone on the record of how Star Trek's creator would not have approved of many of the shows and films that have come out since his death. But just about ''everyone'' can agree that he would have liked the idea of the first meeting between humanity and Vulcans.

-->'''Worf''': ''(Standing up a little straighter)'' Thank you, sir.

-->'''Worf''': ([[TranquilFury coldly furious]], looming over Picard) If you were ''any other man'', I would '''kill''' you where you stand...

* Picard telling Riker to "stay out of history's way" when evacuating the ''Enterprise'' crew to [[http://en.memory-alpha.org/wiki/Gravett_Island Gravett Island]]. There's something charming and heartwarming about the scene - probably because they think they won't be able to return home and it's sort of a retirement package to live out their days on a deserted Polynesian island... [[Series/GilligansIsland Wait a minute...]]

** Every little moment of wonder from the 21 century humans led to a slight dampness of eye, because it's so perfectly what Trek is about--''this is what the future could be!'' And then when the first Vulcan pulls back his hood to reveal his ears, and the music crests, and you know everything that will unfold and everything that is to come.

*** When you remember that Vulcans are touch-telepaths and as such avoid unnecessary physical contact to avoid accidentally sharing thoughts, this is an even bigger deal. It's the equivalent of finding a culture who greets people by open-mouth kissing them and taking it in stride.

* Riker helps Cochrane get over his fear of destiny:

-->'''Riker:''' (''grinning'') You did, ten years from now.
** Really Riker's whole interaction with Cochrane is this. Unlike everyone else on the enginering staff even Geordi to an extent falling all over themselves at his historical significance to their field and having trouble processing the actual flawed man, Riker just takes it in stride. He doesn't even seem to judge him for admitting he started the whole project for money, seemingly believing he'll change his tune and appreciate the significance to humanity in time. Either Riker has incredible people skills or he's a history buff aware of Cochrane's entire past and not just the shiny famous parts.

* After hearing how badly the fight is going for the Starfleet forces, Picard announces his intention to violate orders and take the ship into combat to help, but will allow any dissenters to speak up. As funny and awesome as it is, Data's response after the beat is also a heartwarming display of loyalty:

* The epilogue, where aliens land to find the human who flew Earth's first warp-drive vessel. When the visitors reveal themselves to be [[spoiler:Vulcans]] (because [[ForegoneConclusion of ''course'' they were]]), you know it is the DawnOfAnEra where humanity's time of desolation and despair has ended and its hopeful beginning of the building of TheFederation has begun.
** Every little moment of wonder from the 21 century humans led to a slight dampness of eye, because it's so perfectly what Trek is about--''this is what the future could be!'' And then when [[spoiler:the first Vulcan pulls back his hood to reveal his ears, and the music crests, and you know everything that will unfold and everything that is to come...yeah.]] Definitely something in the eye.

** ''[[Series/StarTrekEnterprise Enterprise]]'' later used this to illustrate how the Mirror Universe diverges, with Cochrane [[spoiler:suddenly shooting the Vulcan instead]], and it works very effectively as a deliberate ShockingSwerve because of how heartwarming the original scene was.

** Really Riker's whole interaction with Cochrane is this. Unlike everyone else on the enginering staff even Geordi to an extent falling all over themselves at his historical significance to their field and having trouble processing the actual flawed man, Riker just takes in in stride. He doesn't even seem to judge him for admitting he started the whole project for money, seemingly believing he'll change his tune and appreciate the significance to humanity in time. Either Riker has incredible people skills or he's a history buff aware of Cochrane's entire past and not just the shiny famous parts.

** Every little moment of wonder from the 21 century Terrans led to a slight dampness of eye, because it's so perfectly what Trek is about--''this is what the future could be!'' And then when [[spoiler:the first Vulcan pulls back his hood to reveal his ears, and the music crests, and you know everything that will unfold and everything that is to come...yeah.]] Definitely something in the eye.

-->'''Worf''': ([[TranquilFury coldly furious]]) If you were ''any other man'', I would '''kill''' you where you stand...

-->'''Worf''': ([[TranquilFury coldly furious) If you were ''any other man'', I would '''kill''' you where you stand...

-->'''Worf''': If you were ''any other man'', I would '''kill''' you where you stand...

[[caption-width-right:350:"Live long and prosper."]]

* Picard going back for Data as the ship is evacuating because he's certain the android is still alive. He justifies it by recalling how the crew risked everything to save him from the Borg years earlier.

-->'''Picard''': I apologize for some of the things I said to you earlier.

'''Picard:''' I envy you; taking these first steps into a new frontier.

** There's also the fact that [[ThePolyanna Riker]] shows no sign of BrokenPedestal after Cochrane makes his admission of only being in it for the money. It's easy to see the 24th century as a utopia, and many an episode that brings up humanity's past have had gentle (and not so gentle) condemnations of humanity of the present and the motivations that drive them. But Cochrane says that he was set on creating warp drive for the money, and Riker just takes it in stride, then says simply "Someone once said 'Don't try to be a great man. Just be a man, and let history make its own judgments.'" A quote of Cochrane, ten years later, and Riker saying that the why doesn't matter as much as what he did and what it led to.

** There's also the fact that Riker shows no sign of BrokenPedestal after Cochrane makes his admission of only being in it for the money. It's easy to see the 24th century as a utopia, and many an episode that brings up humanity's past have had gentle (and not so gentle) condemnations of humanity of the present and the motivations that drive them. But Cochrane says that he was set on creating warp drive for the money, and Riker just takes it in stride, then says simply "Someone once said 'Don't try to be a great man. Just be a man, and let history make its own judgments.'" A quote of Cochrane, ten years later, and Riker saying that the why doesn't matter as much as what he did and what it led to.

-->'''Riker:''' Don't try to be a great man. Just be a man, and let history make its own judgments.

-->'''Riker:''' (grinning) You did, ten years from now.